Judith Collins
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National’s politicisation of Covid over the past two years
Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, March 21st, 2022 - 34 comments
A slightly deeper review of National’s response to the Covid epidemic over the past two years. The overwhelming impression is that they have always complained about supposed Government incompetence in handling the pandemic and have always argued for the loosening of restrictions no matter how justifiable.
Clearing the decks
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, December 13th, 2021 - 14 comments
The draft report into Nick Smith’s treatment of a young staff member that eventually saw him leave Parliament has made its way into the public realm, just in time to be lost in the pre Christmas media wash up.
National’s caucus reshuffle
Written By: - Date published: 7:49 am, December 7th, 2021 - 140 comments
The deckchairs have been reshuffled. And Chris Luxon is confident that reorganising the pecking order of a deeply dysfunctional caucus will make all the difference.
The winners and losers from National’s leadership spill
Written By: - Date published: 8:12 pm, November 25th, 2021 - 146 comments
The winners and losers of today’s National Party leadership spill are …
How many centrist votes go to Labour?
Written By: - Date published: 12:38 pm, November 25th, 2021 - 105 comments
Judith Collins lost a vote of confidence. David Farrar seems to think that Act will get the inevitable flow. Sounds unlikely. The far right and nutbar fringe has already vacated to Act – who represent them so well. But Labour overwhelming won last election on a vote from previous National voters. History repeats in 2023?
National’s civil war reerrupts
Written By: - Date published: 7:35 am, November 25th, 2021 - 131 comments
National’s civil war which has been simmering for a while erupted last night after Judith Collins demoted Simon Bridges for making inappropriate comments to Jaqui Dean five years ago.
National is being utterly irresponsible
Written By: - Date published: 7:46 am, November 19th, 2021 - 58 comments
In the middle of a pandemic where the numbers in hospital are increasing and a number of Kiwis have died from a virus that is spreading promising the loosening of current restrictions is the most irresponsible, stupid, foolhardy, idiotic, imbecile thing I could ever expect a political party to do.
Down the rabbit hole
Written By: - Date published: 8:17 am, November 17th, 2021 - 83 comments
Former National MP and University Lecturer Simon Thornley are in the news after publishing a video interview questioning the effectiveness of the Covid vaccine and suggesting that the evidence that Ivermectin is useful in treating Covid is epidemiologically sound and strong.
Why vaccine mandates are needed
Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, October 27th, 2021 - 165 comments
The Government has announced vaccine mandates for some publicly facing businesses designed to help minimise the spread of a virus that has killed millions of people world wide.
Won’t someone think of the business owners?
Written By: - Date published: 12:04 pm, October 24th, 2021 - 174 comments
This week Judith Collins was reported to be close to tears. But not about the possibility of a significant number of deaths but by the prospect of business closures.
National’s plan – open and be damned
Written By: - Date published: 9:43 am, October 21st, 2021 - 71 comments
Yesterday National released what feels like take 16 of its Covid response plan, this one focussing on business interests and setting a hard timeline for reopening. But getting significant details wrong and rehashing failed policies previously tried in England has dampened its effect.
Right now Sonny Fatupaito is an essential worker
Written By: - Date published: 8:28 am, October 6th, 2021 - 125 comments
News that the head of Waikato’s Mongrel Mob chapter was given an essential workers exemption to travel to and around Auckland recently has attracted derision from the usual quarters. But right now Sonny Fatupaito’s help is essential.
Covid does not give a fuck about your plans
Written By: - Date published: 11:20 am, September 30th, 2021 - 31 comments
This week we have seen reckons from John Key, Act and National on how we should be loosening up Covid lockdown restrictions. Yesterday’s 45 new cases shows how dangerous it is to think that dealing with Covid is a simple management exercise.
About the latest Colmar Brunton poll
Written By: - Date published: 7:55 am, September 28th, 2021 - 152 comments
The latest Colmar Brunton poll confirms that National’s polling is in the doldrums and David Seymour’s preferred PM rating is twice that of Judith Collins.
Smug hermit king
Written By: - Date published: 9:44 am, September 27th, 2021 - 127 comments
John Key has doubled down on his claims that Aotearoa is a smug hermit kingdom and claimed that it is imperative that international travel is eased although he is fine with all other restrictions to stay in place.
Key’s baaaack
Written By: - Date published: 9:35 am, September 26th, 2021 - 273 comments
John Key is back and has described New Zealand as a smug hermit kingdom for daring to so far achieve something no other western nation has been able to accomplish, holding back Covid and preventing thousands of deaths.
The more difficult end to the vaccination programme
Written By: - Date published: 8:26 am, September 23rd, 2021 - 204 comments
The country is reaching an interesting stage in the vaccination programme where reluctant vaccinees will have to receive the jab to make sure that we reach herd immunity.
Where’s Judith?
Written By: - Date published: 8:27 am, September 22nd, 2021 - 104 comments
Crusher Collins, the leader who has taken great delight in giving back double, has been too afraid to be interviewed by Radio New Zealand this morning.
National’s urban wing moves against Collins
Written By: - Date published: 8:17 pm, September 15th, 2021 - 106 comments
Events this afternoon have confirmed that Judith Collins is indeed toast.
What should we call the Vaccination bus?
Written By: - Date published: 8:29 am, September 15th, 2021 - 82 comments
The Prime Minister has sparked another national debate. What should we call the new mobile vaccination vehicles that will be rolled out over the next week or so.
Dirty Politics does not work any more
Written By: - Date published: 9:53 am, September 11th, 2021 - 83 comments
Egged on by a shock horror smear campaign on Cameron Slater’s latest post Judith Collins has attacked Dr Siouxsie Wiles by fat shaming her.
The politics of the New Lynn attack
Written By: - Date published: 10:14 am, September 4th, 2021 - 111 comments
Early days so far but the New Lynn attack will spark a debate about the adequacy of the country’s terrorism suppression laws and about citizenship rights.
National’s next leader?
Written By: - Date published: 8:28 am, September 3rd, 2021 - 60 comments
As the damage caused by Judith Collins’ leadership of the National Party intensifies it is inevitable that there will be internal discussions about who should replace her, and soon. And I think the best candidate is clear.
Judith’s very bad two days
Written By: - Date published: 8:12 am, September 2nd, 2021 - 50 comments
Judith Collins’ insistence that Parliament be reconvened even at a time that the country was in lockdown level 4 has backfired spectacularly.
MPs should not only follow the rules but follow them with stars
Written By: - Date published: 9:16 am, August 31st, 2021 - 68 comments
Judith Collins has insisted on travelling from Auckland to Wellington so she can stand and shout in an empty Parliament Chamber.
The mysterious socialist hermit kingdom
Written By: - Date published: 9:55 am, August 25th, 2021 - 111 comments
Various commentators including Nigel Farage have claimed that New Zealand’s Covid elimination strategy is a failure. Our death rate and the possibility that we can again return to a normality that other nations can only aspire to suggests they are wrong.
Matt King caught blowing anti vaccination dog whistle
Written By: - Date published: 11:15 am, August 23rd, 2021 - 22 comments
Former National MP Matt King has been publicly posting anti vaccination propaganda under the ruse of only wanting a conversation.
The importance of Jacinda’s 1 pm press conferences
Written By: - Date published: 11:50 am, August 22nd, 2021 - 130 comments
Jacinda Ardern has resumed the 1 pm briefings where she communicates effectively the country’s current situation and what the plan is. But National and some elements of the media are complaining, presumably that she is doing too good a job.
The latest battle in the culture wars
Written By: - Date published: 8:49 am, August 15th, 2021 - 79 comments
This week National agreed to the bill allowing gender self identification to proceed to select committee which was a stark contrast to their position on the bill banning gay conversion therapy. I wonder what happened?
The Churchill picture
Written By: - Date published: 8:13 am, August 12th, 2021 - 165 comments
National, the party that claims to be focussed on the issues that matter decided to get upset when the Greens requested the replacement of a picture of a former UK leader who had a reputation for engaging in crimes against humanity.
National’s civil war continues
Written By: - Date published: 9:08 am, August 9th, 2021 - 25 comments
In an extraordinary move National’s board has reselected Peter Goodfellow as Party Chairperson and this has caused former MP David Carter to resign as board member and express no confidence in the leadership or in National’s chances at the next election.
- Still digging
Over the weekend, the US Supreme Court followed through on its threat, and overturned Roe v. Wade, effectively outlawing abortion in much of the United States. People were outraged, in America and around the world. And in Aotearoa, this meant a lot of sudden questions for the National Party, which ...2 hours ago - A Breadcrumb of Absence: “Nothing is evil in the beginning…”
Nothing is evil in the beginning… #TheRingsOfPower pic.twitter.com/XffZtqp8Yw— The Lord of the Rings on Prime (@LOTRonPrime) June 27, 2022 We have ourselves a new breadcrumb (not a leak!) out of The Rings of Power. It is a fifteen second collection of clips from the original teaser-trailer, together ...3 hours ago - A Note of Caution.
