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Democracy is on the Ballot – watershed US midterms this week.
Written By: - Date published: 1:46 am, November 7th, 2022 - 3 comments
At a campaign event last week President Biden said that in these mid-term elections “democracy is on the ballot”. This is absolutely true, and the outcome will be decided by those who show up to vote.
A week of sideshows
Written By: - Date published: 5:34 pm, August 21st, 2022 - 64 comments
But the past week has been a week of sideshows. One international as elements of the right try to smear Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin for dancing. And one local where rogue Labour MP Gaurav Sharma is running out of excuses for not backing up the extraordinary claims he has made about the Labour Party.
Mansplaining Luxon
Written By: - Date published: 10:10 am, June 30th, 2022 - 14 comments
Fresh from his attempt to alienate the female vote by being equivocal on if a National Government would move to restrict access to abortions yesterday Christopher Luxon compounded things by purporting to speak for all women.
Hey Free Speech Union, Simon O’Connor is being muzzled
Written By: - Date published: 9:05 am, June 28th, 2022 - 41 comments
Someone should send out the free speech police. Simon O’Connor has been muzzled and is being stopped from saying what he thinks.
Christopher Luxon’s many and varied abortion takes
Written By: - Date published: 8:42 am, June 27th, 2022 - 103 comments
National leader Christopher Luxon who has been previously reported as believing that abortion is murder, issued three public statements over the weekend trying to distance himself from the controversy caused by the US Supreme Court overturning of Rowe v Wade.
The US abortion bans and women’s rights
Written By: - Date published: 12:22 pm, June 25th, 2022 - 103 comments
We have abortion rights by the grace of men.
The Kim Hill/Kathleen Stock interview
Written By: - Date published: 10:44 am, May 14th, 2022 - 122 comments
Kathleen Stock: the professor who lost her career amid toxic gender debate
What If Roe v Wade is Really Reversed?
Written By: - Date published: 7:59 am, May 10th, 2022 - 35 comments
It is no mere hypothetical to inquire whether States, as soon as the reversal of Roe v Wade is confirmed, start to aggressively go after kinds of contraception.
The end of Roe v Wade
Written By: - Date published: 8:40 am, May 4th, 2022 - 149 comments
America’s status as a potentially failed republic is growing stronger with the highest court of the land having a draft judgment leaked in an apparent attempt to shore up a conservative majority position on overturning abortion rights.
UK government signals urgent inquiry into overmedicalisation of gender non-conforming children
Written By: - Date published: 11:24 am, April 24th, 2022 - 40 comments
This is a medical scandal affecting children and teens, and the left is still largely in denial of it.
National still has a culture problem
Written By: - Date published: 7:45 am, April 3rd, 2022 - 37 comments
This week National found itself the centre of media suggesting that its treatment of women is still not acceptable. A couple of Young Nats were outed as being behind the trolling of Christchurch left wing female politicians. Christchurch city councillor Sara Templeton was on the receiving end of the trolling. She did the very wise […]
Women who challenged the male domination of sport
Written By: - Date published: 11:10 am, March 8th, 2022 - 91 comments
History PhD student @LottieHistory wrote a twitter thread recently on the work women have done to participate in sport.
Women’s human rights and the vulnerability of pregnant women
Written By: - Date published: 12:57 pm, January 31st, 2022 - 211 comments
While social and mainstream media hash out the details of Charlotte Bellis’ situation, her case points to the gross inequity that women still face even in countries like New Zealand.
Astroturfers of the world unite
Written By: - Date published: 9:14 am, November 20th, 2021 - 52 comments
Two days before what is claimed will be the mother of all protests links between the Groundswell organisation and the Taxpayers Union have been discovered.
What is gender?
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, November 11th, 2021 - 152 comments
“When people are arguing about gender, quite often one of them is talking about sex, one of them is talking about social stereotypes, and a third one is talking about gender identity, and they’re all shouting at each other”
New misogyny same as the old misogyny
Written By: - Date published: 12:38 pm, October 17th, 2021 - 140 comments
At the largest feminist conference in Europe, with a major focus on male violence against women, gender identity activists chose to protest with sexualised violent language and imagery.
Revisiting sports, trans inclusiveness and women’s sex based rights
Written By: - Date published: 2:41 pm, October 1st, 2021 - 86 comments
The UK Sports Council has released new guidance on trans inclusion in sports, including in relation to biological women
The problems for women with sex self-ID in law and society
Written By: - Date published: 10:57 am, September 13th, 2021 - 105 comments
What should have been be a straight forward attending to the documentation needs of trans and non-binary people has become a political mess of conflicts with women’s rights. There is still time to make a submission to the BDMRR Bill in order to protect women’s rights (last day for submissions is Tuesday).
Women, the Taliban and sex based rights
Written By: - Date published: 10:38 am, August 16th, 2021 - 66 comments
What is being done to women in Afghanistan by the Taliban is sex-based oppression.
Women’s Space
Written By: - Date published: 1:19 pm, August 1st, 2021 - 58 comments
A dedicated space on The Standard for women’s debate, and introducing the new feminist online space of Women’s Liberation Aotearoa.
“We have to talk about sex. It’s important”
Written By: - Date published: 10:55 am, July 28th, 2021 - 145 comments
British philosophy professor Kathleen Stock being interviewed by Redline’s Daphna Whitmore on gender critical feminism and the sex/gender wars. Also, why being able to debate matters.
Women’s Day
Written By: - Date published: 10:45 am, July 17th, 2021 - 106 comments
A dedicated space on The Standard for women’s debate.
Women and male violence
Written By: - Date published: 6:10 am, March 15th, 2021 - 37 comments
Sarah Everard’s death has been a touchpaper that has ignited the ever present anger in women at having to live in a world that is fundamentally unsafe for us simply on the basis of our sex.
Why Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Death Matters Here
Written By: - Date published: 8:28 am, September 20th, 2020 - 27 comments
RBG’s death was an important event for women here because it happened on the anniversary of Women’s Suffrage Day 126 years ago. On this day in New Zealand we celebrate women being able to vote, the women who won further victories of political liberation, and many got together to recount our female heroes enabled by that right and all those rights that followed.
Should the government replace sex data with gender (identity) data?
Written By: - Date published: 10:07 am, August 11th, 2020 - 110 comments
Stats NZ want to use gender rather than sex as the default for data collection. But they’ve neglected to ask women about that.
National’s culture review shambles
Written By: - Date published: 8:17 am, April 10th, 2019 - 79 comments
National’s internal cultural review has been completed but two female MPs most affected by recent events were not interviewed.
The Kavanaugh confirmation hearing
Written By: - Date published: 8:56 am, September 30th, 2018 - 63 comments
The Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearing last week showed two extremes, one person describing a painful event in her past life and another person angrily denying that anything happened and claiming it was all about him.
How Patriarchy Works; A Newshub Special Investigation
Written By: - Date published: 11:25 am, September 25th, 2018 - 80 comments
A schoolgirl correctly identified exactly what caused the stink at Carterton South school. Why wasn’t she listened to?
Litigation and equal pay – a history of the 1950’s equal pay campaign
Written By: - Date published: 7:26 am, August 28th, 2018 - 3 comments
Forward In 2016 I wrote the below dissertation as part of my History Honours degree at Victoria University. This dissertation explores the 1950s equal pay campaign, and specifically looks at the Jean Parker Case. Jean Parker was a PSA member employed at IRD, who like Kristine Bartlett 60 years later, won a landmark equal pay legal […]
Period. End. Done.
Written By: - Date published: 12:12 pm, August 26th, 2018 - 42 comments
The Scottish government has just taken a massive step to eradicate period poverty. Why not here?
Coming up, Babies!
Written By: - Date published: 12:37 pm, June 15th, 2018 - 68 comments
Jacinda’s baby is going to be big news soon.
- Labour’s morally indefensible choices
Labour 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 ...6 hours 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 ...10 hours ago
- Bryce Edwards: Labour’s version of conservatism is no longer popular
New 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 ...12 hours ago - 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #44
A 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 ...15 hours 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 ...1 day ago- Disingenuous National Party s(loga)neering continues to make seeing out 2022 way harder than it need...
Make it make sense. For the love of retaining some sanity as we chase down the end of the year, make. it. make. sense! A Party that wants us to get in thousands more people to fill jobs… that being, the ones that are presumably to be vacated ...3 days ago- Climate Change: Winning slowly
Five years ago David Wallace-Wells published "The Unihabitable Earth", looking at the horrifying consequences of what-were-then-likely climate change scenarios. Today, he has something of a followup in the New York Times, "Beyond Catastrophe: A New Climate Reality Is Coming Into View". Its a very long article, but the TL;DR is ...3 days ago- Why are Bond Markets So Terrifying?
