Author Archive
Get a haircut and get a real job
Written By: - Date published: 5:19 pm, October 24th, 2021 - 63 comments
While our eyes are peeled on the 90% vaccination target, the ground under our feet is shifting.
Mad Tuesday
Written By: - Date published: 7:58 pm, October 22nd, 2021 - 15 comments
NZ Government is jumping at the deep end by re-opening schools on Tuesday.
Terra Incognita
Written By: - Date published: 7:51 pm, October 9th, 2021 - 25 comments
The future can seem scary but we do not face it alone.
Gut Feeling and Common Sense
Written By: - Date published: 10:30 pm, October 6th, 2021 - 42 comments
With clear information people can and should be expected to make optimal and sub-optimal choices & decisions.
Priorities?
Written By: - Date published: 7:54 pm, October 3rd, 2021 - 16 comments
Is setting priorities just a matter of resources?
This turkey is struggling cooped up in a bubble
Written By: - Date published: 6:21 pm, September 29th, 2021 - 78 comments
Turkeys don’t vote for Christmas but Kiwis do, don’t they?
Fearmongering or telling it how it is?
Written By: - Date published: 5:14 pm, September 25th, 2021 - 29 comments
42 is not the meaning of life and 13 is not an unlucky number.
Why did the chicken cross the road?
Written By: - Date published: 9:58 pm, September 21st, 2021 - 26 comments
Government has taken a ‘calculated risk’ with opening up Auckland somewhat tonight.
A little bit of understanding can go a long way …
Written By: - Date published: 11:09 am, August 19th, 2021 - 18 comments
Our online Persona is not us, but just a mask.
We Need Better Politicians!
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 pm, August 2nd, 2021 - 24 comments
With the right people in power, we will get the answers we deserve, and our problems will melt away and scatter in a warm worriless wind.
What does The Standard mean for you?
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, June 20th, 2021 - 60 comments
Let’s hear from you in this unscientific survey!
The Non-Partisan Populism of Popper’s Paradox
Written By: - Date published: 6:18 pm, May 22nd, 2021 - 91 comments
When democracy and free speech are hijacked to silence others, they can no longer support their principles and become a contradictio in terminis.
The Problem with Personification in Politics
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 19th, 2021 - 12 comments
It is a grave mistake to treat Ministries as if they are real persons.
Einstein versus Trump*
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 18th, 2021 - 10 comments
Einstein tried to explain complex things and understand reality; Trump tried to explain it away and distort reality.
Covid Zeitgeist
Written By: - Date published: 12:04 pm, March 21st, 2021 - 31 comments
NZ politics needs recharging and renewal to move forward. We need more charging stations.
The Unbearable Lightness of the Bright-Line Test
Written By: - Date published: 4:20 pm, March 13th, 2021 - 96 comments
The bright-line test is a red herring and does nothing to deter housing speculation.
You have 30 min to get your business in order!
Written By: - Date published: 12:50 pm, March 12th, 2021 - 77 comments
Government should have announced the decision for Auckland to go down to Level 1 first thing this morning.
So, You Want To Buy Your First Home?
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, March 7th, 2021 - 75 comments
Money does not grow on trees, it grows on houses. It is pure magic!
An Introvert’s Guide to Spending Money*
Written By: - Date published: 1:38 pm, December 29th, 2020 - 30 comments
Don’t waste your money on shit, spend it on good shit.
Words of Outrage or Outrageous Action?
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, December 24th, 2020 - 30 comments
Do you reward rage with rage or do you ignore it and walk away quietly?
Tranquillum
Written By: - Date published: 7:28 pm, December 6th, 2020 - 134 comments
Don’t expect a jellyfish to grow a spine, they just bob along on the current and keep moving, gently, slowly, kindly.
A Bit About How (my) Moderation Works (at present)
Written By: - Date published: 9:58 pm, November 29th, 2020 - 26 comments
An attempt to clarify some misconceptions and dispel some urban myths about (my) moderation.
PPE from a Universe Far, Far Away
Written By: - Date published: 2:33 pm, August 22nd, 2020 - 11 comments
An antidote against the pounding waves of BS coming from inside and outside Aotearoa.
A Stunt Scene from Mission Impossible*
Written By: - Date published: 3:52 pm, August 17th, 2020 - 16 comments
In NZ politics, the perception of fairness matters more than actual fairness.
National Has Found a Moral Compass
Written By: - Date published: 3:46 pm, June 6th, 2020 - 34 comments
National has embarked on a moral crusade to not lose the Election.
Is National Just Inconsistent or Incompetent?
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, June 1st, 2020 - 65 comments
National’s new job-creation scheme appears to be inconsistent with their desire to fully re-instate the 90-day trial period.
Draconian Tourism or no Tourism?
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 27th, 2020 - 192 comments
If overseas tourists want to visit NZ, they may have to give up a little bit of their privacy to keep all of us safe.
How Not to Engage in Public Debate
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 15th, 2020 - 95 comments
The best way to engage in public debate on the lockdown is to be open, clear, and transparent and show the facts. A press release full of beliefs and reckons is unhelpful and irresponsible.
Are the Vultures Already Circling Above?
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 14th, 2020 - 116 comments
We cannot go back to business as usual after the lockdown but can we shape the way things will be for the greater good?
National’s Petition is Cynical Populism
Written By: - Date published: 12:45 pm, April 9th, 2020 - 124 comments
National is trying to steal show political leadership and relevance by launching a petition.
Addendum added
About Carrots and Sticks
Written By: - Date published: 2:41 pm, April 4th, 2020 - 119 comments
How can we improve motivation to stamp out this virus in New Zealand?
- Striving to ‘help people reinstate their health’
Dr Anna Rolleston and her team in Tauranga are on a mission to develop a new way of delivering healthcare that demonstrates the power of tikanga Māori and supports people taking control of their hauora (health). Anna, who holds a PhD in medicine, is the managing director of the Centre ...3 hours ago - Te reo Māori changed Dr Awanui Te Huia’s lifeTe reo Māori immersion workshops, Kura Reo, changed the trajectory of Dr Awanui Te Huia’s life and set her on a new course of research to explore. Awanui’s initial research background is in Māori health and social psychology. For the past 10 years, her passion for research includes the links ...4 hours ago
- “Close to useless”
A while ago I pointed out how some government agencies are juking the OIA stats, abusing the power to extend requests to make it look like they are answering requests in a timely manner, when the reality is anything but. I didn't do the followup of trawling through estimates hearings ...5 hours ago - Vaccine mandates and human rightsYesterday the government announced a new vaccine mandate, requiring workers in high-contact industries to be vaccinated and allowing them to be fired if they refuse. This is obviously a prima facie breach of the BORA rights to refuse medical treatment, and to be free from discrimination (on health and potentially ...5 hours ago
- The cost of Tiwai PointTwo years ago, foreign polluters Rio Tinto blackmailed Aotearoa into giving them lower electricity prices again. And they got away with it, getting themselves a rate nearly ten times lower than what us plebs pay. So how much does that cost us? $200 a year per household, according to the ...7 hours ago
- We Have Failed the Government
We must now accept that our national response to the Delta variant has not been as successful as our initial effort last year when the coronavirus first made an appearance. This, we can assume, is partly because the Delta variant is a more formidable opponent but also partly because our ...8 hours ago - Monitoring CO2 indoors for improving ventilation as a Covid-19 control toolDr Ian Longley and Dr Julie Bennett* Poor ventilation in indoor settings is widely recognised as a risk factor for the airborne transmission of the virus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes Covid-19. Virus-laden aerosols can remain airborne for hours in indoor spaces with low levels of ventilation. In this blog, we discuss ...9 hours ago
- Gordon Campbell on our weird ways of funding care for the dying
National Party leader Judith Collins thinks the government’s traffic light system for emerging from Covid lockdowns is “confusing.” Perhaps she could be looking in the mirror because in recent weeks, National has hardly been a model of crystalline clarity. On RNZ this morning Collins was calling for the scrapping of ...9 hours ago - NZ Politics Daily: 27 October 2021
Today’s NZPD testimonial from Prue Hyman, Economist; former Associate Professor of Economics and Gender and Women’s Studies at Victoria University of Wellington “Bryce Edwards’ emails NZ Politics Daily does a great job of putting together the urls of the vast majority of the day’s columns on NZ politics and economic and social policy ...11 hours ago - Misopogon: In Defence of Beards Among Tolkien’s Elves and Men
Fun fact: New Zealand’s release date for The Nature of Middle-earth is 10th November, which means I still do not have my copy. While you lot are busy with Tolkien’s calculations of Elven life-cycles to multiple decimal places,* and laughing (from a safe distance) at Númenorean dancing bears, I ...14 hours ago - Climate Change: Make the dairy industry pay their wayThe dairy industry is celebrating its biggest payout ever: $13 billion. Which is great for the farmers, but immediately raises the obvious question: if they're so rich, why aren't they paying their way? Because dairy farming relies on enormous water and carbon subsidies from everyone else, and it is neither ...1 day ago
- Putting On The Armour Of Covid Righteousness.