The repeal of Roe vs Wade by the US Supreme Court is part of a broader “New Conservative” agenda financed by reactionary billionaires like Peter Thiel, Elon Mush, the Kochs and Murdochs (and others), organised by agitators like Steve Bannon and Rodger Stone and legally weaponised by Conservative (often Catholic) ...23 hours ago - An Act Of National Self-Harm.
A Dangerous Leap Backwards: A United States forced to live by the beliefs and values of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries cannot hope to go on leading the “Free World”, or compete economically with nations focused fearlessly on the future. The revocation of Roe v. Wade represents the American republic’s most ...1 day ago - Gordon Campbell on the Roe v Wade aftermath
Now that the right of US women to abortion (formerly protected by Roe v Wade) has been abolished, the important role of medication-induced abortion will come even more to the fore. Already, research by the Guttmacher Institute reproductive rights centre shows that over half of US abortions are obtained ...1 day ago - Two steps forward, one step backThe government is finally moving to improve transparency over party finances, lowering the donation disclosure threshold to $5,000. This is a good move, though it doesn't go as far as it should. And of course, there's a nasty twist: The rules for larger donations are also changing. Presently parties ...1 day ago
- Why should Ukraine listen to lame duck Boris Johnson?
A rare exposure in Western media of the fact that many residents of the Donbass prefer Russian rule to Ukrainian ultranationalist rule. I don’t know why anyone would take advice from UK’s lame duck Prime Minister and well-known buffoon Boris Johnson seriously, but he ...1 day ago - Geoffrey Miller: Can Jacinda Ardern’s starpower save New Zealand’s free trade deal with the EU?
Jacinda Ardern will need to deploy every aspect of her starpower if she is to have any hope of rescuing New Zealand’s faltering free trade negotiations with the European Union (EU). The Prime Minister has branded each of her four foreign trips so far this year as ‘trade missions’ – ...1 day ago - 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #25
Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, June 19, 2022 through Sat, June 24, 2022. The following articles sparked above average interest during the week (bolded articles are from SkS authors): Skeptical Science New Research for Week #25 2022, To stop ...2 days ago - Roe V Wade ruling shows why abortion is the answer to so many questions about US politics
It was sometime in the late 1990s that I first interviewed Alan Webster about New Zealand’s part in a global Values Study. It’s a fascinating snapshot of values in countries all over the world and I still remember seeing America grouped with many developing countries on a spectrum that had ...3 days ago - The First MatarikiToday marks Matariki, the first “new” New Zealand public holiday since Waitangi Day was added in 1974. Officially the start of the Maori New Year, this is one of those moveable beasties – much like Easter, the dates will vary from year to year, anywhere from mid-June to ...4 days ago
- SHOCK! HORROR! The New Zealand Economy is in Recession!!!!! Or are we?
The takeaways from the just released data are:1. Any estimate of GDP is subject to error.2. The 0.2 percent decrease in the March 2022 quarter is not precise and will be revised, with the mild likelihood that it will eventually be higher.3. New Zealand has no ‘official' definition of a ...4 days ago - Matariki: Thoughts and Questions.4 days ago
- Of Silmarillion Elves, Pavlova, and Motorcycles: Testing an AI
The internet is a wonderful thing sometimes. Yesterday, I ran across an AI program that generates images via prompt: https://huggingface.co/spaces/dalle-mini/dalle-mini So I have been doing the logical thing with it. Getting it to generate Silmarillion characters in bizarre situations. Morgoth playing golf, and so forth. But one thing I ...5 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #25 2022Stashing renewable energy Do a little internet sleuthing on renewable energy via your favorite search engine and you'll find some honest critique and much more dishonest misinformation (aka disinformation) to the effect that photovoltaic and wind generation are fickle energy supplies, over-abundant in some periods and absent in others. There's ...5 days ago
- Bryce Edwards: Wealthy can buy access to power – and politicians don’t want this changedThe current New Zealand First Foundation trial in the High Court continues to show why reform is required when it comes to money in politics. The juicy details coming out each day show private wealth being funnelled into some peculiar schemes in an attempt to circumvent the Electoral Act. Yet ...5 days ago
- Ideology and Foreign Investment
As in so many other areas of public policy, attitudes towards overseas investment in New Zealand – and anywhere, for that matter – boil down in the end to ideology. For proponents of the “free market”, there is really no issue. The market, in their view, must never be second-guessed; ...5 days ago - Media Link: “A View from Afar” on NATO and BRICS Leader’s summits.Selwyn Manning and I discussed the upcoming NATO Leader’s summit (to which NZ Prime Minister Ardern is invited), the rival BRICS Leader’s summit and what they could mean for the Ruso-Ukrainian Wa and beyond. ...5 days ago
- From “Friend”, To “Threat” – In Just Five Years.New Zealand’s Most Profitable“Friend” Dangerous “Threat”: This country’s “Five Eyes” partners, heedless of the economic consequences for New Zealand, have cajoled and bullied its political class into becoming Sinophobes. They simply do not care that close to 40 percent of this country’s trade is with China. As far as Washington, London, ...5 days ago
- A Tale As Old As Time: Musings on the ‘Corporatisation’ of TolkienI have seen some natter around about how The Rings of Power represents the undue and unholy corporatisation of J.R.R. Tolkien. I won’t point out examples, but anyone who has seen YouTube commentary has a pretty good grasp of what I am talking about – the sentiment that ...6 days ago
- Uncomfortable Comparisons: If Labour’s Harking Back To 2017, Then It’s Not Looking For A Win.2017’s Queenmaker: Five years ago, Winston Peters’ choice ran counter to New Zealand’s informal, No. 8 wire, post-MMP constitution, which, up until 2017, had decreed that the party with the most votes got to supply the next prime minister. Had National not been in power for the previous 9 years, it ...6 days ago
- Treasury is ignoring long covidI've read some bad stuff about long covid recently, and Marc Daalder's recent Newsroom piece about what endemic covid means for Aotearoa got me wondering about whether the government was thinking about it. Mass-disability due to long covid has obvious implications for health and welfare spending, as well as for ...6 days ago
- A perfect exampleLast year, a stranded kiwi criticised the MIQ system. Covid Minister Chris Hipkins responded by doxxing and defaming her. Now, he's been forced to apologise for that: Minister Chris Hipkins has admitted he released incorrect and personal information about journalist Charlotte Bellis, after she criticised the managed isolation system. ...6 days ago
- Gil-galad is an Elven Chad: An Ode to the Leaks
Gil-galad is an Elven Chad Gil-galad is an Elven Chad But Celebrimbor makes them mad Digesting leaks from Amazon Of Isildur and Pharazôn. The hair is short? The knives are keen. The beardless face of Dwarven Queen? With meteor and man-not-named The fandom temper is inflamed. Of Annatar ...7 days ago - Dear striking British workers: F___ You! Love, the Labour Party
From the desk of Keir "Patriotic Duty" Starmer:“We have robust lines. We do not want to see these strikes to go ahead with the resulting disruption to the public. The government have failed to engage in any negotiations.“However, we also must show leadership and to that end, please be reminded ...7 days ago - Why the Ombudsman should not oversee Oranga TamarikiLast week the Social Services and Community Committee reported back on the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System and Children and Young People's Commission Bill. The bill attracted an unprecedented three minority reports and universal opposition from other parties, but Labour is going to ram it through anyway. Among other things, ...7 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on the fate of Julian AssangeHas swapping Scott Morrison for Anthony Albanese made any discernible difference to Australia’s relations with the US, China, the Pacific and New Zealand ? Not so far. For example: Albanese has asked for more time to “consider” his response to New Zealand’s long running complaints about the so called “501” ...1 week ago
- What it would take for U.S. to meet its Paris commitmentThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The Biden administration in April 2021 dramatically ratcheted up the country’s greenhouse gas emissions reductions pledge under the Paris target, also known as its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The Obama administration in 2014 had announced a commitment to cut U.S. emissions 26-28% below 2005 levels ...1 week ago
- An admission of guiltStuff reports that the National Party opposes greater transparency for political donations because it might have a "chilling effect" on donors: National says officials have underestimated “the aversion of donors to being publicly identified”. The party says only a “small fraction” of donors who currently give between $1,500 and ...1 week ago
- Tauranga: A Predictable Result, With A Warning Attached.Walking On Sunshine: National’s Sam Uffindell cantered home in the Tauranga By-Election, but the Outdoors & Freedom Party’s Sue Grey attracted an ominous level of support.THE RIGHT’S gadfly commentator, Matthew Hooton, summed up the Tauranga by-election in his usual pithy fashion. “Tonight’s result is poor for the National Party, catastrophic for ...1 week ago
- Nurtured by and dedicated to te reo Māori
Te reo Māori is Dr. Anaha Hiini’s life purpose. Raised by his grandparents, Kepa and Maata Hiini, Anaha of Ngāti Tarāwhai, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Whakaue descent made a promise at the age of six to his late grandmother, Maata Hiini. “I’ve always had a passion for Māori culture. My first inspiration ...1 week ago - Striving for recognition of Te Tiriti o Waitangi motivates Dr Carwyn JonesDr Carwyn Jones’ vision is to see Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the law given equal mana. Carwyn who holds a PhD in law and society and currently teaches Ahunga Tikanga (Māori Laws and Philosophy) at Te Wānanga o Raukawa after 15 years at Victoria University of Wellington has devoted ...1 week ago
- Geoffrey Miller: Tale of two summits – why Jacinda Ardern said no to the Commonwealth, but yes to ...Jacinda Ardern’s decision to attend the upcoming North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Spain – but to skip the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Rwanda – symbolises the changes she is making to New Zealand foreign policy. The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) starts today in ...1 week ago
- 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #24Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, June 12, 2022 through Sat, June 18, 2022. The following articles sparked above average interest during the week (bolded articles are from SkS authors): White lies: Daily Telegraph’s excitement over bumper snow season skates ...1 week ago
- What is the Medium-Term Future for the New Zealand Economy?
