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Banning Rambo weapons not a knee-jerk
Written By: - Date published: 5:35 am, March 21st, 2019 - 185 comments
Passing stringent gun controls is far from a knee-jerk reaction to the Christchurch massacre – our politicians of all stripes have procrastinated over this ever since the 1990 Aramoana massacre. We already have the 13 recommendations of the 2017 Law & Order committee that were rejected. Let us at the very least now accept those.
Drug testing at music festivals
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, January 7th, 2019 - 18 comments
Police Minister Stuart Nash has said publicly that he wants to see all New Zealand music festivals to have drug testing kits by next summer.
- Behind Every Good Woman Should Stand – Another Good Woman.
1 hour ago - Chris Trotter on the BFD
12 hours ago - Sex is not a spectrum
The text below is a Twitter thread by Heather Heying that explains the essence of sexual reproduction and it long evolutionary history. She is an evolutionary biologist and a “professor-in-exile” after she and her husband, Bret Weinstein, stood up to supporters of an enforced “Day of Absence” for white staff and teachers ...12 hours ago - Climate Change: Trees, aviation, and offsets
With crunch time for new Zealand climate policy approaching, most of the New Zealand media have got on board with a global reporting effort to cover the issue. There's one strand of stories today about polling and what it shows about changing public attitudes to the crisis, but the strand ...17 hours ago - Pissing-Off The Israelis Is A High-Risk Strategy.
Dangerous Foes: For those readers of Bowalley Road who feel disposed to dismiss any prospect of an Israeli destabilisation of New Zealand politics, the example of the United Kingdom repays close attention. Ever since the election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the British Labour Party, the Israelis have sanctioned, funded and ...20 hours ago - Something to go to in Wellington
Make It 16, the youth-led campaign to lower New Zealand's voting age, is holding an official campaign launch at Parliament this Friday from 16:30. If you'd like to attend, you can register using EventBrite here. ...20 hours ago - A founding member responds to Peace Action Wellington
by Don Franks It was a lovely sunny Wellington afternoon with blue skies above the beaches. In Courtenay Place, political activists packed out a stuffy upstairs room for an important meeting. The assembled pacifists, anarchists, communists and independent young radicals of Peace Action Wellington felt the need for a mission ...21 hours ago - “Mistakes and errors”Current and former NZDF top brass are being publicly grilled this week by the hit and run inquiry over their public responses to allegations of civilian casualties. Previously, they've claimed there were no casualties, a position which led them to lie to Ministers and to the public. Now, they're saying ...21 hours ago
- “Homosexuality is same-sex attraction and relationships, not heterosexuals with delusions of gende...by Rafael D. Quiles (gender-critical gay man from Puerto Rico) The writing on the wall is right in people’s faces and people just don’t see it or don’t want to. What could actually possess a heterosexual male to want to feminize himself and claim that he is a lesbian? Because ...2 days ago
- Trump: “Where’s my favourite dictator?”
From the Wall Street Journal:Inside a room of the ornately decorated Hotel du Palais during last month’s Group of Seven summit in Biarritz, France, President Trump awaited a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi. Mr. Trump looked over a gathering of American and Egyptian officials and called out in ...2 days ago - Magdalen Burns, 1983-2019, fighter for women’s liberationby the Redline blog collective At Redline we are very saddened to hear of the death of Magdalen Burns who passed away on the morning of Friday, September 13 (British time). Magdalen was a great fighter for the rights of women in general and lesbian women in particular, a defender ...3 days ago
- Parliament and the Executive
The Brexit issue has certainly brought with it a series of apparently difficult constitutional issues, many of them concerning the respective roles of the executive and parliament. Most of them arise because of the unwillingness of MPs, despite their professions to the contrary, to be bound by a constitutional rarity ...3 days ago - The Abigail Article; Martyn Bradbury’s Article, and My Response
. . This blogpost is different to my usual format of reporting on issues… Since July 1011, I have blogged on a variety of political issues; near always political and/or environmental; mostly highly critical of the previous National Government. Other issues included Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and repression of ...3 days ago - Police will have to wear silly Buckingham Palace hats from now on, says Police Minister
Those close to the Police Minister believe the initiative may be the result of Nash “seeing a great deal” on AliExpress. In a move that comes seemingly out of nowhere, Police Minister Stuart Nash announced this afternoon that he expects all frontline staff to don bearskin hats, famously worn by ...4 days ago - A sensible crackdownThe government has released its Arms Legislation Bill, containing the second tranche of changes to gun laws following the March 15 massacre. And it all looks quite sensible: a national gun register, higher penalties for illegal possession and dealing, tighter restrictions on arms dealers and shooting clubs, and a shorter ...4 days ago
- California bans private prisonsPrivate prisons are a stain on humanity. Prison operators explicitly profit from human misery, then lobby for longer prisons terms so they can keep on profiting. And in the US, prison companies run not only local and state prisons, but also Donald Trump's immigration concentration camps. Faced with this moral ...4 days ago
- Why PPPs are a bad ideaWhen National was in power, they were very keen on Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) - basicly, using private companies to finance public infrastructure as a way of hiding debt from the public. They were keen on using them for everything - roads, schools, hospitals. But as the UK shows, that "service" ...4 days ago
- A Movement That No Longer Moves.