Moral Authority? To those who complain that the Prime Minister is unnecessarily and unethically stigmatising the vaccine hesitant and resistant, there is only one genuinely ethical retort: They have stigmatised themselves.ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES facing New Zealanders over the next few weeks will be Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy and resistance. ...1 day ago - NZ Politics Daily: 26 October 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Denis Welch, Author and commentator “In a world where we’re potentially inundated by newsfeeds, NZ Politics Daily serves an invaluable function in providing direct access to news reports, articles, blogs and other commentary of interest to anyone wanting to know what’s going on in New Zealand politics and ...1 day ago
- Reducing the risk of Covid-19 transmission through the use of air purifiersProf Mark Jermy, Dr Julie Bennett, Dr Jason Chen, Phoebe Taptiklis and Dr Caroline Shorter* Indoor environments increase the risk of transmission for the virus that causes Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2) by containment and concentration of the airborne virus. However, to reduce such transmission, the particles that carry the virus can be ...2 days ago
- Is cost-benefit analysis the right tool for federal climate policy?
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Lexi Smith Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) may sound like the realm of wonky bureaucrats tinkering on the edges of major policy initiatives. But CBA can have enormous consequences, especially in the context of climate change. When calculating climate harms, seemingly small assumptions made ...2 days ago - Labour Day musings
by Don Franks Labour Day’s just another holiday now, although workers wouldn’t have any paid holidays without the long up and down grind of past union struggles. This Labour Day I thought back to my first union experience. It was in 1969, one morning in a timber yard. I’d been ...2 days ago - Business and Media pimp for dodgy covid test. Govt caves. Questions Remain.
. . Recent vociferous demands by business interests and the National Party have pressured the government into allowing Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) to be used throughout the country. The pressure has grown as freight-trucking companies and others have demanded the ability to move between Auckland and the rest of the ...2 days ago - The Shadow of the Shadow: Isildur as Amazon’s Main Character
Yay. Some more leakages. About the upcoming Amazon Second Age series, that is. Fellowship of Fans can reveal that, as of episode 3 of Season 1, we will see Isildur as a focal point character: My first thought? I don’t like this. I don’t like this ...3 days ago - 2021 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #43Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, October 17, 2021 through Sat, October 23, 2021 The following articles sparked above average interest during the week: Forget your carbon footprint. Let's talk about your climate shadow, People Who Jump to Conclusions Show Other ...3 days ago
- Media Link: “A View from Afar” on supply chain bottlenecks, commodity (over) concentration and t...
Selwyn Manning and I have created YouTube channels under our respective business names in order to promote the “A View from Afar” podcast series. The latest episode examines recent problems of global supply, production and exchange, using a micro-to-macro lens to discuss the interplay between economics, policy and politics in ...3 days ago - Dark Lord Musings: Why Sauron Joined Team Melkor
It has often been noted that Tolkien’s two great Dark Lords had quite distinct motivations for their villainy, Melkor/Morgoth being what we might today term ‘Chaotic Evil,’ and Mairon/Sauron being ‘Lawful Evil.’ One was obsessed with destroying Creation because it was not his, the other was obsessed with governing ...4 days ago - Electric aircraft – coming soon to save us, or all hype and greenwash?By Paul Callister and Robert McLachlan Electric aircraft have arrived, but a lot has to happen to make commercial flights a reality. Can they live up to the hype, and can they reduce aviation emissions? We run the numbers. It’s not easy to keep up with the rapidly-changing world of ...4 days ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #42, 2021105 articles by 463 contributing authors Physical science of climate change, effects A simple model of blocking action over a hemisphere Kurgansky Theoretical and Applied Climatology 10.1007/s00704-021-03782-y Mechanisms of European Summer Drying under Climate Change Tuel & Eltahir Alizadeh Journal of Climate Open Access 10.1175/jcli-d-20-0968.1 Observations of climate ...5 days ago
- Vaccinating the Underclass
If we want to minimise the impact of the Covid virus we are going to have to think about social class.New Zealanders do not easily talk about social class: that there are groups in the community who connect together, live different lives and have standards of living very different from ...5 days ago - Brian Tamaki – Arsehole of the Week
You may find it somewhat amusing to see Brian Tamaki arrested again for organising another Destiny Church protest. After all, his largely nonsensical argument against the Government’s Covid restrictions is one thing, but those tattooed on eyebrows are really something else.However it’s no laughing matter. The self-proclaimed messiah is in ...5 days ago - Jacinda’s Choice: “Freedom Day”, Or Failure.Lining Up With The Right: Though Jacinda Ardern hasn’t endorsed the John Key-Act-National preference for 1 December as Auckland's “Freedom Day” in as many words, that is clearly the timeline she is working to. The Prime Minister of New Zealand cannot assure 1.6 million Aucklanders that they will be free ...5 days ago
- Rendering Unto Caesar: In Labour, “L’état c’est Jacinda”.5 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on why New Zealand needs to change its Defence habitsIn a flashback to the military displays of days gone by, one of our frigates recently joined a Carrier Strike show of force in the South China Sea, en route to a joint military exercise in Singapore with our traditional allies, called BersamaGold21. Reportedly, Anna Powles, from the Centre of ...5 days ago
- New Zealand’s mass vaccination event lifts uptake but highlights dangerous inequities as the count...Jesse Whitehead, University of Waikato New Zealand’s mass vaccination event last Saturday, when more than 130,000 people turned up to get their first or second dose, surpassed Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s expectations. Super Saturday and a televised “vaxathon” were part of the government’s push towards a 90% vaccination goal. ...5 days ago
- Is Funding Euthanasia a Health Priority for Aotearoa New Zealand: Part 2?Dr Ben Gray* Providing equity of access for assisted dying without equity of access to palliative care is to completely undermine the goals of the End of Life Choice Act. The choice is distorted towards aid in dying and away from palliative care. In this blog I will describe the ...5 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 22 October 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Peder Gustafsson, Asia Correspondent, Swedish National Radio “As a Asia-Pacific Correspondent for the Swedish National Radio The newsletter from NZ Politics Daily is one of my best sources for getting information and keeping up with what’s happening in New Zealand. I appreciate the variety and breadth of the information ...5 days ago
- The Power Of “No”.Irrational Resistance: With the Delta variant of Covid-19 raging through their communities and pumping up the number of community cases to new and frightening levels, it’s beginning to dawn on the ill-treated and excluded that, for once in their lives, they have the power. If the System is so desperate ...6 days ago
- Geoffrey Miller: Geopolitics behind NZ-UK free trade dealInternational analyst Geoffrey Miller explains why the free trade agreement between New Zealand and the United Kingdom is not just about building back butter The new Aukus defence pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States will go down as one of this year’s biggest foreign policy ...6 days ago
- Barbados elects its first presidentBarbados will officially become a republic at the end of November, and today they took an important step along the way: electing their first president. To make things easy on themselves in the transition, they simply elected their current Governor-General to the role: Governor General Dame Sandra Mason has ...6 days ago
- Labour’s sneaky copyright dealThe big news this morning is that the government has reached an in-principle FTA with the UK, with the usual benefits for farmers (and therefore incentives to increase emissions). The wisdom of making an agreement with a government which literally admitted last week that it makes agreements in bad faith ...6 days ago
- Moving To The Right.6 days ago
- DrawnA ballot for five Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Education and Training (Freedom of Expression) Amendment Bill (James McDowall) Employment Relations (Extended Time for Personal Grievance for Sexual Harassment) Amendment Bill (Deborah Russell) Financial Professional Services Trading Advice Transparency Bill ...6 days ago
- National's failed firearms bill cost over $390,0006 days ago
- Waitemata Burning: Narrowing Down the Auckland Outbreak
