Better footpaths and cycleways are a socialist inspired plot?

Written By: - Date published: 8:06 am, April 14th, 2020 - 65 comments
Categories: doofus of the week, Environment, Media, national, public transport, same old national, social media lolz, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, transport, uncategorized - Tags:

Siri please show me the dumbest right wing take from the past few days.

Despite the bedlam that is happening in the US and in the UK the winner is a local entry, Simon O’Connor complaining about Julie Anne Genter announcing a relatively modest fund for local government to use to temporarily convert unused local roads into walkways and cycleways.

The upside is clear.  Greater social distancing and greater safety.  And who knows but some of these could become permanent which would be a good thing.  Auckland Council’s timid steps taken in relation to High Street shows what can occur when you design a street for humans rather than cars. The picture above is of High Street.

Simon’s hot take?  It is a socialist progressive left plan to push public transport ideology.

Wow, hear that brothers and sisters?  Not only was it a fiendish plot by socialists for world domination but also by the progressive left, who by definition are not socialists but are progressives and left thinkers, to um, push public transport ideology.  Making it easier for us to walk and cycle will cram us onto trains and buses because … wait a minute.

In Simon’s world it clearly is a slippery slope.  One day you are wanting to make your street more pedestrian friendly, the next day you are manning the barricades trying to tear down the capitalist system from the inside.

Poor National. Its MPs have been rendered irrelevant because of current circumstances.  So they have to attract attention somehow.

I suspect Simon’s technique, publicly making an idiot of oneself, is not one that Crosby Textor would approve.

65 comments on “Better footpaths and cycleways are a socialist inspired plot? ”

  1. Cinny 1

    Wowzers, I thought this was satire to start with, but he is for real. Dang

    Ladies and gentlemen, simon o'connor is simon bridges brother in law, go figure.

    • Paddington 1.1

      TBF I thought the original suggestion from JAG was satire. No wonder David Clark kept his job.

      • Cinny 1.1.1

        This will create jobs and that is a mos def a good thing as we come out of the lock down.

        • Paddington 1.1.1.1

          It is low value spending, funded by tax/rate payers at a time when many of those people are stuggling.

          • Craig Walsham 1.1.1.1.1

            No, low quality Government spending was giving the Tax Payers Union 50k. If only there was a real tax payers union that worked in the interest of hard working Kiwis that we could complain to about such inappropriate use of our money!

            • Paddington 1.1.1.1.1.1

              It's not a contest in bad spending. Although I suspect trade unions are getting the subsidy as well?

              • KJT

                Real trade Unions, unlike the Tax dodgers union, which have just shown their total hypocrisy, serve a useful purpose.

                • Paddington

                  Not much. That's why so few people belong any more.

                  • KJT

                    Because legislation rendered them powerless.

                    The need for them is even greater than before.

                    • Paddington

                      "Because legislation rendered them powerless. "

                      You mean the legislation that made unionism voluntary? Nah, it just enabled people freedom of choice.

                      "The need for them is even greater than before."

                      Before what? Before the industrial revolution? Look if there is a need, people will join. But the reality is most people don't. That's a commentary on the perceived need.

                    • KJT

                      The legislation that severely restricted the "right to strike".

                      "Freedom of association" was always just a mealy mouthed excuse to remove Union power. As Unions were democratic organisations workers had the power to change them, anyway.

                    • Paddington

                      "The legislation that severely restricted the "right to strike"."

                      And therein lies the problem. The unions in days long ago used strikes to great effect to bring much needed change. Then they just started abusing the right and pissed people off.

                      ""Freedom of association" was always just a mealy mouthed excuse to remove Union power. As Unions were democratic organisations workers had the power to change them, anyway."

                      Being forced to join a union is not democracy. If and where unions genuinely added value today to workers, people would and will join. Most don't.

                  • Cinny

                    Paddington, I used to work for a large company, if a person was applying for a labouring position (we employed hundreds of labourers) they would have to fill in a form.

                    If they checked the box that said 'belongs to a union' we were under strict instructions by management not to employ them.

                    Should a union worker slip through the cracks and end up employed, we were also under strict instructions to do what ever we had to to get rid of them.

                    And that's how large corporations ensure they don't have any employees who belong to a union.