Moving And Shaking: There was a time when people spoke matter-of-factly about the “labour movement” – a political phenomenon understood to embrace much more than the Labour Party. Included within the term’s definition was the whole trade union movement – many of whose members looked upon the Labour Party as ...4 days ago - NZ ‘left’ politically embracing extreme postmodernismby Philip Ferguson Much of the left, even people who formally identify as marxists, have collapsed politically in the face of postmodern gender theory of the sort pioneered by American philosopher Judith Butler. For Butler even biological sex is socially constructed. “If the immutable character of sex is contested, perhaps ...4 days ago
- The obvious questionThe media is reporting that the (alleged) Labour party sexual assaulter has resigned from their job at Parliament, which means hopefully he won't be turning up there making people feel unsafe in future. Good. But as with everything about this scandal, it just raises other questions. Most significantly: why the ...5 days ago
- The moment I found out that you found out, I acted swiftly
By Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern I am every bit as angry as you are. I am every bit as disappointed as you must be. The people with power, oversight and the ability to do something about these processes within the Labour Party should be ashamed. Whoever those people are, I ...5 days ago - This is why people hate property developersProperty developers think there is an "oversupply" of houses in Auckland:High turnover rates and falling prices may be a sign that there are too many new houses going in to some parts of Auckland, commentators say. [...] Property developer David Whitburn said there was a "bit of an oversupply" in ...5 days ago
- Australia to Pacific: “Fuck you, you can all drown”World leaders are meeting in New York in two weeks for the 2019 Climate Action Summit, where they are expected to announce new and more ambitious targets to stop the world from burning. But the Australian Prime Minister won't be there, despite being in the USA at the time:Scott Morrison ...5 days ago
- Implausible ignoranceLabour Party president Nigel Haworth resigned yesterday over the party's sexual assault scandal. But while that's good news, its unlikely to take away the stench of a coverup. Because according to Paula Bennett in Parliament yesterday, pretty much everyone in the Prime Minister's office was involved as well:I have been ...5 days ago
- Labour’s Fatal Flaw.
Two-Faced? Labour insiders' commitment to the neoliberal status quo puts them at odds with their party’s membership; its trade union affiliates; and a majority of Labour voters, but this only serves to strengthen the perception they have of themselves as a special elite. Among the lesser breeds, they’ll talk up a ...5 days ago - Ten reasons the Tories do NOT want an electionThere has been a lot of talk about Boris Johnson wanting an election, and he has blustered with great gusto about 'chicken' Jeremy Corbyn refusing one, but I think there are many reasons why he is secretly glad he has been refused the opportunity:The Tories are an utter rabble,tearing themselves ...5 days ago
- Prorogation Illegal, rule Scottish judgesScottish appeal court judges have declared that Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend parliament in the run-up to the October Brexit deadline is unlawful. The three judges, chaired by Lord Carloway, Scotland’s most senior judge, overturned an earlier ruling that the courts did not have the powers to interfere in the prime ...5 days ago
- Let me explain what I meant by Everyday New Zealanders
By Simon Bridges. The following is a press release from the office of Simon Bridges, leader of The National Party. Key ora, New Zealand. Happy Maori Language Week. Look, I’m writing to you today because I want to clear something up. There’s been a lot of kerfuffle around some things ...6 days ago - Yes, the SIS is subject to the Public Records ActI understand there's some stuff going round about how the SIS "was removed from the list of public offices covered by the Public Records Act in 2017". The context of course being their records derived from US torture, which will be disposed of or sealed. The good news is that ...6 days ago
- An evidence-based discussion of the Canadian fluoride/IQ study
Dr. Christopher Labos and Jonathan Jarry discuss the recent Canadian fluoride/IQ research. They provide an expert analysis of the paper and its problems. Click on image to go to podcast. The critical debate about the recent ... 6 days ago- Climate Change: Australia in denial
Australia is burning down again, and meanwhile its natural disaster minister is denying climate change:Australia’s minister responsible for drought and natural disasters, David Littleproud, has said that he doesn’t “know if climate change is manmade”. Clarifying earlier comments that the question is “irrelevant” when considering the Coalition government’s response to ...6 days ago- Philippines activist speaking on the Duterte tyranny
Auckland Philippines Solidarity is excited to host Professor Judy Taguiwalo for a speaking tour of NZ in September. She is a well-known activist in the Philippines and was a political prisoner under the Marcos dictatorship. Professor Taguiwalo briefly served as a Cabinet member under President Duterte but was forced from ...6 days ago- Disgust
I have no special insights to offer on the Labour sexual assault coverup. All I have is disgust. Disgust that an organisation could fail its people so badly. Disgust that they punished the victims rather than the perpetrator. Disgust that its party hacks are apparently blaming the victims for demanding ...6 days ago- Speak Up for Women calls out Greens’ censorship
This open letter to the Green Party was penned after an opinion piece by Jill Abigail, a feminist and founding member of the party, was censored by the Greens’ leadership. (Redline has reprinted her article here).The intolerance of the Green Party leaders and their acceptance of the misogyny of gender ...6 days ago- Member’s Day: End of Life Choice, part 3
Today is a Member's day, and David Seymour's End of Life Choice Bill continues its slow crawl through its committee stage. They're spending the whole day on it today, though the first hour is likely to be spent on voting left over from last time. After that they'll move on ...6 days ago- Flight to Los Angeles turned back after passengers decide they don’t want to go anymore
An ambitious plan to fly to Los Angeles petered out into a brief sight-seeing trip and a desire to return home and get some sleep before work tomorrow. Air New Zealand has confirmed a flight to Los Angeles last night was turned back about a quarter of the way into ...6 days ago- Indigenous Futures: defuturing and futuring – an analytical framework for policy development?
There appears to be consensus – by omission – that the concept of indigenous futures should be accepted at face value. So I scavenged the internet to see if I could locate an academic descriptor or a framework around how we think about it as a concept, and whether it ...7 days ago- Cadbury rumoured to be releasing the Pineapple Trump
Here’s another novelty chocolate to shove in your gob, New Zealand Cadbury could be seeking to make itself great again with a rumoured new release: Pineapple Trumps, a spin on its classic chocolate-encased pineapple treat and do-it-yourself tooth remover. The global confectionery manufacturer and bumbling “before” character in an infomercial, ...7 days ago- The coming resource war.