So the Auckland Coronavirus Outbreak has been steadily increasing in case numbers. Not exploding, Melbourne-style, but definitely increasing. The question then becomes… how is this happening, and where is this happening? Well, I’m pleased you asked that. Because I do think we can mine the available data for clues. ...6 days ago - Wishful ThinkngIt should come as no surprise that the government’s critics, on the pandemic and other subjects, are from the political right. For many of them, the touchstone is purely political – if the policy is right-wing, it is “right”, and, if not, then it is by definition wrong. In no ...6 days ago
- The critically endangered Māui dolphin is a conservation priority – we shouldn’t let uncertaint...Rochelle Constantine, University of Auckland and Wendi Roe, Massey University The world’s rarest marine dolphin, Māui, is found only along the west coast of the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. Based on our surveys over the last two summers, during which we collected small tissue samples for DNA ...6 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 21 October 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Dr Mike Reid, Principal Policy Advisor, Local Government New Zealand “NZ Politics Daily is essential early morning reading in our organisation like LGNZ. To effectively represent our members we need to understand and respond to changes in the political landscape, particularly policy and political changes at the national ...6 days ago
- Fluoridation and child IQ – the problem of counting chickens before they hatch
Image credit: Cherry-picking data – don’t get fooled by misleading statistics It’s easy to find studies that confirm ones own bias on health issues. But cherry-picking such studies is unscientific because one could equally cite studies showing the exact opposite. The problem is ...6 days ago- Kids’ quality of life will depend on today’s climate choices
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections It’s the moral quandary of human-caused climate change: People least responsible for the problem will bear the brunt of its harmful consequences. As a substantial body of scientific research has established, this reality is true of developing countries. They generally are located in already-hot regions ...1 week ago- Purpose-built MIQ: National’s sums don’t add up
. . Parts of National’s document – to open up Aotearoa New Zealand “to the world” – has been recycled from various policy and media releases last year and more recently. Despite demanding that the country open up to the outside world and end lockdowns by 1 December, and ...1 week ago- Member’s Day
Today is a Member's Day, and there's an interesting bill up for debate for once. But they'll have to get through a lot of boring stuff first. First up is Simeon Brown's Arms (Firearms Prohibition Orders) Amendment Bill (No 2), which should go quickly as it has been overtaken by ...1 week ago- Justice for Brazil?
Brazil has been one of the countries worst-hit by the pandemic, with over 21 million confirmed cases and 600,000 deaths. Much of the blame for that can be squarely laid at the feet of its president, Jair Bolsonaro, who put the economy first and let the disease spread unchecked, while ...1 week ago- Freedom Day is coming!
Could 1 December be Freedom Day? ...1 week ago- Gordon Campbell on juggling Covid, and France’s Trump-like populist
It is the age-old Covid problem. How to balance the needs for firms (and schools) to re-open against the need to protect public health. In the past, the balance has been struck by insisting that the best public health outcomes also deliver the best economic (and educational) outcomes. While that ...1 week ago- Ben Santer on ‘separating’ and his ‘small part’ in understanding of climate science
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Separating is hard. I’ve spent most of my scientific career trying to separate observed climate records into human-caused signals and the background noise of natural variability. It’s been challenging and fascinating work. Challenging because so many different human and natural factors affect Earth’s ...1 week ago- NZ Politics Daily: 20 October 2021
Today’s NZPD testimonial from Joe Atkinson, Political Scientist, University of Auckland: “NZPD is an indispensable source for political junkies like me. It sorts the wheat out from the media chaff and saves a lot of time.” Anyone can sign up to NZPD for free at: https://democracyproject.nz/nz-politics-daily/ Today’s content Housing Zane Small (Newshub): How ...1 week ago- Many of New Zealand’s most popular websites use ‘dark patterns’ to manipulate users – is it ...
Cherie Lacey, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington and Alex Beattie, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington More than half of the most popular New Zealand websites may be unfairly manipulating visitors, according to our latest research into the use of “dark patterns” in sites ...1 week ago- COVID-19 cases rise when schools open – but more so when teachers and students don’t wear masks
Zoë Hyde, The University of Western Australia As students return to schools in Victoria and New South Wales after months of lockdowns, many people may be worried about the risks to their kids – and transmission overall. The role that schools play in transmission of the virus that causes ...1 week ago- The Picnic Period: A sign of our Covid times
Auckland. For a long been it’s been known to Maori as Tamaki Makaurau, a place of ‘many lovers’. In the past fortnight, though, Auckland has shaken out the rug and grabbed a drink to become Tamaki Pikiniki, a place of many picnics. The humble picnic is now, in many ways, a ...1 week ago- Are Covid vaccines becoming less effective?
A critical debate about Covid-19 vaccines is when does protection wane, by how much, why, and what does this mean for controlling the pandemic and the impacts of infections. Depending on the studies or headlines you read it can be confusing. Some report declining vaccine effectiveness, and others don’t. Some ...1 week ago- Widespread collapse of West Antarctica’s ice sheet is avoidable if we keep global warming below 2...
Dan Lowry, GNS Science; Mario Krapp, GNS Science, and Nick Golledge, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Rising seas are already making storm damage more costly, adding to the impact on about 700 million people who live in low-lying coastal areas at risk of flooding. Scientists expect ...1 week ago- NZ Politics Daily: 19 October 2021
Today’s NZPD testimonial from Dr Oliver Hartwich, Executive Director, The New Zealand Initiative “There is a dearth of quality journalism in New Zealand, and so I am grateful to NZ Politics Daily for sifting through our media to discover the gems of reporting and opinion editorials. It is a valuable contribution to ...1 week ago- Geert Jan van Oldenborgh, 1961–2021
This is a re-post from World Weather Attribution With deepest sadness we must share with you the news that Geert Jan van Oldenborgh, dear friend, amazing scientist, co-founder and co-leader of World Weather Attribution, husband and father, and a wonderful human, passed away on 12 October 2021. Geert ...1 week ago- The Entrust election
Auckland is holding elections for EnTrust, its local electricity trust. Entrust is important - it owns electricity and gas-supplier Vector, and so the decisions it makes around energy infrastructure could make a significant difference to greenhouse gas emissions. But the elections have traditionally been ignored, so its run by CitRats ...1 week ago- Argentina returns the favour
In the early 2000s, Argentinian victims of the Dirty War, denied justice due to a local amnesty, sought justice in Spanish courts, who obligingly convicted agents of that country's dictatorship of crimes against humanity under Spain's "universal jurisdiction" law. But Argentina wasn't the only country with a repressive dictatorship which ...1 week ago- Climate Change: A good move, but not enough
The government has announced that it will quadruple climate aid to developing nations, from $300 million to $1.3 billion over four years. This is good: "climate finance" - aid to developing nations to decarbonise and offset the damage caused by rich-country emissions - is going to be a flashpoint at ...1 week ago- Too Much Say, Not Enough Do.
When The Green Party Co-Leader Speaks, Does He Make Any Sound? James Shaw must know that neither New Zealanders, nor the rest of humanity, will ever take the urgent and transformative action that Science now deems necessary to stave-off climate catastrophe.POOR JAMES SHAW: He’s the man this government sends out ...1 week ago- Gordon Campbell on the perils of declaring premature victory
Sure enough, Saturday’s Vaxathon was a barrel of fun and a throwback not merely to the Telethons of the past. It also revived memories of those distant days of early 2020, when we were all carefully wiping down our groceries, not touching our faces, washing our hands for 20 seconds ...1 week ago- NZ Politics Daily: 18 October 2021
Today’s NZPD testimonial from Kim Gillespie, Editor NZME Newspapers Lower North Island & Communities “I find the daily email great for giving me an overview of each morning’s big issues across the media landscape, and really appreciate the huge amount of work that must go in to compiling it each day.” Anyone ...1 week ago- Bryce Edwards: Political Roundup – Celebrating and critiquing 25 years of MMP
Over the last week, MMP has been in the spotlight, given that it’s now been 25 years since the first general election was held under this proportional representation system. This has produced some important commentary and storytelling about the introduction of MMP and about the various pros and cons of ...1 week ago- COVID-19 in Aotearoa: what does public health do now?
