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Categories under blogs
- David Farrar (95)
- dpf (194)
This coming digital war
Written By: - Date published: 8:12 am, October 21st, 2017 - 68 comments
This is the first Labour Government of the digital age. How progressives respond to social media attacks may be crucial to its success.
Cameron Slater makes valuable contribution to blog defamation jurisprudence
Written By: - Date published: 9:04 am, October 5th, 2017 - 55 comments
Cameron Slater and friends and clients are in the High Court defending a claim that he defamed three health researchers. They tried to have the case kicked out but failed. The judgment makes for an interesting read.
David Farrar has no idea about business nor apparently the role of government for business.
Written By: - Date published: 1:38 pm, September 18th, 2017 - 44 comments
I see that David Farrar, the National parties favourite paid polling poodle, is trying to spin up the old line about politicians not being business people. He sounds like a blithering idiot. He also obviously knows bugger all about real business and I’m not sure that he really understands what government is about for businesses. Perhaps he should get some training in running a business?
Guest Post: The Spectre of the Bloody Fetus Placard
Written By: - Date published: 12:40 pm, September 11th, 2017 - 2 comments
Reprinted with permission from Julia Schiller’s blog Enough is Enough. Julia analyses Abortion politics in New Zealand and details a recent interaction she had with National MP Simon O’Connor.
Even Kiwiblog won’t defend Joyce’s $11.7 billion claim
Written By: - Date published: 11:58 am, September 5th, 2017 - 15 comments
David Farrar has put up and then amended a post suggesting that there is a $11.7 billion hole in Labour’s policy financials. It appears that even he does not believe there is a $11.7 billion discrepancy in Labour’s accounts.
Why is Farrar smearing the superannuation shit?
Written By: - Date published: 7:59 am, September 1st, 2017 - 38 comments
A lot of politics and political blogging is all about the details. This includes National’s pollster David Farrar who falsely asserted yesterday that Winston would have received 7 annual letters about his superannuation status. So why is National trying to irritate their only possible coalition partner?
National’s Dirty Politics Machine Attacks Complainant
Written By: - Date published: 6:43 am, June 28th, 2017 - 85 comments
Upon what basis do they feel confident in suggesting to the public that Barclay’s – alleged – victim had been so unprofessional and out-of-control as to be accusing Barclay of being a drug dealer?
Racist attack on marae living
Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, June 25th, 2017 - 81 comments
Herald columnist Lizzie Marvelly: “Come election time, there are people who will stop at nothing to land a blow on the party they most hate. And somehow, inevitably, someone will aim a kick at Māori. Insinuating that the conditions at a marae are “slum-like” is both deeply offensive and staggeringly privileged.”
Sitemeter is broken – no Open Parachute stats.
Written By: - Date published: 1:35 pm, May 20th, 2017 - 6 comments
Over months, the readings from Statcounter had gotten increasingly inaccurate. Since the other public site stats packages have significiant other flaws on highish volume sites, we stopped running any. That means that the blog rankings for this site at Open Parachute stopped. Bomber can claim a empty position because he can’t check his statistics.
Dirty Politics done in the Netsafe style.
Written By: - Date published: 9:29 am, March 30th, 2017 - 48 comments
I just got sent a notice of complaint from Netsafe under the HDCA (Harmful Digital Communications Act). It appears to me that Netsafe still either hasn’t read the act or that they are cooperating with the perpetrators of Dirty Politics. Either way, I don’t have time to deal with people who don’t put in the information required by the act for me and the unknown author to make a decision. Updated
Poor Tory Farrar
Written By: - Date published: 6:55 am, March 1st, 2017 - 62 comments
I know everyone is bored with blog wars, but this hypocritical Tory twit is just too funny
The Trump bump
Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, February 19th, 2017 - 27 comments
This week’s Economist looks at the resurgence in the business of the more effective mainstream media in the US. But the effect reaches all the way over here. Even I’m reading more on a the ongoing debacle that is the incompetent Trump White House. Good reporting and perfect reading for the summer season and I suspect that it is impacting all of the blogs at present.
Dirty politics past and present
Written By: - Date published: 12:42 pm, November 17th, 2016 - 63 comments
A couple of dirty politics related stories that slipped under the radar in the last hectic week.
I’m Arab and Many of Us Are Glad That Trump Won
Written By: - Date published: 12:42 pm, November 13th, 2016 - 49 comments
A challenging and provocative piece on Trump’s election victory from an Arab perspective.
