Author Archive
Pulling Teeth For Poverty
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, June 17th, 2018 - 363 comments
Poverty is directly responsible for a growing number of people losing their teeth to decay. Adults unable to afford dental treatment are resorting to using pliers to extract their own teeth. Meanwhile, children as young as one are also losing their teeth. The numbers losing their teeth is phenomenal. During the 2015 and 2016 period alone over 29,000 children had teeth removed and over 6,600 children were hospitalised because of rotting teeth.
Killing Them Softly With…
Written By: - Date published: 10:24 am, June 11th, 2018 - 48 comments
In New Zealand there is sufficient evidence to show that poor peoples’ lives are cut short because of poverty related poor nutrition. While food banks are alleviating the worst impacts of hunger, their kindness may well be contributing to the problem. Food poverty is a systemic issue and requires a systemic response, a response that successive governments are able to avoid while charities continue to provide a buffer for the system.
Who Really is Judging the Poor?
Written By: - Date published: 2:46 pm, June 3rd, 2018 - 89 comments
Some conversations about poverty are harming those in need. Those conversations contribute to the stigma and shame experienced by struggling families, who are barely surviving, but still trying to maintain some dignity. As a result even those in need are differentiating between the deserving and undeserving poor.
Housing Band Aids
Written By: - Date published: 9:54 am, May 26th, 2018 - 54 comments
What lies behind the homelessness crisis in Aotearoa New Zealand? Is it a housing crisis or are the homeless to blame? If the problem is a housing crisis, why is there an assumption that the homeless themselves need extra services to secure and maintain rental housing?
Why is Mark Richardson such a Nimby and …?
Written By: - Date published: 11:58 am, May 25th, 2018 - 46 comments
Being a nimby is the least of Mark Richardson’s problems. His disguised hate speech is harmful to his victims and anyone else in need of help who are left feeling the shame imposed upon them by such careless dialogue.
Is New Zealand really as ‘racist as fuck’?
Written By: - Date published: 1:35 pm, April 12th, 2018 - 85 comments
I am inclined to believe that there are at least some New Zealanders who are as “racist as fuck”.
Home Sweet Home
Written By: - Date published: 11:52 am, November 4th, 2017 - 23 comments
The changing face of New Zealand.
- More pillage
Back in 2014, the then-National government rammed through the West Coast Wind-blown Timber (Conservation Lands) Act 2014. The Act was an act of pure pillage, using the excuse of a strong storm to undermine the Forests (West Coast Accord) Act ...30 mins ago - A bit richSo, the Education Minister thinks teachers are demanding too much money:The Education Minister says teachers' demand for a 16 percent pay rise over two years outstrips what others in the workforce are receiving. [...] Chris Hipkins told Morning Report he ...3 hours ago
- Wireless Docs: Losing My Language
Isaiah used to speak Chinese, or that’s what his immigrant parents have told him. Born and raised in New Zealand, Isaiah cannot recall ever speaking Chinese. In the third documentary of the new Wireless Docs series, Isaiah, now 26, revisits how being English-speaking ...5 hours ago - Government forgets the Unitary Plan happened
The new Government has made some giant leaps forward in transport policy since they were elected last year, most notably through the 2018 Government Policy Statement and the progress that’s now being made on light-rail. A lot of their housing ...8 hours ago - Corbyn, Black September et cetera – I was, of course, completely wrong
Just a heads up that yesterday's post, suggesting that the images of Corbyn waltzing about a Tunisian cemetery with wreaths were taken at different times and locations is completely wrong.While the people in the images do change, and the chain ...23 hours ago - Strike!Last evening I made the fatal mistake of telling my son that, “tomorrow we’re sleeping in.” This turned out to be taken as a reverse challenge, so I have been awake since five. Eventually my puku instructed me to get ...1 day ago
- Press statement: Economic rights are human rights: It’s time to legislate
Media Statement For Immediate Release Wednesday 8th August 2018 ECONOMIC RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS: IT’S TIME TO LEGISLATE If New Zealand wants to close the inequality gap, it needs to follow the advice of the United Nations and enshrine economic ...1 day ago - More Australian racismHow vile is Australian politics? A federal Senator has called for a "final solution" to immigration, and called for a return to the white Australia policy:An Australian crossbench senator has invoked the term “the final solution” in an inflammatory speech ...1 day ago
- Is Don Brash really different from those Canadians?
While most normal people remained blissfully unaware, the free-speech wars have raged across the New Zealand internet like wildfire. read more ...1 day ago - Teachers deserve a raisePrimary and intermediate school teachers are on strike today in effort to get higher pay and better conditions. Good on them. Teachers are massively underpaid for the work they do, and there's been an exodus from the profession as a ...1 day ago
- How getting a job turned into a series of tests
Pre-employment drug tests, psychometric tests, aptitude tests, credit checks, police checks and health tests add up to a lot of work before you even get the job - or don’t get it - Naomi Arnold discovers. Photo: rawpixel / ...1 day ago - Minister, Stuart McCutcheon isn’t making the teacher strike easy for you
On today of all days, it should not escape everyone’s notice that at the same time teachers are standing together for an education system that values and attracts new and incredible people to teach our kids, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland, ...1 day ago - CapturedA farmer illegally digs up a reserve, destroying native vegetation, in order to plant pasture to make the land they lease seem more attractive to foreign buyers. You'd hope that in New Zealand, such actions would lead to charges under ...1 day ago
- Sea Path engagement
The NZTA are starting public engagement today on Seapath, the walking and cycling path alongside the Northern Motorway from Esmonde Rd to the Harbour Bridge, where it will link in with Skypath – which the NZTA have also been tasked ...1 day ago - More on Corbyn, Tunis, Black September et cetera
2 days ago - #goodnewsstoriesby Melanie Vautier You might have seen a new hashtag emerging on the CANA Facebook page: #goodnewsstories. You might, equally, wonder what these stories about bananas and tramping tracks have to do with our coal focus. Well, I’ll tell you! ...2 days ago
- Who Are You Calling “Evil”?
