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Robertson: Lessons from the Future of Work Commission
Written By: - Date published: 1:22 pm, August 26th, 2016 - 10 comments
Robertson: “What is the economic paradigm that will meet the challenge of world of less secure work, more automation?”
Grant Robertson on the adjusted unemployment figure
Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, August 17th, 2016 - 206 comments
“The sad reality is that while the change in measurement might elicit a lower number or percentage it will not mean one fewer person is unemployed.”
Grant Robertson’s pre-budget speech
Written By: - Date published: 11:08 am, May 23rd, 2016 - 31 comments
Grant Robertson has just delivered his pre-budget speech. One takeaway message: “Labour’s finance spokesman Grant Robertson says Labour will set out a tax package before the 2017 election to set out how it will raise revenue to address issues in education, health and housing”.
A week is a long time in politics
Written By: - Date published: 10:36 am, May 5th, 2016 - 17 comments
Over the past week the Government has gone from “there is no problem with the Overseas Investment Office” to announcing an urgent review and a staffing boost to make sure that approvals of foreign purchases of land are being properly processed.
Labour’s strong week – National and land sales to foreigners
Written By: - Date published: 9:05 am, April 30th, 2016 - 63 comments
Labour had a strong week this week with the disclosure of individuals behind a Mossack Fonseca related entity had criminal convictions for environmental damage forcing the OIO to review its original decision. Grant Robertson has correctly called for a full inquiry into the circumstances relating to the Government stopping a review of the Foreign Trust regime. And Phil Twyford has persuaded the OAG to rule that Housing New Zealand’s handling of parts of the housing sale process were sub standard.
Grant Robertson: Full independent inquiry needed to save New Zealand’s reputation
Written By: - Date published: 10:17 am, April 29th, 2016 - 33 comments
Grant Robertson is calling for a full inquiry into circumstances surrounding the Government’s 2015 decision not to review the country’s foreign tax rules.
The sock puppets, the media and the UBI
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, March 31st, 2016 - 116 comments
Labour’s discussion of a possible UBI is still generating debate.
Job cuts and the future of work
Written By: - Date published: 3:54 pm, March 29th, 2016 - 73 comments
Two headline job losses today underline the importance of Labour’s Future of Work.
Homosexual law reform happened 30 years ago
Written By: - Date published: 9:16 am, February 21st, 2016 - 94 comments
Some thoughts on yesterday’s gay pride parade and why National has in the space of 30 years changed from being deeply anti gay rights to being superficially in support.
There are people living in cars
Written By: - Date published: 3:33 pm, February 17th, 2016 - 37 comments
Grant Robertson gave an impassioned speech yesterday in Parliament on how poverty in New Zealand is a disgrace.
Grant Robertson’s speech to the 2015 Labour Conference
Written By: - Date published: 11:43 am, November 7th, 2015 - 68 comments
The text of Grant Robertson’s speech to the 2015 annual Labour Conference.
Labour to defy TPP on property ownership?
Written By: - Date published: 9:46 am, October 7th, 2015 - 164 comments
If this report is accurate it opens an interesting can of worms!
Labour is the party of economic competence
Written By: - Date published: 7:10 am, August 17th, 2015 - 146 comments
The old myth that National are good managers of the economy should now be well dead and buried. For a recent case study see Robertson vs Joyce on dairy prices…
Grant Robertson’s pre-budget speech
Written By: - Date published: 2:59 pm, May 15th, 2015 - 58 comments
Labour’s Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson gave his pre-budget speech this morning. “So, what would a responsible government be doing in the Budget next week?”…
A late run succeeds
Written By: - Date published: 7:08 pm, November 18th, 2014 - 46 comments
On October 4th Andrew Little was looking to see if he was even going to be in Parliament because he hadn’t achieved the near impossible task of winning New Plymouth. He was at the bottom of small list and only got back into parliament on special votes. But Andrew Little has a well deserved reputation is a organiser and a campaigner. It showed.
Last chance to vote
Written By: - Date published: 11:36 am, November 17th, 2014 - 67 comments
The Labour leadership campaign is in the home straight. Various authors have declared their preference and why and I thought I should do the same.
My (late) vote
Written By: - Date published: 4:58 pm, November 16th, 2014 - 54 comments
Here are my votes for the leadership contest. It was a hard choice, especially having to rank them. But my main criteria was to look for the people who I think had the most chance retaining and utilising the ever increasing membership and the other parts of the party together into a election winning system for the left.
Standard questions: Grant Robertson
Written By: - Date published: 10:11 am, November 10th, 2014 - 81 comments
A couple of weeks ago we asked readers to suggest questions for written answers from the candidates. We chose / edited six questions, and sent them to the four campaigns. Here are Grant Robertson’s answers.
Andrew Little in Auckland on Sunday and virtual hustings
Written By: - Date published: 1:00 pm, November 8th, 2014 - 30 comments
The Labour leadership race continues!
Labour leadership hustings video
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, November 3rd, 2014 - 12 comments
In case you haven’t been able to make it to any of the leadership hustings, here’s the speeches from the Nelson meeting last week.
Grant Robertson live Q&A
Written By: - Date published: 5:59 pm, November 2nd, 2014 - 135 comments
Grant Robertson will be joining us live here tonight at around 7:30pm. As usual all comments / questions will be strictly moderated.
Chat with Grant Robertson Sunday 7:30
Written By: - Date published: 5:00 am, November 2nd, 2014 - Comments Off on Chat with Grant Robertson Sunday 7:30
Labour leadership contender Grant Robertson will be joining us here at The Standard live on Sunday around 7:30pm for a chat.
Labour leadership events this weekend
Written By: - Date published: 5:54 pm, October 31st, 2014 - 19 comments
Meet the candidates.
Leadership Election: Candidates Start Painting Themselves Into Corners
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, October 30th, 2014 - 74 comments
InsideOut has a look at the current state of the labour leadership campaigns. Predictably they plump down on the side of a particular candidate. But they do point to various issues with all of the campaigns.
All Things Being Equal…
Written By: - Date published: 1:46 pm, October 27th, 2014 - 171 comments
Assuming that all four contenders for leadership of Labour are equally worthy, there is a defining factor that ought to be considered…vulnerability to attack.
I’m backing Grant
Written By: - Date published: 9:28 am, October 26th, 2014 - 174 comments
We have 4 great Leftie contenders, who all want to take Aotearoa where we want it to go. Whomever wins, I’ll back them to the hilt. But I have a vote and a voice, and I’m backing Grant – here’s why.
The first hustings
Written By: - Date published: 8:29 am, October 23rd, 2014 - 128 comments
The leadership contest has kicked off with a bang.
Cullen endorses Robertson
Written By: - Date published: 6:50 am, October 23rd, 2014 - 137 comments
Grant Robertson picked up a heavyweight endorsement yesterday.
Labour’s Leadership campaign heats up
Written By: - Date published: 7:44 am, October 20th, 2014 - 100 comments
The Labour leadership campaign is now under way and the first meet the candidates meetings are scheduled for this week.
Which West Wing politicians do the Labour Leadership candidates most closely resemble?
