activism
Categories under activism
- Spying (307)
Climate Action Mondays: after the IPCC report, what now?
Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, April 11th, 2022 - 87 comments
It’s time to act as if our lives depend on it.
Climate Action Mondays: slow fashion
Written By: - Date published: 9:54 am, April 4th, 2022 - 44 comments
It’s time to act as if our lives depend on it. Here are the things we can do and we can require government and business to do.
Climate Action Mondays
Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, March 21st, 2022 - 33 comments
It’s time to act as if our lives depend on it.
Blinken and Blind-Sided?
Written By: - Date published: 2:54 pm, January 16th, 2022 - 17 comments
Russian peacekeepers are already leaving Kazakhstan having nipped the ‘colour revolution’ in the bud. Blinken clearly didn’t have a clue when he said Russians never leave the house. Russian intelligence was superb. Now we wait for Russia’s response to US likely refusal to pull back from its borders. One thing I’d bet on – no invasion of Ukraine.
Is it time for the Greens to go their own way?
Written By: - Date published: 1:18 pm, January 11th, 2022 - 122 comments
Climate, ecology, welfare, housing – we are now at the point for the Greens to go ‘fuck it, time to go back to our radical roots’.
No Right Turn: Spy cameras literally are
Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, June 29th, 2021 - 21 comments
Its time for our local authorities (and other bodies such as NZTA) to come clean, and confess whether they allow the SIS to access their camera networks in this way. That would allow the people to judge whether it is acceptable, and hold them accountable if they feel it necessary. But I suspect that that prospect is precisely why the SIS has kept this secret for so long.
The Problem with Personification in Politics
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 19th, 2021 - 12 comments
It is a grave mistake to treat Ministries as if they are real persons.
Einstein versus Trump*
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 18th, 2021 - 10 comments
Einstein tried to explain complex things and understand reality; Trump tried to explain it away and distort reality.
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.
Reasons to abandon NZ’s Five-Eyed Folly
Written By: - Date published: 2:35 pm, February 4th, 2021 - 29 comments
Wayne Brown’s recent suggestion “Is it time to sell our seat on FiveEyes?” is from someone well placed by experience to form an educated opinion. “Trade sanctions of the type Australia is facing are a weapon used by both USA and China. So let’s have a debate on whether we need Five Eyes, or whether it’s time for us to trade on independently.”
No extradition for Assange
Written By: - Date published: 12:27 am, January 5th, 2021 - 104 comments
Great news. While unexpected, Nicky Hager who was an expert witness for Assange at the trial, thought this might be a possibility when he spoke to the Fabian Society in November. More details tomorrow.
Update: Bail application to be heard on Wednesday London time.
Words of Outrage or Outrageous Action?
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, December 24th, 2020 - 30 comments
Do you reward rage with rage or do you ignore it and walk away quietly?
Blind-sided by Five Eyes
Written By: - Date published: 2:34 pm, December 12th, 2020 - 13 comments
It has been good to see some pushback in the media questioning the wisdom of Mahuta’s FiveEyes alignment as the first public act of her tenure as our Foreign Minister. Chris Trotter writes in interest.co.nz that upsetting New Zealand’s most significant trading partner seems like a very silly thing to do. Others include Bryce Edwards […]
Assange’s torture and the death of journalism
Written By: - Date published: 9:28 pm, September 6th, 2020 - 60 comments
On the eve of Assange’s extradition hearing in London, award-winning freelancer Jonathan Cook has written a scathing indictment of corporate journalism’s collusion in ignoring his official torture. I posted an example of that here last year, where Richard Harman denied Assange was a journalist at a panel convened at Parliament by the British High Commissioner.
Hong Kong principles
Written By: - Date published: 9:49 pm, July 28th, 2020 - 38 comments
According to our Prime Minister, today’s announcement that New Zealand is suspending extradition arrangements with Hong Kong is because of our principles. But it is not immediately clear what these principles are, other than falling into line with our Five Eyes spying partners. Some history is important.
Looking the wrong way? The SIS in New Zealand
Written By: - Date published: 8:19 pm, July 1st, 2020 - 12 comments
Richard Northey and Nicky Hager will discuss their experiences with the SIS over the past thirty-five years, what they reveal about the agency’s values and culture, and what we might want to see in the forthcoming review of the intelligence and security agencies post the Christchurch mosque massacre. St Andrews Church, The Terrace, Wellington, Friday 3 July 5:30pm. All welcome, register here.
We say we want a revolution…
Written By: - Date published: 7:05 am, June 27th, 2020 - 73 comments
Destroy capitalism, right? But what’s the replacement?
NZ Police abandon Armed Response Teams
Written By: - Date published: 7:05 am, June 10th, 2020 - 9 comments
We have a model of policing by consent and that means we need the vast majority of people to see as legitimate the style in which we’re policing and it’s been clear to me that there has not been acceptance of this as an appropriate style of policing in New Zealand. – Police Commissioner Andrew Coster
More Skripal bullshit
Written By: - Date published: 10:03 pm, June 9th, 2020 - 37 comments
Skripal’s relatives don’t believe it, Jacinda Ardern doesn’t believe it, Paul Buchanan doesn’t believe it, and I never believed it. But a story planted in the UK Sunday Times that the Skripals are here lets our media rerun the assassination attempt that failed, even though the most deadliest poison in the world was involved. Stuff website has a British Minister from Theresa May’s time rerunning the old lies,as does the NZ Herald. Fits in nicely with the SIS anti-Russian history.
Constitutions that build citizen power and joy
Written By: - Date published: 7:05 am, May 23rd, 2020 - 34 comments
Emerging from the current crisis, what kind of state can be envisaged that could do the opposite of this consciousness deflation, by enabling and encouraging an empowered citizenry, and harnessing public intelligence, creativity and ingenuity for the common good?
Lefties on The Standard: UK election edition
Written By: - Date published: 7:10 am, December 13th, 2019 - 197 comments
A dedicated post on The Standard providing a discussion space for left-wing people only.
Lefties on The Standard redux
Written By: - Date published: 8:56 am, November 29th, 2019 - 66 comments
A dedicated post on The Standard providing a discussion space for left-wing people only.
Next round of NZ and international climate actions
Written By: - Date published: 7:05 am, November 28th, 2019 - 6 comments
School Strike for Climate, Extinction Rebellion, That Humble Man, Greenpeace.
Zero Carbon acts – this is how change happens
Written By: - Date published: 10:31 am, November 8th, 2019 - 51 comments
The Zero Carbon Act is not perfect, but it’s a critical step in the social and political change that is needed to prevent catastrophe.
Young Māori voices on climate action
Written By: - Date published: 1:48 pm, November 5th, 2019 - Comments Off on Young Māori voices on climate action
An indigenous youth delegation from Aotearoa is heading to the 25th UN Climate Talks.
British Justice tortures Assange
Written By: - Date published: 4:14 am, October 26th, 2019 - 36 comments
Craig Murray reports on the horror of Julian Assange’s treatment by British so-called “justice.” Read it and don’t weep. You can see why Murray resigned from the UK foreign service; their diplomacy is just as bad.
“Extinction Rebellion blanket ban chilling and unlawful”
Written By: - Date published: 7:10 am, October 16th, 2019 - 74 comments
Amnesty International condemn police blanket ban on Extinction Rebellion protests in London.
NRT: Climate Change: Join the rebellion
Written By: - Date published: 7:10 am, October 5th, 2019 - 50 comments
“there’s more than one way to protest, and as the climate crisis bites, then continued government inaction is likely to push people towards more confrontational styles of protest.” Extinction Rebellion’s Wellington day of action is on Monday.
Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick on fire
Written By: - Date published: 7:10 am, October 2nd, 2019 - 100 comments
“The political status quo is unfit to confront the climate crisis”
Another world is possible
Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, September 28th, 2019 - 55 comments
Yesterday’s New Zealand Climate Strike numbers reached a tipping point of climate action going mainstream.
Strike for Climate today
Written By: - Date published: 7:15 am, September 27th, 2019 - 55 comments
Countrywide events for today’s Strike for Climate.