2 days ago - And more cronyismLabour's cronyism continues. Last week, it was appointing MP's partners to a charity trust. This week, they've appointed former Labour MP Margaret Wilson as deputy chair of the Waikato DHB. As with many crony appointments, its not so much an ...2 days ago
- Some defence!Yesterday Forest & Bird released a report into dirty dairying, showing that some regional councils have been turning a blind eye to pollution. Several regional councils have since tried to quibble over the results - results base don information they ...2 days ago
- What the Haumaha inquiry is aboutFrom the moment it was revealed that new Deputy Police Commissioner Wally Haumaha was a rape-apologist, it was clear that he had to be fired - and that outcome only looks more likely with the new revelations about his bullying ...2 days ago
- Climate change: Fixing the ETSThe big problem in New Zealand climate change policy is that our key emissions control mechanism - the emissions trading scheme - is unfit for purpose. Stacked with subsidies to reward polluters, and flooded with fraudulent foreign "credits" in its ...2 days ago
- Policing social media – who is coming next and who is behind it?
Free speech and the problems of deplatforming and censorship are in the public mind at the moment. The banning of the conspiracy theorist outlet Infowars by a number of social media networks is just the latest example concerning many ...2 days ago - School Bus brouhaha
2 days ago - Racist of the yearApparently the "New Zealander of the year" award has been turned into "racist of the year" with the nomination of Don Brash:Former National Party leader and Reserve Bank governor Don Brash has been nominated for New Zealander of the Year. ...3 days ago
- Time to end the pastoral lease rortStuff had a story yesterday of another South Island farmer whining about the government imposing access over "his" leased high country land. In this case, the Commissioner of Crown Lands had imposed an easement to allow a nearby camping ground ...3 days ago
- Turning a blind eye to pollutionThe Resource Management Act is our key defence against environmental pollution. But in order to be effective, we need regional councils to enforce it - not just by denying resource consents for polluting activities, but also by ensuring that polluters ...3 days ago
- Light Rail & Pt Chevalier
The planning for light rail to the North West is only in its early stages and many details and decisions have yet to be decided. One of the most important decisions will be the location of stations and how they ...3 days ago - Legal Beagle: Last call on the Electoral (Integrity) Bill: A plea for Labour, New Zealand First and ...
The Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill is going through it's final stages, and will likely pass this week.It is going to pass, and amendments - such as a sunset clause - or the exclusion of electorate MPs from its scope - ...4 days ago - Corbyn, Black September Graves et cetera
During the election campaign last year a story surfaced briefly about Jermey Corbyn visiting a cemetery in Tunisia and taking part in a ceremony to honour 'Palestinian martyrs'. The controversial aspect was that - buried in the same cemetery were ...4 days ago - Checkmate In Two Years?
4 days ago - The Government v. The Business Community: Playing Chicken Over Employment Law Reform
4 days ago - While the Left fiddles, the Right beats their war-drum
. . While the Left has been fiddling about with much gnashing of teeth and tears of concern over the right of two Canadian neo-fascists to speak at an Auckland City council venue – National’s focus has been laser-like ...4 days ago - Why am I striking?
Imagine, if you will, a small class of, shall we say fifteen to eighteen pupils. Perhaps this class is in a small and well-resourced school. Maybe the class has one-to-one devices. In all likelihood this school is a charter school. ...4 days ago - 2018 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #32
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week. Editor's Pick Scientists mock Trump’s tweet on wildfires as ‘comedically ill-informed’ and ‘unmitigated crap’ Trump's climate denial is "a crime against the planet" ...4 days ago - Welcome to the Pliocene
The whole story in a table.... The graphic below (click on it for a large version) is adapted from a table in the supporting information from a newly published paper in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Trajectories ...5 days ago - Debunking business “confidence.”
One of the more suspect metrics used to evaluate a government’s economic program is so-called “business confidence.” The premise behind surveys of “business confidence” is that business is the motor force of capitalist economies and business leaders are the most ...5 days ago - Better Health & Safety Laws Could Have Stopped The 1981 Tour!