During my time in the Pentagon I had the privilege of sitting down with military leaders and defence and security officials from a variety of Latin American nations. Sometimes I was present as a subordinate assistant to a senior US defence department official, sometimes as part of a delegation that ...7 days ago- Māori Language Week with The Civilian
Kia ora, Aotearoa. It’s that magical time of year. Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. In English, the week that frightens talk radio. As you probably know by now, all your favourite media outlets are participating, some more successfully than others. Stuff has changed its name to Puna for the ...7 days ago- Will Horizons act on climate change?
Local body elections are coming up next month. And it looks like all Palmerston North candidates for Horizons (the Manawatu-Whanganui Regional Council) want to take action on climate change:Climate change is set to be a key issue in Palmerston North for the next three years if those wanting to get ...7 days ago- BORA reform is stalled
Eighteen months ago, the government promised to strengthen the Bill of Rights Act, by explicitly affirming the power of the courts to issue declarations of inconsistency and requiring Parliament to formally respond to them. So how's that going? I was curious, so I asked for all advice about the proposal. ...7 days ago- Corbyn and Brexit
As the Brexit saga staggers on, the focus is naturally enough on the Prime Minister and his attempts to achieve Brexit “do or die”. But the role played by the Leader of the Opposition is of almost equal interest and complexity. The first problem for Jeremy Corbyn is that he ...7 days ago- A ditch for him to die in
Last week, English Prime Minister Boris Johnson boldly declared that he would rather die be dead in a ditch than delay Brexit. Unfortunately for him, the UK parliament accepted the challenge, and promptly dug one for him. The "rebellion bill" requires him to ask for and secure yet another temporary ...7 days ago- Warning! Warning! Danger Jacinda Ardern! Danger Marama Davidson! Warning!
Lost In Political Space: The most important takeaway from this latest Labour sexual assault scandal, which (if I may paraphrase Nixon’s White House counsel’s, John Dean’s, infamous description of Watergate) is “growing like a cancer” on the premiership, is the Labour Party organisation’s extraordinary professional paralysis in the face of ...1 week ago- Union solidarity with Ihumatao land occupation
by Daphna Whitmore Every Sunday for the past two months unionists from First Union, with supporters from other unions, have set out to the Ihumatao land protest, put up gazebos and gas barbeques, and cooked food for a few hundred locals and supporters who have come from across the country. ...1 week ago- Climate Change: The wrong kind of trees?
Newsroom today has an excellent, in-depth article on pine trees as carbon sinks. The TL;DR is that pine is really good at soaking up carbon, but people prefer far-less efficient native forests instead. Which is understandable, but there's two problems: firstly, we've pissed about so long on this problem that ...1 week ago- No freedom of speech in Turkey
Canan Kaftancioglu is a Turkish politician and member of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). Like most modern politicians, she tweets, and uses the platform to criticise the Turkish government. She has criticised them over the death of a 14-year-old boy who was hit by a tear gas grenade during ...1 week ago- Speaker: Tadhg Stopford: Why I’m standing for the ADHB
Hi there, just call me Tim.We face tough problems, and I’d like to help, because there are solutions.An Auckand District Health Board member has nominated me for as a candidate for the ADHB, because her MS-related pain and fatigue is reduced with hemp products from Rotorua. Nothing else helped her. If I ...1 week ago- Good little vassals
The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security has published their report on whether the SIS and GCSB had any complicity in American torture. And its damning. The pull quote is this:The Inquiry found both agencies, but to a much greater degree, the NZSIS, received many intelligence reports obtained from detainees who, ...1 week ago- Who Shall We Turn To When God, And Uncle Sam, Cease To Defend New Zealand?
Bewhiskered Cassandra? Professor Hugh White’s chilling suggestion, advanced to select collections of academic, military and diplomatic Kiwi experts over the course of the past week, is that the assumptions upon which Australia and New Zealand have built their foreign affairs and defence policies for practically their entire histories – are ...1 week ago- The Politics of Opposition
For most of the time I was a British MP, my party was out of government – these were the Thatcher years, when it was hard for anyone else to get a look-in. As a front-bencher and shadow minister, I became familiar with the strategies required in a parliamentary democracy ...1 week ago- More expert comments on the Canadian fluoride-IQ paper
The Green et al (2019) fluoride/IQ is certainly controversial – as would be expected from its subject (see If at first you don’t succeed . . . statistical manipulation might help and Politics of science – making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear). Anti-fluoride campaigners have been actively promoting it ...1 week ago- The return to guerrilla war in Colombia
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh On August 29th a video in which veteran FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) commander Iván Márquez announced that they had taken up arms again was released. There was no delay in the reaction to it, from longtime Liberal Party figure and former president Uribe, for ...1 week ago- Air New Zealand identifies this enormous plot of unused land as possible second airport site
Air New Zealand couldn’t believe its luck that this seemingly ideal piece of real estate had so far gone entirely unnoticed. Air New Zealand’s search for a site to build a second Auckland Airport may have made a breakthrough this afternoon, after employees scanning Google satellite imagery spotted a huge, ...2 weeks ago- Redline on the Labour Party
No-one on the anti-capitalist left in this country today puts forward a case that Labour is on the side of the working class. There are certainly people who call themselves ‘socialist’ who do, but they are essentially liberals with vested interests in Labourism – often for career reasons. Nevertheless, there ...2 weeks ago- New Fisk
2 weeks ago- Labour’s failure
When National was in government and fucking over the poor for the benefit of the rich, foodbanks were a growth industry. And now Labour is in charge, nothing has changed: A huge demand for emergency food parcels means the Auckland City Mission is struggling to prepare for the impending arrival ...2 weeks ago- Ardern attempts to vaccinate Clarke Gayford live on television to prove that it’s safe
Gayford, pictured here on The Project, before things got wildly out of control. A bold public relations move by the Government to encourage parents to vaccinate their children has gone horribly wrong. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern appeared on tonight’s episode of Three’s The Project, where the plan was for her ...2 weeks ago- Has Mr. Whippy gone too far by parking on our front lawns?