‘I used to think that if there was reincarnation, I wanted to come back as the president or the pope or as a .400 baseball hitter. But now I would like to come back as the bond market. You can intimidate everybody.’ James Carville.The rule by British politicians Liz Truss ...3 days ago- Political Roundup: 4 November 2022
Items of interest and importance today GOVERNMENT, PARLIAMENT, ELECTIONS Toby Manhire (Spinoff): Labour’s conference challenge is to launch Project Dawn Matthew Hooton (Herald): Bureaucracy needs shaking into action (paywalled) Brent Edwards (NBR): Economic gloom, Iranian balance, Labour’s tough challenge(paywalled) RNZ: Labour’s party faithful to gather for annual conference as pressure mounts ...3 days ago- 0-800-STASI
The Lidless Eye: New Zealand’s Security Intelligence Service has scoured its own files, and drawn on the relevant files of its Five Eyes partners, to produce a handbook identifying all the tell-tale signs that a citizen has undergone radicalisation, and is on the verge of organising and/or engaging in an act ...4 days ago- Three Waters. Three Mayors. Three Cheers!
Three Wise Men: Who should pay for upgrading New Zealand's waste, storm and drinking water services? That is the $64 billion (at the very least!) question. The most obvious answer: and the one Mayor Wayne Brown in Auckland, Mayor Phil Mauger in Christchurch, and the Mayor of the Waimakariri District, ...4 days ago- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #44 2022
Notables: Usable, but unused: A critical story of co-producing the UK’s Climate Change Risk Assessments. We seem to have all the pieces needed to build climate-risk-responsive policy but often there's no policy product at the end of the assembly line. James Porter & Caitlin Clark investigate and explain how our blueprint for building ...4 days ago- More wind
If Aotearoa is going to decarbonise, we're going to need a lot more renewable electricity. And it looks like the industry is stepping up, with the announcement of Aotearoa's first offshore wind farm: New Zealand’s first offshore wind farm will be built 22km off the coast of South Taranaki ...4 days ago- Media Link: “AVFA” on electoral politics in Brazil, US and Israel.
This week Selwyn Manning and I do a post-mortem on Brazil’s election and a preview of the US midterms under the general banner of “it is about the movement, not the man,” then turn to the tactical and existential issues surrounding Israel’s latest (and increasingly rightwing-leaning) elections. You can draw ...4 days ago- Gordon Campbell on inflating the threat posed by social media
It has been a big week for the preachers of the social media apocalypse. During her speech on Monday to the He Whenua Taurikura hui on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism, PM Jacinda Ardern told us that the country’s security agencies have just released a draft National Security Long Term ...4 days ago- David Parker Rejects Co-Governance.
Stubbornly Thoughtful: According to veteran political journalist, Richard Harman, the Environment Minister David Parker rejected the inclusion of co-governance provisions in his Natural & Built Environments Bill, facing-down the opposition of Nanaia Mahuta and Labour’s Māori Caucus “in what may be seen as a defining move by the Government, which ...4 days ago- Bryce Edwards: A Culture war over hate speech and free speech is unlikely
Sunday’s announcement by Justice Minister Kiri Allan about forthcoming legislation on hate speech has sparked concerns that the country is headed for a second round of culture wars over free speech. As one journalist states today, Allan is “reigniting last year’s political firestorm”. Some have suggested that Labour are about ...5 days ago- No, Aragorn and Conan Are Not Alike: A Reply to The Brothers Krynn
Due to a new laptop, I have been spending early November making excellent progress on Old Phuul. It turns out that when one has a functioning computer at one’s disposal, there is a corresponding renewal of interest in actually writing. So much so, I intend for the next couple ...5 days ago- Climate Change: Taxing the rich is a climate change policy
The Greens are often criticised by the right for linking social equality with environmental issues. But it turns out that they are deeply connected: the ultra-rich are responsible for a massive amount of climate pollution: The top 1% of earners in the UK are responsible for the same amount ...5 days ago- 26,000 employed under Labour
The quarterly labour market statistics were released this morning, showing unemployment stable at 3.3%. There are now 97,000 unemployed - 26,000 fewer than when Labour took office. So, I guess the bankers aren't getting what they want. Which means we can expect the howling for ordinary people to be thrown ...5 days ago- How sea level rise contributes to billions in extra damage during hurricanes
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters When Hurricane Ian barreled into the coast of southwest Florida on Sept. 28, the mighty hurricane’s 150-mph winds drove a massive and destructive storm surge inland. A preliminary estimate from NOAA puts Ian’s damage at more than $50 billion, and ...6 days ago- Political Roundup: 2 November 2022
Items of interest and importance today ECONOMY, BUSINESS, EMPLOYMENT Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Nearly $6b in National’s planned tax cuts for richest 5 per cent according to union analysis Thomas Manch (Stuff): CTU attacks National’s ‘massive and uncosted’ tax cut plan; National rejects ‘false assumptions’ Ireland Hendry-Tennent (Newshub): Christopher Luxon defends ...6 days ago- Gordon Campbell on Iran getting worse, alcohol in sport and a music playlist
So we’ve found a ledge for our Iran policy, and are now doing our best to call it a mezzanine. Yesterday, the government announced the suspension of the Human Rights Initiative with Iran that both countries launched in 2018. The suspension is in protest at Iran’s violations of human rights ...6 days ago- Climate Change: No Magic bullets for agriculture
Farmers are responsible for 50% of our greenhouse gas emissions, mostly in the form of methane from their animals' digestion of grass. For the past two decades, our agricultural climate change policy has basicly focused on finding a technological fix for this, a magic bullet which will let them keep ...6 days ago- Political Roundup: 1 November 2022
Items of interest and importance today PARLIAMENT, PARTIES, ELECTIONS Thomas Coughlan (Herald): National defends selling dinner with Christopher Luxon for $1500 (paywalled) Andrew Dickens (Newstalk ZB): I warned you that Winston is back and I was right Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Horizon Poll: Winners, Losers & Predictions Toby Manhire (Spinoff): Raf ...7 days ago- 2022 General Reading: October (+ Old Phuul update)
Completed reads for October: Shadows of Ecstasy, by Charles Williams Haita the Shepherd, by Ambrose Bierce An Inhabitant of Carcosa, by Ambrose Bierce The Complete Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft (collection), by H.P. Lovecraft The Emperor of Dreams (collection), by Clark Ashton Smith A Voyage to Sfanomoë, by Clark ...1 week ago- “Governor” Of The People.
Topsy-Turvy: Justice Minister Kiri Allan has got the direction of power and control in New Zealand completely upside-down.“AS A GOVERNOR.” That is how Justice Minister Kiri Allan described her political function on TVNZ’s Q+A. Unfortunately, Jessica Mutch McKay, standing in for Jack Tame, allowed Allan’s self-characterisation to pass without comment. Which ...1 week ago- Democracy wins in Brazil
Brazilians went to the polls today in a run-off presidential election, and voted narrowly to re-elect former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva rather than authoritarian, coup-apologist, anti-environment, covid-superspreader Jair Bolsonaro. Which is pretty good news for Brazilian democracy, the global climate, and actual Brazilians - Bolsonaro managed to murder ...1 week ago- Time for a windfall tax
Last week ANZ bank reported a record $2.3 billion profit - a full 0.6% of total GDP gouged out of our economy. And earlier in the year the Commerce Commission found that supermarkets were making a million dollars a day of excess profits due to their abuse of market power. ...1 week ago- Geoffrey Miller: Is it time for Jacinda Ardern to head to the Middle East?
In her victorious election campaign in 2017, Jacinda Ardern famously called climate change ‘my generation’s nuclear-free moment’. But perhaps surprisingly, Ardern has not attended a UN climate change conference since she became New Zealand’s Prime Minister in 2017. Had New Zealand’s Covid-19 situation allowed for it, Ardern would have almost ...1 week ago- Kick? No, Run and Pass
Yesterday’s narrow and stuttering win against Japan highlighted an affliction that has increasingly handicapped the All Blacks in the modern era. Time and again, the keen-eyed observer will have seen that the first response of an All Black back, finding himself in possession and with space to move, was to ...1 week ago- 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #43
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Oct 23, 2022 thru Sat, Oct 29, 2022. Story of the Week Global Energy Report: Pain at the Pump, High Energy Costs Could Create a Silver Lining for Climate and Security Russia’s invasion ...1 week ago- The Empire Strikes Back.