5 days ago - Flashback Saturday: Estimating the economic benefits of speeding up Auckland’s trains
Every weekend we dig into the archives. This post by Stu was first published in January 2017. Introduction If you’ve been reading TransportBlog for a while, then you may have noticed that the term “dwell-times” crops up relatively frequently. The ...5 days ago - New research, July 30 – August 4, 2018
A selection of new climate related research articles is shown below. Climate change Temperature, precipitation, wind Optimal Ranking Regime Analysis of U.S. Summer Temperature and Degree-Days: 1895-2015 Detectable Impacts of the Past Half‐Degree Global Warming on Summertime Hot Extremes in ...5 days ago - Winning WinstonOne has been amused by the discovery by so many right-wing commentators that Winston Peters is not the devil incarnate that they have portrayed for twenty-five years and their surprise that he proved to be such a successful acting prime ...6 days ago
- What happened when Israeli state thugs attacked freedom ship: an eyewitness account
Below is a statement by Dr Swee Ang, who was the medical doctor on the al-Awda, the freedom flotilla ship delivering medical supplies to the besieged people of Gaza; among those assaulted and tasered was Mike Treen, the national director ...6 days ago - Hard News: Friday Music: Summer’s comingSigns that summer is on the way are not limited to the recent unnervingly early Spring weather: we're into festival reveal season and there are some things to discuss.Auckland's New Year's Eve party Wondergarden takes a big step up with ...6 days ago
- Climate change: Fonterra ditches coalBig news in the fight to lower New Zealand's emissions today, with Fonterra announcing that it is moving away from coal:Fonterra today announced it is transitioning from coal to renewable energy at its Stirling site in Otago. The move will ...6 days ago
- The bag-banThe government has announced that it plans to phase out single-use plastic shopping bags using regulations under the Waste Minimisation Act. Good. They're a significant source of marine pollution, and while not the biggest, they're an easy place to start. ...6 days ago
- Cities in the Year 2000 (chapter 2)
This is part 2 of a series covering “Cities in the Year 2000”, a kids’ book on cities published in 1985. Click here for part 1. I suggest reading on a desktop, as the screenshots of the pages should be ...6 days ago - Learning the lessons of past ITP mergersOver the weekend, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said he expected there to be fewer polytechnics left once the recommendations of the Tertiary Education Commission’s ITP Roadmap project and the Ministry’s review of vocational education and training were implemented. Two years ago, when Aoraki ...6 days ago
- There will be fewer polytechnics, Minister saysTertiary Update – Vol 21 No 15 In an interview on The Nation on Saturday morning, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said he expected there to be fewer polytechnics once the Tertiary Education Commission’s ITP Roadmap project and the Ministry of Education’s vocational ...6 days ago
- Hey Stuart, we all have a right to debate our futureStudents and staff at the University of Auckland came together last week to stand up against the intensifying efforts of Vice-Chancellor Stuart McCutcheon to silence critique of his leadership. Gathered together for a ‘teach-in’ led by the national president of the Tertiary Education ...6 days ago
- Our links to the community must not be lostHelen Stewart MacKenzie, a teacher educator at the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT), shares her thoughts on what’s currently working well at the institution as part of the Tertiary Education Commission’s (TEC) ITP Roadmap Project. One of the most important successes we can ...6 days ago
- Students and staff need a stronger voiceLast week, Annemarie Jutel, Professor of Health at Victoria University, was part of a TEU panel presenting to MPs on the Education Select Committee about the Government’s proposals to return students and staff to tertiary education institution councils. Here she shares her ...6 days ago
- Funding is the elephant in the roomCraig West, a senior lecturer at Otago Polytechnic, shares his thoughts on the future of the polytechnic sector as part of the Tertiary Education Commission’s ITP Roadmap project. It is great that the Tertiary Education Commission is taking the time to listen to ...6 days ago
- The “Over-65 Vote” May Be “Funkier” That National Expects.
6 days ago - How The New Zealand Left Transformed Southern And Molyneux From Unknown Rightists Into Free Speech H...
6 days ago - Safety finally on the agenda
Safety has been a hot topic this year, and for good reason, with the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads soaring. Turning the trend around has been a stated goal for both the government and Auckland. The ...6 days ago - This man should be firedSo, it turns out that in addition to being a rape-apologist, deputy police commissioner Wally Haumaha is also a workplace bully: Three women working on a joint justice project walked out of Police National Headquarters and refused to return because ...1 week ago
- Development update: August 2018
What a month it’s been for hotels. In the last month, the Herald has covered a number of new hotel announcements – an Indigo Hotel on Albert St, a Sudima Group hotel by the International Convention Centre, a TFE Hotels ...1 week ago - Tax cheats should be prosecutedNewsroom reports that homeowners are cheating on their taxes by refusing to comply with the bright line test:The bright-line test, a key part of both National and Labour’s strategy for addressing the housing crisis, is being flouted by as many ...1 week ago
- DrawnA ballot for two Members' Bills was held this morning, and the following bills were drawn: Holidays (Bereavement Leave for Miscarriage) Amendment Bill (Ginny Andersen) Broadcasting (New Zealand on Air and Te Māngai Pāho Reporting Requirements) Amendment Bill (Melissa Lee) ...1 week ago
- What next for improving Auckland’s buses?