Kiwibank is being privatised by stealth
Written By: - Date published: 8:37 am, November 2nd, 2016 - 31 comments
Kiwibank is selling 47% of its shareholding to the New Zealand Super Fund and to the Accident Compensation Corporation. The Government gets a cheque for $200 million which will improve the appearance of its books. Financial sleight of hand?
Blogs and Activism
Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, October 26th, 2016 - 63 comments
What contribution can a blog make to activism?
Racist Nats Attack Chinese Grannies Shock!
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, October 12th, 2016 - 67 comments
National have slammed the door shut on the parents of already settled migrants who wish to move to NZ to complete the family unit. Minister Michael Woodhouse accuses elderly Asians of bludging off the NZ taxpayer. You won’t believe the howls of outrage from the right!
The “Intellectual Yet Idiot” Class – Knowing what’s best for you
Written By: - Date published: 10:38 am, September 18th, 2016 - 241 comments
When highly educated people end up being idiots, and uneducated people end up being smarter.
Left Side Story: What do New Zealanders actually earn?
Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, August 12th, 2016 - 91 comments
Reprinted with permission, by Deborah Russell from Left Side Story: What do New Zealanders actually earn? And why we need to understand these figures.
Mama said
Written By: - Date published: 9:12 am, August 4th, 2016 - 1 comment
Mama said was the top blog listed in NZ this month on Open Parachute. I have to say that I loved Emily Writes explanation about her long absence from writing blogs after writing a viral review of Tarzan. But it is just the essence of why most of us blog.
The death of comments
Written By: - Date published: 9:35 am, July 15th, 2016 - 47 comments
RNZ and The Spinoff both turned off the ability to comment this week. Many other sites have done the same. It’s not really a very cheerful landscape.
Dirty Politics Farrar and freedom of speech
Written By: - Date published: 1:45 pm, June 22nd, 2016 - 119 comments
There’s a petition – Get Rid of Hosking – it’s closing in on 16K signatures. Dirty Politics Farrar is a mite agitated about it, so let’s all give the Streisand effect a big hand.
The plot to hack The Standard
Written By: - Date published: 4:11 pm, May 10th, 2016 - 128 comments
As reported by Newshub: “Slater sought a court order to keep his name and the details of this case secret forever. However Newshub and others, including the owner of The Standard, fought him in court and won.”
Memo from Crosby Textor: Murray McCully and the Hagaman donation
Written By: - Date published: 2:01 pm, April 24th, 2016 - 35 comments
The Standard has obtained a copy of a Crosby Textor memo concerning risks posed by Murray McCully’s handling of issues surrounding the awarding of the contract for the Niue resort.
The media treatment of Labour’s UBI discussion paper
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, March 24th, 2016 - 144 comments
John Key and an array of National sock puppets have misrepresented Labour’s UBI proposal as party policy and as being very expensive when it is not party policy and when a variety of different potential forms have been raised for discussion.
Imperator Fish: John needs this too
Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, March 9th, 2016 - 24 comments
Imperator Fish argues for a change in the New Zealand flag, sort of.
Business as Usual
Written By: - Date published: 11:13 am, February 22nd, 2016 - 65 comments
Danyl McLauchlan at the Dim-Post remarks that the Opposition continues to be unable to get voters to question the Key Government or to even consider the alternative that they are presenting.
A very stupid petulant spoilt child whines again
Written By: - Date published: 4:47 am, February 19th, 2016 - 47 comments
Good news for law abiding bloggers, the foolish Cameron Slater has to find about 8k to pay for his latest legal hiding by Matthew Blomfield. Whining about these actions to the press like Cameron always does, won’t stop the disciplinary actions. He needs to stop acting like a arsehole blogger.
New blog: Corner Politics
Written By: - Date published: 10:53 am, February 8th, 2016 - 11 comments
Welcome to a new political blog, Corner Politics – “a point at which significant change happens – by Lamia (@LI_politico).
Really David Farrar?
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, January 15th, 2016 - 29 comments
David Farrar has criticised AUSA for refusing to publicly endorse a Pro Life Auckland offer of assistance to solo mother students and thereby stopping assistance occurring. There is one problem though, AUSA did nothing of the sort.
Boots Theory: Move left to win? Move left to win!
Written By: - Date published: 11:46 am, January 13th, 2016 - 77 comments
Boots Theory on the American Working Families Charter, how they are trying to move the Democratic Party to the left, and possible lessons for New Zealand.