Mr. Whippy’s business model has driven it down a dark road of intimidation. Residents in major centres around the country are becoming disgruntled by the increasingly aggressive actions of purported ice cream company Mr. Whippy, who have taken to parking on people’s front lawns and doorsteps in a desperate attempt ...2 weeks ago- Cleaning up the water
Today the government released its Action Plan for Healthy Waterways, aimed at cleaning up our lakes and rivers. Its actually quite good. There will be protection for wetlands, better standards for swimming spots, a requirement for continuous improvement, and better standards for wastewater and stormwater. But most importantly, there's a ...2 weeks ago- Fronting up
Today I appeared before the Environment Committee to give an oral submission on the Zero Carbon Bill. Over 1,500 people have asked to appear in person, so they've divided into subcommittees and are off touring the country, giving people a five minute slot each. The other submitters were a mixed ...2 weeks ago- Politics of science – making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear
Anti-fluoride activists have some wealthy backers – they are erecting billboards misrepresenting the Canadian study on many New Zealand cities – and local authorities are ordering their removal because of their scaremongering. Many New Zealanders ... 2 weeks ago- Democracy – I Don’t Think So
So, those who “know best” have again done their worst. While constantly claiming to be the guardians of democracy and the constitution, and respecters of the 2016 referendum result, diehard Remainers (who have never brought themselves to believe that their advice could have been rejected) have striven might and main ...2 weeks ago- Government says it will now build just one really nice home
Following publication of this article, the Ministry has requested it to be noted that this supplied image is not necessarily representative of what the final house will look like, and it “probably won’t be that nice.” As part of today’s long-anticipated reset of the Government’s flagship KiwiBuild policy, Housing Minister ...2 weeks ago- Imperialism and your cup of coffee
Over the next week or two we will be running three synopses of parts of the opening chapter of John Smith’s Imperialism in the 21st Century (New York, Monthly Review Press, 2016). The synopsis and commentary below is written by Phil Duncan. Marx began Capital not with a sweeping historical ...2 weeks ago- Still juking the stats
The State Services Commission and Ombudsman have released another batch of OIA statistics, covering the last six months. Request volumes are up, and the core public service is generally handling them within the legal timeframe, though this may be because they've learned to extend rather than just ignore things. And ...2 weeks ago- Hard News: Time for a New Deal: 25 years on
In 1994, I was editing an ambitious street mag called Planet, from a fabled office at at 309 Karangahape Road. The thirteenth issue of the magazine was published in the winter of that year and its cover embodied a particularly ambitious goal: the end of cannabis prohibition.I wanted to do ...2 weeks ago- Not impressed
KiwiBuild was one of the Ardern government's core policies. The government would end the housing crisis and make housing affordable again by building 100,000 new homes. Of course, it didn't work out like that: targets weren't met, the houses they did build were in the wrong place, and the whole ...2 weeks ago- Solar beats coal
As the climate crisis escalates, it is now obvious that we need to radically decarbonise our economy. The good news is that its looking easy and profitable for the energy sector. Wind is already cheaper than fossil fuels, and now solar is too:The levellised cost of solar PV has fallen ...2 weeks ago- A Step Too Far.
A Crown Asset? For reasons relating to its own political convenience, the Crown pretends to believe that “No one owns the water.” To say otherwise would re-vivify the promises contained in the Treaty of Waitangi – most particularly those pertaining to the power of the chiefs and their proprietary rights ...2 weeks ago- Where Money Comes From
Most people would say, no doubt, that they have a pretty good idea of what money is. They live with the reality of money every day. It is what is needed to buy the necessities of life and to maintain a decent standard of living. You get money, they would ...2 weeks ago- Banned by the Green Party leadership: Jill Abigail on women’s rights and trans rights
The article below was an opinion piece that appeared in the Spring 2019 issue of Te Awa (the NZ Green Party’s newsletter) and on the Greens website. In keeping with their policy of hostility to women defending women’s right to female-only spaces, Green bureaucrats have since removed the opinion piece. ...2 weeks ago- The fallacy of the proximity argument.
Longer term readers may remember my complaining that, as a political scientist, it is burdensome to have non-political scientists wanting to engage me about politics. No layperson would think to approach an astrophysicist and lecture him/her on the finer details of quarks and black holes, but everybody with an opinion ...2 weeks ago- Where We Stood: Chris Trotter Replies To Stevan Eldred-Grigg.