Next month the final stage of implementing Auckland’s new public transport network will be completed, as the North Shore network goes live. This has been a long time coming, as the new network has been in the works since ...1 week ago - Inferno XIX: Whack-a-pope
The full text of the canto in Italian/English Il mio bel San Giovanni . My dear, beautiful San Giovanni. Of all the buildings that survive from the time of Dante’s Florence, this is both the most famous and the one ...1 week ago - Support locked-out Atlas quarry workers in NorthlandKia ora koutou, Fourteen quarry workers who took limited strike action last week in pursuit of pay parity with other workers in the industry have been locked out by their boss until Sunday, 12th August. You can support the locked ...1 week ago
- Climate change science comeback strategies
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk Credit: Image by Karin Kirk. Staircase wit. L’esprit de l’escalier. It’s the way the perfect response in an uncomfortable conversation comes cruelly late, occurring only after the crux moment has long since ...1 week ago - Making progress in the face of complexity
Transport planning must be pretty complicated at times. Different projects interact with each other, you don’t want to unnecessarily dig a road up when you might need to dig it up again in the near future, you need to try ...1 week ago - Why is NZ First opposing youth rates repeal?When they ran for election, Labour promised to repeal National's hated and unfair youth rates - the system where employers could pay someone less simply for being younger. But NZ First is apparently holding up the process:Labour's pre-election policy of ...1 week ago
- More cronyismOh look! More cronyism from Labour. This time they've appointed the partners of two former MPs to a charity trust:The partners of two former Labour MPs have been controversially appointed to the South Island's largest charity – the $600 million ...1 week ago
- Member’s DayToday is a Member's Day, and one which should finally see the end of the ballot jogjam. But there's some other stuff to get through first before the House can get on to those first readings. First up is a ...1 week ago
- Hard News: Dilemmas: the drug-driving ad that isn’tPublic service advisories about drinking and driving – and road safety in general – have been with us for many years. For a long time, they had a common theme: to scare some sense into the public with, if necessary, ...1 week ago
- “Who Are You Calling ‘Mate’, Mate?”
1 week ago - Political interference prevents investigators from considering the “bleeding obvious”1 week ago
- Jun-18 Ridership
June is always one of the most important months in the year for ridership as it’s the final month in the financial year. The latest results are out and here’s a breakdown. Auckland AT have published the June numbers, although ...1 week ago - Professionals Do It Best
The ruthless and self-serving use of the powers of patronage has been one of the hallmarks of the Trump Presidency. His purpose has sometimes been – as in the case of his appointments to the Supreme Court and other courts ...1 week ago - Pollution is slowing the melting of Arctic sea ice, for nowThe Arctic is one of the “canaries in the coal mine” for climate change. Long ago, scientists predicted it would warm quicker than other parts of the planet, and they were right. Currently, the Arctic is among the fastest-warming places ...1 week ago
- Massey university compromises free speech
by Don Franks Former National leader Don Brash, invited to address a Massey university student club, was stopped by vice-chancellor Jan Thomas. She canned the event after club members voiced concerns about safety. The university considered putting on extra security, ...1 week ago - Climate Change: The danger of a hothouseKiller heat-waves in Europe. Enormous fires in California and Greece. Historic floods in Japan. Climate change is here. But worse, we may be heading for the hothouse:A domino-like cascade of melting ice, warming seas, shifting currents and dying forests could ...1 week ago
- ‘Good’ is a conversation… what NZ’s weekend of division should teach usThis past weekend my Twitter feed was filled with fear. And some of the anger that stems from it. Stefan Molyneux and Lauren Southern - thanks for coming. I got bombarded with insults from a handful of people convinced that ...1 week ago
- Canterbury tax relief, GST loophole closed
Revenue Minister Stuart Nash has confirmed Parliament will extend tax relief for Canterbury businesses affected by issues relating to depreciation following the earthquakes. Mr Nash today introduced a Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) to the Taxation (Annual Rates, Modernising Tax Administration, ...1 day ago - Hong Kong double tax agreement updatedRevenue Minister Stuart Nash says New Zealand’s ability to detect and prevent tax evasion is enhanced by an update to our double tax agreement with Hong Kong which is now in force. The update to the 2010 double tax agreement ...3 days ago
- Ngāti Rangi Settlement Bill passes first readingMinister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Hon Andrew Little, welcomed Ngāti Rangi to Parliament today to witness their Treaty settlement Bill pass its first reading. ...7 days ago
- Pare Hauraki sign collective redress Deed...2 weeks ago
- Help us end conversion therapy
It’s been so encouraging to see the strong support for banning conversion therapy in Aotearoa/New Zealand. I’m so impressed by the leadership being shown by the Young Greens and Young Labour on this. Green Party policy states our commitment to “reflecting ...2 weeks ago - Panel appointed to re-write 2014 Family Court reformsThree experts have been appointed to an Independent Panel to examine the changes made to the family justice system in 2014 by the previous National Government, Justice Minister Andrew Little announced today. ...2 weeks ago
- Canterbury Earthquake Insurance Tribunal Bill introducedJustice Minister Andrew Little has introduced a Bill to help Cantabrians resolve outstanding residential insurance claims from the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes. ...2 weeks ago
- Teachers look forward to negotiations
Support for teachers and principals in rallies all over the country yesterday was overwhelming, says NZEI Te Riu Roa President Lynda Stuart. ...1 hour ago - CAFCA Says Don’t Expect Much And You Won’t Be DisappointedCAFCA Says Don't Expect Much And You Won't Be Disappointed The Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa (CAFCA) congratulates the Government for passing the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill, which will become law within weeks. At least ...1 hour ago
