Author Archive
The NZ National Party is the Wizard of Oz
Written By: - Date published: 2:57 pm, February 16th, 2019 - 28 comments
The National Party is a sad, confused, slightly dazed white old man behind the curtain.
Upset by Offset
Written By: - Date published: 7:23 am, February 7th, 2019 - 52 comments
Life is not simply a zero-sum game in which bad behaviour can be offset with good deeds.
The Power of Anger
Written By: - Date published: 8:13 am, January 28th, 2019 - 75 comments
Anger can be a great catalyst for change if used wisely.
An Ineffectual Opposition Is Bad News
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 28th, 2018 - 42 comments
An ineffectual Opposition creates a vacuum that will be filled by the Mainstream and Social Media as they will assume the role of unelected and non-representative opposition in effectuo.
What are we waiting for?
Written By: - Date published: 11:47 am, October 20th, 2018 - 66 comments
We seem to be waiting for something? But what is it?
Fighting for a just cause is empowering
Written By: - Date published: 8:49 am, October 8th, 2018 - 29 comments
A purpose in life is an awesome Force of Nature.
Modern Technology Is Eroding Our Society
Written By: - Date published: 11:12 pm, September 30th, 2018 - 52 comments
People are losing their people skills rapidly and it is having an effect on society.
- Unlawful
That's the view of a UK House of Lords committee on the country's arms sales to Saudi Arabia:The UK is on “the wrong side of the law” by sanctioning arms exports to Saudi Arabia for the war in Yemen and ...10 hours ago 
The media frenzy about the NZ-PRC relationship got me to thinking, but as I got to thinking I found myself meandering off of my original train of thought. You see, at first I was pondering the one-sided, hectoring nature of ...10 hours ago- Martina Navratilova comes out for fairness in sports
In an article in The Times, 17 February 2019, Martina comes out strongly for fairness in sports. The current rules on trans athletes reward cheats and punish the innocent Letting men compete as women simply if they change ...11 hours ago - Climate change: The threat of methaneMore climate change bad news: methane may fry us:Dramatic rises in atmospheric methane are threatening to derail plans to hold global temperature rises to 2C, scientists have warned. In a paper published this month by the American Geophysical Union, researchers ...13 hours ago
- The 1080 referendum questionThe Clerk of the House has determined the final form of the question for the proposed citizen's inititated referendum on 1080:Should New Zealand stop using all cruel and inhumane poisons, such as 1080, brodifacoum, and PAPP, to kill wildlife, because ...14 hours ago
- A transit oriented development at Smales Farm?
The Northern Busway has been one of Auckland’s most successful transport investments. In the 11 years since it opened it has become the best and most used public transport corridor in probably all of the country. AT peak times in ...19 hours ago - 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #7
Story of the Week... Editorial of the Week... El Niño/La Niña Update... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Story of the Week... 16-Year-Old Greta Thunberg Cheers 'Beginning of ...20 hours ago - The Chinese “Message”.
The indications that China is displeased with New Zealand cannot be mistaken. China is a country where nothing of this kind happens by accident; the government’s reach into every aspect of Chinese life is virtually unlimited. Nothing happens without the ...2 days ago - Political Sadism, Or Moral Inertia? Explaining David Clark.
2 days ago - 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #7
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, Feb 10 through Sat, Feb 16, 2019 Editor's Pick What we can learn about climate change from the Titanic Kate ...2 days ago - A new ‘centrist’ party?
It's a day ending in 'Y' so that means there must be some new feverish speculation about the British Labour Party splitting.Today it comes courtesy of The Guardian, a paper with a proud record of taking any possible negative story ...2 days ago - Flashback Saturday: The Victoria St Linear Park: Why it is vital, but not really a park.
Every weekend we dig into the archives. This post by Patrick was originally published in October 2016. This is one of a series of posts I intend to do about about the city streetscape we ought to be able to expect as a ...3 days ago - Nikki Kaye – playing politics with children’s health
. . It is a given that most politicians will do whatever it takes to win voters to get elected. It’s pretty much why their reputation is often at the same level as telemarketers and sex-workers (which, fair to say, ...3 days ago - “How many are coming from your job?”: notes on the Wellington Trades Council
by Don Franks The Vietnam war continued. Muldoon was yet to dominate New Zealand’s parliament, there was no internet and the Waitangi Tribunal did not exist. ...3 days ago - Process Heat In New Zealand: CANA Submission Guide
The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Agency (EECA) and MBIE are calling for submissions on their paper Process Heat in New Zealand: Opportunities and barriers to lowering emissions. We’d love you to make a submission, because 60% of process heat in ...3 days ago - Why is Labour subsidising bad employers?The government has declared a seasonal labour shortage for Hawke's Bay, effectively subsidising employers with cheap migrant labour. But why do they have a labour shortage? Perhaps those same employers' attitude to wages have something to do with it...Fruit may ...3 days ago
- Spare a thought for Anne-Marie.Put yourself in the following position: You are a professor at a NZ university, a NZ citizen who although well-known in your academic sub-field is virtually unknown outside of academia. Your research interests focus on the foreign policy of an ...4 days ago
- New research, February 4-10, 2019
A selection of new climate related research articles is shown below. Climate change mitigation Upscaling from the grassroots: potential aggregate carbon reduction from community-based initiatives in Europe Climate change communication An assessment of public perceptions of climate change risk in ...4 days ago - Not one hectare more!Yesterday the government announced that it was ending the farmer's rort of high country tenure review, under which over 350,000 hectares of public land has been corruptly privatised for next to nothing (and then frequently flicked on for 500 times ...4 days ago
- Mixed Messages.