The outlook does not look that promising. Forecasting an economy is a mug’s game. The database on which the forecasts are founded is incomplete, out-of-date, and subject to errors, some of which will be revised after the forecasts are published. (No wonder weather-forecasting is easier.) One often has to adopt ...2 weeks ago - Ram raids then and now
by Don Franks It seems that almost each day now another ram raid shatters someone’s shop front and loots the premises. Prestigious Queen street is not immune, while attacks on small dairies have long stopped being headline news. Those of us not directly affected are becoming numbed to this form ...2 weeks ago - Labour: $1 million a year is “too much” for transparencyBack in 2018 the government proposed an OIA review. After a ludicrious attempt to do it in secret, they finally held a public consultation, which made a clear case for reform. They then sat on it for a year, before announcing out of the blue that they planned to rewrite ...2 weeks ago
- Sciblogs gave scientists a platform before social media took overIt’s hard to believe that when we created Sciblogs in 2009, the iPhone was only two years old, being a ‘Youtuber’ wasn’t really a thing and Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok didn’t exist. But Science blogging was a big thing, particularly in the United States, where a number of scientists had ...2 weeks ago
- Bidding farewell to SciblogsFor 13 years, Sciblogs has been a staple in New Zealand’s science-writing landscape. Our bloggers have written about a vast variety of topics from climate change to covid, and from nanotechnology to household gadgets. But sadly, it’s time to close shop. Sciblogs will be shutting down on 30 June. When ...2 weeks ago
- Jacinda Ardern’s Radical Reshuffle.Radical Options: By allocating the Broadcasting portfolio to the irrepressible, occasionally truculent, leader of Labour’s Māori caucus, Willie Jackson, the Prime Minister has, at the very least, confirmed that her appointment of Kiri Allan was no one-off. There are many words that could be used to describe Ardern’s placement of ...2 weeks ago
- Protecting Freedom/Preventing Harm. Can New Zealand’s New Chief Censor Do Both?2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell on the Penny Wong visitGood grief. Has foreign policy commentary really devolved to the point where our diplomatic effort is being measured by how many overseas trips have been taken by our Foreign Minister? Weird, but apparently so. All this week, a series of media policy wonks have been invidiously comparing how many trips ...2 weeks ago
- Skeptical Science tackles 'discourses of climate delay' and 'solutions denial'Where we've been Time flies. This coming summer will mark 15 years of Skeptical Science focusing its effort on "traditional" climate science denial. Leaving aside frivolities, we've devoted most of our effort to combatting "serious" denial falling into a handful of broad categories of fairly crisp misconceptions: "radiative physics is wrong," "geophysics is ...2 weeks ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #24 2022Mercenary army of bogus skeptics on parade Because they're both squarely centered in the Skeptical Science wheelhouse, this week we're highlighting two articles from our government and NGO section, where we collect high-quality articles not originating in academic research but featuring many of the important attributes of journal publications. Our mission ...2 weeks ago
- Media Link: AVFA on Latin America.In the latest episode of AVFA Selwyn Manning and I discuss the evolution of Latin American politics and macroeconomic policy since the 1970s as well as US-Latin American relations during that time period. We use recent elections and the 2022 Summit of the Americas as anchor points. ...2 weeks ago
- Another referendum in Scotland?The Scottish government has announced plans for another independence referendum: Nicola Sturgeon plans to hold a second referendum on Scottish independence in October next year if her government secures the legal approval to stage it. Angus Robertson, the Scottish government’s constitution secretary, said that provided ample time to pass ...2 weeks ago
- Something is wrong in TaurangaOn Monday, Stuff reported that queer-supporting students at a Tauranga "Christian" school were subjected to chants of "kill the gays". This morning, a building hosting queer and trans groups was burned down in an apparent arson attack: A building used by Gender Dynamix – an organisation that aims to ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell on the price tag for closer US military tiesSo far, the closer military relationship envisaged by Jacinda Ardern and Joseph Biden at their recent White House meeting has been analysed mainly in terms of what this means for our supposedly “independent” foreign policy. Not much attention has been paid to what having more interoperable defence forces might mean ...2 weeks ago
- The most reliable hurricane models, based on their 2021 performanceThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters For those puzzling over the various hurricane computer forecast models to figure out which one to believe, the best answer is: Don’t believe any of them. Put your trust in the National Hurricane Center, or NHC, forecast. Although an individual ...2 weeks ago
- Proactive release: The documentsBack in April, Stuff was leaked a consultation copy of a cabinet paper on changes to proactive release policy. The full paper - The next steps in the public release of official information - was eventually released, but in the interim I filed an OIA request seeking information on the ...2 weeks ago
- Young people care about things that matterThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Scott Denning The excellent Julia Steinberger essay posted at this site in May provides a disturbing window into the psychology of teaching climate change to young people. It’s critically important to talk with youth about hard topics: love and sex, deadly contagion, school shootings, vicious ...2 weeks ago
- Applying genomics to the taxonomic dilemma of threatened albatrossesBy Imogen Foote (Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington) A lack of consensus among international conservation regimes regarding albatross taxonomy makes management of these ocean roaming birds tricky. My PhD research aims to generate whole genome data for some of our most threatened albatrosses in a first attempt ...2 weeks ago
- Misusing Tolkien and History: Loconte and Bellicosity
Joseph Loconte has clearly never met a War he didn’t like. A couple of years ago, he was using Tolkien to beat the drum at a time when war with Iran seemed imminent: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2020/01/06/dracones-et-bellum-tolkien-and-the-serpents-a-reply-to-joseph-loconte/ Now? He’s doing it again. This time, via wheeling out Tolkien analogies in the ...2 weeks ago - A durable U.S. climate strategy … or a house of cards?This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Richard Richels, Benjamin Santer, Henry Jacoby, and Gary Yohe Just when it seemed that real progress might be made on climate change, war has pushed climate concerns to the back burner. This shift in focus is understandable. War is affecting millions in ...2 weeks ago
- New look, but can Labour find a new focus?