Joining The Fight: Stevan Eldred-Grigg's argument for New Zealand staying out of the Second World War fails not only on the hard-headed grounds of preserving the country’s strategic and economic interests; and not just on the soft-hearted grounds of duty and loyalty to the nation that had given New Zealand ...2 weeks ago - Climate Change: Australia in denial
- NZIER: No economic threat from new fresh water rules
New Zealand's new fresh water regulation rules will have no major impacts on the national economy, according to an independent report just out. The report by independent economic consultancy New Zealand Institute of Economic Research shows that dairying ...14 hours ago - Freshwater plan unlikely to have major impact on DairyFish & Game New Zealand has welcomed the findings of a New Zealand Institute of Economic Research report, which rejects claims the Government’s freshwater proposals will have a significant economic impact. ...15 hours ago
- Nationwide hearings needed on firearms lawThe Council of Licensed Firearms Owners (COLFO) says the Government should take its proposed firearms legislation to the people with a touring Select Committee, as it just has with the Zero Carbon bill. ...16 hours ago
- Water reforms and long term sustainabilityWater reforms and the long term sustainability of water will be a key focus at the Water New Zealand conference and expo this week (18-20 September) in Hamilton. ...16 hours ago
- More dealers to open their doors for firearms buy-backDealers from Kaitaia to Invercargill are opening their doors to firearms owners this week as part of the government amnesty and buy-back scheme. ...18 hours ago
- Ex-smoker backlash builds against vaping flavour ban“Kiwi ex-smokers are mobilising against the Government’s plans to drastically limit vaping flavours. Flavours have been key to them quitting tobacco and they now just want other smokers to have the same chance,” says Jonathan Devery, co-owner ...18 hours ago
- OMV oil rig falls foul of bad windOil company Tamarind Resources has reportedly halted drilling at its Tui oil field off the Taranaki coast after the first of the three planned wells came up dry and bad weather caused delays. ...19 hours ago
- Ross v Southern Response – Opt-Out Claim Allowed[1] The main issue before us is whether this representative claim can proceed on an opt out basis. We conclude that it can, and should. ...20 hours ago
- ActionStation should front up on taxpayer fundingThe New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is calling on the left-wing campaign group “ActionStation” to front up and be transparent about how much taxpayer funding it takes from the Government to underwrite its activism activities. Earlier in the month, the Taxpayers’ ...21 hours ago
- ‘Unplanned’ Movie Lands in NZ – Amidst Abortion DebateThe ‘ Unplanned ’ movie is here and Family First has secured one of the first screenings in New Zealand tonight. ‘Unplanned’ brings an eye-opening look inside the abortion industry from a woman who was once its most passionate advocate. All ...21 hours ago
- CEAC support James RenwickJames Renwick claim that NZ is failing on climate change is valid, and since James has been receiving widespread media coverage that we outline most of it again here now as we gear up for the ‘Global climate change conference’ beginning next week. ...24 hours ago
- NZDF Military Hierarchy Urged to Tell the TruthProtestors will be outside the venue of the fourth hearing for Operation Burnham Inquiry on Monday morning from 8.30am to give a message to former and current military officers as they arrive to speak about the ongoing coverup of the 2010 attack on ...1 day ago
- On the attacks on National’s relations with ChinaThe long-running campaign against purported Chinese “interference” in New Zealand’s political system intensified in the past week following a five-day visit to Beijing by opposition National Party leader Simon Bridges. ...1 day ago
- The Nation: Simon Shepherd Interviews Paula BennettNational's Deputy Leader Paula Bennett spent the week claiming a serious cover-up in the Prime Minister's office. She used parliamentary privilege to name three of the Prime Minister's closest advisors who, she says, knew about the sexual assault ...3 days ago
- The Nation: Al Noor Mosque spokesperson Anthony GreenSix months on from the worst terrorist attack in New Zealand history, Simon Shepherd asked Al Noor Mosque spokesperson Anthony Green how the Christchurch Muslim is community faring. ...3 days ago
- The Nation: Simon Shepherd Interviews Dr Sylvia NissenDespite a hedonistic and, at times, boozy image – New Zealand has had a rich history of student protest. ...3 days ago
- The Nation: Mental health campaigner Jazz ThorntonJazz Thornton is a suicide survivor who has gone on to form the mental health support group Voices of Hope. ...3 days ago
- The Nation: Health Minister David ClarkOne was a new suicide prevention strategy, which the Māori Council has labelled a ‘kick in the guts’. ...3 days ago
- Firearms legislation must be fair to hunters“The Game Animal Council is concerned that the Government’s second tranche of firearms legislation released today may contain unreasonable provisions that will unfairly impact hunters,” says Game Animal Council Chair Don Hammond. ...3 days ago
- BNNZ Government Agency briefing – Wellington, 11 SeptemberGovernment policy work on the Carbon Zero bill highlights connections between climate change, carbon sequestration and agriculture. Water quality and allocation are also topical with the release of the Draft Policy Statement for Freshwater Management ...3 days ago
- Thanks for listening Minister, but bit longer would be niceDairyNZ Chief Executive Dr Tim Mackle is welcoming this afternoon’s announcement that consultation on Essential Freshwater has been extended by two weeks - but is calling on the Minister to go further. ...4 days ago
- Government must extend Freshwater consultationDairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle is calling on the Government to move swiftly to extend the six-week timeframe of the Essential Freshwater consultation. ...4 days ago
- Measured and reasonable approach to gun registerThe Police Association welcomes the latest steps being taken by the Government to tighten gun laws in New Zealand and set up a gun register. ...4 days ago
- Funding needs to be spent closer to homeImmigration New Zealand could really benefit from an large investment of money, comments Ms June Ranson, chair of the New Zealand Association for Migration and Investment (NZAMI) , a leading voice in the immigration sector. “Instead of spending $25m ...4 days ago