Incoming Calls: While she’s contemplating the ever-widening ramifications of the United States’ and the United Kingdom’s increasingly reckless endangerment of so many of this country’s longstanding diplomatic, military and trade relationships, she might also consider asking herself how New Zealand’s ...4 days ago - Commentary Is Free – But Facts Are Sacred.
4 days ago - Mad dogsLast night the police were asked to help a mentally ill person in Hawke's Bay. They were meant to help him. Instead, they killed him: A man - who police had been trying to locate because of fears for his ...4 days ago
- Wheelly good growth on the cycleways
February is bike month and often the busiest month time of the year for people riding bikes. As such it’s a good time to look at the numbers to see how we’re progressing. Are the bike lanes empty, like Mike ...4 days ago - Meditating on Nelson and Population Growth
In terms of ambience and style, Nelson City reminds me of the New Zealand I grew up in half a century and more ago. I do not mean that it is not a modern city. The shops reflect today’s customers ...4 days ago - The law means nothingDisposing of public records without authorisation is a crime. Destroying them to prevent their release under the OIA is an aggravating factor in that crime. But when push comes to shove, it seems that the Chief Archivist isn't actually interested ...4 days ago
- Trump thinks winter weather invalidates climate change…
The post Trump thinks winter weather invalidates climate change… appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa. ...5 days ago - “The most transparent government ever” – again5 days ago
- The end of tenure review?High country tenure review is organised corruption, which has seen the privatisation of huge swathes of our country. Hundreds of millions of dollars of public land has been effectively given to farmers for free, and then flicked on for enormous ...5 days ago
- China flexing it’s economic muscle again?. . Reported in the NZ Herald today (10 February 2019), this curious incident; . . The story continued; Shortly after 11.30am this morning, Hundman was sent a txt from Air NZ saying “As you were advised onboard, the aircraft ...5 days ago
- Victoria’s Secret
Victoria’s traffic fatalities dropped by 17.8% last year, to 213. This means their traffic authority, VicRoads, is on track for meeting its interim Vision Zero target of fewer than 200 lives lost in 2020. Each one of the lives lost ...5 days ago - Politically expedient “moderation!” has simply allowed far bigger storms to gather power
As we look around the world, we see movements for change (and often the individuals that spur them by extension) that are often called out as wanting to go “too fast, too soon!”. We’re at the point however where that ...5 days ago - Climate Damages: Uncertain but Ominous, or $51 per Ton?This is a re-post from Triple Crisis by Frank Ackerman. Second in a series of posts on climate policy. Find Part 1 here. According to scientists, climate damages are deeply uncertain, but could be ominously large (see the previous post). Alternatively, according to ...5 days ago
- It is not contrary to reason to prefer the destruction of the whole world to the scratching of my fi...On Wednesday something happened in Parliament that was on its face a clever but petty political move designed to capture headlines, yet at a deeper level ought to concern anybody interested in how New Zealand governs itself. Forgive me while ...5 days ago
- New Fisk6 days ago
- More censorship with Speak Up For Women’s posters taken downOn February 11 the campaign group Speak Up for Women received notification from Phantom Billstickers that their poster campaign calling for public consultation on the controversial Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Bill would be removed from over 60 sites ...6 days ago
- Bold proposal puts people at the heart of vocational education
Staff can turn their attention to opening doors for students and communities with creative teaching, learning, and research under bold changes proposed today for vocational education says the Tertiary Education Union. ...6 days ago - A good questionThe government is currently waiting to formally consider and release the advice from its Tax Working Group, which is widely expected to recommend a capital gains tax. But Green co-leader James Shaw has pre-empted it by asking whether they deserve ...6 days ago
- VET reform – our voice mattersTogether we have made sure that students, iwi, communities, and staff are at the heart of bold changes proposed for the vocational education sector. And we need to keep working together to ensure life-long learning is accessible to New Zealanders ...6 days ago
- Basic humanity in Australia?Australia's anti-refugee policy is based on cruelty. According to the Australian government, refugees claiming their rights under international law are a "threat", which can only be deterred by imprisoning them without trial forever in concentration camps, neglecting them, allowing them ...6 days ago
- Is Israel Democratic?An interesting thing happened after I wrote last week’s first blog post about Venezuela ( http://www.kiwipolitico.com/2019/02/on-the-venezuelan-mess/). A gentleman from the Israel Institute of New Zealand wrote me at my business email address to request a correction or retraction for something ...6 days ago
- A Duplicitous Minister?
