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The power companies are rorting us
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, November 15th, 2022 - 25 comments
FIRST Union, NZCTU, and 350 Aotearoa have just released a joint report suggesting that the privatisation of our power companies by National were not only disastrous for the country’s finances but also disastrous for the planet.
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Pause With Map In Hand and Scratch Their Heads
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, November 13th, 2022 - 19 comments
If 2020 was the worst year in my lifetime how does 2022 compare?
This is what the climate crisis looks like in New Zealand, so far
Written By: - Date published: 1:26 pm, August 19th, 2022 - 66 comments
If we keep doing what we are doing (not acting on climate), then at some point there will just be too many of these events to keep up with. But we still have time to limit the damage and transition society.
Pick a side
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, March 17th, 2022 - 351 comments
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelinsky has made a direct appeal broadcast to the United States Congress. That will sort out the Putin supporters from the rest. And with climate change beckoning it is time to pick a side.
COP26 Results
Written By: - Date published: 10:33 am, November 14th, 2021 - 15 comments
The deal is done. Together with lots of side-agreements, big-up pledges, finance, and no definite language the phasing out of Coal or fossil fuel subsidies.
He’s baaack
Written By: - Date published: 7:56 am, June 21st, 2021 - 30 comments
For the first time since the election Winston Peters has reemerged. But instead of talking about the country’s problems such as climate change, child poverty and recovering from the global pandemic he chose to concentrate on the “over” use of Te Reo, cycleways and gangs.
Fear and loathing in cycleland
Written By: - Date published: 3:52 pm, June 15th, 2021 - 32 comments
I am pleased the right have moved on from overtly racist attacks on minorities. But I am bemused by the current level of vitriol that has been thrown at a group who apart from wearing lycra is doing nothing wrong.
The Government’s Feebate scheme
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, June 14th, 2021 - 70 comments
Labour and the Greens have announced the establishment of a Feebate scheme to incentivise the purchase of electric vehicles and disincentivise the purchase of gas guzzlers.
Cycling Politics is Winnable Politics
Written By: - Date published: 3:43 pm, May 29th, 2021 - 100 comments
This Sunday Aucklanders have an opportunity to protest the catastrophic failure of NZTA to generate a cycleway from the North Shore to the CBD, and to promote a practical proposal to “liberate a lane” on the Harbour Bridge which would do the job in the meantime.
The problem with coal
Written By: - Date published: 10:13 am, May 1st, 2021 - 38 comments
New Zealand is about to enter a transition phase in energy that’s going to affect absolutely everyone.
Greta Thunberg is now 18
Written By: - Date published: 9:06 am, April 2nd, 2021 - 59 comments
Greta Thunberg is now aged 18. And her activism is still strong.
Escape Velocity
Written By: - Date published: 9:11 am, February 7th, 2021 - 93 comments
In this series so far I’ve examined three of the four terms in the Kaya Identity, population, economic intensity, and energy intensity. It can be conclusively shown that none of these factors can be reduced sufficiently to reduce CO2 emissions to zero – or even close enough to be useful. Let’s return to each one […]
Energy’s Iron Triangle.
Written By: - Date published: 7:46 am, December 11th, 2020 - 62 comments
For those who don’t trawl through all the comments; a little personal background. I’ve been fortunate enough to have just finished up a 40 year career in technology and automation, most of it in heavy industry. Looking back it’s been one hell of an adventure, tough at times, but I’ve been one of those lucky […]
Labour’s new Oceans Ministry
Written By: - Date published: 8:19 am, November 3rd, 2020 - 23 comments
Jacinda Ardern’s decision to rename the Fisheries Ministery to “Oceans and Fisheries” and install David Parker instead of Stuart Nash shows a welcome desire to protect this most precious of resources.
Folly of the year
Written By: - Date published: 7:55 am, July 26th, 2020 - 41 comments
What is the strangest recent proposal for development in New Zealand?
A World That Just Doesn’t Need As Much Oil
Written By: - Date published: 7:22 am, June 18th, 2020 - 27 comments
BP yesterday sent a really big message that effectively now, Covid-19 is the break that tips the world away from oil dependence.
The wood, the trees and the ETS
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, June 3rd, 2020 - 4 comments
It’s a brutal thing to propose more taxes and costs on business during our worst economic meltdown in a century. But yesterday the Government increased the cost of Carbon. But we need to do more.
A Response to ‘No Exit’.
Written By: - Date published: 1:48 pm, May 3rd, 2020 - 91 comments
In a recent post, Bill hit his straps with – “Either way, wind power won’t save us. Solar power won’t save us. Carbon capture and storage won’t save us. Your God won’t save us. Nothing but ourselves will save us.”
I felt miffed and more than a little grumpy at Bill’s flippant reference to God, and so sent through this long form response. ~ Adam.
No Exit.
Written By: - Date published: 5:25 pm, April 30th, 2020 - 22 comments
Reaction to Covid 19 has done more in a few weeks to blunt the drive behind climate change than anything the environmental movement has managed to do in over thirty years.
Time to Pivot?
Written By: - Date published: 12:42 pm, April 18th, 2020 - 11 comments
It would appear NZ and much of the rest of the world has made a first rather coincidental step on the AGW front.
Steve Mnuchin, not Greta Thunberg, needs to go back to school
Written By: - Date published: 10:52 am, January 27th, 2020 - 11 comments
US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has attacked Greta Thunberg for not understanding the economics of climate change. But he has then been roundly criticised by a number of people, including his wife.
The right is splintering on climate change
Written By: - Date published: 11:30 am, January 23rd, 2020 - 70 comments
The right appears to be splintering on climate change, with former Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull describing Donald Trump as the world’s leading climate change denier. And locally National MP Andrew Bayley has talked the profound effects of climate change on Antarctica’s ecosystems at the same time as Paula Bennett is attacking educational material designed to make children think about climate change.
Australia is no longer the lucky country
Written By: - Date published: 9:57 am, January 6th, 2020 - 112 comments
Australia is arguably no longer the lucky country. And if it does not resolve its addiction to coal it may not have a future.
Fifty shades of meh
Written By: - Date published: 8:31 am, November 15th, 2019 - 130 comments
A group of farmers protested against Government climate policies yesterday including policies which the National Party either established or supported.
Sustainable Party launches
Written By: - Date published: 8:01 am, November 11th, 2019 - 99 comments
The Sustainable Party, National’s sock puppet party designed to weaken the Greens has launched. And its policies for some strange reason have not put climate change front and centre.
No Social welfare handouts for multinational corporations
Written By: - Date published: 8:33 am, November 2nd, 2019 - 98 comments
Rio Tinto is practising further brinkmanship and have reportedly sent in a closure team to assess the viability of Tiwai Point and no doubt seek a Government handout. Is it time to say no and provide cheaper cleaner power to the country instead?
Australia gets tough on climate change activists
Written By: - Date published: 7:42 am, October 17th, 2019 - 22 comments
Following on from Weka’s post yesterday concerning attacks on the right to protest in the United Kingdom, Australia has also shown a concerning tendency to attack and undermine that most important of rights.
Later climate change deniers
Written By: - Date published: 12:01 pm, October 15th, 2019 - 73 comments
The recent local government elections resulted in a number of people committed to addressing climate change being elected. And an apparent thinning of those who think that it is a hoax.
Fonterra, again
Written By: - Date published: 9:15 am, September 29th, 2019 - 24 comments
Why New Zealand – and its government – need to engage much harder about Fonterra.
Unrelentingly negative
Written By: - Date published: 11:19 am, September 26th, 2019 - 29 comments
National has chosen to attack Jacinda Ardern on her trip to New York for doing too much and not enough at the same time. It seems to be a pattern.
China, Climate Conference, and New Zealand
Written By: - Date published: 7:44 am, September 18th, 2019 - 4 comments
At the United Nations Climate Action Summit next weekend the question may be asked what would happen if China stopped buying Australian coal?
- Labour attacks LGOIMA – in secret
Today the government used urgency to introduce a new Local Government Official Information and Meetings Amendment Bill. The bulk of the bill deals with land information memorandums (LIMs), requiring local authorities to notify of natural hazards and granting them immunity for doing so in good faith (hopefully forestalling lawsuits by ...7 hours ago - Climate Change: Fixing the Crown Minerals Act?Back in August, the High Court ruled that the Zero Carbon Act isn't worth shit and that the government can continue to approve new fossil fuel exploration without having to consider climate change. The core of the problem is the Crown Minerals Act, and in particular its purpose: "to promote ...11 hours ago
- The True Cost
It is hard to take seriously the voices of those currently asserting that Brexit has come with a considerable economic cost. Where were those voices at the very beginning of what became the Brexit saga, when we were assured that membership of what was then the Common Market would produce ...12 hours ago - Political Roundup: 23 November 2022
Items of interest and importance today VOTING AGE Henry Cooke (Guardian): New Zealand’s supreme court has forced voting age on to agenda, exposing absurd arguments for status quo Henry Cooke: The only reasonable argument for retaining the voting age Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Local election voting age looks set to change ...16 hours ago - Phil Ferguson: a firsthand account of the Irish struggle
Phil Ferguson is a founding editor of Redline and was a regular contributor. He has been out of action for the past year after suffering a stroke. He is learning to walk again and hoping to get back to writing. Tim Leadbeater sat down with Phil to talk about topics ...1 day ago - The Most Pertinent Question.