Dr Belinda Loring, Dr Ruth Cunningham, Dr Polly Atatoa Carr* Public health activities have collectively made an incredible contribution to minimising the impact of COVID-19 in Aotearoa. But the work for public health is not over. As the situation in Auckland heralds a transition point in our approach to the ...1 week ago- 2021 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #42
Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, October 10, 2021 through Sat, October 16, 2021 The following articles sparked above average interest during the week: ‘This is a story that needs to be told’: BBC film tackles Climategate scandal, Why trust science?, ...1 week ago- Is injection technique contributing to the risk of post vaccine myocarditis?
Recent misleading media headlines about vaccines being administered incorrectly in the absence of evidence do little to help public confidence in vaccines. Spoiler alert, vaccines are not being administered incorrectly. The topic of this blog is based on what could be an important scientific question – is one of the ...1 week ago- A Māori health expert reports from the Super Saturday frontlines
Rawiri Jansen, National Hauora Coalition I write this as I charge my car, getting ready to head home at the end of a pretty good Super Saturday. It started with coffee and checking the news feeds as any good day should. Between 9 and 10 am as I drove to ...1 week ago- Weddings and Leopards
Could it be that the Herald is beginning to twig that an unremitting hostility to the government does not go down well with all its readers? The evidence for that is that, in today’s issue, two contributors (Bill Ralston and Steven Joyce) who usually enjoy sticking the knife in, take ...1 week ago- The Chronicles of Kregsmal and Krunch: Volume I
As noted previously, my weekly DND campaign with Annalax and Gertrude has been put on ice. I expect it to return eventually, but for now it is very much on hiatus. The remainder of the group have decided to run an entirely new campaign in the meantime. This ...2 weeks ago- Super Saturday recap: Patrick Gower doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do
It was Aotearoa’s first national day of action in over ten years, the first since 2010, when Prime Minister John Key tried to inspire us to clean up our nation’s berms. It didn’t work. Today, New Zealand’s berms are worse than ever. But history is not destiny, and other cliches. ...2 weeks ago- COVID-19 Worried about getting your vaccine or want a simple explanation?
Worried about getting your vaccine? Let me tell you a secret. No-one likes getting a vaccine. People do it because they know they’re better off to. Let me tell you another secret, a weird one: the vaccine doesn’t really “do” anything. Confusing? Let me explain… Vaccines are a face at ...2 weeks ago- Delta puts workers’ power under the spotlight
by Don Franks Foremost fighting the Delta virus are workers, especially in health, distribution, service and education sectors. Unionised members of these groups are centrally represented by the New Zealand Council of trade unions ( NZCTU). Political journalist Richard Harman recently noted:“Businesses are caught in a legal tangle if they ...2 weeks ago- Faster transitions to clean energy are also cheaper
This is a re-post from the Citizens' Climate Lobby blog Several clean energy technologies like solar panels have become consistently cheaper year after year as the industries have benefited from learning, experience and economies of scale. Falling solar costs are described by “Swanson’s Law,” much like Moore’s Law described the rapid and consistent ...2 weeks ago - Kids’ quality of life will depend on today’s climate choices
- Green advocacy tilts balance in favour of small businesses
The Green Party’s amendment to the COVID-19 Response (Management Measures) Legislation Bill has been adopted by the Government today. ...2 hours ago - Guaranteeing safe and affordable water for all New Zealanders
Everyone should be able to get safe drinking water from their tap, and swim at their local beach without worrying about contaminated water. We’re taking action to make this a reality for all New Zealanders. ...3 hours ago - Press pause on Three Waters reformsThe Green Party says the Government should hit the pause button on its three waters reform so it can fully address the concerns that have been raised by communities and councils all over the country. ...5 hours ago
- Sector calls for major changes to ACC operationsThe Green Party has written to the new chair of the board of ACC, with 27 organisations and individuals, calling for major internal changes to the way ACC operates. ...6 hours ago
- Boosting support for hard-hit businessesOur response to COVID-19 over the past 20 months means we’re in a stronger position than many other countries, but we know it’s been tough for businesses – especially those in Auckland. That’s why we’re boosting support for businesses affected by COVID restrictions as we move into the new COVID ...1 day ago
- Funding to test drugs at festivals a lifesaverNew funding for drug-checking services at festivals is a Green Party win that will save lives. However the Government needs to go further, faster and expand these lifesaving services. ...4 days ago
- Green Party sets out more equitable approach to COVID-19 responseThe Green Party has warned that the Labour’s plan to move to a new COVID-19 response strategy is rushed and risky, and will leave some people at risk. Meanwhile, the Greens have a safer, more appropriate approach that won’t leave anyone behind. ...5 days ago
- Transform arms export regime to strengthen human rights protectionsThe Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is calling on the Government to urgently introduce legislation to better regulate the export of military products and technology that could be used to breach human rights in other countries. ...6 days ago
- Make it a shore thing – Bird of the Year 2021The Green Party is calling on people to go dotty for dotterel and vote for the New Zealand Dotterel/Tūturiwhatu as Bird of the Year 2021. ...1 week ago
- National’s irresponsible COVID plan will cost livesThe National Party’s plan to remove all COVID restrictions on 1 December, regardless of whether or not people are vaccinated, would cost lives, the Green Party says. ...1 week ago
- New research reinforces urgency to end conversion practicesNew research from the University of Waikato showing a link between conversion practices and negative mental health for trans and non-binary people reinforces the urgent need to pass the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill. ...1 week ago
- Te Mātāwaka: Greens call for the Government to listen to Māori health expertsTe Mātāwaka caucus support the call from iwi leaders, and Māori providers for a COVID-19 vaccination rate of 95 percent for Māori, Pasifika and other marginalised communities before further lifting COVID-19 restrictions. ...1 week ago
- Govt must build on foundation of planning rule changes to solve housing crisisFamilies looking for their first home will welcome a bipartisan commitment to increase housing supply, but will be asking what more can be done. ...1 week ago
- Equitable financial support urgently needed to combat COVID outbreakThe Green Party is calling for a broader and more equitable financial support package to slow the COVID-19 outbreak and ensure everyone in Alert Level 3 can make ends meet, following the announcement that Alert Level 3 has been extended for at least two more weeks in Auckland and at ...1 week ago
- Waste strategy needs to learn from natureAnything less than a transformational national waste strategy and waste legislation will not be enough, the Green Party said today. ...2 weeks ago
- 5 ways you can help New Zealand get vaccinatedGetting vaccinated is the best thing we can do to protect ourselves and the people we care about from COVID-19. It means we’ll all be able to do more of what we love this summer, while keeping each other safe. ...2 weeks ago
- Te Mātāwaka: Greens support iwi led housing solutionsThe Green Party’s Te Mātāwaka Caucus welcome the Government’s investment into iwi Māori-led housing initiatives. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens call for expanded protection for renters, overseas voting for COVID-19 billThe Green Party is calling for expanded protections for renters and extended eligibility for overseas voters for the COVID-19 Response Management Measures Legislation Bill, which is currently before select committee. ...2 weeks ago
- One-off residency scheme needs to include working holiday and seasonal workersThe Green Party says the Government needs to extend the one-off residency scheme to all workers, instead of keeping them in limbo with visa extensions every 6 months. ...2 weeks ago
- Camping, concerts, cuddles: Kiwis tell us why they’re vaccinatedRight now, the single most important thing New Zealanders can do in the fight against COVID-19 is get vaccinated. More and more of us are stepping up, with more than two million people now fully vaccinated. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party deeply concerned space launches may be breaching nuclear-free lawsThe Green Party is deeply concerned that space launches by Rocket Lab may be breaching New Zealand’s long-standing nuclear-free position and legislation. ...3 weeks ago
- Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty – what next for the nuclear “grand bargain?” – Speech t...