In a ‘Breakfast’ interview with Fran Kelly on ABC Radio National, the Minister for Energy, Angus Taylor, made a number of statements which are either wrong or misleading. A record of the interview is available here. 1. The Minister claims that a ...6 days ago - Queens Wharf to be closed to the public again
“Today, Queens Wharf becomes the public’s wharf,” said then Auckland Regional Council (ARC) Chairman Mike Lee in 2010 when the red gates were flung open, once again allowing the public to access the prime piece of Auckland’s waterfront, ending its ...6 days ago - Democracy on trialTwelve Catalan political leaders went on trial in Madrid today. Their crime? Advocating peacefully for an independent Catalonia and organising a referendum on the issue. The Spanish government calls this "sedition" and "rebellion". But what it really is is democracy. ...6 days ago
- Open Government: MarginalThat's the verdict of the Open Government Partnership's Independent Reporting Mechanism on New Zealand's OGP progress for the last two years:Although this report reflects high commitment completion, change in government practice stood as marginal overall. Notably, the government’s early efforts ...7 days ago
- Intimations of MortalityThe last week has been a momentous one for my wife and me. I had a birthday at the beginning of the week; my reaction to turning 80 is one of restrained enthusiasm – it is at least better than ...7 days ago
- Climate change: Our future is burningLike many, I've spent the last week watching the Nelson fire in horrified fascination as the Australian-style spectacle of a huge long-lasting fire threatening an urban area played out. But while it looks like we were lucky this time, the ...7 days ago
- Good riddanceMurray McCully's sordid Saudi sheep bribe is finally over: The controversial Saudi sheep deal been shut down, which the Government says will save about $1 million. [...] But Trade Minister David Parker said the deal has now been axed. "We're ...7 days ago
- Feb-19 AT Board Meeting
Today the Auckland Transport board meet for their first formal meeting of the year. Here are some of the highlights from the papers going to the board. Closed Session The closed session is usually where most of the interesting items ...7 days ago - Newshub poll: If this is the winter of Bridge’s discontent, he can’t be too discontented...1 week ago
- Harrowing Statistics: The Left’s Supposed To Shrink The Social Hell Of Joblessness – Not Expand ...
1 week ago - Socialist Rhetoric No Substitute For Socialist Substance.
1 week ago - On Buying Insurance, and Ignoring Cost-Benefit AnalysisThis is a re-post from TripleCrisis by economist Frank Ackerman First in a series of posts on climate policy. The damages expected from climate change seem to get worse with each new study. Reports from the IPCC and the U.S. Global Change Research Project, ...1 week ago
- What’s happening with light rail?
In recent months it has been immensely frustrating how little progress seems to have been made on the City Centre to Mangere project. Large and complicated projects always take time of course, but Auckland Transport had been working on it ...1 week ago - The slow killing of Fares Baroud
Palestinian prisoner Fares Baroud, 51, from al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza, died on Wednesday, 6 February only hours after being suddenly transferred to intensive care from Ramon prison. Baroud ...1 week ago - 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #6
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, Feb 3 through Sat, Feb 10, 2019 Editor's Pick Seven take-aways from the Green New Deal launch Sweeping in scope, an ...1 week ago - The Brexit PartyNigel Farage has set up a new political vehicle to drive his ego about in. With startling originality, he's called it The Brexit Party. Interesting timing. You'd have thought they would have waited until after Brexit to see if it was ...1 week ago
- Flashback Saturday: Removing the RUB won’t necessarily work as planned
Every weekend we dig into the archives. This post by Matt was originally published in May 2016. Yesterday Phil Twyford announced that it would be Labour’s policy to abolish Auckland’s Rural Urban Boundary (RUB), as part of a policy to ...1 week ago - An Advisory to the West Coast Regional Council. . In July last year (2018), the West Council Regional Council announced in a submission to the Ministry for the Environment that they would not be supporting the Coalition Government’s proposed Zero Carbon Bill. The Council stated; The West ...1 week ago
- New research, January 28 – February 3, 2019A selection of new climate related research articles is shown below. Climate change impacts Mankind Historical Analysis of U.S. Tornado Fatalities (1808-2017): Population, Science and Technology (open access) Climate Change and Psychology: Effects of Rapid Global Warming on Violence and Aggression ...1 week ago
- Climate change: A step in the right directionSome good news on climate change from Australia: for the first time, a court has refused permission for a new coal mine, explicitly on the basis of climate change:The controversial Rocky Hill coalmine in the Hunter Valley will not go ...2 weeks ago
- The Incredible Lightness of Being Green.
2 weeks ago - Hands Off Venezuela!
