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You Cowed?
Written By: - Date published: 3:21 pm, January 11th, 2018 - 94 comments
To bleat and wring hands, or to act? Jeez. It’s a difficult one.
Jim Anderton 1938 – 2018
Written By: - Date published: 6:31 am, January 11th, 2018 - 7 comments
Jim Anderton’s funeral is at 2pm today, and will be livestreamed from youtube.
RIP Jim Anderton
Written By: - Date published: 10:50 am, January 7th, 2018 - 67 comments
Jim Anderton has passed away. A politician of passion and principle.
Voltairine de Cleyre
Written By: - Date published: 6:39 am, December 9th, 2017 - 15 comments
When history buries treasures, those treasures don’t have to remain buried.
Introductory ramble to save you Googling me
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 pm, November 29th, 2017 - 24 comments
Hi. I’m Enzo (yes that’s my real name) and I write for The Standard now. Just thought I should introduce myself and tell you a little bit about my background – so hopefully it doesn’t become A THING. No, I have not defended war criminals in Rwanda, secretly taped staff members in an electorate office, […]
Indigenous and green politics require changes in perspectives
Written By: - Date published: 12:17 pm, October 3rd, 2017 - 9 comments
One of our key political challenges now is to broaden the understanding of what matters.
When the Bubble Pops.
Written By: - Date published: 1:57 pm, September 22nd, 2017 - 95 comments
Let’s talk about NZ Labour – hopefully the party that heads up the next government of New Zealand.
I’d say it’s undeniable that there’s a general mood for change in NZ society and that NZ Labour have somewhat ridden on the back of that sentiment.
But does it end well?
Vote for compassion and competence
Written By: - Date published: 9:46 am, September 21st, 2017 - 44 comments
National has created the perception that it is a better manager of Government than Labour and is suggesting that it is more compassionate. Neither claim is true.
Scottish Labour. On the Cusp?
Written By: - Date published: 6:02 pm, August 30th, 2017 - 17 comments
Liberals depart and Liberals tank.
Lefties on The Standard: MMP
Written By: - Date published: 6:30 am, August 20th, 2017 - 116 comments
Another experimental post on The Standard, providing a discussion space for left-wing and progressive people only.
Are Government-business Think Tanks worthwhile?
Written By: - Date published: 12:41 pm, August 17th, 2017 - 7 comments
In America Donald Trump has abandoned business think tanks that he established not that long ago. During the last Labour Government Helen Clark established the Growth and Innovation Advisory Board with mixed results. What should a Jacinda Ardern led Labour-Green coalition do?
Metiria for PM
Written By: - Date published: 6:52 am, August 8th, 2017 - 45 comments
Yes. Quite seriously.
Lefties on The Standard
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, August 6th, 2017 - 72 comments
An experimental post on The Standard, providing a discussion space for left-wing people only.
Messages for the Left
Written By: - Date published: 6:59 am, August 6th, 2017 - 107 comments
Kōrero Pono writes about the class divide within the parliamentary Left and the importance of the wider Left’s message in this election.
#LeftwithEnough
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, July 31st, 2017 - 14 comments
Mary St George writes about participatory democracy in this year’s election and the new twitter chat #LeftwithEnough.
The Catholic Church is urging its parishoners to vote
Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, July 21st, 2017 - 29 comments
The catholic bishops of Aotearoa have released a pamphlet urging parishoners to vote. And apart from conservative positions on euthenasia and drug liberalisation the policies they support have a decidedly progressive bent.
The Game
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, July 9th, 2017 - 80 comments
If a Rugby series was an election campaign.
Bringing Liberalism Down.
Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, May 4th, 2017 - 138 comments
It isn’t always wise to tackle an adversary head on and sometimes, with a bit of smarts, two birds can be had with one stone. This post is about halting the march of liberalism and killing the potential of fascism.
Left Rising.
Written By: - Date published: 2:49 pm, April 23rd, 2017 - 49 comments
In something over 24 hours time from now, the results from the first round of the French Presidential elections will be in.
Marama Fox on working with a Labour/Green government
Written By: - Date published: 7:24 am, March 27th, 2017 - 73 comments
Marama Fox opens the way for the Māori Party to work with Labour and the Greens.
Labour: Greens are the first cab off the rank
Written By: - Date published: 7:38 am, March 3rd, 2017 - 19 comments
Andrew Little has confirmed that the Green Party will be first party Labour looks to for a coalition deal after the election.
Working with Helen
Written By: - Date published: 12:34 pm, October 15th, 2016 - 17 comments
I worked with Helen at the CTU for about seven years from 2008.
Helen Kelly: Just plain good
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, October 14th, 2016 - 41 comments
I’m going to miss you, mate.
Don’t despair
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, October 7th, 2016 - 134 comments
It’s year 8 of a National/ACT government and things are looking pretty bleak. And it’s really, really easy to spin down into a spiral of bleakness and anxiety. But we can make it through.