- The Bewildering World of Christopher Luxon – Health reforms
There are currently twenty DHB's servicing Aotearoa - a country with five million people. A population that would fit comfortably in eightyone cities around the world.The fragmented system has twenty CEOs; twenty Boards (with up to eleven members each); twenty IT systems (to be confirmed); twenty HR departments; twenty payroll ...2 hours ago - Christopher Tolkien’s Amazonian Requests
An interesting piece of news out of Fellowship of Fans today. Not one that we were realistically expecting (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmc3sY0GQ0g) The news is that prior to his death in January 2020, Christopher Tolkien made some requests of Amazon, with regards to their impending Second Age adaptation, now called The Rings ...4 hours ago - 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #16
Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, April 17, 2022 through Sat, April 23, 2022. The following articles sparked above average interest during the week (bolded articles are from SkS authors): The Greenhouse Effect, 1.5 vs 2C: What difference can a ...1 day ago - Woke stomping on speech rights in NZ
https://freespeech.buzzsprout.com/370355/10486710-special-report-aut-cancel-a-free-speech-union-meeting The Free Speech Union has had a speaking event canceled by AUT. In the first public talk in what was to kick off a nationwide lecture series, Free Speech Union member Daphna Whitmore was to talk about (ironically) her experiences with women’s rights group ‘Speak Up For Women’ and ...2 days ago - Political Roundup: 23 April 2022
INFLATION Bernard Hickey: The dirty little secrets inside our nation of inflation Bridie Witton (Stuff): Poorest hit harder by inflation with benefit hikes now linked to average wage Luke Malpass (Stuff): High inflation a lose-lose for the Government, but it won’t be panicking – yet Janet Wilson (Stuff): Robertson ...2 days ago - Some sense on the Russia-Ukraine war
It’s a truism that the first casualty in war is the truth. But a close second is rational thought. We face this now where partisanship, wishful thinking and disinformation dominate what we read about the Ukraine-Russia war in our media. So, it is refreshing to come across an informed ...3 days ago - Firing Canon: Finding Authority in Middle-earthA subject doing the rounds at the moment is the question of Tolkienian Canon. On one hand, there are the passionate Purists, for whom fidelity to Tolkien’s text is paramount in assessing Adaptations in general and The Rings of Power in particular. On the other, one finds discussions such ...3 days ago
- The Economic Costs of Warfare
We do not go to war for free; we need to factor its economic costs and its consequences into public discussions.Wars are costly. People die, life is disrupted while wars divert resources to war use and wantonly destroy. We are currently involved in two major wars: the war against the ...3 days ago - A conviction for hate speech
The Herald reports that a man who recoded a violent rant calling for genocide of Māori has been convicted for hate speech: Richard Jacobs, 44, filmed a video from his Pāpāmoa home in May last year where he called for the killing of Māori. The video was uploaded to ...3 days ago - Approaching storm over the horizon.
The Solomon Islands and PRC have signed a bilateral security pact. The news of the pact was leaked a month ago and in the last week the governments of both countries have confirmed the deal. However, few details have been released. What we do know is that Chinese police trainers ...3 days ago - Elizabeth Rata: The Decolonisation of Education in New ZealandThe Ministry of Education is currently attempting to decolonise the New Zealand schooling system, using some radical innovations. In this article, Prof Elizabeth Rata challenges some of the ideological underpinnings and practical outcomes of this agenda. Prof Rata welcomes debate on this issue, and the Democracy Project welcomes further submissions ...3 days ago
- Controlling The Past.
3 days ago - Gordon Campbell on Ukraine virtue signalling, and our inflation spike
Inflation at 6.9% is a bad sign of the rising cost of living, and hidden within the headline numbers are some even grislier figures. As CTU economist Craig Renney has pointed out: Food prices rose nearly 7%, led by fruit and vegetables which rose 17%. Meat rose 7.2%. The price ...3 days ago - Passing Down The Power: Exploring The Revolutionary Potential Of Subsidiarity And Participatory Demo...Making Ourselves Heard: Is participatory democracy really that important? Yes, it is, because without returning effective political power to the people, there is no possibility of also returning their resources. No one involved in the management of local government will have failed to notice the fake subsidiarity of neoliberalism: making ...3 days ago
- A glaring omission in the new history curriculum: classTony Simpson writes in a Newsroom article about a major shortcoming of the new history curriculum. Here’s an excerpt: I don’t disagree at all with what the Committee have come up with which is largely about Māori indigenous culture, where it came from and how it has responded to incomers ...3 days ago
- British volunteer soldier in Ukraine tells his storyOK, this is a bit controversial as it is an interview of a surrendered combatant. Mind you he did personally ask for the interview (and specifically asked that fellow Brit Graham Phillips carry out the interview) as a chance to appeal for a prisoner exchange. He is technically a ...4 days ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2022Water packing heat: it's not only the oceans It's often remarked that we don't directly notice or feel most global warming because most excess energy being retained by the planet is ending up "stored" in Earth's oceans. Given its high specific heat capacity, liquid water is an effective sponge for ...4 days ago
- Bryce Edwards: Political Roundup – A polarising co-governance decision for ParliamentCo-governance is currently the most polarising issue in New Zealand politics. There’s something of a culture war over the concept of giving Māori voters or leaders a mandated equal political influence in public affairs. It’s an issue that has the potential to be socially explosive as plans are being developed ...4 days ago
- Hosking v. the Prime Minister
Mike Hosking continues to deliver what his paymasters pay him for, if today’s Herald is anything to go by. No surprise there – Hosking has always been under no illusion as to what it is that he has to sell. What is worth remarking on, however, is the evident emotional ...4 days ago - Ash samples provide vital information for volcanic eruption response
PHOTO (cropped): Japan Meteorological Agency, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=114321094 Jenny Stein, Resilience to Nature’s Challenges National Science Challenge Following a volcanic eruption, local communities understandably have more pressing concerns than ensuring a sample of ash gets sent to a lab. But that sample will provide crucial insight into the extent ...4 days ago - Ranking the reasons why the Larsen C ice shelf is meltingThis is a re-post from Carbon Brief by Ella Gilbert, John King, and Ian Renfrew Scientists know the surface of the Larsen C ice shelf in Antarctica is melting, making it vulnerable to collapse. For the first time, we can rank the most important causes of melting over the recent past. ...5 days ago
- Legal Beagle: The local bill to remove equal suffrage
There are four types of bills that Parliament considers: most bills are government bills, but there are also members bills, private bills and local bills. Members bills are relatively well know (some important ones have passed over the last few years), but these latter three types are often grouped together. ...5 days ago - Reported backThe Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee has reported back on the Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Bill. The bill is one of those boring administrative ones, establishing a regulatory framework for providers of "digital identity services" - people who validate your identity online. Which normally isn't the sort of ...5 days ago
- Doing Not SayingA major, nation-wide challenge to our national well-being, such as the coronavirus pandemic, is not necessarily bad news for everybody. The government of the day has no choice but to take it on the chin, but opposition politicians, and other critics of the government, can have a field day; they ...5 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on the MIQ memo and France’s electionsOne word has largely been missing from the coverage of the MoH advice about MIQ: Omicron. The relevant memo was written in November. It was referring to the Delta outbreak and to the relative incidence of the Delta variant in the community as opposed to it coming over the border, ...5 days ago
- Political Roundup: 20 April 2022COVID AND MIQ Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Chris Hipkins can’t say if his office knew MIQ memo from Ministry of Health was being withheld Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Government was advised in November 2021 there was no longer ‘any’ justification for MIQ Michael Daly (Stuff): No ‘great conspiracy’ to keep memo on ...5 days ago
- Aftermath (SpecFicNZ Anthology) + Q&ASpecFicNZ’s new post-apocalyptic themed anthology will be out soon, with Yours Truly providing one of the stories (specifically a Dunedin-centric piece titled The Night of Parmenides). Here’s a list of the other contributors, plus a look at the cover:6 days ago
- Monstrous and illegal
In September 2021 Ahamed Samsudeen was killed by police after stabbing eight people in an Auckland supermarket. Samsudeen was a former refugee who seems to have been turned into a terrorist by the SIS and police (at the least you can say that their treatment of him did not help ...6 days ago- A word on post-neoliberalism.
I recently read a critique of the market-oriented economic theory known as “neoliberalism” and decided to add some of my thoughts about it in a series of short messages on a social media platform dedicated to providing an outlet for short messaging. I have decided to expand upon those messages ...6 days ago- Free Speech Union’s Podcast with Don Franks
Dane Giraud for the Free Speech Union interviews Don Franks. Don is a writer and editor for Redline. He talks to Dane about his involvement in Left-wing activism since the 1960s (starting with his opposition to the Vietnam War). Don is a published author and professional musician. He was a ...6 days ago- Virtue signaling over Ukraine
I have always been opposed to virtue-signalling. It seems an easy way of supporting the current narrative and opposing any thoughtful opposition to it. And it does not require any exertion – of the mind, muscle, or (usually) wallet.Of course, these days the virtue signaler simply blocks ...7 days ago- Jacinda Ardern’s trip to Japan and Singapore about more than just trade
International analyst Geoffrey Miller examines the motivations behind Jacinda Ardern’s first foreign trip since February 2020 – and says her tour of Japan and Singapore is about much more than trade This is far from Jacinda Ardern’s first foreign trip – but it almost feels like one. Ardern’s tour of ...7 days ago- Aboard MOSAiC: Hardy fish, powerful waves, shrinking ice floes
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Kristen Pope Hundreds of researchers from around the globe took turns collecting data in the Arctic aboard the German icebreaker RV Polarstern on an expedition that lasted over a year. Now, this data is rewarding the researchers with important and surprising insights about this ...7 days ago- Political Roundup: 19 April 2022
PM’S FOREIGN TRIP Henry Cooke (Stuff): Jacinda Ardern’s first post-Covid trip is a sales job Derek Cheng (Herald): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern lands in Singapore for first overseas trip in more than two years Henry Cooke (Stuff): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern touches down in Singapore for first leg of Asia ...7 days ago- Out Of The Picture: What If Roy Morgan’s Calling It Right?