- District Court responds to high incidence of disabilitiesThe District Court is to consider adopting a different approach to young adult offenders to take account of the high incidence of neurodisabilities among those appearing in court. ...2 hours ago
- Absurd Collection Rate for Winter Energy PaymentNew figures show that the Government’s so-called Winter Energy Payment is welfare for the rich, and a massive waste of taxpayer money, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . ...3 hours ago
- Better Public Media reaction to Melissa Lee Member’s BillBetter Public Media Trust warns that the Member’s Bill from Melissa Lee is really an attack on low-rating public media content – especially Māori content. ...3 hours ago
- Say no to the Israel Institute’s callIsrael Institute of New Zealand director, Dr David Cumin, is calling on the Government “to distance itself from a decision by Labour MP, Dr Duncan Webb, to host a meeting featuring Unite Union National Director Mike Treen in which Mr ...3 hours ago
- Select committee urged to stop spread of ISDS under CPTPP“A range of labour, health and environmental organisations are calling for a clause to be inserted into the CPTPP Amendment Bill that would prevent future governments from extending investor state dispute settlement (ISDS) to countries seeking to join ...4 hours ago
- Three simple steps to fix Wellington’s bus fiascoBus drivers, their union, and the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions addressed Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) this morning with the request it makes good on its promise to fix the region’s bus problems. ...4 hours ago
- Compliance approaches to dairyingA Forest and Bird report released this week regarding Regional Council compliance, monitoring and enforcement (CME) of the dairy sector in 2016/17 shows the potential benefits of a national methodology for reporting in order to better understand CME ...5 hours ago
- Equal Pay activists in Wellington not celebrating yetThe spokesperson for The Pay Equity Coalition Wellington, Sue O Shea, said today that there was little to celebrate in the latest gender pay gap statistics. “Progress continues to be painfully slow or stalled, whichever measure is used,” she said. ...5 hours ago
- Dunne Speaks: The Teachers’ StrikeThis week around 30,000 primary and intermediate school teachers have been on strike, closing nearly 2,000 schools for a day. To date, there appears to have been general public support for the industrial action, but the jury is still out ...5 hours ago
- REINZ is disappointed foreign buyer ban passes third readingBindi Norwell, Chief Executive at the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) says: “We are disappointed that the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill has passed its third reading today; particularly in light of the fact that the latest Statistics ...18 hours ago
- Legislative changes needed on political participation billLegislation seeking to facilitate disabled people’s participation in elections and standing for political office needs to be changed to make it clear and workable, the New Zealand Law Society says. ...20 hours ago
- National Iwi Chairs Forum rejects Kāhui Wai Māori proposalThe Pou Taiao Iwi Leaders Group has announced that it will not be participating in the Government’s Kāhui Wai Māori process. ...20 hours ago
- Project Crimson welcomes promise of millions more nativesThe Project Crimson Trust has been successfully restoring and protecting New Zealand native trees for almost 30 years. Trees That Count is the charity’s newest venture and is New Zealand’s only native tree marketplace - increasing planting rates by ...22 hours ago
- PSA shows solidarity to striking NZEI membersPrimary school teachers deserve a fair go, and PSA members stand together with them in their strike action today. ...23 hours ago
- Responsible Camping Working Group recommendations now with MA working group co-chaired by Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick is recommending a national regime be introduced to better manage “freedom camping”. The Report of the Responsible Camping Working Group, which has been delivered to Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis ...24 hours ago
- Better wage rules needed to catch Kiwis up"Wage growth was still slow over the last year, and though for some it picked up a little from the year before, it is uneven," says CTU Economist Bill Rosenberg commenting on the Labour Markets (Income) statistics released by Statistics ...24 hours ago
- Palmy Peace Group to Oppose Weapons Expo“Peace Action Manawatū will coordinate opposition to the annual NZ Defence Industry Association Forum due to come to Palmerston North in late October.” ...1 day ago
- Increased hunger in the land of plenty could be solvedIncreased hunger in the land of plenty could be easily solved Families going without food on a regular basis is dangerously on the verge of becoming normal in Aotearoa-New Zealand - and the problem doesn’t seem to be easing since ...1 day ago
- They do not speak for usMany lesbians in Aotearoa New Zealand are very disturbed at the recent publicity given to a group calling itself Lesbian Rights Alliance Aotearoa, and in particular that group’s opposition to moves to make it easier for people to change the ...1 day ago
- Ngāti Hine walks from the Andrew Little hui“Two Ngāti Hine hapū speakers were denied speaking rights at a meeting hosted by the Minister of Treaty Negotiations Andrew Little on Sunday at Te Tii Mangonui” says Rowena Tana. ...1 day ago
- Boost for tourism infrastructure in hotspot regionsLocal Government New Zealand welcomes this morning’s announcement from the Government that $8.5 million in responsible camping infrastructure and initiatives will be implemented ahead of the 2018/19 peak season, as recommended by the Responsible Camping Working ...1 day ago
- Freedom Camping – Enough is Enough!NZ OUTDOORS PARTY 15 AUGUST 2018 Local residents’ outrage at the volume of freedom campers and their waste has reached a point which can no longer be ignored by central and regional government, says the NZ Outdoors Party. Ahuriri Bridge ...1 day ago
- Average gender pay imbalance increasingCouncil of Trade Unions Acting President Rachel Mackintosh said that updated figures out today from Statistics New Zealand show that women are still not being paid their worth and employers are not complying with current equal pay law. The latest ...1 day ago
- Ratepayers left with enormous costs after film museum fiascoWellington ratepayers will be footing the bill for up to $3 million every year in lost rent as the Council loses the key tenant in its planned convention centre , warns the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . ...1 day ago