From The Periphery To The Metropole: Beyond its personal dimensions, Rishi Sunak’s rise speaks to the extraordinary dynamism and diversity of global capitalism. Brexiteer though Sunak may be, his rise to the prime-ministership of Britain will strike many Brexit voters as yet further proof that, like the guests at the ...1 week ago- Eliminating The Racism Virus.
Mistaking Metaphors For Reality: The experience of the public fight against Covid-19 has revealed just how injurious to social cohesion and the public peace draconian levels of medical intervention can be. And, let’s not forget, Covid-19 was an real virus! Arming the state with equivalent powers against a metaphorical virus ...1 week ago- More Than One Way To Skin A Cat.
A woke government, served by a woke broadcaster, might just be persuaded to embark on a bold new broadcasting journey.NOBODY HAS YET come up with a credible case for amalgamating Radio New Zealand and Television New Zealand. Even so, the merger proceeds apace, costing the taxpayer a ridiculous amount of ...1 week ago- How Are We Covered for Earthquakes?
Given that it is increasingly difficult to get affordable earthquake insurance, we may have to radically revise the system. Suppose you are exposed to a risk that you cannot protect yourself from. You might set aside a capital sum which would cover the loss if the event occurred. But if ...1 week ago- Climate Change: Bad news and hope
The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference begins next weekend, and in the run-up we have the usual series of UN reports reminding us how bad things are getting, and that our leaders are essentially fiddling while the planet burns. Greenhouse gas levels are at record highs, and still rising. ...1 week ago- Media Link: The Era of Restive Politics.
In the latest “A View from Afar” podcast Selwyn Manning and I explore what can be called the era of restive politics in national and international affairs. We review recent political dynamics in the US, UK, Brazil, Italy, Iran and the PRC to highlight that in the post-pandemic world, public ...1 week ago- Political Roundup: 28 October 2022
Items of interest and importance today ECONOMY, BUSINESS Peter Dunne (Newsroom): Election 2023 – it’ll be the economy again, stupid! Matthew Hooton (Herald): Why aren’t politicians taking frightening challenges seriously?(paywalled) Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Calls grow for monthly inflation update, to reduce risk of interest rate blunder Liam Dann (Herald): Adrian ...2 weeks ago- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #43 2022
Burgess, Pielke Jr. & Ritchie: Doomsayers? We recently highlighted a paper by Kemp et al., Climate Endgame: Exploring catastrophic climate change scenarios. We noted that with a title avoiding euphemisms, the work might attract attention despite making reasoned points well grounded in supporting research, with a notable degree of calm. Sure enough, here ...2 weeks ago- About Bloody Time: New Zealand Gets Fair Pay Agreements
I have long criticised New Zealand’s Sixth Labour Government as fundamentally useless. And for good reason. Apart from managing Covid in 2020 – itself a matter of letting the Ministry of Health de facto run the country – it has been a Government defined by its inactivity ...2 weeks ago- There’s more than one way to tame inflation
ANZ bank today reported a record profit of $2.3 billion - 0.6% of our total GDP going straight into the pockets of the rich. Meanwhile, their pet economists are explicitly demanding that thousands of people be thrown out of work to limit inflation: New Zealand’s unemployment rate needs to ...2 weeks ago- This is not how you build trust
One of the recommendations of the Operation Burnham inquiry into the killing of civillians in Afhganistan by the SAS was the establishment of a new Inspector-General of Defence to conduct such inquiries in future. Two years on, the government has finally gotten around to introducing the required legislation to the ...2 weeks ago- Gordon Campbell on being rich, white and detained in Iran
One admirable thing about New Zealanders is that if we blunder into the bush in bad weather without proper food, clothing or a locator beacon, dozens of volunteers will still selflessly go in and do their best to bring us back alive. Ditto if we are a brainless couple who ...2 weeks ago- Political Roundup: 27 October 2022
Items of interest and importance today PARLIAMENT AND GOVERNMENT Jonathan Hill (Stuff): Lobbying: slow our own revolving door Peter Dunne: PM must make a call on her future Duncan Garner (Today FM): Jacinda Ardern ain’t dead yet Rachel Smalley, just a bit closer… Toby Manhire (Spinoff): About those rumours that ...2 weeks ago- Battling heat waves: The silent killer
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by James Arnott and Greg Alvarez Millions of TV viewers watched minute-by-minute coverage of Hurricane Ian blasting its path of destruction in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. But while hurricanes are scary and deadly, extreme heat is a stealthy killer that causes more deaths than ...2 weeks ago- Passing The Tests.
Professional Failure: New Zealand’s education system – once celebrated as one of the most successful in the world – is in free-fall. By all the recognised international comparators, we are failing – and failing fast. So bad have things become that it is increasingly difficult to find a sufficient number ...2 weeks ago- Labour actually achieves something!
Well, it finally happened: two years into its term, the Labour government finally achieved something: The Fair Pay Agreements Bill has passed its third reading in Parliament, with the support of Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori. The bill provides a framework for collective bargaining across occupations - ...2 weeks ago- Bryce Edwards: Why the Uber court ruling is a major victory against worker exploitation
Do you believe that workers deserve basic employment rights and protections against exploitation? Do you think that workers should be entitled to the minimum wage, have protection from unjust dismissal, have the right to sick leave, holiday pay and KiwiSaver contributions, and the right to unionise and collectively bargain? If ...2 weeks ago- World rocked by 29 billion-dollar weather disasters in 2022
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters At least 29 billion-dollar weather disasters have rocked the planet so far in 2022, said insurance broker Aon in its quarterly disaster report issued October 18. Heat waves in Europe killed more than 16,000 people and nearly 1,700 died as a ...2 weeks ago- A victory for worker’s rights
The Employment Court has ruled that four Uber drivers are employees rather than "independent contractors": Uber drivers in New Zealand have won an employment case ruling they were employees of the global ridesharing provider and not contractors. [...] As employees, the four drivers were entitled to the rights and ...2 weeks ago- Mahuta, cosyism, and ethical standards
The Herald this morning has another episode in its campaign against Nanaia Mahuta, this time focusing on her role in appointing a young relative to a government job. There is no question that Mahuta is being targeted because of her race - no-one would ask questions about her actions if ...2 weeks ago- Gordon Campbell on Britain’s latest Prime Minister du jour
Rishi Sunak has vowed to unite his party and the country. Given the rightwards drift of the Conservative Party since David Cameron and Brexit, those two goals are bound to be contradictory. Especially since Sunak has no democratic mandate for the tough medicine that he says he’ll soon have to ...2 weeks ago- Bryce Edwards: The Increasing speculation about Jacinda Ardern quitting
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern flies to Antarctica today, and her media spin doctors will be hoping for some good photo opportunities to lift the leader’s popularity. But they will be asking a lot. Tomorrow it will be five years since Ardern was sworn in as Prime Minister. At that time ...2 weeks ago- Climate change made 2022’s northern-hemisphere droughts ‘at least 20 times’ more likely
This is a re-post from Carbon Brief by Ayesha Tandon The droughts seen across the northern hemisphere this summer were made “at least 20 times more likely” by human-caused climate change, according to a new “rapid-attribution” study. The summer of 2022 saw Europe’s worst drought in 500 years. A combination of record-breaking temperatures and ...2 weeks ago- 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #42
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Oct 16, 2022 thru Sat, Oct 22, 2022. Mother Nature Always Bats Last! ‘Nature is striking back’: flooding around the world, from Australia to Venezuela It has been a drenched 2022 for many ...2 weeks ago- Jackson's Trap.
Tight Spot: Maori Development Minister Willie Jackson has been left holding a draft implementation plan for the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples which is too radical to present to Cabinet, but which its authors refuse to re-write. Much broader public consultation has been promised once the plan ...2 weeks ago- The Language Of Those With Nothing Left To Say.
Running Wild: Three of the more than 100 young people who trashed and burned a Wawa convenience store in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, earlier this year. This degree of lawlessness, akin to, but a whole order of magnitude greater than, our own ram-raids, is indicative of a society that has lost ...2 weeks ago- What State is the Economy In?
‘There is little doubt we face a fully-fledged economic crisis, beyond the current cost of living crisis.’ (Matthew Hooton, New Zealand Herald , 30 September 2022) It is unwise to be certain about the state of the economy. Experience and research has long taught us that the only certainty about ...2 weeks ago- Climate Change: Why farmers should pay their way
Newsroom's Marc Daalder has a look today at agricultural emissions, and concludes that pricing livestock pollution is reasonable, rooted in science and will see global greenhouse emissions fall. But that bit that really gets me is right at the front: Just 1.16 percent of the population are farmers, but ...2 weeks ago- Brutality as a Russian fighting characteristic–and a mistake.