Campaigning South Auckland style
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, October 7th, 2016 - 8 comments
The South has responded to the Matafai West Auckland effort from yesterday. Sua William Sio says that South Auckland is the Gateway to the nation and the land of the young, beautiful and gifted. Judging by this video he may be right.
Optimism, determination and, above all, unity
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, September 14th, 2016 - 15 comments
At the Guardian, UK Labour MP Rebecca Long-Bailey reflects on the first year of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.
Video: neoliberalism as a colonising project
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, September 9th, 2016 - 29 comments
“If indigenous people were given a space to be able to think about what system would work for them, I don’t think that would look like capitalism” – Kassie Hartendorp speaking at the launch of ESRA last week.
Video: What comes after neoliberalism?
Written By: - Date published: 1:02 pm, September 8th, 2016 - 8 comments
Nick Srnicek’s keynote talk at the launch of Economic and Social Research Aotearoa, on the role that left think tanks like ESRA can play in developing a post-capitalist politics for today.
Launch of Economic and Social Research Aotearoa (ESRA)
Written By: - Date published: 1:36 pm, August 29th, 2016 - 35 comments
There is a new leftie think tank in town. Congratulations to Sue Bradford and her team. We hope to hear plenty more from ESRA!
Is US Green Party’s Jill Stein the new people’s champion?
Written By: - Date published: 12:43 pm, July 28th, 2016 - 109 comments
Plus she makes Fox News reporters’ heads explode.
Refining an existing capacity to make the rubble bounce and bounce
Written By: - Date published: 8:04 am, July 20th, 2016 - 80 comments
UK Labour continues to embarrass progressives throughout the world after a majority of MPs voted to support renewal of the Trident program.
- Senior Quam Papa Est: When Presidents and Prime Ministers are older than the Pope
On a dreary Dunedin winter’s day, one’s mind turns to odd things. It happens. Today, it occurred to me that with the election of Pope Leo XIV in May, and with Donald Trump ... 2 weeks ago - The Regulatory Standards Bill: ACT’s Backdoor to Power
The number one biggest gameIt's when they gain the most fameIt's like a race to the topBecause they wanna be bossThey don't care who they step onAs long as they get alongPoliticians in my eyesSongwriter: Bobby Hackney.Today, I’m very pleased to bring to you this guest newsletter on the Regulatory ...2 weeks ago - Seymour’s privatisation push
Open to all readersSeymour's privatisation push David Seymour believes privatisation is a good thing. Let me refresh his memory. The BNZ had to be bailed out...twice, and is now in foreign ownership. The railways had to be bought back, having been run into the ground by foreign private ownership. Air ...2 weeks ago - Can Peaceful Protest Still Shift NZ’s Stubborn Government?
There have been numerous protests in New Zealand, with thousands taking to the streets over policies that undermine Māori rights, dodge climate action, cut wages, fail the people in Gaza and deepen social inequality. From the massive hīkoi against the Treaty Principles Bill to rallies slamming environmental deregulation, Kiwis are ...2 weeks ago - Speak Plainly
Speak plainly to meGo with the flowThat's how you show your loveSpeak plainlySpeak plainlyWords by Marlon Williams and Kommi Tamati-Elliffe.Morena all,This morning, I thought we’d have a bit of a kōrero about whatever you like. I’ve skimmed through the headlines, and there wasn’t much I wanted to cover.I did contemplate ...2 weeks ago - Fact brief – Are CO2 measurements reliable?
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Are CO2 measurements reliable? Measurements of the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are consistent, reliable, and globally verified across multiple independent ...2 weeks ago - Germany’s chance in frigate deal rises—potentially at cost to Australia-Japan relationship
German shipbuilder TKMS has significantly increased its chances in Canberra’s frigate competition by partnering with Saab, an entrenched supplier of crucial equipment for Australian warships. This challenges widespread assumptions that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is ...2 weeks ago - Government Damaging New Zealand’s International Standing
New Zealand, once a shining example of progressive governance, is faltering under a right-wing Coalition Government determined to drag us back to the colonial dark ages. The “Coalition of Chaos,” as it’s been correctly named, is making Aotearoa an international laughing stock, with Prime Minister Chris Luxon, NZ First leader ...2 weeks ago
- Homelessness up by 58%
It’s hard to tell what’s worse: the National government persisting in prioritising money and non-existent1 “growth” over lives and well-being, or the many people that believe this is the way to succeed.Homelessness spiked up 53% over a few short months in NZ’s major metropolitan city, Auckland in March. Now it’s ...2 weeks ago - Totally Normal #35: This Turned My Brain Into AI
Hi,It occurred to me recently that we don’t feature nearly enough worms here on Webworm, so today I am setting that right: I don’t really know what else to say about this story from two years ago, except that I hope the worms had a good (second) life. As much ...2 weeks ago - Taking Economics
ACT ‘s neoliberals are still trying to sneak in a change to the constitution.When ACT – the Association of Consumers and Taxpayers – was formed, its then party leader, Roger Douglas, with an optimistic exaggeration which marked his time as Minister of Finance, announced that he was sure it would ...2 weeks ago - Ukraine’s drone attack offers fearful lesson for a Chinese invasion force
