China
Categories under China
- Xi Jinping (3)
Britain’s tin-ear ’tilt’ to the Indo-Pacific
Written By: - Date published: 5:39 pm, March 18th, 2021 - 14 comments
In its new integrated defence and foreign policy strategy, Britain intends to raise its nuclear warheads on Trident from 180 to 240. What a waste. It also intends to “tilt” to the Indo-Pacific, sending the New HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier here later in the year to give a message to China. It should read its history.
Vaccine Diplomacy
Written By: - Date published: 11:28 am, March 15th, 2021 - 19 comments
Vaccines have had a place in diplomacy since the Cold War. The country that can manufacture and distribute lifesaving injections to others less fortunate sees a return on its investment in the form of soft power. Today the country moving fastest towards consolidating these gains may be China.
Biden can reset with China
Written By: - Date published: 10:36 am, March 5th, 2021 - 43 comments
New Zealand should resist China’s authoritarian ways, and U.S. President Biden should too. But it’s all in how he does it.
We must resist US pressure on China that could lead to war
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 pm, February 20th, 2021 - 41 comments
In February 2002 I was at a union-NDP conference in Ottawa watching US television in my hotel room. Back home I reported on the conference to the Labour Party caucus and stated as an aside that the US was going to war with Iraq. Helen Clark stood up straightaway and said “we won’t be going with them.” Jacinda Ardern needs to do the same now.
We Must Resist China
Written By: - Date published: 11:57 am, February 11th, 2021 - 81 comments
New Zealand should continue to protest against China’s massive oppression of Uighur peoples. It’s what a country with a conscience ought to do.
Uyghur allegation escalation?
Written By: - Date published: 6:25 pm, February 6th, 2021 - 67 comments
Radio New Zealand carried a long story this week from the BBC of rape allegations in Xinjiang based on accounts from two Uyghur women Tursunay Ziawudun and Gulzira Auelkhan. Independent analyst Bernhard at Moonofalabama asks the question “Why do these Uyghur witnesses stories constantly change?
Reasons to abandon NZ’s Five-Eyed Folly
Written By: - Date published: 2:35 pm, February 4th, 2021 - 29 comments
Wayne Brown’s recent suggestion “Is it time to sell our seat on FiveEyes?” is from someone well placed by experience to form an educated opinion. “Trade sanctions of the type Australia is facing are a weapon used by both USA and China. So let’s have a debate on whether we need Five Eyes, or whether it’s time for us to trade on independently.”
Twelve months of living with Covid
Written By: - Date published: 8:58 am, February 1st, 2021 - 21 comments
One year on from the declaration by the WTO that Covid was a public health emergency and with the benefit of hindsight it is interesting to see who heeded the scientific advice and how it worked out.
Hong Kong arrests uncovering an ‘ugly plot?’
Written By: - Date published: 6:15 pm, January 25th, 2021 - 6 comments
Retired Hong Kong Final Court of Appeal Judge Henry Litton raises some important questions about the motivations of the 53 would-be legislators recently arrested in Hong Kong. Five Eyes countries including New Zealand were quick to condemn the arrests, but Litton states their aim was to implement a wider plot called “10-steps to mutual destruction,” and to use their powers as legislators to create chaos.
Are Revolutions A Good Idea?
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, January 23rd, 2021 - 24 comments
Revolt? Revolution? Pain in the ass? Depends, like comedy, on timing. And which side of history you end up on.
Nanaia Mahuta – Peacebroker
Written By: - Date published: 6:07 pm, December 16th, 2020 - 22 comments
“Do I believe that there might be an opportunity for New Zealand to create a different environment and have a conversation? Yes, I do.” Nanaia Mahuta told Reuters on Tuesday the country would be willing to help negotiate a truce between neighbouring Australia and regional heavyweight China, who are caught in an escalating trade and diplomatic spat. Great idea.
Blind-sided by Five Eyes
Written By: - Date published: 2:34 pm, December 12th, 2020 - 13 comments
It has been good to see some pushback in the media questioning the wisdom of Mahuta’s FiveEyes alignment as the first public act of her tenure as our Foreign Minister. Chris Trotter writes in interest.co.nz that upsetting New Zealand’s most significant trading partner seems like a very silly thing to do. Others include Bryce Edwards […]
Justice Coney Barrett appears to be a climate change denier
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, October 28th, 2020 - 10 comments
Newly appointed Republican and Trump supported Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett is not convinced that humans are changing the world’s climate. Meanwhile China and Japan are convinced and have announced dates by which time they intend to be carbon neutral.
US v China: new Cold War or new Opium War?