Exit Stage Right: If the next round of opinion polls reveal a level of Labour support beginning with a “2”, what would happen then?WHAT DOES THE LATEST Roy Morgan poll tell us about the future of the Sixth Labour Government? Technically speaking, it tells us nothing. All it describes, statistically, ...1 week ago- 50 days of war in Ukraine: What have we learnt?
As the Christian world began its Easter rituals, Ukraine marked 50 days since Russian troops crossed its borders and began the first European war in decades. But Ukraine - a country where at least three-quarters of the population describe themselves as Christian remains trapped in a Good Friday world of ...1 week ago- 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, April 10, 2022 through Sat, April 16, 2022. The following articles sparked above average interest during the week (bolded articles are from SkS authors): Wind Power Surpasses Coal, Nuclear as Power Generation Source in ...1 week ago- Tolkien Adaptations that aren’t Jackson or Amazon: A Compendium
As you might have noticed, I have a disproportionate fondness for the more obscure Tolkien adaptations. Or at least those that aren’t the handiwork of Peter Jackson or Amazon. I have been reviewing them for some time, so in the interest of keeping track of my articles on the ...1 week ago- The Third Man.
1 week ago- The Jackanory Hobbit (1979)
A sudden and delightful surprise. An obscure Tolkien adaptation – one I knew existed, but which had hitherto proved damned hard to find in visual format – has surfaced on YouTube. I refer to the 1979 Jackanory Hobbit. Now, this particular adaptation is a curious beast. It consists ...1 week ago- The Ambiguity of Labels
Simon Bridges’ memoir, ‘National Identity: Confessions of an Outsider’, illustrates that humans are more complicated than the categories we put them into. In his opening chapter Simon Bridges reports:“I was as crook as a dog. Feverish. I rarely went to a doctor but I needed to. ... Into the doctor’s ...1 week ago- Media Link: AVFA on small state approaches to multilateral conflict resolution in transitional times...
In this week’s “A View from Afar” podcast Selwyn Manning and I used NZ’s contribution of money to purchase weapons for Ukraine as a stepping stone into a discussion of small sate roles in coalition-building, multilateral approaches to conflict resolution and who and who is not aiding the effort to ...1 week ago- Where Is The Peace Movement?
Casus Belli: The bodies in the street, the terrible revelations of rape and torture: these only make matters worse. Our instinctive response, when confronted with such images is not to calmly contemplate the best means of extricating all concerned from the horrors of war, but to punish those responsible for ...1 week ago- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #15 2022
Let's do it again, only not the bad part "Hard won experience" is another way of describing our collision of early enthusiasm and thoughtless habituation around fossil hydrocarbon fuels and— after a little over 200 years— finally thinking it all through. We can also be excused for our early ignorance ...2 weeks ago- More police corruption
The Independent Police Conduct authority has a report out today on an incident of corruption in the Police. The Stuff version of the story focuses on the inciting incident: a constable stole $50 which was handed in as lost property. But it glosses over the real story: that the police's ...2 weeks ago- Headaches
I noticed an item in today’s Herald titled “What’s really causing your headache – and how to treat it”. I turned to it expectantly, imagining that the Herald was at last about to acknowledge the assault it repeatedly makes on the sensibilities of its readers and celebrating that I was ...2 weeks ago- Member’s morning
Today is a special member's morning, to deal with member's bills ahead of next month's budget. First up is the committee stage of Ricardo Menéndez March's Human Rights (Disability Assist Dogs Non-Discrimination) Amendment Bill, which will be followed by the committee stage of Nicola Willis' Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate ...2 weeks ago- Gordon Campbell on gendered perceptions in politics
In recent weeks, barely a day has gone by without Christopher Luxon demonstrating the chasm of ability that exists between the leaders of our two major political parties. When his latest gaffe (on public transport funding) was politely pointed out to him by a NZ Herald journalist, Luxon replied : ...2 weeks ago- Bryce Edwards: Political Roundup – NZ’s remarkable rush to war
New Zealand is now part of the war with Russia. And our independent foreign policy is virtually dead. That’s the upshot of the Government’s definitive fall into line with Five Eyes and NATO, in supporting the war against Russia this week. It’s a remarkable “rush to war” and needs much ...2 weeks ago- Trusting Ourselves To Do The Right Thing.
Democracy 1.0 Athenian democracy was mostly a reaction to bad government, not an experiment in good government. The freemen of the army and navy who defended the independence of the city-state, reacting against the misrule of tyrants (strong men) and oligarchs (rich men) came up with the last ditch idea of ...2 weeks ago- The latest IPCC report has a lot to say about carbon fee and dividend
This is a re-post from the Citizens' Climate Lobby Blog In the third installment of its Sixth Assessment Report (the first two volumes covered climate change causes and impacts), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has summarized the latest scientific research relating to climate change mitigation. While the second volume released just over a month ...2 weeks ago- Can the Māori Health Authority really boost Māori life expectancy?
Graham Adams takes a look at the new Maori Health Authority and why its logic is flawed. This article is published on The Platform. OPINION: The purpose of the new race-based agency is mostly to fulfill the radical co-governance aims outlined in He Puapua. Patrick Gower asserted recently on Newshub Nation ...2 weeks ago- National flounders over Three Waters reforms
Clearly the National Party thinks it’s onto a winner with its campaign against the Government's Three Waters legislation. They’ve even been promoting the current leader, Christopher Luxon, (who in 2018 appeared to endorse the very same reforms he now opposes) with photo opportunities of him putting up anti Three Waters ...2 weeks ago- Mystery Solved!
Anyone seeking the key to unlocking the convoluted logic and selective memory demonstrated in Richard Prebble’s latest anti-government diatribe in today’s Herald need look no further than the strap line at the bottom of the article. It describes him as “a former leader of the Act party and a former ...2 weeks ago- Death By Gingernut: Orange-Settings vs the Coronavirus
Another day. Another bout of Covid Idiocy from the New Zealand Government, as announced by Response Minister Chris Hipkins (which means at least I get to use the expression “Death By Gingernut”, but that’s a cold comfort). Anyway, as of midnight tonight, the Traffic Light settings governing New ...2 weeks ago- So what are they buying then?
Recently the National Party raked in $1.8 million in donations from corrupt richlisters. But don't worry, says Chris Luxon - they won't be getting anything for their money: National Party leader Christopher Luxon says the rich-listers who donated $1.8 million to the party in recent weeks do not get ...2 weeks ago- More solar
Newsroom reports that Nova Energy is planning Aotearoa's biggest solar farm, and its truly massive: A 400 megawatt solar farm planned for the Taupō region could produce 190 times more electricity than New Zealand's current largest grid-connected solar facility, Newsroom can reveal. Nova Energy, owned by the Todd Corporation, ...2 weeks ago- Political Roundup: 13 April 2022
UKRAINE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Matt Robson (Stuff): Sleepwalking to war: NZ is back under the nuclear umbrella Peter Dunne: Is our independent foreign policy coming to an end? Richard Jackson (Newsroom): Extremist or freedom fighter? NZ’s racist double standard Stuff: Defence Force Hercules supporting Ukraine leaves for Europe Lloyd Burr ...2 weeks ago- This isn’t normal
There were 9,495 new covid cases today, and another 15 deaths. So naturally, the government is lowering the alert level to Orange (which is basicly the old Green). The idea here is to return to "normal" to keep business happy. But 9,400 cases and 15 deaths a day isn't "normal". ...2 weeks ago- Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Communications teams in a democracy
There’s been debate recently about the role of government communications teams in a democracy. It started with an opinion piece written by the Dominion Post’s editor Anna Fifield with the title When did our public service get so arrogant? Having spent 20 years working overseas she expressed her shock at ...2 weeks ago- Sustained Resilience: the impact of nuclear war on New Zealand and how to mitigate catastrophe
Dr Matt Boyd & Prof Nick Wilson* (Syndicated from the Adapt Research Blog) Efforts to prevent nuclear war should be greatly intensified – but we must also consider what happens if prevention fails. NZ is often cited as somewhere most likely to preserve a thriving society through a nuclear aftermath. However, ...2 weeks ago- Incoherent CEO noises
Chris Luxon is a climate change denier. He opposes every government policy which might reduce emissions. This morning, he proposed cutting public transport spending, without having thought of the emissions effect. At the same time, he purports to think that the government is "too conservative" on climate change: National ...2 weeks ago- Climate Change: The latest inventory
The annual inventory report [PDF] of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that emissions fell by 2.7 million tons in 2020: Of course, there's an obvious reason for this: lockdown. So its not a permanent change. Still, 2.7 million tons not emitted is 2.7 million tons ...2 weeks ago- The Parliamentary rubberstamp
The Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee has reported back on the NZ-UK free trade agreement, and as expected, rubberstamped the whole thing. But then, the executive deliberately puts them in a position where they have no alternative, otherwise New Zealand is "going back on its word". The question of ...2 weeks ago- Free Speech Union talk on how a women’s rights group fought to be heard
https://www.facebook.com/events/1399725940483077/?ref=newsfeed The lecture is at AUT Auckland City Campus room WG403. ...2 weeks ago- Eighty-One Thousand Votes.
