minimum wage
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Results matter
Written By: - Date published: 9:34 am, June 21st, 2019 - 29 comments
Everyone knows that getting employers to increase rates of pay and improve conditions of work takes real pressure and the only real way working people can exert pressure, in the unbalanced relationship that exists between individual employees and employers, is by acting together; collectively. And that’s what we’ve been doing week in, week out and getting real results.
The benefits of a Labour led Government
Written By: - Date published: 12:18 pm, April 1st, 2019 - 67 comments
Today marks the day that the largest ever increase in the minimum wage will occur.
Fair Pay Agreements
Written By: - Date published: 9:23 am, January 31st, 2019 - 36 comments
The Working Group on Wage Bargaining reform has reported back. Good news for the working poor, bad news for the filthy rich.
Bludger Bridges
Written By: - Date published: 6:56 pm, August 13th, 2018 - 63 comments
Simon Bridges has blown over $100k of your money in just three months, tiki touring around the country at the taxpayers expense. Nice work if you can get it!
Update: A Shark Jumps Matthew Hooton. Live on Twitter!
Arses and Elbows
Written By: - Date published: 11:35 am, July 1st, 2018 - 50 comments
Deserving workers and undeserving workers in the public service.
updated
Mike Hosking reckons: Minimum wage increase will be terrible for everyone
Written By: - Date published: 9:55 am, April 9th, 2018 - 159 comments
Mike Hosking reckons that an increase in the minimum wage will increase housing unaffordability and cause job losses and business closures.
SaveMart shows why unions are vital for New Zealand
Written By: - Date published: 2:02 pm, September 27th, 2017 - 47 comments
SaveMart employees were made to sort bales of filthy clothing dumped in Child Cancer charity bins without safety gloves. Unionized workers at New Lynn were sacked for contacting their union about it. Why did it require so much public pressure to get them reinstated? Why are our laws so inadequete?
A “Culture of Entitlement”?
Written By: - Date published: 3:39 pm, August 17th, 2017 - 48 comments
With the current dialog about welfare, It is time to look at the people who are the real beneficiaries, of the welfare system.
Who use the educated and healthy workforce our system provides
The people who say “everyone should stand on their own two feet”, “you don’t work you don’t eat”, and “take personal responsibility”,
The business sector.
Why National had to settle the Pay Equity case
Written By: - Date published: 10:19 am, April 19th, 2017 - 45 comments
National is trying to give the impression that it settled the pay equity case out of the goodness of its heart. The reality is that the Unions forced it to settle through gritted teeth.
The Mayoral candidates and the living wage proposal
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, September 4th, 2016 - 29 comments
I attended the Living Wage People’s assembly this week in St Matthews in the City. The idea behind the meeting was to get Mayoral and Waitemata ward candidates to express their views on the living wage proposal as well as improved public transport services and rental accommodation standards. The organiser was Living Wage Aotearoa who have been […]
Spark – kudos
Written By: - Date published: 8:05 am, August 15th, 2016 - 30 comments
Our wages are too low generally, and this is one of the main economic challenges that we face. A few more employers committing to paying a living wage would be a good place to start.
This is why we need a living wage
Written By: - Date published: 3:25 pm, June 30th, 2016 - 60 comments
It is tragic that a family working 80 hours a week cannot make ends meet.
Taihoa on Immigration?
Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, June 7th, 2016 - 213 comments
Winston Peters has called for a slashing of migrant worker numbers and for screening of would be workers based on things like their attitude to women. Is it time for a taihoa on immigration or is Winston just doing a Trump?
The great big list of John Key’s big fat lies (UPDATED)
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, January 27th, 2016 - 76 comments
How many more lies will John Key tell today in his so-called State of the Nation address? Virtual chocolate fish to whomever guesses the closest number.
Child poverty has been monitored – now what?
Written By: - Date published: 7:05 am, December 18th, 2015 - 104 comments
A guest post from McFlock on what we might do about poverty when the talking’s done.
Food Bank Charity
Written By: - Date published: 4:45 pm, October 30th, 2015 - 97 comments
Guest post from Kōrero Pono on the politics and ethics of food banks.
Making Like Private Frazer
Written By: - Date published: 1:20 pm, September 14th, 2015 - 20 comments
Political awakenings.