- SAFE calling for farming industry to protect whistle-blowersAnimal advocacy group SAFE is calling for farming groups to develop whistle-blower programmes, after revelations workers are receiving death threats for reporting abuse. ...1 day ago
- It’s no good expanding suburbs if you can’t feed peopleA recent report is a valuable tool in the fight for New Zealand to maintain its ability to feed itself, says Federated Farmers national president Katie Milne. ...1 day ago
- It’s time for teachers to shineCouncil of Trade Unions Secretary Sam Huggard said today that union members and officials around the country would be turning out to support NZEI Te Riu Roa industrial action to protect quality public education and the teaching profession. ...1 day ago
- Reform or Transform: RMLA Conference 2018The Resource Management Law Association’s annual conference Reform or Transform is being held this year at Te Papa in just 5 weeks. EDS is supporting this important opportunity for resource management professionals to network and upskill. ...2 days ago
- Reform or Transform: RMLA Conference 2018The Resource Management Law Association’s annual conference Reform or Transform is being held this year at Te Papa in just 5 weeks. EDS is supporting this important opportunity for resource management professionals to network and upskill. ...2 days ago
- ‘Birth Day’ of New Zealand’s Largest-Ever Navy ShipThe keel-laying ceremony for the future HMNZS Aotearoa has been held at the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea. ...2 days ago
- CTU celebrates settlement for education support workersThe Council of Trade Unions today congratulated education support workers for achieving pay equity, with the signing of terms of settlement for workers who provide support to young children with additional learning needs. ...2 days ago
- Minister not aware of her own Ministry’s failingsMinister for Children Tracey Martin is clearly out of her depth after admitting she’s not aware of high profile cases of children who are being abused, National’s Children spokesperson Alfred Ngaro says. ...2 days ago
- Your home is your castle“A member of my family was attacked in their own home. Two vicious attackers who forced their way into what should have been our place of safety. Two men who for 45 minutes chose to do ALL the nasty crimes ...2 days ago
- Commercial trade in whitebait needs to endWhitebait season is opening around the country, and Forest & Bird says commercial whitebaiting needs to stop while four of the five native fish species are in danger of extinction. Forest & Bird’s Freshwater Advocate, Annabeth Cohen says ending ...2 days ago
- Quarry workers win fair pay deal!Around 20 quarry workers and concrete truck drivers who began striking at the start of the month near the Brynderwyn Hills have today reached a settlement with Atlas Quarry that gives the group between $2 and $4 dollars more an ...2 days ago
- Pay equity settlement for support workers within reachThe Ministry of Education today signed Terms of Settlement with NZEI Te Riu Roa to address a pay equity claim for 329 staff providing support to young children with additional learning needs. The Terms were also signed by three Ministry ...2 days ago
- Pay equity settlement reached for support workersFour Ministry of Education Support Workers enjoyed a celebratory cup of tea with the Prime Minister this afternoon, to mark the historic signing of the education sector's first pay equity settlement. ...2 days ago
- Bus & Coach Association NZThe serious allegations being made by Unions about the safety of bus operations in the Wellington, Waikato and Auckland regions are not supported by the findings of either the NZTA or the police, who check vehicle and working time requirements ...2 days ago
- Conviction of repeat offenders justifies MPI spendingLegaSea and the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council welcome the prosecution of Hawke’s Bay Seafood after the longest running district court case on record. ...2 days ago
- Cannabis Referendum Coalition Launches GivealittleThe Cannabis Referendum Coalition has been set up to campaign around the government referendum on legalising the personal use of cannabis. The Coalition has launched a Givealittle page to raise funds to educate Kiwis, promote a good turnout and change ...2 days ago
- EPA calls for neonicotinoid informationThe Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is calling for information about three specific neonicotinoids – pesticides which can impact bees and other pollinators if not used correctly – to understand how and where they are being used within ...2 days ago
- ACT and NZ First Missing the PointNew Conservative congratulates David Seymour for copying long-held New Conservative policy on key elements of the way government should be structured (as did NZ First in the run up to the last election). ...2 days ago
- Hundreds of Patients Unfairly Missing OutPharmac is being urged to change its “unfair and outdated” rules to allow better access to funded drugs for Multiple Sclerosis or MS, a chronic illness affecting over 4000 New Zealanders. ...2 days ago
- Nationwide rallies and marches tomorrowAbout 29,000 primary teachers, principals and their supporters will be taking to the streets in public events around New Zealand tomorrow. ...2 days ago
- $100,000 for assessments of Whakaki catchment landThe Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) will provide $100,000 for cultural, land use and economic impact assessments to be done of the Whakaki catchment area. ...2 days ago
- NZ Young Nats call on Youth Wings to oppose Waka JumpingThe Young Nats today have called on all political youth wings to collectively oppose the anti-democratic ‘Electoral (Integrity) Act Amendment Bill 2018’, more aptly known as the ‘Waka Jumping’ legislation. ...2 days ago
- Strike at Pacific SteelMembers at BlueScope Pacific Steel in Auckland will strike for 24 hours on Wednesday, 15 August. ...2 days ago
- Little Proposal Could Empower Ngāpuhi HapūA series of regional hui across Ngāpuhi over the weekend where Andrew Little, the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, presented a new model to progress Ngāpuhi settlement negotiations. The proposal provided fresh hope to hapū leaders for a ...2 days ago
- Simon Bridges expense leak: what we know so far
An inquiry has been announced to find out who leaked details of National Party leader Simon Bridges' travel expenses to the media. Here's how the controversy unfolded. ...37 mins ago - You wouldn’t eat a kiwi – so why is whitebait okay?