- Kamala Harris Did Something Unthinkable
2 weeks ago - Kamala Harris Did Something Unthinkable
2 weeks ago
- David Seymour is such a loser
For paid subscribersNot content with siphoning off $230,000,000 of taxpayers money for his hobby projects - and telling everyone his passion is education and early childcare - an intersection painfully coincidental to the interests of wealthy private families like Sean Plunkett’s1 backers, the Wright Family, Seymour is back in the ...2 weeks ago - Cross-party consensus: there’s no pipeline without good faith
There’s been a lot of talk recently about a cross-party agreement to develop a pipeline for infrastructure, including transport. Last month, outgoing CRL boss Sean Sweeney talked about the importance of securing an enduring infrastructure programme. He outlined the high costs of the relentless political flip-flopping of priorities, which drives ...2 weeks ago - Voters love this climate policy they’ve never heard of
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk The Inflation Reduction Act is the Biden administration’s signature climate law and the largest U.S. government investment in reducing climate pollution to date. Among climate advocates, the policy is well-known and celebrated, but beyond that, only a minority of Americans ...2 weeks ago - ACC wants to administer inflation at more than double the RBNZ’s target rate
ACC levies are set to rise at more than double the inflation rate targeted by the RBNZ. Photo: Lynn GrievesonKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, September 12:The state-owned monopoly for accident insurance wants ...2 weeks ago - Harris vs Trump
2 weeks ago - Treaty Bill “a political stunt”
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon appears to have given ACT Leader David Seymour more than he has been admitting in the proposals to go forward with a Treaty Principles Bill.All along, Luxon has maintained that the Government is proceeding with the Bill to honour the coalition agreement.But that is quite specific.It ...2 weeks ago - An average 219 NZers migrated each day in July
Kia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, September 11:Annual migration of New Zealanders rose to a record-high 80,963 in the year to the end of July, which is more than double its pre-Covid levels.Two ...2 weeks ago - What you’re wanting to win more than anything is The Narrative
Hubris is sitting down on election day 2016 to watch that pig Trump get his ass handed to him, and watching the New York Times needle hover for a while over Hillary and then move across to Trump where it remains all night to your gathering horror and dismay. You're ...2 weeks ago - National’s automated lie machine
The government has a problem: lots of people want information from it all the time. Information about benefits, about superannuation, ACC coverage and healthcare, taxes, jury service, immigration - and that's just the routine stuff. Responding to all of those queries takes a lot of time and costs a lot ...2 weeks ago - Christopher Luxon: A Man of “Faith” and “Compassion” Speaks on the Treaty Pr...
Synopsis: Today - we explore two different realities. One where National lost. And another - which is the one we are living with here. Note: the footnote on increased fees/taxes may be of interest to some readers.Article open.Subscribe nowIt’s an alternate timeline.Yesterday as news broke that the central North Island ...2 weeks ago - Member’s Day
Today is a Member's Day. First up is the third reading of Dan Bidois' Fair Trading (Gift Card Expiry) Amendment Bill, which will be followed by the committee stage of Deborah Russell's Family Proceedings (Dissolution for Family Violence) Amendment Bill. This will be followed by the second readings of Katie ...2 weeks ago
- Northern Expressway Boondoggle
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has been soaring high with his hubris of getting on and building motorways but some uncomfortable realities are starting to creep in. Back in July he announced that the government was pushing on with a Northland Expressway using an “accelerated delivery strategy” The Coalition Government is ...2 weeks ago
- Never Enough
However much I'm falling downNever enoughHowever much I'm falling outNever, never enough!Whatever smile I smile the mostNever enoughHowever I smile I smile the mostSongwriters: Robert James Smith / Simon Gallup / Boris Williams / Porl ThompsonToday in Nick’s Kōrero:A death in the Emergency Department at Rotorua Hospital.A sad homecoming and ...2 weeks ago - Question Two of The Kākā Project of 2026 for 2050 (TKP 26/50)
Kia ora.Last month I proposed restarting The Kākā Project work done before the 2023 election as The Kākā Project of 2026 for 2050 (TKP 26/50), aiming to be up and running before the 2025 Local Government elections, and then in a finalised form by the 2026 General Elections.A couple of ...2 weeks ago
- Why is God Obsessed with Spanking?