Why Now? As Rebecca Wright pointed out to Justice Minister, Kiritapu Allan, on Newshub Nation, a great deal of political travail could have been avoided by the Labour Government if they’d simply accepted the Royal Commission’s recommendation to extend the already existing legal protections against the incitement of racial hatred ...1 day ago - FinallyAt the 2020 election, Labour promised to regulate property managers. Now, they're finally doing it: The Government’s announcement that rental property managers will be regulated has left the industry asking for more detail, and tenants calling for landlords to be regulated too. Regulating property managers was one of the ...1 day ago
- Young people must be allowed to vote
Let me just start out by saying that young people must be allowed to vote. Not because they are more enlightened than previous generations, but because the earlier people become voters, the more likely they will continue to participate in democracy.We have a serious problem in New Zealand with low ...2 days ago - How to counter holocaust denial – a particular type of hate speech
Plebity – a left free speech website looks at how to ‘counter hate speech with more speech’. This excellent article addresses one of the points discussed in the interview with Daniel Ben-Ami about how tolerance doesn’t mean silently allowing bad ideas or adopting a relativist outlook. WHAT DOES IT MEAN, ...2 days ago - Bryce Edwards: The High barriers to lowering the voting ageSixteen-year-olds aren’t about to get the right to vote anytime soon. Despite yesterday’s Supreme Court declaration that a voting age of 18 violates the Bill of Rights, there are still many barriers to get over before the voting age could be lowered. In fact, as a best-case scenario, youth voting ...2 days ago
- The Iran protests and the battle for Women’s RightsIn this Free Speech Union podcast Daphna Whitmore speaks with Dr Forough Amin about what’s happening in Iran after two months of growing protests across the country. Forough is a women’s rights activist and the founder of the Iranian Women in NZ Charitable Trust. Forough discusses the dire state of ...2 days ago
- The Sagas and Fairy Tales of the South Pacific: Maori Legends, as collected by Sir George Grey (1855...
As a Pakeha New Zealander who spent the majority of his school-level education in the lower North Island in the 1990s, I received a smattering of Maori cultural infusion. I learned how to count to ten in Maori, learned the names of colours, some rudiments of pronunciation from singing ...2 days ago - A victory for democracy!Today, the Supreme Court ruled on the case of Make it 16 Inc v AG, declaring that the law forbidding 16 and 17 year olds from voting was inconsistent with the right to be free from discrimination, and that it had not been justified under the BORA. Its a ...2 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on Qatar, Joyce Carol Oates and Mimi Parker
The FIFA World Cup has kicked off amid laments about Qatar’s terrible human rights record, and FIFA’s greed in awarding them the Cup hosting rights in the first place. The criticism raining down on Qatar over its murderous treatment of migrant workers errs and its persecution of its LGBT community ...3 days ago - Geoffrey Miller: Does New Zealand need to up its game with World Cup host Qatar?As the FIFA World Cup gets underway in Qatar, it is worth looking at the state of New Zealand’s wider relationship with the host nation. While New Zealand often likes to think of itself as a small country, it comfortably outranks Qatar in both size and population. In terms of ...3 days ago
- Elizabeth Rata: The Curriculum, intelligence, and democracyThe intelligence of the New Zealand population increased during the 20th century. Nutrition played its part but so too did education. Young people were taught the abstract knowledge of academic subjects and in the process developed secondary intelligence. Since the 1990s, the emptying out of prescribed academic knowledge from the ...3 days ago
- Where are Ukrainian refugees going? – an update
A temporary tent camp set up for Ukrainian refugees in Donetsk, in Russia’s Rostov region near the Russian-Ukrainian border, June 22, ... 3 days ago - If It Ain’t Broke, Why Fix It?Still Going Strong: Why has the Minister of Justice cobbled together a group of “progressive” academics, most of whom subscribe to the core beliefs of Māori nationalism, “decolonisation”, and te Tiriti revisionism, to “review” our political system? In the absence of any convincing evidence that our electoral machinery is “broke”, ...3 days ago
- 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #47
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 13, 2022 thru Sat, Nov 19, 2022. Story of the Week Is COP27 the End of Hopes for Limiting Global Warming to 1.5 Degrees Celsius? The climate talks are going into overtime ...4 days ago - Labour grovels to the bigotsIn the wake of the March 15 terror attack, the inquiry recommended tougher hate-speech laws. And after dragging their feet on it for a full year, the government has basicly said "fuck that": The Government has drastically watered down its hate speech reforms, Justice Minister Kiri Allan said on Saturday. ...4 days ago
- Are We in a Stagflation?
Recently, I have often been asked whether we (New Zealand or the World) are experiencing a stagflation. There is no meaningful ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. You have to define the term before deciding what is going on.Rutherford once said there were only two kinds of science: stamp collecting and physics. ...5 days ago - More police racismThe police annual report was released this month, with the usual statutory information on surveillance warrants and DNA samples. And it turns out there's some shocking evidence of racism among the latter: The proportion of youth DNA samples collected by police that belong to rangatahi Māori continues to rise, ...5 days ago
- The Political MinefieldPoor Christopher Luxon. His lack of political experience (and judgment) is constantly being highlighted – not least by his recent foray into the treatment of child criminality. So keen was he to draw attention to his assertion that “Labour is soft on crime” that he was prepared to run the ...6 days ago
- Media Link: “AVFA” on US midterms and Trump’s return.
After a small hiatus due to Covid hitting my household, Selwyn Manning and I resumed our weekly ” A View from Afar” podcast series with an analysis of the 2022 US midterm results and a look at what Trump’s decision to run for president again means for the GOP. You ...6 days ago - Bryce Edwards: National wants to brand the Govt as soft on crimeAs Government politicians put the boot into National’s bootcamp announcement yesterday, Christopher Luxon would have been celebrating. His populist announcement wasn’t only designed to scratch an electoral itch, but to cynically trap his opponents into looking soft on crime. And it probably worked. Soon after announcing his policy for bootcamps ...6 days ago
- Free Speech to fight anti-SemitismFree Speech Union member Daphna Whitmore talks with Daniel Ben-Ami, an author, and journalist based in London. His website “The Radicalism of Fools” https://www.radicalismoffools.com/ aims to develop a better understanding of anti-Semitism and its root causes. Daniel talks about different forms of anti-Semitism from the right and the left. He explains ...6 days ago
- Hello, do you know the difference? The Raytheon, Goldman Sachs Left is not the LeftThe left free speech site Plebity has published this handy chart. When you say left, you probably aren’t actually talking about the left. Find another name. Or at least understand the difference between the woke left and the traditional left which although largely silenced does still exist. Here is a ...6 days ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #46 2022Notables: Presence or absence of stabilizing Earth system feedbacks on different time scales Arnscheidt and Rothman confirm the stabilizing effect of carbonate geochemistry on Earth's climate, at least on "short" timescales. More provocatively: "We have shown that the observations are inconsistent with a dominant stabilizing feedback on the longest time scales ...6 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on the case for universal free dental careLike Banquo’s ghost, the issue of universal free dental care keeps hovering into sight at Labour’s top table. ‘Tis a goodly, progressive idea, but it is also one that’s been done in repeatedly down the years by the shafts of political expedience, some of which were fired again this week ...6 days ago
- Political Roundup: 17 November 2022Items of interest and importance today FOREIGN AFFAIRS Claire Trevett (Herald): Russia, China, a Trump comeback – PM Jacinda Ardern will face a big plate of troubles at Apec (paywalled) Thomas Manch (Stuff): Risky business: NZ seeks greater trade with Vietnam as China dependency causes concern Thomas Manch (Stuff): Prime Minister ...7 days ago
- New reports spell out climate urgency, shortfalls, needed actionsThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Michael Svoboda In the weeks leading up to the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, often called COP27, several organizations released major reports detailing the many difficult tasks on the climate negotiators’ agenda. Some of ...7 days ago
- Climate change: The cost of inactionA couple of days ago I highlighted National's opposition to all actual policies to reduce emissions. Now, the government has put some numbers on the cost of that, and it is staggering: nearly 24 million tons by the end of the decade: Labour says National’s promises to repeal its ...1 week ago
- The Facts Don’t Always Tell The Truth.1 week ago
- Bryce Edwards: Labour’s decaying policy on free universal dental careGrant Robertson has once again ruled out implementing a popular Labour Party policy: free universal dental care. He did so yesterday on RNZ’s Morning Report, citing the cost factor. The Acting Prime Minister suggested that spending on dental care wasn’t a priority for the Government and that the health budget ...1 week ago