Going Down: The question to be answered, then, is a simple one. If the controversial changes to the Green Party’s co-leadership rules proceed, how many formerly Green voters is the party likely to lose? If the answer is greater than 81,000, and Chloe Swarbrick fails to hold Auckland Central, then the ...2 weeks ago- Gordon Campbell on sending a Hercules off to Europe
Yesterday’s decision to dispatch one of our ageing C-130 Hercules cargo planes to Europe for two months will – hopefully – help to get essential supplies and ammunition closer to where Ukraine’s people and their armed forces can access them. The “ hopefully” is because there has to be a ...2 weeks ago- Political Roundup: 12 April 2022
UKRAINE Malcolm McKinnon (Stuff): All means of resolving the Ukraine crisis must be kept in play Ireland Hendry-Tennent (Newshub): Ukraine invasion: Admiral says NZ is no longer neutral, stops short of saying we’re at war Richard Harman: Why we are going to war (paywalled) Michael Neilson (Herald): Russia Ukraine war: ...2 weeks ago- New IPCC report: Only political will stands in way of meeting the Paris targets
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections In the just-released third installment of its Sixth Assessment Report (the first two volumes covered climate change causes and impacts), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) summarizes the latest scientific research on efforts to mitigate climate change. Written by 278 authors from 65 countries, the new report ...2 weeks ago- The Omicron waves – Comparing Aotearoa NZ and Australia in four key graphs
Dr Jennifer Summers, Prof Michael Baker, Prof Nick Wilson* Summers J, Baker M, Wilson N. The Omicron waves – Comparing Aotearoa NZ and Australia in four key graphs. Public Health Expert Blog. 12 April 2022. In this blog we explore the first Covid-19 Omicron variant waves in Australia and Aotearoa ...2 weeks ago- Of Romeo, Juliet, and Broken Clocks: Another Rings of Power Leak
I tend to be wrong about a lot, and such is the nature of things. But in one of those cases of a broken clock being right twice a day, I can report that one of my speculations about the Amazon series has proved to be on the money. ...2 weeks ago- Do the Russian and Chinese economies combined dwarf the West’s?
Below is a Twitter thread by @RnaudBertrand looking at the relative economic strengths of the West vs China and Russia. We used to think that Russia’s economy was the equivalent of a small European country. Maybe never before has an economy’s importance been so grossly misjudged. French economist Jacques Sapir ...2 weeks ago- More support for Ukraine
Today the government announced additional backend support for Ukraine - a Hercules and logistics staff to move stuff around Europe so it can be transferred over the border, as well as a donation to their weapons fund, and further funding for UNHCHR and the ICC for war crimes investigations. Good. ...2 weeks ago- More Australian war crimes
Last week, Australia's ABC broke a major story about Australian SAS troops committing war crimes in Timor-Leste, murdering wounded people and brutalising their corpses. This week, they've got more, about an Australian-run torture centre: During the widely celebrated peace-making mission in East Timor, Australian soldiers held 14 men and ...2 weeks ago- Bryce Edwards: Political Roundup – Did Louisa Wall get a fair deal from Labour and Jacinda Ardern?
Scores are being settled at the moment, with Labour MP Louisa Wall going out in a blaze of media interviews to air the dirty laundry of her party. These surprising red-on-red attacks are going to be damaging for all sides. Wall’s media blitz over the weekend paves the way for ...2 weeks ago - Monstrous and illegal
- UNDRIP – Let’s get on with it
The Green Party welcomes the next steps towards implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in Aotearoa, and calls on the Government to get on with the mahi of upholding Tangata Whenua rights. ...3 days ago - More Kiwis in work as our recovery gains momentum
Our economic recovery is gaining momentum and the latest figures show that the Government’s focus on jobs is working. We’ve delivered a record low unemployment rate as well as a steady fall in the number of New Zealanders receiving a main benefit. ...4 days ago - Urgent action needed to soften inflation blow for low income NZersThe Green Party says urgent action is needed to soften the blow of inflation for New Zealanders on the lowest incomes. ...4 days ago
- Nature needs us to act right nowThe Green Party welcomes the release of the implementation plan for Te Mana o te Taiao Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy and calls on the Government to act faster to protect our oceans. ...5 days ago
- Future of West Papuan students more secureAfter weeks of advocacy by Green MPs, Immigration New Zealand has given assurances that West Papuan students whose scholarships were cancelled by the Indonesian Government will not be deported - and that a team will now be formed to assess the future needs of the students. ...2 weeks ago
- Urgent action need to bring natural environment back from the brinkThe release today of Environment Aotearoa 2022 is a sobering reminder of what is at stake if the Government does not step up and take urgent action to protect Aotearoa New Zealand’s native plants, wildlife, habitats and ecosystems. ...2 weeks ago
- Urgent action needed to bring natural environment back from the brinkThe release today of Environment Aotearoa 2022 is a sobering reminder of what is at stake if the Government does not step up and take urgent action to protect Aotearoa New Zealand’s native plants, wildlife, habitats and ecosystems. ...2 weeks ago
- Labour's economic recovery in five graphsThroughout the pandemic, we’ve worked hard to protect lives and livelihoods – and thanks to these efforts, our economy is now recovering faster than almost anywhere else in the world. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens join Pacific leaders to call for an end to deep sea mining...2 weeks ago
- Keep masks in schools to protect tamarikiThe Green Party does not support the Government’s decision to move Aotearoa to ‘orange’, or the removal of mask rules for schools. ...2 weeks ago
- Liveable incomes and rent controls, nowStats NZ’s monthly rental and food price indexes released today continue to show that over the last 12 months the essentials have gotten increasingly expensive for thousands of New Zealanders. ...2 weeks ago
- Reopening to the worldWe’re celebrating a big milestone this week – the return of international visitors. New Zealand is open for business and our tourism destinations are among the world’s best. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens partner with student unions to launch people’s inquiry into student wellbeingGreen Tertiary spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick has teamed up with student unions across the country to launch a People's Inquiry into Student Wellbeing. The collaboration is led by New Zealand Union of Students' Associations (NZUSA), Te Mana Ākonga, Tauira Pasifika and the National Disabled Students’ Association among 33 student unions. ...2 weeks ago
- Christchurch City Council tells MPs to act now on alcohol harm reductionChristchurch City Council has become the next major Local Authority to pass a motion in support of Green Party Drug Reform Spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick’s Members’ bill to minimise alcohol harm – increasing the pressure on Parliament to act. ...3 weeks ago
- Ensuring New Zealanders can celebrate Matariki togetherWe’ve delivered on our commitment to make Matariki a public holiday. It’s a chance for all New Zealanders to celebrate mātauranga Māori, and enjoy a mid-winter holiday with family and friends. ...3 weeks ago
- Greens celebrate as Matariki Bill passes third readingThe Greens are celebrating today as Te Kāhui o Matariki Public Holiday Bill passes its third reading in Parliament, and want to see more done to embed this significant cultural period into our education system. ...3 weeks ago
- Greens write to PM to call for rent controlsThe Green Party has published an open letter to the Prime Minister calling for an immediate rent freeze and for that to remain in place until rent controls are made meaningful and permanent. ...3 weeks ago
- Prime Minister's Speech to Mt Albert Anzac Day Service
Let me start by saying how wonderful it is to see people up and down the country gathering together in person again this year, in commemoration of Anzac Day. At a time when the global pandemic has so often cancelled public gatherings, it is all the more precious to be ...9 hours ago - Rangiriri Pa trench rebuild shines a light on our shared historiesThe shared nineteenth-century histories of Aotearoa-New Zealand have come to life with the official opening today of one of the most culturally significant sites of the 1860s New Zealand Wars. The Government-financed rebuild of the Rangiriri Pa Trenches complex in Waikato is the first project completed from a special ...3 days ago
- Statement on Cooperation in Agriculture between Japan and New ZealandJapan and New Zealand’s strong partnership is built on a long tradition of official and industry engagement, underpinned by our natural complementarities and strong business relationships. Both countries share many similarities. Japan and New Zealand are island nations in the Pacific with rich soils and climates suited to temperate agriculture. Agriculture, ...3 days ago
- Commissioners reappointed to Tauranga City CouncilLocal Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta today announced the reappointment of four commissioners to the Tauranga City Council. “As the Council continues to face substantial infrastructure and funding challenges, it is clear that ensuring certainty for Tauranga is more important than ever,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “The reappointment of the current Tauranga ...3 days ago