Hi,If you’ve read Webworm for a while, you’ll be aware that I’ve spent a lot of time writing about horrific, corrupt megachurches and the shitty men who lead them.And in all of this writing, I think some people have this idea that I hate Christians or Christianity. As I explain ...2 weeks ago - Inside the public service
In 2023, there were 63,117 full-time public servants earning, on average, $97,200 a year each. All up, that is a cost to the Government of $6.1 billion a year. It’s little wonder, then, that the public service has become a political whipping boy castigated by the Prime Minister and members ...2 weeks ago
- Luxon criticises doctors for wrongly choosing which patients to save from his health cuts
Today National placed their bets on the country being so racist they’d be blinded by rage and entirely forget it was just revealed that their incompetence and/or corruption has killed a woman.Luxon came out to “slam” the policy of prioritising Maori and Pacifica patients while failing to realise what the ...2 weeks ago - New Models Show Stronger Atlantic Hurricanes, and More of Them
This is a re-post from This is Not Cool Here’s an example of some of the best kind of climate reporting, especially in that it relates to impacts that will directly affect the audience. WFLA in Tampa conducted a study in collaboration with the Department of Energy, analyzing trends in ...2 weeks ago
- Where ever do they find these people?
A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, is how Winston Churchill described the Soviet Union in 1939. How might the great man have described the 2024 government of New Zealand, do we think? I can't imagine he would have thought them all that mysterious or enigmatic. I think ...2 weeks ago - Motorway madness
How mad is National's obsession with roads? One of their pet projects - a truck highway to Whangārei - is going to eat 10% of our total infrastructure budget for the next 25 years: Official advice from the Infrastructure Commission shows the government could be set to spend 10 ...2 weeks ago
- The Cass Review Is Coming
This coalition government is being deceptive again. I know, we’re all surprised. It’s so out of character for them. In 2023, well before the start of this government’s term, the Ministry for Health was asked to write a report clarifying the recommended guidelines for prescribing puberty blockers to transgender teens. This would ...2 weeks ago - Our transport planning system is fundamentally broken
Ever since Wayne Brown became mayor (nearly two years ago now) he’s been wanting to progress an “integrated transport plan” with the government – which sounded a lot like the previous Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP) with just a different name. It seems like a fair bit of work progressed ...2 weeks ago
- Thou Shalt Not Steal
And they taught usWhoa-oh, black woman, thou shalt not stealI said, hey, yeah, black man, thou shalt not stealWe're gonna civilise your black barbaric livesAnd we teach you how to kneelBut your history couldn't hide the genocideThe hypocrisy to us was realFor your Jesus said you're supposed to giveThe oppressed ...2 weeks ago - How mismanagement, not wind and solar energy, causes blackouts
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections In February 2021, several severe storms swept across the United States, culminating with one that the Weather Channel unofficially named Winter Storm Uri. In Texas, Uri knocked out power to over 4.5 million homes and 10 million people. Hundreds of Texans died as a ...3 weeks ago
- The ‘Infra Boys’ Highway to Budget Hell
Chris Bishop has enthusiastically dubbed himself and Simeon Brown “the Infra Boys”, but they need to take note of the sums around their roading dreams. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, September ...3 weeks ago - Court of Appeal takes note of Reddit’s criticism
I read court cases for fun, and while that’s not a fact I open with at parties, sometimes things happen in them that are genuinely quite funny. Usually I’m the only one to get the joke, as I don’t know anyone else who peruses Court of Appeal judgements like they’re ...3 weeks ago - Media Link: “AVFA” on the politics of desperation.
In this podcast Selwyn Manning and I talk about what appears to be a particular type of end-game in the long transition to systemic realignment in international affairs, in which the move to a new multipolar order with different characteristics … Continue reading ...3 weeks ago - The cost of flying blind
Just over two years ago, when worries about immediate mass-death from covid had waned, and people started to talk about covid becoming "endemic", I asked various government agencies what work they'd done on the costs of that - and particularly, on the cost of Long Covid. The answer was that ...3 weeks ago
- Seymour vs The Clergy
For paid subscribers“Aotearoa is not as malleable as they think,” Lynette wrote last week on Homage to Simeon Brown:In my heart/mind, that phrase ricocheted over the next days, translating out to “We are not so malleable.”It gave me comfort. I always felt that we were given an advantage in New ...3 weeks ago - Unstoppable Minister McKee
All smiles, I know what it takes to fool this townI'll do it 'til the sun goes downAnd all through the nighttimeOh, yeahOh, yeah, I'll tell you what you wanna hearLeave my sunglasses on while I shed a tearIt's never the right timeYeah, yeahSong by SiaLast night there was a ...3 weeks ago - Could outdoor dining revitalise Queen Street?