Ukraine’s massive drone strike against Russian air bases on 1 June should reverberate across all theaters of conflict. But there is one Western Pacific scenario where it could be very relevant indeed: a Chinese invasion ...2 weeks ago
- Just one word, that’s all it takes
1. There is a single word you can utter in New Zealand that will elicit everything from snide putdowns to snarling hatred. What is that word?a. Feijoab. MMPc. Thingy d. Jacinda2. What punishment did TPM get?a. Made to write 1000 times: We must learn to be more like Parmjeet Parmar ...2 weeks ago - Overshadowed by border dispute, India-Pakistan water security risks grow
A disputed India-Pakistan border in Kashmir isn’t the only threat to stability on the subcontinent. One that’s often overlooked is water security. India and Pakistan should incorporate transboundary watery cooperation into broader security dialogues to ...2 weeks ago
- Friday 6 June
Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi have been suspended from Parliament for 21 days for the Treaty Principles haka. Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke has been suspended for seven days. A high-powered group of former political leaders have publicly urged Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to restate New Zealand’s commitment to ...2 weeks ago - Shared custodianship: Indigenous voices in critical infrastructure
The six-year delay in approving Woodside Energy’s North West Shelf extension reflects a failure to integrate Indigenous Australians as strategic partners in the nation’s development agenda. Policymakers and project proponents should recognise the impasse is ...2 weeks ago
- Police Failed to Properly Investigate Michael Forbes
The recent revelations about the right-wing sicko Michael Forbes, former press secretary to Chris Luxon, expose a troubling failure by the New Zealand Police to properly investigate allegations of predatory behaviour. Reports confirm that police seized Forbes’ work and personal phones while probing complaints, including allegations of non-consensual audio recordings ...2 weeks ago
- Suspending Shame
Mighty riverHear that rushin' soundOh, oh, yeahCool, clear waterLay my burden downAwa reareae kuhī anaWai arohaTurakina ki raro rāSongwriter: Don McGlashan.Suppose a group of indigenous politicians in the US or Australia stood in their place of representatives and performed a traditional challenge in the face of present-day injustice being piled ...2 weeks ago - Runways, fuel, ports and rail: the case for an ADF repair organisation
Without sufficient resilience the Australian Defence Force risks being knocked out of the fight—defanged and disabled—in the opening hours of a future high-intensity war. The ADF must be able to repair damage to mission-critical combat ...2 weeks ago
- Peter Bale, Cathrine Dyer, Robert Patman, Jamie Shea & Treasa Dunworth ‘Hoon’ around the new...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-host talking with regular guests and about the week’s news in geopolitics and climate. Bernard couldn’t get on because of technical issues.This week’s Hoon featured special guests Jamie Shea from Chatham House ...2 weeks ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #23 2025
Open access notables Land-based sensors reveal high frequency of coastal flooding, Hino et al., Communications Earth & Environment: Coastal flooding is occurring more frequently due to global sea-level rise, among other factors. However, current understanding of coastal flood frequency and sea-level rise impacts is predominantly based on tide gauges, which ...2 weeks ago
- A parliamentary lynching
I have spent the afternoon watching the debate on the outrageous and anti-democratic privileges committee report on Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, and Rawiri Waititi. And after three hours, Waititi moved closure to get it over with. The government, which used its majority on the privileges committee to recommend an unprecedented ...2 weeks ago - Chief of defence: budget under pressure, choices must be made
The Australian Defence Organisation’s budget is under pressure, and Defence must make choices, Admiral David Johnston, the chief of the defence force, said on 4 June when asked whether more money was needed. In preparation ...2 weeks ago
- Australia still lacks missile defence. Golden Dome can be part of the answer
Australia should support the Trump Administration’s proposed Golden Dome missile defence system. By participating in development, deployment and operation of Golden Dome, Australia could rely on it partly for defence against attack by long-range missiles. ...2 weeks ago
- David Seymour’s Bill Tramples Democratic Process
With jaw-dropping cynicism, Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour and his ACT Party have plumbed new depths, trampling democratic values in their rush to ram through the Regulatory Standards Bill.The right-wing government’s rush to force this contentious bill through under urgency, using AI to sift through 23,000 public submissions, isn’t just ...2 weeks ago
- Join us at 5pm for this week’s Hoon
Photo by Alexas_Fotos on UnsplashKia oraKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat with myself, and regular guests and , plus special guests Jamie ...2 weeks ago - The audacity
It’s so damn good to have something to fist pump, isn’t it?I mean, that Ukraine drone attack was something else wasn’t it? The future of warfare, delivered by Amazon parts, assembled in garages, guided by Google Maps, hidden in plain sight among pizza drones.You just had to marvel at the ...2 weeks ago - Thursday 5 June
NZNO members are holding stop work meetings to consider industrial action for better pay and higher staff-to-patient ratios. More than 1000 former international rugby players are taking legal action against sports governing bodies on claims they suffered brain injuries during their careers. After spending $23m but failing to modernise the ...2 weeks ago