- Be careful how loudly we blow this whistle, says DLA PiperIn recent times there has been no shortage of commentary regarding whistleblowers, with the proposed amendments to the Protected Disclosures Act 2000. These are aimed at strengthening the protection available to whistleblowers in New Zealand. That ...4 days ago
- New gun law bill will reduce violenceGun Control NZ strongly welcomes the comprehensive gun law reform bill and calls on all political parties to support it. Gun Control NZ encourages New Zealanders to let their MPs know they support this Bill, submit to the Select Committee, and ...4 days ago
- Firearms proposals slightly off target – FedsFederated Farmers agrees with most of the steps by government to protect people from illegal or irresponsible firearms use. But concerns about pest control and the effectiveness of a register remain. ...4 days ago
- An open letter to Apple from Ōtautahi ChristchurchChristchurchNZ didn’t want to just follow suit during this year’s Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. ...4 days ago
- Recommendations for cannabis Bill released todayToday at Parliament the NZ Drug Foundation released Taking control of cannabis: A model for responsible regulation, a new report that shows how we can take back control of cannabis from organised crime. ...4 days ago
- Fed Farmers fight against new rulesIn the face of overwhelming public opinion that farmers need to clean up after themselves, Federated Farmers has mounted an offensive to try and stop some of its members having to do just that. ...4 days ago
- Crackdown on vape flavours will keep smokers smokingResponding to reports that Associate Health Minister Jenny Salesa plans to restrict flavoured e-cigarette liquid, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director Jordan Williams says: ...4 days ago
- “Ask Me Anything”In the aftermath of the Christchurch Massacres, it’s clear that there is a lack of knowledge about some ethnic minorities. ...4 days ago
- Cultural values important to forest stakeholdersMāori and non- Māori value different aspects of plantation forestry, which owners should bear in mind if they want to maximise their social licence to operate, a new study shows. ...4 days ago
- Healthy Homes Initiative wins Spirit of Service’ AwardThe Prime Minister’s Award in the first annual Spirit of Service Awards has been won by the Ministry of Health and five agencies who teamed up on the Healthy Homes Initiative. ...4 days ago
- Commentary on Jenny Salesas statement on flavour restrictionSmoking kills 5,000 Kiwis each year, so any government policies to help reduce smoking are a good thing. However, the current approaches are not working nor will the proposed limit on flavoured e-liquid that Associate Minister Salesa announced on the news ...4 days ago
- Petition a game changer for the New Zealand economyA petition, that promises a significant and dramatic improvement for the New Zealand economy, was handed to Dr Deborah Russell, the MP for New Lynn today. The petition, signed by over 5,000 New Zealanders addresses our crippling level of debt as well ...4 days ago
- NZMA Applauds Appointment of CommissionThe New Zealand Medical Association welcomes the announcement of an Initial Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission. We look forward to working with the newly appointed Chair Hayden Wano and the Commission. “It is vital that the steps to mental health ...4 days ago
- Do we really value our local democracy?For anyone who even randomly follows the news will know that Hong Kong has been embroiled in demonstrations for months. These sometimes bloody demonstrations initially started as a result of a proposed Extradition Bill whereby there would be special ...4 days ago
- Limiting vaping flavours, a knee-jerk reaction“Banning most vaping flavours is like banning flavours in low-calorie drinks and food. It makes no sense whatsoever and won’t help anyone.” ...4 days ago
- Freshwater proposals a blunt instrument for complex issuesThe Government’s freshwater proposals represent a blunt instrument for complex water problems, according to the Meat Industry Association (MIA). ...5 days ago
- $100,000 CEO pay Rise a slap in the face, say Port WorkersThe release yesterday of Port Otago’s financial result for 2019, outlining a 12% increase and profits, including the news that the Chief Executive had received a $100,000 pay increase taking his remuneration to between $610,000-620,000, is like ...5 days ago
- Maori Council warns Minister not to proceed with appointment“ I continue to be amazed at the incompetence of this Government when it comes to suicide prevention and mental health. Not only is this Government about to appoint a regional coroner who has a history of under reporting suicides amongst children ...5 days ago
- Inspection finds Tongariro Prison ‘safe, well managed’An unannounced inspection at Tongariro Prison has found a safe and well-managed prison, with a clear sense of purpose and striving for continuous improvement. ...5 days ago
- Public accountability: A matter of trust and confidenceThe Auditor-General’s discussion paper Public accountability: A matter of trust and confidence was presented to the House of Representatives today. ...5 days ago
- Young Reporters for the Environment winners announcedKeep New Zealand Beautiful (KNZB) are proud to announce the winners of the Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) – Litter Less 2019 competition. ...5 days ago
- New Zealand rescue recognised at international awardsA dramatic rescue off the Port Waikato bar has earned New Zealand search and rescue agencies international recognition. ...5 days ago
- Community Support for Councils’ appeal on GMO’sThe Far North District Council (FNDC) and the Whangarei District Council (WDC) have lodged a joint appeal against the Northland Regional Council’s (NRC) omission of precautionary rules in its plan. [1] ...5 days ago
- Second tasering unjustified following disorder in PictonThe Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that an officer was not justified in tasering a man for a second time during an arrest in Picton on 23 June 2018. ...5 days ago
- Chairman to assist Hong Kong IPCCThe Chairman of the Authority, Judge Colin Doherty, has agreed to assist the Hong Kong Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC) as a member of an international panel to provide high level advice to the IPCC in relation to its proposed "Thematic ...5 days ago
- Genuinely affordable homes are the answer to housing crisis“Putting families into motels is a temporary fix for desperate situations, rather than a sustainable solution to problems of poverty and homelessness,” says Scott Figenshow, Chief Executive of Community Housing Aotearoa. He was commenting on media ...5 days ago