This is a guest post by Ben van Bruggen of The Urban Room,.An earlier version of this post appeared on LinkedIn. All images are by Ben. Have you noticed that there’s almost nowhere on Queen Street that invites you to stop, sit outside and enjoy a coffee, let alone ...3 weeks ago
- Hipkins challenges long-held Labour view Government must stay below 30% of GDP
Hipkins says when considering tax settings and the size of government, the big question mark is over what happens with the balance between the size of the working-age population and the growing number of Kiwis over the age of 65. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s ...3 weeks ago - Your invite to Webworm Chat (a bit like Reddit)
Hi,One of the things I love the most about Webworm is, well, you. The community that’s gathered around this lil’ newsletter isn’t something I ever expected when I started writing it four years ago — now the comments section is one of my favourite places on the internet. The comments ...3 weeks ago - Seymour’s Treaty bill making Nats nervous
A delay in reappointing a top civil servant may indicate a growing nervousness within the National Party about the potential consequences of David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill. Dave Samuels is waiting for reappointment as the Chief Executive of Te Puni Kokiri, but POLITIK understands that what should have been a ...3 weeks ago
- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #36
A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, September 1, 2024 thru Sat, September 7, 2024. Story of the week Our Story of the Week is about how peopele are not born stupid but can be fooled ...3 weeks ago
- New Zealand’s most corrupt competition snubs South Island
Edit: This post has been retracted after it’s been pointed out that the kea is in fact on the list of birds you can vote for. Did this ADHD-afflicted writer miss their favourite bird despite triple-checking for it, or is this a shadowy conspiracy designed to hand the puteketeke another ...3 weeks ago - Time for a Change
You act as thoughYou are a blind manWho's crying, crying 'boutAll the virgins that are dyingIn your habitual dreams, you knowSeems you need more sleepBut like a parrot in a flaming treeI know it's pretty hard to seeI'm beginning to wonderIf it's time for a changeSong: Phil JuddThe next line ...3 weeks ago - Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Six.
The “double shocks” in post Cold War international affairs. The end of the Cold War fundamentally altered the global geostrategic context. In particular, the end of the nuclear “balance of terror” between the USA and USSR, coupled with the relaxation … Continue reading ...3 weeks ago
- Buried deep
Here's a bike on Manchester St, Feilding. I took this photo on Friday night after a very nice dinner at the very nice Vietnamese restaurant, Saigon, on Manchester Street.I thought to myself, Manchester Street? Bicycle? This could be the very spot.To recap from an earlier edition: on a February night ...3 weeks ago
- Enabling rural recovery works in Hawke’s Bay
Cabinet has approved an Order in Council to enable severe weather recovery works to continue in the Hawke’s Bay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Mark Mitchell say. “Cyclone Gabrielle and the other severe weather events in early 2023 caused significant loss and damage to ...1 week ago - FamilyBoost childcare payment registrations open
From today, low-to-middle-income families with young children can register for the new FamilyBoost payment, to help them meet early childhood education (ECE) costs. The scheme was introduced as part of the Government’s tax relief plan to help Kiwis who are doing it tough. “FamilyBoost is one of the ways we ...1 week ago
- Prioritising victims with tougher sentences
The Government has today agreed to introduce sentencing reforms to Parliament this week that will ensure criminals face real consequences for crime and victims are prioritised, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. "In recent years, there has been a concerning trend where the courts have imposed fewer and shorter prison sentences ...2 weeks ago
- Targets data confirms rise in violent crime
The first quarterly report on progress against the nine public service targets show promising results in some areas and the scale of the challenge in others, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “Our Government reinstated targets to focus our public sector on driving better results for New Zealanders in health, education, ...2 weeks ago
- Asia Foundation Board appointments announced
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced the appointments of Hone McGregor, Professor David Capie, and John Boswell to the Board of the Asia New Zealand Foundation. Bede Corry, Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has also been appointed as an ex-officio member. The new trustees join Dame Fran Wilde (Chair), ...2 weeks ago
- Endeavour Fund projects for economic growth
New Zealand’s largest contestable science fund is investing in 72 new projects to address challenges, develop new technology and support communities, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins says. “This Endeavour Fund round being funded is focused on economic growth and commercial outputs,” Ms Collins says. “It involves funding of more ...2 weeks ago
- Social Services Providers Whakamanawa National Conference 16 September 2024
Thank you for the introduction and the invitation to speak to you here today. I am honoured to be here in my capacity as Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, and Minister for Children. Thank you for creating a space where we can all listen and learn, ...2 weeks ago
- Parihaka infrastructure upgrades funded
The Government will provide a $5.8 million grant to improve water infrastructure at Parihaka in Taranaki, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka say. “This grant from the Regional Infrastructure Fund will have a multitude of benefits for this hugely significant cultural site, including keeping local ...2 weeks ago