Written By: - Date published: 8:25 pm, October 17th, 2014 - 14 comments
So which West Wing politician do the current Labour Leadership candidates most closely resemble? Dedicated to one of the best political activists I know.
- Hekia Parata: I’m all ears – especially my ears
New Zealand has a very good education system. That’s beyond debate. Can we make it better? Yes, we can and we must. We must make it heaps more betterer. As a passionate New Zealander and as a mum, I want ...3 hours ago - From Good Guys To Fall Guys: The Spinoff And Generation Zero Fail To Endorse Mike Lee.
3 hours ago - Punakaiki Fund 2016 AGM and September Roadshow
We held our Annual General Meeting for Punakaiki Fund on Thursday last week, with over 70 people attending and chaired by Mike Bennetts. The group saw presentations from founders or senior staff from Weirdly, Vibe Communications, Vend, Onceit, Timely, Mobi2Go, EverEdgeIP, Mindfull, ...5 hours ago - Sunday reading 25 September 2016.
11 hours ago - 2016 SkS Weekly News Roundup #39
A chronological listing of the news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook page during the past week. Sun Sep 18, 2016 After a decade, UN chief disappointed in many world leaders by Edith M Lederer, AP Big Story, ...1 day ago - Brent Spar: The sea is not a dustbin
In August 2016, Prestel Books published Photos That Changed the World, including this image of the Greenpeace Brent Spar campaign, captured by David Sims on 16 June 1995.Greenpeace approaches Brent Spar, 1995, dodging a Shell water cannon. Photo by David Sims, ...1 day ago - UN report highlights the challenges Indigenous People in Brazil face to protect their land
For Indigenous activists defending their traditional lands, Brazil is one of the most dangerous places in the world.Xavante indigenous people from Maraiãwatsede with traditional body paint for war. Due to conflicts over land ownership, this traditional painting is now a daily ...1 day ago - Is it in the spirit of the Paris Agreement to ratify it with more emissions and more creative accoun...
Is the New Zealand Government’s plan to ratify the Paris Agreement in 2016 consistent with a two degrees Celsius (2C) carbon budget? Since the December 2015 Paris Agreement, the British climate scientist Kevin Anderson has given a couple ...1 day ago - Rethinking Trade Policy.
The Government is ‘refreshing’ its international trade strategy. Refresh is a euphemism. It ought to overhaul it. Here are some guidelines; I begin with the overarching framework.read more ...2 days ago - Quick – to the validating machine!On Wednesday evening I had the pleasure of attending the launch of Sir Geoffrey Palmer and Andrew Butler's book proposing a written constitution for New Zealand. It was held at Parliament, and may I say that a fine time was ...2 days ago
- How climate science deniers can accept so many ‘impossible things’ all at onceSometimes, climate science deniers will tell you that we can’t predict global temperatures in the future. Sometimes, they’ll say we’re heading for an ice age. Occasionally, contrarians will say that no single weather event can prove human-caused global warming. But ...2 days ago
- Cats and Dogs – time for a culture shift
Cats and dogs are two of New Zealand’s most loved companion animals who are often integral parts of a family. My own dog, Kea, is a rescue from the SPCA and brings huge joy in my life. It’s well established ...2 days ago - Campaign to protect Māori land from Public Works Act not over
On Wednesday night my Members’ Bill to stop the Public Works Act taking any more Māori land was voted down by the National Government. This is not the end of the campaign to raise awareness that the Public Works Act ...2 days ago - “Cluttering the internet”
In New Zealand the right of access to official information is well-established, and the introduction of FYI, an online service to make it easy, was uncontroversial. While a few agencies - notably the NZ Police - waste everyone's time by ...2 days ago - Education Act changes give corporate welfare to the wealthy
Funding private companies the same as public universities and polytechnics is neither equitable nor wise, says TEU national president Sandra Grey. The tertiary education minister has announced that he plans to amend the Education Act so that private tertiary enterprises ...2 days ago - Good news on local governmentBack in June, National introduced the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill (No 2). The bill was yet another attack on local body democracy, allowing central government to effectively force mergers, force councils to divest services to council-controlled organisations, and ...2 days ago
- Speaker: Christchurch: We’re not “apathetic”, just busy rebuilding
This year’s local body elections are as weird as Christchurch life in general.Incumbent Mayor, Lianne Dalziel will romp back in with a few bites on the bum from challenger, John Minto. Four incumbent Councillors and a smattering of Community Board ...2 days ago - Climate change: Its us or the fossil fuel industryWe always knew that dealing with climate change and preventing the oceans from drowning Bangladesh and the Netherlands and Tuvalu would mean having to wean our civilisation off fossil fuels in favour of cleaner energy sources. But a new analysis ...2 days ago
- We know where this is going to endYesterday we heard that the Supreme Court had ruled that Corrections had made a mistake in calculating the release dates of two prisoners, imprisoning them for months after they should have been released. That's bad, and the state needs to ...2 days ago
- Hard News: Friday Music: Getting FestiveSplore's first lineup announcement was made this week – and in keeping with the 2017 theme of "Family Reunion", it's headed by some notable returns. Dub Pistols are back after a cracking show this year, the Ragga Twins just can't ...2 days ago
- Weekly Reading: Transparent, David Simon and Jay Z on the War On Drugs
Our weekly recap highlighting the best feature stories from around the internet. Photo: Amazon ‘Transparent’ Creator Jill Soloway on Caitlyn Jenner, Lena Dunham, and Mark Ruffalo’s Trans Casting Controversy – by Kevin Fallon, The Daily Beast “Until ...2 days ago - Live review: A$AP Ferg goes all out in his return to Auckland
A$AP Ferg delivered a chaotic and dizzying set last night at The Powerstation, writes Hussein Moses. Photo: Luke McPake There’s a long-running joke that rap shows in New Zealand are notorious for falling through. While there’s still ...2 days ago - September 16 AT Board Meeting
The monthly Auckland Transport Board meeting is on again next week so I’ve take a read through the main reports to pull out the bits that interest me. Closed Session Agenda Some of my thoughts about them in italics. Items ...3 days ago - Treaty Rights vs Conservation Values
3 days ago - 45 years on: Remembering Attica
by The Spark Forty-five years ago, prisoners rebelled in Attica, a New York state prison. The rebellion lasted five days until it was savagely repressed, leaving 31 prisoners and nine ...3 days ago - Open Letter to Trade Minister Todd McClay
The government has announced a ‘refresh’ of its trade policy. However, it looks more like a sticking plaster on the current failed policy when invasive surgery is required. Agreements like the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) become deeply concerning to many New ...3 days ago - Up Front: I Never Been ta BorstalI've been working for an artist as their technician for a number of years now. I have welding skills and the ability to work across fabrication engineering and fine arts. My formal qualifications in both are a direct result of ...3 days ago
- UFO sighting over Auckland was just new Breakfast desk
Did you see the Breakfast desk in the skies above Auckland last night? If so, send us your reports at news@tvnz.co.nz A widely reported UFO sighting over Auckland last night was just TVNZ’s new Breakfast desk, says the company’s CEO, ...3 days ago - Hard News: Trump’s DummkopfsWhile the world holds its breath over a prodigious narrowing of the polls in the US Presidential election campaign, it's hard not to wonder sometimes about who these people are. His prospective voters, I mean. Who can merrily ignore his ...3 days ago
- Standing for somethingIn his valedictory speech on Tuesday, departing Green MP Kevin Hague urged political parties not to dodge important issues like death with dignity, adoption reform, and drug decriminalisation, but to be brave and stand for something. Today, the Greens are ...3 days ago
- The Singles Life: Is this the NZ music video of the year?