One of my intellectual interests is the study of fighting cultures—Asian (in all of its varieties), Arab (same), European (same), North American, Israeli and, more broadly, Maori, Zulu, Greek, Roman and Persian back in the day. I do not consider myself a warfare expert but I have garnered enough knowledge ...2 weeks ago- Who Is Pulling Sharma’s Strings?
Plaything Of The Right? Just how decisively the Right is shaping our politics will become clear in the run-up to the Hamilton West by-election. Though National may consider the by-election outcome a foregone conclusion, it is likely to be disabused of any such notion relatively quickly.GAURAV SHARMA’S DEATH-DIVE into the ...2 weeks ago- Liz Truss must be the next British PM
Britain is looking for another Prime Minister. Thankfully, there is a candidate waiting in the wings with all the right credentials. ...2 weeks ago- Political Roundup: 21 October 2022
Items of interest and importance today GOVERNMENT AND PARLIAMENT Damien Venuto (Herald): Five years in, have Labour and Jacinda Ardern lost their stardust? Matthew Hooton (Herald): Jacinda Ardern’s path to victory in 2023 (paywalled) Peter Dunne (Newshub): Rules on political conflicts of interests must be updated urgently Thomas Cranmer: Sidestepping ...2 weeks ago- The Two Vladimirs.
First Time As Tragedy, Second Time as ... Tragedy: The Leninist will-to-power is also there in Putin, but the dream is different. Not a speculative blueprint for humanity’s future, but a necromancer’s resurrection of Russia’s obscurantist past. Not the white-hot ripples of modernist self-confidence, but the poisonous fogs and vapours ...3 weeks ago- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #42 2022
Eyes North This summer the Wilson Center Polar Institute convened a workshop Arctic Methane — Situational Awareness, Assessment & Policy Directions "focusing on a stocktake of current and planned Arctic methane measurement, monitoring and modeling capabilities, and the challenges of bringing these components together in an integrated system that is positioned to inform future policy ...3 weeks ago- A Land of No Milk and No Honey: A Reply to No Right Turn
New Zealand political blogger, No Right Turn, is a particular type of Leftist. Not my sort of Leftist, but it takes all sorts to make a world. His fixation on the Official Information Act 1982 can be both interesting and charming. Some of the other stuff he comes out ...3 weeks ago- A problem of oversight
Last week, RNZ had a horrifying story about MBIE hiring a firm of Israeli cyber-mercenaries for intelligence collection, including on people's religion and political beliefs. Today, they have a followup about MBIE's failure to consult the Privacy Commissioner about the spying: The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) ...3 weeks ago- Farmers need to earn their social licence
Last week, Labour grovelled to the sacred cow, releasing an agricultural emissions plan which was basicly a plan to subsidise their emissions (and so keep them emitting) for a century. But even that was too much for farmers, and so today they sent their tractors into our cities again in ...3 weeks ago- Political Roundup: 20 October 2022
Items of interest and importance today HAMILTON WEST BY-ELECTION Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Who is pulling Sharma’s strings? Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Wealthy businessman Roshan Nauhria willing to financially back Gaurav Sharma Peter Dunne: Will Sharma have the last laugh? Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Gaurav Sharma has left Parliament, but did he ...3 weeks ago- Josh Van Veen: Racial separatism is not the path to victory for NZ First
‘Racial separatism’ is the cause célèbre of those who feel marginalised by cultural change in New Zealand. They yearn for a simpler time when race relations were about who you played rugby with and not much else. One didn’t ask moral questions about colonisation. The distribution of wealth and power ...3 weeks ago- Building a better hurricane ‘cone of uncertainty’
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob Henson The now widely familiar “cone of uncertainty” for hurricanes in some ways is a victim of its own success. Introduced in 2002, the cone was innovative in its day. Up till then, forecasts from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) ...3 weeks ago- Bryce Edwards: Here comes an unpredictable and intense by-election
Get ready for a hard-fought and intense by-election in Hamilton West, triggered by the resignation from Parliament of former Labour MP Gaurav Sharma. Both Labour and National are going to throw everything at winning this by-election. Complicating matters, there will be a number of minor parties and fringe elements – ...3 weeks ago- Climate Change: A slow victory over coal
The climate movement has a lot of strands, with different philosophies of action and targets for change. Some target governments, some push for individual change. Some use lobbying, others use protest at varying levels of disruption. One strand has focused on targeting the money that allows fossil fuels to be ...3 weeks ago- Dear Sirs
In which one adopts a certain mayoral style. ...3 weeks ago - Disingenuous National Party s(loga)neering continues to make seeing out 2022 way harder than it need...
- Making childcare more affordable
We 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. ...1 day ago - Greens welcome childcare support, call for more action
The 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. ...1 day 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. ...1 day 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. ...1 day ago
- Grant Robertson: Speech to the Labour Party Conference 2022Labour Finance Spokesperson Grant Robertson speaks at the Labour Party Conference in South Auckland. ...2 days ago
- Luxon risks burning down five years of climate progressChris Luxon’s plan to reopen new gas projects in the middle of the climate crisis is about as irresponsible as it gets. ...4 days ago
- Greens call on Govt to grant visa waiver status to all Pacific countriesThe Green Party is calling on the Government to change visa settings to allow people visiting Aotearoa from the Pacific Islands to do so without having to apply for a visa. ...4 days ago
- 100 things we’ve delivered this yearOver the past year, we’ve worked hard to deliver for Kiwis. As we’ve continued to secure our economy, we’ve also made good progress across long term challenges like climate change, housing, and health. While there is more to do, we’ve achieved a lot over the past year. Here are just ...4 days ago
- New Zealand’s place in the worldPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern recently gave a speech on the economy and New Zealand’s place in the world. Here’s a super quick overview of what she had to say about global challenges, like workforce shortages, and why New Zealand can be optimistic about the future. ...4 days ago
- Tax excess profits, don’t leave it to the good will of large corporationsThe Green Party is once again calling on the Government to introduce an excess profits tax and use the money to support people, rather than relying on the good will of corporations. ...4 days ago
- RBNZ report strengthens case for excess profit tax and more income supportA drop in household income from rising bank interest rates further demonstrates the need for an excess profits tax, the Green Party says. ...5 days ago
- Another Green idea on public transport gets the Govt go aheadThe Government’s announcement today that it will boost bus driver wages once again adopts a long held Green Party commitment on public transport. ...1 week ago
- Green proposals to tax excess corporate profitThe Green Party has today put forward proposals to ensure large corporations profiteering from high inflation are taxed fairly and the money used to support people to make ends meet. ...1 week ago
- Govt adopts Green alcohol harm solutionsThe Greens welcome the Government’s announcement today to remove the special appeals process from Local Alcohol Policies, effectively adopting the first half of Chlöe Swarbrick’s Alcohol Harm Minimisation Bill. ...1 week ago
- Global energy agency calls for end to oil and gasFossil fuel corporations claiming gas as a suitable “transition” fuel is jeopardising New Zealand’s chances of achieving its net zero climate change targets, a new report from the International Energy Agency underscores. ...2 weeks ago
- Huge win for oceans against deepsea miningThe Green Party is today celebrating a landmark decision by the Government to support a moratorium on seabed mining in international waters. ...2 weeks ago
- Backing workers with Fair Pay AgreementsWe've now delivered on our election commitment to back Kiwi workers with Fair Pay Agreements. Fair Pay Agreements make it easier for workers across an industry or occupation to bargain for better wages and working conditions. ...2 weeks ago
- Fair pay agreements huge step towards fairer futureThe Green Party is celebrating a landmark change in the law that will ensure more people are paid what they deserve. ...2 weeks ago
- Five years of progress with LabourOur Government has a very clear vision for New Zealand’s future. It’s one where our economy provides security and opportunities for every New Zealander and their family. It’s one where everyone has a healthy, affordable place to call home. It’s one where all of us have access to world-class healthcare. ...2 weeks ago
- Green pressure helps keep check on commercial fishingThanks to political pressure from the Green Party, environmental NGOs and recreational fishers, the Government has changed plans that would have baked into law rules that shut out the public from important fisheries decisions. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens call for sanctions on Iranian regimeThe Green Party is calling for Aotearoa New Zealand to follow the EU, UK, and Canada by imposing sanctions and restrictions on the organisations and people responsible for ongoing human rights abuses in Iran. ...2 weeks ago
- Groundhog Day for pay transparencyLabour is asking for the exact same advice on pay transparency that a Green Minister first asked for five years ago. ...3 weeks ago
- Taking mental health seriouslyWe believe that all New Zealanders should be able to access support when and where they need it. That’s why we’re laying the foundation for a whole new mental health system. It’s a big job, but there’s already been huge change and it’s making a real difference for thousands of ...3 weeks ago
- Benefit stats show urgent need to wipe Work and Income debtThe Government needs to clear the debt that MSD has forced hundreds of thousands of low income people to take on and immediately lift benefits, says the Green Party. ...3 weeks ago