(Check against delivery) Kia ora tatou It’s my great pleasure to be here today at the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. I welcome this opportunity to share with you the Government’s thinking on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, or NPT. Forged in the depths of the ...2 hours ago - Government helps sharpen the competitive edge of New Zealand’s medicinal cannabis industryThe Government is backing an innovative research and development programme to help accelerate the establishment of New Zealand’s medicinal cannabis industry and boost export potential, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced today. The Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund (SFF Futures) is contributing nearly $760,000 to the $1.9 million, three-year programme ...4 hours ago
- Restrictions eased in parts of Waikato at Alert Level 3; Northland to remain at Alert Level 2Restrictions in the Waikato will be eased slightly from midnight tonight, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “From 11.59pm tonight, people in the parts of Waikato at Alert Level 3 will be able to meet for outdoor gatherings between two households, with a maximum of 10 people,” Chis Hipkins ...4 hours ago
- COVID-19 rent relief support measures refinedThe Government has landed on a balanced package of changes to improve rent relief measures for both landlords and tenants hit by COVID-19 restrictions, the Minister of Justice Kris Faafoi says. “Businesses in the Auckland region, and elsewhere under COVID Alert Level Three, have been doing it tough, and ...5 hours ago
- Govt considers regulatory safeguards for three waters servicesPublic feedback is being sought on the regulatory safeguards required to ensure consumers and communities receive three waters services that meet their needs, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister, Dr David Clark announced today. “The future three waters system needs to promote consumer interests and ensure infrastructure is delivered in a ...5 hours ago
- Appointment of new Te Pou Tupua welcomedEnvironment Minister David Parker and Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui chairperson Sheena Maru have welcomed the appointment of Keria Ponga and Turama Hawira as Te Pou Tupua. In a joint statement Sheena Maru and David Parker said: Today, Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui chairperson Sheena Maru Minister and Environment David ...5 hours ago
- Don't freak out, ShakeOutMinister for Emergency Management Kiri Allan is challenging more people to join the almost 650,000 who have already signed up to take part in the nation-wide ShakeOut drill, happening tomorrow. “ShakeOut, New Zealand’s annual national earthquake drill and tsunami hīkoi, is a great opportunity for all of us to put ...8 hours ago
- Government to protect vital public water services for future generationsLocal Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta today confirmed the Government will create four publicly owned water entities to ensure every New Zealander has access to affordable, long-lasting drinking, waste and storm water infrastructure without ballooning costs to households and families. “The case for change is too compelling to ignore. It is ...9 hours ago
- Annual MFAT- NGO HuiTēnā koutou katoa, Talofa Lava and Warm Pacific Greetings to one and all— and in recognition of Tokelauan Language Week this week, Fakatalofa atu ki te koutou uma. Malo ni. Thank you for inviting me to join with you at the 2021 MFAT–NGO Hui. It’s a privilege for me to ...9 hours ago
- Opening Address – Council for International Development and MFAT NGO HuiTuia te rangi e tu iho nei, Tuia te papa e takoto nei, Tuia te here tangata ki te here wairua kia rongo te pō, kia rongo te āo – Tīhei Mauri Ora! Kei ngā iti, kei ngā rahi i whakapau kaha ki te whakahaere i ngā mahi atawhai mo ...11 hours ago
- Govt backs business to vaccinate workforcesVaccination will be required for all workers at businesses where customers need to show COVID-19 Vaccination Certificates, such as hospitality and close-contact businesses. New law to introduce a clearer and simplified risk assessment process for employers to follow when deciding whether they can require vaccination for different types of work. ...1 day ago
- Winners of the 2021 Prime Minister’s Education Excellence AwardsFrimley Primary School in Hawke’s Bay is the Supreme Award winner of the 2021 Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Education Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “The past year has been a real test for teachers, schools and local communities. But out of the challenge of ...1 day ago
- Government provides greater assurance to homeownersThe Government has provided greater assurance for homeowners with the introduction of a new code of ethics for Licensed Building Practitioners (LBPs), Building and Construction Minister Poto Williams announced today. The Code of Ethics, which comes into force in October 2022, sets behavioural standards for LBPs to give both ...1 day ago
- Primary sector returns strengthen export-led recoveryFarmers’ hard work in leading New Zealand’s export-led recovery from COVID-19 is being rewarded with high prices forecast for milk and very strong returns for meat, says Trade and Export Growth and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. Fonterra announced today a record predicted milk price of $7.90 to $8.90 for the ...1 day ago
- Supporting economic resilience in the Indo-Pacific – Speech to the Asia Forum(Check against delivery) Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, kia ora koutou katoa Thank you Farib. It is a great pleasure to be invited to speak at this event. I want to acknowledge the on-going work of the Asia Forum. Over many years – decades, in fact – you have been ...1 day ago
- RSI ‘state of the nation’ report publishedNew Zealand’s FCR cited research ratio is twice the world average Investment in R&D is increasing Case studies underscore how a science based COVID-19 response helped save lives In 2019, Māori and Pacific people represented 5 per cent of PhD graduates. The latest research, science and innovation system report card ...1 day ago
- Funding to translate science into real life solutionsThe Government is investing in ‘Te Tītoki Mataora’ the MedTech Research Translator, to deliver new medical tools - and meet both the demands of a global pandemic and of a growing and aging population. “COVID-19 has shown that we need to build a more resilient, productive, innovative and economically-sustainable health ...2 days ago
- Tokelau champions language and cultureCOVID-19 continues to be a powerful reminder of the importance of language and culture to the wellbeing of our Pacific communities, said the Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio. “Our Tokelau community in Aotearoa has responded strongly to the challenges of the global pandemic by getting vaccinated and supporting ...3 days ago
- Festival drug-checking services get a boostThe Government is financially supporting drug-checking services to help keep young people safe at this summer’s large festivals and events, Health Minister Andrew Little says. “This is not about condoning drug use, but about keeping people safe,” Andrew Little said. “There is clear evidence that having drug-checking services at festivals ...4 days ago
- Expanded vaccination order for health and disability, education and prison workersA newly-signed Order means most people working in three key sectors will very soon need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for the sake of themselves, their workmates and their communities, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins has confirmed. The extended COVID-19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Amendment Order 2021 comes into effect ...4 days ago
- APEC finance ministers focus on inclusive, sustainable COVID recoveryAPEC finance ministers will continue to work together to respond to the effects of COVID-19 and ensure a sustainable and inclusive recovery while capitalising on the opportunity to build a more resilient future. The New Zealand Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson chaired the virtual APEC Finance ...5 days ago
- Improvements to child and maternity facilities at Timaru Hospital on trackImprovements to child and maternity facilities at Timaru Hospital are well underway, and the next stage of the project will begin next month. Health Minister Andrew Little visited Timaru Hospital today to view progress onsite. “The improvements are part of South Canterbury DHB’s four-year refurbishment project and will create a ...5 days ago
- Govt responds to independent review into WorkSafeThe Government has clear expectations that WorkSafe must action the recommendations of the independent review into the regulator to improve its management of adventure activities following the tragedy at Whakaari White Island, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood says. The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) today released the ...5 days ago
- Prevention funding to reduce tamariki in careA new iwi-led prevention programme will receive funding from Oranga Tamariki to help reduce the number of tamariki and rangatahi coming into state care, Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis has announced. Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu (Te Rūnanga) will receive $25.9m of Oranga Tamariki funding over three years to improve outcomes ...5 days ago
- Transforming New Zealand’s mental health legislationPublic consultation is now open for Aotearoa New Zealand to have a say on the repeal and replacement of the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992. “’He Ara Oranga, the report of the Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction’ made it clear that we needed to replace ...5 days ago
- COVID-19 Protection FrameworkKia ora koutou katoa Today I’m speaking directly to all New Zealanders to share a plan that will help us stay safe from COVID-19 into the future. A future where we want to continue to protect people’s lives, but also to live our lives – as safely as possible. Our ...5 days ago
- Business boost to transition to new COVID frameworkWe know that over the last twenty months the approach New Zealand has taken to COVID and Delta has saved lives and livelihoods. Along with one of the lowest mortality rates in the world, we have also had strong economic growth, low unemployment and one of the lower levels of ...5 days ago
- COVID-19 funding boost to protect maōri communitiesTēnā koutou katoa As you have heard from the Prime Minister, the new protection framework will support us to keep people safe especially our vulnerable communities and minimize the impact COVID-19 has on business and our day to day lives. If you want to protect yourself, your whanau and your ...5 days ago
- New COVID-19 Protection Framework delivers greater freedoms for vaccinated New ZealandersNew COVID-19 Protection Framework provides pathway out of lockdown and ability for businesses and events to re-open to vaccinated New Zealanders Simpler framework to minimise cases and hospitalisations without use of widespread lockdowns Auckland to move into the new framework when 90 percent of eligible population in each of the ...5 days ago
- New fund to accelerate Māori vaccinationsThe Government has established a $120 million fund to accelerate Māori vaccination rates and support communities to prepare for the implementation of the new COVID-19 Protection Framework. The new Māori Communities COVID-19 Fund will directly fund Māori, Iwi, community organisations and providers to deliver local vaccination initiatives for whānau, and ...5 days ago
- Government extends hardship assistance for low income workersIncome limits for Hardship Support through the Ministry of Social Development have been temporarily lifted so more people can recieve assistance. “Cabinet has agreed to make it easier for low income workers to recieve assistance for items such as food and other emergency costs,” Carmel Sepuloni said. “We know the ...5 days ago