- Grant says “no” againYesterday the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists released a report on dental care in Aotearoa, highlighting its unaffordability and recommending free, universal dental care. This is something the left has been campaigning for for a long time - Jim Anderton pushed for it before the 2011 election, and Helen Clark ...1 week ago
- On NZ foreign policy “independence.”For many years New Zealand elites have claimed to have an “independent” foreign policy, so much so that it has become a truism of NZ politics that transcends the partisan divide in parliament and is a shibboleth of the NZ foreign policy establishment that is parroted by media and pundits ...1 week ago
- Bryce Edwards: Momentum growing to reform lobbying lawsThis week global anti-corruption agency Transparency International released a report on lobbying, which described New Zealand’s lack of regulation as “glaring”. Transparency International New Zealand has developed an international comparison of New Zealand’s lobbying regulations so that MPs here can decide whether to reform this sector. Currently, a group of ...1 week ago
- The “Us versus Them” Worldview.Behind Closed Doors: What were the organisers of He Whenua Taurikura, the second hui called into existence by the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch mosque shootings, afraid of? Were they worried that journalists not 100 percent sympathetic to the ideals animating the hui might report ...1 week ago
- Don’t get fooled: Electric vehicles really are better for the climateThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Daisy Simmons You may have heard the myth that electric vehicles are just as bad for the climate — or worse — than gas-powered cars and trucks. One common myth claims that the climate-warming pollution caused by manufacturing electric vehicle batteries ...1 week ago
- Privatisation screws the futureThere's a major report out today from 350 Aotearoa, First Union and the CTU about how National's privatisation of the electricity sector has led to entirely predictable outcomes of price gouging and underinvestment: Meridian, Mercury, Genesis and Contact Energy paid out $8.7b in dividends to shareholders between 2014 ...1 week ago
- Gordon Campbell on abortion politics, Murdoch and the DeSantis surgeSo the Democrats did a whole lot better than OK in the midterm elections despite the cost of living crisis and despite the President’s low approval ratings. How come? In a word, “abortion” was the key mobilising issue. It inspired many women (and some men) to register to vote. In ...1 week ago
- New BookI have a new book being published this month. It is entitled “What Does It Mean to Be Human?” and is an attempt to arrive at a moral code of our own making – one that will serve all our interests and those of other creatures and of the planet ...1 week ago
- Three Little Words!The crucial moment in the Black Ferns’ Rugby World Cup triumph came in the closing minute. The Red Roses had used a penalty to kick to the corner, and from the throw-in that followed they had clearly planned to use a rolling maul to get the ball across the line ...1 week ago
- Geoffrey Miller: Jacinda Ardern’s Asia trip rekindles New Zealand’s independent foreign policyNew Zealand’s independent foreign policy is back. That’s a key underlying message from Jacinda Ardern’s trip this week to Southeast Asia. The New Zealand Prime Minister attended the East Asia Summit in Cambodia over the weekend. She will head to Thailand for the APEC leaders’ meeting later in the week. ...1 week ago
- 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #45A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 6, 2022 thru Sat, Nov 12, 2022. Story of the Week What the tiny remaining 1.5C carbon budget means for climate policy The latest estimates from the Global Carbon Project (GCP) show that total worldwide CO2 ...2 weeks ago
- David Farrier’s unsettling new documentary ‘Mister Organ’ – a film to watch through your fin...
In this age of entitled white men behaving badly, it’s common to hear the term “malignant narcissist” Anyone who’s had the misfortune to be sucked into the orbit or one of these miscreants, (let alone been obliged to, say, sue one for copyright infringement) eventually learns that the ONLY ‘exit ...2 weeks ago - The End of Neoliberalism?
Gary Gerstle’s The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order: America and the World in the Free Market Era is a frustrating book. It is an impressive sweeping history of American politics and economic policy from the New Deal in the 1930s to today, predicting that we are coming to ...2 weeks ago - Phil Ferguson on radical youth politics and the Irish republican strugglePhil Ferguson is a founding editor of Redline and was a regular contributor. He has been out of action for the past year after suffering a stroke. He is learning to walk again and hoping to get back to writing. Tim Leadbeater sat down with Phil to talk about about ...2 weeks ago
- Climate Change: Submit!Farming industry groups today released a joint statement against their own proposal - as adopted by the government - to price agricultural greenhouse gas emissions at the farm level. Its a perfect example of the bad faith with which they have engaged in the entire process, and of the industry's ...2 weeks ago
- Is is the beginning of the end of the toxic Trump TV show?
In 2016 the US electorate was feeling frustrated, let down, embattled, even desperate. It was – truth be told – willing to indulge its tendency for some racism and misogyny. So it screwed up its face, held its breath and reached out for Donald Trump. The years since have been ...2 weeks ago - Political Roundup: 11 November 2022Items of interest and importance today PARLIAMENT AND GOVERNMENT Shane Jones (Herald): Stop the forays into identity politics, de-colonisation and global posturing, St Jacinda. We must focus on economic essentials (paywalled) Peter Dunne (Newsroom): Luxon is not yet the direct threat Labour is painting him as Jo Moir (Newsroom): Luxon set ...2 weeks ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #45 2022Catastrophic reverb Kemp et al. caused prolonged ripples with their paper Climate Endgame: Exploring catastrophic climate change scenarios. One can't help but think most of the heat is emotional, not intellectual; excited critics of the paper offer little more than "this sounds scary, don't harsh our vibe." Vague and even outlandish concerrns over terminology aside, true ...2 weeks ago
- Solar panels on car parks are a no-brainerThe Guardian reports that France is going to require all large car-parks to be covered by solar panels: All large car parks in France will be covered by solar panels under new legislation approved as part of president Emmanuel Macron’s renewable energy drive. Legislation approved by the French Senate ...2 weeks ago
- Climate Change: National wants to burn the planetLast month, the National Party announced they would repeal any price on agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, effectively declaring that they would do nothing about them. Today, they've followed that up by announcing that they will repeal the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration: The National Party has reaffirmed ...2 weeks ago
- DrawnA ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Fair Trading (Gift Card Expiry) Amendment Bill (Melissa Lee) Its a worthy but minor bill, and the best you can say about it is that at least none of National's tough-on-crime ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell on the midterms, Adrian Orr and taxing the BanksIt used to be a joke, but it seems that a lot of Republicans really might have moved to Florida to escape from the gulag of Dr Fauci. While in these midterms the “red wave” didn’t happen anywhere outside of Florida, the GOP control of the Senate will now come ...2 weeks ago
- Political Roundup: 10 November 2022Items of interest and importance today BANKING Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Why Jacinda Ardern hit out at banks (paywalled) Bernard Hickey (Interest): Open banking still two years away 1New: Open banking to make it easier to switch banks, compare rates Bridie Witton (Stuff): Government moves to introduce open banking Martien Lubberink (Newsroom): ...2 weeks ago
- Addicted to secrecyBack in July, Public Service Minister Chris Hipkins said he was concerned about the growing number of secrecy clauses excluding information from the coverage of the Official Information Act, and promised "safeguards" to limit their use in future. meanwhile, the government he is part of has just introduced another one, ...2 weeks ago
- Bryce Edwards: Will the Govt act on mega bank profits and reform the banking sector?The corporate retail banks are making mega profits on the back of Government policies and indirect subsidies of recent years. As a result, there are calls from across almost the whole political spectrum for greater regulation of the banking sector, including windfall taxes. But will outrage turn into action? Prime ...2 weeks ago
- Member’s DayToday is a Member's Day. First up is the second readings of Ginny Andersen's Crimes (Child Exploitation Offences) Amendment Bill and Deborah Russell's Employment Relations (Extended Time for Personal Grievance for Sexual Harassment) Amendment Bill. Following that, the House should complete the first reading of Duncan Webb's Companies (Directors Duties) ...2 weeks ago
- Climate change reparations – who pays?This is a re-post from the NZ Newsroom by Kevin Trenberth Climate change reparations are expected to be one of the main issues at COP27, the next round of international climate talks from November 6-18 in Egypt. Climate change reparations are a new way of looking at how to pay developing countries ...2 weeks ago
- Much Worse Than It Looks.Bad News: While Labour’s refusal to back away from its most controversial policies is mobilising right-wing voters against them, its all-too-evident failure to address the worsening problems associated with the cost of living, health, education, housing and criminal offending will be having the opposite effect on the voters in its ...2 weeks ago
- The Drift South: The Changing Face of New Zealand Population