- Explainer: what happens when magnetic north and true north align?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Wilkes, Senior Research Geophysicist, CSIRO At some point in recent weeks, a once-in-a-lifetime event happened for people at Greenwich in the United Kingdom. Magnetic compasses at the historic London area, known as the home of the Prime Meridian, were said to ...23 mins ago - As pressure on Iran mounts, there is little room for quiet diplomacy to free detained Australians
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Walker, Adjunct Professor, School of Communications, La Trobe University Australia’s attempts to secure the release of an Australian national and two with joint UK-Australian citizenship from an Iranian prison have become vastly more complicated following the brazen attacks on Saudi oil ...24 mins ago - Curious Kids: why are some twins identical and some not?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison McEwen, Head of Discipline of Genetic Counselling, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskids@theconversation.edu.au. Why are some twins identical and some not? – Chloe, ...24 mins ago - The gloves are off: ‘predatory’ climate deniers are a threat to our children
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Flannery, Professorial fellow, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne In this age of rapidly melting glaciers, terrifying megafires and ever more puissant hurricanes, of acidifying and rising oceans, it is hard to believe that any further prod to climate action ...24 mins ago - Greens’ challenge aptly described by Paddy Manning, but with no solutions in sight
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marc Hudson, Researcher, University of Manchester Paddy Manning’s excellent account of the Australian Greens will not be the last word on Australia’s most successful third party, but will doubtless remain important and influential for many years to come. Manning’s exhaustive (but never ...24 mins ago - Keeping the city cool isn’t just about tree cover – it calls for a commons-based climate respons...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Abby Mellick Lopes, Senior Lecturer in Design, Western Sydney University This story is part of Covering Climate Now, a global collaboration of more than 250 news outlets to strengthen coverage of the climate story. A recent report by the Greater Sydney Commission ...24 mins ago - ‘An insult’ – politicians sing the praises of the cashless welfare card, but those forced to u...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eve Vincent, Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University “This is a bit controversial, we know that,” deputy prime minister Michael McCormick told the National Party’s federal council, which on the weekend voted for a national roll-out of cashless debit cards for anyone younger than ...24 mins ago - Suddenly, the world’s biggest trade agreement won’t allow corporations to sue governments
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pat Ranald, Research fellow, University of Sydney The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership has been touted as the best hope for keeping world trade flowing after the attacks on the World Trade Organisation. The WTO isn’t dead yet, but in a two-pronged attack, ...25 mins ago - Civilization: The Way We Live Now – powerful, troubling photographs of a crowded planet and uncert...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sasha Grishin, Adjunct Professor of Art History, Australian National University In 1955, an enormous photographic exhibition, The Family of Man, challenged the world as to what it meant to be human. The curator, Edward Steichen, assembled 503 photographs by 273 photographers from ...25 mins ago - Why it’s time for New Zealanders to learn more about their own country’s historySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Belgrave, Professor History, Massey University From 2022, New Zealand history will be taught at all schools as part of the compulsory national curriculum. The announcement is an astonishing turnaround, given that the ministry of education and parliament’s education and workforce select ...25 mins ago
- The Bulletin: Defence Force under heavy Burnham scrutiny
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: NZDF under inquiry scrutiny, competing statements on Labour investigation released through lawyers, and a thorough look at Air NZ’s carbon offsets. Ever since the book Hit and Run was published, the Defence Force have been under various degrees of pressure over whether ...2 hours ago - Scandal: Councils spending too little on staff Christmas parties
Yesterday Newshub revealed something shocking and disheartening about the spending practices of our local councils. Hayden Donnell registers his disappointment.The Spinoff local election coverage is entirely funded by The Spinoff Members. For more about becoming a member and supporting The Spinoff’s journalism click here.Councils often get a raw deal in ...3 hours ago - Solving our housing crisis will require a change of tack
If NZ wants to address its housing crisis, there are vital planning measures we must take first. The University of Auckland's Lee Beattie explains. ...4 hours ago - Silver Ferns icon caught in Paris’ spell
Irene van Dyk reckons she “hit the jackpot” when she was asked to mentor Paris Lokotui, who at 17 has already played for NZ in three different sports. ...4 hours ago - Drilling into the past to predict the future
Climate change is at the centre of a remarkable international drilling operation into Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf this summer. ...4 hours ago - NZ loses our ‘Kiwi Cousteau’
His passion for conserving New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and his love of whales and dolphins made Wade Doak a conservation icon. Sue Halliwell farewells a legend. ...4 hours ago - A dehydrated national icon
Droughts and dying trees are hardening forest floors and starving Northland's kiwi. Climate change threatens to double the region's time spent in drought. ...4 hours ago - The evolution of Steve Hansen
Jim Kayes recounts his jousts with the All Blacks coach as the clock winds down on Steve Hansen's reign. ...4 hours ago - New campaign to beat the Australian-owned banks
Kiwibank says the four big Australian owned banks are sending five billion dollars in profits a year back to Australia and it's time New Zealand hung on to some of it. ...4 hours ago - The NZ history curriculum – a Trojan horse
Professor Elizabeth Rata argues the introduction of a standard course of NZ history in schools should be a start, not an end, and should lead to agreed nationwide curricula in other subjects. ...4 hours ago - Should you choose to offset your emissions, and where does the money go?