- Next steps in Declaration Plan“We’ve now completed the first stage of the two-step engagement process to develop a Declaration Plan. This has provided us with valuable feedback to help with drafting a Declaration Plan that we will then take out to wider consultation,” Willie Jackson said. “Almost 70 targeted engagement workshops were held mainly ...3 days ago
- Public Media entity Establishment Board appointmentsThe Minister for Broadcasting and Media has confirmed the nine-member Establishment Board to lead the work on creating a new public media entity in New Zealand. “The Establishment Board will oversee the detailed design of the new entity and the change required to create it,” Kris Faafoi said. “The make-up ...3 days ago
- Prime Minister has productive meeting with Prime Minister of JapanPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern had a productive meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo today. “Japan is one of New Zealand’s closest and most important partners in the Indo-Pacific region. We have a strong trade relationship, common values and a shared commitment to an open, inclusive, stable and ...4 days ago
- Joint Statement: Japan and Aotearoa New Zealand: a Strategic Cooperative Partnership for Common Pea...Strengthening the Strategic Cooperative Partnership 1. The Prime Minister of Japan His Excellency KISHIDA Fumio and the Prime Minister of New Zealand the Right Honourable Jacinda Ardern held a productive and substantive meeting in Tokyo on 21 April 2022. Acknowledging the Summit Meeting was taking place at a significant time as the two ...4 days ago
- NZ, Japan team up on renewable energyPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern today welcomed two renewable energy initiatives that highlight the growing partnership between Japan and New Zealand as both countries work towards a greener future. “New Zealand, like Japan, is embarking on a journey to become carbon neutral by 2050,” Jacinda Ardern said. “We need to significantly ...4 days ago
- Veterans Minister congratulates RSA on 100 years since first Poppy AppealVeterans Minister Meka Whaitiri has congratulated the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services’ Association (RSA) on 100 years since the first Poppy Appeal in New Zealand, held on April 24, 1922. “This is an incredible century of work by the RSA that has provided thousands of New Zealanders the opportunity ...4 days ago
- New technology for e-waste switched onA new state-of-the-art machine that sorts and shreds electronic waste has officially started operation in Auckland today. Environment Minister David Parker pressed start on Computer Recycling Ltd’s new BLUBOX machine, which was supported by a $1.5 million grant from the Waste Minimisation Fund. “The BLUBOX machine is a step forward ...4 days ago
- CPI figures highlight global economic challengesFurther increases in consumer prices are a reminder of the current global economic challenges and the need for responsible fiscal policy in New Zealand, Grant Robertson said today. The Consumer Price Index released by Stats NZ today showed a 1.8 percent increase in prices over the March quarter, taking the ...4 days ago
- Government supports more people off benefitMinister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni says the Government’s response to COVID-19 has helped keep people in work, with March Quarter Benefit statistics showing a further fall in the number of people receiving a main benefit and jobseeker assistance. “There are 19,883 fewer people on a main benefit ...4 days ago
- Andrew Little Locality network announcement speech, Levin | Taitoko, 21 April 2022Kia ora koutou, Thank you for having me here today. I begin by acknowledging my colleague, Peeni Henare, the Associate Minister for Māori Health, who cannot be with us due to other commitments. Peeni and I have worked closely on today’s kaupapa - as we have with the rest of ...4 days ago
- Health Reform – Govt ensures local say in health servicesThe Government has announced how New Zealanders will have a real voice in determining the health services provided in their community as part of the new health system. “Today we’re announcing nine locality network pilots to improve how healthcare is delivered in local communities,” Health Minister Andrew Little said. The ...4 days ago
- Sustainable Aviation Arrangement signed with SingaporeA New Zealand-Singapore Sustainable Aviation Arrangement signed today marks the start of greater collaboration as both countries move towards low carbon economies, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says. The Arrangement is the first bilateral cooperation in sustainable aviation for both New Zealand and Singapore, and its signing was witnessed by Prime Minister Jacinda ...5 days ago
- NZ, Singapore join forces on supply chain disruptionsNew Zealand and Singapore have pledged to continue working together on supply chains following global disruptions caused by COVID-19, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her Singapore counterpart, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, announced today. “The global COVID-19 pandemic has showed us just how vulnerable economies of all sizes can be ...5 days ago
- Taking action on biodiversity challengesThe Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy 2020 - Te Mana o te Taiao – now has an accompanying implementation plan, aimed at driving collective action to tackle New Zealand’s biodiversity crisis. “It is the first time key conservation activities across all government departments and regional councils have been identified in ...5 days ago
- New rules to include all finfish in combined daily bag limit for recreational fishersRules for daily limits on recreationally caught finfish will change to include species that previously had no limit, Oceans and Fisheries Minister, David Parker announced today. There are over 1,000 finfish species found in New Zealand waters, and of those only 43 species have been subject to a daily recreational ...5 days ago
- Government takes action to future proof supply chainA more resilient, productive and lower carbon freight and supply chain sector that will play a pivotal role in growing the economy, and future proof it from further international shocks, is now a step closer, Transport Minister Michael Wood announced today. The Minister has launched Te rautaki ueā me te ...6 days ago
- Kūwaha unveiled at Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay by Prime MinisterA carving celebrating the long-standing friendship between Aotearoa New Zealand and Singapore was today unveiled by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay. “Tāne Te Waiora is a bespoke carving which takes the form of a kūwaha and represents a symbolic doorway. It is a metaphor for ...6 days ago
- Opening remarks at joint press conference with Prime Minister LeePrime Minister Lee – thank you for the very warm welcome to Singapore. I would like to start by expressing to you, Prime Minister Lee, our appreciation for how New Zealanders resident in Singapore have been looked after during COVID-19. I also, on a personal note, wish to thank you ...6 days ago
- NZ, Singapore Prime Ministers meet in SingaporePrime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong discussed global and regional challenges and opportunities, their countries’ responses to COVID-19 and the next steps to enhancing the bilateral relationship when they met in Singapore today. Jacinda Ardern is visiting Singapore and Japan, accompanied by Minister for Trade and ...6 days ago
- Russian banks targeted under latest round of sanctionsForeign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has announced new sanctions against Russia’s largest banks and financial institutions, as part of the Government’s ongoing response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Aotearoa New Zealand is imposing sanctions on eighteen financial entities, including Russia’s central bank, sovereign wealth fund and the largest financial institutions in ...6 days ago
- Joint Statement by the Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Singapore1. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong hosted Prime Minister Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern on an Official Visit to Singapore on 19 April 2022. The Prime Ministers acknowledged the longstanding friendship and multi-faceted, wide-ranging cooperation between Singapore and New Zealand across many fields, in spite of the challenges presented by COVID-19. ...6 days ago
- 50 projects fast-tracked under Govt schemeProjects could create more than 18,000 jobs Over 8000 houses receive fast-track consent Fast-track process have saved, on average, 15 months per project The Government has approved three more projects under the fast-track consenting process, bringing the number of projects that are eligible to apply for resource consents to 50. ...6 days ago
- NZ to expand Working Holiday Scheme with SingaporeNew Zealand is relaunching and expanding its Working Holiday Scheme with Singapore and will welcome applications from May 5, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. During her first international trip since the Covid pandemic began, the Prime Minister met with young people in Singapore who have been on the Scheme ...6 days ago
- New High Commissioner to Tonga announcedForeign Minister Nanaia Mahuta today announced the appointment of Matt Howell as new High Commissioner to Tonga. “Aotearoa New Zealand and Tonga have a long history and the Kingdom is one of our closest neighbours in the Pacific,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “Last year we proudly marked 50 years of formal diplomatic ...6 days ago