One of the defining aspects of New Zealand population dynamics since European settlement was the so-called Drift North. People relocating from the South Island to the North Island, in search of economic opportunity and of warmer weather. The early years of settlement saw most Europeans head for the South ...2 weeks ago - Free Speech Union holds its first symposium and AGMReport by Daphna Whitmore The growth of the Free Speech Union is remarkable. In just a few years it has grown to 72,000 registered supporters, 6,000 New Zealanders have donated to it, and more than 1000 people are members of its trade union arm. The FSU put on a symposium ...2 weeks ago
- All noise and no policyOver the weekend Labour had a very bad poll - basicly, the chickens coming home to roost on their fuck around and do nothing policy. But on Monday, price-gouging Aussie bank Westpac offered them a golden opportunity, in the form of a billion dollar profit. Everyone hates the banks, they're ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell on bank profits, and the US midtermsSo far, the political response to excessive bank profits has held up a mirror to party identity. Labour thinks the level of bank profits is “open to question” but offers no action in response. National thinks the problem must lie with the state (not the banks), and wants to investigate ...2 weeks ago
- Luxon and WillisChristopher Luxon was, presumably, in his day a dab hand at airline schedules, but he is obviously a little less competent when it comes to running a country. There is a world of difference between focussing on the single objective of the bottom line when running a trading company and ...2 weeks ago
- Jacinda Ardern’s Wall Of Sound.Thirty Minute Symphony? Among her peers there is no one who approaches Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern when it comes to talking the talk. She is, indisputably, New Zealand’s foremost impresario of political verbiage.PHIL SPECTOR’S “WALL OF SOUND” production technique revolutionised the recording of popular music in the 1950s and 60s. ...2 weeks ago
- Political Roundup: 8 November 2022Items of interest and importance today PARLIAMENT, ELECTION Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Much Worse Than It Looks Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Battle of the polls: Internal poll has Labour equal with National Newshub: Video: Newshub political editor Jenna Lynch breaks down ‘terrible, terrible’ poll result for Labour David Fisher (Herald): Why ...2 weeks ago
- Are clean technologies and renewable energies better for the environment than fossil fuels?This is a re-post from the CCL Blog The grand transition from a fossil fuel-based economy to a green one is underway. It will involve a fundamental shift in the way we generate and use energy for various purposes. Instead of drilling and mining for fossil fuels, we’ll need to mine ...2 weeks ago
- Labour’s morally indefensible choicesLabour held its party conference over the weekend, and the government announced a minor expansion of its free ECE policy - actually a subsidy to ECE providers - to try and shore up middle-class support. And in the Herald today, Jacinda Ardern said she'd go further if money was no ...2 weeks ago
- Climate Change: A “nightmare” of their own makingLast month, the government grovelled to the sacred cow, basicly adopting Federated Farmers' he waka eke noa framework to not-really price greenhouse gases at the farm level. And of course, farmers hate it and are calling it a "bureaucratic nightmare": "Paying taxes doesn't equal doing our part, and paying ...2 weeks ago
- Bryce Edwards: Labour’s version of conservatism is no longer popularNew Zealand now essentially has two conservative major parties for the public to choose from. Unfortunately for one of them – the Labour Party – the public increasingly prefers the more authentic conservative option, National. This can be seen in the latest opinion poll showing National continuing to storm ahead ...2 weeks ago
- 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #44A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Oct 30, 2022 thru Sat, Nov 5, 2022. Story of the Week COP27 climate summit to test resolve of world battling war, inflation Many of the biggest players distracted by crises Global ...2 weeks ago
- Is New Zealand covertly supporting the glorification of neo-Nazism?Ukrainian veterans of the Azov Battalion, formed by a white supremacist and banned from receiving U.S. aid, attend a rally in Kyiv on March 14, 2020. Source “Ukraine’s Nazi problem is real, even if Putin’s ‘denazification’ claim isn’t” Vladimir Sindeyeve / NurPhoto via Getty ...2 weeks ago
- Case for excess profit tax on banks clearer than ever
The Government should adopt an excess profits tax and use any revenue raised to help people make ends meet, following the rise in the Official Cash Rate today. ...7 hours ago - Easing the pressure on New Zealanders
Since taking office in 2017, our Government has worked hard to lift wages and make life more affordable for New Zealanders, as we move forward with our plan to create economic security for all. ...7 hours ago - Crown mineral change does not go far enoughLong overdue changes to the Crown Minerals Act are a welcome step in the right direction but the Government needs to go further to end the nonsensical search for fossil fuels. ...13 hours ago
- Healthy Homes for all means a WOF and Landlord RegisterThe Government’s decision to exclude landlords from property management regulations means more than half of Kiwi rentals will be left out in the cold. And, where they’re kicking the can down the road on Healthy Homes Standards, the Government falls short on the basics that a Rental Warrant of Fitness ...2 days ago
- Time to extend the voting ageThe Green Party is calling on the Government to take immediate action to lower the voting age to 16. ...2 days ago
- Supporting Kiwi kids this Children's DayOur Government has put the wellbeing of children at the heart of everything we do. As we celebrate World Children’s Day, we’re taking a look at some of the ways Labour is working to make New Zealand the best place in the world to be a child. ...4 days ago
- Hate speech change welcome, but still leaves communities at riskThe Green Party welcomes hate speech reform to protect religious groups, but is concerned that the exclusion of gender, rainbow, and disability communities sends a signal that these groups are less deserving of protection. ...5 days ago
- Young people deserve betterThe National Party’s plan to put children into military boot camps is so flawed it is dangerous. ...6 days ago
- Thousands more homes under LabourWe’ve just announced a massive infrastructure investment to kick-start new housing developments across New Zealand. Through our Infrastructure Acceleration Fund, we’re making sure that critical infrastructure - like pipes, roads and wastewater connections - is in place, so thousands more homes can be built. ...6 days ago
- Green Party solution better for Māori voters, not deal with NationalAn agreement between Labour and National misses an historic opportunity to make our democracy more accessible for Māori voters. ...1 week ago
- Govt must extend Samoa visa changes to all Pacific countriesThanks to Green Party pressure, visitors from Samoa can soon travel to Aotearoa without a visa – a right that should be extended to every Pacific country. ...1 week ago
- A cheaper, faster, better resource management systemOur Government is delivering a new resource management system that will better protect the environment while cutting red tape, lowering costs and speeding up the time it takes to approve new homes and infrastructure projects. ...1 week ago
- Nature missing in RMA reformThe Government has missed a crucial opportunity to redesign the resource management system with climate and nature at its heart. ...1 week ago
- Govt continuing to prioritise high income earners in immigration systemThe resumption today of the parent visa category needs to be followed by an end to the Government’s unfair salary based family reunification policy. ...1 week ago
- Supporting more Kiwis into jobsWe’re helping more Kiwis into work, to help support whānau, grow our skilled workforce and secure our economy for future generations. During our time in Government, we’ve delivered record low unemployment rates, as well as a steady fall in the number of New Zealanders receiving a main benefit, and we’re ...1 week ago
- Fix electricity market to help both climate and cost of livingThe four big electricity companies should be required to reinvest massive profits into cutting both household bills and climate pollution, the Green Party says. ...1 week ago
- Next Waitematā Harbour crossing must be climate-friendlyThe Minister for Transport can show climate leadership and consider only the lowest carbon ways of crossing Waitematā harbour. ...2 weeks ago
- Changes needed to three waters plansGreater local oversight and control, seven instead of four entities, stormwater staying with councils, and stronger safeguards against privatisation are among the changes the Green Party wants to three waters legislation. ...2 weeks ago
- Bold action needed on food prices and supermarket profitsSupermarkets are profiteering from families struggling to put food on the table. ...2 weeks ago
- Don’t let open banking close the door on action to address excess profitOpen banking is fine but the simplest and most effective way to address record bank profits is to tax them fairly to provide relief to families struggling to get by. ...2 weeks ago
- Rainbow Report shows more needs to be done for takatāpui and Rainbow peopleThe Green Party welcomes the Rainbow report released by Stats NZ today and calls for better support for takatāpui and Rainbow people, particularly our trans and non-binary whānau. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens call on Education Minister to bring tertiary sector to the tableThe Green Party is once again calling on the Minister of Education to bring union, government officials and sector leaders together to urgently improve the pay and condition of tertiary education staff. ...2 weeks ago