- Serious assaults down 22% in Auckland CBD
Cross-government action to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in Auckland is getting traction, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “Our central cities should be great places to live and work, but in recent years they have become hot spots for crime and anti-social behaviour. In Auckland, businesses and residents suffered as ...2 weeks ago
- Increased certainty for contractors coming
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says upcoming changes to the Employment Relations Act will provide greater certainty for contractors and businesses. “These changes to legislation are necessary to ensure businesses and workers have more clarity from the start of their contracting arrangement. It is an ACT-National coalition ...2 weeks ago
- Draft critical minerals list released for consultation
A draft list of minerals deemed essential to New Zealand’s economy and strengthening its mineral resilience has been released for consultation, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The draft Critical Minerals List identifies 35 minerals essential to economic functions, are in demand internationally, and face high risk of supply disruption domestically ...2 weeks ago
- Government eliminates $190 million in trade barriers to boost the economy
The Government has successfully removed trade barriers affecting nearly $190 million worth of exports to help grow the economy, Minister for Trade and Agriculture Todd McClay today announced. “In the past year, we have resolved 14 Non Tariff Barriers (NTBs), returning significant value to kiwi exporters. These efforts directly boost our ...2 weeks ago
- Reo Māori the ‘beating heart’ of Aotearoa New Zealand
From private business to the Paris Olympics, reo Māori is growing with the success of New Zealanders, says Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka. “I’m joining New Zealanders across the country in celebrating this year’s Te Wiki o te Reo Māori – Māori Language Week, which has a big range ...2 weeks ago
- Need and value at forefront of public service delivery
New Cabinet policy directives will ensure public agencies prioritise public services on the basis of need and award Government contracts on the basis of public value, Minister for the Public Service Nicola Willis says. “Cabinet Office has today issued a circular to central government organisations setting out the Government’s expectations ...2 weeks ago
- Minister to attend Police Ministers Council Meeting
Police Minister Mark Mitchell will join with Australian Police Ministers and Commissioners at the Police Ministers Council meeting (PMC) today in Melbourne. “The council is an opportunity to come together to discuss a range of issues, gain valuable insights on areas of common interest, and different approaches towards law enforcement ...2 weeks ago
- New Bill to crack down on youth vaping
The coalition Government has introduced legislation to tackle youth vaping, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Amendment Bill (No 2) is aimed at preventing youth vaping. “While vaping has contributed to a significant fall in our smoking rates, the rise in youth vaping ...2 weeks ago
- Interest in agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review welcomed
Regulation Minister David Seymour, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, and Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard have welcomed interest in the agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review. The review by the Ministry for Regulation is looking at how to speed up the process to get farmers and growers access to the safe, ...2 weeks ago
- Bill to allow online charity lotteries passes first reading
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government is moving at pace to ensure lotteries for charitable purposes are allowed to operate online permanently. Charities fundraising online, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust and local hospices will continue to do ...2 weeks ago
- Tax exempt threshold changes to benefit startups
Technology companies are among the startups which will benefit from increases to current thresholds of exempt employee share schemes, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Revenue Minister Simon Watts say. Tax exempt thresholds for the schemes are increasing as part of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2024-25, Emergency ...2 weeks ago
- Getting the healthcare you need, when you need it
The path to faster cancer treatment, an increase in immunisation rates, shorter stays in emergency departments and quick assessment and treatments when you are sick has been laid out today. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has revealed details of how the ambitious health targets the Government has set will be ...2 weeks ago
- Before Trump, there was a long history of race-baiting, fear-mongering and building walls on the US-...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marie-Eve Loiselle, Lecturer in Law, Macquarie University Last month, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivered a one-hour address on the danger of illegal immigration to the United States. His stage was the US-Mexico border in Arizona and the set piece of his ...1 day ago - Cuts To Te Reo Māori Programme Disappointing And Short-sighted
“The programme had a very good uptake among teachers and helped them meet the Teaching Council expectations around te reo Māori skills.” ...1 day ago - ‘He’s out to get me’: When John Key and Mike Hosking left the mics on
In this excerpt from Paddy Gower’s book, This Is The F#$%ing News: My Story, it’s 2011 and Gower has just taken over from Duncan Garner as political editor at 3News, making him the target of the prime minister’s distraction tactics. Finally, I was running the show. I started with a ...1 day ago - Government signals downgrade of Dunedin Hospital revelopment
An independent review found it cannot be completed as planned within the approved budget. ...1 day ago - Huge opportunity: Could you be the guy standing behind the PM looking furious?