Whitebait season is here, and Forest and Bird is steaming mad about it. Why are we serving endangered fish in home kitchens and cafes alike? And where are the catch limits? What’s all this then?Set the nets and get out your ...39 mins ago - Rushed legislation on animal tracking system faces scrutinyLegislation has been rushed through to its final reading at Parliament today to beef up the country's animal tracking system, NAIT. ...40 mins ago
- The 60 best Madonna songs in honour of her 60th birthday
Madonna turns sixty today, so Sam Brooks rounds up the best sixty Madonna songs to celebrate this with her.Madonna follows forty-nine people on Twitter. I’m one of them. This is not a brag, but a fact. I have no idea ...56 mins ago - MPs’ spending expenses revealedMPs spending on travel and accommodation across all parties has rocketed up to more than $2,000,000. ...1 hour ago
- Get people to sign up to The Bulletin and win cool stuff
If you’re a fan of the Bulletin, help us bring our daily curated guide of the most important NZ news to a wider audience. And, we’ll give you some sweet prizes too. Since The Bulletin was launched around the start of ...2 hours ago - Meet the DOC dogs protecting New Zealand’s native wildlife
Since 2016, the Department of Conservation (DOC) has partnered with Kiwibank to develop the conservation dog programme and, by proxy, raise the profile of conservation as a whole. Don Rowe goes to visit these hard-working canines to find out what it ...2 hours ago - Remembering Anthony Bourdain: Hope springs from tragedy for Auckland hospo
For many in the restaurant industry, Anthony Bourdain’s death hit close to home, so a group of hospo friends decided to build something positive out of the sadness.When Dariush Lolaiy got home after work at his Auckland restaurant Cazador late ...3 hours ago - The best signs at the Auckland teachers’ rallyAngella Dravid headed to the Auckland rally for striking primary teachers to hand out some gold stars for excellence in sign design.RelatedWhy are teachers striking? It’s about a lot more than money ...3 hours ago
- Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – August 16 2018
Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – August 16 2018 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.Primary teachers’ strike RNZ: Hipkins: Teachers’ pay ...3 hours ago - UK Investment Minister talks up trade deal
The UK Minister for Investment has given a rousing endorsement of the British – New Zealand relationship at an infrastructure conference in Auckland today, promising Brexit won’t get in the way of New Zealand’s trade opportunities. Graham Stuart told the ...4 hours ago - The Block NZ week six: The worst memes known to man
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It involved vanilla sponge. Tara Ward power-ranks week six of The Block NZ. I mean, just look at the state of it.It was Week 6 of The Block NZ, ...4 hours ago - Hipkins: Teachers’ pay demand ‘out of kilter’Education Minister Chris Hipkins says teachers' demand for a 16 percent pay rise over two years outstrips what others in the workforce are receiving. ...5 hours ago
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Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: No resolution to teacher pay dispute despite strike, Fonterra gets a new boss for now, and some interesting bits from the NBR Rich List. Tens of thousands of teachers went on ...7 hours ago - Bryce Edwards: The left wing case for political freedoms
Bryce Edwards examines the left-wing case of protecting and extending political freedoms in order to bring about a more socially just world The political left is on the side of censorship and suppression of free speech; the political right is ...8 hours ago - Notes from New Richland: Nine takeaways from the NBR Rich ListToday, the National Business Review, New Zealand’s most prestigious and weirdly-run business publication, published its annual Rich List. If you’re interested but not interested enough to subscribe, here are our biggest takeaways.1. Graham Hart is way richer than Peter ThielLike, ...8 hours ago
- Return of the Ferns: Kopua and Langman are back
Why would two legends of modern-day netball want to return to a struggling Silver Ferns side less than a year out from the World Cup? Suzanne McFadden finds out. Laura Langman was sitting in her car outside the Hamilton accountancy firm ...9 hours ago - Simon Bridges spending leak: Consensus over need for inquiryThe clock is ticking for whoever leaked Simon Bridges' travel expenses with a forensic expert being brought in to identify the person responsible. ...9 hours ago
- NZ teacher ‘superheroes’ call for a better deal in first strike in 24 years
Multimedia story by Leilani Sitagata in Auckland About 30,000 primary and intermediate school teachers and principals went on strike for the first time in almost a quarter century today. A total of 1479 schools were closed – about threequarters of ...18 hours ago - National questions ‘offensive’, says Shane JonesNew Zealand First said Chris Bishop's questioning of 'whānau links' around the Wally Haumaha inquiry at Parliament is offensive. ...20 hours ago
- National MP accused of racism in ParliamentNew Zealand First has accused the National Party of racism in its questioning around the Wally Haumaha inquiry at Parliament. ...20 hours ago
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- G&Ts in London with Kirsty Gunn and Max Porter: a literary odyssey
Our man in London, Neil Young, meets Kiwi expat author Kirsty Gunn for a drink and a chat about her acclaimed new novel – and then wanders off for more drinks with Max Porter.With notebook in hand, I meet Kirsty Gunn ...21 hours ago - Celine Dion is Big Dick Energy
Celine Dion just finished her world tour with three concerts at Auckland’s Spark Arena. Huge fan Madeleine Chapman was there to experience the magic.In 2015, I flew to Las Vegas, the last place I’d choose to holiday, and spent a ...21 hours ago - Inquiry launched into leak on Simon Bridges’ expensesParliament's Speaker, Trevor Mallard, has launched an inquiry into who leaked the Opposition leader's travel expenses to the media. ...21 hours ago
- Comment: Reinvest in teachers, NZ