Welcome to weekly series The Singles Life, where known experts Katie Parker and Hussein Moses peruse, ponder and pontificate on the latest and (maybe) greatest in New Zealand music. Callum Rei McDougall, better known simply as Rei, may be ...3 days ago - Development update: September 2016
This will be the last “development update” post for a while, as I’ll be off on holiday for a month. The RCG Development Tracker has just been updated and I’ll get back onto things in November. Oh, and one of ...3 days ago - When the PM is away the mice will play: Catch of the Day Edition
It might be the pain medication talking, as I have spent the last few days off work with tooth “issues” (googling “home dentistry” and popping pain medication like candy), but it seems like our current round of infighting in parliament ...3 days ago - DrawnA ballot for one member's bill was held today and the following bill was drawn: Private International Law (Choice of Law in Tort) Bill (David Bennett) Its not the most interesting of bills, but at least its not spam - ...3 days ago
- Against restoring aid to NauruIn 2015, New Zealand suspended all aid to Nauru after the country sacked its chief justice and suspended opposition MPs from Parliament. Now, Murray McCully is apparently thinking of restoring it:New Zealand is considering whether to restore its aid spending ...3 days ago
- Death and taxes, and tax avoiders
National’s Tax Working Group used the following graph (p30) in 2010 as part of their justification to cut the top tax rate. The big peaks around the top tax threshold are evidence of a disproportionately high number of taxpayers ...3 days ago - Access: When can we talk about the money?The disability community is changing it up. We’re having a rally at Parliament today to let the government know that it must invest in inclusive education.This action has not been taken lightly. Like most of the community sector, our aim ...3 days ago
- Electricity transmission pricing proposal – put it in reverse
If you believe the tale some economists tell that we’re all rational individual profit maximisers navigating our way through the market of life you’d be very surprised to read a survey just out. A collection of chambers of commerce, electricity ...3 days ago - Ministry criticises Youth GuaranteeTVNZ reports the government has spent half a billion dollars on its Youth Guarantee scheme, but it does not work. A review by the Ministry of Education concludes that many students enrolled in the Youth Guarantee scheme are not staying ...3 days ago
- PTE selling passes for cashA private tertiary enterprise has been accused of charging foreign students for pass marks on their exams, according to Radio New Zealand. TEU president Sandra Grey says the allegations are very serious, but they will not surprise TEU members. “We ...3 days ago
- If you’re entitled to – Register and vote
A celebrity ‘Get Out The Vote’ ad with a difference. This 2016 US presidential election is “a tipping point.” Hard too argue with that. Nor with the description of Donald Trump as “a racist abusive coward”. See what you think. ...3 days ago - Suffrage Day call for equal payEqual pay campaigners delivered white flowers to all women MPs on Suffrage Day this Monday. This year’s Suffrage Day marked 123 years since new Zealand women won the vote. This year, in celebration of that milestone, equal pay campaigners took ...3 days ago
- Lincoln reviews Telford campusLincoln is reviewing its Telford campus, concerned that not enough of its Balclutha students are going onto degree-level study. The Otago Daily Times says part of Lincoln’s wider ‘Refreshing Lincoln’ review will look at the Telford campus which merged with ...3 days ago
- The roadmap to financing quality public educationIn response to declining investment in education, Education International has drafted a human rights-based road map to predictable, sustainable and principled education financing. The roadmap gives a green light to urgent measures, a yellow light where caution is needed and ...3 days ago
- Sorry, but Disney’s Maui costume is simply not OK
Even with the best intentions, it's not right to wear someone else’s skin, writes Leah Damm. Perhaps I’m overly naïve, but I had presumed that I would get to enjoy Moana without having Disney try to hawk ...3 days ago - Access: The Paralympics and visibilityLast week my friend’s 12-year-old son asked her if she’d seen the amazing opening ceremony in Rio and he wasn’t talking about the Olympics: he was talking about extreme wheelchair athlete Aaron Fotheringham’s spectacular stunt jump through exploding fireworks.Like thousands ...3 days ago
- The local impacts of new polluting power plant
Today I met with locals living rurally near Otorohanga, south Waikato, who will be affected by Nova Energy’s plan to build a new 360MW gas-fired power station. In a bit of a tag team, James Shaw asked questions in Parliament ...3 days ago - “Better Now Than Later!” – Nato Deploys 4,000 Additional Troops To Eastern Europe.
4 days ago - August-2016 Patronage
Auckland’s public transport patronage results for August are now available and there are some decent numbers on show. This was partially expected thanks to there being two extra business days in August this year compared to August last year but even ...4 days ago - Podcast: Chloe King on the Problem with Positive Thinking
A short time ago I did a podcast with BFM on The Wire with host Xiemna Smith, we focused on the problems with the corporate takeover of spirituality and how so often, mindfulness and other holistic concepts are being ...4 days ago - Key tells UN that woman he said was unfit to be Prime Minister is fit to be Secretary General
John Key used his General Assembly speech today to boost her chances of winning the Secretary General race, and further damage her chances of winning the 2008 election. Prime Minister John Key has delivered a rousing speech at the United ...4 days ago - Angry French tourist may have a point, as historians say vandalism was also illegal in Nazi Germany
Cedric Claude Rene Rault-Verpre says New Zealand is a painful reminder of when Hitler forced his ancestors to repair signs they had vandalised. An angered French tourist who is being forced to pay $3,000 to repair a sign he vandalised ...4 days ago - Three small letters destroying the rainforest
Last year, Indonesian forest fires shocked the world. Some called them ‘the worst environmental disaster of the 21st century’. So why hasn’t that shock turned into action - and why are fires blazing across Indonesia again?Decades of forest destruction by ...4 days ago - 375 top scientists warn of ‘real, serious, immediate’ climate threatYesterday, 375 of the world’s top scientists, including 30 Nobel Prize winners, published an open letter regarding climate change. In the letter, the scientists report that the evidence is clear: humans are causing climate change. We are now observing climate change ...4 days ago
- QOTD: Owen Jones on overcoming media bias
At the Guardian: The left is bitterly accustomed to living with almost farcically hostile media in a country where the press is as much a sophisticated political lobbyist as a means of information. A natural response is to become grouchy, ...4 days ago - Speaker: Confessions of an Uber Driver III: How do I rate?You've just finished your Uber ride. By the general standards of taxi rides, it was very good.The driver came fast, the car was newish and in good condition and tidy inside. The driver was courteous and asked how you were. ...4 days ago
- IPENZ Transport Careers Evening
4 days ago - Against more gasOne of the first things National did on entering office in 2008 was to repeal Labour's ban on new thermal electricity generation. They've got away with it so far because their stagnant economy and worries about the potential shutdown of ...4 days ago
- Justice for IraqIn 2003, British soldiers threw Iraqi teenager Said Shabram off a jetty into a Basra canal. Now, they may finally face justice for their crime:Three British soldiers could be taken to court over the death of an Iraqi teenager who ...4 days ago
- Love is dead: An emotional guide to the Brangelina bombshell