2.1 Times More Likely to get a pay rise…
Written By: - Date published: 7:48 am, September 2nd, 2015 - 6 comments
If you still wonder WHY anyone would want to join a union, the fact that union members are 2.1 x more likely to get a pay rise might make you wade through the anti-union propaganda. Some unions escape scorn, like the Police Union which is referred to as an Association. It’s probably an oversight though, not anything deliberate…
Dear Maccas, Burger King and Wendys, about those zero hour contracts
Written By: - Date published: 4:56 pm, April 10th, 2015 - 11 comments
Following its success in persuading Restaurant Brands to do away with zero hour contracts Unite Union has set up a webpage where people can email these organisations.
The “Brighter future”.
Written By: - Date published: 10:36 am, March 21st, 2015 - 34 comments
Labour, in 1984, with Richard Prebble and Roger Douglas, promised that if we adopted their prescription we would have a “Brighter Future”. Ruth Richardson in the 90’s promised a “Brighter Future”. Again in 2014 John Key’s National promises a “Brighter Future”.
A “Brighter Future”. For whom?
‘Ditch the [misleading] rhetoric’
Written By: - Date published: 9:39 am, December 12th, 2014 - 16 comments
On RNZ this morning PSA National Secretary Richard Wagstaff criticised Bill English for his misleading rhetoric about rises in “average wages”. NZ’s income and wealth gaps have increased in recent decades. The lowest income remain low; the top earners get big salary increases.
This is not business as usual. This is not some hippy over-reaction. This is serious shit!
Written By: - Date published: 4:18 pm, December 11th, 2014 - 55 comments
New author Mandy Hager joins us with some reflections on having become a grandmother: “So that’s why I’m speaking out now, every opportunity I get. Not because I like the exposure (shudder), but because I love this tiny little person and I will fight for his future, come what may. It’s the right thing to do. …”
Hiding the government’s failure on poverty
Written By: - Date published: 2:00 pm, October 17th, 2014 - 81 comments
Thanks to Radio New Zealand, we now know that National got no real plan to address poverty, but also that they really, really don’t want to be honest about it.
Boots Theory: Numbers are meaningless when families are living in cars
Written By: - Date published: 10:59 am, October 5th, 2014 - 137 comments
There’s something obscene about the way the economic story gets framed: the figures on a page, the points on an index, the number of dollars someone can swap for a number of different-coloured dollars, when people are suffering.
The hairdressers of Levin and Foxton
Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, September 13th, 2014 - 44 comments
John Key reckons increasing the minimum wage would hurt “the hairdressers in Levin or Foxton”. So Rob McCann, Labour’s candidate for Ōtaki, asked one how she felt about that.
Parker nails English on economic policy
Written By: - Date published: 2:25 pm, August 25th, 2014 - 32 comments
Labour has the bold set of policies to take New Zealand forward into the 21st century – National’s “same old same old” tinkering will see the Kiwi skiff swamped. That was the clear conclusion from the debate between David Parker and Bill English on National Radio this morning.
Polity: Minimum wage rises do not cause unemployment
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, July 16th, 2014 - 48 comments
In the cartoon world of Economics 101, there is perfect supply, perfect competition, perfect demand, perfect information and prices for labour (and everything else) are set at their true market values. The real world is somewhat different.
Occasionally Erudite: Please, Labour, stop trying to link everything to the housing crisis
Written By: - Date published: 11:20 am, May 21st, 2014 - 99 comments
Jono at Occasionally Erudite has this advice to offer the strategy team at Labour. Make sure pushing of theme(s) this election doesn’t get snagged into the irrelevant that doesn’t have much to do with it. For instance “…are people currently earning minimum wage really likely to be even close to getting into the Auckland, Christchurch or Wellington housing markets?”
Trickleup
Written By: - Date published: 9:39 am, January 26th, 2014 - 207 comments
There has been an abundance of research showing that communities and societies function better when their resources are shared around. But the need to persuade ordinary people that this is so is the most important thing to achieve. Because without popular support attempts to change the current system are bound to fail.