Well, if that’s “minor” I’d be interested to see what a major reshuffle looks like.Jacinda Ardern has reminded New Zealand of the steel behind the spin in her cabinet refresh announced today. While the Prime Minister stressed that the changes were “triggered” by Kris Faafoi and Trevor Mallard and their ...2 weeks ago - The stench of corruptionA company gives a large amount of money to a political party because they are concerned about law changes which might affect their business model. And lo and behold, the changes are dumped, and a special exemption written into the law to protect them. Its the sort of thing we ...2 weeks ago
- Beating The Gangs.Active Shooters: With more than two dozen gang-related drive-by shootings dominating (entirely justifiably) the headlines of the past few weeks, there would be something amiss with our democracy if at least one major political party did not raise the issues of law and order in the most aggressive fashion. (Photo ...2 weeks ago
- The Recession New Zealand Has To Have?Going Down? Governments also suffer in recessions and depressions – just like their citizens. Slowing economic activity means fewer companies making profits, fewer people in paid employment, fewer dollars being spent, and much less revenue being collected. With its own “income” shrinking, the instinct of most government’s is to sharply ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell on the flaws in National’s pet solution to gangs and povertyIn the 50 years since Norm Kirk first promised to take the bikes off the bikies, our politicians have tried again and again to win votes by promising to crack down on gangs. Canterbury University academic Jarrod Gilbert (an expert on New Zealand’s gang culture) recently gave chapter and verse ...2 weeks ago
- Macho chest-beating won’t tame the gangs, but Poto Williams’ “softly, softly” approach just ...Misdirection: New Zealanders see burly gang members, decked out in their patches, sitting astride their deafening motorcycles, cruising six abreast down the motorway as frightened civilians scramble to get out of their way, and they think these guys are the problem. Fact is, these guys represent little more than the misdirection ...2 weeks ago
- Geoffrey Miller: Why is New Zealand’s defence minister visiting South Korea?New Zealand’s defence minister, Peeni Henare, has had a very busy first half of the year. In January, Henare was the face of New Zealand’s relief effort to Tonga, following the eruption of the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai volcano. Then, from March onwards, Henare was often involved in Jacinda Ardern’s announcements ...2 weeks ago
- 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #23Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, June 5, 2022 through Sat, June 11, 2022. The following articles sparked above average interest during the week (bolded articles are from SkS authors): The Future of Energy Storage, Are climate models wrong? (Naomi ...2 weeks ago
- Intersectional? Or sectarian?
James Heartfield wrote this article on intersectionalism and its flaws nine years ago. He noted on Twitter: “Looking back, these problems got worse, not better.” Published 17 November 2013. Is self-styled revolutionary Russell Brand really just a ‘Brocialist’? Is Lily Allen’s feminist pop-video racist? Is lesbian activist Julie Bindel a ...2 weeks ago - Bryce Edwards: NZ First’s court trial shows the need for political finance reformThe New Zealand First donations scandal trial began in the High Court this week. And it’s already showing why the political finance laws in this country need a significant overhaul. The trial is the outcome of a high-profile scandal that unfolded in the 2020 election year, when documents were made ...2 weeks ago
- NZME and TrumpThe televised hearings into the storming of the Capitol are revealing to the American public a truth that was obvious to some of us from the outset – that the Trumpian “big lie” about a “stolen” election was part of a determined attempt at a coup that would have been ...2 weeks ago
- Will We Be Thinking Big Again Soon?
When in 1980 I introduced the term ‘Think Big’ to characterise the major (mainly energy) projects, I was concerned about the wider issue of state-led development strategies. From that perspective, the 1980s program was not our first ‘think big’. That goes back to Vogel in 1870, who wanted to develop ...3 weeks ago - One country at a timeMalaysia will abolish the death penalty: The government has agreed to abolish the mandatory death penalty, giving judges discretion in sentencing. Law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the decision was reached following the presentation of a report on substitute sentences for the mandatory death penalty, which he presented ...3 weeks ago
- Deeply conflictedThe Petitions Committee has reported back on a petition to introduce a capital gains tax on residential property, with a response that basicly boils down to "fuck off, we're not interested". Which is sadly unsurprising. According to the current Register of Members' Pecuniary and Other Specified Interests, the eight members ...3 weeks ago
- Our Least Worse Option.We Can Be Heroes: Ukrainian newly-weds pose for the cameras before heading-off to the front-lines. The Russo-Ukrainian War has presented young people with the inescapable reality of heroism. They see Volodymyr Zelensky in his olive-drab T-shirts; they see men and women their own age stepping-up to do their bit. They have ...3 weeks ago
- SchadenfreudeI'm sure I'm not the only one who has noticed the irony of Boris Johnson's desperate attempts to cling onto power.I recall, almost immediately after Jermey Corbyn was elected, a bunch of memes based on the WW2 film Downfall, associating the mild manner Jermey Corbyn with Hitler in his final, ...3 weeks ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #23 2022Terms and conditions may change For myriad reasons we'd like to think and know that dumping our outmoded and dangerous fossil fuel energy sources may be difficult and may require a lot of investment but that when we're done, it'll be back to business as usual in terms of what ...3 weeks ago
- There needs to be accountability for thisYesterday the Supreme Court quashed Alan Hall's conviction for murder, declaring it was a miscarriage of justice. In doing so, the Chief Justice found that "such departures from accepted standards must either be the result of extreme incompetence or of a deliberate and wrongful strategy to secure conviction" - effectively, ...3 weeks ago
- Bryce Edwards: The problem of “blindly following” the US against ChinaNew Zealand may have finally jumped off its foreign policy tightrope act between China and the US. Last week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern effectively chose sides, leaping into the arms of the US, at the expense of the country’s crucial relationship with China. That’s the growing consensus amongst observers of ...3 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell on Sinai, where it suits us to waive international treatiesFarmers are currently enjoying the highest prices and payouts in the history of this country. They will never be better placed to acknowledge that their wealth comes on the back of climate-changing emissions and causes serious amounts of water and soil pollution. Costs which everyone else is having to shoulder. ...3 weeks ago
- DrawnA ballot for two member's bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Electoral (Right to Switch Rolls Freely) Amendment Bill (Rawiri Waititi) Customs and Excise (Child Sex Offender Register Information Sharing) Amendment Bill (Erica Stanford) The first is also covered in Golriz Ghahraman's ...3 weeks ago
- Democracy reforms are a Green win but we still need to cap donations
A strong Green voice in Parliament has helped reduce the influence large secret money will have in future elections and finally ensured overseas New Zealanders will retain the right to vote even while stranded by the Pandemic. But, the Government needs to go further to ensure our democracy works for ...1 day ago - Bin the Misuse of Drugs Act, most New Zealanders agreeA new poll shows that the majority of people back the Greens’ call on the Government to overhaul the country’s criminally punitive, anti-evidence drug law. ...2 days ago
- US abortion decision reinforces need to protect rights in AotearoaThe US Supreme Court’s decision on abortion is a reminder that we must take nothing for granted in Aotearoa, the Green Party says. “Aotearoa should be a place where everyone, no matter where they are from, or who they love, can choose what is right for their body and their ...3 days ago
- Migrant healthcare workers need fair pay as well as residencyMigrant nurses, aged-care and support workers need fair pay as well as equitable pathways to residency, not half-baked measures from National. ...5 days ago
- Support workers deserve better payCare and support workers deserve much better than the pay rates Labour is pushing through Parliament today. ...6 days ago
- Pay equity for kaiārahi i te reo celebratedRecognising te reo and tikanga Māori in schools starts with pay equity, says the Green Party. ...6 days ago
- Nurses could face pay cut under NationalA National Government would leave nurses behind, the Green Party says. ...6 days ago
- Celebrating our first Matariki public holiday
We’re proud to have delivered on our election commitment to establish a public holiday to celebrate Matariki. For the first time this year, New Zealanders will have the chance to enjoy a mid-winter holiday that is uniquely our own. ...6 days ago - Stronger action needed to stop illegal loggingProposed new legislation to reduce the risk that timber imported into Aotearoa New Zealand is sourced from illegal logging is a positive first step but it should go further, the Green Party says. ...6 days ago
- Oranga Tamariki oversight bill must be withdrawnThe Government must withdraw the proposed Oranga Tamariki oversight legislation in the face of overwhelming opposition, the Green Party says. ...7 days ago
- Greens call on new Minister to make up for the refugee support not provided during pandemicOn World Refugee Day, the Green Party is calling on the new Minister for Immigration, Michael Wood to make up for the support that was not provided to people forced to leave their home countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. ...1 week ago
- Govt must expand meth rehabilitation programme nationwide...2 weeks ago
- Major milestone in our school upgrade programmeThis week, we’ve marked a major milestone in our school upgrade programme. We've supported 4,500 projects across the country for schools to upgrade classrooms, sports facilities, playgrounds and more, so Kiwi kids have the best possible environments to learn in. ...2 weeks ago
- How much do you know about Matariki?We’ve delivered on our election commitment to make Matariki a public holiday. For the first time this year, all New Zealanders will have the chance to enjoy a mid-winter holiday that is uniquely our own with family and friends. Try our quiz below, then challenge your whānau! To celebrate, we’ve ...2 weeks ago