2 weeks ago - Dec-18 Ridership
With public transport fares set to increase this weekend, it’s useful to look at how public transport use has been growing and with December’s ridership numbers now out, we can do just that. We’ve also been waiting to see the ...2 weeks ago - Reflections on a day at Waitangi and ‘the c word’The chap waiting in the Mr Whippy queue with me wearing his grandfather's Maori Warden helmet used the 'c' word. So did one of the aunties on the waka stage, as she introduced her kapahaka group. It's a word that ...2 weeks ago
- Staff are the foundation for the future of tertiary educationThe TEU has launched its vision for the future of ITPs ahead of the Minister's announcement on proposed reforms next week. ...2 weeks ago
- Climate Change: Breaching the thresholdLast year the IPCC warned us that the Paris Agreement target of limiting climate change to no more than 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels was a line in the sand for our species and that if we miss it, we ...2 weeks ago
- Two-faced criminalsLast year, in a desperate attempt to regain social licence, the fishing industry ran an expensive series of TV ads assuring us that they had nothing to hide. Meanwhile, they were furiously lobbying the Minister to oppose video monitoring of ...2 weeks ago
- 6,000 employed under LabourThe labour market statistics have been released, showing that unemployment has risen to 4.3%. All up there are 120,000 unemployed - only 6,000 fewer than when the government took office. But buried in that there's worse news: underemployment is up, ...2 weeks ago
- A constitution party?New Zealand has a new political party - the New Zealand Constitution Party. Unfortunately, it seems like their reasons for wanting a codified constitution are a little dubious:Warren established his political party - the New Zealand Constitution Party - on ...2 weeks ago
- EV’s: Crucial to Reducing CO2 Emissions
In June 1988 a leading climate scientist, Dr James Hansen, presented the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources with data showing that by burning fossil fuels humans had created a greenhouse effect, evidenced by global warming. Unless carbon dioxide (CO2) ...2 weeks ago - The Economics of Urbanisation – Summer School course in Amsterdam
Introduction: This is a guest post from former blogger, Stuart Donovan, who now spends much of his time caring for his warrior princess, Alexandra, and tending to his voracious worm farm. And doing his PhD. In this post, Stuart summarises a ...2 weeks ago - Is the Invisible Hand Arthritic?The headline ‘life insurance firms put sales and profits ahead of customers’ is a troubling one. It summarises a report by the Financial Management Authority (FMA) and the Reserve Bank (RBNZ) which concludes that some life offices have often been ...2 weeks ago
- The Venezuelan mess, again.I continue to watch developments in Venezuela with interest, including the reaction of the international community to the crisis. Increasing numbers of democracies are lending their support to Juan Guaido’s presidential challenge, including 11 of 14 members of the Lima ...2 weeks ago
- Inequality Means Less FreedomWhen I stepped down as Vice-Chancellor of Waikato University in 2004, I was fortunate enough to spend a few months in Oxford as a Visiting Fellow at Nuffield College whose Warden at that time was Professor A.B. (later Sir Tony) ...2 weeks ago
- Standard & Poor’s just sabotaged Simon Bridges’ tax bribe announcement. . Poor Simon Bridges. Since becoming Leader of the National Party, he has been dogged by embarrassing leaks (which appear to be ongoing even after Jami-Lee Ross’s departure from caucus); a once-trusted MP turned feral; another MP accused of ...2 weeks ago
- Fewer victims of crime during 2018
New data shows a significant drop in the number of people who were victims of crime in the past year. Police Minister Stuart Nash says the number of victimisations recorded by Police during 2018 fell by 2.7 per cent. “This ...17 hours ago - Hearing victims/survivors of crimeA new survey is allowing victims/survivors of crime to be heard, in their own words, about how our broken criminal justice system can be fixed, says Justice Minister Andrew Little. ...4 days ago
- Joint effort on organised crime in the PacificNew Zealand Police are to work more closely with their counterparts from Australia, Tonga and Fiji in a multinational effort to tackle organised crime. Police Minister Stuart Nash says an agreement signed today in Sydney by the New Zealand Commissioner ...5 days ago
- Next phase in fisheries management reformNext phase in fisheries management reform The next phase of reform of the fisheries management system has been launched with a call for public input into new rules for the commercial industry. Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash has released a ...2 weeks ago
- New Predator Free funds for regions and new technologies
Predator Free 2050 Limited has initiated a second funding round to support predator eradication in regional New Zealand and fast track the production of improved predator control tools and technologies. ...6 hours ago - Brash to explain how ‘partnership’ hijacked the TreatyMaori and the Crown are not partners in any sense of the word yet an ideology of Treaty partnership has hijacked the Treaty of Waitangi, Don Brash will explain at a public lecture on Saturday. ...10 hours ago
- Consultation opening on future management of kauri diebackFurther public consultation on a new national plan and options for the best type of agency to protect kauri into the future are being opened, as efforts to deal with kauri dieback disease are stepped up. “Kauri face a significant ...10 hours ago
- New infrastructure body welcomed by local governmentLocal Government New Zealand welcomes plans to form The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga, and supports its aim to deliver long term strategy and coordination of infrastructure planning. “Unprecedented population growth and the need to adapt ...10 hours ago
- Tax on internet giants must be revenue neutralResponding to the Government’s stated intention to introduce a new tax on foreign internet companies , New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says: “Taxing foreign corporates will be popular with the public, but it’s also hugely ...10 hours ago
- Asia Pacific region deadliest region for journalistsE tū, the union for journalists says it’s disturbing that the Asia Pacific region has once again been named as the deadliest region for journalists. ...11 hours ago
- Letters published on OAG websiteOn 14 February 2019, we sent a letter to the Chancellors and Chairs of Tertiary Education Institution Councils/Te Mana Whakahaere. We also sent a copy of this letter to the Chief Executives/Te Taiurungi/Vice-chancellors of the Tertiary Education Institutions, ...12 hours ago