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were the greatest Hollywood power couple of their generation. And now they’re over. Photo: AFP When you woke up this morning you probably thought all was right with the world: sure it’s been ...4 days ago - Member’s DayIts another Member's Day, and it promises to be a fiery one - though not because of the member's bills. Instead, its a local bill, the New Plymouth District Council (Waitara Lands) Bill, which is likely to be contentious. The ...4 days ago
- Earning that reputation againToday's "big" political news is a spat between New Zealand First and National over the House's extended sittings this week. Originally the Business Committee had agreed to hold a special sitting on Friday to finish off some Treaty settlement bills. ...4 days ago
- Postcard from Bogota
Following a few days in Mexico City, I’ve had the pleasure of staying a week in Bogota, Colombia. Bogota is both the federal capital and the capital of Cundinamarca state, and while it probably doesn’t yet figure as a world ...4 days ago - Standing up for international studentsIn the last week we have heard a great deal about the Indian students who are facing deportation because immigration advisors in their home country had provided fraudulent information to get them study visas for New Zealand. Some of these ...4 days ago
- Auckland University staff take an hour for fair payPeople working at the University of Auckland will take an hour off tomorrow as they campaign to get a fair pay offer. The short strike, which will take place between 12pm and 1pm on Thursday 22 September, follows three months ...4 days ago
- Hard News: Excited for Auckland!As my social media attests, I was pretty excited when I got home from last night's Orcon IRL: Vote Auckland event. Not just because we'd defied the elements to put on another swingin' conscious party (emergency action to empty overloaded ...4 days ago
- Good grief, The Real Housewives of Auckland just hit a low-point
The Real Housewives of Auckland gets everything wrong in its attempt to talk about race, writes Hussein Moses. Julia Sloane: "The least racist person you’ll meet". As bad as it all was, UnReal didn’t reach it’s lowest ...4 days ago - Let’s make it a green peaceToday (21 September), around the globe, we mark Peace Day knowing that for many, peace is nowhere to be found. Not today. And unless things change dramatically, not any time soon.2015 saw the number of refugees and displaced people reach record ...4 days ago
- Time to do K Rd station properly
Last week we had two important announcements with the Government finally confirming they’ll pay for half of the City Rail Link (CRL) and the Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP) finally seeing the council and government aligned on the future of ...5 days ago - Gordon Campbell on our posturing at the UN
First published on Werewolf Hey, how hard is to be John Key? Not very. Yesterday in New York for instance, Key basically took an old May 2 Washington Post article written by Barack Obama, recycled it back to the Americans, ...5 days ago - Our Government, the blockheads. Again.
The New Zealand Government is pleased to announce that next year they’re keen to open more than 500,000 square kilometres of our ocean for oil companies to survey and drill, including parts of the marine mammal sanctuary, home to the ...5 days ago - More oil drilling in Maui’s dolphin sanctuary
I remember a time when the Government launched its annual oil and gas block offers with a big song and dance and much fanfare. As key a plank in National’s economic strategy, the releasing of onshore and offshore blocks of ...5 days ago - Flushing out the waste water problem
Alongside the massive problem of 10 million cattle and their waste entering our waterways, is the lesser but vexed issue of human waste. All over the country, councils struggle with developing wastewater systems that actually work and do not pollute ...5 days ago - MonstrousBetween 2012 and 2014, Brian Balzer raped and sexually exploited a female prisoner at the prison he worked as a guard at. Unlike many victims of sexual violence in US prisons, she complained about it on her release. And as ...5 days ago
- Defending the indefensibleLast week the government released a damning review of MPI's decision not to prosecute fishers for illegal fish dumping, high-grading and under-reporting of catches. Today, unbelievably, Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy is defending their failure:"In this one particular case ...5 days ago
- Correction over Talley’s statement
Labour’s Workplace Relations spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway has been advised by AFFCO Ltd that AFFCO is not advertising for staff in the Manawatu through MSD as stated in a press statement released earlier today. “I have been advised by AFFCO that ...2 days ago - Minister, cut your losses – withdraw this doomed BillLocal Government Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga’s request for a five month extension on the report back date for the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill (No 2) is an admission that the Bill is fundamentally flawed, says Labour’s Local Government Spokesperson ...2 days ago
- Coleman’s cuts create crisisMental health services in New Zealand are in a state of crisis with Youthline saying that calls for extreme depression doubled last year, says Labour’s Associate Health spokesperson Dr David Clark. “About 150 young Kiwis are missing out on help ...2 days ago
- Government helping Talley’s to break workersThe Ministry for Social Development appears to be assisting Talley’s-Affco replace experienced workers effectively locked out by the company, say Labour’s Social Development spokesperson Carmel Sepuloni and Workplace Relations spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway. “MSD is advertising for meat processing workers for ...2 days ago
- Electives lag due to $1.7 billion holeThe lag in hip and knee replacements is a direct consequence of the Government’s $1.7 billion underfunding of health, says Labour’s Associate Health spokesperson Dr David Clark. “A comprehensive study by the University of Otago says that the rate of ...2 days ago
- Speech to Master Builders’ Constructive conferenceToday’s all about being Constructive. And that is good because I believe there is a hunger out there for positive solutions. We must be able to believe there can be a better future. ...2 days ago
- Māori Party housing plan complete failureThe Māori Party’s housing plan to put more Māori into more homes has been a complete failure with fewer than five loans granted per year, says Labour’s Maori Development spokesperson Kelvin Davis. ...3 days ago
- Fund IRD better to go after tax avoidersNational’s Tax Working Group used the following graph (p30) in 2010 as part of their justification to cut the top tax rate. The big peaks around the top tax threshold were evidence of a suspiciously high number of taxpayers ...3 days ago
- Pasifika youth ignored by the GovernmentThe Adolescent Health Research Group’s new report on the wellbeing of young Pacific people shines a spotlight on the Government’s failure to deliver any “brighter future” for them, says Labour’s Pacific Island Affairs spokesperson Su’a William Sio. “Their research shows ...3 days ago
- Police in the provinces are dissatisfiedPolice in the cities of Gisborne, Napier and Hastings are a lot more unhappy than their big city cousins says Labour’s Police Spokesman Stuart Nash. “In fact the top four districts for enjoyable work within NZ Police are ...3 days ago
- Govt action needed after Wheeler holdsThe Reserve Bank Governor’s warning that “excessive house price inflation” is posing a risk to financial stability puts the pressure back on the Government to take action to address the housing crisis, says Labour’s Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson. “Graeme Wheeler’s ...3 days ago
- Minister confirms – new ministry only about abuse...4 days ago
- Silver Ferns Farms decision a tragedyThe rubber stamping by the Overseas Investment Office of the Shanghai Maling buyout of Silver Fern Farms is a sorry day for the once proud New Zealand meat sector, says Labour’s spokesperson for Primary Industries, Damien O’Connor. “Generations of Kiwis ...4 days ago
- Benching Nick Smith first step to Kermadec solutionSide-lining Nick Smith must be the first step in sorting out the Government's Kermadec debacle, says Labour's Fisheries Spokesperson Rino Tirikatene. “Last week Labour called for Nick Smith to be removed from further negotiations with Te Ohu Kaimoana over the ...5 days ago