Covering Climate Now: ‘Click here to offset your emissions.’ It’s an appealing, guilt-assuaging idea. But what does it really amount to, asks Mirjam Guesgen.New Zealanders travel overseas a lot, with trips totalling close to 3 million a year. And every time a Kiwi takes flight, tonnes of earth-heating gases spew ...4 hours ago - Jacinda Ardern: ‘We have a duty of care, and we failed in it’The prime minister has admitted mistakes, and outlined measures to change the party culture.Jacinda Ardern, the prime minister and leader of the Labour Party, yesterday addressed at length the situation around allegations of sexual assault by a Labour volunteer and an investigation into a Labour staffer. “We have a duty ...4 hours ago
- A community in the cross-fire
A new gang in south Auckland has raised tensions and is being blamed for a spike in violence. ...4 hours ago - Airport fuel outage probe faults companies
A new inquiry into the 2017 Auckland Airport fuel outage says fuel companies need to invest in more resilient infrastructure, particularly as the airport uses ever more fuel. ...4 hours ago - Why the UN Climate Summit matters
The media and climate activists must “name and shame” laggards, says the UN special envoy. Mark Hertsgaard reports. ...10 hours ago - New beginning for climate reporting
Could it be that that the press, especially the US press, is finally waking up to the climate story? Mark Hertsgaard and Kyle Pope, co-founders of the Covering Climate Now initiative, report. ...10 hours ago - Two statements on the Labour Party inquiryIn spite of Jacinda Ardern’s exhortation that ‘it would be preferable if this case were not in the public domain’, differing accounts of what was said in an inquiry into the conduct of a (now former) Labour staffer, who denies wrongdoing, have been issued today to media from the chair ...12 hours ago
- Three out in front of Hamilton mayoral race
While eight candidates are vying for the top job in Hamilton, only three appear to be front-runners. ...13 hours ago - UK Trade Secretary Liz Truss holds talks in Beehive over trade agreementNegotiating a free trade agreement with New Zealand will be a top priority for the UK once it leaves the European Union. ...14 hours ago
- Ardern outlines further actions taken regarding assault allegationsThe Prime Minister has announced the Labour Party will conduct two separate inquiries into sexual assault allegations. ...14 hours ago
- Politics with Michelle Grattan: Jim Chalmers on the need to change economic courseSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers says it’s time to change Australia’s economic course “in a responsible and affordable way which doesn’t jeopardise the surplus”. Chalmers predicts the budget outcome for last financial year, forecast to be ...14 hours ago
- Office of Ethnic Communities overhauled
Six months on from the terrorist attacks, and after years of frustrations, the Office of Ethnic communities is changing. ...15 hours ago - Reality slippages and narcissistic stereotyping – watching Content, a TV show made for smart phone...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Maguire, Lecturer in English and Creative Writing, James Cook University Lucy (Charlotte Nicado) is a pink-haired millennial having a quarter-life crisis. Her school friends have drifted away, she has a useless law degree, and a depressing rotation of casual jobs has ...15 hours ago - Labour Party investigator: I wasn’t told about sexual allegations
Labour Party member tasked with investigating misconduct doubles down on claims he never received sexual assault complaints. ...16 hours ago - Labour abuse allegations investigator brings in computer expertOne of the people who investigated complaints about a Labour staffer has hired a forensic computer expert to prove he was never told about sexual assault allegations. ...16 hours ago
- Debt-financed infrastructure spending won’t solve Germany’s problems
Germany doesn't need a grand scale infrastructure programme, it needs a different Chancellor in a different coalition government. ...17 hours ago - You can help track 4 billion bogong moths with your smartphone – and save pygmy possums from extin...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sally Sherwen, Director Wildlife Conservation and Science, Zoos Victoria, University of Melbourne Each year, from September to mid-October, the tiny and very precious mountain pygmy-possums arise from their months of hibernation under the snow and begin feasting on billions of bogong moths ...17 hours ago - Race brefing: Hutt City, where a 28-year-old might become mayorIn our latest local elections 2019 race briefing (read the rest here), Alex Braae breaks down the surprisingly bitter Hutt City mayoral race.The Spinoff local election coverage is entirely funded by The Spinoff Members. For more about becoming a member and supporting The Spinoff’s journalism click here.Where?Hutt City covers the ...17 hours ago
- Kiwis shopping around for power companies
More than 42,000 households switched power companies last month, the highest amount for a month since 2011. ...17 hours ago - Plant power: The Spinoff food section goes vegan (for a week)
Covering Climate Now: Why we’re saying adios to animal products (just for a little while). The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here!As part of The Spinoff’s commitment to Covering Climate Now, a week-long worldwide initiative aimed at strengthening the media’s focus ...18 hours ago - The gaming apocalypse scenarios most (and least) likely to happen in real life
Covering Climate Now: Grim post-apocalyptic settings are a dime a dozen in gaming, but which ones are the most realistic? Sam Brooks talked to climate scientist David Tong to find out.The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here!Every year there’s a ...18 hours ago - Is vigorous exercise safe during the third trimester of pregnancy?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kassia Beetham, Exercise Physiology Lecturer, Australian Catholic University Expectant mothers receive an avalanche of information about potential risks to their baby. There’s a growing list of foods, toxins and environmental threats to avoid. It’s normal for this to lead to an increased ...18 hours ago - Complaints against banks up 20 percent
Complaints to the Banking Ombudsman rose 20 percent in the last financial year as the conduct of banks and financial agencies was thrust into the spotlight. ...19 hours ago - The Testaments: Pip Adam reviews the ultra-hyped new Margaret Atwood
One of our country’s finest writers gorges herself on Gilead – and finds herself wishing for more osmosis between the Booker-shortlisted new novel and the horror-story politics playing out around us. Over the past five days I’ve re-read Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel The Handmaid’s Tale, caught myself up with the MGM/Hulu ...20 hours ago - Lowballing construction contracts a ‘massive problem’
Builders are setting up a new scheme to lessen the chances that companies close to collapse can win major contracts. ...20 hours ago - Waterdeep Mountain High: Welcome to the Home of the Dragon BurgerIn this special episode, we welcome you back to Waterdeep Mountain High, a Dungeons & Dragons podcast set in a below average school in the mystical land of Faerun.The gang are back and this time they have to… get summer jobs! Join Kate, Forrest, Hillardo and Peng as they begin ...21 hours ago
- Naomi Klein: The link between climate crisis and white supremacy
Author and social activist Naomi Klein talks the Green New Deal, Greta Thunberg and the links between the rise of white supremacy and the climate crisis. ...21 hours ago - The clothing label that’s built a bond with Kiwi women through online interaction
Napier-based women’s clothing company KILT is a big brand with local charm. Josie Adams finds out how they’ve adapted their boutique strategy to work on a national level.Having grown up in the internet era New Zealand fashion label KILT has developed a unique relationship with its customers via an online ...22 hours ago - National: Gun bill may stop gunowners seeking mental health helpNational is concerned the government's bill to tighten up gun laws and introduce a gun registry will stop gun owners in mental crisis seeking help from their GPs. ...22 hours ago
- Blank stares and brain explosions: My day speaking only te reo
For the first day of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, Alice Neville banned herself from speaking English. Here’s how it went down.I discovered a foolproof way to make a day of speaking only te reo Māori easy. Just don’t talk. Seriously, turituri and you’ll be fine. I know, I know, ...22 hours ago
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