- Welfare support must keep pace with inflationThe tools exist to lift every family out of poverty – and as costs continue to rise it is more urgent than ever that we use them, the Green Party says. ...3 weeks ago
- Stronger regulations to fight money laundering and financial terrorism
The Government is strengthening its regime to combat the harmful effects of money laundering and financial terrorism and making it easier for small businesses and consumers to comply, Justice Minister Kiri Allan has announced. “Our country is a safe place to do business, but we want to do as much ...6 hours ago - New Zealand progresses CPTPP dairy dispute with CanadaIn advocacy of its dairy industry, New Zealand has today requested the establishment of a panel to hear its dispute against Canada regarding the administration of dairy tariff rate quotas (TRQs) under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). “New Zealand’s primary industries are the backbone of our economy, ...11 hours ago
- NCEA and NZ Scholarship exams begin todayAssociate Education Minister Jan Tinetti has wished students well ahead of NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship exams, which begin this morning. “We want students to do their best, in the upcoming exams which mark the last milestone before a well-earned summer break,” Jan Tinetti said. “Students have worked hard over ...13 hours ago
- Cost of Living Package: More families to receive childcare support54 per cent of all New Zealand families with children will now be eligible for subsidised childcare assistance. Over 10,000 additional children eligible for support. Nearly every sole parent in New Zealand will be eligible for childcare assistance Increasing the income thresholds increases both the number of families eligible and ...1 day ago
- New Zealand leads new global sustainable agriculture declarationNew Zealand has agreed a declaration along with other members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that commits members to working together to boost sustainable agriculture and food systems, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said today in Paris. The ‘Declaration on transformative solutions for sustainable agriculture and food ...3 days ago
- Practical changes to modernise arms licensing legislationThe Government is taking action to ensure responsible gun owners with an expired licence due to a predicted peak in applications aren’t penalised, Police Minister Chris Hipkins says. The Arms Licence Holders’ Applications for New Licences Amendment Bill will be introduced to the House in the next week. It makes ...3 days ago
- New Eastern Region surf lifesaving centre ready for summerThe Prime Minister has officially opened the Port of Tauranga Rescue Centre today, which with $2.9m of Government funding from the Covid-19 Response and Recovery Fund (CRRF), will secure surf lifesaving facilities for what is one of New Zealand’s most popular stretches of coastline. “As the largest Surf Life ...4 days ago
- Kiwis step up to the challenge for innovative transport solutionsKiwis up and down the country have stepped up to the Government’s call for innovative solutions to the country’s transport challenges, highlighting the strength of kiwi ingenuity, Transport Minister Michael Wood has announced. “The Government is upgrading New Zealand’s transport system to make it safer, greener, and more efficient for ...4 days ago
- Dozens of new innovative projects awarded funding113 new projects funded More than $77.391 million invested over the next three years Universities to receive almost 90.5% of the funding Over a hundred new research projects will be funded over the next three years, supporting researchers to explore new ideas, Research, Science, and Innovation Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall ...5 days ago
- New video to help whānau through Coroners CourtMinister for Courts Aupito William Sio welcomes a new video resource to guide whānau through the first stages of the coronial process. The Ministry of Justice has created the video as part of a work programme focused on improving the experience from when a death occurs and is reported to ...5 days ago
- Speech to CEOs of BusinessNZ’s Major Companies GroupIt’s a pleasure to be with you tonight. At this time of year, as we head into Christmas and summer, you could reasonably expect a bit of entertainment. Instead you have me, and the light subject matter of workforce shortages, supply chain disruption, geopolitical tension, and a high inflationary environment. ...5 days ago
- Better protections for Kiwis using Buy Now, Pay LaterBetter checks to stop vulnerable consumers landing themselves in Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) debt traps are on the way, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Dr David Clark announced today. “This is the right thing to do. As the global cost of living crisis puts pressure on New Zealanders and ...5 days ago
- Government support for rural water suppliersAssociate Minister of Local Government Kieran McAnulty was in Eketāhuna today to announce the Government is accepting applications for a programme to support rural drinking water suppliers meet Taumata Arowai water standards. “The Government is committed to addressing rising water costs and improving water infrastructure,” Kieran McAnulty said. “This programme ...5 days ago
- Govt delivers more wellbeing support to university studentsMore mental wellbeing support than ever before is now available to tertiary students at university, thanks to the Government’s $25 million Budget 2020 Tertiary Student Wellbeing package. Health Minister Andrew Little announced the start of enhanced mental health and addiction services on campus at Hamilton’s University of Waikato today - ...5 days ago
- Increased health and safety representation for workersWorkers in small and lower-risk businesses will have greater choice about how they are represented on health and safety matters, Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Michael Wood has announced. “Our Government is committed to supporting New Zealanders to feel safe when at work. Today I can confirm that we ...6 days ago
- Nuclear weapons – where are we at? The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the Nuclea...It is a pleasure to be with you today and to have the opportunity to talk to you about New Zealand’s disarmament efforts, in particular our advocacy against nuclear weapons. For some of you it may be surprising – and no doubt incredibly disappointing – that some 77 years after nuclear ...6 days ago
- Speech to New Zealand’s Hui on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism – He Whenua TaurikuraTēnā koutou, tēna koutou, tēna tātou katoa I te tuatahi, kei te mihi atu ahau ki te mana whenua, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Tēnā koutou katoa Greetings to you, greetings to you, greetings to us all. First, I acknowledge the mana whenua, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Greetings to you all. Ki ...7 days ago
- More equitable abortion care and support available from todayThe Government has launched a new telehealth service today that will see women in their first 10 weeks of pregnancy able to access medication for an early medical abortion over the phone, Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall has announced. “People seeking an abortion will have better access to ...7 days ago
- Tackling invasive pests using environmental DNA tops the NZ Biosecurity AwardsExceptional biosecurity leadership and its role in protecting our economic security were celebrated tonight at the 2022 New Zealand Biosecurity Awards, said Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor. Wilderlab's innovative technology, eDNA, won the Mondiale VGL Innovation Award, and took out the Supreme Award, at the 2022 New Zealand Biosecurity Awards prize ...1 week ago
- NZ suspends human rights dialogue with IranForeign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta has announced Aotearoa New Zealand is suspending its bilateral Human Rights Dialogue with Iran. “This decision sends a strong signal that bilateral approaches on human rights are no longer tenable with Iran, when they are denying basic human rights and violently suppressing protests of those who ...1 week ago
- New sanctions target Russian defence networksThe Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta has announced further sanctions on supporters of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, this time focusing on the Russian defence and security sectors. “Russia’s illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine and its continued acts of aggression are enabled by its extensive military-industrial network, which ...1 week ago
- Damien O’Connor to co-chair OECD Agriculture Ministerial MeetingAgriculture Minister Damien O’Connor will travel to Paris tomorrow to co-chair the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Committee on Agriculture Ministerial meeting. “The OECD Committee on Agriculture Ministerial meeting is an excellent opportunity for New Zealand to highlight how we are addressing climate change at the farm-level and ...1 week ago
- Uptake of Government’s Training Incentive Allowance skyrockets600 per cent increase in uptake of the Training Incentive Allowance 4,848 people have been supported since the allowance’s reinstatement (1 July 2021) 3,909 people have accessed the Training Incentive Allowance during the period 1 January 2022 to 30 September 2022 As at the end of Quarter Three 2022, 42 ...1 week ago
- Thousands of workers on the way for summerThousands of working holiday makers overseas now have new visas and are set to bring key skills to the New Zealand economy over the next three months, after the Government took action to extend the visas of offshore working holiday makers, Immigration Minister Michael Wood has announced. “All the new ...1 week ago
- Support Package to build new homes in Te TaitokerauAssociate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing) Peeni Henare has today announced a new investment partnership with Te Pouahi o Te Taitokerau to build up to 100 houses in the North. “The housing challenges we face in Te Taitokerau are significant. But this Government is taking action,” Peeni Henare said. “We ...1 week ago
- Joint statement: Closer Economic Relations Ministerial talks in QueenstownHon Damien O'Connor MP New Zealand Minister for Trade and Export Growth, joined by Hon Stuart Nash MP New Zealand Minister for Tourism, hosted Senator the Hon Don Farrell, Australian Minister for Trade and Tourism, in Queenstown on 29-30 October to advance trans-Tasman cooperation under the Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations ...1 week ago