UBI
Written By: - Date published: 8:47 pm, January 7th, 2014 - 359 comments
New Zealand was once considered one of the best places on earth to live. It could be again …
A Tale of Two Cities
Written By: - Date published: 10:03 pm, December 19th, 2013 - 88 comments
It was the best of times in Wellington today. Council workers will get a living wage, and parking wardens will become council employees so they will get decent pay also. It was the worst of times in Auckland as the right-wing Scrooges having failed to remove Mayor Len Brown took it out on their workers by overturning his call for a living wage for Council staff.
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- Upholding The Accused’s Right To Write.
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- Report: Equality Network Hui 2019
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Back in April, the Remuneration Commission allowed local authorities to pay childcare costs for councillors and community board members. It promised to be a significant step forward for local democracy, which would enable parents and would-be parents (as opposed to grandparents) to stand for council. But councils have to vote ...2 weeks ago- Climate Change: Wellington expects to go under
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Image Credit: How To Start a Blog – Beginner’s Guide for 2019 I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is altered. ... 2 weeks ago- Climate Change: NZ’s subsidised polluters
Yesterday, the government announced that it planned to continue ETS pollution subsidies for our dirtiest industries until well beyond 2050, when we're supposed be carbon neutral. So who gets these subsidies, and how much are they? The industrial subsidy scheme is laid out in s81 of the Climate Change Response ...2 weeks ago- Swiss tax agreement tightens net
Opportunities to dodge tax are shrinking with the completion of a new tax agreement with Switzerland, Revenue Minister Stuart Nash announced today. Mr Nash and the Swiss Ambassador David Vogelsanger have today signed documents to update the double tax agreement (DTA). The previous DTA was signed in 1980. “Double tax ...1 week ago - Maintaining momentum for small business innovationSmall Business Minister Stuart Nash says the report of the Small Business Council will help maintain the momentum for innovation and improvements in the sector. Mr Nash has thanked the members of the Small Business Council (SBC) who this week handed over their report, Empowering small businesses to aspire, succeed ...2 weeks ago
- Seventy-eight new Police constablesExtra Police officers are being deployed from Northland to Southland with the graduation of a new wing of recruits from the Royal New Zealand Police College. “The graduation of 78 constables today means that 1524 new constables have been deployed since the government took office,” says Police Minister Stuart Nash. ...2 weeks ago
- Tax refund season ends near $600 millionAlmost $600 million has been paid into taxpayers’ bank accounts in the past two months, after the first season of automatic tax assessments. Revenue Minister Stuart Nash says the completion of this year’s tax refund season is a significant milestone. “The ability of Inland Revenue to run auto calculations for ...3 weeks ago
- Children’s Commissioner calls on government to consult
30 years of child rights: Children’s Commissioner calls on government to consult with children and young people ...5 hours ago - Call For Inquiry Into Southern ResponseA light must be shone into every crack and crevice of government-owned Southern Response. ...5 hours ago
- Race to save Māui dolphins to land on Parliament stepsSunday, 18 August, 2019 - Environmental groups and well known New Zealanders are preparing to deliver a 55,000 strong petition to the steps of Parliament tomorrow, calling on the Government to protect the world’s smallest dolphin. ...8 hours ago
- Last chance to save Māui dolphinsThe Government’s proposed rescue plan must be strengthened because it is the last chance to save Māui dolphins from extinction and secure the future for Hector’s dolphins, Forest & Bird says. ...13 hours ago
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- Ardern must meet Pacific callsNew Zealand has been issued a stark challenge from Pacific leaders to dramatically upscale its action to address climate breakdown, Oxfam says, after a clear rallying cry from nations at this week’s Pacific Islands Forum. ...2 days ago
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- Support to legalise recreational cannabis in declineThe prospect of ending wider cannabis prohibition looks increasingly unlikely. Over the last nine months, the percentage of New Zealanders who would vote for legalising the personal use of cannabis has declined at a near linear rate of around 10% per ...2 days ago
- News coverage hinders Smoke-free, says vaping boss“It’s disappointing that news out of the United States of hospitalisations linked to illegal street drugs is somehow seen as relevant to the New Zealand vaping scene,” says Ben Pryor, Director of Alt New Zealand – the largest Kiwi-owned vaping company. ...2 days ago