- More support for learners with highest needsStudents most in need of extra help in the classroom are the focus of a new review that gets under way today, Associate Education Minister Jan Tinetti says. About 50,000-80,000 children and young people are expected to benefit from a Ministry of Education review into Highest Need Learners that will ...5 days ago
- Parts of Waikato to stay at Alert Level 3 for next six daysThe parts of Waikato that have been in Alert Level 3 will remain at that alert level till Wednesday, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “Based on the latest public health information, maintaining level 3 in those parts of the Waikato continues to be the most prudent course of ...6 days ago
- Hon Peeni Henare September 2021 Proactive Diary Release...6 days ago
- NZ passes world-first climate reporting legislationNew Zealand has become the first country in the world to pass a law that will ensure financial organisations disclose and ultimately act on climate-related risks and opportunities, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Dr David Clark and Climate Change Minister James Shaw today announced today. The Financial Sector (Climate-related Disclosures ...6 days ago
- Prime Minister NZ UK FTA opening remarksTēnā koutou katoa. Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa. I am delighted to announce today that following a conversation with Prime Minister Johnson last night, New Zealand and the United Kingdom have Agreed in Principle a historic high-quality, comprehensive and inclusive free trade agreement. I’m joined today by the Minister ...6 days ago
- New Zealand secures historic free trade deal with the United KingdomA boost of almost $1 billion to New Zealand GDP, unprecedented access for New Zealand exporters to the UK market UK to eliminate all tariffs on New Zealand exports, with over 97% being removed the day the FTA comes into force NZ exporters to save approx. $37.8 million per year ...6 days ago
- Quarterly benefit numbers show more people in workBenefit figures released today show a year on year fall of 9,807 people receiving a Main Benefit in the September Quarter. “The Government is working hard to tackle COVID-19 and it is clear our strong response to the initial outbreak has created a resilient labour market which is providing opportunities ...6 days ago
- Health reforms bill introduced to ParliamentLegislation central to fixing the health system has been introduced into Parliament by Health Minister Andrew Little. “Rebuilding the public health system is critical to laying the foundations for a better future for all New Zealanders,” Andrew Little said. “We need a system that works for everybody, no matter who ...1 week ago
- NCEA and NZ Scholarship Exams to proceedNCEA and New Zealand Scholarship exams will proceed, including in areas where Alert Level 3 has been in place, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “The New Zealand Qualifications Authority, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health have been working together to ensure exams can be managed in a safe ...1 week ago
- Keith Rankin Chart Analysis – Covid19: Latest Outbreaks
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Chart by Keith Rankin. Chart by Keith Rankin. These charts are of the type that I have published approximately monthly. Last time, three weeks ago, the key covid places were clearly the Caribbean and the Balkans. This time, while these two regions are important pandemic sites, ...1 hour ago - Does the government’s new national plan to combat child sexual abuse go far enough?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Moore, Associate Professor and Deputy Director, Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia Shutterstock In 2017, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse handed down its final report. This came after years of social ...2 hours ago
- Change coming after political outcry over ACC privacy revelations
The government has indicated changes are afoot following a major outcry into the way ACC claimants' private information was freely shared and mocked by staff. ...2 hours ago - A new proposed privacy code promises tough rules and $10 million penalties for tech giantsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katharine Kemp, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law & Justice, UNSW, UNSW Shutterstock This week the federal government announced proposed legislation to develop an online privacy code (or “OP Code”) setting tougher privacy standards for Facebook, Google, Amazon and many other ...3 hours ago
- Hospitality New Zealand Welcomes Government Rent Relief Support Announcement
Hospitality New Zealand welcomes the Government’s announcement today on rent relief support currently passing through Parliament. “We are delighted with the decision to backdate the rent relief clause to the start of the current lockdown, ensuring ...3 hours ago - Three Waters: Mayors respond to government's brute force approach"Disappointed" is how many mayors around the country are describing the government's approach to water infrastructure reforms, with some saying it will lead to protest marches from ratepayers. ...3 hours ago
- Three WatersGovernment pushes ahead with Three Waters reform, will take water services from councils. This was the headline reported by the Stuff website on 27th October 2021. The report said that the Government has decided to push ahead with Three Waters reforms ...3 hours ago
- Three Waters – Ratepayers NeglectedGovernment has failed taxpayers and ratepayers with a lack of democratic accountability and community consultation to ram through unpopular plans to progress the transfer of local authority owned water assets to four new mega entities. “Local councils ...4 hours ago
- Great News For Retailers In Government Rent Relief DecisionsRetail NZ is welcoming the changes announced by the Government today on rent relief support measures currently before the House of Representatives. “The changes agreed to by the Government today will be welcomed by retailers around the country. Backdating ...4 hours ago
- Kaitiaki block ‘particularly dangerous’ anti-vax protesters at Auckland borderBy Sam Olley, RNZ News reporter Ngāti Whātua kaitiaki remain in bolstered numbers at the border between Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Tai Tokerau to stop protesters getting through. Together with Navy and police staff at Te Hana, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua has turned around about 50 people from anti-vax ...4 hours ago
- France deploys big force to secure New Caledonia referendumRNZ Pacific France has detailed an unprecedented security set-up for New Caledonia’s third and final independence referendum on December 12. The French authorities made the announcement as the pro-independence FLNKS called on its supporters to boycott the vote after France refused to delay it until next year. If the call ...4 hours ago
- Port Moresby backs off ‘total’ lockdown in city, says Governor ParkopBy Grace Auka-Salmang in Port Moresby National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop has announced that there will not be a total lockdown of Port Moresby. He said the decision was made after much deliberation with key stakeholders in the city and the national government. “Instead we will focus on maintaining ...4 hours ago
- Bainimarama’s Fiji faces investigative PR crisis on eve of climate COP26COMMENT: By Grubsheet’s Graham Davis A public relations disaster for Fiji just as Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum head to Glasgow for COP26 as one of Britain’s leading media outlets — The Independent — carries out a detailed investigation into events at the University of the South ...4 hours ago
- Ruapehu Welcomes End To Uncertainty Around 3 Waters ReformMayor Don Cameron said that Ruapehu welcomed the certainty that Government's announcement that participation in reform of the 3 waters sector would be mandatory for all councils provides. “Now that Government has taken the need for consultation on the reforms ...4 hours ago
- Climate change protesters glue hands to Parliament stepsMembers of protest group Extinction Rebellion have been issued trespass notices after gluing their hands to the front steps of Parliament. ...4 hours ago
- Can artists revive dead city centres? Without long-term tenancies it’s window dressingSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Shaw, Honorary Senior Fellow, The University of Melbourne After 18 months of lockdown, the City of Melbourne is understandably anxious to get people back to the CBD and inner areas. Commercial vacancy rates are high, international student numbers have plummeted and ...4 hours ago
- Have Your Say On An Inquiry Into Migrant ExploitationThe Education and Workforce Committee has opened an inquiry into migrant exploitation, and is calling for submissions from the public. The terms of reference listed below will guide what the committee investigates. Amongst other things, this will likely ...4 hours ago
- Covid-19 briefing: Govt aims to open Auckland primary schools next monthAuckland primary schools could be resuming classes as soon as mid-November, possibly under a staggered system, the government has announced today. Watch the latest government announcement here ...4 hours ago
- ‘It was the best five years of my life!’ How sports programs are keeping disadvantaged teens at ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eibhlish O’Hara, Research Associate, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock Participation in specialist sport programs keeps teenagers from low socioeconomic backgrounds at school and boosts their maths grades. This is what I found in my PhD study. Being engaged in learning can ...5 hours ago
- Australians will soon receive COVID booster vaccines. Why do we need them, and how effective are the...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Juno, Senior research fellow, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity Australia’s drug regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), today provisionally approved the Pfizer COVID vaccine to be used as a booster for anyone over the age of 18. The ...5 hours ago
- PSA: You need to sort your Christmas presents NOW
Get in now or miss out – that’s the message coming from retailers.Festive wrapping paper is selling well. That, says Jonathan Waecker, is the surest sign the silly season is already upon us. It’s possibly starting earlier than ever. “We have already seen Kiwis making a start on their Christmas ...5 hours ago - Australia’s net-zero plan fails to tackle our biggest contribution to climate change: fossil fuel ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeremy Moss, Professor of Political Philosophy, UNSW Shutterstock The Morrison government’s eleventh hour commitment to net zero by 2050 is a monumental failure. Critics rightly point out the government’s plan involves no increase to Australia’s 2030 climate target, no ...5 hours ago
- Mayor Comments On Three Waters Reform Announcement“My reaction is one of great disappointment at the Government’s decision to make the Three Waters reform mandatory, as announced by Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta this morning.” “The Minister has stated the status quo is not sustainable ...5 hours ago
- Valued Introduced Species Require A Modern Management ApproachValued introduced game animal species including deer and wild pigs require a consistent and modern management approach that recognises both their environmental impacts and their value to our communities, says the Game Animal Council. “Valued introduced ...6 hours ago
- Opposition to Three Waters reforms doesn’t wash with Mahuta: councils and the public should just p...