The star of the prime ministerial press stand-ups is stepping down. Who will fill his angry shoes? Chris Luxon’s press stand-ups follow a familiar format. There are recurring characters. Ministers, often singular, sometimes plural, may stand behind him, nodding appreciatively at his incisive and scintillating points. Sometimes those ministers stand ...1 day ago
- In a US presidential election with razor-thin margins, will ‘couch-sitters’ decide who wins?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeff Bleich, Professorial fellow, Jeff Bleich Centre for Democracy and Disruptive Technologies, Flinders University In countries with compulsory voting, such as Australia and many in Latin America, the system usually ensures an overwhelming majority of voters cast their ballots election after election. ...1 day ago
- Te reo Māori teacher training cut by $30m to fund maths resources
Education Minister Erica Stanford said the government was still committed to the revitalisation of te reo Māori. ...1 day ago
- Watch live: Crackdown on teacher-only days, parents face prosecutions in truancy push
Parents of students absent for 15 days could also face prosecution, while changes to teacher-only days are coming, David Seymour has announced. ...1 day ago
- Mataaho Collective on taking up space and bringing their mahi to the world
The Mataaho Collective is an award-winning group of four New Zealand artists – Erena Baker (Te Atiawa ki Whakarongotai, Ngāti Toa Rangātira), Sarah Hudson (Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tūhoe), Bridget Reweti (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi) and Terri Te Tau (Rangitāne ki Wairarapa) – established in 2012. Their works include Kiko ...1 day ago
- How a $1.50 coffee became a priceless lesson in ethical journalism
Six months on from the tale of a homeless man making street coffee, Lyric Waiwiri-Smith reflects on the story that became a hit, and then a punchline. It started with a message in our work Slack in March of this year: a screenshot of a post from a Facebook group, ...1 day ago
- Working from home: Hybrid working offers the best of both worlds
Embracing a hybrid approach may lead to better outcomes as society shifts with technology and employment expectations. ...1 day ago
- Transpower seeks millions in penalties for pylon collapse
Analysis: Electricity Authority dismay at multinational’s refusal to disclose what it knew about shortcomings in training and practices The post Transpower seeks millions in penalties for pylon collapse appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 day ago - ‘You can’t tax yourself to prosperity’ – Nicola Willis on capital gains tax
The Finance Minister says she believes the tax would discourage people from investing. ...1 day ago
- The ‘best comet of the year’ is finally here – here’s everything you need to know
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland AstroStar/Shutterstock In January 2023, a new comet was discovered. Comets are found regularly, but astronomers quickly realised this one, called C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), had the potential to be quite bright. Some hyperbolic reports ...1 day ago
- In a too-close-to-call US presidential election, will ‘couch-sitters’ decide who wins?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeff Bleich, Professorial fellow, Jeff Bleich Centre for Democracy and Disruptive Technologies, Flinders University In countries with compulsory voting, such as Australia and many in Latin America, the system usually ensures an overwhelming majority of voters cast their ballots election after election. ...1 day ago
- Why are we seeing more pandemics? Our impact on the planet has a lot to do with it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olga Anikeeva, Research Fellow, School of Public Health, University of Adelaide ImageFlow/Shutterstock Pandemics – the global spread of infectious diseases – seem to be making a comeback. In the Middle Ages we had the Black Death (plague), and after the first ...1 day ago
- Our electricity workforce must double to hit the 2030 renewables target. Energy storage jobs will so...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jay Rutovitz, Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney Wanwajee Weeraphukdee/Shutterstock The electricity workforce will need to double in five years to achieve Australia’s 2030 renewable energy target, our new report finds. More than 80% of these jobs ...1 day ago
- The government is reviewing negative gearing and capital gains tax, but this won’t be enough to fi...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Cull, Associate professor, Western Sydney University Negative gearing and capital gains tax are back on the national agenda as Australians deal with a housing crisis and politicians look for ways to tackle the issue and win voters’ support at the upcoming ...1 day ago
- Mixing it up: hybrid work models can offer the best of both worlds for worker wellbeing and producti...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Blumenfeld, Director, Centre for Labour, Employment and Work, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Prime Minister Christopher Luxon sparked debate on the future of work in New Zealand this week when he ordered public service employees back to the ...1 day ago
- Netflix’s Monsters is ‘murder porn’ at its worst. It comes at a cost to real victims – and t...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Xanthe Mallett, Forensic Criminologist, University of Newcastle Netflix Are we products of nature or nurture? That’s the age-old question at the heart of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s new Netflix release, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story. The show focuses ...1 day ago
- Help Me Hera: Am I in love with my best friend? Please say yes
We talk for hours on end, I never get tired of him, and I feel weird when I go a few days without seeing him. Are we just mates? Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nz Dear Hera, I made a new best friend a few (seven) months ago, which feels like an ...1 day ago
- Police could refuse welfare check referrals, minister told
The Minister for Mental Health has been told the police will "refuse welfare checks" under their pullback from social harm callouts. ...1 day ago
- The tax questions circling Chris Hipkins and Labour
The list of those in support of a capital gains tax has grown as Labour considers what it will campaign on in 2026, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in your inbox every weekday morning, sign up here. ...2 days ago
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky takes aim at China, Brazil push for peace in Ukraine
He called on the two countries to support the existing peace plan to end Russia's war in Ukraine. ...2 days ago
- Reversal of Taranaki oil and gas ban passes first reading
"New Zealand must look after itself before it cares for the planet", Resources Minister Shane Jones said, with the coalition arguing exploration will deliver energy security. ...2 days ago
- Minister wants someone to answer for pylon failure, locals just want an apology
But locals just want an apology and to be sure it won't happen again. ...2 days ago
- Here’s what’s at stake in the Labour tax debate
Labour is widely expected to bring some sort of tax reform to the table for the next election. But what are the different taxes being debated within the party, and why do they arouse such passion? Max Rashbrooke explains. An essentially arcane subject for ordinary folk, tax has taken on ...2 days ago
- Why was RNZ running gambling ads during its podcasts?