- New Chair to lead Oranga Tamariki Ministerial Advisory BoardRespected Māori leader Tā Mark Solomon has been appointed Chair of the Oranga Tamariki Ministerial Advisory Board, Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis has announced. The Board’s report into Oranga Tamariki, Te Kahu Aroha, was delivered to the Minister last year and highlighted a need for substantial change within the organisation. To ...6 days ago
- Geotech investigations to get underway for pumped hydro at Lake OnslowDrilling is about to get underway for one of the key options of the NZ Battery Project geotechnical feasibility investigations, in what has the potential to be the largest hydro project in New Zealand, Minister of Energy and Resources Megan Woods has announced. “The geotechnical investigations starting at Lake Onslow ...2 weeks ago
- Bill to support the safe operation of courts and tribunals during COVID-19 passes third readingLegislation to support the safe operation of the courts during the COVID-19 pandemic has passed its third reading in Parliament. The Bill will clarify and strengthen the powers of the judiciary and the Ministry of Justice to manage COVID-19 transmission risks in the courts. “These changes are needed to enable ...2 weeks ago
- Partnering across the Tasman to lift indigenous businessAotearoa New Zealand and Australia governments are funding a new initiative to support indigenous business, Associate Minister for Māori Development, Nanaia Mahuta has announced. Targeted towards Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori communities, the funding will provide e-commerce training and business development to help up to 82 indigenous businesspeople. “Today’s announcement ...2 weeks ago
- Increased support for Pacific tuna fisheriesIncreasing employment and economic benefits from the Pacific’s offshore fisheries is the focus of a new NZD$5 million partnership between Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA). The partnership was announced today at the 7th Our Ocean Conference in Palau, by Minister for Pacific Peoples and Associate ...2 weeks ago
- Celebrating an illustrious 50 years of kapa haka and waiata at Te MatatiniThe world’s largest kapa haka festival Te Matatini has thrived over its 50-year journey, showcasing the brilliance of Māori performing arts and world-leading kaihaka. “I join the extensive Te Matatini whānau throughout Aotearoa New Zealand in celebrating the half-century of enriching kapa haka that has become one of the country’s most important ...2 weeks ago
- Government support for flood-hit WairoaThe Government will contribute $100,000 towards a Mayoral Relief Fund to support people and communities most affected by the recent severe weather in Wairoa, the Minister for Emergency Management Kiri Allan announced today. “This week’s downpour has hit Wairoa hard after a series of severe weather events recently and these ...2 weeks ago
- Government taking action to reverse environmental declineThe Environment Aotearoa 2022 report released today shows the Government’s plan to turn around decades of environmental decline and make New Zealand carbon-neutral is more urgent than ever, Environment Minister David Parker said. “Our environment is at the heart of who we are as a country. It sustains our economy ...2 weeks ago
- Afghanistan humanitarian mission sees more than 1500 people come to Aotearoa New ZealandThe Government had successfully assisted more than 1500 people to travel from Afghanistan to Aotearoa New Zealand since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, as the taskforce set up to lead the mission comes to an end. “Operation Whakahokinga Mai has achieved an extraordinary amount in the past 6 months, ...2 weeks ago
- Government strengthening farm planning system for farmers and growersNew scheme to fund training of farm advisers, with successful applicants able to receive up to $22,500 per year An internship pilot to provide up to 40 people, especially students, with primary sector advisory experience New fund will invest in initiatives to support the uptake of integrated farm planning The ...2 weeks ago
- Cycle tourism riding high as popularity growsNew Zealand’s iconic cycle trails are experiencing a boom in popularity and new research shows they are driving economic activity in the regions as well as benefits for health and wellbeing. Tourism Minister Stuart Nash has released two reports into cycle trails and cycle tourism. The first report analyses the ...2 weeks ago
- Nurses’ pay equity settlementI have been advised that the New Zealand Nurses Organisation has decided not to put the historic pay-equity settlement to its members for a vote. The Nurses Organisation and the Public Service Association have been working with district health boards on this process since 2018. In December they reached a ...2 weeks ago
- Let’s recall how NZ was surprised by signing of indigenous rights declaration – and how Mahuta c...
Announcing the completion of the first stage of the two-step engagement process to develop “a Declaration Plan”, Willie Jackson acknowledged the work was being done through race-tinted glasses. Almost 70 “targeted engagement workshops” had been held mainly online, the Minister for Māori Development said. “Māori rōpū represented diverse groups ranging from ...6 hours ago - Revamped guide helps businesses calculate climate emissions
The Environment Ministry has released an updated guide to help organisations and businesses measure and report their climate emissions. ...11 hours ago - Emmanuel Macron is reelected but the French are longing for radical change
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Romain Fathi, Senior Lecturer, History, Flinders University Guilliame Horcajuelo/EPA/AP Emmanuel Macron has been reelected as President of the Republic of France for a second five-year term. He defeated far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in the second round of the presidential ...13 hours ago - Giant tube slides and broken legs: why the latest playground craze is a serious hazardSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Nicole Sharwood, Public health and injury epidemiologist | Expert Witness, University of Sydney Shutterstock Child’s play involves risk and challenge, a vital part of development. Failing, falling and picking yourself up again are crucial life lessons. But children also ...13 hours ago
- Now we know the flaws of carbon offsets, it’s time to get real about climate changeSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Declan Kuch, Vice Chancellor’s Research Fellow, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University Parks Australia/AAP Last month former carbon market watchdog Andrew MacIntosh blew the whistle on Australia’s carbon offset market. He described the scheme as a “rort” with ...13 hours ago
- All new smaller size! Why getting less with shrinkflation is preferable to paying moreSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jun Yao, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, Macquarie University shutterstock Have you noticed your favourite chocolate is a little smaller, there are fewer biscuits in the same-sized package or bags of chips contain more air? If you haven’t, you’re not alone. ...13 hours ago
- Chloé: how a 19th-century French nude ended up in a Melbourne pub – and became an icon for Austra...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina Kell, Honorary Research Associate, Murdoch University HappyWaldo/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA Chloé, the French nude by Jules Joseph Lefebvre, is an Australian cultural icon. Chloé made its debut at the 1875 Paris Salon and won medals at the 1879 Sydney ...13 hours ago
- Governor-General’s ANZAC Day Dawn Address At Pukeahu
He tao huata e taea te karo, He tao na Aitua, e kore.” “The thrust of a spear shaft may be parried; that of Death never” Ata atamarie e koutou I te atatu. I acknowledge The Honourable Grant Robertson, Deputy Prime Minister Her Excellency ...15 hours ago - ANZAC Day Message From HRH The Prince Of WalesOn this A.N.Z.A.C. Day, my wife and I are thinking of all the courageous troops who endured so much in 1915 on the beaches and in the rugged hills of the Gallipoli Peninsula. As we pause to reflect on the sacrifice of the Armed Services personnel ...15 hours ago
- Covid-19 in Pacific: Cook Islands reports first pandemic deathRNZ Pacific Cook Islands has reported the country’s first covid-19 pandemic death. The 63-year-old woman died on the way to hospital on the island of Aitutaki, Prime Minister Mark Brown said in a statement posted on Facebook. “It is with great sadness that I announce that we have recorded our ...20 hours ago
- RSF launches new #FreeAssange petition as UK’s Home Secretary considers extradition orderPacific Media Watch newsdesk Following a district court order referring the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange back to the United Kingdom’s Home Office, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has launched a new petition calling on Home Secretary Priti Patel to reject Assange’s extradition to the United States. RSF urges supporters ...20 hours ago
- View from The Hill: Could going too negative on ‘teals’ do Liberals more harm than good?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra As the government fights for its life, John Howard, the Liberals’ living icon, has been on the campaign trail. It’s not all been smooth sailing for the veteran, however. When Anthony Albanese had his ...20 hours ago
- Painting the legal jigsaw, one piece at a timeThe House - MPs are forever critiquing the law, but they seldom write it. They leave that to a team of experts who found a creative legal job that you never knew existed. ...2 days ago