National MP Nicola Willis – we trust – learned a wee bit more about the Government’s Three Waters reforms this morning than she learned from Finance Minister Grant Robertson at Question Time in ... 6 hours ago - The ‘Sovereign Hīkoi of Truth’ – explainedLast night a protest fleet was halted by police at the Mercer checkpoint on the road to Auckland. What is this self-described ‘hīkoi’ all about? Dylan Reeve explains.What is the “Sovereign Hīkoi of Truth”?At its most basic it’s a protest road trip from Rotorua to Waitangi, which would be less ...6 hours ago
- New research shows how hard it is for ‘flying grannies’ to care for their Australian grandkidsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Myra Hamilton, Principal Research Fellow, University of Sydney www.shutterstock.com In Australia, grandparents are the most popular form of childcare. Yet with almost 30% of Australians born overseas, for many families, grandparents are not close by. COVID-19 border closures have ...6 hours ago
- Consumers are wise to ‘woke washing’ – but truly ‘transformative branding’ can still make ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amanda Spry, Lecturer of Marketing, RMIT University Shutterstock With brands increasingly engaging in social change campaigns and leveraging their influence to be “purpose-led”, the time has come to ask a couple of big questions: is this a viable strategy, and ...6 hours ago
- “All In” Approach To Three Waters Reform Undermines Sector’s VoiceKāpiti Coast District Mayor K Gurunathan is disappointed in the Government’s shotgun decision to push ahead with an "all in" approach to the Three Waters reform despite numerous councils providing robust feedback on the shortfalls of the ...6 hours ago
- PSA: Final Three Waters Decisions Must Involve UnionsLocal government workers must be part of the final three waters decisions, says the nation’s largest union. The PSA is welcoming the announcement by Minister Mahuta today that the Government will continue to receive expert input as the final decisions ...6 hours ago
- Why do First Nations people continue to be history’s outsiders?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ann McGrath, Professor, Australian National University For as long as “History” with a capital ‘H’ has been written, Indigenous peoples have been placed outside its circle. Consequently, whole groups of peoples, whole continents like Australia, and whole spans of human time, are ...7 hours ago
- Covid-19 briefing: Govt aims to open Auckland high schools next monthAuckland high schools could be resuming classes as soon as mid-November, possibly under a staggered system, the government has announced today. Watch the latest government announcement here ...7 hours ago
- Government Makes The Right Call On Three Waters Reform ProgrammeInfrastructure New Zealand supports the Government’s decision to progress the Three Waters Reform Programme given the status quo isn’t working and cannot continue. Infrastructure New Zealand General Manager Claire Edmondson says, “The case for ...7 hours ago
- Are employers and workers at odds over NZ’s workplace vaccine mandates? Our research suggests they...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Croucher, Professor and Head of School of Communication, Journalism, and Marketing, Massey University Shutterstock The New Zealand government’s announcement yesterday of expanded mandatory vaccination requirements raises important questions about legality and compliance. Vaccination will become mandatory for staff at ...7 hours ago
- Watch live: Govt decision on Waikato alert level, Auckland schoolsCovid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins and Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield are providing a Covid-19 update. ...7 hours ago
- Three waters reforms to be mandatory for councils – Nanaia MahutaThree waters reforms will be mandatory for councils as the legislation moves ahead, with working groups to guide the process and take councils' feedback on board, the government has announced. ...7 hours ago
- Forest Owners Say ‘back The Bat’The Forest Owners Association is urging its members and the public to vote for the pekapeka – the Long-Tailed Bat - in the Forest and Bird sponsored Bird of the Year 2021 competition. President, Phil Taylor, says Forest and Bird should be congratulated ...8 hours ago
- Paul Hunt brings the govt to heel on mandatory vaccinations – don’t forget the Treaty and our hu...Latest from the Beehive Business responses to the Government’s announcement on vaccination requirements for workers were supportive. The Human Rights Commission response was more tentative. It welcomed the announcement but said human rights and Treaty of Waitangi considerations must be examined. Back in 1840 the examination of those treaty considerations ...8 hours ago
- Tova O’Brien almost got blown away by a gust of wind during her first live crossNewshub’s political editor tells us about her first live cross, breaking the law and more in this week’s episode of FIRST.One does not simply walk into the Beehive theatrette. Before they become, for example, Newshub’s political editor, every young television journalist must first pay their dues – starting with live ...8 hours ago
- What happens if your boss refuses to get vaccinated?This week, the government announced that Covid-19 vaccinations will be compulsory for workers as well as customers at businesses using vaccine certificates. But what happens if the owner of the business won’t get on board?Hospitality worker Mary* is in her 50s and has been working at her current job at ...8 hours ago
- NZUS Council Welcomes Confirmation Of Senator Tom Udall As US Ambassador To New ZealandThe NZUS Council welcomes the US Senate confirmation of Senator Tom Udall as the US Ambassador to New Zealand, NZUS Council executive director Jordan Small said. "We look forward to welcoming Ambassador Udall to New Zealand and working together ...8 hours ago
- New Trade Deal With UK A Disaster...9 hours ago
- Proposal Will Unlock Barriers To Address Water Infrastructure DeficitWater New Zealand says the establishment of four professional entities to manage three waters will unlock many of the barriers that have led to the serious infrastructure deficit across much of the country. Chief executive Gillian Blythe says it has been ...9 hours ago
- Mandated Water Reform Confiscates Local AccountabilityTimaru District Mayor Nigel Bowen has today expressed extreme disappointment with the Government’s decision to mandate its Three Waters reform. Mayor Nigel Bowen said that today’s announcement is a sad shift away from the principles of local ...9 hours ago
- Government delays announcement on Managed Isolation and Quarantine systemA government announcement about changes to the MIQ system due today will now most likely happen tomorrow. ...9 hours ago
- Ngāi Tahu Welcomes Three Waters DecisionThe government’s reform of three waters will help ensure water services for communities that are safe, high quality, and equitable, while improving outcomes for the environment, says Dr Te Maire Tau, co-chair of Te Kura Taka Pini (the Ngāi Tahu freshwater group). ...9 hours ago
- Three waters legislation moves ahead with new working groupsThree waters reforms will be mandatory for councils as the legislation moves ahead, with working groups to guide the process and take councils' feedback on board, the government has announced. ...9 hours ago
- ‘Huge Call’ On Water Services When So Many Questions RemainRural residents concerned about the future of their water, sewerage and stormwater infrastructure should gear up to have their say, Federated Farmers President Andrew Hoggard says. "Federated Farmers, a majority of local authorities and many New ...9 hours ago
- Widest monthly trade deficit to dateSeptember 2021 marks the third successive month of record imports, resulting in a record trade deficit, Stats NZ said today. Total merchandise goods imports for September 2021 rose $1.5 billion (30 percent) compared with September 2020, to reach ...9 hours ago
- Widest Monthly Trade Deficit To DateSeptember 2021 marks the third successive month of record imports, resulting in a record trade deficit, Stats NZ said today. Total merchandise goods imports for September 2021 rose $1.5 billion (30 percent) compared with September 2020, to reach ...9 hours ago