- Parents, schools, teachers oppose bulk fundingOverwhelming opposition to the National Government’s school bulk funding proposal is unsurprising and Hekia Parata should now unequivocally rule out proceeding with the idea, Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says. “Bulk funding could only lead to bigger class sizes or ...5 days ago
- MBIE gives up on enforcing the lawThe Government must provide labour inspectors with the resources they need to enforce basic employment law after reports that MBIE is only prosecuting the worst cases, says Labour’s Workplace Relations and Safety spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway. “Today’s news that MBIE ...5 days ago
- West Coast population declines amid bleak economic forecastDespite the country experiencing record population growth, the number of people living in the West Coast fell, highlighting struggles in the region from low commodity prices and a poor economic forecast, says Labour’s Economic Development spokesperson David Clark. “The latest ...5 days ago
- Recovery roadblocks cause for concernStrong pressure on mental health services, a flagging local economy and widespread issues with dodgy earthquake repairs are all causes for concern for people in Canterbury according to a new survey, says Labour’s Canterbury spokesperson Megan Woods. “Today the CDHB’s ...5 days ago
- Motel purchase must not kick people onto the streetThe Government’s purchase of a South Auckland motel to house the homeless must come with a promise that the current long term tenants will not be kicked out onto the streets, says Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford. “It is bizarre ...6 days ago
- Not everyone singing along to so-called rock star economyThe Westpac McDermott Miller Confidence Survey shows there is serious unease about the economy’s ability to deliver benefits to many New Zealanders, despite the Government trumpeting headline figures, says Labour’s Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson. “According to this survey a significantly ...6 days ago
- Youth no better off under National’s “guarantee”John Key’s Youth Guarantee is such a spectacular failure that those who undertake the programme are more likely to end up on a benefit and less likely to end up in full-time employment than those who don’t, Leader of the ...1 week ago
- More low-skilled students becoming residentsNew figures showing international students now make up nearly 40 per cent of all principal applicants approved for New Zealand residency and that their skill level has fallen dramatically, are further evidence that National’s immigration system is broken, says Labour’s ...1 week ago
- 35% of offshore speculators paying no taxOffshore investors are aggressively exploiting tax breaks to pay no tax on their rental properties according to IRD data released by Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford. “35% of offshore investors are paying no tax on their properties, and are pocketing ...1 week ago
- Friday fish dump stinksThis government has dumped bad news on a Friday to try to avoid political scrutiny in Parliament, says Labour’s Environment spokesperson David Parker. ...1 week ago
- OECD report card: National must try harderThe OECD report on education shows there’s much more to be done for young Kiwis, Labour’s education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says. ...1 week ago
- Kermadec stoush shows Maori Party double-standardsThe Māori Party’s reaction to the trampled Treaty rights and the Government’s lack of consultation on the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary reeks of the same arrogant mismanagement of the unpopular Maori land reforms, Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MP Meka Whaitiri says. ...1 week ago
- Flawed fish dumping callsThe finding that MPI failed to properly enforce the law even when it had evidence of fish dumping seriously damages the trust and credibility of the Ministry, the industry and this Government, Labour's Fisheries Spokesperson Rino Tirikatene says. ...1 week ago
- Sidestepping Smith should be side-linedNick Smith's arrogance and disrespect towards Māori is putting the future of the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary at risk and he needs to excuse himself from further negotiations with Te Ohu Kaimoana, Labour's Fisheries spokesperson Rino Tirikatene says. ...1 week ago
- Government must respond to cash for jobs scamUrgent Government action is required to halt the emerging cash-for-jobs immigration scandal that is taking hold in New Zealand says Labour’s Immigration Spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway. “Stories of rogue immigration agents scamming thousands of dollars from migrant workers are just further ...1 week ago
- Government dragging its feet on surgical meshJonathan Coleman is dragging his feet over any action to protect New Zealanders from more disasters with surgical mesh, says Health Spokesperson Annette King. “The Government’s pathetic response is to claim all will be fixed by a new regime to ...1 week ago
- Labour’s baby number app goes gangbustersAn interactive tool that celebrates Labour’s achievements in health over the decades has become an online hit, says Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette King. “Since the tool was launched last night, 18 thousand people have used it to find their baby ...1 week ago
- Real disposable income falls in last three monthsKiwis are working harder than ever but real disposable income per person fell in the last quarter thanks to record population increases, Labour’s Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson said. ‘In Budget 2016 the National Government said that what mattered most for ...1 week ago
- Baby number app celebrates Labour achievementsLabour has launched an interactive tool that allows New Zealanders to take a look back at our achievements in health over the decades, says Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette King. “Today is the 78th anniversary of the Social Security Act 1938, ...2 weeks ago
- Legal experts unpick Māori land reformsOne of New Zealand’s top law firms has joined the chorus of legal experts heavily critical of the controversial Te Ture Whenua Maori Bill, adding more weight to the evidence that the reforms fall well beneath the robust legal standards ...2 weeks ago
- Industries most reliant on immigration worst offendersThe industries most reliant on immigration are the worst offenders when it comes to meeting their most basic employment obligations, says Labour’s Immigration spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway. “The industries that are most reliant on immigration are Hospitality, Administration, Agriculture, Forestry and ...2 weeks ago
- Time to remove law that discriminates against sole parentsIt’s time to repeal a harmful law that sanctions those who do not name the other parent of their child, Labour’s Social Development Spokesperson Carmel Sepuloni says. “Every week, 17,000 children are missing out because their sole parent is being ...2 weeks ago
- Government handling of Kermadecs threatens Treaty rights...2 weeks ago
- Prime Minister should give Police Minister some backboneThe Prime Minister should condemn the ridiculously light sentence given to Nikolas Delegat for seriously assaulting a police woman, Labour’s Police spokesman Stuart Nash says. ...2 weeks ago
- Government listens to Labour on family violenceLabour is pleased the Government has finally acted on strengthening a range of measures against family violence, says Labour’s spokesperson on Family Violence Poto Williams. “Some of the latest changes including a new family violence offence of non-fatal strangulation is ...2 weeks ago
- Government must rethink paying for police checksNational’s decision to ignore the concerns of charities will see the voluntary sector face hundreds of thousands of dollars in new costs if the Policing (Cost Recovery) Amendment Bill passes, says Labour's Community and Voluntary Sector spokesperson Poto Williams. “National’s ...2 weeks ago
- Seven months for families in cars to be housedDisturbing new figures show it is now taking the Ministry of Social Development an average of seven months to house families who are living in cars, Leader of the Opposition Andrew Little says. “John Key made a song and dance ...2 weeks ago