- Making childcare more affordableWe know childcare is one of the biggest costs for working families. That’s why, as part of our work to support New Zealanders with the cost of living, we’re making childcare more affordable for low and middle income families. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens welcome childcare support, call for more actionThe Green Party is welcoming the modest support for families announced by the Labour Government but calling for more urgent action to ease the pressure on households. ...2 weeks ago
- Jacinda Ardern: Speech to the Labour Party Conference 2022As we near the end of 2022, Jacinda Ardern addresses the Labour Party Conference in South Auckland. Watch the Labour Leader’s speech here. ...2 weeks ago
- Kelvin Davis: Address to the Labour Party Conference 2022I often refer to, and draw inspiration from, our tupuna, and when I reflect on the last few years the words of a famous Ngapuhi chief Te Ruki Kawiti come to mind. ...2 weeks ago
- Grant Robertson: Speech to the Labour Party Conference 2022Labour Finance Spokesperson Grant Robertson speaks at the Labour Party Conference in South Auckland. ...3 weeks ago
- Finnish PM to visit New Zealand
Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin, accompanied by Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari and a business delegation will visit New Zealand next week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. The two leaders will meet in Auckland. “New Zealand and Finland are natural partners. We share similar approaches ...4 hours ago - New recreational rules to support hāpuku and bass fisheriesThe daily limits on recreationally caught hāpuku (also known as groper) and bass will be lowered to a total of two per person in some areas, with a new accumulation limit of three per person on multi-day trips. Oceans and Fisheries Minister, David Parker said the rule changes would take ...8 hours ago
- Jobs for Nature enabling Mātāuranga MāoriMātāuranga Māori is at the heart of the latest tranche of Jobs for Nature projects set to promote biodiversity and reduce impacts of climate change on Māori land, Minister of Conservation Poto Williams says. Project work will include the creation of an ecological corridor in Tairāwhiti, protecting 60 hectares of ...8 hours ago
- Supporting resilient shipping infrastructure in VanuatuThe Government has announced further support to Vanuatu to assist in constructing climate-resilient wharves as part of the Vanuatu Inter-Island Shipping Support Project (VISSP). “Aotearoa New Zealand is committed to supporting the economic recovery of our Pacific region in a way that continues to provide growth and supports climate resilience,” ...12 hours ago
- Government welcomes High Court ruling on climate caseThe High Court has today confirmed the legality of the advice provided by the Climate Change Commission (the Commision) to inform New Zealand’s nationally determined contribution (NDC) and the first three emissions budgets. Minister of Climate Change James Shaw says New Zealanders can have confidence in the Commission and of ...12 hours ago
- Government introduces changes to mining Act with stronger environmental focus· Crown Minerals Act will no longer actively “promote” prospecting, exploration, and mining of Crown-owned minerals · Will create more certainty around engagement between industry, iwi and hapū. The Government is proposing changes to modernise the Crown Minerals Act 1991 (CMA) to support more environmentally conscious management of resources, says ...13 hours ago
- Speech to Building Nations 2050 conferenceTēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Good morning and thank you, Jack, for the introduction. I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge Infrastructure New Zealand Chair, Margaret Devlin and all the sponsors and organisers of this event for bringing us together in ‘Building Nations 2050’. I would also like to ...14 hours ago
- Better natural hazard information for home buyersAssociate Minister of Local Government Kieran McAnulty has today introduced legislation to empower councils to share better information about natural hazards with the public. The Local Government Official Information Amendment (LGOIMA) Bill will make it easier for Councils to share clear and concise information in Land Information Memorandum (LIM) reports. ...15 hours ago
- New Zealand welcomes visiting WTO Director GeneralThe World Trade Organization (WTO) Director General Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala visits New Zealand this week. Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor said the WTO was essential to New Zealand as a small export-dependent trading nation. “New Zealand’s economic security depends on our ability to trade. Our goods exports ...19 hours ago
- Faster, cheaper, better resource management law given first readingNew laws that will deliver a faster, cheaper, and better resource management system had their first reading in the House today. The Spatial Planning (SP) and the Natural and Built Environment (NBE) Bills, which were introduced last week, will replace the 30-year-old Resource Management Act (RMA). Environment Minister David Parker ...1 day ago
- Minister Sio to meet new Vanuatu PMAssociate Foreign Affairs Minister Aupito William Sio travels to Vanuatu today, to meet with the new Government led by Prime Minister Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau and to represent Aotearoa New Zealand at the Pacific Community (SPC) Ministerial Conference being hosted in Port Vila. Minister Sio will have a number of bilateral meetings with ...1 day ago
- Driving ahead with the Clean Car StandardFollowing discussions with vehicle importers, the Government has confirmed the Clean Car Standard will be phased in from 1 December 2022, significantly reducing the CO2 emissions of light vehicles in New Zealand, announced Transport Minister Michael Wood. “Emissions from our light vehicle fleet are the single largest source of ...1 day ago
- Speech to Constitutional Kōrero conferenceOur Evolving Sense of Nationhood – Me Anga Whakamua Indigenous Futures and New Zealand’s Constitution Tuia ki runga, Tuia ki raro, Tuia te here tangata, Mai i te wheiao ki te ao mārama Ka rongo te pō ka rongo te āo! Tīhei Mauri Ora! Kei ngā miro o te ao ...2 days ago
- Rental sector changes to regulate residential property managers, clear up meth confusion and ease pr...A suite of measures to improve the lives of renters and landlords has been announced by Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods as the Government makes more progress on reform of the rental sector. “Nearly 600,000 households rent in New Zealand and these measures will result in regulated oversight of residential ...2 days ago
- Further sanctions on the political and economic elites of Russia and BelarusForeign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta today announced further sanctions on members of the inner circles of governments in Russia and Belarus, as part of the ongoing response to the war in Ukraine. “Aotearoa New Zealand first moved against the powerful and wealthy in Russia with sanctions on political and economic ...2 days ago
- Another step towards improved supermarket competitionThe Bill to trigger an unprecedented shake-up of the grocery sector and deliver New Zealanders a fairer deal at the checkout and help tackle cost of living pressures is ready for its first reading at Parliament. “The duopoly has now been given plenty of warning. If they fail to adequately ...2 days ago
- Black Ferns to be celebrated at ParliamentA public event and celebration will be held on Parliament’s lawn on December 13 to celebrate our Rugby World Cup winning Black Ferns. “The Black Ferns’ triumph at Eden Park is one of New Zealand’s greatest sporting moments,” Grant Robertson said. “They are extraordinary athletes, exceptional people and proud New ...2 days ago
- Autism Guideline released by MinistryThe release of the latest edition of the Aotearoa New Zealand Autism Guideline – He Waka Huia Takiwātanga Rau has been welcomed by Minister for Disability Issues Poto Williams today. The Guideline provides an opportunity to better understand and communicate best practices for supporting autistic people and their families and ...2 days ago
- Speech to Aotearoa Refugee HuiNga mihi nui ki a koutou, Welcome to the Parliament, your Parliament. It is great to see the community here in such numbers, and I am happy to be here with my parliamentary colleagues to listen and take part in the discussions today. I particularly want to acknowledge Ibrahim Omer ...3 days ago
- Global climate talks underline need for domestic actionMinister of Climate Change James Shaw marked the end of COP27 negotiations in Egypt by saying it was now crunch time for counties to step up and take urgent action at home. “Even though we have these international negotiations every year, our focus must always be on what we do ...3 days ago
- Defence Minister visits Ukraine and PolandDefence Minister Peeni Henare has visited Ukraine and Poland, holding talks with his Ministerial counterparts. During the talks Minister Henare reaffirmed New Zealand’s unwavering support for the Ukrainian defence against Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion. The visit was a further demonstration of New Zealand’s ongoing support to the people ...3 days ago
- Stuart Nash to attend OECD meetingsSmall Business Minister Stuart Nash will travel to Paris today to attend small business meetings with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Stuart Nash will chair the OECD’s Digital for SMEs (D4SME) Steering Group meeting and the 4th Roundtable of the OECD D4SME Global Initiative. “The OECD’s Digital ...3 days ago
- Human Rights Act enhanced to protect religious communitiesThe Government will amend the law to make sure religious communities feel safe and welcome in New Zealand. After extensive consultation, with more than 19,000 submissions on six proposals, the Government will make one change to address incitement towards religious communities while asking for further work to be done alongside ...5 days ago