- West Papuan students’ dreams dashed after scholarships suddenly cancelledSPECIAL REPORT: By Marian Faa of ABC Pacific Beat As a child, Efika Kora remembers watching planes glide over her remote village in the Pacific. Transfixed, she imagined that one day she would be the one flying them. Now, just two semesters away from completing a diploma of aviation at ...2 days ago
- Flexi-wage jobs scheme falls short by nearly halfThe government's Flexi-wage scheme is well off track if it wants to get 40,000 people off a benefit and into a job in two years, National says. ...2 days ago
- Power Play: Face time makes all the difference for ArdernPower Play - The prime minister's trip abroad was billed as a "trade mission," but was most productive when it was leader-to-leader behind closed doors. ...2 days ago
- Kanak pro-independence parties urge supporters to boycott French electionRNZ Pacific Several pro-independence parties in New Caledonia are urging supporters to boycott the second round of the French presidential elections this Sunday. The election pits far-right National Rally (Rassemblement National) candidate Marine Le Pen against the incumbent President Emmanuel Macron. Before the first round the pro-independence parties advised supporters ...2 days ago
- Former Solomons PM says country needs economic solution not securityBy Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific journalist Former Solomon Islands Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo says the country needs an economic solution to its instability problems, not a security solution. Lilo said he could not understand how current Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare could justify signing a security cooperation agreement with China ...2 days ago
- Rod Jackson: Why New Zealand’s response to the covid pandemic was proportionateCOMMENTARY: By Professor Rod Jackson In a recent article (Weekend Herald, April 16) John Roughan wrote that the covid-19 pandemic has been an anticlimax in Aotearoa New Zealand. Surprisingly, he acknowledges covid-19 has killed about 25 million people worldwide, so hopefully he was referring to New Zealand’s 600 deaths. He ...2 days ago
- José Ramos-Horta declares victory in Timor-Leste presidential electionRNZ News Independence leader and Nobel laureate José Ramos-Horta has declared victory in Timor-Leste’s presidential election, saying he had secured “overwhelming” support and would now work to foster dialogue and unity. Data from the country’s election administration body (STAE) with all votes counted showed Ramos-Horta secured a decisive 62 percent ...2 days ago
- Pacific Elders call on Indonesia to allow UN visit to Papua before BaliAsia Pacific Report newsdesk The Pacific Elders’ Voice has expressed deep concern about reports of deteriorating human rights in West Papua and has appealed to Indonesia to allow the proposed UN high commissioner’s visit there before the Bali G20 meeting in November. A statement from the PEV says the reports ...2 days ago
- From wolf to chihuahua: new research reveals where the dingo sits on the evolutionary timeline of do...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matt A. Field, Associate Professor – Bioinformatics, James Cook University Barry Eggleton, Author provided Many people know modern dogs evolved from the grey wolf. But did you know most of the more than 340 modern dog breeds we have today ...2 days ago
- Alerted by press statements from National and ACT (here and here), Point of Order wondered if the Report of the Attorney-General under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 on the Rotorua District Council (Representation Arrangements) Bill had been mentioned on the Beehive website yesterday. It hadn’t. Since our previous ...2 days ago
- Focus on Politics: Regional security weighs on Ardern's Asia trade tripPodcast - Pomp, ceremony, and shifting international allegiances: Jane Patterson looks past the spectacle of the Prime Minister's first official trip in years. ...2 days ago
- View from The Hill: ‘The bug’ gives Albanese opportunity to sell the team but less time to sell ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra “Well, the boss has got the bug, so you’ve got me.” Labor campaign spokesman Jason Clare fronted the media the morning after Anthony Albanese tested positive for COVID, and the contrast didn’t go unnoticed. ...3 days ago
- Indigenous rights plan will likely undergo changes before public consultation – ministerThe Māori Development minister anticipates a draft indigenous rights plan will likely undergo changes before it is released for public consultation. ...3 days ago
- Week in Politics: Inflation, inflation, inflationAnalysis - The prime minister smiled her way through Singapore and Japan this week but back home the highest inflation rate in a generation wasn't something to be happy about. ...3 days ago
- Nicolas Cage is the most fascinating and exciting actor working todaySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben McCann, Associate Professor of French Studies, University of Adelaide In Nicolas Cage’s latest film, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Cage plays a character called … Nick Cage. This meta-commentary on fame and celebrity, wrapped around a thriller plot, is full ...3 days ago
- In the wake of the China-Solomon Islands pact, Australia needs to rethink its Pacific relationshipsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patricia A. O’Brien, Faculty Member, Asian Studies Program, Georgetown University; Visiting Fellow, Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National University; Adjunct Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington DC., Georgetown University Like the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai volcano that triggered a massive tsunami ...3 days ago
- Below the Line: Albanese has COVID, but Morrison is ‘blessed’ with an even bigger problem – po...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin Clark, Deputy Engagement Editor, The Conversation When tennis superstar Dylan Alcott’s post rebuking the Prime Minister for his clumsy “blessed” comment is outperforming election news stories on social media, you know the leaders’ debate didn’t go as hoped for the Coalition. ...3 days ago
- Sport Integrity Australia’s report represents a reckoning for West Australian gymnastics – but h...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Georgia Cervin, Honorary Research Fellow, The University of Western Australia Shutterstock Children forced to train on empty stomachs and falling on their heads. Young athletes told to manage the welfare of their own coaches. Girls starving themselves before enduring skinfold ...3 days ago
- 19,000 New Zealanders Called On The Government To Ban New Fossil Fuel Boilers In The State Sector Th...On Friday 22nd of April (Earth Day) at 1.30 pm, 350 Aotearoa handed over their petition to the House of Representatives which calls for an immediate ban on new fossil fuel boiler installations in the state sector and gained over 19 000 signatures over the ...3 days ago
- Why the war in Ukraine is pushing the Doomsday Clock’s hands closer to midnightSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato GettyImages The so-called Doomsday Clock, created by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists to measure the imminent risk of nuclear conflagration, has been at 100 seconds to midnight since 2020. It’s now ...3 days ago
- Sealord Vows To Continue Trashing Deep Sea Life By Bottom Trawling SeamountsEnvironment and conservation groups today expressed astonishment at the admission by fishing company Sealord that it must continue destroying deep sea life by bottom trawling on seamounts. The company announced what it called a “breakthrough” ...3 days ago
- Dr Bryce Edwards: Rotorua’s voting proposals and the polarising issue for Parliament of co-gover...**** Announcing completion of the the first stage of the two-step engagement process to develop “a Declaration Plan”, Maori Development Minister Willie Jackson today said valuable feedback had been received to help with drafting the plan on indigenous people’s rights over the next few weeks before it is taken out ...3 days ago
- How to control invasive rats and mice at home without harming native wildlifeSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Davis, Senior Lecturer in Wildlife Ecology, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock As I write this article, a furry blur of a rodent has just scampered across the room and under the couch. It’s autumn in Australia and, as air temperatures ...3 days ago
- Does The Gambling Minister Know What She’s Doing?If the Minister of Internal Affairs genuinely wants to reduce gambling harm in Aotearoa, the proposals in a recently released discussion document won't do it. But is Jan Tinetti being insincere, or has she been misguided by her Department? David Hay, ...3 days ago
- What is toe jam? From harmless gunk to a feast for bugsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caroline Robinson, Associate Professor Podiatry, Charles Sturt University Shutterstock Toe jam can be a source of fascination, disgust or barely noticed. It can be a sign you need to wash your feet or rethink your choice of footwear. It can ...3 days ago
- The First NZ Ministry To Have A Name In Three LanguagesWellington, New Zealand, 22 April 2022 – Disabled people and whānau are being encouraged to be involved in the naming of the new ministry for disabled people. In a first for government ministries, the new ministry will include New Zealand Sign ...3 days ago
- Sepuloni is chuffed about reduction in numbers on benefits – but more than 300,000 Kiwis are being...
Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni was quick off the mark to announce the government’s achievement in getting more people off benefits. She says the government’s response to COVID-19 has helped keep people in work, with March Quarter Benefit statistics showing a further fall in the number of people ...3 days ago - Will a continuing education divide eventually favour Labor electorally due to our big cities?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock In May, I wrote that white voters without a university education were increasingly voting for right-wing parties in Australia, the US and the UK. However, in ...3 days ago
- Watch: PM Jacinda Ardern on New Zealand's strategic partnership with JapanSharing information with Japan on strategic priorities could only be of benefit to New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said on the second day of her visit there. ...3 days ago
- Watch live: PM Jacinda Ardern in JapanPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern is speaking to media on the second day of her stay in Japan. ...3 days ago
- Submission – Why New Zealand is a ‘sweet spot’ for DDoS attacksEssay by By Raymond Maisano, Head of Australia and New Zealand, Cloudflare. Aotearoa New Zealand makes up a small portion of the world’s population, yet the country is being hit by a relatively bigger share of cyber attacks. Chances are, you’re familiar with the term ‘distributed denial of service (DDoS) ...3 days ago
- A government aiming to “tweak” our democratic governance arrangements – in a programme which our PM says requires “sophistication” – has declared its readiness to listen to the people. On some things, at least. On the health-restructuring front it has announced “… how New Zealanders will have a real voice ...3 days ago
- Government begins drafting indigenous rights planIndigenous rights, co-governance and He Puapua: the government has started work on a plan and intends to consult widely on it soon. ...3 days ago
- Greyhound Trampled And Euthanised In Christchurch YesterdayYesterday at Addington raceway, the greyhound Gary collided with other dogs and tumbled shortly after reaching the lure, having just crossed the finish line. He was trampled by four other dogs, which caused a catastrophic injury to his right ...3 days ago
- Largest Beer Tax Increase In Recent Memory On The Cards As Inflation His 30-year HighThe latest Statistics New Zealand inflation figures will have many brewers and ultimately consumers gazing into their pint glasses this week as beer excise tax is set to increase by the highest level in over 30 years. In 2021 New Zealanders paid $1.22 billion ...3 days ago
- Report Shows Disabled People Missed Out In COVID ResponseThe Disability Commissioner’s new report (Inquiry into the Support of Disabled People and Whānau During Omicron) highlights failings in the COVID response for disabled people - communication has been confusing and difficult to access; COVID ...3 days ago
- Government Should Prohibit Euthanasia In Public And Private HospitalsEuthanasia is part of a culture of death that seeks to replace a culture of life. Right to Life requests the Minister of Health, Andrew Little, to save our public health system from imminent destruction. We ask him to uphold the common good by ...3 days ago
- Why an edit button for Twitter is not as simple as it seemsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lewis Mitchell, Professor of Data Science, University of Adelaide Most people who use Twitter have had the experience: you fire off a quick tweet, realise it contains a typo, then get annoyed you can’t click “edit” to fix it. Twitter ...4 days ago
- Could the 2022 election result in a hung parliament? History shows Australians have nothing to fear ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University AAP/Mick Tsikas The first two weeks of the 2022 election campaign have increased the possibility that neither of the two major parties will gain a majority ...4 days ago
- Workforce shortages are putting NDIS participants at risk. Here are 3 ways to attract more disabilit...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Libby Callaway, Associate Professor, Rehabilitation, Ageing and Independent Living Research Centre and Occupational Therapy Department, School of Primary and Allied Healthcare, Monash University Shuttertstock Ahead of the upcoming election, Labor has promised a rigorous review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme ...4 days ago
- Without stricter conditions, NZ should be in no hurry to reopen its border to cruise shipsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Higham, Professor of Tourism, University of Otago Shutterstock With the arrival in Sydney of the cruise liner Pacific Explorer on Monday – a giant “WE’RE HOME” sign emblazoned on her bow – the pressure is on New Zealand to match ...4 days ago
- ReBOOT: what is the ‘better off overall test’, and should you be worried about it?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Peetz, Professor Emeritus, Griffith Business School, Griffith University The Coalition and Labor have been arguing over the “better off overall test”, known as the BOOT. What is it, why are they arguing, and who is right? The BOOT is a ...4 days ago
- Two-up, Gallipoli and the ‘fair go’: why illegal gambling is at the heart of the Anzac mythSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bruce Moore, Honorary Associate Professor in the School of Literature, Languages, and Linguistics, Australian National University Spinner tosses the penny during a Two Up game at Flemington Racecourse during the Anzac Day in Melbourne in 2021. Diego Dedele/ AAP Two-up is ...4 days ago
- New Zealand and Japan prime ministers meet, agree to boost security tiesNew Zealand is beefing up its security ties with Japan in the face of "unprecedented challenges" through a plan to share more classified information on international issues. ...4 days ago
- Grattan on Friday: Scott Morrison fails the ‘character’ test posed by his Warringah candidateSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Zali Steggall; Katherine Deves For months there has been a great deal of debate about Scott Morrison’s “character”. Now, in the controversy over Katherine Deves, the Liberal candidate for Warringah who Morrison ...4 days ago
- Anthony Albanese confined to home for seven days after testing COVID positiveSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Labor’s worst fears have been realised with Anthony Albanese testing positive for COVID. In a statement late Thursday, the opposition leader said: “Following a routine PCR test this afternoon ahead of interstate travel to ...4 days ago
- Newsletter – Political Roundup: A polarising co-governance decision for ParliamentTo help keep Political Roundup going, contribute via Victoria University of Wellington: https://bit.ly/VUWDemocracyProject To sign up for the email service: https://democracyproject.nz/nz-politics-daily/ Political Roundup: A polarising co-governance decision for Parliament Co-governance is currently the most polarising issue in New Zealand politics. There’s something of a culture war over the concept of giving Māori voters ...4 days ago
- Don’t Demolish The Refinery – Public MeetingA public meeting being held in Whangarei on Sunday will feature five speakers representing key players trying to get the government to take action to keep the Marsden Point oil refinery in operation. Craig Harrison is secretary of the Maritime Union which ...4 days ago
- Overseas forces are to blame for the surge in our living costs? But non-tradables inflation (up 6 pe...In the wake of the latest inflation figures being published today, showing the consumers price index has risen at its fastest pace in some 30 years, the burning question is whether we have a cost of living crisis. Opposition parties (inevitably) seized on the annual 6.9 per cent CPI increase ...4 days ago
- Albanese has dropped Labor’s pledge to boost Jobseeker. With unemployment low, is that actually fa...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University One of the first things Labor’saor-hasnt-committed-to-jobseeker-increase-and-has-no-plan-to-review-payment-if-it-wins-election/287i8merx) to lifting the unemployment benefit at any time up to and including his first budget. A promise to review the payment made in the last ...4 days ago
- Dan McGarry: How to do something about Australia’s Pacific ‘stuff up’THE VILLAGE EXPLAINER: By Dan McGarry If the coming election goes to Australia’s Labor party, Penny Wong is very likely to become Foreign Minister. So when she speaks, people across the region prick up their ears. Without the least disrespect to her recent forebears, she could be one of the ...4 days ago
- Sogavare adamant deal with China won’t undermine regional securityBy Kelvin Anthony, RNZ Pacific regional correspondent and Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific journalist The Solomon Islands prime minister is adamant a security co-operation agreement his government has signed with China will not undermine regional security. In Parliament yesterday, Manasseh Sogavare confirmed the controversial security agreement with China had been signed ...4 days ago
- Fiji court orders oligarch’s super yacht to remain as US files new bidRNZ Pacific The High Court in Suva has allowed an application by the public prosecutor to stop the super yacht Amadea belonging to Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov from leaving its waters. Kerimov, who was not on board, is facing sanctions from the United States, Britain and the European Union over ...4 days ago
- Does toxic masculinity explain why men kill women? Perhaps not as much as we thoughtSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samara McPhedran, Honorary Associate Professor, The University of Queensland Men killing their female partners has gone from something that occurred behind closed doors with little public discussion, to the focus of national headlines and high-level policy attention. Even though shocking and high ...4 days ago
- Regional journalism is dying: advertising subsidies won’t helpSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leon Gettler, PhD, RMIT University Shutterstock Australia’s regional news outlets are dying a not-so-slow death, and COVID-19 has accelerated their decline. Over the past two years more than a hundred of the 435 regional and community newspapers that existed ...4 days ago
- Ardern celebrates green energy and kiwifruit in TokyoThe prime minister and Toyota NZ chief executive launched an Auckland-based hydrogen-fuel ride-sharing scheme from Tokyo today. ...4 days ago
- The transition into adolescence can be brutal for kids’ mental health – but parents can help red...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zara Mansoor, Clinical Psychologist and PhD Candidate, University of Otago GettyImages The transition from childhood to adolescence is a vulnerable time for the development of mental health difficulties and brings a marked increase in anxiety and depression. The push away ...4 days ago
- Rising tensions: Parties clash over inflation and spendingToday's inflation rise cannot be blamed entirely on global effects, National leader Christopher Luxon says, but the finance minister says tax cuts are not the answer. ...4 days ago
- Isolation rules for close contacts are changing. What happens next?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Esterman, Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of South Australia Shutterstock Close contacts of people with COVID in New South Wales and Victoria will soon no longer need to isolate for seven days. Other states and territories, including Queensland ...4 days ago
- Petition Handover On Earth DayOn Friday 22nd of April (Earth Day) at 1.30 pm, 350 Aotearoa will hand over their petition to the House of Representatives outside Parliament calling for an immediate ban on new fossil fuel boiler installations in the state sector which has gained ...4 days ago
- Working with assertive China a must – PM Jacinda ArdernNew Zealand has been aware for some time now of a "growing assertiveness" and a "growing interest" in its region - explicitly from China, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern tells the BBC. ...4 days ago
- Anti-satellite weapons: the US has sworn off tests, and Australia should follow suitSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cassandra Steer, Deputy Director, Institute for Space (InSpace), Australian National University When United States Vice-President Kamala Harris was at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California earlier this week she said the US would not conduct tests of destructive, direct ascent anti-satellite ...4 days ago
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