- North Korea test must be condemnedThe nuclear test by North Korea that registered 5.3 on the Richter scale needs to be condemned, says Labour’s Foreign Affairs spokesperson David Shearer. “This test, coming hard on the heels of a missile launch a few days ago, shows ...2 weeks ago
- Tribe footing the bill for Maori Party?Waikato-Tainui deserve committed representation, yet the President of the Maori Party is muddying the waters by confusing the core business of the tribe with party politics, says Labour’s Hauraki-Waikato MP Nanaia Mahuta. “The only way to fix this growing negative ...2 weeks ago
- Schools set to lose millionsSchools will start 2017 grappling with a $7.8 million funding cut, Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says. “Hekia Parata has been adamant changes to the way our schools are funded would see them better off. ...2 weeks ago
- 70% of families in cold, damp homes powerless to fix themShocking new figures out today show 70 per cent of the families living in cold, damp homes are powerless to make improvements because they are in rental properties, Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford says. “The 2016 Household Incomes Report highlights ...2 weeks ago
- Wealth inequality at record levelsThe housing crisis is making inequality worse, with housing costs in New Zealand now way out of proportion for those on the lowest incomes, according to the 2016 Household Incomes Report, says Labour’s Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson. “Most New Zealanders ...2 weeks ago
- Migrant exploitation must be stamped outMigrant workers are being treated like slaves by rogue employers and the Government has failed to get on top of the issue, says Labour’s Immigration spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway.“A report released by Caritas Aotearoa details ongoing exploitation of migrant workers such ...2 weeks ago
- The Cooks embarrass New ZealandNew Zealand is lagging behind the Cook Islands in ratifying the Paris Agreement on Climate Change but now the island state has surprised the world and cut its carbon emissions, says Labour’s spokesperson on Pacific Climate Change Su’a William Sio. ...2 weeks ago
- Minister negligent in ignoring Land Court judgesMāori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell is negligent by refusing to engage with the Māori Land Court judges, who presented submissions on the Ture Whenua Bill at select committee today, Ikaroa-Rawhiti MP Meka Whaitiri says. ...3 weeks ago
- Shambles sees National oppose affordable housingNational’s shambolic handling of the housing crisis has today resulted in the Government opposing common sense measures to help more Kiwi families into homes, Leader of the Opposition Andrew Little says. “Despite knowing for the past three years the laws ...3 weeks ago
- Q+A: Helen Clark
HELEN CLARK: I’M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE MĀORI PARTY NOT SUPPORTING MY BID FOR UN SEC GEN Ex New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark says she’s received support from a “great stadium of Kiwis” for her bid to be the ...5 hours ago - Q+A: John KeyKEY: I WON’T TAKE TRADITIONAL ROLE AFTER BEING PM Prime Minister John Key, who’s been in New York this week to address the United Nations General Assembly and chair a meeting of the UN Security Council, says he won’t be ...5 hours ago
- Indian Students facing Deportation plan more protestsInternational Indian students facing deportation from New Zealand continue to fight for justice with a protest planned outside a meeting on Monday evening being attended by National MP Dr Parmjeet Parmar and Minister of Finance Bill English. ...24 hours ago
- Sexual Predator Shown Leniency by JudgeSEXUAL PREDATOR SHOWN LENIENCY BY JUDGE 24th September 2016 “Premeditated sexual offending against a child is as bad as it gets and must be punished with the harshest of prison terms” Scott Guthrie ...24 hours ago
- The Nation: Greg O’Connor and Nessa LynchOn The Nation: Lisa Owen interviews Greg O'Connor and Nessa Lynch Youtube clips from the show are available here . ...1 day ago
- The Nation: Patrick Gower interviews John KeyOn The Nation: Patrick Gower interviews John Key Youtube clips from the show are available here . ...1 day ago
- The Nation: Patrick Gower interviews Helen ClarkOn The Nation: Patrick Gower interviews Helen Clark Youtube clips from the show are available here . ...1 day ago
- Greens Come Out in Favour Of EuthanasiaGreens Come Out in Favour Of Euthanasia Media Release 23rd September 2016 Green Party adopts policy to amend law to allow doctors to kill their patients or assist in their suicide. Right to Life is disappointed that the Green Party ...1 day ago
- Howard League applauds the finding of the Supreme CourtOver the years we have had many letters from prisoners concerned that their release dates have been incorrectly calculated says Howard League spokesperson Jane Maltby. Up until now Corrections have always refused to budge on the calculations. This finding ...2 days ago
- NZDF Helicopter Drops in on SchoolWhat could possibly make the last day of term better than your mother arriving at your school playground in a New Zealand Defence Force helicopter? ...2 days ago
- Report considers impact of El NinoOn 4 October a new report is to be released which reveals the extent of suffering due to environmental changes in the Pacific. The report will provide eyewitness evidence of remarkable levels of hardship being encountered right on New Zealand’s ...2 days ago
- No Time for FoolsOil Free Otago this week calls upon prospective Dunedin City councillors to uphold Dunedin’s growing reputation as a climate leader. ...2 days ago
- Official information request reveals tip of the icebergThe Council of Trade Unions has received a response to an official information request revealing that at least $35 million has been paid in outstanding holiday paid to working Kiwis in 25 identified organisations. ...2 days ago
- Chancellor Presented with Student PetitionUniversity of Canterbury Chancellor Dr John Wood was today presented with a petition from over 2000 students and staff, calling for the university to quit its investments in the fossil fuel industry, due to the contribution to climate change. ...2 days ago
- Call for Ban on Kiwisaver Investments in Offensive WeaponsThe Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers is calling on the Government to legislate to ban Kiwisaver providers from investing in companies which produce internationally illegal weapons including cluster munitions, anti-personnel mines ...2 days ago
- Submission to Health Select Committee InquiryMaxim Institute has today given an oral submission to the Health Select Committee’s inquiry into suicide in New Zealand, stating: “Legalisation of assisted suicide or euthanasia in New Zealand would be bad public policy, and it would be bad law." ...2 days ago
- Media Stakeout following meeting on Aviation SecurityMedia Stakeout by UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully following UN Security Council meeting on Aviation Security ...2 days ago
- Communities shine during World Rivers DayThis Sunday is World Rivers Day, and Land Air Water Aotearoa (LAWA) is joining more than 60 countries around the world to raise awareness of the need to take better care of our water resources. LAWA is marking the day ...2 days ago
- More bad faith from a Talley’s owned meat companyThe Employment Relations Authority has found the Talley’s owned meat company NZ Land Meats (NZLM) breached good faith by trying to silence workers and their union. ...2 days ago
- “Heroes & Villains” of Human Rights and Global SurveillanceHeroes include: Microsoft’s Brad Smith, Marc Zwillinger, Gerard Adriaan "Ard" van der Steur (Dutch minister of security and justice), and Henricus Gregorius Jozeph "Henk" Kamp (Dutch minister of economic affairs) ...2 days ago
- Corrections Media Release: Supreme Court RulingCorrections has always followed the lawful rulings of the Court in its calculation of sentence release dates. On four previous occasions, the Court of Appeal had upheld Corrections’ practices in calculating pre-sentence detention. ...2 days ago
- GE Free crop zone from Auckland to Cape ReingaGE Free NZ members welcome the Commissioners’ report supporting the Whangarei and Far North district councils plan changes concerning the use of GE crops in the outdoors. [1] ...2 days ago
- Government’s lack of apparent action against UberLack of apparent action against Uber for facilitating partner/drivers to break New Zealand Law ...2 days ago