- Testing removal means domestic protections neededThe Green Party says the removal of pre-departure testing for arrivals into New Zealand means the Government must step up domestic measures to protect communities most at risk. ...2 weeks ago
- RSE overhaul needed to centre workers’ rightsThe long overdue resumption of the Pacific Access Category and Samoan Quota must be followed by an overhaul of the Recognised Seasonal Employers (RSE) scheme, says the Green Party. ...2 weeks ago
- Lessons must be learned from Delta responseLessons must be learned from the Government's response to the Delta outbreak, which the Ministry of Health confirmed today left Māori, Pacific, and disabled communities at greater risk. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt must listen to child sector experts on Oranga Tamariki oversightThe Green Party is calling on the Government to withdraw the proposed Oranga Tamariki oversight legislation which strips away independence and fails to put children at the heart. ...2 weeks ago
- Petition calls on Auckland Mayor to pedestrianise Queen StreetGreen MP for Auckland Central Chlöe Swarbrick, in partnership with the City Centre Residents’ Group, has today launched a petition calling on the Mayor of Auckland Phil Goff to pedestrianise Queen Street. ...2 weeks ago
- New Zealand is open for business and in high demandAs New Zealand reconnects with the world, we’re making the most of every opportunity to show we’re a great place to visit, trade with and invest in as part of our plan to grow our economy and build a secure future for all Kiwis. Just this week we saw further ...3 weeks ago
- Safe and affordable water for all3 weeks ago
- Waikato Expressway speed limit to change to 110km/h
Transport Minister Michael Wood has welcomed the announcement that a 110km/hr speed limit has been set for the SH1 Waikato Expressway, between Hampton Downs and Tamahere. “The Waikato Expressway is a key transport route for the Waikato region, connecting Auckland to the agricultural and business centres of the central North ...5 hours ago - Government listening to sector on NCEAFollowing feedback from the sector, Associate Minister of Education Jan Tinetti, today confirmed that new literacy and numeracy | te reo matatini me te pāngarau standards will be aligned with wider NCEA changes. “The education sector has asked for more time to put the literacy and numeracy | te reo ...6 hours ago
- Further Aotearoa New Zealand support for Ukraine$4.5 million to provide Ukraine with additional non-lethal equipment and supplies such as medical kit for the Ukrainian Army Deployments extended for New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) intelligence, logistics and liaison officers in the UK, Germany, and Belgium Secondment of a senior New Zealand military officer to support International ...24 hours ago
- Electoral changes will bring greater transparency for votersChanges to electoral law announced by Justice Minister Kiri Allan today aim to support participation in parliamentary elections, and improve public trust and confidence in New Zealand’s electoral system. The changes are targeted at increasing transparency around political donations and loans and include requiring the disclosure of: donor identities for ...1 day ago
- Government invests to minimise gambling harmThe Labour government has announced a significant investment to prevent and minimise harm caused by gambling. “Gambling harm is a serious public health issue and can have a devastating effect on the wellbeing of individuals, whānau and communities. One in five New Zealanders will experience gambling harm in their lives, ...1 day ago
- More free flu vaccines and a second COVID-19 booster to groups at risk of hospitalisationThe Government has widened access to free flu vaccines with an extra 800,000 New Zealanders eligible from this Friday, July 1 Children aged 3-12 years and people with serious mental health or addiction needs now eligible for free flu dose. From tomorrow (Tuesday), second COVID-19 booster available six months ...1 day ago
- Government backs action to drive strong wool growthThe Government is investing to create new product categories and new international markets for our strong wool and is calling on Kiwi businesses and consumers to get behind the environmentally friendly fibre, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said today. Wool Impact is a collaboration between the Government and sheep sector partners ...2 days ago
- Veterans Minister pays tribute to service and sacrifice at Korean War commemorationAt today’s commemoration of the start of the Korean War, Veterans Minister Meka Whaitiri has paid tribute to the service and sacrifice of our New Zealand veterans, their families and both nations. “It’s an honour to be with our Korean War veterans at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park to commemorate ...3 days ago
- Matariki projects star in latest round of Tourism Infrastructure FundMinister of Tourism Stuart Nash and Associate Minister of Tourism Peeni Henare announced the sixth round of recipients of the Government’s Tourism Infrastructure Fund (TIF), which supports local government to address tourism infrastructure needs. This TIF round will invest $15 million into projects around the country. For the first time, ...4 days ago
- Prime Minister’s Matariki speech 2022Matariki tohu mate, rātou ki a rātou Matariki tohu ora, tātou ki a tātou Tīhei Matariki Matariki – remembering those who have passed Matariki – celebrating the present and future Salutations to Matariki I want to begin by thanking everyone who is here today, and in particular the Matariki ...4 days ago
- First Matariki holiday marked across New Zealand and the worldOho mai ana te motu i te rangi nei ki te hararei tūmatanui motuhake tuatahi o Aotearoa, Te Rā Aro ki a Matariki, me te hono atu a te Pirīmia a Jacinda Ardern ki ngā mahi whakanui a te motu i tētahi huihuinga mō te Hautapu i te ata nei. ...4 days ago
- Minister to attend second United Nations Ocean Conference in PortugalOceans and Fisheries Minister David Parker will represent Aotearoa New Zealand at the second United Nations (UN) Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, which runs from 27 June to 1 July. The Conference will take stock of progress and aims to galvanise further action towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14, to "conserve and sustainably use ...5 days ago
- Government supports innovative dairy sheep sector to scale upThe Government is boosting its partnership with New Zealand’s dairy sheep sector to help it lift its value and volume, and become an established primary industry, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has announced. “Globally, the premium alternative dairy category is growing by about 20 percent a year. With New Zealand food ...5 days ago
- Government supports Buller flood recovery and longer term resilienceThe Government is continuing to support the Buller district to recover from severe flooding over the past year, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced today during a visit with the local leadership. An extra $10 million has been announced to fund an infrastructure recovery programme, bringing the total ...5 days ago
- Government outlines plans for future COVID-19 variants“The Government has undertaken preparatory work to combat new and more dangerous variants of COVID-19,” COVID-19 Response Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall set out today. “This is about being ready to adapt our response, especially knowing that new variants will likely continue to appear. “We have undertaken a piece of work ...6 days ago
- Next steps for NZ UK free trade agreementThe Government’s strong trade agenda is underscored today with the introduction of the United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement Legislation Bill to the House, Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor announced today. “I’m very pleased with the quick progress of the United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement Legislation Bill being introduced ...6 days ago
- Five new members join education Youth Advisory GroupA ministerial advisory group that provides young people with an opportunity to help shape the education system has five new members, Minister of Education Chris Hipkins said today. “I am delighted to announce that Harshinni Nayyar, Te Atamihi Papa, Humaira Khan, Eniselini Ali and Malakai Tahaafe will join the seven ...6 days ago
- Address to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons First Meeting of States PartyAustria Centre, Vienna [CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY] E ngā mana, e ngā reo Tēnā koutou katoa Thank you, Mr President. I extend my warm congratulations to you on the assumption of the Presidency of this inaugural meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. You ...7 days ago
- Govt makes sure support workers have right to take pay-equity claimThe Government is taking action to make sure homecare and support workers have the right to take a pay-equity claim, while at the same time protecting their current working conditions and delivering a pay rise. “In 2016, homecare and support workers – who look after people in their own homes ...7 days ago
- Targeted second COVID-19 booster a step closerA law change passed today streamlines the process for allowing COVID-19 boosters to be given without requiring a prescription. Health Minister Andrew Little said the changes made to the Medicines Act were a more enduring way to manage the administration of vaccine boosters from now on. “The Ministry of Health’s ...7 days ago
- Commerce Commission empowered to crackdown on covenantsNew powers will be given to the Commerce Commission allowing it to require supermarkets to hand over information regarding contracts, arrangements and land covenants which make it difficult for competing retailers to set up shop. “The Government and New Zealanders have been very clear that the grocery sector is not ...7 days ago
- Plasterboard taskforce set up to ease shortagesMinisterial taskforce of industry experts will give advice and troubleshoot plasterboard shortages Letter of expectation sent to Fletcher Building on trademark protections A renewed focus on competition in the construction sector The Minister for Building and Construction Megan Woods has set up a Ministerial taskforce with key construction, building ...1 week ago
- First Matariki public holiday celebrated with a unique broadcasting collaborationMinister for Māori Development Willie Jackson and Minister for Māori Crown Relations Te Arawhiti Kelvin Davis announced today the inaugural Matariki public holiday will be marked by a pre-dawn hautapu ceremony at Te Papa Tongarewa, and will be a part of a five-hour broadcast carried by all major broadcasters in ...1 week ago
- Health volunteers recognised at ParliamentVolunteers from all over the country are being recognised in this year’s Minister of Health Volunteer Awards, just announced at an event in Parliament’s Grand Hall. “These awards celebrate and recognise the thousands of dedicated health and disability sector volunteers who give many hours of their time to help other ...1 week ago