- NZ Psychiatrists tautoko handling of synthetic drugs billThe Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) welcomes the successful passing of Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill through parliament, by the New Zealand Government. ...2 days ago
- The system, not social workers, are the issue at OTThe Association is disappointed at comments made by Minister for Children Tracey Martin about Oranga Tamariki, Ministry of Children, this week. ...2 days ago
- Coalition NZ response to Electoral Commission outcomeToday’s news from the Electoral Commission has provided the party with the clarity it was seeking around use of the word “Coalition” being used as the brand name of the party. ...2 days ago
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- Manufacturing contraction bolsters case for tax reliefWith the BNZ-Business NZ PMI signaling manufacturing is contracting , the Government needs to seriously consider tax relief, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . ...2 days ago
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- Government responsible for Westland Milk saleThe responsibility for the fact that Westland Milk Products is now in the hands of an overseas conglomerate 25% owned by the Chinese government can be laid fair and square at our government's doorstep. ...2 days ago
- Big losses for dairy giant as plant milk popularity increaseAs Fonterra is projecting multi million dollar losses for the second year in a row, it is clear the writing is on the wall for dairy as more and more Kiwis turn to plant milks. 22nd August is International Plant Milk Day and there is now a different plant ...3 days ago
- Firearms owners hand in 12,183 firearmsNZ Police have now held 104 collection events and collected 12,183 firearms from around New Zealand so far. ...3 days ago
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- Child rights experts to speak at Wellington seminarWellingtonians will have the chance to hear international child rights experts from Ireland, Scotland and Samoa speak at the Making Child Rights Real in Aotearoa New Zealand seminar to be held in the city on Wednesday 21 August. ...3 days ago
- NPS on productive land – a balanced approach is neededPaul Evans, Chief Executive of the Association of Consulting Engineers (ACENZ), is advocating a balanced approach to the development of productive land. ...3 days ago
- New research supports CPAG’s call for a housing WOFCPAG (Child Poverty Action Group) says that new research from the University of Otago provides a solid foundation for why the Government must not delay instating a comprehensive Warrant of Fitness for tenanted homes in Aotearoa-New Zealand, and ...3 days ago
- Police collision with motorcycle following pursuit in ChchThe Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that an officer drove carelessly during a pursuit and that this was the primary cause of a collision with a motorcycle that injured the rider. ...4 days ago
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- Central affiliation linked to success in local electionsAUT research not only shows an increase in political affiliation, but that candidates affiliated to a central political party are more likely to win seats in Auckland local government. ...4 days ago
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- A distress call from Kashmiri community in NZYou have stood up for what is fair, and I am sure you will speak for over 7 million people who have been muted and rendered voiceless in Indian occupied Kashmir for more than a 10 days now. I am writing to bring to your notice the plight of Kashmiri ...4 days ago
- Nine New Parliamentary Petitions launched for vital medicineIn the last 10 months alone, 11 petitions have been delivered to Parliament calling for medicines to be funded by Pharmac. Today, another nine petitions have been launched by Patient Voice Aotearoa (PVA) members asking that life changing, saving and extending ...4 days ago
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- Dunne Speaks: A Better Way to Fund Medicines?PHARMAC’s recent decision to fund two additional drugs from December this year has been widely welcomed by patients and the general public alike. The drugs, Kadcyla and Ibrance, are used in the treatment of advanced lung and breast cancers and will ...4 days ago
- SAFE urges Minister to appoint non industry expertsAnimal rights organisation SAFE is urging the Government to include experts and advocates from outside the agriculture industry on its newly announced winter crop grazing taskforce. ...4 days ago
- Nick Rogers to Retire from NZTA BoardNick Rogers is to retire from the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) Board on 17 September 2019. ...4 days ago
- Anti-housing rules to keep Kiwis locked outThe Government’s plans to prohibit housing on ‘productive’ farmland will serve as yet another regulatory tax on housing, and is a shameful breach of Jacinda Ardern’s promise to fix housing supply, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . ...4 days ago