- Don’t forget urban waterways – World Rivers DayPollution from urban stormwater is putting pressure on communities and local authorities in their efforts to ensure our rivers and waterways remain healthy. ...2 days ago
- MSD Finds Major Cause of PovertyThe recent release of household income data from the MSD, finding that the dominant cause of poverty can be linked to single parent families, is no surprise. As a country, we embarked on a social experiment with the DPB, that ...2 days ago
- Bill Before Select Committee Will Increase CrimeNo Pride in Prisons says that a current bill before the Social Services Select Committee will lead to higher rates of crime, victimisation, imprisonment and child poverty. ...2 days ago
- SPCA has grave concerns about dog action planSPCA New Zealand is expressing its grave concerns about the Government’s action plan announced yesterday in an attempt to reduce dog bites. ...2 days ago
- Students choose VUWSA’s 2017 ExecutiveAt the end of every year, in Trimester 2, Victoria University of Wellington students choose who the Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA) executive will be for the next year. This year’s no different. As years progress, ...3 days ago
- Maritime VHF radio delivered to yacht LunaThe Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) is delivering a maritime VHF radio to the skipper of the yacht Luna , which had been the subject of a search and rescue operation. ...3 days ago
- NZDF Helicopter Finds Missing Yacht in East CapeThe New Zealand Defence Force has helped find a 22-foot yacht that had been reported missing in the East Cape since Monday. ...3 days ago
- Breed laws don’t workDangerous dogs are a complex animal, human and environmental societal problem. These dogs kill and injure the people we care about. We all want this issue addressed. ...3 days ago
- Seales Family Commends Green Party For LeadershipThe family of Lecretia Seales today congratulated the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand for their leadership in announcing a party policy that supports assisted dying. ...3 days ago
- An Open Invitation to New Zealand’s High Profile WomenThe Sensible Sentencing Trust is calling upon the same high profile New Zealand women who spoke up recently regarding the culture within the NZRU in the midst of the Chiefs scandal to voice their dismay at the sentencing of Nikolas ...3 days ago
- Auditor-General’s Annual Report 2015/16 publishedThe Auditor-General’s Annual Report 2015/16 was presented to the House of Representatives today. ...3 days ago
- Back in court to fight unjust Ministry of Education decisionNZEI Te Riu Roa yesterday filed in the Employment Court for a review of the Ministry of Education's unilateral decision to impose a fortnight with no pay in February for annualised support staff. ...3 days ago
- Judgment: Marino v Corrections, Booth v RThis summary is provided to assist in the understanding of the Court’s judgment. It does not comprise part of the reasons for that judgment. The full judgment with reasons is the only authoritative document. The full text of the judgment ...3 days ago
- Green’s ‘Assisted Suicide’ Policy Ignores Important InquiryFamily First NZ is slamming a Green Party policy on euthanasia which has been released at the same time as a major inquiry on assisted suicide gets under way with representation on the select Committee from the Greens themselves. ...3 days ago
- Hague just treated 21,435 New Zealanders with utter contempt“Kevin Hague just treated 21,435 New Zealanders with utter contempt,” says Matthew Jansen, Secretary of the Care Alliance. “On 23 June 2015 Mr Hague stood on the steps of Parliament to receive a petition asking for an investigation of public ...3 days ago
- New dog rules to support safer communitiesNew dog control measures announced today will give those at the forefront of animal management better tools for dealing with high-risk dogs, Local Government New Zealand says. Associate Minister of Local Government Louise Upston today announced a new ...3 days ago
- MPI video monitoring “not a proper substitute”The Ministry for Primary Industries needs to rethink its strategy around using video monitoring to protect against fish dumping, the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi says. ...3 days ago
- Rally for better inclusion in schoolsProtesters are expected on the steps of Parliament today, united against the government’s recent policy announcements about including students with disabilities. ...3 days ago
- Statutes Repeal BillThe Government Administration Committee is seeking submissions on the Statutes Repeal Bill. The closing date for submissions is Thursday 3 November 2016 . ...3 days ago
- Urban Ngāpuhi call to support the Maranga Mai reportRepresentatives of Ngāpuhi living in Christchurch are today imploring all representatives of Tūhoronuku, the mandated authority for the Ngāpuhi Treaty of Waitangi claim, to support unreservedly the Maranga Mai report. ...3 days ago
- Stand together with our brave humanitarian workersCouncil for International Development (CID), the coordinating body of New Zealand’s international aid and disaster relief agencies, is changing its social media profile pictures to red today ( #redforsyria ) and calling on others to show solidarity with ...3 days ago
- Counsellor seeking defamation advice over NZ Herald articleThe director of Counselling service 24-7 Ltd is currently seeking legal advice regarding what he says are "outrageous and malicious" defamatory claims made against him by the NZ Herald, and by Rachel Macgregor, during the Defamation trial of Jordan ...3 days ago
- Bank branch closures roundupWestpac confirms it will close nineteen branches across the country; ANZ closes its Ngaruawahia branch and is consulting on plans to close six more branches; The bank workers union says many of its members are nervous about their futures and ...3 days ago
- LegaSea calls for a Commission of Inquiry into fisheriesLeaked documents show the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has been aware of widespread fish dumping for years yet not acted to prosecute the offending commercial fishers. These papers highlight deeply rooted problems with the management of fisheries. ...3 days ago
- Janet Quigley elected new PSA presidentThe Public Service Association is delighted to announce Janet Quigley has been elected President by its two-yearly Congress meeting. ...4 days ago
- Addressing our state of fearWar and terrorism, race and immigration, market and financial crises, climate change and environmental degradation – these are the big issues of our age; and they are making us highly anxious. ...4 days ago
- Grandparent caregivers need greater supportChild Poverty Action Group (CPAG) says that If New Zealand’s new Ministry Oranga Tamariki is truly committed to supporting vulnerable children into better outcomes, then it must ensure that the older generation with grandchildren and mokopuna placed ...4 days ago
- Justice staff give their own ministry the thumbs down
The Ministry of Justice is falling below state sector benchmarks on every score, according to a survey of its own staff. ...7 hours ago - Labour defends use of ‘baby number’ widgetLabour is defending using a Facebook "baby number" widget to gather more than 54,000 email addresses, saying it is a way of starting conversations with people. ...7 hours ago
- The best of The Spinoff this week
Compiling the best reading of the week from your friendly local website. The Spinoff: The Spinoff announces its mayoral endorsement “The Spinoff’s War for Auckland psy-ops division has emerged from their underground bunker with their picks for Auckland mayor. – Click ...11 hours ago - Minister issued warning over KiwiSaverThe government warned KiwiSaver providers not to bring the fund into disrepute following revelations money was being invested in arms companies. ...13 hours ago
- Govt criticised over mental health fundsLabour has accused the government of dropping the ball on funding mental health services. ...1 day ago
- Extra time to consider controversial council changeA select committee considering controversial changes for councils has been given a five month extension by the Local Government Minister. ...1 day ago
- Hello Caller: I think my underage sister and her boyfriend are having sex. What should I do?