Written By: - Date published: 10:27 am, August 25th, 2020 - 23 comments
The Trump administration has declared war on China, and there is much speculation in the punditry as to whether or not this is a new Cold War similar to that waged post World War 2 against Russia. In my opinion, the 19th century Opium Wars may offer a more appropriate analogy, albeit with a likely different outcome.
Brady under review by Canterbury University
Written By: - Date published: 7:59 pm, August 17th, 2020 - 99 comments
Canterbury University is conducting a review of statements made to the Justice Select Committee by Professor Anne-Marie Brady alleging covert military transfer to China which complainants from other Universities under attack said “contained manifest errors of fact and misleading inferences.” The University would do well to broaden its review to encompass the NATO-funded Canterbury SSANSE which Brady heads. The military-purpose link there is explicit.
Expand Five Eyes
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, August 1st, 2020 - 70 comments
With the growing assertions by the Chinese government across the eastern Pacific including in Hong Kong and our own repudiation of an extradition treaty, there are now calls to expand the Five Eyes intelligence network to include Japan.
Payne snubs Pompeo on China regime change
Written By: - Date published: 12:52 pm, July 30th, 2020 - 15 comments
Australia’s Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds traveled to the US this week to meet face-to-face with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Minister Mark Esper. In what was clearly meant as a follow-up to recent speeches on China by the Americans, Payne firmly declined to join Pompeo in in his call for regime change in China.
Will Jami Lee spill the beans on National’s donations?
Written By: - Date published: 7:36 am, July 29th, 2020 - 45 comments
Jami-Lee Ross is threatening today to attempt to table details of National’s 2017 donations in Parliament.
Hong Kong principles
Written By: - Date published: 9:49 pm, July 28th, 2020 - 38 comments
According to our Prime Minister, today’s announcement that New Zealand is suspending extradition arrangements with Hong Kong is because of our principles. But it is not immediately clear what these principles are, other than falling into line with our Five Eyes spying partners. Some history is important.
COVID-19: A human adapted virus
Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, July 24th, 2020 - 23 comments
It has been obvious about COVID-19 that it is very well adapted to humans. It has evolved a good entry system to the humans, often has mild symptoms, long pre-symptomatic infectious period, and doesn’t kill many of its hosts. What has been less obvious is where it came from. It looks more like South East Asia rather than China.
We must welcome Kiwis home
Written By: - Date published: 12:27 pm, July 23rd, 2020 - 39 comments
With a new Immigration Minister this week, could we please get some reality to bringing our people home?
Unthinkable Things
Written By: - Date published: 8:41 am, July 22nd, 2020 - 29 comments
With the government clearly watching the unravelling of Australia’s Covid-19 response and putting in place $14 billion in preparation for a second infection wave, we are clearly now in a history-in-making territory of the highest instability outside a world war.
Jian Yang announces retirement so he can spend more time with his family
Written By: - Date published: 11:06 am, July 10th, 2020 - 54 comments
Jian Yang, he with impeccable Chinese Communist Party links and of formidable fundraising ability, has announced that he is is retiring from politics.
Muller is floundering
Written By: - Date published: 9:39 pm, June 30th, 2020 - 47 comments
Todd Muller had a bad day yesterday with adverse confidential National polling leaked to the media and with Grant Robertson and Winston Peters showing in the house that Muller’s denial that he had proposed opening up the border with China was simply not correct.
In defence of Ashley Bloomfield
Written By: - Date published: 8:27 am, June 22nd, 2020 - 155 comments
National and elements of the media have gone full on attack on the Government’s and Ashley Bloomfield’s Covid 19 performance. Which is unusual given that there is still no examples of community transmission and all recent infections have been picked up through the quarantine system.
More Skripal bullshit
Written By: - Date published: 10:03 pm, June 9th, 2020 - 37 comments
Skripal’s relatives don’t believe it, Jacinda Ardern doesn’t believe it, Paul Buchanan doesn’t believe it, and I never believed it. But a story planted in the UK Sunday Times that the Skripals are here lets our media rerun the assassination attempt that failed, even though the most deadliest poison in the world was involved. Stuff website has a British Minister from Theresa May’s time rerunning the old lies,as does the NZ Herald. Fits in nicely with the SIS anti-Russian history.
The four horsemen of the apocalypse
Written By: - Date published: 8:03 am, June 4th, 2020 - 16 comments
Ok so this is the worst year I can think of in my lifetime. But apocalyptopia it ain’t.
The International investigation into Covid-19
Written By: - Date published: 10:08 am, May 20th, 2020 - 81 comments
More than 110 nations have backed a call for the World Health Organisation to investigate the origins of the Covid-19 virus outbreak.