- Defence Minister meets with UK counterpart and visits NZDF personnelMinister of Defence Peeni Henare held talks in the UK today with his counterpart, Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace. The Ministers reiterated the importance of our defence relationship, and reflected on the strong historical and cultural ties between the United Kingdom and New Zealand. Together, they ...6 days ago
- Government takes action to reduce gambling harm from pokiesThe Government is announcing today changes to strengthen the requirements in venues which have pokie (gambling) machines to reduce the harm they cause people. “The changes focus on reducing harm caused by pokies, which can affect both those people gambling and their whānau. In short, they would make the ‘host ...6 days ago
- The Pacific business village comes to AucklandThe Pacific Business Village (the Village) is now going to set up in the Auckland region, said Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio. The Ministry secured $15.5 million in Budget 2022 to meet community demand volumes for services to support Pacific businesses and Pacific social enterprises across Aotearoa. “The ...6 days ago
- Government’s health investments making a difference for New ZealandersFewer New Zealanders say cost is a barrier to visiting a GP or getting a prescription. The number of children going hungry has halved over the past decade. Statistics show why the Government has made major investment in mental health. Official statistics released today show the Government’s targeted health investments ...6 days ago
- Speech to the Asia New Zealand FoundationKia koutou, warm pacific greetings.I am delighted we have the opportunity to meet kanohi ki te kanohi and talanoa in-person, I would like to extend my thanks to Adele and her team for organising this event, for us, today; fa’afetai tele lava. I am also delighted to see some rangatahi ...6 days ago
- Major investment in Māori HealthLargest commissioning investment to date from Te Aka Whai Ora | Māori Health Authority boosts funding for Maori health providers $29.3 million for Te Pae Tata | interim New Zealand Health Plan priority areas $13.0 million for Māori primary and community providers $17.6 million for te ao Māori solutions, mātauranga ...6 days ago
- Govt delivers connectivity for rural and remote householdsSome of New Zealand’s most remote communities will receive broadband for the first time thanks to a new Government-led initiative. The Remote Users Scheme will equip as many remote households as possible with the connectivity infrastructure needed to access broadband services, Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications, David Clark ...6 days ago
- Government appoints investigator to work with Christchurch City Council to improve housing supplyAssociate Minister for the Environment, Phil Twyford has appointed an investigator under part 4 of the Resource Management Act, to work with Christchurch City Council on its housing intensification plan. “John Hardie is a skilled and experienced mediator with local knowledge of Christchurch City. The aim of the investigation is ...6 days ago
- New Zealand records lowest smoking rate everStatistics released today show New Zealand’s smoking rate has fallen to an historic low of 8% of adults smoking daily, down from 9.4% a year ago, Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall said. “The Government’s plan to reduce smoking is working. The number of people smoking fell by 56,000 ...7 days ago
- Over 16,000 more new homes to be unlocked with infrastructure bonanzaApproximately 16,600 new homes across New Zealand set to be unlocked by Government’s third tranche of the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund New homes enabled in Hamilton, Auckland, Tauranga, Christchurch, Kawakawa, Kaikohe, Westport, Upper Hutt, Waipukurau, Hokitika and Pahiatua Critical infrastructure projects will get Government support to unlock thousands more homes in ...7 days ago
- New model to better support kids with the highest needsThe Government is committed to designing a system that better supports our kids and young people with the highest needs, Associate Minister of Education Jan Tinetti announced today. The Highest Needs Review was launched in April 2021 and was completed recently, with 1100 submissions received. “Following the feedback from the ...7 days ago
- Firearms Prohibition Orders now in force help to reduce gun harmNew tools to reduce gun crime come into force today, Police Minister Chris Hipkins said. Firearms Prohibition Orders will improve public safety by stopping people whose behaviour and actions represent a high risk of violence from accessing firearms or restricted weapons. “Firearms Prohibition Orders are another measure that will help ...1 week ago
- New Deputy Public Service Commissioner appointedMinister for the Public Service Chris Hipkins has today announced the appointment of Ms Rebecca Kitteridge CVO as Deputy Public Service Commissioner. The Deputy Public Service Commissioner is appointed by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, under the Public Service Act 2020. Subject to the control of ...1 week ago
- Innovative projects to cut transport emissions and costs, get government co-fundingThe first marine project under the Low Emission Transport Fund is among 11 projects getting $2.14 million Eleven new transport projects including clever solutions for electric vehicle charging, ways to cut fuel costs in heavy freight, and the first marine project will get co-funding from the Government, Energy and Resources ...1 week ago
- Government buys land for affordable housing on major transport corridor in WellingtonThe Government’s plan to increase housing supply and affordability in Wellington in places with good access to public transport has moved another step forward following the acquisition of a 2,016m2 section of land on Adelaide Road in Mount Cook, as part of a Kāinga Ora urban development programme. “Wellington, in ...1 week ago
- New Zealand National Statement – COP27Tēnā koutou katoa. Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. This 27th Conference of the Parties is being referred to as the Implementation COP. The Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC asked us at the start of this Conference to show evidence of how we have started to implement the decisions that we collectively ...1 week ago
- Minister to travel to UK for bilateral defence meetingMinister of Defence Peeni Henare departs for the United Kingdom tomorrow to meet with Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace to discuss the UK and New Zealand’s shared security interests and ongoing defence co-operation. “This will be my first trip to Europe as Minister of Defence, and I’m looking ...1 week ago
- Politics with Michelle Grattan: ‘Teal’ Monique Ryan on the Victorian election and six months in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Australian National University Dictionary Centre has just announced its word of the year is “teal”. Senior researcher Mark Gwynn described it as an “easy choice”. “The colour came to represent a movement of independent ...4 hours ago - How and why Australian whistleblowing laws need an overhaul: new reportSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By A J Brown, Professor of Public Policy & Law, Centre for Governance & Public Policy, Griffith University Recent developments in Australian whistleblowing cases have shown how critical it is to get our whistleblower protection laws back up to world standards. Fortunately, ...5 hours ago
- US LGBT nightclub shooting shows why Australia must reform hate crime lawsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matteo Vergani, Senior lecturer, Deakin University News of yet another deadly shooting at a United States LGBTIQ+ nightclub has again brought hate crime to the forefront of public conversation. This shocking incident coincides with an inquiry currently underway in Sydney examining ...5 hours ago
- Our favourite international reality shows of 2022
There’s no local reality TV to talk about so we are taking a look back at the most memorable international shows of the year. Jane dials in from isolation to recap her beloved Sister Wives and The Bachelorette US, and then Alex and Duncan count down 10 of the best ...5 hours ago - Adapting to a hotter planet has never been more important, and progress edged forward at COP27Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Johanna Nalau, Research Fellow, Climate Adaptation, Griffith University As the COP27 climate summit drew to a close over the weekend, it’s important to acknowledge that progress was made on climate adaptation – even if more can be done. “Climate adaptation” is a ...6 hours ago
- Submissions Open On The Natural And Built Environment Bill And The Spatial Planning Bill
Have your say on two of the three bills replacing the Resource Management Act 1991. The Chair of the Environment Committee has called for public submissions on the Natural and Built Environment Bill and the Spatial Planning Bill . The closing date for written ...7 hours ago - Dusty Ponsonby carpark turned into four-screen cinemaYou can grab a pinot at the bar then have goat cheese rolls and sriracha salmon delivered to your chair. Behind a hidden door lies a secret screen capable of showing films in 3D. “We want to elevate the cinema-going experience as much as we can,” says general manager Matthew ...7 hours ago
- Migrations of the Maunga: Writing from the Taranaki Māori diaspora is flourishingTina Makereti reviews The Ani Waaka Room by Te Aro Pā poet Debbie Broughton – one of three books by diasporic Taranaki wāhine being published this month. I don’t have the advantage of white privilege. I have the advantage of Taranaki privilege. I have a mountain who believes in me. ...7 hours ago
- ‘Kiwis are now paying the price’: National reacts to OCR hikeReaction to today’s record though entirely predictable official cash rate rise has started to roll in, with the National Party sending out a press release simply titled: “Labour has lost control of the economy”. The official cash rate now sits at 4.25%, the highest in 14 years. It’s predicted to ...7 hours ago
- Government claims to be moving NZ ahead, but is it one step forward, and one back?