- On climate, new administration must go beyond South Korea’s borders
Lee Jae-myung’s victory in South Korea’s snap presidential elections have ended six months of political turmoil. The time is ripe for the country to lift its engagement on regional issues, including climate change. Lee’s ...2 weeks ago
- NZ Government’s Deputy Press Secretary A “Peeping Tom”
Michael Forbes with right wing NZ PM Christopher Luxon (right)For paid subscribers One of the news pieces that frustrates me is National Party Deputy Chief Secretary Michael Forbes illicitly recording sex workers, and women in every day scenarios - at the gym, in their bedrooms at home, at a supermarket, ...2 weeks ago - Coalition’s Climate Cop-Out Risks $2 Billion Export Hit
New Zealand’s National-led coalition of chaos government has once again proven its inability to tackle the climate crisis with even a shred of competence. The world is watching, and the verdict is damning: Aotearoa is failing to curb CO2 emissions by any meaningful measure and the National-led government's 2025 Budget ...2 weeks ago
- In a world of entangled threats, the Indo-Pacific turns to resilience
This year’s Shangri-La Dialogue made one thing clear: we are living in a more dangerous decade. From cyberattacks to grey-zone coercion, climate shocks to supply chain sabotage, the global security landscape is more complex and ...2 weeks ago
- Productivity growth languishing
I hadn’t had a look for a while at the OECD labour productivity (real GDP per hour worked) data, but the release of the latest OECD Economic Outlook the other day prompted me to spend some time in the (less user-friendly than it was) OECD database. It takes a while ...2 weeks ago - Tell us about it, Janet.
Writing in The Post today was Janet Wilson, Todd Muller’s Press Secretary for the five minutes between Simon Bridges and Judith Collins when the National Party considered a return to being the party of conservative gentlemen farmers, it had long been. As we know, Muller froze in the headlights, and ...2 weeks ago - One big, beautiful, climate-killing bill
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Samantha Harrington. Dana will do a Livestream with Yale Climate Connections on the subject today, Wednesday 6/4 at 5–6pm ET as well. Tune in here. House Republicans worked to eliminate clean energy tax credits in a massive tax bill that they passed in ...2 weeks ago
- Looming in the background: Indian Navy’s role in confrontation with Pakistan
Don’t overlook the role of the Indian Navy in Operation Sindoor, New Delhi’s response last month for a terrorist attack from Pakistani territory. Yes, the Indian air force and army undertook all the kinetic action. ...2 weeks ago
- Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Thursday, June 5
Briefly, here’s my ‘Picks ‘n’ Mixes’ of news and other links1 from Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, June 5, including:RNZ/Reid Research’s poll taken straight after the Budget showed the Labour/Green/Te Pāti Māori bloc jumping ahead of National/NZ First/ACT, with PM Christopher Luxon’s personal popularity falling ...2 weeks ago - Michael Forbes’ Sex Worker Exploitation Shames Government
In a shocking revelation, the National Party's deputy chief press secretary to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has resigned amidst allegations of recording sex workers without their consent. According to numerous reports, Michael Forbes allegedly amassed a large number of audio recordings and photographs of women in compromising situations, including sex ...2 weeks ago
- Five important ideas from Britain’s defence review
It’s ‘a truly transformational and genuinely strategic review,’ according to the three external reviewers who headed its production. Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the document, Britain’s Strategic Defence Review 2025, is a ‘landmark shift in ...2 weeks ago
- Craig Renney – Locked out – Budget 2025 and the choices of the Coalition Government
Craig Renney will share his insights into Budget 2025, showing exactly what is going on with the government accounts, and what it might mean for the Election next year. Who are the winners and losers from the choices made by the Minister of Finance? How might different choices lead to ...2 weeks ago - Get on with it, Defence. Counter-drone capability is urgent
After watching videos of flaming Russian bombers on Sunday, Canberra decision makers have no excuse for foot-dragging in fielding counters to small, cheap drones. A similar attack could happen in Australia at any moment and ...2 weeks ago
- A Roundup Of Right-Wing Propagandists
New Zealand’s political landscape is often full of noise from conservative commentators preaching free speech, family values, and fiscal restraint. Their propaganda criticises progressive policies, while dodging coalition of chaos failures, campaigning that reeks of double standards. This post cuts through their hypocrisy, exposing the cracks in their so-called principles. Ani ...2 weeks ago
- Giving the finger to democracy
So, the same day Rimmer is insulting the public by claiming everyone who disagrees with him is a bot, the Finance and Expenditure Committee is is insulting by voting - on party lines, of course - to refuse to read submissions on the Regulatory Standards Bill. Instead they will be ...2 weeks ago
- You’re a winner! You’re a grinner! You’re a negotiating genius!
People may have seen David Seymour tossing away about his Treaty bullshit and thought to themselves: Well maybe he really cares about it, even if he couldn’t be more wrong.Others may have seen David Seymour tossing away about his Treaty bullshit and thought: Have you ever seen anything more cynical ...2 weeks ago - Making Deserts.