New Zealand’s poor in this new crisis
Written By: - Date published: 9:16 am, April 11th, 2020 - 126 comments
Covid 19 is not some great leveller. To succeed the state has to completely redirect the economy to so that ordinary workers and working families are supported.
Coronavirus and the State
Written By: - Date published: 2:52 pm, March 11th, 2020 - 37 comments
A few weeks ago I slagged off the Chinese government for its response to the Corona virus and presumed that authoritarian states could never be as good as democratic states in responding to a pandemic. I want to revisit my opinion.
The Corona Virus and the Car
Written By: - Date published: 7:42 am, February 28th, 2020 - 27 comments
We just saw the stock markets lose their composure, but the stocks taking really big hits are the carmakers who have baked their profitability future into this largest growing car market.
- The affluent pathway to Parliament
Bryce Edwards writes – Increasingly the New Zealand Parliament is becoming a place for the affluent. New research out today on the socioeconomic and occupational backgrounds of those in the current Parliament shows that MPs are becoming more and more homogenous. Despite diversifying demographics in terms of gender, ...2 weeks ago - Support the climate strike
Today is school strike 4 climate day. There will be protests around the country in support of climate action and a lower voting age, which are expected to attract over a hundred thousand people. There's still a pandemic on, so I can't go (curse the pandemic!). But if you feel ...2 weeks ago - Weekly Roundup 5-April-2024
It’s Friday again and here are some articles that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday we ran a post for April Fools that the government were banning walking. It seems it struck a nerve and is already our most viewed post – ...2 weeks ago - Dawn Chorus for Friday, April 5
2 weeks ago - The Worst Urban Myths Never Die
Hi,I really appreciated what José Andrés wrote in the New York Times this week:“In the worst conditions, after the worst terrorist attack in its history, it’s time for the best of Israel to show up. You cannot save the hostages by bombing every building in Gaza. You cannot win this ...2 weeks ago - The Hoon around the week to April 5Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Confidence in the Government, as measured by Roy Morgan’s ‘Right Track/Wrong Track’ survey, collapsed in March by ...2 weeks ago
- The Song of Saqua: Volume VI
Time for another D&D update, concerning my Dhampir Sorceror. Session XIII The party departed the tavern, somewhat hungover. Thence we travelled into a forest – home, apparently, of both a fortune-teller and various formidable creatures. Saqua’s experience with forests is of the kelp-variety, so this was all new ...2 weeks ago - Mr Peters goes to Washington
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is now going to Washington next week for talks with US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. He is currently in Brussels at a NATO summit. The visit, with programmes in New York and Washington D.C., will focus on major global and regional security challenges and includes ...2 weeks ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #14 2024
Open access notables We need a solid scientific basis for nature-based climate solutions in the United States, Novick et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (perspective): Ambitious NbCS [nature-based climate solutions] programs could deliver benefits for biodiversity, communities, and the climate. Unfortunately, a lack of evidence about specific benefits from specific ...2 weeks ago - The Treaty’s role in governance arrangements? Restoration of referendums on Māori wards will be h...
Buzz from the Beehive There’s good news today for proponents of democracy, or democratic government. That excludes every MP who voted for the Canterbury Regional Council (Ngāi Tahu Representation) Bill, which enables the tribe’s rūnanga to appoint two councillors with full voting rights to the council. “Appoint” is the key word. ...2 weeks ago - Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live
Photo by Anthony Duran on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...2 weeks ago - New oil and gas to quadruple by 2030, threatening climate goals2 weeks ago
- Let me tell you how I feel about COVID
Let me tell you how I feel about COVID which decked me three weeks ago and left me stuffed until just two days ago.Let me tell you how I feel about COVID, which has lately been leaving workplaces full of holes where their productive labour units should be.Let me tell ...2 weeks ago - Climate Change: Making polluters payClimate change threatens human civilization. It threatens to kill a billion people. The costs of stopping it, and of adapting to the damage already done - of moving people and infrastructure to protect them from sea-level rise, and of dealing with the resulting floods, droughts, cyclones, heat-waves, and other extreme ...2 weeks ago
- Too complexMax Salmon writes – How complex is too complex? My new report for the New Zealand Initiative, Cabinet Congestion: The Growth of a Ministerial Maze, poses this question with respect to the executive branch of New Zealand’s Government. New Zealand’s executive is incredibly powerful. Its members control the levers ...2 weeks ago
- A Parliament of office workersAlthough there are now more farmers than teachers in the country’s 54th Parliament, office work, politics and humanities education are the dominant backgrounds of MPs. Mark Blackham and Emily Mingins write – Research released today by Blackland, a PR consultancy, finds that the six most popular ...2 weeks ago
- Watching Television.