- Trapping predators is not “Provincial Growth”Responding to the announcement of $19.5 million in Provincial Growth Funding for predator control , New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says: ...12 hours ago
- Zero Hour for Climate ActionYouth Climate movements across the world are creating waves. Here in New Zealand, a crowd will march at Parliament to demand accelerated climate action, on Tuesday 19th Feb, at 12pm . ...14 hours ago
- Job advertisements rise by 2.0 per cent in December quarterJobs Online figures released today by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment show the number of job advertisements rose by 2.0 per cent in the December 2018 quarter. Dr Rose Ryan, Workforce and Workplace manager, in the Evidence and ...15 hours ago
- National population estimated at 4.93 millionThe estimated resident population as at 31 December 2018 is 4.93 million, up from 4.84 million in December 2017, Stats NZ said today. ...16 hours ago
- Report about Maori Nationalist organisations a “crock”The New Zealand Maori Council has called on the Department of Corrections to name names in a confidential internal report naming Maori Nationalist organisations as a threat. Council Executive Director Matthew Tukaki has called the comments “from ...17 hours ago
- Report calls for action to address harassment onlineA comprehensive new report from ActionStation launched Monday examines the harm that unmoderated and under-regulated online platforms are causing New Zealanders. ...17 hours ago
- New And Unique Role Between Te Kāhui O Taranaki And DoCTe Kāhui o Taranaki and the Department of Conservation (DOC) are pleased to announce the appointment of Wayne Capper into the unique and newly developed role of Kaitiaki Whenua Ranger. ...17 hours ago
- EDS not convinced abandoning tenure review is a good thingThe Environmental Defence Society (EDS) has concerns about the decision to abandon tenure review, as described in the discussion paper released by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) today. ...2 days ago
- Housing crisis intensifies under Labour governmentNew Zealand housing crisis intensifies under Labour government By John Braddock, Socialist Equality Group 15 February 2019, url https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/02/15/nzho-f15.html ...2 days ago
- Bill aiming to ban rodeo cruelty welcomed by SAFESAFE says a Member’s Bill, announced by Green Party MP Gareth Hughes, today, means some of the cruellest aspects of rodeo could be banned. ...3 days ago
- High Court lifts suppression on Whale Oil defenceToday, the High Court lifted a suppression order on its 26 October 2018 judgment in my case against Cameron Slater. In that judgment, the High Court essentially struck-out all of Slater’s various defences against my claim of defamation. ...3 days ago
- ANZASW response to “State of the Nation” reportThe Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) welcomes the release of the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report this week. We believe that the study contains findings and proposals that should be seriously considered ...3 days ago
- Higher taxes for super rich gets voter tic“Taxes, taxes, taxes, and all the rest is b******t.” That was the message that went viral at the Davos Economic Forum last month, and it’s the message our Government needs to hear if it wants to tackle inequality in New ...4 days ago
- Taxpayers look to Winston Peters to balance James ShawFEBRUARY 15 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is calling on Winston Peters to take a critical view of the Tax Working Group’s proposals, as the Green Party doubles down on its capital-gains-tax-at-any-cost stance. Taxpayers’ ...4 days ago
- Motor Industry Association Doesn’t Support Roll-up of ITOsOn Wednesday the Minister of Education Hon Chris Hipkins released wide-ranging proposals for vocational education in New Zealand, announcing three proposals for public consultation. The proposed reforms will: • Create one institution combining the 16 polytechnics, ...4 days ago
- Seasonal Labour Shortage in Hawke’s Bay DeclaredThe Ministry of Social Development has declared a seasonal labour shortage across Hawke’s Bay. ...4 days ago
- Government is being stymied by bureaucratsThis week we saw salvation army releasing their “state of the nation” report “ that showed that Jacinda’s vision of a “Kinder gentler caring Government is not being nurtured by the bureaucrats who still have an iron grip on government ...4 days ago
- Maori Council demands PM step into Cancer death debate“No Government Agency should be a law unto itself and it is time for an accounting of PHARMAC – it is time that this recalcitrant Government body, funded by the taxpayer, and meant to have the best interests of all ...4 days ago
- Time for Government to abandon KiwibuildThe Reserve Bank’s analysis that Kiwibuild is crowding out private building , along with reports of minimal interest from buyers , shows yet again why Kiwibuild should be abandoned, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . Taxpayers’ Union ...4 days ago
- ‘Ban Rodeo’ protest at Waikato RodeoOn Saturday, anti-rodeo protesters will demonstrate outside the Waikato Rodeo in Kihikihi holding tombstone shaped placards with “RIP” written on them. ...4 days ago
- Ombudsman’s investigations will ensure voices heardThe Ombudsman’s investigations into the oversight of facilities and services for people with learning disabilities is timely says Disability Rights Commissioner Paula Tesoriero. ...4 days ago
- New victim statistics good news, but work remains to be doneVictim Support is welcoming statistics released today showing a 2.7 per cent decline in victimisations over the last year. ...4 days ago
- Fish and Game welcomes the halt to tenure reviewsFish and Game is welcoming the government’s move to end tenure review of the South Island High Country, saying the controversial process has cost New Zealanders dearly. ...4 days ago
- Forest & Bird welcomes end to tenure reviewAn end to tenure review is a vital reprieve for some of New Zealand’s most endangered species, says Forest & Bird. “We’ve argued for many years that not only is tenure review a spectacularly bad deal for New Zealanders, it’s ...4 days ago
- Mayors praise heritage building lifelineA number of iconic heritage buildings will benefit from the Government’s announcement of a revamped Heritage EQUIP programme, helping to breathe life into regional town centres across New Zealand, says LGNZ President Dave Cull. ...4 days ago
- Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern receives giant Valentine cardThree of Jacinda Ardern’s constituents and SAFE delivered a giant Valentine’s card to the Prime Minister’s Mt Albert electorate office this morning. Inside were hundreds of messages and signatures from caring Kiwis, all calling for Ms Ardern ...4 days ago