Berlin 1945/Gaza 2025“They make a desert, and they call it peace.” - Tacitus 56-117CEUNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER doesn’t leave those demanding it very much in the way of wiggle-room. When President Franklin Roosevelt announced to the world that the Allied Powers would accept nothing less than the Axis Powers’ (Germany, Italy, Japan) unconditional ...2 weeks ago - As US resists China, some leaders resist making a choice
The struggle between China and the US defines this century. Even close US allies are torn by a choice—not between the two great powers but in choosing whether to back the US against China or ...2 weeks ago
- Retreating into his far-right bubble
When Rimmer proposed his weirdo libertarian Regulatory Standards Bill, the public reaction was clear and unequivocal. 88% of the 23,000 submissions on the initial consultation rejected it completely. Only 0.3% thought it was a good idea. Faced with this level of public opposition, a sensible, reality-based politician - or at ...2 weeks ago
- Ruth Richardson rewarded for destroying welfare state
For Ruth Richardson to receive the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services as a Member of Parliament and to governance should not sit well with millions of New Zealanders who have been negatively impacted by her 1991 Mother of All Budgets. Richardson slashed benefits by 12.7% and ...2 weeks ago
- The big question over fighter-like drones: expendability may be preferable
We’re still feeling our way with this. The concept of fighter-like drones, called collaborative combat aircraft (CCAs), holds much promise to air forces, notably to the US Air Force as it contemplates war with China. ...2 weeks ago
- Picture Day: James Grenon Succeeds In NZME Takeover, Jacinda Ardern’s Barrage of Hate, RSB Hop...
RNZ Poll shows left bloc leading by 3 seats1News Poll shows Coalition leading by 5 seatsThe only outliers in these trends appear to be NZ First reaching a record high in both polls.Trends are relatively consistently, with Labour taking a slight dip.What’s worth noting is the 6.5%-11% of undecided voters. ...2 weeks ago - Majority of Voters Think Budget 2025 is Terrible
2 weeks ago
- Central banks expressing uncertainty
2 weeks ago
- Glory Days!
Glory daysWell, they'll pass you by, glory daysIn the wink of a young girl's eye, glory daysGlory daysSong: Bruce Springsteen.Two news stories this morning, and I’m afraid we’re going to start with the less pleasant one before we gorge ourselves on the most delicious of news. Nom Nom Nom. You ...2 weeks ago - UN Resolution 2758 was never about Taiwan. Beijing just pretends it was
Beijing’s campaign to erase Taiwan from the international system is built on a lie. Beijing routinely claims that United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, passed in 1971, settled the issue of Taiwan’s sovereignty and confirmed ...2 weeks ago
- One way housing supply growth is strangled
This ongoing and increasing use of development contributions is an essential tool in a multi-decade exercise in magical thinking by both central Government and councils, in which they both believe enough infrastructure can be funded by private borrowers to sustain 1.5% per annum population growth. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The ...2 weeks ago
- Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Wednesday, June 4
Briefly, here’s my ‘Picks ‘n’ Mixes’ of news and other links1 from Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, June 4 includes:The gap widening in wages, unemployment rates, pension benefits and growth prospects was emphasised yesterday when Australia hiked its minimum wage by 1.5% more than inflation, ...2 weeks ago - Gordon Campbell On Why The Regulatory Standards Bill Should Be Dumped
If you blinked on a recent Friday afternoon, you might have missed the passing under urgency of the first reading of the Regulatory Standards Bill. The Bill purports to be a kind of legislative WOF test that all of us should welcome, right? Not really. Instead, shouldn’t we all be ...2 weeks ago - AUKUS is where Australia can work out where it stands on nuclear deterrence
On one hand, Australia strongly opposes acquiring nuclear weapons and backs non-proliferation. On the other hand, it increasingly depends on the US for extended nuclear deterrence. The contradiction is implicit in the AUKUS program, just ...2 weeks ago
- What a load of Chris
In a moment, the conclusion to Sunday’s cliffhanger edition, about our terrible terrible debt problem and OTHER WORSE THINGS, but first, Chris Bishop.Chris Bishop is a loud complainer. For years on Twitter he would make an absolute meal of his indignation that some cretin had failed to read their plane ...2 weeks ago - Bring back arms control
In the Cold War, arms control meant counting missiles and warheads. How does that model work in the cyber century, the drone decades and the AI age? What do you count, and how do you ...2 weeks ago
- Government guts WorkSafe
The Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety’s announcement today on gutting WorkSafe’s enforcement capability signals a return to a failed approach, that will weaken our health and safety system, said the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi. “A soft approach to poor health and safety was a ...2 weeks ago
- Brooke van Velden’s WorkSafe Cuts Endanger More Kiwi Lives
Even before the 2010 Pike River disaster, where 29 miners perished due to systemic safety failures, we’ve known our workplace safety record in New Zealand is a national disgrace. But instead of increasing protections, this government is slashing WorkSafe’s resources and watering down the Health and Safety at Work Act ...2 weeks ago
- Naked corruption and cronyism
It was foreign monarch's fake birthday over the weekend, which meant an honours list, which turned out to be a demonstration of everything wrong with the "honours" system. Those the government deemed worthy included outright cronies, a politician so reviled that her name is synonymous with social murder and whose ...2 weeks ago
- Tuesday 3 June
The Government is shifting WorkSafe’s priorities from enforcement to advice, saying this will help address concerns about underfunding and a “culture of fear”. A new report from the ITUC shows that workers’ rights around the world are “in free fall”, with widespread attempts to hamstring collective bargaining and attacks on ...2 weeks ago
- PM ‘comfortable’ with Chris Bishop’s Overt Racism
The National Party’s ongoing disregard for New Zealand’s multiculturalism has been laid bare once again, this time by another profoundly unbecoming display of prejudice. At the Aotearoa Music Awards, Chris Bishop, the leader of the house, was recorded on camera deriding Stan Walker’s performance of Māori Ki Te Ao as ...2 weeks ago
- Advertising for a Governor
If you want to be Reserve Bank Governor, think you have what it takes, (and haven’t yet been approached by the Board’s recruitment company) you will need to get moving. Applications close on Friday. As a reminder, much of the process (unusually by international standards) is controlled by the Bank’s ...2 weeks ago
- Machiavellian Plays
There’s a lot of news to cover: Ruth Richardson and Steve Joyce1 being appointed King’s Birthday honours on the formal recommendation of Prime Minister Luxon. Christopher Luxon “comfortable” with Chris Bishop’s Māori symbol rant. David Seymour telling audiences Te Pati Māori is “ugly”, focuses on“race”, and is “ increasingly violent ...2 weeks ago - A British university’s technology entanglements with Russia and China
A major British research university’s joint venture campus in China maintains partnerships and close links with entities sanctioned by Britain, the US, EU and others for supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and assisting ...2 weeks ago
- On Taking A Life
Hi,I didn’t really intend this to be the case when I started Webworm, but this is the place where most of my ideas emerge. I guess that shouldn’t be too surprising — Tickled started as a series of three blogs on 3News.co.nz (long dead) in 2014, and Mister Organ was ...2 weeks ago
- Road Cone Hotline
And I know when that hotline blingThat can only mean one thingI know when that hotline blingThat can only mean one thingSongwriters: Aubrey Drake Graham / Anthony Paul Jefferies / Timothy E Thomas.Morena folks, this morning I thought I’d take a look at our Prime Minister’s appearance on TVNZ’s Breakfast ...2 weeks ago - Australia must process, not just dig, its critical minerals
The future of Australia’s critical minerals sector will test our commitment to sovereign capability, regional development and supply chain resilience. Despite billions in investment announcements and a growing list of international critical minerals partnerships, one ...2 weeks ago
- Climate change is making hurricanes more destructive
This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Because hurricanes are one of the big-ticket weather disasters that humanity has to face, climate misinformers spend a lot of effort muddying the waters on whether climate change is making hurricanes more damaging. With the official start to the hurricane ...2 weeks ago
- Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Tuesday, June 3
My ’Picks ‘n’ Mixes’ of news and other links from Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, June 3 include:A group of global climate scientists have warned PM Christopher Luxon in an open letter that his plans to introduce a new biogenic methane target would jeopardise New ...2 weeks ago - King’s Birthday Grumbles: Satan Gets a Heavenly Order of Merit
Lucifer Morningstar describes himself as “quietly chuffed” to receive an Order of Heavenly Merit Award as part of the King’s Birthday Honours List. Interviewed in the depths of Hell, Lucifer – known to many as Satan (“It’s just the job title, you know”) – acknowledges that his Award might be ...2 weeks ago - Order of Merit?