Some of you might’ve guessed what today’s song is already. As the top comment on YouTube says, “one of the most important records ever made by one of the most underrated bands of all time. Just as relevant today as it was when it was released.”I’d agree with that, I’ve ...2 weeks ago - Confidence in Government collapsesA new poll shows women see the country on the wrong track more dramatically than other cohorts, especially older men, and overall confidence collapsed in March. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items of note in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy on Thursday, April 4 included:A Roy Morgan poll ...2 weeks ago
- Bryce Edwards: The Affluent pathway to Parliament
Increasingly the New Zealand Parliament is becoming a place for the affluent. New research out today on the socioeconomic and occupational backgrounds of those in the current Parliament shows that MPs are becoming more and more homogenous. Despite diversifying demographics in terms of gender, ethnicity, sexuality and so forth, our ...2 weeks ago - How can I make my retirement plan climate-friendly?This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Barbara Grady If you’re worried that your retirement plan might include investments in fossil fuels, here’s what you can do. The first thing you’ll want to do is research what’s in your 401(k). Which stocks and bonds are in the mutual ...2 weeks ago
- The Maddest March since COVIDMarch is now over and so too is March Madness – though public transport will likely stay busy at least until school holidays in a few weeks. So how did PT perform in March …. pretty well it turned out. Just prior to March I wrote about how average weekday ...2 weeks ago
- Mark Blackham and Emily Mingins: A Parliament of office workersAlthough there’s now more farmers than teachers in the in the 54th Parliament, office work, politics and humanities education are the dominant backgrounds of MPs. Research released today by Blackland, a PR consultancy, finds that the six most popular careers for MPs are (in descending order) managers, elected representatives, ...2 weeks ago
- Chalk marks the position of the body
Try as he might to dazzle us with his CEO mad skillz, there is no way this lacklustre Prime Minister can conceal the awkward reality that he is but the goofy grinning front end of a horse costume, the monkey who fancies himself the organ grinder, the sad awkward cuck ...2 weeks ago - “Efficiency” is no reason to violate human rightsThe right to trial by jury is affirmed in the Bill of Rights Act. The National Party wants to take it off you: Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is considering ways to reduce the number of jury trials, saying an increase in defendants choosing them is contributing to delays. Data ...2 weeks ago
- NZ Govt welcomes the lifting of an injunction (to protect the Maui dolphin) which banned some fish i...Buzz from the Beehive The lifting of a temporary ban on some New Zealand fish exports to the United States was hailed by two New Zealand ministers as a win for commonsense. Sea Shepherd spokesperson Michael Lawry, on the other hand, told RNZ “politics and power” had won over science. ...2 weeks ago
- Why Do We Love True Crime?Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Read more ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell on the death of library browsingFor many of us, the word “library” has comfortable connotations. It suggests rows of books in which to browse, make discoveries and pass them on to friends and family. Beyond being a resource centre for culture and practical information, a typical library is also a community meeting ground and a ...2 weeks ago
- I'm not a cynic.
I'm just bein' realistic, bein' honest with myselfI've tried bein' optimistic but it doesn't seem to helpSo I'll just have to admit this is the hand that I've been dealtI'm not bein' pessimistic, just bein' honest with myselfI remember a family outing at lake Rotoiti, near Rotorua. It always felt ...2 weeks ago - Success CityPatrick Reynolds is deputy chair of the Council’s City Centre Advisory Panel. On the back of the latest Infometrics data release, the Council through its economist Gary Blick has been publishing a whole lot of great numbers: For the second year in a row, Auckland’s high-achieving city centre has ...2 weeks ago
- Dawn Chorus for Wednesday, April 3These homes in Mt Cook, Wellington were demolished but the large rebuild project is now paused and the site sits idle, along with other social housing projects around the country. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six newsy things of note to me in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 7:06 ...2 weeks ago
- Beehive bloatWhile the new Government repeatedly vows to cut waste from within the Government, it has created seven new ministries and abolished only two left over from the Labour Government. A new study says that the more Ministers a government has, the more it will spend and the more difficult it ...2 weeks ago
- At a glance – Global warming and the El Niño Southern OscillationOn February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...2 weeks ago
- Criminal enterprisesIt was easter over the weekend, which meant the annual "debate" over relic easter trading laws, and various businesses deliberately flouting them for profit. I'd prefer those out-dated laws to be reformed - my preference is to make easter Sunday a public holiday, which solves all the problems other than ...2 weeks ago
- Tax relief is included in the next stage of Government Action Plan – but hospital staff could do ...Buzz from the Beehive Uh, oh. Maybe we are in the PM’s Naughty Book. We received a press statement from Green Party co-leader Chloe Swarbrick to tell us the Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months “is as pointless as it is hollow”. She was more than somewhat ...2 weeks ago
- You’re welcome, renters
More Than A Feilding: Good afternoon Prime Minister, thanks for making the time to talk to this little newsletter.Old Mate Grabaseat: You’re welcome mate! How’s it all going in Friendly Feilding, 14-time winner of NZ’s Most Beautiful Town?MTAF: Oh, I’m not actually in Feilding, that's just a reference to…OMG: I’m ...2 weeks ago - Fair Enough!