- Services for people with intellectual disabilitiesThe Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has launched investigations into the Ministry of Health’s oversight of facilities and services for intellectually disabled people with high and complex needs [1] . ...4 days ago
- EPA gives go-ahead to extended disposal operationA Decision-making Committee appointed by the Environmental Protection Authority has granted dredging and disposal company Coastal Resources Limited, a 35-year marine consent to dispose of dredged sediment off Great Barrier Island. ...5 days ago
- Auditor-General’s reportThe Auditor-General’s report Matters arising from our audits of the 2018-28 long-term plans was presented to the House of Representatives today. ...5 days ago
- Crown rush to sign before Tribunal hearingsNgāti Paoa Iwi Trust says Ngāti Paoa is being put under pressure to rush to sign the Hauraki Collective Treaty settlement tomorrow, before an imminent urgent hearing is held by the Waitangi Tribunal and independent review of commercial structures ...5 days ago
- Greens must retain budget rules, for taxpayers’ sakeThe Green Party’s reconsideration of the Government’s Budget Responsibility Rules should concern taxpayers, says The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . Taxpayers' Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “Labour will be looking for any excuse to ...5 days ago
- Environmental-economic accounts: 2019 – tablesEnvironmental-economic accounts show how our environment contributes to our economy, the impacts of economic activity on our environment, and how we respond to environmental issues. ...5 days ago
- Wellington Joins National Day of Action to Protect IhumātaoTomorrow Wellingtonians will join people around Aotearoa to demand Fletcher Construction respects Te Tiriti o Waitangi and stops plans to build at Ihumātao in Auckland. People will protest at Fletchers sites around the country tomorrow, February 15th, ...5 days ago
- District Council’s $40,000 fashion collection locked awayInformation released to the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union reveals that just 12 per cent of a $40,000 fashion collection owned by the Central Otago District Council has ever been on display, with the exhibited items only being displayed 14 per ...5 days ago
- Dunne Speaks: Flushing out NZ First on Capital Gains TaxOnce, Greens co-leader James Shaw's comment when Parliament resumed this week that the current government does not deserve to be re-elected if it fails to introduce a capital gains tax would have been regarded as yet another reason why the ...5 days ago
- Phantom Billstickers disregards free speech principlesThe Free Speech Coalition suggests that companies supportive of free speech principles should consider refusing to advertise with Phantom Billstickers, in light of its discriminatory treatment of Speak Up for Women (a group campaigning for consultation ...5 days ago
- 2019 is the Year of Wellbeing. Here’s why.This is the Year of Wellbeing. It will be a year in which cultural, environmental and social factors will be drawn on to measure success. It is recognition that people, and their communities, and their health, matter. The bottom line ...5 days ago
- PSA women make the case for stronger equal payThe PSA and the PSA Women's Network are excited to be making oral submissions today on a bill that will help ensure wāhine are paid what they're worth. ...5 days ago
- Leadership for housing authority transition and KiwibuildMinistry of Housing and Urban Development Chief Executive Andrew Crisp has announced new leadership roles to lead the transition to the Housing and Urban Development Authority and for KiwiBuild. ...5 days ago
- Making a splash with 80 new frontline copsEighty new constables will join their friends and family in celebrating their graduation at The Royal New Zealand Police College (RNZPC) this week. ...5 days ago
- Sea lion captures in the southern squid fisheryFive New Zealand sea lions have been captured so far this season in the squid fishery around the Auckland Islands. The season runs from the end of December to May-June. ...6 days ago
- “Hands Off Venezuela” day of action March 16Global Peace and Justice Auckland is asking for individuals and organisations to endorse the following appeal: ...6 days ago
- Four endangered sea lions dead in nets in one weekFour endangered NZ sea lions have been killed in commercial fishing nets in one week, making this the third day in a row endangered animals have been confirmed dead at the hands of the commercial fishing industry. ...6 days ago
- A state actor has targeted Australian political parties – but that shouldn’t surprise us
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tom Sear, PhD Candidate, UNSW Canberra Cyber, Australian Defence Force Academy, UNSW The Australian political digital infrastructure is a target in an ongoing nation state cyber competition which falls just below the ...2 hours ago - Move to introduce digital tax for foreign companies profitting online
New Zealand is lining up to introduce a new tax on multinational companies that make money out of online goods and services in this country. ...5 hours ago - Move to introduce digital tax for foreign companies profiting onlineNew Zealand is lining up to introduce a new tax on multinational companies that make money out of online goods and services in this country. ...5 hours ago
- Slowing Chinese visitor numbers could be costly
Arrivals of Chinese tourists to NZ are slowing, raising further questions about the two countries' trading relationship. ...7 hours ago - ‘Marginal’ open govt progress under National
Independent reviewer says last Government set modest goals for reform - can the current coalition do better? ...8 hours ago - How climate change can make catastrophic weather systems linger for longerSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia Many parts of Australia have suffered a run of severe and, in some cases, unprecedented weather events this summer. One common feature of ...8 hours ago
- Shares subdued as China trade tensions weigh
New Zealand shares edged lower in subdued trading as fears over the country's trade relations with China unnerved investors ...8 hours ago - Toktok No 38 / Summer 2019Pacific Media Centre ISBN/code: ISSN 1175-0472 Publication date: Monday, February 18, 2019 Publisher: Pacific Media Centre ‘BE COURAGEOUS IN YOUR QUEST FOR TRUTH,’ PMC DIRECTOR TELLS PACIFIC JOURNALISM GRADUATES Pacific journalism academic ...9 hours ago
- Asia Pacific Journalism projects and internships 2019The Pacific Media Centre is running several Asia-Pacific projects again this year and along with Asia Pacific Journalism (Semester 2) we have a new special paper to match – International Journalism Project (JOUR810). The deadline for applications is Friday, March ...9 hours ago
- Political dead rat a win for 1080 protesters?