My first thought when I saw headlines for the King’s Birthday Honours was: Awards for Joyce and Ruth Richardson? What, nothing for Satan?I mean, c’mon?We're honouring Steven Joyce and Ruth Richardson? For what?Dishonourable services against New Zealanders?Most of these awards go to people who deserve them, individuals who have excelled ...2 weeks ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 19 June
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 19 June appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 day ago - The thinking way to win a war
It was supposed to be over by now, a three-day (at the most) blitz by Russia on its many-times smaller neighbour, an ego-boosting win for Vladimir Putin. But the war is now in its fourth year, with Russia occupying just under a fifth of Ukraine, and some out-of-the-box thinking from ...1 day ago
- ‘Reports of concern’ rose 60 percent after Govt cut child safety contracts
Children’s Minister Karen Chhour is defending higher reporting of possible harm against children in the months after her cost-cutting directives led to Oranga Tamariki dropping community agencies. The 11th-hour withdrawal of contracts a year ago, with only hours of notice over Matariki weekend, left the agencies having to try to ...1 day ago
- Incorrect claims overstate Regulatory Standards Bill’s effects
The Regulatory Standards Bill does not allow companies to sue govt for policies that affect their profits The post Incorrect claims overstate Regulatory Standards Bill’s effects appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 day ago
- Cosmetic brands expect sales boom as China drops animal testing requirement
New scheme for cosmetics producers will break down trade barriers created by a mismatch in animal-testing regulation The post Cosmetic brands expect sales boom as China drops animal testing requirement appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 day ago
- Book of the Week: Women and chickens first
There’s an interesting cultural trend in this country where city dwellers yearn for country life. A place where your neighbour is acres away, you can have animals of all shapes and sizes, you can return to the rural life of your ancestors and you can cuddle up and be cosy. ...1 day ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images While the world’s media is largely focused on conflict in the Middle East, the focus for many Australians remains at home, with the government preparing the long task ahead ...1 day ago - Police Minister blames Labour government for police recruit exemptions
Police Minister's office says the use of discretion over recruits who had not passed a literacy test was introduced in 2018 under the Labour government. ...1 day ago - View from The Hill: Jim Chalmers wants to get on with economic reform and tax is in his sights
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Jim Chalmers speaking to the National Press Club June 18, 2025. Screenshot from the ABC Broadcast, CC BY-NC Jim Chalmers cast his Wednesday National Press Club speech as a second instalment in a two-part presentation ...1 day ago
- Iran’s long history of revolution, defiance and outside interference – and why its future is so ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University; and Vice Chancellor’s Strategic Fellow, Victoria University Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has gone beyond his initial aim of destroying Iran’s ability to produce nuclear weapons. He has ...1 day ago
- 95 lawyers demand stronger NZ stand over Israel amid Middle East tensions
Asia Pacific Report Ninety-five New Zealand lawyers — including nine king’s counsel — have signed a letter demanding Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and two other ministers urge the government to take a stronger stand against Israel’s “catastrophic” actions in Gaza. The letter has been sent amid ...1 day ago
- Children’s minister Karen Chhour criticised for lack of transparency over bootcamps
Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori grilled the government's youth military academies in a scrutiny hearing. ...1 day ago
- Visa change for Chinese passport holders travelling through New Zealand announced
People transiting through New Zealand on Chinese passports will be able to use an electronic travel authority from November. ...1 day ago
- ‘By Seymour, for Māori?’ – Tama Potaka defends Māori targeted funding cut
The Māori Development Minister has defended attacks by the opposition arguing he allowed targeted Māori funding to disappear under his watch. ...1 day ago
- Gay and bisexual men will soon be able to donate blood and plasma
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yasmin Mowat, Clinical Project Manager, Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney AnnaStills/Getty Images Many gay and bisexual men have been excluded from donating blood and plasma (the liquid portion of blood) for decades because of rules developed during the HIV crisis in the ...1 day ago
- Iran’s long history of revolution, defiance and outside interference – and why its future so unc...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University; and Vice Chancellor’s Strategic Fellow, Victoria University Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has gone beyond his initial aim of destroying Iran’s ability to produce nuclear weapons. He has ...1 day ago
- Scrutiny Week Q&A with Green MP Lawrence Xu-Nan
It's Scrutiny Week at Parliament, when Ministers face Select Committees to defend their budget plans. We asked Green MP Lawrence Xu-Nan about the week and the preparation necessary. ...2 days ago - Are Israel’s actions in Iran illegal? Could it be called self-defence? An international law expert...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shannon Bosch, Associate Professor (Law), Edith Cowan University Israel’s major military operation against Iran has targeted its nuclear program, including its facilities and scientists, as well as its military leadership. In response, the United Nations Security Council has quickly convened an emergency ...2 days ago
- Victoria is looking into religious cults – here’s what it should examine
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jaime Simpson, Doctoral Researcher, Domestic Family Violence Counsellor, University of Newcastle Paul shuang/Shutterstock The Victorian parliament has launched a long-overdue inquiry into abuse and coercive control within cults and religious fringe groups. It is a welcome acknowledgement of the damage that ...2 days ago
- Israel-Iran war ‘more dangerous than we imagine’, says Middle East Eye editor
Pacific Media Watch The Big Picture Podcast host, New Zealand-Egyptian journalist and author Mohamed Hassan, interviews Middle East Eye editor-in-chief David Hearst about the rapidly unfolding war between Israel and Iran, why the West supports it, and what it threatens to unleash on the global order. What does Israel really ...2 days ago