In this week’s advice column, in-house psychotherapist Ms. X helps out a concerned big sister. Dear Ms. X, I am a 21 year old woman needing some help with how to advise my younger sister about sex stuff. She is ...1 day ago - Facing down my monster
Content warning: This feature contains descriptions, though not the details, of sexual and physical abuse, which may be triggering to survivors. When I walk into the courtroom I see the back of my father’s head. It is grey-haired now, but ...1 day ago - PM confirms NZ would share intelligence with IraqPrime Minister John Key has confirmed New Zealand would share intelligence with Iraq in certain circumstances. ...2 days ago
- Minister refuses to release KiwiSaver adviceThe Minister of Commerce has refused to publicly release legal advice on KiwiSaver funds investing in controversial arms companies. ...2 days ago
- All style, no substance: Microsoft’s doomed foray into action-adventure games
Microsoft first announced their move into the action-adventure genre when they scored temporary rights to Rise of the Tomb Raider. Now with ReCore they have their own title – but is it any good? A couple of years ago, Microsoft ...2 days ago - The weekly Unity Books best-seller list: September 23The best-seller chart at Unity Books for the week just ended: September 23 WELLINGTON STORE 1 Through the Eyes of a Miner: The Photography of Joseph Divis (Friends of Waiuta, $40) by Simon Nathan Fantastic black and white photographs of ...2 days ago
- On The Reg’ livestream highlights: Deus Ex: Mankind DividedIn association with our mates Bigpipe we’re livestreaming a different video game every Wednesday at 7pm on our Twitch channel. Join José Barbosa and a cast of roped in innocents for a journey into utter mayhem. This week José Barbosa ...2 days ago
- One pot to fund them all: a glance at NZ On Air’s dramatic overhaul of funding
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With the second season of local comedy web series Auckward Love available now on TVNZ Ondemand, the folks behind the show share their worst experiences in the dating trenches. Holly Shervey (Auckward Love creator, writer and plays Alice) I ...2 days ago - Podcast: Business Is Boring #20 – Ryan Baker on how working from home became a competitive advanta...‘Business is Boring’ is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and ...2 days ago
- The Friday poem: ‘The Universe’, by Mira KarunanidhiNew verse by Wellington writer and college student, Mira Karunanidhi. The Universe we once had a conversation about the universe and i told you i like to think that space is infinite that it has no beginning middle ...2 days ago
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To mark the occasion of our endorsements for Auckland council and mayor, this week’s quiz looks at the differences between the Big Smoke and the country beyond the Bombay Hills. ...2 days ago - More Taxpayer Cash To Expanding Digital Video Firms
New Zealand On Air has released plans for a big shake-up in the way it hands out public money to… The post More Taxpayer Cash To Expanding Digital Video Firms appeared first on ZagZigger. ...2 days ago - Political bickering leaves iwi high and dryPower Play - MPs have been quick to play the blame game over canned plans for a special sitting of Parliament, but it's iwi who have been let down, Chris ...2 days ago
- Terrorists always looking for a weak link – UN Security CouncilThe New Zealand-chaired Security Council is calling on all countries to ensure they have the highest possible level of aviation security, because terrorists are always looking for the weak link. ...2 days ago
- Real Housewives and the real racism New Zealand prefers to pretend doesn’t existA Black woman living in New Zealand talks about this week’s episode of Real Housewives, and why it’s indicative of a broader racist culture in New Zealand we still refuse to acknowledge. This week’s episode of Real Housewives has left ...3 days ago
- 200 more classrooms needed to meet govt targetThe government's been accused of dragging its feet after only spending less than a fifth of the money promised to address growing school rolls in Auckland. ...3 days ago
- Crispin Maslog on Marcos dictatorship corruption, abuses during Martial Law
Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz The Balitanghali interview with Propfessor Crispin Maslog. Image: GMA News Communications professor Crispin C. Maslog has made a series of warnings about “Martial Law amnesia” in the Philippines in newspaper columns and now in a television programme, ...3 days ago - MPI tried to rig fishing monitoring contract – LabourThe Ministry for Primary Industries has been accused of attempting to rig a contract to electronically monitor the fishing industry. ...3 days ago
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- SIS makes spy law meeting secret at last-minuteThe SIS has pulled a u-turn, refusing to make a session on proposed new spy laws public, despite earlier promising to do so. ...3 days ago
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- Philippines students urged to never forget Martial Law atrocitiesArticle by AsiaPacificReport.nz By Maria Eden T. Dino in Manila “Moving on without justice being served is not moving on—it’s giving up.” This was the reminder of University of the Philippines professor and anti-Martial Law advocate Professor Crispin Maslog to ...4 days ago
- Philippines youth groups mark Martial Law’s 44th anniversary with protestsArticle by AsiaPacificReport.nz By a special correspondent in Manila To mark the 44th anniversary of Martial Law in the Philippines today and to call to mind the atrocities it had inflicted on its victims, thousands of youth and students from ...4 days ago
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- Treaty settlement delay accusation ‘balderdash’ – NZ FirstNew Zealand First is being blamed for delaying five Treaty of Waitangi settlement bills but its leader, Winston Peters, says that's "balderdash". ...4 days ago
- Minister defends approach to child povertyThe Social Development Minister has clashed with Labour over measuring child poverty and whether the Ministry for Vulnerable Children should focus on it. ...4 days ago
- Mereoni Chung: Through social media, Fiji’s youth challenge the political eliteArticle by AsiaPacificReport.nz Earlier this month, six Fijians were questioned and later detained by the Fiji police at Suva’s Central Police Station. Three were leaders of prominent political parties and the group included two former prime ministers, a party member, ...4 days ago
- Organ donors deserve income reimbursement, MPs toldOrgan donors should be fully reimbursed for lost income during their recovery, for up to 12 weeks, a committee has recommended. ...4 days ago
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- When was the exact moment that Elliot in Mr Robot got hot? A Spinoff science experiment
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- Accountants protest ‘get out of jail free’ tax law changeA draft bill would allow the Revenue Minister to adjust search and seizure powers and information-sharing without Parliament's support, MPs have been told. ...4 days ago
- ‘When I last met Edmund White he had a hot date with a skinny Asian boy in Auckland’
Peter Wells reviews Our Young Man by Edmund White. Can an author write too much? A glance down the inside page of Edmund White’s new novel discloses either a staggering productivity (13 novels, six works of nonfiction, three biographies and ...4 days ago - Jrump: Making the universe great again in the definitive game of Election 2016
It’s Icy Tower meets Flappy Bird meets Election 2016. Don Rowe speaks to the Auckland-based designers of Jrumpf, the game that puts The Donald in the hands of the people, rather than other way around. Kiwis are famous for our ...4 days ago
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