The dead rat Labour and the Greens may have to swallow as they welcome new predator-control funding is putting up with NZ First pitching it as a win for anti-1080 protesters. ...10 hours ago - Steel & Tube recovery to include $5.6M of 2nd-half cost savings
Anybody wondering where Steel & Tube Holdings’ cost savings are coming from need look no further than the site rationalisation project currently underway, the company says. ...10 hours ago - ‘State actor’ makes cyber attack on Australian political partiesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra “A sophisticated state actor” has hacked the networks of the major political parties, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has told Parliament. Recently the Parliament House network ...11 hours ago
- Health check: will eating nuts make you gain weight?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Neale, Career Development Fellow (Lecturer), University of Wollongong The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend we eat 30g of nuts – a small handful – each day. But many of us know nuts ...11 hours ago
- Some of the thousands of people you should interview before Jordan Peterson
With screeds of media coverage of self-help strange tie fan Jordan Peterson, Emily Writes ponders if there possibly might be anyone more interesting to get on your podcast.Noted beef eater Jonathan Peitersen is almost literally covered in the excited juices ...11 hours ago - Open Country challenges validity of Fonterra’s 2018 milk price
Open Country Dairy is seeking a judicial review of the way Fonterra Cooperative Group set its milk price in the 2018 season, despite the Commerce Commission giving the price-setting process a pass mark. ...12 hours ago - Curious Kids: what makes a shooting star fall?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Harvey-Smith, Professor and Australian Government’s Women in STEM Ambassador, UNSW Curious Kids is a series for children. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to ...12 hours ago
- Hey renters – don’t fall for the capital gains tax fantasyProperty owners learn their fate on Thursday with the Tax Working Group‘s big reveal on capital capital gains tax. But whatever happens, it won’t be the housing panacea Generation Rent is hoping for, warns TOP’s Geoff Simmons.Here’s a message for ...13 hours ago
- Pike River: Door likely stashed somewhere safe – LittleThe Minister for Pike River Re-entry says he would be surprised if a missing cabinet door from the explosion isn't stored away safely somewhere. ...13 hours ago
- Review: Marlon Williams with the APO at Villa Maria Estate
Waveney Russ is impressed by an outstanding performance from Marlon Williams and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra at Villa Maria in Auckland.This review was first published on RNZ Music.I’ve always wanted to have the patience, depth of character and intellect to ...13 hours ago - Poll wrap: Labor’s lead narrows to just 51-49 in Ipsos, but is it an outlier?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne An Ipsos poll conducted for Nine newspapers – previously Fairfax papers – gave Labor just a 51-49 lead, a three-point ...13 hours ago
- Guest night growth slows
Growth in tourist accommodation slowed in December as international guests spent fewer nights in the North Island, according to Stats NZ. ...13 hours ago - Customer satisfaction in NZ banks rises despite Australian scandals
The scandals exposed by Australia’s royal commission into financial services don’t appear to have dented New Zealanders’ trust in banks. ...13 hours ago - Te Papa must decide if it still wants to be a natural history museum
The revelation that our national museum is on the brink of turfing out two world-class scientists casts grave doubt over its commitment to being a natural history museum, writes evolutionary biologist David WinterWhat is going on at Te Papa? As ...14 hours ago - The subtle art of not giving a fuck about Jordan B Peterson
Danyl Mclauchlan on the ‘ersatz enlightenment’ of Jordan Peterson, who opens his New Zealand speaking tour with tonight’s sold-out event in Auckland.“Oh people still buy his book,” a Wellington bookseller told me when I asked her if Jordan Peterson was ...14 hours ago - Papuans plan to boycott Indonesian elections, say independence activists
Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua spokesperson Surya Anta (centre) speaking at LBH Jakarta last week. Image: CNN Indonesia Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk West Papuan people will not take part in Indonesia’s 2019 presidential and legislative elections, say the ...14 hours ago - PFI doubles 2018 profit on valuation gains
Property For Industry more than doubled its calendar 2018 profit as its 94-property portfolio was revalued higher. However, a slightly lower occupancy rate and rising property costs dented underlying earnings, which missed expectations. ...15 hours ago - Steel & Tube turnaround continues
Steel & Tube Holdings believes it is on the road to recovery, reporting a 48.7 percent jump in first-half net profit and delivering operating profit in line with previous guidance. ...16 hours ago - Government announces $19.5m will be spent on predator controlThe Provincial Growth fund is to spend $19.5 million on looking at new ways to expand predator control in regional New Zealand, the government says. ...16 hours ago
- Port of Tauranga lifts 1H profit 4%
Port of Tauranga increased first-half net profit 4 percent, buoyed by ongoing container growth and increased log and fruit volumes. ...17 hours ago - Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – February 18 2019
Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – February 18 2019 Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. The Beehive and Parliament Buildings.Today’s content China-NZ relationsSimon Collins ...17 hours ago - NZD starts the week with a tailwind