- Trade Minister to travel to Europe, Canada and Australia to advance economic recoveryNew Zealand’s trade agenda continues to build positive momentum as Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor travels to Europe, Canada and Australia to advance New Zealand’s economic interests. “Our trade agenda has excellent momentum, and is a key part of the Government’s wider plan to help provide economic security for ...1 week ago
- Prime Minister to travel to Europe and AustraliaPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern will leave this weekend to travel to Europe and Australia for a range of trade, tourism and foreign policy events. “This is the third leg of our reconnecting plan as we continue to promote Aotearoa New Zealand’s trade and tourism interests. We’re letting the world know ...1 week ago
- Remarks to ICAN Nuclear Ban Forum session “The Ban is the Plan and this is Why”[CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY] Nga mihi ki a koutou. Let me start by acknowledging the nuclear survivors, the people who lost their lives to nuclear war or testing, and all the peoples driven off their lands by nuclear testing, whose lands and waters were poisoned, and who suffer the inter-generational health ...1 week ago
- New Zealand leadership contributes to significant progress at the WTONew Zealand’s leadership has contributed to a number of significant outcomes and progress at the Twelfth Ministerial Conference (MC12) of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which concluded in the early hours of Friday morning after a week of intense negotiations between its 164 members. A major outcome is a new ...1 week ago
- Meth addiction service launched in Eastern Bay of PlentyThe Government has delivered on its commitment to roll out the free methamphetamine harm reduction programme Te Ara Oranga to the eastern Bay of Plenty, with services now available in Murupara. “We’re building a whole new mental health system, and that includes expanding successful programmes like Te Ara Oranga,” Health ...2 weeks ago
- Creatives in Schools Round 4 open for applicationsKura and schools around New Zealand can start applying for Round 4 of the Creatives in Schools programme, Minister for Education Chris Hipkins and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni said today. Both ministers were at Auckland’s Rosehill Intermediate to meet with the ākonga, teachers and the professional ...2 weeks ago
- Opening speech for MEETINGS 2022It is my pleasure to be here at MEETINGS 2022. I want to start by thanking Lisa and Steve from Business Events Industry Aotearoa and everyone that has been involved in organising and hosting this event. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to welcome you all here. It is ...2 weeks ago
- Reconnecting across the Tasman: Australia – Aotearoa New Zealand Foreign Minister ConsultationsAotearoa New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon Nanaia Mahuta and Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong, met in Wellington today for the biannual Australia - Aotearoa New Zealand Foreign Minister Consultations. Minister Mahuta welcomed Minister Wong for her first official visit to Aotearoa New Zealand ...2 weeks ago
- Global challenges reflected in March quarter GDPThe volatile global situation has been reflected in today’s quarterly GDP figures, although strong annual growth shows New Zealand is still well positioned to deal with the challenging global environment, Grant Robertson said. GDP fell 0.2 percent in the March quarter, as the global economic trends caused exports to fall ...2 weeks ago
- One million New Zealanders vaccinated against fluMore than a million New Zealanders have already received their flu vaccine in time for winter, but we need lots more to get vaccinated to help relieve pressure on the health system, Health Minister Andrew Little says. “Getting to one million doses by June is a significant milestone and sits ...2 weeks ago
- NZ Principals Federation MOOT SPEECH -Friday 10 June 2022 It’s a pleasure to be here today in person “ka nohi ke te ka nohi, face to face as we look back on a very challenging two years when you as Principals, as leaders in education, have pivoted, and done what you needed to do, under challenging circumstances for your ...2 weeks ago
- Provincial Growth Fund already delivering jobs and economic boost to the regionsThe Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is successfully creating jobs and boosting regional economic growth, an independent evaluation report confirms. Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash announced the results of the report during a visit to the Mihiroa Marae in Hastings, which recently completed renovation work funded through the PGF. ...2 weeks ago
- Pre-departure tests removed from June 20Travellers to New Zealand will no longer need a COVID-19 pre-departure test from 11.59pm Monday 20 June, COVID-19 Response Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “We’ve taken a careful and staged approach to reopening our borders to ensure we aren’t overwhelmed with an influx of COVID-19 cases. Our strategy has ...2 weeks ago
- Foreign Minister to attend CHOGMForeign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will travel to Rwanda this week to represent New Zealand at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kigali. “This is the first CHOGM meeting since 2018 and I am delighted to be representing Aotearoa New Zealand,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “Reconnecting New Zealand with the ...2 weeks ago
- Joint Statement: Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS) at MC12We, the Ministers for trade from Costa Rica, Fiji, Iceland, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland, welcome the meeting of Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS) partners on 15 June 2022, in Geneva to discuss progress on negotiations for the ACCTS. Our meeting was chaired by Hon Damien O’Connor, New Zealand’s Minister for ...2 weeks ago
- New Chief Censor appointedInternal Affairs Minister Jan Tinetti has today announced Caroline Flora as the new Chief Censor of Film and Literature, for a three-year term from 20 July. Ms Flora is a senior public servant who has recently held the role of Associate Deputy‑Director General System Strategy and Performance at the Ministry ...2 weeks ago
- Final 2022 election results: Coalition routed in cities and in Western Australia – can they recove...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist), The Conversation At the May 21 federal election, Labor won 77 of the 151 House of Representatives seats (up eight since 2019 when adjusted for redistributions), the Coalition won 58 seats (down 18), the Greens four (up ...40 mins ago - Governance Of The City Rail Link Project
Our report Governance of the City Rail Link project was presented to the House of Representatives today. In our work, we often identify poor governance as the reason why major projects have problems. Therefore, we wanted to provide Parliament and ...51 mins ago - The Northern Territory is about to ease alcohol restrictions, but more consultation from First Natio...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Crawford Spencer, Professor of Law, Charles Darwin University Shutterstock In 2012, legislation was introduced in the Northern Territory to restrict the possession and supply of alcohol without a liquor license or permit in designated alcohol protected areas in the ...55 mins ago
- Yet again, the census shows women are doing more housework. Now is the time to invest in interventio...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Ruppanner, Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of The Future of Work Lab, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock The Australian Census numbers have been released, showing women typically do many more hours of unpaid housework per week compared to ...55 mins ago
- Men have pelvic floors too – and can benefit when they exercise them regularlySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mischa Bongers, Sessional Lecturer, CQUniversity Australia Shutterstock “Kegels” and pelvic floor exercises are usually associated with “women’s business” – think pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause. But men have pelvic floors too. Just like women, at various times in their lives ...55 mins ago
- Students Have Right To Be Free From Discrimination At SchoolUnder the Human Rights Act it is unlawful for schools to refuse enrolment or subject students to detrimental treatment on any of the grounds of discrimination in the Act, including sexual orientation and family status, says Te Kāhui Tika Tangata ...1 hour ago
- Moral injury: what happens when exhausted health workers can no longer provide the care they want fo...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dougal Sutherland, Clinical Psychologist, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Getty Images Healthcare workers in New Zealand already face life-and-death decisions daily. But as multiple winter illnesses add pressure to a system already stretched by COVID, staff now ...1 hour ago
- ‘It was the beginning of feminism’: how higher education paved the way for the women of Albury-W...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Portia Dilena, History PhD Candidate, La Trobe University Interviewee Eileen Clark Regional women are too often forgotten in Australia’s political movements. The “big teal steal” focuses on the independent candidates from Melbourne and Sydney, forgetting that independent Cathy McGowan stole ...1 hour ago
- O'Connor apologises to fellow National MPs over abortion post
National MP Simon O'Connor has returned to Parliament with an apology to colleagues over a social media post that celebrated the US Supreme Court's overturning of abortion law. ...1 hour ago - Retail NZ Calls On MPs To Vote Restricted Trading Bill Through First ReadingACT MP Chris Baillie’s Member’s Bill on repealing Easter shopping restrictions should be voted through at first reading so we can have the debate on retailers having the choice to open or not over Easter, according to Retail NZ. “We are calling ...2 hours ago
- Proposed changes to political donations will give greater transparency – Justice MinisterJustice Minister Kiri Allan says changes to political donations will lead to greater transparency in New Zealand's electoral system, but National says the current laws are adequate. ...3 hours ago
- Family First Deregistered – But Not DefeatedThe Supreme Court in Wellington has just handed down their judgement in Attorney-General v Family First New Zealand, and the Government and the Charities Board have won the right to deregister Family First as a registered charity. “This decision is a sad ...4 hours ago
- Petition To Fund Gender Neutral Bathrooms In Schools Delivered To ParliamentOn Wednesday 29 June, at 1pm, the students behind Gender Neutral Bathrooms NZ , with the support of national rainbow charity InsideOUT Kōaro will gather on the steps of Parliament to handover a petition that calls on the government to uphold ...4 hours ago