- A little can go a long wayThe latest round of the Ethnic Communities Development Fund opens today, supporting projects that grow the leadership and capability of ethnic groups, improve cultural understanding, and ensure our ethnic communities are a vibrant and celebrated part ...4 days ago
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- LGNZ cautious as government pits potatoes against housesLGNZ will be cautiously assessing the wider implications of the newly proposed National Position Statement on Highly Productive Land (NPS-HPL), noting that that it traverses a number of highly complex policy areas including housing affordability and property ...4 days ago
- HortNZ welcomes safeguarding of country’s best growing soilsHorticulture New Zealand has welcomed the Government’s draft National Policy Statement on Highly Productive Land, saying it will help ensure that New Zealand can grow its own vegetables and fruit. ...4 days ago
- Publication of background documents for Budget 2019Background documents for Budget 2019 are now available from on the Treasury website: https://treasury.govt.nz/publications/information-release/budget-2019-information-release ...4 days ago
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- Sexual Violence Court reduces lead-up times and traumaAn evaluation of New Zealand’s first sexual violence court has confirmed that the approach taken in the judge-led pilot considerably reduces the time that cases take to reach trial. ...4 days ago
- National’s Campaign Chair AnnouncedThe National Party is pleased to announce the appointment of Paula Bennett as our Campaign Chair for the 2020 General Election, President Peter Goodfellow says. ...4 days ago
- Business Leaders to Judge NZ’s Fairest Employers14 August 2019 – 18 senior business leaders and employment experts have been appointed as judges for New Zealand’s sixth annual Equal Pay Awards reflecting the breadth of companies who have entered. The Awards added three new categories in 2018: Innovation, ...4 days ago
- Digital transport project has become a black holeTaxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “This is more proof that bureaucrats do not make good tech tycoons, no matter how much taxpayer money they throw at geeks in Silicon Valley.” ...5 days ago
- 5-year milestone reached by ethical lenderAugust marks five years of the Community Finance initiative. In addition to its well established Financial Mentoring service, The Salvation Army has held more than 5800 financial conversations with Community Finance clients. The loan program helps ...5 days ago
- National response to climate change is ‘RONS’Today 14/8/19 on news hub AM show Duncan Garner asked National Party leader Simon Bridges ‘what would he do to combat climate change and improve the economy again if he is the next PM”. https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/08/simon-bridges-says-most-kiwis-believe-system-gamed-at-last-election.html ...5 days ago
- Government urged to work with farmers to reduce emissionsDairyNZ Chief Executive Dr Tim Mackle is urging the Government to work with agricultural groups to drive real behaviour change on farm, instead of imposing a broad-based tax. Sector organisations have put forward an alternative Primary Sector Climate ...5 days ago
- Iwi forging closer relationship with Stats NZIwi forging closer relationship with Stats NZ over Māori data solutions The Data Iwi Leaders Group supports the findings of an independent review into the 2018 New Zealand Census – but says its failings provide a unique opportunity to co-design ...5 days ago
- Review: Jonah is a troubled story of a tragic legend
Jamie Wall reviews Jonah, the two-part Three telefeature that follows the life of our most famous All Black, and finds it an effective but mixed retelling of the legend.Honestly, it’s a wee bit disappointing that the only notable on-screen dramatisation of the All Blacks in recent years was centred on replacement ...3 hours ago - Cheat sheet: The trouble with tarakihi
We love it battered and served with chips, but tarakihi stocks aren’t doing well and another big cut to commercial catch limits is in the works. Ah yes, terrakee, that’s a fish, right?Well, first things first, let’s say it correctly. Pronounce every syllable, remember the Māori vowel sounds (A-E-I-O-U), roll the ...5 hours ago - Government announces an extra $54m to stop homelessness
The government will spend $54 million on fresh initiatives aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness. ...9 hours ago - Lack of transparency hampers cancer drug debate
The debate over cancer drug funding us further complicated by lobby groups and opaque agenda. ...9 hours ago - Government announces more measures to prevent homelessnessThe government has announced extra measures to prevent and reduce homelessness. ...13 hours ago
- Recipe: Seedy crackers
Good on their own, even better with cheese – these crisp, moreish crackers are destined to become your new go-to savoury snack.These crackers have been on high rotation in our household – they’ve filled lunchboxes, accompanied fine cheeses on evening platters and been eaten by the fistful straight from the jar. ...15 hours ago - The Sunday List: 12 headlines about Adrian OrrLists are good and so are Sundays. We combine both those things in a new Spinoff feature. This week: Headlines from the past six months about the the Reserve Bank governor, Adrian OrrRBNZ prepares to stick its Orr inASB, March 29Banks Orr-struck yet againThe Australian, April 10Big banks brace for ...16 hours ago