The government has welcomed a High Court ruling, with a group of activist lawyers losing a bid to have New Zealand set deeper and steeper cuts in its carbon emissions for the rest of this decade. The group, Lawyers for Climate Action NZ, went to the High Court challenging ...8 hours ago - National's tax policy under review post-OCR hike, Luxon says
National Party leader Christopher Luxon says everything in its tax policy but indexed tax brackets is now under review, after today's cash rate rise. ...8 hours ago - Reading the room: with NZ’s hate speech laws postponed, where are the limits for comedy?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Jenkins, Lecturer in Political Theory, University of Otago Getty Images After a long and at times divisive public consultation process, the government has opted to make a single change to the Human Rights Act and push the “wider and ...8 hours ago
- The best international reality shows of 2022Whether it’s fumbling fugitives, furry friends or faux fights you’re after, the big international reality shows of 2022 had it all. The baubles are up at the mall and the fake tan is sold out at the Chemist Warehouse, which can only mean one thing: the end (of the year) ...8 hours ago
- Official cash rate highest in 14 years after record 0.75% riseThe official cash rate has risen to 4.25%, the highest it’s been in 14 years. The 0.75 basis point jump is also the largest in the OCR’s history and comes as the Reserve Bank moves to tackle growing inflation, a cost of living crisis and ongoing international pressures. In a ...8 hours ago
- Misleading food labels contribute to babies and toddlers eating too much sugar. 3 things parents can...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer McCann, Lecturer, PhD student, Deakin University Shutterstock Australian infants and toddlers are eating unhealthy amounts of sugar. This is mostly because the products marketed and sold by the processed food industry are high in sugar. Based on the ...8 hours ago
- Reaction To Lawyers For Climate Action V Climate Change Commission VerdictCindy Baxter, Coal Action Network Aotearoa spokesperson said: “What’s shocking in this decision is the Court’s ruling that the 1.5C warming limit in the Zero Carbon Act is not legally binding. We call on the government to change the Act accordingly, ...9 hours ago
- Te Rawhitiroa Bosch, the everywhere manHe may not be formally trained, but photographer Te Rawhitiroa Bosch has more than made up for that in skill, energy and sheer determination to portray Māori through a fresh, unjaded lens to themselves and others. He’s everywhere. If it’s a Māori gathering of national significance, chances are you’ll catch ...9 hours ago
- Higher Interest Rates NecessaryThe Monetary Policy Committee today increased the Official Cash Rate (OCR) from 3.5 percent to 4.25 percent. The Committee agreed that the OCR needs to reach a higher level, and sooner than previously indicated, to ensure inflation returns to within ...10 hours ago
- State of the climate: what Australians need to know about major new reportSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew England, Scientia Professor and Deputy Director of the ARC Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS), UNSW Sydney David Crosling/AAP The latest State of the Climate report is out, and there’s not much good news for Australians. Our ...10 hours ago
- Te Rāwhiritoa Bosch, the everywhere manHe may not be formally trained, but photographer Te Rāwhiritoa Bosch has more than made up for that in skill, energy and sheer determination to portray Māori through a fresh, unjaded lens to themselves and others. He’s everywhere. If it’s a Māori gathering of national significance, chances are you’ll catch ...10 hours ago
- Te Pāti Māori accuses government of ‘dangerous and reckless’ lawmakingTe Pāti Māori has labelled the government’s decision to push through as many as 20 bills under urgency “dangerous and reckless”. Legislation including the highly controversial three waters reforms along with extensions to Covid-19 laws will be debated this week. Rawiri Waititi, co-leader of Te Pāti Māori, said it could ...10 hours ago
- Could the OCR rise by a whole percentage point?It’s Wednesday, November 23 and welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates. I’m Stewart Sowman-Lund, back from the wilderness – a huge thanks to my colleagues for keeping this thing ticking in my absence. Got a story? Reach me on [email protected] DONATE The agenda It’s official cash rate day ...10 hours ago
- How to host the perfect dinner party – even when things get imperfect‘Tis the season for gathering, so to make sure your dinner party goes as planned, we’ve asked some of our favourite hospitality names for their top tips to save you from disaster. In The Menu, a new black comedy from Searchlight Pictures releasing this Thursday, a couple (Anya Taylor-Joy and ...10 hours ago
- Five gigs, four no-shows: Will The Game make it to New Zealand this time?Someone is trying to bring The Game to Aotearoa – again. Good luck to them. Once. Just a single lone appearance. To date, the only time ungoogleable rapper The Game has performed in New Zealand is on February 25, 2012. At Spark Arena, the aggressive Compton artist known for hits ...10 hours ago
- Why are shallow earthquakes more destructive? The disaster in Java is a devastating exampleSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phil R. Cummins, Professor, Australian National University A man reacts as he inspects the damage caused by Monday’s earthquake in Cianjur, West Java, Indonesia. Tatan Syuflana/AP On November 21 2022 an earthquake near the Indonesian city of Cianjur in West Java caused ...10 hours ago
- They might not have a spine, but invertebrates are the backbone of our ecosystems. Let’s help them...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Contos, PhD Candidate, La Trobe University Many of Australia’s natural places are in a poor state. While important work is being done to protect particular species, we must also take a broader approach to returning entire ecosystems to their former glory ...10 hours ago
- Why do I sprain my ankle so often? And how can I cut the risk of it happening again?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gordon Waddington, AIS Professor of Sports Medicine Research, University of Canberra Photo by Kindel Media/Pexels, CC BY Are you one of those people who seems to be forever spraining their ankle? To some extent, ankle sprains are part and parcel ...11 hours ago
- 50th Anniversary Of End Of Compulsory Military Training RememberedThis weekend sees the 50th anniversary celebration of the short but successful 1972 campaign to get rid of compulsory military training for 19-year-old males in Aotearoa / New Zealand. Campaigners and military service resisters will meet in Wellington ...12 hours ago
- Govt Shows Climate Sense On Oil Exploration While Luxon On Another PlanetGreenpeace is welcoming the Government’s proposed changes to the Crown Minerals Act released today which remove the purpose of ‘promoting’ fossil fuel exploration and extraction from the Act but is calling for it to go further. "It’s good ...12 hours ago
- Cash rate tipped for unprecedented hikeThe Reserve Bank will today reveal the latest movements to the official cash rate, with expectations it will jump by a record 0.75 percentage points. That would bring the OCR up to 4.25%, the highest it’s been in 14 years. And ANZ’s chief economist Sharon Zollner told Newstalk ZB this ...12 hours ago
- ‘Underpaid and overworked’: The university strikes explainedOver the last two months, staff at universities around the country have taken action in an effort to secure improved pay and conditions. Charlotte Muru-Lanning looks at what’s happened so far, and what might happen next. As living costs continue to surge, workers around the world are seeing their grocery, ...12 hours ago
- Gore’s mayor facing scrutiny over personal assistant costsNew Zealand’s youngest mayor, Gore’s Ben Bell, has faced scrutiny during his first full council meeting after requesting his own personal assistant at a cost of $85,000 per year. The Otago Daily Times reported yesterday that Bell was the only mayor in Southland to have their own assistant, and a ...12 hours ago
- Govt Crown Minerals Changes Disappointing – Energy ResourcesChanges to the Crown Minerals Act that will no longer require the Government to promote the exploration and development of Crown minerals are disappointing, says Energy Resources Aotearoa. Energy Resources Aotearoa Chief Executive John Carnegie ...13 hours ago
- Government Sends Wrong Message With Bill ChangesChanges to the Crown Minerals Act, being introduced to Parliament under urgency today, send the wrong message, says Straterra CEO Josie Vidal. "Changing the purpose of the Act and removing the Government’s obligation to promote prospecting, ...13 hours ago
- New legislation aims to make LIM reports clearerCouncils would need to provide clearer information about risks like flooding and earthquakes in LIM reports, with more protection against legal action, under new legislation. ...13 hours ago
- More regulation on the way, folks – this time residential property managers will be bound by new r...
Buzz from the Beehive On learning of “a suite” of measures to improve the lives of renters and landlords, readers of the Beehive website should be wondering: so, who gets the fluffy end of this lollipop? The measures were proudly announced by Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods, who said it ...14 hours ago - THOMAS CRANMER: Cabinet loses its grip on Five WatersThe speed at which the government is attempting to ram through the Water Services Entities Bill into law is exposing Cabinet’s lack of grip on the details of these reforms. THOMAS CRANMER writes: As the government prepares to push the controversial Water Services Entities Bill through its third and final reading ...14 hours ago
- The Bulletin: Wellington man commissions own survey on fireworks useJonathan Hill has two kids and two dogs. He was so fed up with the constant banging for the week around Guy Fawkes, he commissioned Talbot Mills (they do Labour’s polling) to do a survey on whether people think private sales of fireworks should be banned. Two thirds of New ...14 hours ago
- Financial stress biggest factor impacting people’s mental wellbeingAs we await confirmation of what could be to be the biggest lift in the OCR since 1999 today, financial stress takes the top spot in a new survey of New Zealander’s mental health, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each ...14 hours ago
- The Supreme Court's Decision On The Voting Age Is A Godsend To LabourIt is difficult to escape the conclusion that the government was delighted with this week’s ruling from the Supreme Court that excluding sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds from the right to vote was inconsistent with the Bill of Rights Act. Not because ...15 hours ago
- Kiri Allan, Erica Stanford and Chlöe Swarbrick on five terrible, glorious yearsFive years ago, three would-be MPs accepted invitations from The Spinoff to write diaries chronicling their efforts. Five years on, in a special live event made possible by Spinoff Members, Kiritapu Allan, Erica Stanford and Chlöe Swarbrick talk candidly with Toby Manhire about that incredible 2017 campaign, and their extraordinary ...15 hours ago
- Choosing a caesarean birth to ‘protect’ your pelvic floor? Here’s why that won’t necessarily...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mischa Bongers, Sessional Lecturer, CQUniversity Australia Shutterstock It’s commonly understood that having a baby can be a primary cause of later pelvic floor problems, such as bladder leakage. While giving birth can be a very special and joyful time, it ...15 hours ago
- That siren-imitating lyrebird at Taronga Zoo? He lost his song culture – and absorbed some of our...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Maisey, Postdoctoral research fellow, Research Centre for Future Landscapes, La Trobe University A fortnight after five lions escaped at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo, an amused zoo visitor captured footage of Echo the superb lyrebird as he mimicked alarm sirens and evacuation calls ...15 hours ago
- Why do kids bully? And what can parents do about it?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mandie Shean, Lecturer, School of Education, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock Bullying is unfortunately a common problem in Australian schools, with surveys suggesting one in five teenagers are bullied. While schools are responsible for ensuring a safe environment, parents are ...15 hours ago
- Elon Musk’s ‘hardcore’ management style: a case study in what not to doSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Libby (Elizabeth) Sander, MBA Director & Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour, Bond Business School, Bond University Jae C. Hong/AP As a case study in how to implement organisational change, Elon Musk’s actions at Twitter will go down as the ...15 hours ago
- Newsletter: November 23 2022 – Items of interest and importance todayNew Zealand Politics Daily is a collation of the most prominent issues being discussed in New Zealand. It is edited by Dr Bryce Edwards of The Democracy Project. Items of interest and importance today VOTING AGE Henry Cooke (Guardian): New Zealand’s supreme court has forced voting age on to agenda, exposing absurd ...16 hours ago
- Government moves to address Three Waters 'confusion'Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern admits part of the government's Three Waters bill has caused confusion, and she has asked whether it can be clarified. ...16 hours ago
- Elon Musk and Sam Bankman-Fried show the tech star system is failing fastTwo multi-billion dollar companies. Two shattering collapses. How should we respond to the catastrophic behaviour of Sam Bankman-Fried and Elon Musk? It’s been a bleak few weeks for major tech CEOs. Elon Musk has managed to lay off, fire or otherwise scare away well over half of Twitter’s workforce, leading ...16 hours ago
- ‘I confronted mortality, face up’: Kiri Allan on five years in parliamentIt’s been a meteoric political rise for Kiritapu Allan. In 2017, she was a bright-eyed first-time candidate. Today she is justice minister. Along the way, she got dealt a life-changing diagnosis. The Spinoff’s coverage of politics hinges on the support of members – if you can, please make a contribution ...16 hours ago
- Greens demand consistency over Ukraine President Zelensky invite to address ParliamentThe Green Party wants leaders of other oppressed nations to address Parliament too. ...17 hours ago
- Ukraine: what’s to negotiate?