The New Zealand dollar started the week on the front foot as investors were buoyed by positive noises coming from the latest round of trade talks between the US and China. ...17 hours ago - Tax Working Group’s capital gains proposal keenly awaited
New Zealand is probably going to get a capital gains tax and the likely outline of how that could play out will probably be the economic highlight this week. ...18 hours ago - Just like HAL, your voice assistant isn’t working for you even if it feels like it isSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nathalie Collins, Academic Director (National Programs), Edith Cowan University Of all the fictional virtual assistants we know from pop culture, few stand up to the original and perhaps most famous: the HAL ...18 hours ago
- A peace agreement in Afghanistan won’t last if there are no women at the tableSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Hutchinson, PhD Candidate, Australian National University Over the past weeks, the US government has been in peace negotiations with the Taliban. It has been 17 years since US and allied troops ...18 hours ago
- It’s time to change our drug dog policies to catch dealers, not low-level users at public eventsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caitlin Hughes, Senior Research Fellow – Criminologist and Drug Policy Researcher, UNSW In the early 2000s New South Wales became the first Australian state to introduce drug detection dogs for policing, with ...18 hours ago
- The battle against bugs: it’s time to end chemical warfareSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lizzy Lowe, Postdoctoral researcher, Macquarie University Insects are important wildlife often overlooked in urban habitats. What we do notice are the cockroaches, ants and mosquitoes in and around our homes. All too ...18 hours ago
- I Need to Know: ‘is it normal to get sore down there after sex?’Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Melissa Kang, Associate professor, University of Technology Sydney I Need to Know is an ongoing series for teens in search of reliable, confidential advice about life’s tricky questions. If you’re a teen, ...18 hours ago
- The decoy effect: how you are influenced to choose without really knowing itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gary Mortimer, Associate Professor in Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, Queensland University of Technology Price is the most delicate element of the marketing mix, and much thought goes into setting prices to nudge ...18 hours ago
- Sailors’ journals shed new light on Bennelong, a man misunderstood by historySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Goodin, Postdoctoral fellow in the Program in Early American Economy & Society, at the Library Company of Philadelphia.., Australian National University The natives of new Holland are perhaps the quickest ...18 hours ago
- Simon Bridges tight-lipped on Judith Collins’ leadership conversationJudith Collins has overtaken Simon Bridges in the preferred prime minister stakes, but the leader of the opposition hasn't sought assurance that she will not run for the leadership. ...19 hours ago
- The Bulletin: No clear solutions for Eden Park crisis
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: No good solutions for financial crisis at Eden Park, sharp response to NZ-China tourism stories, and Devonport fruit store owner faces heavy fruit fly costs.The biggest stadium in New Zealand is ...19 hours ago - Frustrated paramedics deface ambulances
St John Ambulance paramedics are scrawling messages over ambulances as part of industrial action over pay and conditions. ...19 hours ago - Tiny black belt striking out for Olympic first
A wise decision at the age of four - choosing karate over ballet - has Andrea Anacan aiming for the 2020 Olympics. ...20 hours ago - More people are killed by drink drivers under the limit than over it
Last year it was reported that deaths caused by drugged driving had overtaken the drink driving toll for the first time. As Roger Brooking writes, that was fake news. In 2017, 378 people died on New Zealand roads. In June last ...21 hours ago - The internet is the new public square. And it’s flowing with raw sewageThe NZ government must take a much bolder stance on the tech giants who dominate our lives online, writes Leroy Beckett from Action Station, who today release The People’s Report on Online Hate, Harassment and Abuse.I spend most of the time I ...21 hours ago
- The Health Star Ratings are set for a major shake-up, but how much is changing?
Five years since they were launched, a proposed overhaul of the Health Star Ratings could see one in five products have their ratings changed. But does it really go far enough? When the Health Star Ratings were launched back in 2014, ...21 hours ago - Why Spotify wants to be the Netflix of audio
The radio industry may be in for a Netflix-style shake up. ...1 day ago - The music we grew up with: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill tour review
Simon Day was at the last night of the tumultuous 20th anniversary tour of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.She was meant to be late. She was supposed to be sick. She’s meant to be a “diva”.Lauryn Hill’s relationship with her ...1 day ago - Our shortlist of names for Art and Matilda’s royal reality baby
The Bachelor NZ royal couple Art and Matilda are having a baby. Here is Alex Casey’s unsolicited gift to them. I thought my days of crying at the dairy were over, but alas. As the man behind the counter grabbed his ...2 days ago - Indonesian smear campaigns target Jokowi ahead of presidential electionBy Ainur Rohmah in Jakarta Fake news and hate speech are inundating Indonesia on and offline with the country’s general election just two months away and with presidential candidates Prabowo Subianto and incumbent Joko Widodo locked in a contest for ...2 days ago
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