- They made the culture: An interview with the man behind Funny As
Over 300 hours of interviews condensed into five episodes that cover the entirety of New Zealand’s comedy history – how do you even start to approach that? Sam Brooks interviews Paul Horan, the documentarian behind the show.It’s one of those projects that sounds utterly futile – how does one cover ...19 hours ago - Stereotypes and stigma: Drug use in the LGBTQ community
Judgement prevents understanding, which in itself is a barrier to preventing unsafe behaviour. Are different approaches to harm reduction in the Rainbow community needed? Sex. Drugs. Carly Rae Jepsen. This is the iconography that tends to be massaged into mainstream conceptions of gay culture. Depictions in TV/film see us railing lines ...19 hours ago - Inside the enclave of old that may win John Tamihere the mayoralty
The Spinoff is covering local elections across the country with a new pop-up section. To kick things off, Hayden Donnell went to a mayoral debate at Grey Power on the North Shore of Auckland.John Tamihere walked into the mayoral debate at North Shore Grey Power on Friday just minutes after ...1 day ago - Inside the enclave of old that may win John Tamihere the mayoralty
The Spinoff is covering local elections across the country with a new pop-up section. To kick things off, Hayden Donnell went to a mayoral debate at Grey Power on the North Shore of Auckland.John Tamihere walked into the mayoral debate at North Shore Grey Power on Friday just minutes after ...1 day ago - Two’s company, three’s a crowd
The three parties in the coalition have to negotiate compromises, concessions and conquests week after week. ...2 days ago - Things I Learned at Art School: Simon Denny
Things I Learned at Art School is a new series featuring artists discussing how they do what they do and know what they know. In the second instalment, Megan Dunn talks to Berlin-based New Zealander Simon Denny about Michael Parekowhai, teaching and technology, and an idea involving the online shoe ...2 days ago - The best matchup in rugby is a long way from the field
With the acquisition of global rugby streaming leader RugbyPass, Sky might have just secured its future, writes Trevor McKewen.For several months now, the war between Sky and Spark Sport for the peerless prize of All Blacks and New Zealand rugby rights from 2021 onwards has been escalating. Every week, one ...2 days ago - Saturday short story: The closed fist, by Eileen Duggan
Today, a short story from the late 1920s, published in a posthumous new collection by Marlborough writer Eileen Duggan. Photo by Peter Black. ...2 days ago - Twiice: the family business making edible coffee cups
The Lightbulb asks innovators and entrepreneurs how they turned their ideas into reality. This week we talk to Jamie Cashmore, co-founder of Auckland-based edible packaging company Twiice. First of all, give us your elevator pitch for Twiice.Twiice is a company making edible coffee cups with plans to progress into other areas ...2 days ago - Black Ferns’ cowgirl proves doctors wrong
Black Fern Aleisha-Pearl Nelson was told by doctors, twice, that her rugby days were over - after serious horse-riding accidents. ...2 days ago - The giant parrot proves we have to save Foulden Maar
The recent discovery of a fossil parrot the size of a human toddler is even more reason for Foulden Maar to be protected, writes the chairperson of Save Foulden Maar, Kimberley Collins.Last week, scientists discovered a new species of extinct parrot in the St Bathans Fauna. Weighing in at seven ...2 days ago - Assessing the TVNZ, RNZ and Māori TV merger that everyone is talking aboutCould a new hybrid of all the government’s major media holdings solve multiple media and government problems? Duncan Greive assesses the case.The media industry, despite what some of us might like to believe, really doesn’t matter all that much economically. Doesn’t employ all that many people. Relatively low wage. ...2 days ago
- The three parties of power are taking their marks for the 2020 election
The three governing parties are turning their attention to next year’s general election. RNZ‘s Jo Moir surveys the field.The night New Zealand First formed a government with Labour and the Greens, its leader Winston Peters quoted the song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”.Almost two years later all three ...2 days ago - The coming crisis in Taiwan
Protests in Hong Kong have attracted worldwide attention - but are we ignoring a more serious situation across the sea? ...2 days ago - Week in Politics: Political row follows chief statistician’s resignationAnalysis: The botched census brings down a chief executive, there's another wave of speculation about Christopher Luxon standing for National and NZ First could sink an attempt to reverse the ban on prisoner voting. ...2 days ago