- Peters Issues Judicial Review ProceedingsWinston Peters has issued judicial review proceedings against Speaker of the House the Rt Honourable Trevor Mallard, challenging Mr Mallard’s issue of a trespass warning against Mr Peters on 28 April 2022, which the Speaker then withdrew on 4 ...5 hours ago
- Ex-senior Nat Amy Adams warns caucus over abortion issue positionFormer National minister Amy Adams has warned her former party's caucus to acknowledge the strong feeling over abortion rights in New Zealand. ...5 hours ago
- Supreme Court Denies Tūpuna Maunga Authority Leave To Appeal Ōwairaka Mt Albert Tree Felling Decis...The community group fighting to save 345 trees on Ōwairaka Mt Albert says the Supreme Court has done the right thing in denying Tūpuna Maunga Authority’s request to appeal a judicial decision around the proposed tree felling. The Supreme Court said ...5 hours ago
- Proposed Changes For Pig Farmers Simply Bringing Farming Into Line With The LawSAFE is urging kiwis who want to see the caging of pigs banned to make their thoughts known on the draft code of welfare for pigs. The draft, put out by the Ministry for Primary Industries and the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee, proposes a ...5 hours ago
- Allied Health Workers Vote To Accept DealAllied health workers have voted to ratify the settlement reached by employers and the PSA last month. Over 98 percent of health professionals covered by the allied, public health, scientific and technical collective agreements voted to accept the ...5 hours ago
- Giant Petition To Ban Single-use Plastic Bottles Heads To ParliamentOn this coming Thursday, June 30th - with a giant albatross sculpture - Greenpeace Aotearoa will deliver a petition signed by almost 100,000 people calling on the Government to ban single-use plastic bottles and incentivise reusable and refillable alternatives. ...6 hours ago
- Research shows tropical cyclones have decreased alongside human-caused global warming – but don’...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Savin Chand, Senior Lecturer, Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Federation University Australia Shutterstock The annual number of tropical cyclones forming globally decreased by about 13% during the 20th century compared to the 19th, according to research published today in Nature Climate ...7 hours ago
- ‘No religion’ is Australia’s second-largest religious group – and it’s having a profound e...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Renae Barker, Senior Lecturer, The University of Western Australia The latest census results are out and the number of Australians who selected “no religion” has risen again to 38.9%, up from 30.1% in 2016. This makes them the second-largest “religious group” after ...7 hours ago
- We need to brace for a tsunami of long COVID. But we’re not quite sure the best way to treat itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Wark, Conjoint Professor, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle Matt Paul Catalano/Unsplash Australia’s Omicron wave earlier this year was much larger than we thought, recent research has confirmed. We also heard Health Minister Mark Butler acknowledge ...7 hours ago
- Drones and DNA tracking: we show how these high-tech tools are helping nature healSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jake M Robinson, Ecologist and Researcher, Flinders University Gontran Isnard/Unsplash, CC BY Technology has undoubtedly contributed to global biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. Where forests once stood, artificial lights now illuminate vast urban jungles. Where animals once roamed, huge factories ...7 hours ago
- What does equity in schools look like? And how is it tied to growing teacher shortages?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lucas Walsh, Professor and Director of the Centre for Youth Policy and Education Practice, Monash University Shutterstock When Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared victory on election night, he said he wanted to unite Australians around “our shared values of fairness ...7 hours ago
- Australians are more millennial, multilingual and less religious: what the census revealsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Dean Lewins/AAP Census data to be released Tuesday shows Australia changing rapidly before COVID, gaining an extra one million residents from overseas in the past five years, almost ...7 hours ago
- Light: Works from the Tate’s Collection honours the body and its sensations – this is art which ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominic Redfern, Associate Professor, RMIT University Raemar, Blue, 1969, Tate: Presented by the Tate Americas Foundation, partial purchase and partial gift of Doris J. Lockhart 2013. © James Turrell. Photo: Chen Hao Review: Light: Works from The Tate’s Collection, ACMI The ...7 hours ago
- Former National justice minister says NZ abortion law must stay – alternative is ‘soul-destroyin...By Craig McCulloch, RNZ News deputy political editor Former National MP and Justice Minister Amy Adams says opposition leader Christopher Luxon is right to rule out restricting abortion laws in Aotearoa New Zealand, calling the alternative “absolutely soul-destroying”. Speaking to RNZ, Adams also sounded a note of warning to her ...13 hours ago
- Tuvalu quits UN Oceans summit in protest after China blocks delegatesRNZ Pacific The Tuvalu government has withdrawn from a UN Oceans Conference in Portugal after China blocked Taiwanese delegates in its team. An officer with Tuvalu’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Jessica Marinaccio, told RNZ Pacific that Tuvalu’s Foreign Minister Simon Kofe was already en route to the Portuguese capital, ...13 hours ago
- National MPs committed to not changing abortion law, Luxon saysThe Opposition leader says all his MPs are united around the commitment not to change abortion law, as former Justice Minister Amy Adams says restricting the law would be "absolutely soul-destroying". ...19 hours ago
- Drought increases rural suicide, and climate change will make drought worseSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ivan Charles Hanigan, Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health Impact Assessment and Senior Lecturer in Climate Change and Health, , Faculty of Health Science, School of Population Health, Curtin University., Curtin University Shutterstock New research has found suicide increases ...20 hours ago
- Oops – our well-being is likely to be bruised as NZ slips down international rankings and we slum...
For long enough New Zealanders have liked to think they enjoyed one of the highest living standards in the world. More recently those familiar with what is happening in those countries which are leading the world have understood NZ has been slipping down the ladder. Under a Labour-led government, the slide ...20 hours ago - Hospital Crisis Demands Mandates On Health Care Professionals Be DroppedIn the face of the greatest health crisis the country has ever faced more than 3000 health care professionals are sitting at home twiddling their thumbs. Hospitals are paying GPs ridiculous amounts to moonlight for emergency departments to cope with ...20 hours ago
- Debbie Ngarewa-Packer Visiting Portugal To Build Coalition To End Deep Sea MiningTe Pāti Māori Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer MP was to travel to Lisbon, Portugal to help build an international coalition against deep sea mining at the United Nations Oceans Conference 2022. This comes off the back of a 36,000 strong petition to ban ...20 hours ago
- Australia is one of few countries that doesn’t pay session musicians ongoing royalties. Our music ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rod Davies, Lecturer in popular music and songwriting, Monash University Shutterstock Most of the music we listen to is made by session musicians. These guns for hire are experts in their field, much sought after and often bring a unique ...22 hours ago
- Government to give further $4.5 million for Ukraine war supportAs the war in Ukraine rolls on, New Zealand is providing another $4.5m through NATO, extending NZDF deployments in Europe, and legal support for international courts. ...23 hours ago
- Some see NZ’s invite to the NATO summit as a reward for a shift in foreign policy, but that’s fa...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert G. Patman, Professor of International Relations, University of Otago Getty Images/Hagen Hopkins Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s acceptance of an invitation to speak at this week’s NATO leaders’ summit in Madrid has fuelled a narrative that New Zealand’s independent foreign ...23 hours ago
- The Bible says nothing about abortion. So being anti-choice is a cultural and political decision, no...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sean Winter, Associate Professor (New Testament Studies), University of Divinity In many churches across the United States of America, and even perhaps here in Australia, Sunday worship would have been an opportunity to celebrate the decision of the US Supreme Court to ...23 hours ago
- Physio ‘dry needling’ and acupuncture – what’s the difference and what does the evidence say...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wayne Hing, Professor, Physiotherapy, Bond University Shutterstock Physiotherapists are increasingly offering needling therapies in addition to their standard care. Many Australian physiotherapists in private practice now offer dry needling or Western medical acupuncture as part of a treatment approach. Is ...23 hours ago
- Live: Grant Robertson speaks after Cabinet meetingAs the war in Ukraine rolls on, New Zealand is providing another $4.5m through NATO, extending NZDF deployments in Europe, and legal support for international courts. ...23 hours ago
- PNG police stop seven trucks and seize ‘sensitive’ election materialsBy Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Papua New Guinean security forces have intercepted and stopped seven trucks carrying seven containers containing sensitive election material in the Southern Highlands after it was found that the containers had been allegedly tampered with. “Manager Alwyn Jimmy called police in SHP to stop the ...24 hours ago
- Samoa chosen to host next CHOGM meeting in 2024RNZ Pacific The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting has ended in Rwanda with Samoa confirmed as the next host of the meeting. Samoa’s hosting of the 2024 event will be the first time a Pacific member country will host CHOGM Samoa’s Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa attended the meeting in ...24 hours ago
- Steven Ratuva: Pacific agency: A devalued political capital?ANALYSIS: By Professor Steven Ratuva The West and China continue to exert influence over the Pacific region. But discussions of Pacific Island Countries (PICs) are increasingly patronising, framing them as vulnerable, and omitting their agency. In the battle for geopolitical influence and supremacy in the Pacific, the two most visible ...24 hours ago
- Kiri warms towards tougher party funding restrictions (perhaps encouraged by the Nats warning of the...