As the Kremlin’s spokesman tells us – somewhat improbably – that regime change was never Vladimir Putin’s goal, the debate on whether Russia and Ukraine should be negotiating gets another bounce. Depressing – but necessary – to bear in mind that a settlement will rest more on power than ...23 hours ago - Word from The Hill: Industrial relations bill, Victoria’s election, and imminent report on Morriso...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. In this podcast Michelle and ...1 day ago
- Justice is served: Seven Sharp finally gets a snazzy new setGood things really do come to those who wait. Earlier this year, The Spinoff campaigned for justice for Seven Sharp, the only TVNZ show without a fancy studio. Since Omicron hit our shores, Seven Sharp presenters Hilary Barry and Jeremy Wells have battled through terrible conditions, forced to broadcast every ...1 day ago
- Spotify opens audiobook streaming to NZ – but it’s costlyIn a bid to become the world’s most popular audio streaming service, Spotify has made 300,000 audiobooks available to New Zealand users for the first time. But you’ll need to pony up some serious cash to listen to them. When The Spinoff browsed Spotify’s audiobooks landing page, listening to Stephen ...1 day ago
- Review: Netflix’s 1899 is a darker, damper LostThis ghost ship mystery from the makers of Dark will have you scratching your head – and coming back for more, writes Catherine McGregor. This is an excerpt from The Spinoff’s weekly pop culture and entertainment newsletter Rec Room – sign up here. The lowdown In the closing year of ...1 day ago
- Long Covid is on the rise and employees need to know their rightsIf summer brings its predicted third wave of infections, long Covid cases and other serious health repercussions will rise too. As an employee, it’s important to know your rights around avoiding infection and – if you do get sick and are unable to work – appropriate compensation. Back in February, ...1 day ago
- NZ Herald pulls paid Chinese government-linked propaganda after reader backlashA glowing sponsored story spoke of a historic poverty reduction. But reader feedback to the Chinese Communist Party-linked story has seen NZME pull it down and reassess its policies, reports Duncan Greive. Under the subheading “Relocation & revitalisation see 100m people lifted out of poverty” sits an unambiguously positive story ...1 day ago
- TV fans wake up to two hefty streaming price hikesUsers of two major streaming services woke up to a nasty surprise in their inboxes this morning: the cost of subscribing to both Apple TV+ and Disney TV+ is rising, and the amount is significant. Apple TV+, which charged $8.99 per month on launch, will now cost $12.99. Disney, which ...1 day ago
- Substack measures ‘Musk bump’ amid Twitter meltdownThe maelstrom around the US $44bn acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk, replete with ultimatums, sackings, resignations, volatile edicts from the throne and perceptions of a death rattle, has prompted countless users to announce their migration to other platforms, including Mastodon, BeReal and Substack. At Substack, the publishing platform centred ...1 day ago
- Warm smiles and hot coffees: the vital community role cafes playAcross New Zealand, cafes open every morning to provide hot coffee, shelter from the elements, and a gathering space for communities. Brodie McDonald’s daughter does weekend shifts at his cafe, Seabreeze. He’s not the only proud parent who is part of the cafe’s community. “We have a generation of local ...1 day ago
- Jolt’s bold plan to electrify New Zealand’s EV network: ‘We don’t stop for five years’An Australian company has big plans to double the number of public charging stations available to New Zealand EV owners. Will it work? This is an excerpt from our weekly business newsletter Stocktake. Having an electric car is the best. There’s the quiet hum of the electric engine, not having to ...1 day ago
- Residential property managers to be regulatedHousing minister Megan Woods has made three announcements this morning on changes for the rental sector. The first fulfills a Labour party manifesto commitment in 2020 to regulate residential property managers. Residential property managers will have to be registered, trained and licensed, and complaints and disciplinary matters will be dealt ...1 day ago
- I was in care for just 10 days as a child and I was sexually abusedAbused as a 12-year-old, David Hill’s circumstances were different from many of those now telling their stories to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, but his sense of confusion and shame was the same – as was his urge to stay silent for years. This article contains ...1 day ago
- The Bulletin: Ukraine’s president invited to address parliamentAs RNZ’s Katie Scotcher reports this morning, Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky has been invited to address parliament. RNZ understands arrangements are being made for Zelensky to speak via video link to MPs. He would be the second head of a foreign government to address New Zealand’s parliament. The first was Australian ...1 day ago
- How managing Shapeshifter led to more Good Sh*tMeet the couple bringing you Tony’s Chocolate, Seedlip, McClures Pickles and now, Good Sh*t – the soda that is intriguingly all about your gut health. Becs Caughey and Nick Brown share their expertise in business, music and distributing great brands. Follow Business is Boring on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your ...1 day ago
- The Supreme Court’s judgment on the voting age and what comes nextA Supreme Court declaration on the voting age is a moral and tangible victory for Make It 16, but changing electoral law requires 75% of MPs to vote in favour and that currently looks unlikely. What the Supreme Court ruling actually said about the voting age Contrary to a few ...1 day ago
- The rising costs of outsourced healthcareThe cost to the public of sending non-emergency surgeries to the private system has nearly doubled over the past five years. Data journalist Emma Vitz and reporter Shanti Mathias look into why. The lines on the road at night are blurry while you drive, the headlights of other cars too ...1 day ago
- Elon Musk’s Twitter immolation, according to the New Zealander who worked for himHamish McKenzie was hired by Musk, wrote a book about his Tesla revolution and went on to found Substack, the platform today enjoying a ‘Musk bump’ as Twitter users look elsewhere amid the chaos. He talks to Toby Manhire. The timeline is mayhem, and the big, volatile mouth at the ...1 day ago
- The West Australian Ballet’s Swan Lake brings the story to Perth – but the Noongar elements neve...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan W. Marshall, Associate Professor & Postgraduate Research Coordinator, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Edith Cowan University West Australian Ballet/Bradbury Photography Review: Swan Lake, West Australian Ballet Opening this production of Swan Lake is the traditional Noongar black swan ...1 day ago
- Labour considers voting age change for council electionsLabour ministers are considering whether to allow 16-year-olds to vote in council elections - an easier task than for central elections. ...1 day ago
- Fear Of The Future: New Research Captures Concerning Youth Sentiment About Employment ProspectsA new report comprising the personal experiences of over 200 young people indicates that job search confidence is low and fear of the future relating to gaining employment is alarmingly high. According to Talent RISE’s latest findings, over one third ...1 day ago
- How satellites, radar and drones are tracking meteorites and aiding Earth’s asteroid defenceSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hadrien Devillepoix, Researcher in Planetary Astronomy, Curtin University NASA On July 31 2013 a constellation of US defence satellites saw a streak of light over South Australia as a rock from outer space burned through Earth’s atmosphere on its way ...1 day ago
- Christmas may be safe, but three-year port dispute shows the IR system is full of holesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shae McCrystal, Professor of Labour Law, University of Sydney Shutterstock Australia’s industrial relations umpire has delayed industrial action that would have crippled Australia’s ports in the lead-up to Christmas. But the dispute in which it has intervened – one that ...1 day ago
- Keith Rankin Essay – Population Imbalances in a World of Eight BillionAnalysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. Last week the world population reached eight billion people, at least according to some sources. See these world population clocks, which do not agree: refer ...1 day ago
- OraTaiao Joins Free Fares CoalitionOraTaiao: NZ Climate and Health Council have joined the Free Fares Coalition – the Aotearoa Collective for Public Transport Equity. OraTaiao Co Convener Summer Wright said, “OraTaiao supports the Free Fares campaign calling for free fares ...1 day ago
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