- Australia has coal removed from PIF documentation
Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk Wording has played a crucial role in a reportedly “fierce” Pacific Islands Forum in Tuvalu with Australia allegedly managing to alter documental terms to downplay its commitment to climate change mitigation. According to RNZ Pacific, a communiqué and separate statement on climate change was released ...2 days ago - ‘Bullying’ Australia disregards Pacific over climate crisis, says 350 Pacific
Australia’s coal policy and its use of carry over credits to fulfill its obligations under the Paris Agreement have come under fire and been major points of contention at this year’s 50th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Meeting in Funafuti, Tuvalu. READ MORE: ‘We should have done more for our ...2 days ago - Pacific Island nations will no longer stand for Australia’s inaction on climate change
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael O’Keefe, Head of Department, Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University The Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Tuvalu this week has ended in open division over climate change. Australia ensured its official communique watered down commitments to respond to climate change, gaining ...2 days ago - Glamorising violent offenders with ‘true crime’ shows and podcasts needs to stop
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Xanthe Mallett, Forensic Criminologist, University of Newcastle Even in death, the voice of Carl Williams is louder than that of his victims. Intimate prison letters written by the convicted murderer and drug trafficker to his ex-wife, Roberta – herself arrested this month ...2 days ago - Case in Victoria could set new legal precedent for stealthing, or removing condom during sex
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brianna Chesser, Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Justice, RMIT University In September 2018, a prominent Melbourne surgeon and academic was charged with rape and sexual assault for alleged offences committed a year earlier against a male doctor. The surgeon and doctor had ...2 days ago - The exquisite blotched butterfly orchid is an airy jewel of the Australian landscape
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Dearnaley, Associate Professor, University of Southern Queensland The blotched butterfly orchid (Sarcochilus weinthalii) looks fairly unremarkable when it’s not flowering, generally resembling the far more common orange blossom orchid. But when it flowers, it is exquisite. Dark purple blotches stand out ...2 days ago - Why do different cultures see such similar meanings in the constellations?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Cropper, Senior Lecturer, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne Almost every person throughout the existence of humankind has looked up at the night sky and seen more than just a random scattering of light. Constellations of stars have helped ...2 days ago - No, eating chocolate won’t cure depression
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Desbrow, Associate Professor, Nutrition and Dietetics, Griffith University A recent study published in the journal Depression and Anxiety has attracted widespread media attention. Media reports said eating chocolate, in particular, dark chocolate, was linked to reduced symptoms of depression. Unfortunately, we ...2 days ago - Hannah Tamaki’s Coalition New Zealand political party registration rejectedThe Electoral Commission has refused to register Hannah Tamaki's political party Coalition New Zealand because the name could create confusion. ...2 days ago
- He’s so precious when he cries: Why Bazzi is so much more than a great memeHe’s the artist who launched a million memes and over a billion streams. Sam Brooks picks out Bazzi’s best moments so far, from his career-making breakthrough to his mature new mixtape Soulsearching.1. ‘Mine’“You’re so fuckin’ precious when you smile.”It’s the line that didn’t just launch a million memes, it’s the ...2 days ago
- What is an inverted yield curve? Why is it panicking markets, and why is there talk of recession?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Crosby, Professor, Monash University Since President Trump tweeted about imposing new tariffs on China, global equity markets have gone into a tailspin. Trump’s more recent announcement that the new tariffs would be delayed has not calmed the markets, with recent days ...2 days ago - The Friday Poem: to convince myself we’re dreaming by Loren ThomasA new poem by Waikato poet Loren Thomas. to convince myself we’re dreamingwe were walking through suburbia houses kissing front lawns copied one after anotheryou tasted like mint leaves and chlorophyll that’s been pissed on by catsI held your hand and we walked towards the ocean dodging planks from dead train ...2 days ago