Buzz from the Beehive The National Party’s strong objection to plans to overhaul New Zealand’s political donations regime, expressed in submissions on the Government’s proposed sweeping changes to electoral law, were reported in a Stuff report last week. The changes would include lowering the threshold for political parties to disclose ...24 hours ago - Facial recognition is on the rise – but the law is lagging a long way behindSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Andrejevic, Professor, School of Media, Film, and Journalism, Monash University, Monash University Shutterstock Private companies and public authorities are quietly using facial recognition systems around Australia. Despite the growing use of this controversial technology, there is little in ...1 day ago
- Free Buses Or Better Roads? Collins And Molloy Can't Have It Both WaysThe Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is calling on mayoral candidates Efeso Collins and Leo Molloy to be upfront with voters about whether they will reduce capital investment in roading or increase rates to fund free public transport. There are growing calls ...1 day ago
- Labor promised to fix Australia’s big water problem. These 6 things must top the to-do listSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stuart Khan, Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering, UNSW Sydney Dean Lewins/AAP During the federal election campaign, Labor promised to future-proof Australia’s water resources. Now, new Water Minister Tanya Plibersek must deliver on the policy – one vital to securing ...1 day ago
- Family Planning & ASMS behind fully integrated abortionFamily Planning and the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists - Toi Mata Hauora say if one thing can be learned from the overturning of Roe v Wade it is that access to safe abortion and contraceptive care must be embedded as a core service within ...1 day ago
- Law Commission publishes report on class actionsA new Class Actions Act should be developed to improve access to justice and efficiency in litigation, concludes Te Aka Matua o te Ture | Law Commission in its report, Ko ngā Hunga Take Whaipānga me ngā Pūtea Tautiringa | Class Actions and Litigation ...1 day ago
- OP-ED: Healthy planet needs ‘ocean action’ from Asian and Pacific countriesOP-Ed by Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana – Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana is the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). As ...1 day ago
- Can Jacinda Ardern save New Zealand’s free trade deal with the EU?Opinion - Jacinda Ardern needs to deploy every aspect of her starpower if she wants to rescue New Zealand's faltering free trade EU negotiations, writes [Geoffrey Miller. ...1 day ago
- Cutting crossbench MPs’ staffing would be a setback for democracySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Payne, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, The Sydney School of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney My experience as an adviser to Peter Andren – perhaps the first of the modern-day wave of non-party MPs to arrive in Canberra – suggests Labor’s ...1 day ago
- Political donations, overseas voting rules to change before election – MinisterPolitical party donations and overseas voting rules will change ahead of next year's general election, Justice Minister Kiri Allan has announced. ...1 day ago
- Callous pay outcomes for care workers and older peopleGrey Power has accused the Government of abandoning seniors and the health professionals who care for them. ...1 day ago
- Roe V Wade Reversal: An Assault On RightsOn Friday, 24 June 2022 (local time), millions of United States citizens lost the right to control their bodies and make decisions affecting their lives, families, and futures. The US Supreme Court reached a majority decision to overturn the constitutional ...1 day ago
- Grant Robertson confident NZ exporters to benefit significantly from EU trade dealDeputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson is confident that New Zealand can get a good deal for exporters from EU trade talks. ...1 day ago
- Part-time work holds women back from executive positions and accentuates gender pay gap: new dataSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Most women are not working full-time during most of their working lives, which holds them back from management positions and accentuates the pay gap with men, according to data released on Monday. Men on ...1 day ago
- Young non-smokers in NZ are taking up vaping more than ever before. Here are 5 reasons whySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lindsay Robertson, Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago Getty Images The number of young New Zealanders aged 15 to 17 who vape every day has tripled in two years, from 2% in 2018-19 ...1 day ago
- How to save $50 off your food bill and still eat tasty, nutritious mealsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle Shutterstock Grocery prices have taken a hike upwards for a host of reasons, including the rising costs of petrol, fertiliser and labour. You could “shop around” for cheaper groceries, ...1 day ago
- Read the room, Premier. Performance pay for teachers will make the crisis worseSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Holloway, Senior Research DECRA Fellow, Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education, Australian Catholic University Without fail, every time a politician is tasked with reforming education, the issue of performance-based pay for teachers is put on the table. It’s odd, really, ...1 day ago
- Profits push up prices too, so why is the RBA governor only talking about wages?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jim Stanford, Economist and Director, Centre for Future Work, Australia Institute; Honorary Professor of Political Economy, University of Sydney Reserve Bank of Australia governor Phillip Lowe has invoked memories of the 1970s, warning wage growth must be restrained to contain Australia’s surging ...1 day ago
- How Japanese avant-garde ceramicists have tested the limits of claySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Speck, Emerita Professor, Art History and Curatorship, University of Adelaide Nakashima Harumi, born Ena City, Gifu prefecture, 1950, Struggling forms, c2005, Ena City, Gifu prefecture, porcelain, under and overglaze, 66.0 x 49.0 x 43.0 cm. Collection of Raphy Star Review: ...1 day ago
- Right To Life Questions Prime Minister’s Response To Roe V Wade OverturnRight to Life - Media Release 25 June 2022 Right to Life questions Prime Minister’s response to Roe v Wade overturn The Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern,is reported by Stuff as saying, that “the Supreme Court’s decision is incredibly upsetting.” ...1 day ago
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- Government Joining IHRA Is A Weak, Cowardly DecisionThe government decision to join International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance is a step backwards in the fight against anti-semitism and the struggle for Palestinian human rights The government decision to take on observer status at the International ...1 day ago
- Charles CHOGM Speech Green Light For Change“Prince Charles had made it clear in his speech to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Rwanda today that even the Royal family think it’s time for change” said Lewis Holden, campaign chair of New Zealand Republic. Charles told ...1 day ago
- The end of Roe: what now for the women of America?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erica Millar, Senior research fellow, La Trobe University Keith Birmingham/AAP In a post-Roe world, 26 US states are certain or likely to ban abortion and one quarter of abortion clinics are predicted to close. Indeed, many closed the day Roe ...2 days ago
- ‘Call it out’ – Deputy PM says bigotry must not be toleratedDeputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson has spoken out about hate and bigotry online, revealing he has faced homophobic abuse at public meetings recently. ...2 days ago
- PM leaves for Europe with free trade agreement in her sightsThe Prime Minister leaves for Europe today, where she will push to nail down a long-awaited free trade deal with the European Union. ...2 days ago
- Academics announce new Centre of Indigenous Science – and now (it seems) they will find out what t...Any notion that “the science is settled” is (or should be) anathema to good scientists. There is always more to learn “… because the scientific method never provides absolute conclusions. It’s always possible that the next observation will contradict the current consensus.” But in this country the fundamental matter of ...2 days ago
- Sitiveni Rabuka takes Fiji campaign trail to Aotearoa New ZealandRNZ Pacific Sitiveni Rabuka is infamous for making Fiji a republic after carrying out a military coup 35 years ago by overthrowing an Indo-Fijian dominated government to help maintain indigenous supremacy. Rabuka has been a central figure in Fijian politics since 1987 — as the nation’s first coup maker, a ...2 days ago
- Monkeypox is not a global emergency for now, says WHO. 3 things we need to know next about how it’...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By C Raina MacIntyre, Professor of Global Biosecurity, NHMRC Principal Research Fellow, Head, Biosecurity Program, Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock The World Health Organization (WHO) has decided not to declare monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern. This may change ...2 days ago
- 'Complacency is a greater danger than undue alarm' – NZ abortion advocateAn advocate says New Zealand's abortion rights are still vulnerable to change and people can't be complacent. ...2 days ago
- National MP removes post following Roe v Wade decisionNational Party MP Simon O'Connor's social media post saying it was a "good day" after abortion rights in the US were curtailed has been taken down. ...2 days ago
- Culture Minister coy about Film Commission appointments – but she must decide on Dame Kerry’s ro...No appointments or reappointments to the board of the New Zealand Film Commission have been announced by Carmel Sepuloni, Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage, and declared in ministerial press statements since early 2019. Yet the appointments of two board members she announced then (when she was Associate Minister of Arts, ...3 days ago
- US Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade – but for abortion opponents, this is just the beginningSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Prudence Flowers, Senior Lecturer in US History, College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Flinders University The United States Supreme Court has handed down a ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that found there was a constitutional right to ...3 days ago
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