                    It maybe illegal, but that's what really happens by tories and capitalists to make sure union numbers are kept down.

                    Said employer proudly received a knighthood from none other than john key.

                    • Paddington

                      I'm sure it happens, but the vast majority of busnesses in NZ work in SME's, like the ones I run. I do nothing to discourage union membership, yet not a single worker in any of the businesses I run is currently a member of any union. Most people just don't see any value in it.

              • Craig H

                Some probably, public sector unions aren't affected yet.

                • Paddington

                  The Public Sector unions are the last bastion of unionism. Most private sector unions declined to such an extent they ended up swallowing each other. I have nothing against unions, per se. In fact they have done a great job over the years. They just have far less relevance today, which is why they can't attract members like they used to.

                  • Drowsy M. Kram

                    I've nothing against unions either – considered their campaigns for annual leave and sick pay to be generally for the good of all employees.

                    • Marcus Morris

                      The real joke about Paddington's argument is that every so called "professional" organisation as its own union and it exists largely to protect and further the interest of its members. Doctors have one. Lawyers have one, accountants have one. They usually go under the more "respectful" name of society or association. What's the bet that Paddington subscribes to the Employers Association and I daresay that he subscribes to the National Party. If he is involved in transport he will belong to the Road Users Association. and they have had an enormous influence on successive Tory governments. I suspect that the situation that Cindy describes is widespread. Bill Birch with his tribe set out to destroy the one movement that stood for employees and he was very successful. It is his legacy.

  2. Oh for heavens sake doesn't he realise that walking is PRIVATE transport? and should get the same sort of support that other forms of private transport get?

    Maybe he doesn't really understand what Walking School Buses are

  3. mike 3

    Looks like Angela Merkel is a 'socialist leftist misuser' now. Extended cycleways in German cities.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/13/pop-up-bike-lanes-help-with-coronavirus-social-distancing-in-germany

    Given the state of America now wouldn't you think that extremist christians like O'Conner would pull their head in?

    • Sabine 3.1

      this is when government have run out of shit to do and have nothing left to do.

      Most cycle ways in Germany are already wide, many cities don't have any car traffic and are foot and bike only.

      good grief, the world is fucked.

      • Ad 3.1.1

        The only places footpaths are used in New Zealand is central Auckland, central Wellington, George Street Dunedin, about two streets of Tauranga.

        With the collapse of students walking and cycling to school over the last decade, footpaths are just a suburban road border.

        • greywarshark 3.1.1.1

          Good controversial line Ad. 100% for evoking passion about walking free and old people being neglected in planning, despite the medical advice that walking will keep them, and other needy groups like computer users and tech nerds healthy.

        • Sabine 3.1.1.2

          The post that i answered to relatated to germany.

          And don't blame the kids for the parents who drive to the dairy to pick up milk.

          My answer to the bizzaro world headline from the Herald is below. As for the no mates no ideas party who cares.

          What i find worrying is that this is a legit headline in the herald, and that this is obviously discussed.

          How about a headline that the government will be in the hospital and clinic building business to make sure that the next wave of covid or any other virus is not going to 'collapse' our health care system. Which is literally the only reason we are in lockdown.

          how about a headline the government will invest in training free of charge people to work in the future labs they create to assure timely testing of all citizesn?

          But behold we are having a post on an extra 2 m wide stance on a foodpath, that is what we discussing here. The idiocy of the no mates party goes hand in hand with the idiocy of the NZ Herald headline. And obviously the government has got nothing much else to say otherwise MickeySavage would let us know, right?

        • Gabby 3.1.1.3

          Time we got off our lazy arses isn't it.

        • Incognito 3.1.1.4

          One way to create a good city vibe and make cities more liveable and vibrant is to ban cars from city centres and create pedestrian-only zones and squares, for example. With urban intensification around to corner [pardon the pun], city planners will need to do something about the choker-hold of cars on city centres. It is worth noting that air pollution levels have dropped heaps in Auckland and Wellington 🙂

  4. tc 4

    "Poor National. Its MPs have been rendered irrelevant because of current circumstances…"

    Not all bad Mickey as they get to show how idiotic, disconnected, unable to grasp the reality of current events, next steps etc

    Fit to lead their media poodles for a walk is about it currently.