- Better conditions on the way for bus driversThe Government is supporting the transport sector’s efforts to stabilise the public transport workforce with funding from Budget 2022 to help standardise base wages, Transport Minister Michael Wood has announced. “Our Government is committed to making it more affordable, easier and attractive for Kiwis to use public transport, so it’s ...1 week ago
- Communities given greater powers to reduce alcohol harmThe Government is fixing alcohol legislation that has been used by the alcohol industry and retailers to stop local communities from putting in place rules around the sale of liquor in their area, Justice Minister Kiri Allan announced today. The amendments to the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 ...1 week ago
- Crown apology delivered to Ngāti Maru (Taranaki) | Kua tukuna te whakapāha a te Karauna ki a Ngāt...Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Andrew Little has delivered the Crown Apology to Ngāti Maru for its historic breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi. A ceremony was held at Te Upoko o te Whenua Marae at Tarata, hosted by Ngāti Maru, where the Crown also returned land titles to the ...1 week ago
- Local government review panel releases independent draft reportThe local government sector has taken the next step in its work on the future shape it wants for regional, district and city councils, with the release of the second report by an independent panel, says Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta. “The Government acknowledges the work of the Independent Panel ...1 week ago
- Toitū Builtsmart to deliver homes and jobs to TairāwhitiToitū Tairāwhiti Builtsmart facility to create 18 full-time jobs The new facility will have the capacity to build up to 24 homes simultaneously The facility to become a training site for Toitū Tairāwhiti Māori trades training Delivering over 50 homes, creating 18 full-time jobs, while providing a site for Toitū ...1 week ago
- Summer with international tourists off to a strong startAround 145,250 overseas visitors arrived in the four weeks to 26 October Over 10,000 Working Holiday Visa holders have now arrived in New Zealand International card spend at 88% of pre-COVID levels (from 26 August to 22 September 2019) in the four weeks to 25 September (i.e. 29 August ...1 week ago
- Government supports better drinking water for rural kāinga and communitiesLocal Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta today announced applications are open for a programme to support rural access to clean and safe drinking water. “The Government is committed to keeping a lid on rate rises by addressing the rising costs of water on households and fixing our critical water infrastructure,” Nanaia ...1 week ago
- PR LITTLE AND HENARE: First nationwide health plan to deliver healthy futures for New Zealanders | T...Health Minister Andrew Little welcomes Te Pae Tata | the Interim New Zealand Health Plan jointly developed by Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand and Te Aka Whai Ora – Māori Health Authority. “We have consolidated the public health system and now we have a plan to achieve national ...1 week ago
- First nationwide health plan to deliver healthy futures for New Zealanders | Te Rautaki Hauora ā-mo...Health Minister Andrew Little welcomes Te Pae Tata | the Interim New Zealand Health Plan jointly developed by Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand and Te Aka Whai Ora – Māori Health Authority. “We have consolidated the public health system and now we have a plan to achieve national ...1 week ago
- Inspector-General of Defence Bill introducedThe Government has today introduced the Inspector-General of Defence Bill designed to provide independent oversight of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF). This was a recommendation from the Operation Burnham Inquiry which identified significant shortcomings in the way NZDF dealt with allegations of civilian casualties, resulting in a series ...2 weeks ago
- Next High Commissioner to the United KingdomThe Government today announced the appointment of former Auckland Mayor, Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister, and Labour Party Leader Phil Goff as the next High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. “Aotearoa New Zealand has an exceptionally strong relationship with the UK based on shared values, history and culture. We are ...2 weeks ago
- Government backs strategy to improve water quality in Amuri BasinThe Government continues to deliver on efforts to restore waterways through the backing of a farmer-led strategy in North Canterbury’s Amuri Basin to boost water quality, Agriculture and Rural Communities Minister Damien O’Connor announced. “Our goal is to restore our waterways within a generation and this project will help farmers ...2 weeks ago
- NZ backs conditional moratorium on seabed mining in international watersThe Government has announced Aotearoa New Zealand will back a conditional moratorium on deep sea mining in areas beyond national jurisdiction, until strong environmental rules can be agreed and backed up by robust science. The decision follows a review of progress on regulations for deep sea mining in the area managed ...2 weeks ago
- And we’re rolling on Government’s Screen Sector ReviewThe Government is taking action to secure the long-term future of the film and television industry through proposals released today for public consultation as part of the New Zealand Screen Production Grant review. “New Zealanders can be very proud of our reputation, stories, culture and home-grown talent and content that ...2 weeks ago
- Leading economists back federal government action to curb rising gas and electricity prices
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Wes Mountain/The Conversation, CC BY-ND Australia’s top economists have overwhelmingly endorsed intervention to restrain gas and electricity prices, with only three of the 47 leading economists surveyed believing the ...1 hour ago - Ardern asks banks to reassess record profit-making in light of cost-of-living crisis
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has criticised banks for posting mega-profits during the cost of living crisis, but says not all solutions come from government. ...3 hours ago - Is Twitter’s ‘blue tick’ a status symbol or ID badge? And what will happen if anyone can buy o...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Graham, Associate Professor, Queensland University of Technology DALL-E Following Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter on October 27, the world’s richest man proposed a range of controversial changes to the platform. With mounting evidence that he is making it up ...4 hours ago
- $189m for childcare funding: ECE questions why boost is so far offMore families are set to qualify for subsidies to cover the cost of childcare, but early learning centres are hoping more support will be announced for them, too. ...4 hours ago
- Minor parties sound warning against political point-scoringSmaller political parties are calling for unity, saying the latest poll results show people are sick of politicking - while touting their own consistent or growing support. ...5 hours ago
- New Zealand Legal Action Against Canada Essential And Justified
The Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand ( DCANZ ) is welcoming the New Zealand government taking further legal steps to address Canadian dairy import rules that breach the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership ...6 hours ago - Keith Rankin Analysis – Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng: What they were ThinkingAnalysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. In the last three months, Elizabeth (Liz) Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng performed an amazing political boom and bust routine. They captured the British Conservative Party ...6 hours ago
- Fighting inflation doesn’t directly cause unemployment – but that’s still the most likely outc...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael P. Cameron, Associate Professor in Economics, University of Waikato Getty Images You may have seen the news: in its attempts to tackle inflation, the Reserve Bank is going to increase unemployment. The idea can even seem to come right ...6 hours ago
- Ardern receives rapturous reception – but was it real?
Political journalists, indulging in a bit of hyperbole, reported Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as being treated to a “rapturous” reception at the Labour Party annual conference. It’s clear she does command the adoration of not just those delegates, but also of many other New Zealanders in a manner few of ...6 hours ago - Childcare Subsidy Has Little Upside For Early Learning Providers The Labour Party’s childcare subsidy will have limited benefit for ECE providers says the Early Childhood Council. “More funding in our sector is always welcome, but a healthy ECE sector needs healthy providers too. A new approach to solving ECE ...6 hours ago
- Government Ignores Its Own Evaluations On Learning Support CoordinatorsAfter three evaluation reports of the Learning Support Coordinator (LSC) position and function in schools the government is still ignoring the recommendations. Earlier this year, as part of negotiations for a new collective agreement for area school ...7 hours ago
- North Korea’s flurry of missile tests raises alarm – but are we seeing anything new?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin Habib, Lecturer in International Relations, Department of Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University Ahn Young-joon/AP/AAP The sustained frequency and intensity of North Korea’s missile launches in recent weeks has refocused attention on the Korean Peninsula at a time when ...7 hours ago
- Injuries On Greyhound Racetrack Reiterates SPCA’s Call To End Commercial Greyhound Racing Once An...RNZSPCA was saddened and disappointed to learn of further serious injuries to greyhounds at the Auckland Greyhound Racing Club race at the Manukau Sports Bowl during the weekend. Veterinarians tended to three dogs with broken legs ...7 hours ago
- More and more women in Australia are having their labour induced. Does it matter?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Angela Brown, Midwifery Program Director, University of South Australia anastasiia chepinska/unsplash, CC BY-SA Induction of labour for women having their first baby has risen in Australia from 26% in 2010 to 46% in 2020, according to the latest data from ...7 hours ago
- Bar Association Says Current Name Suppression Laws Allow For Balancing Important RightsThe President of the New Zealand Bar Association | Ngā Ahorangi Motuhake o te Ture, Maria Dew KC says that overall, the current name suppression regime is working well. Commenting on recent suggestions that the system needs to be reviewed, Ms Dew says ...8 hours ago
- Nothing new on co-governance (at least, not officially) but check out Tuku Morgan’s new job in the...
Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order was braced for something about co-governance on the Beehive website this morning. But no – it wasn’t there. Our expectation had been raised by: The PM mentioning it in a TV interview at the weekend. We were alerted to this by an ...8 hours ago - With two days until US midterm elections, Republicans will probably win control of both chambers of ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock The United States midterm elections will be held Tuesday. Owing to time differences, polls will not start closing until ...9 hours ago
- Failure For Incumbent Governments To Read StatisticsThere is a strong and growing trend among incumbent parties in power to draw political and social conclusions from spreadsheet data rather than direct research from front-line gathered statistics. This can cause a substantive disconnect between government policies ...10 hours ago
- Not Another™ Porn Week Campaign LaunchesNew Zealand creative agency Not Another™ is today launching the nationwide Porn Week campaign for its client, Netsafe New Zealand. Visit www.pornweek.nz for more. Porn Week aims to take something that’s on the mind of many teens – porn – ...11 hours ago
- The Spinoff To Examine Pornography In Groundbreaking Week Of ContentAotearoa, it’s time we had “the talk” about porn. The Spinoff launches Porn Week on November 7, an entire week of content dedicated to our relationship with pornography and brought to you in partnership with Netsafe. The week will coincide ...12 hours ago
- Save The Children Statement Re: Government’s Childcare Subsidy AnnouncementSave the Children has welcomed yesterday’s announcement of a significant increase in childcare subsidies. "Access to early learning plays an important role in the social and emotional development of young children as well as learning through ...12 hours ago
- Foodstuffs Joins The Kai Commitment Partnership To Reduce Food Waste In NZFoodstuffs has joined the Kai Commitment initiative, a voluntary agreement among leading food sector businesses designed to reduce food waste, and emissions from food waste, across Aotearoa’s food supply chain. The Kai Commitment is led by the ...12 hours ago
- Project Funded To Trial ‘bike Or Scoot And Ride’ Rather Than Park And RideResearchers at the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland have received Waka Kotahi Innovation funding for a project that aims to encourage suburban commuters to use scooters, bikes and e-bikes to connect to public transport, ...13 hours ago
- Assumptions Behind Plans To Remove Nicotine From Cigarettes “significantly Flawed”A peer review of modelling behind the Government’s plans to remove nicotine from cigarettes has found significant flaws in the fundamental assumptions it used, says ASH Smokefree 2025. The Ouakrim et al. (2022) modelling was funded by the Ministry ...13 hours ago
- Forest & Bird Calls On Government To Take Action On Flood Risk By Making Room For RiversForest & Bird is calling on the Government to develop a national Room for Rivers plan to protect communities and wildlife in the face of increased flooding – and want a $500m contestable flood mitigation fund set up to help make it happen. ...13 hours ago
- Jacinda Ardern taking Labour's drop in polls 'with a grain of salt'The Prime Minister is taking the latest poll figures with a "grain of salt" after it saw the Labour Party's popularity plummet. ...13 hours ago
- A total lunar eclipse is set to dazzle tomorrow – along with some other stellar sightsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tanya Hill, Honorary Fellow of the University of Melbourne and Senior Curator (Astronomy), The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Tomorrow evening people across Australia and New Zealand will be treated to a total lunar eclipse, weather permitting. It’s an opportunity to ...14 hours ago
- Glute force: why big, strong bum muscles matter for your overall healthSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charlotte Ganderton, Physiotherapy lecturer, Swinburne University of Technology Shutterstock The glutes are the large, powerful muscles in your bum that help support the pelvis, stabilise the hip joint and allow the hip to move. Countless social media posts extol ...14 hours ago
- A technologically advanced society is choosing to destroy itself. It’s both fascinating and horrif...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Wright, Professor of Organisational Studies, University of Sydney Landon Parenteau/Unsplash, CC BY As world leaders assemble for the United Nations climate change conference (COP27) in Egypt, it’s hard to be optimistic the talks will generate any radical departure from ...14 hours ago
- Koalas, parrots, frogs and orchids share our cities. Their fate depends on protecting each one’s h...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Kilbane, Senior Lecturer, Landscape Architecture, Deakin University Shutterstock The global 30×30 target aims to protect 30% of the planet by 2030 to secure its biodiversity. This involves legal protection for land and sea areas designated as national parks and ...14 hours ago
- Australian schools are starting to provide food, but we need to think carefully before we ‘ditch t...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brittany Johnson, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Flinders University Anton Murygin/Unsplash State Liberal leader Matthew Guy has promised a trial to provide free lunches in Victorian public schools if elected on November 26. The A$300 million election policy is aimed at ...14 hours ago
- Labour's to-do list and the question of lasting reformThe Detail - Labour has less than a year to get its most important reforms this term through Parliament. What could be on the chopping block if National comes to power? ...15 hours ago
- Labour pitches vision and ability to lead past mounting challengesPower Play - Labour's efforts to stress it can offer stability during tough times as it made a pitch for a third term this weekend were not subtle, writes Katie Scotcher. ...17 hours ago
- Government makes concessions on multi-employer bargaining billSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government has made concessions to employers on its planned extension of multi-employer bargaining, as it hopes to fast track its industrial relations legislation through parliament before Christmas. Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke ...1 day ago
- Is the Bird free?
Well, Elon Musk certainly is. The man is shaping as the Gordian knot cutter of the age. Or at the very least, the one able to set the most hares running. This seems unlikely to get much credit from New Zealand’s authorities (read Thomas Cranmer on their differences). But ...1 day ago - Attacks on Dan Andrews are part of News Corporation’s long abuse of powerSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of Melbourne Joel Carrett/AAP Sane people trying to fathom the Herald Sun’s bizarre coverage of Victorian Premier Dan Andrews over the past few days might be helped by some ...1 day ago
- Sharp drop in support for Ardern and Labour latest poll showsThere has been a sharp drop in support for Labour and leader Jacinda Ardern in the latest political poll. ...1 day ago
- National says government's childcare subsidy extension 'band-aid economics'National Party leader Christopher Luxon says the government needs a proper plan to tackle inflation and rising costs and its latest policy announcement is "band-aid" economics. ...1 day ago
- National selects Tama Potaka as Hamilton West candidateTama Potaka has been selected as the National Party candidate for the upcoming Hamilton by-election. ...1 day ago
- Sweeping expansion to childcare support announced by PMMore than half of all kiwi families will soon be eligible for support to cover the cost of childcare, with the threshold changing for the first time in 12 years. ...1 day ago
- Ardern to make cost of living announcement at conferencePrime Minister Jacinda Ardern will deliver the keynote address to the Labour Party's conference this afternoon. ...1 day ago
- IronMāori Founder Heather Te Au Skipworth Has Her Eyes Set On The Ikaroa-Rawhiti Seat In The 2023 G...Today, Te Pāti Māori officially announced Heather Te Au Skipworth as their candidate for the Ikaroa-Rawhiti electorate in next year’s General Election. Heather Te Au-Skipworth is the founder of the IronMāori Kaupapa that has taken Aotearoa by storm with thousands ...2 days ago
- Excellent writing on the New Right. The Old might read An insightful mini-essay from Marginal Revolution’s Tyler Cowen on how his “own preferred slant of classical liberalism is being replaced” by what – for want of an agreed term – he categorises as the “New Right”. At his level of intellectual discourse, this means “the smart young people I ...2 days ago
- Victorian Newspoll has Labor’s lead down, but would still win with three weeks until electionSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Diego Fidele/Joel Carrett/AAP The Victorian election will be held in three weeks, on November 26. A Newspoll, conducted October 31 ...2 days ago
- 'It's all at stake' at Election 2023 – Labour's outgoing president Claire ...Labour's outgoing president Claire Szabó has taken the stage at the party's annual conference to warn "it's all at stake" at next year's general election. ...2 days ago
- Thomas Cranmer: Twitter and the Monty Python Business Model
Elon Musk continues to develop the new free speech model for Twitter, drawing on comedy for new ideas and as a way of deflecting political criticism. Jacinda Ardern’s approach involves less humour. THOMAS CRANMER examines the contrast… On ...2 days ago - Ishmael Kalsakau elected Vanuatu PM, applause for Gloria King swearing inBy Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific reporter, and Hilaire Bule, RNZ correspondent in Port Vila Ishmael Kalsakau was elected today unopposed as the 13th Prime Minister of the republic of Vanuatu by secret ballot. Kalsakau was elected by the 52 members of the country’s Parliament. “Thank you, thank you for the ...3 days ago