The broadcaster is strictly non-commercial – yet ads, including for a TAB subsidiary, have been appearing on its podcasts. Shanti Mathias investigates. “I was listening to a longform interview with Lisa Reihana about installing her art in Singapore, then there was a jarring cut to a laddish ad for a ...2 days ago
- The 80s dream of ‘teleworking’ is today’s reality – and problem
Opinion: Requiring public servants to return to their offices is an attempt to revitalise dying inner cities The post The 80s dream of ‘teleworking’ is today’s reality – and problem appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Mission compostable
Opinion: The July 2023 ban of many single-use plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand has led to the boom of the compostable products market, as the more ‘eco-friendly’ alternative to plastic packaging. Many of us assume, or at least hope, that ‘compostable’ coffee cups, bags, food trays and so on will ...2 days ago
- Where is she now? Rebecca Scown
Standing on the lawn of Buckingham Palace while attending one of the annual garden parties hosted by the Royal Family, Rebecca Scown is a world away from growing up on a Taranaki dairy farm and spending countless cold, foggy mornings on Lake Karapiro.Following her retirement from rowing, the double-Olympic medallist ...2 days ago
- All eyes on UN as Peters brushes off Seymour concern
With the world ‘in a whirlwind’ according to the UN’s head, the organisation is under the microscope The post All eyes on UN as Peters brushes off Seymour concern appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Why the Christchurch terrorist asked for special status at inquest
The potential for the terrorist’s misuse of the inquest process is a ‘real and serious concern’, the deputy chief coroner says The post Why the Christchurch terrorist asked for special status at inquest appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- The lobbyists, the minister, and the mystery document
The heat has been on Associate Health Minister Casey Costello, virtually since the New Zealand First list MP took up the job at the end of last year.She met a fiery reception from angry doctors at a Health Coalition Aotearoa conference this week, and the Chief Ombudsman has turned up ...2 days ago
- Govt chooses anecdotes over data to justify work from home stance
Analysis: A crackdown on work from home arrangements has only some basis in data The post Govt chooses anecdotes over data to justify work from home stance appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Paddy, positively
Paddy Gower’s book is out, and he is looking for publicity. Gower is a great self-publicist, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. He just has a knack of talking about himself without appearing to be egotistical. The media release that went out last week announcing a nationwide tour ...2 days ago
- ‘Hot air’ accounting could meet NZ’s Paris climate target
Special report: It would be convenient for Govt to unexpectedly find a massive carbon sink in old trees The post ‘Hot air’ accounting could meet NZ’s Paris climate target appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- How gestational diabetes can affect mental health
Analysis: Gestational diabetes, or diabetes during pregnancy, is a growing problem in Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world. Women with gestational diabetes are at heightened risk of mental health problems, and should be considered for routine mental health screening.Overall, it’s estimated one in 16 New Zealand women will experience ...2 days ago
- Keith Rankin Analysis – Ancient Ancestry, Israel and Palestine
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. Esteemed Israeli intellectual Shlomo Sand published The Invention of the Jewish People in 2008 with a new edition in 2020. He sees the popular concept ...2 days ago
- Tougher measures to improve public transport safety announced
Offences against public transport workers are to be considered an aggravating factor in sentencing in a bid to curb violence. ...2 days ago
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