- Three Waters Decision To Mandate Disappointing But Way Forward Responds To Councils’ Critical Conc...LGNZ says the Government’s announcement that it will refine its three waters proposal in response to the sector’s loud and clear concerns is a good sign. But it is disappointing that the government has mandated the reforms. LGNZ President Stuart Crosby agrees ...10 hours ago
- NZ Ongoing Climate And Health Failure Ahead Of COP26 – Letter To The PMNZ ongoing climate and health failure ahead of COP26 Seven health professional organisations (OraTaiao; NZ Medical Association; NZ Nurses Organisation; and the Colleges for Emergency Medicine, of Nurses, Physicians, and Anaesthesists) have written a joint letter to ...10 hours ago
- Major Campaign Launching To Stop Three WatersThe Taxpayers’ Union is launching a major campaign to stop the Government’s proposed Three Waters reforms. The campaign launch comes on the same day that Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta has announced a working group to tweak the reforms ...10 hours ago
- Tiwai Point deal costs households $200/yr more in power – regulator
Power companies and their regulator are at odds over the impact of the costly Tiwai Point smelter deal on the hip pockets of home electricity consumers, Nicholas Pointon and Jonathan Milne report The Electricity Authority says households are paying an extra $200 per year for power, as they subsidise the cheap ...10 hours ago - NZ’s Leading Commercial Construction Businesses Endorse Mandatory Vaccinations For The Building An...The Vertical Construction Leaders Group (VCLG), made up of 50 of the biggest commercial construction companies in New Zealand, endorses the Registered Master Builders Association’s call for mandatory vaccinations for the building and construction sector. “The ...11 hours ago
- Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – October 27 2021Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. You can sign up to NZ Politics Daily as well as New Zealand Political Roundup columns for free here. Today’s content Vaccine mandate Derek Cheng (Herald): Why Jacinda Ardern has ...11 hours ago
- Covid-19: National Party wants vaccine mandates dropped at 90 percent immunisation rateNational Party leader Judith Collins told Morning Report at 90 percent vaccination nationwide, vaccine mandates should be dropped but passports retained. ...11 hours ago
- A very dark, very funny supermarket scene that’s probably about Moore Wilson’sWellington writer Kirsten McDougall’s new novel She’s A Killer is set just slightly in the future – the climate crisis is really biting and with it, inequality. In this excerpt our young protagonist has come into cash and takes it food shopping. (Bonus content: followed by a note from the ...11 hours ago
- Vaccine Mandates For High-risk Workplaces – Expert ReactionVaccination will be required for all workers at businesses where customers need to show vaccine certificates, such as bars and hairdressers. This means about 40% of the country’s workforce will be subject to vaccine mandates in their jobs, including ...12 hours ago
- If COVID hospitalisations increase, it’s still not clear how patients will be prioritised for ICU ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eliana Close, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology Around the world, the coronavirus pandemic has put unprecedented strain on intensive care resources. In some places, including parts of Italy, the United States, Canada, and the ...12 hours ago
- If all 2030 climate targets are met, the planet will heat by 2.7℃ this century. That’s not OKSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew King, ARC DECRA fellow, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock If nations make good on their latest promises to reduce emissions by 2030, the planet will warm by at least 2.7℃ this century, a report by the United Nations Environment Programme ...12 hours ago
- Australia’s clean hydrogen revolution is a path to prosperity – but it must be powered by renewa...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Mathews, Professor Emeritus, Macquarie Business School, Macquarie University Days out from the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow, the Morrison government on Tuesday announced a “practically achievable” path to reaching its new target of net-zero emissions by 2050. As expected, the ...12 hours ago
- Missing out on PE during lockdowns means students will be playing catch-upSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jora Broerse, Research Fellow in Health Policy, Mitchell Institute for Education and Health Policy, Victoria University Shutterstock International evidence suggests children have poorer movement skills as a result of COVID-related lockdowns that reduced physical activity at school, socially and in the ...12 hours ago
- The first bisexual Bachelorette and the messy history of bisexual representation on reality TVSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Beirne, Senior Lecturer in Film, Media and Cultural Studies, University of Newcastle Network 10 Reality TV staple The Bachelor, and its various franchises, has been described as a “primetime harem fantasy” even though it ultimately presents a fairly conservative portrait ...12 hours ago
- How does a library run out of e-books?Auckland’s 56 libraries are closed, and no one knows when they’ll re-open. Devouring e-books online seems like a solution. For many, like my son, it’s not.He staggers around the house. He mopes along the hallway. He lies on his bed and stares at the ceiling. This is my son in ...12 hours ago
- Live updates, October 27: 50 vehicle hikoī of ‘anti-vaxxers’ stopped at Auckland borderWelcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for October 27, by Stewart Sowman-Lund. Reach me on stewart@thespinoff.co.nz. Help support our Covid coverage – join Members today.The agenda 10.30am: An announcement on the government’s controversial three waters proposal is planned. 1pm: Chris Hipkins will front today’s Covid-19 press conference. Along with today’s ...12 hours ago
- The case against FacebookInternal documents reveal a company out of control, disregarding its own reports that it is causing deep social harm, Justin Giovannetti writes in The Bulletin.The Facebook Papers. The social media giant is at the centre of a firestorm after a trove of internal documents underscored earlier testimony to the US Congress ...13 hours ago
- MIQ shake-up offers hope for stranded expatsStranded overseas expats could be just weeks away from securing a ticket home for Christmas. ...13 hours ago
- Old wine in new bottles – why the NZ-UK free trade agreement fails to confront the challenges of a...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Kelsey, Professor of Law, University of Auckland Shutterstock When the sales pitch for a free trade agreement is that “British consumers will enjoy more affordable Marlborough sauvignon blanc, mānuka honey and kiwifruit, while Kiwis enjoy the benefit from cheaper ...13 hours ago
- PM denies aligning MIQ changes with rumoured EU tripJacinda Ardern says she has nothing to confirm about overseas travel as a free-trade agreement with the EU reaches "a critical juncture". ...14 hours ago
- ‘World-leading’ Covid response exposes climate failure
The Government is being urged to heed health advice on climate change, as it did with Covid. David Williams reports On March 23 last year, a grim-faced Jacinda Ardern told the country the trajectory of Covid-19 was clear, and it was time to act. With two mystery cases in the ...14 hours ago - Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 27 October15 hours ago
- Newsroom daily crossword, Wednesday 27 October
...15 hours ago - Protecting our politicans from very real death threatsThe Detail - A lot of people think being an MP is a cushy job with a great salary. But along with debate comes an increasing number of death threats, some of them very real. ...15 hours ago
- The no-bullshit guide to NZ’s emissions record as James Shaw heads to GlasgowJames Shaw is one of many politicians around the world packing their bags for COP26. Going into this landmark summit, is New Zealand an international emissions pariah or are we doing our bit?Spare a thought for James Shaw. The climate change minister is about to hop on a flight to ...15 hours ago
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