  5. Robert Guyton 5

    Simon's correct. Everyone from every point of view is hoping their pet project/world-view will flower now, from the changes COVID 19 will bring about. Julie Anne will leverage it, Simon will leverage it, as will Boris, Jacinda, Bill Gates and Brian Tamaki.

    • mac1 5.1

      As did the anti 5G movement.

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/120941014/cell-towers-targeted-as-5g-conspiracy-theory-spreads

      What leverage produces when false, malicious, conspiratorial, 'woo-woo' science is used and people pronounce outside of their areas of expertise.

      • Alice Tectonite 5.1.1

        5G conspiracy fuckwits are so stupid they can't even read publicly available 5G coverage maps. Rural cell towers ain't 5G, nor are most urban ones…

        NZ 5G coverage is very limited.

        (But if they weren't that stupid they probably wouldn't believe that sort of nonsense. )

        • Wensleydale 5.1.1.1

          It's a deadly combination — painfully stupid and with low impulse control. "5G means the Lizard People will take control of my children's minds! I'd better drive down to the local cell tower and start wrecking shit!"

            • Wensleydale 5.1.1.1.1.1

              Jesus. This is L. Ron Hubbard levels of mental. Even Lord Xenu would be like, "Yeah… this shit is too far gone even for me."

              • mac1

                5G, the IRA/CIA/KGB/, the Chinese, the Russians, the Commies, the Aliens, the flying saucers, the Yanks, the Muslims, the Christians, the list is endless back through the centuries.

                The Science Fiction/horror/action fiction categories with their enemies from Daleks to giant apes, killer plants lurking in the shrubbery…

                Comic books with world dictators looking into ordinary homes to control dissent, war comics….

                Now we have futures full of alien intruders, galactic dictators, death stars…..

                Fiction to frighten us, in print, film, TV, Internet.

                It's Them, the Other, the goblin, deformed, murderous Foe…

                Who want our bodies, minds, money, land, culture, property, body parts, culture,

                THEY Want US!

                So, who is us and who are they?

                They are us.

  6. Sabine 6

    This is not out of a different dimension called , We are so fucked?

    This is it? wider foot path to allow people to be outside on a footpath with 2 m distance? why not set out for set types of citizens to leave their house for 'shopping'? Maybe classed by ranking, i.e. govmernment, essential worker and non essential people? To unpleasant to contemplate?

    We are so fucked. I hope the government has some more and some brighter ideas for the future of NZ.

    • Robert Guyton 6.1

      The footpaths already were designed to allow people to pass each other relatively comfortably – does that mean "we were fucked" even then? Was that a "bright idea from the Government" that should have been decried the time? Did you call them out on it, Sabine?

      • Sabine 6.1.1

        no we are fucked because the headline should be

        investment into healthcare – so it does not collapse every time a new virus raises its ugly head

        investment into healthcare staff – i.e. no studentloans and decent pay, and hazard pay

        delivery of santizer, gloves, mask to all expendable workers

        re-thinking of the food distribution centres in towns as obviously we are going to need longer foothpats rather then wider ones if people are to stand in line for hours to buy eggs and bacon.

        But then, you are good Robert, i guess? AS for the government, yes, if that is what they consider a bright idea, then indeed we are fucked. How are is the mushroom season? I see you have got lots of space obviously to self isolate.

  7. Sabine 7

    wider footpath? We have several kilometer long lines in front of supermarkets and this is a real fucking headline?

    Good grief, Good grief.

    • Robert Guyton 7.1

      You think the gummint should have hidden their proposal to make footpaths wider, Sabine?

  8. Kay 8

    Except all the wide footpaths in the world aren't going to make the slightest bit of difference while we still have so many self-centred citizens oblivious to the basic concept of the 2 metre rule, or just don't give a fuck.

    On many footpaths in my area, it is quite possible to maintain the distance if both parties pass on the edges of said path. Except for the many (often pairs or family groups) who haven't mastered this art of common courtesy, yet alone necessity and continue to walk down the middle of the path with no intention of moving aside, or even getting into single file. The 'it's all about me' mentality is still alive and kicking. Sadly the majority of offenders are younger, but it's been observed in all age groups. Personally, I'm getting quite annoyed at always to walk out onto the road because the other party shows no concern about bumping into someone else.