- Luxon rejects idea of visa waivers, extended visas on first trip to China
The Prime Minister has poured cold water on the idea of complete visa waivers, or extended visas for "premium" travellers from China. ...2 days ago
- Can a foreign government hack WhatsApp? A cybersecurity expert explains how that might work
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tuffley, Senior Lecturer in Applied Ethics & CyberSecurity, Griffith University On The Back Of Camera/Shutterstock Earlier today, Iranian officials urged the country’s citizens to remove the messaging platform WhatsApp from their smartphones. Without providing any supporting evidence, they alleged the ...2 days ago
- Human Rights In Aotearoa On A Downward Trend
"We are stronger when human rights are not only respected but strengthened. For everyone," said Jacqui Dillon, Executive Director of Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand. ...2 days ago
- Scrutiny Week Q&A with Green MP Lawrence Xu-Nan
It's Scrutiny Week at Parliament, when Ministers face Select Committees to defend their budget plans. We asked Green MP Lawrence Xu-Nan about the week and the preparation necessary. ...2 days ago
- ‘Guerrilla rewilding’ aims for DIY conservation – but it may do more harm than good
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Finnerty, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in conservation and wildlife management, University of Sydney Fidel Fernando / Unsplash Ever since modern environmentalism took off in the 1960s, people have tried to undo the damage humans have caused to nature. Efforts have ranged ...2 days ago
- Artist Eric Smith won 3 Archibalds, then vanished. A new show reveals his unseen works
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tom Murray, Professor in Screen Media and Creative Arts, Macquarie University Photograph by Robert Walker, Eric Smith in the studio, c.1973 black and white photograph, 52cmx42cm. Barbara Smith Collection. Used with permission There are many routes to artistic obscurity. The surest ...2 days ago
- Fiery debate over deportations, parent visas, asylum and Gaza
Immigration Minister Erica Stanford was quizzed on Tuesday by MPs in the Education and Workforce Committee. ...2 days ago
- Immigration minister faces questions over deportations, parent visas, asylum and Gaza
The immigration minister Erica Stanford was quizzed on Tuesday by MPs in the Education and Workforce Committee. ...2 days ago
- ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for June 18, 2025
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 18, 2025. Saving species starts at home: how you can help Australia’s 1,000 threatened invertebratesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Umbers, Associate Professor in Zoology, Western Sydney University Atlas Moth (_Attacus wardi_) Garry ...2 days ago
- Melatonin to be sold over-the-counter; psilocybin to be prescribed
Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced the decision but no specific date has been set for when changes will take effect. ...2 days ago
- Saving species starts at home: how you can help Australia’s 1,000 threatened invertebrates
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Umbers, Associate Professor in Zoology, Western Sydney University Atlas Moth (_Attacus wardi_) Garry Sankowsky/flickr, CC BY When we think about animals, we tend to think of furry four-legged mammals. But 95% of all animal species are invertebrates – bees, butterflies, beetles, ...2 days ago
- Matariki and our diminishing night sky: light pollution from cities and satellites is making stars h...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shea Esterling, Senior Lecturer Above the Bar, University of Canterbury Zhang Jianyong/Xinhua via Getty Images This week, Aotearoa New Zealand officially celebrates Matariki for the fourth time, marked by the reappearance in the night sky of the star cluster also known ...2 days ago
- Why a US court allowed a dead man to deliver his own victim impact statement – via an AI avatar
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James D Metzger, Senior Lecturer in Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney Composite image: Arrington Watkins Architects / AI avatar: YouTube/StaceyWales, CC BY In November 2021, in the city of Chandler, Arizona, Chris Pelkey was shot and killed by Gabriel Horcasitas in ...2 days ago
- What’s the difference between food poisoning and gastro? A gut expert explains
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vincent Ho, Associate Professor and Clinical Academic Gastroenterologist, Western Sydney University Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock If you’ve got a dodgy tummy, diarrhoea and have been vomiting, it’s easy to blame a “tummy bug” or “off food”. But which is it? Gastro or food ...2 days ago
- Modernising New Zealand’s Data System
The changes include moving to an admin-data-first census and publishing a monthly consumers price index (CPI), as well as a programme of work to meet new international standards for macroeconomic statistics. ...2 days ago
- Sharks come in many different shapes and sizes. But they all follow a centuries-old mathematical rul...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jodie L. Rummer, Professor of Marine Biology, James Cook University Rachel Moore From hand-sized lantern sharks that glow in the deep sea to bus-sized whale sharks gliding through tropical waters, sharks come in all shapes and sizes. Despite these differences, ...2 days ago
- National’s Erica Stanford clashes with Labour MPs over redress system for survivors abused in ...
MPs have clashed over the redress system for survivors abused in state care. ...2 days ago
- Gone By Lunchtime: New Zealand bestrides the globe, punching above our tightrope
Christopher Luxon is off to China and Europe in a world on fire. Around the world, the flames of aggression and instability are burning. As Christopher Luxon arrives in China his immediate challenge is to douse the alarm from several former politicians and ensure that the relationship with leaders in ...2 days ago - Abuse in care survivors in line for under a third of government’s $774m package
Officials are "taking so much away from the pockets of survivors, who deserve better than this", a lawyer says. ...2 days ago
- The government is fed up with councils taking the piss on housing
They’ve built aqueducts for the piss. A state-of-the-art municipal pipe network purely for transporting the piss. Chris Bishop started his speech at the Wellington Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday paying tribute to an unlikely list of allies. Labour’s Phil Twyford deserved “great credit” for pushing through the pro-housing National Policy ...2 days ago
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