- 14 times Alan Jones revealed himself to be basically just an utter cretinThe ancient Australian shock-jock yesterday targeted Jacinda Ardern, urging Australia’s PM to ‘shove a sock down her throat’. It’s all in keeping with a substantial history of being an arse.The plucky nation of Australia excels in a range of endeavours, but nowhere more than the angry, anguished howls of bloated, ...2 days ago
- The latest TVNZ OnDemand figures reveal a TV-watching nation divided
Today, TVNZ released its latest findings on who is watching what on TVNZ OnDemand. Sam Brooks analyses the results.Today, TVNZ released the 2019 figures for who is watching TVNZ OnDemand, what they’re watching and in what kind of numbers. The big numbers are hopeful – over 1.4 million people reached ...2 days ago - The regions can take more migrants and refugees, with a little help
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jock Collins, Professor of Social Economics, UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney The federal government wants to boost the number of migrants moving to regional areas in Australia to fill job vacancies and reduce the pressure on our cities. That’s why ...2 days ago - The latest action plan to tackle violence against women isn’t perfect, but it takes a much-needed ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Associate Professor, Criminology and Justice Studies, RMIT University There can be no doubt violence against women is a national crisis. On average in Australia, one woman every week is killed. A 2016 survey found one in four women experienced violence ...2 days ago
- Yesterdaze: A race to the bottom
One dignified resignation was a bouquet in a sea of brickbats this week as low levels of accountability had eyes rolling. James Elliott has the news of the week. ...2 days ago - Police investigating another Tarrant letter
Corrections has referred a letter written by the alleged Christchurch terrorist to police for further investigation. ...2 days ago - Sky TV bets big on rugby with $62m streaming
Sky Television is purchasing online rugby streaming service RugbyPass for $US40 million ($NZ62m). ...2 days ago - Michael Hill International posts $17m profit
Jewellery retailer Michael Hill International has reported a lift in profit but is feeling the pinch of lower sales and squeezed margins. ...2 days ago - Carrie Brownstein: ‘People get very precious about what Sleater-Kinney is capable of’
Sleater-Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein on the band’s ninth studio album, working with St Vincent, and the departure of bandmate and drummer, Janet Weiss.It’s been almost five years since Sleater-Kinney broke their decade-long hiatus with an album that received almost near-universal praise. It was “raw”, “bristling”, “emotive”, “taut” – all adjectives you’d ...2 days ago - Sydney stabbing shows reporters should not censor what they report on Twitter – as long as it’s ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Colleen Murrell, Associate Professor, Journalism, Swinburne University of Technology When news of the stabbings in Sydney on Tuesday afternoon came through, one of the first tweets about the incident came from Sky News reporter Laura Jayes. Immediately it got retweeted and sent ...2 days ago
- Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending August 16The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND1 Normal People by Sally Rooney (Faber & Faber, $23)Sally Rooney Sally Rooney Sally Rooney Sally Rooney2 An ...2 days ago
- How to orgasm in four easy steps
When Emily Writes reviewed a life-changing sex toy, the response from orgasm-starved women was huge. So why are so many having so few orgasms, and what can be done?For the last two years I’ve been running a pretty small – about 600-odd member – group for mostly New Zealand women ...2 days ago - The Spinoff Reviews New Zealand #92: My new $400 Asus laptopWhen Josie Adams broke her laptop last week, she knew she’d never find love like that again. Can the Asus Chromebook Flip C213SA offer a new kind of technological relationship? She reviews how it stands up to everyday use and the cosmic forces that seek to destroy her.Last Thursday I ...3 days ago
- How to get better at tasting wine? Start by smelling your world
Wine should be fun, not intimidating, all you need is a little knowledge. Yvonne Lorkin co-founder and chief tasting officer of WineFriend provides some simple tips to help you empower your palate. Even I can get scared by wine. I’m usually super-meek and a tad feeble at high-brow, ‘industry’ wine tastings. ...3 days ago - Tongan PM blasts Pacific regionalism ‘myth’ and silence over West Papua
Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk By Makereta Komai in Funafuti, Tuvalu Tonga’s Prime Minister, ‘Akilisi Pohiva, has delivered a stinging attack against regionalism and the Pacific Islands Forum’s stance of leaving no one behind, for failing to amicably resolve the issue of West Papua. Pohiva admitted the issue has divided ...3 days ago - Paying voters? Idea floated to boost local body elections turnoutBeing paid to vote is one of the ideas put forward as a way to get more people voting in this year's local body elections. ...3 days ago
- Anti-fluoride activists misrepresent a new kidney/liver study
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