    So wide footpaths- yes. But a with median barrier for the idiots who don't know how to use them.

    • BArely Here, or There 8.1

      The four metre wide path that is supposed to be shared ped/cyle space is usually blocked by groups walking five abreast – pre covid. They could concrete a path the width of Earth and still people would block it.

  9. BArely Here, or There 9

    The government's public transport ideology? The fuck? Has he seen what Auckland Transport has done to bus routes? It is essentially a private commuter service now, nothing near useful public transport at all. The guy is totally fucking out of touch.

  10. Chris T 10

    I assumed the idea was a joke

    At the rate infrastructure gets built in this country, we will be opening new wide footpaths while reminiscing about that Covid thing 5 years ago.

    • alwyn 10.1

      Five years you think?

      Put Phil Twyford in charge and it will be fifty.

      • Wensleydale 10.1.1

        You really need to make yourself a voodoo doll of Phil so you can curl into the foetal position under a duvet and stab it with a knitting needle while shrieking "Bad Phil! Bad Phil!"

        Everyone needs to vent, Alwyn, and it's only a little bit creepy.

    • tc 11.1

      Almost forgotten about the shonky 'GFC begone' cycleway distraction.

      What an embarrassing moment for the NZ MSM covering that as if it was the magic bullet knowing a) it wasn’t solving anything and b) any criticism would cop his ire.

    • bwaghorn 11.2

      I wonder how many realise large parts of keys cycle ways are just signs and the odd painted line on preexisting rds.?

      • alwyn 11.2.1

        Have you even tried them?

        Most are pretty easy and there are only limited sections that are on roads.

        Come on. Show us what you are made of. I suggest that a beginner like you should start with the Hauraki Rail Trail, if you're a Jafa, or the Otago Central Rail Trail if you are from the Mainland. Do not try The Old Ghost Road though.

        You'll have to wait until the lockdown finishes of course but that will give to time to get a bike and to learn how to ride it in your local area.

        https://www.nzcycletrail.com/find-your-ride/22-great-rides/

        • KJT 11.2.1.1

          Both planned before Key. LOL.

          • alwyn 11.2.1.1.1

            You are right about Otago. That was a creation of the Bolger National Government of course. Gave them the idea for all the others didn't it.

            You are really pushing s**t up hill about the Hauraki Trail though. "Planned before Key"? Rubbish.

            Have you ridden any of them? bwghorn seems to have gone all quiet.

            • KJT 11.2.1.1.1.1

              Biked and walked the Gorge.

              With one of the people who first proposed it.

              They were pushing for it years before, Key.

              Pretty much from when the railway line was closed.

              • alwyn

                I guess you will call the proposal to put in the rail link to the Airport plagiarism then. Twyford claims to be the father of the scheme doesn't he. All my own idea he warbles.

                Well it isn't his idea. It isn't even new That was Dove-Myer Robinson's dream back 50 years ago.

                "Robinson's main focus during his second period as mayor was his advocacy for rapid transit system for Auckland. Robinson's proposal for a bus-rail rapid transit plan was "to provide fast, modern electrified railways through the main traffic corridors of the region".[4] The proposal had passenger trains every three minutes running from an underground subway terminal in the city centre with above ground tracks leading to Howick, Auckland Airport and a tunnel to the North Shore. The scheme was heavily criticized for its cost (an estimated $273 million in 1973) and both the ARA chairman Tom Pearce and most of its members opposed the scheme. The Third Labour Government reneged on an election pledge to pay for the scheme and the rapid rail proposal disappeared"

                What happened to it . Look at the last sentence of that quotation. Every significant project has someone who thought of it before it took place.

                https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dove-Myer_Robinson

            • KJT 11.2.1.1.1.2

              I will give National credit where it is due for financing them, however.

              About the only good idea to come out of Keys Government.

              And one of my retirement aims. If I have any savings left after this.

              • Graeme

                The Queenstown trails have been an unqualified success. Both through their construction and in subsequent operations. There's quite a few business hiring bikes and providing transport to and from trails. The ride from Queenstown or Arrowtown to Gibbston to do the wineries, with bus transport back to town is very popular.