- Countering terrorism hui in Aotearoa – vital but why marginalise media?ANALYSIS: By Khairiah A. Rahman “On the ground, there is a sense of disquiet and distrust of the organisers’ motivations for the hui, as some Muslim participants directly connected to the Christchurch tragedy were not invited.” — Khairiah A. Rahman The two-day Aotearoa New Zealand government He Whenua ...3 days ago
- Shooting of Imran Khan takes Pakistan into dangerous political watersSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samina Yasmeen, Director of Centre for Muslim States and Societies, The University of Western Australia The attempted assassination of Imran Khan on November 3 has ushered Pakistan into another stage of political instability, with increased likelihood of further political violence. Imran ...3 days ago
- COP27: Platform will boost Pacific presence at UN climate conferenceBy Rachael Nath, RNZ Pacific journalist A platform has been dedicated to bolster the Pacific leadership at the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties — COP27. Known as the Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion, the Fono or council aims to faciliate talanoa, or conversation, and knowledge-sharing on issues important ...3 days ago
- Amended Arms Act to ensure licence holders not penalised due to application backlogThe government will ensure existing firearms owners don't get caught out in a predicted backlog of new licence applications. ...3 days ago
- Labour leader Jacinda Ardern opens Labour Party's annual conference in AucklandThe Labour leader is urging party faithful to use its annual conference to "refresh and rejuvenate" ahead of next year's election. ...3 days ago
- Why Elon Musk’s first week as Twitter owner has users flocking elsewhereSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Diana Bossio, Associate Professor, Media and Communications, Swinburne University of Technology Evan Agostini/AP It’s been a week since Elon Musk strode into the Twitter headquarters with a kitchen sink, signalling his official takeover of the company. Having had some time ...3 days ago
- Week in Politics: A stark assessment of threats to national securityAnalysis - National security was front and centre this week with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying New Zealand needs to plan its own response to terrorist threats, writes Peter Wilson. ...3 days ago
- Government’s new gambling taglines are a start, but go nowhere near far enoughSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Livingstone, Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University Shutterstock From next March, the “gamble responsibly” slogan will be discontinued on wagering advertisements. In its place, the federal government has announced a selection of alternatives, which ...3 days ago
- ACT beats Hipkins to the draw in announcing changes to our gun licensing lawsBuzz from the Beehive Uh, oh. Earlier this afternoon there was nothing doing in the Beehive. Or rather, there was nothing doing that they wanted to tell us about. We therefore drew a blank when we checked the Beehive website to find what our servants are up to. Nor (when we ...3 days ago
- An Antarctic neutrino telescope has detected a signal from the heart of a nearby active galaxySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gary Hill, Associate Professor, Astrophysics and Dark Matter Researcher, University of Adelaide NASA / ESA / A. van der Hoeven An enormous neutrino observatory buried deep in the Antarctic ice has discovered only the second extra-galactic source of the elusive ...3 days ago
- Is your teen a night owl? Their sleep pattern could shape their brain and behaviour years laterSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Cooper, PhD candidate in neuropsychiatry, The University of Melbourne mikoto.raw Photographer/Pexels It’s 11 pm on a weeknight and your teenager still has their bedroom light on. You want them to get enough sleep for school the next day, but ...3 days ago
- Everyone is talking about the NDIS – we spoke to participants and asked them how to fix itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Brown, Research Fellow, La Trobe University *Person pictured was not a study participant Shutterstock Last week’s budget revealed the rapidly escalating costs of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and rekindled fears among people with disability about its sustainability. The ...3 days ago
- Another vacancy opens up on the Auckland Transport boardAn Auckland Transport board member has been appointed as chief executive of the new Auckland Light Rail company, creating another vacancy on the board. ...3 days ago
- New Firearms Legislation Will Relieve Stress On HuntersNew legislation that will enable firearm licence holders to continue to lawfully possess and use firearms, while their application for a licence is being processed, will go a long way to relieving the stress on the hunting community caused by the ...3 days ago
- Alcohol Law Changes – Frightening For Small Businesses: Says NZIBAOn 30th October 2022, Justice Minister Kiri Allan announced the Government would be removing the ability for alcohol companies and retailers to challenge a community’s local alcohol policies, an appeals process she said was costing councils and ratepayers ...3 days ago
- Bones of contention: the West Coast whale fossil and the ethics of private collectingSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nic Rawlence, Senior Lecturer in Ancient DNA, University of Otago Getty Images The past can inform the present in more ways than one. Take the case of the 23-million-year-old whale fossil recently excavated by a private collector on the West ...3 days ago
- Shipping coals to Newscastle? No, it is being shipped to NZ – increasingly – while the govt fun...We were rewarded – on visiting Kiwiblog today – by finding this chart from The Facts, which shows how coal imports into this country have almost quadrupled under Labour. David Farrar muses: Maybe banning new natural gas exploration was a bad idea? One reader, in comments below the Kiwiblog ...3 days ago
- Enviro-NGOs Take No New Mines Protest To Labour Party AGM Following weeks of protests, media coverage, and the joint publication of an open letter to the Prime Minister, New Zealand’s largest environmental NGOs will be taking their call to stop new mines on public conservation land direct to the Labour ...3 days ago
- Newsletter – New Zealand Politics Daily – November 04 2022New 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 GOVERNMENT, PARLIAMENT, ELECTIONS Toby Manhire (Spinoff): Labour’s conference challenge is to launch Project Dawn Matthew Hooton (Herald): Bureaucracy needs ...3 days ago
- Roading Sector To Converge On HamiltonRoading sector leaders and professionals will meet in Hamilton on Monday for the inaugural Future Roads two-day conference. Minister of Transport Hon Michael Wood will provide the opening address which will be followed by a leaders’ panel comprising ...3 days ago
- Panuku Staff Cost Millions More Than Net ContributionThe Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is demanding that Eke Panuku stop spending more than it makes from managing the Council's property portfolio. In a statement published last night, Eke Panuku responded to pressure from the Ratepayers' Alliance and Mayor's ...3 days ago
- Firefighters' Strike Off – Negotiations ContinueFire and Emergency NZ Chief Executive Kerry Gregory says he pleased that discussions between Fire and Emergency and the NZPFU regarding a new offer for settlement of the collective agreement are continuing. The NZPFU leadership has withdrawn their ...4 days ago
- NZPFU Withdraws Today's Firefighter Strike ActionNZPFU members are advised to continue their duties and are not to stop work at 11am. The omnibus bans remain in place. Over the past 24 hours there has been movement with the Government putting up a proposal that would assist with settlement. But ...4 days ago
- Are bananas really ‘radioactive’? An expert clears up common misunderstandings about radiationSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Loughran, Director Radiation Research and Advice (ARPANSA), and Adjunct Associate Professor (UOW), University of Wollongong Allexxandar/Shutterstock The simple mention of the word “radiation” often evokes fear in people. For others, it’s fun to think a little exposure to radiation ...4 days ago
- Is child obesity really going to shorten lives?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Olds, Professor of Health Sciences, University of South Australia Shutterstock Rising life expectancy is one of the great success stories. If you were born in 1870, you’d expect to live until you were 30. But if you were born ...4 days ago
- This is what Australia needs to bring to Egypt for COP27Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wesley Morgan, Research Fellow, Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University Officials from nearly 200 nations are gathering in Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt, for the 27th United Nations climate change conference known as COP27. Multiple global crises threaten to overshadow the summit, but the task at ...4 days ago
- A platypus can glow green and hunt prey with electricity – but it can’t climb dams to find a mat...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luis Mijangos, Researcher, Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra Shutterstock The platypus is one of Earth’s most unique creatures. It sports a duck-like bill and flippers. It locates prey in murky water by ...4 days ago
- Australia’s borders are open, so where are all the backpackers?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kaya Barry, Senior Lecturer & ARC DECRA Research Fellow, Griffith University Shutterstock Backpackers on working holiday maker visas have been a crucial source of farm labour for decades, alongside smaller numbers of temporary migrants from the Pacific Islands, international students, ...4 days ago
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