OPINION: This teachers’ strike must be a circuit breaker for change if we are to turn around the growing teacher shortage crisis we have in New Zealand today. Current strike action by primary and intermediate teachers, following closely on the ...22 hours ago - X is for extra pale ale: An A-Z of the Beervana craft beer festival
Reflecting on the highs and lows of multiple circumnavigations of a beery concrete concourse.At the weekend, The Spinoff’s most enthusiastic consumer of beer made a pilgrimage to our nation’s capital to attend Beervana. For the uninitiated, Beervana is a big ...22 hours ago - How clean is your desk? The unwelcome reality of office hygiene
Which carries more bacteria, your toilet seat or your desk? If you guessed the former, you’d be very wrong. Microbiologist Michael Loughlin explains why your workspace is a breeding ground for germs.If you work in an office, the chances are ...22 hours ago - Fairfax slashes value of NZ business as Nine merger looms
Fairfax Media Group more than halved the value of its Kiwi assets, attaching just A$40 million to mastheads that were once the core of a billion dollar investment. Sydney-based Fairfax is pursuing a A$2.2 billion deal with Nine Entertainment Co where ...22 hours ago - Justice for Baby Justus: the fight to overturn a baby name ban goes onBevan Marten, the lawyer on a one-man crusade to ensure parents can name their children Justice, is still fighting.Back in January I wrote an article for this website arguing that people should be allowed to name a child “Justice”. It is ...23 hours ago
- RSF calls on Nauru to allow banned ABC to cover Pacific Islands Forum
ABC ban … “The Nauruan government should not be allowed to dictate who fills the positions in an Australian media pool.” Image: David Robie/PMC By Reporters Without Borders Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called on Nauru to rescind its ...24 hours ago - Consultation is overrated: why we should stop letting idiots guide us
Councillors and council officers are forever going to public meetings to receive bad advice from angry people who mostly don’t know what they’re talking about. Hayden Donnell asks why.In Takapuna last week, Mayor Phil Goff, councillors and council officers stood ...1 day ago - Animal tracking legislation to be debated under urgencyPenalties are on the horizon for farmers who don't comply with the government's animal tracking system, NAIT. ...1 day ago
- Ralph Regenvanu: Pacific regionalism, climate finance and women in politicsTess Newton Cain talks to Ralph Regenvanu During a recent trip to Port Vila, Tess Newton Cain caught up with Ralph Regenvanu, Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and External Trade in the Vanuatu government. Regenvanu describes himself as a ...1 day ago
- What now for the Māori seats?
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- The Bulletin: So who did leak Bridges’ travel expenses?
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: The mystery around Simon Bridges’ travel expenses going public deepens, teachers go on strike, and Morgan letter rocks Kingitanga movement. The leak of National leader Simon Bridges’ travel expenses has turned into ...1 day ago - It’s official: big law firm culture is f*cked. Here’s how to survive it
Sarah Mitchell used to be a lawyer at a major New Zealand law firm – she lasted two years – and went on to study how practical psychology can help young lawyers adjust to legal life. Here she shares what ...1 day ago - Spark latches onto sport
Spark is upping its game in the sports market by buying more content, offering some of it free and promising competitive pricing similar to Netflix. Mark Jennings reports. COMMENT: The war over sports rights is heating up although the two main ...1 day ago - The Kiwi pair made in heaven
Grace Prendergast and Kerri Gowler have overcome Olympic disappointment to become the world's best coxless pair. Juliette Drysdale, a former world champion in the pair, discovers what makes them tick. There’s a well-known expression in rowing that ‘pairs are made in heaven’. In ...1 day ago - Public goodwill towards police at risk – union warnsThe inquiry into the appointment of the deputy police commissioner needs to be swift to prevent public goodwill from being undermined, the police union says. ...1 day ago
- Happy Rich List day, especially to the teachers and underpaid women of NZWhile a tiny group of Kiwis waits to find out how many millions they’re worth, a massive group waits to find out how much they’ll be underpaid, writes Sam Huggard, secretary of the Council of Trade UnionsToday is the day ...1 day ago
- Mission accomplished: Why ‘blockade buster’ boats to Gaza still succeed
ANALYSIS: By Ramzy Baroud, recently in New Zealand When Mike Treen, the national director of the Unite Union in New Zealand, arrived at the airport in Auckland earlier this month, a group of people were anxiously waiting for him at ...2 days ago - Use of motels for high-risk offenders under review – CorrectionsCorrections is reviewing the use of motels as emergency accommodation for high-risk offenders, and has charged a convicted sex offender with breaching his court-imposed conditions. ...2 days ago
- Mitski, indie’s loneliest cowboyLater this week, Mitski releases her fifth album, the excellent Be The Cowboy. Amanda Robinson talked to the singer-songwriter about anxiety, loneliness, secrets, cinema, and love.Mitski Miyawaki is set to release what she’s calling her saddest album yet, but Be ...2 days ago
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Hollie McNish – author, poet, activist, mother, spoken word artist, winner of the Ted Hughes Award – is coming to New Zealand to speak at Word Christchurch. Author and Spinoff Parents contributor Holly Walker caught up with McNish to discuss ...2 days ago - Dog Whistles And Riding A High Horse
CAPTION Green MP Golriz Grahraman. I am ambivalent about the Green MP Golriz Grahraman and questions about her refugee… The post Dog Whistles And Riding A High Horse appeared first on ZagZigger. ...2 days ago - No grounds to proceed: this year’s best TV ad complaints rubbished by the ASA
You’ve seen the terrible ads, now it’s time you see the terrible complaints. With crimes ranging from blasphemy and bad timelines to ‘the homosexual agenda’, we present a small selection of the most entertaining complaints that have been dismissed by ...2 days ago
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