                Local recreational use is huge as well and there's considerable commuting on the sections near town. There's a few bits like between Frankton and town that predate Key's idea but they got a major upgrade as part of it. The trust also pulled in huge amounts of funding on the back of it and it's still a work in progress.

                A few ironies with it though. Lots of National stalwart farmers got seriously pissed off by it, lots of vigorous discussions in paddocks, leading to Bill having to come up and sort it out. Trails still went through as planned. And all the lefties building the thing, strange we didn't get invited when little johnny came down to open it.

                The trail from Kingston to Walter Peak via Mavora hasn't done as well, that's a fizzer and looks like most of it will be abandoned. The Clutha trail east from Alexandra is doing well and a trail through the Cromwell Gorge south of the river is under construction. Through the Kawarau Gorge from Gibbston to Cromwell is being planned and could almost be 'shovel ready'

                Then there's the original Central Rail Trail which is just magic. A must do for everyone, and at any time of the year, every season has it's charms, even in the middle of winter.

              • alwyn

                "And one of my retirement aims". Don't leave it too long.

                I've tried a few of them. Only the very easy ones mind, and even those are pretty much behind me on a normal bike these days. Perhaps I should look at an electric one. That seems to be all the fashion with the wrinklies.

                I have done The Otago Rail Trail, most of the trails in Hawkes Bay and the Hutt Valley section of the Remutuka Cycle Trail. Plus a few little bits of the Clutha Gold Trail.

                Ah for the days 60 years ago when, with friends, I thought nothing of a trip from Napier to Tauranga via Taupo, Rotorua and Whakatane and then returning via the Desert Road, Palmerston North and the Manawatu Gorge.. All camping gear was carried on the standard Raleigh bikes of the day with the only luxury being those 3 speed Sturmey Archer gears.

                Twas bliss to be a teenager.

                • KJT

                  I recommend the Nelson one, also, which I have ridden.

                  Through Clearwater inland, and also along the coast to Motueka. There is a ferry from Rabbit Island to Mapua in the summer. NW Nelson, where I used to tramp years ago.

            • bwaghorn 11.2.1.1.1.3

              Bits of real bike trails not the road bits . You need your head read to ride a bike on nz roads imho .

  11. O’Connor is a scummy RW troll. What an arse (this is from last year)

    https://twitter.com/caffeine_addict/status/1249584931035963392?s=20

    • Wensleydale 12.1

      It's classic "someone pay attention to me" behaviour. When everyone's largely forgotten you exist, say something controversial and/or borderline offensive. There's no such thing as bad publicity, especially if you're a National Party MP. (I bet Simon congratulated himself heartily after that tweet. He probably thought it was incredibly clever and witty… and not at all snide and pathetic. He may even have gotten a chocolate fish for his brave efforts on behalf of his betters. Go Simon, you winner!)

  12. Jum 13

    Some wag suggested opening the roads to cyclists, walkers, skateboarders,….

    And suggested cars drive on the footpath…

    I like it.

    However, I’d rather take the train.

  13. millsy 14

    All the more reason to vote Labour in September/November.

    If making some alterations to footpaths is somehow 'socialism', we are all screwed.

  14. KJT 15

    Following the example of the right.

    Who have been inflicting disaster capitalism on us forever.

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    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A StepbyStep Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and thirdparty applications. So, lets dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. Thats why they introduced the Recently Deleted folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Heres how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the Recents tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on Edit. Select Show Recently Deleted. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose Recover to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Heres how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose Erase All Content and Settings. Follow the onscreen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose Restore from iCloud Backup during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore ThirdParty Apps (with Caution): ...
    21 hours ago
  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    1 day ago
  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    1 day ago
  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    1 day ago
  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    1 day ago
  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    1 day ago
  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    1 day ago
  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    1 day ago
  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    1 day ago
  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    1 day ago
  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    1 day ago
  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    1 day ago
  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 day ago
  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    2 days ago
  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    2 days ago
  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    2 days ago
  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    3 days ago
  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    3 days ago
  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    4 days ago
  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    4 days ago
  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    5 days ago
  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
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