Sounds About Right: It would seem that the realities of practical politics makes utilitarians of us all.DOING THE GREATEST GOOD for the greatest number has long been the ethical rule-of-thumb for New Zealand politicians. At least, that is how they would argue if challenged to justify their own, or their ...2 weeks ago - Climate Change: The wrong directionToday the government released its "action plan" for the next three months - basically, the list of what it wants to get done. Yes, its government by KPI, with all the bullshit that that entails. But contempt for management culture aside, what about the substance? And in particular, the substance ...2 weeks ago
- The complex and bloated ExecutiveDavid Farrar writes – The NZ Initiative has published a research note comparing our Executive Government to others. They note: We have 44% more Ministers, 282% more portfolios and 156% more departments than countries of similar size NZ has 41 departments NZ has 27 crown agencies NZ has ...2 weeks ago
- Steven Joyce’s revolving door entry into a $4000/day govt appointmentBryce Edwards writes – Former National Government Finance Minister Steven Joyce is being paid $4000 a day to chair the new Government’s “expert advisory panel” on infrastructure. That’s over twice what Prime Minister Christopher Luxon gets, and makes Joyce New Zealand’s highest-paid public servant. At the same time, ...2 weeks ago
- The debt rules being used to strangle NZIn reality, there is far too little ‘future proofing’ being undertaken by councils, mainly because of the fear of the perceptions of councillors, officials, mayors (and Government ministers) that they’ll be punished for being ‘fiscally reckless’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My top six news items of note on ...2 weeks ago
- A data scientist’s case for ‘cautious optimism’ about climate changeThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Michael Svoboda Against the regular drumbeat of negative news on climate and the environment, a positive note can be both startling and therapeutic. To keep pressing forward, we need to know that progress has been — and still can be — made. ...2 weeks ago
- Suddenly Seymour.
I know Seymour's the greatestBut I'm dating a semi-sadistSo I've got a black eyeAnd my arm's in a cast.Still, that Seymour's a cutieWell, if not, he's got inner beautyAnd I dream of a placeWhere we could be together at last..How are you feeling about David Seymour, six months after the ...2 weeks ago - The Kaka’s diary for the week to April 8 and beyond
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 8 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-cabinet news conference at 4pm today.Parliament is not sittingBuilding consents data is due on Thursday.Photo by Marissa Grootes on UnsplashThe Kaka’s diary for the week to ...2 weeks ago - Daughters of Derbyshire: Published
My 4300-word historical fiction piece, Daughters of Derbyshire, is now out, via The Lesbian Historical Motif Podcast. Print format: https://alpennia.com/blog/lesbian-historic-motif-podcast-episode-283-daughters-derbyshire-daniel-stride Audio format: https://lesbianhistoricmotif.podbean.com/e/daughters-of-derbyshire-by-daniel-stride-the-lesbian-historic-motif-podcast-episode-283/ It concerns seventeenth century English Puritans – at once alien to modernity, and yet also a story written in the grim shadow of 2020. ...2 weeks ago - A moment of friction.
In strategic studies “friction” is a term that it is used to describe the moment when military action encounters adversary resistance. “Friction” is one of four (along with an unofficial fifth) “F’s” in military strategy, which includes force (kinetic mass), … Continue reading ...2 weeks ago - Spotlight on the CourtsMuriel Newman writes – “Houston, we have a problem!” New Zealand’s Supreme Court – the highest court in our land – has been captured by activist judges. What is heartening, is the emergence of a wide range of eminent legal voices all openly criticising the Court and calling ...2 weeks ago
- NZ Government announces ban on walkingRNZ reports: As part of their ‘100 Day Plan – Phase 2’, the government today announced a ban on walking on streets and in most public spaces. Transport Minister Simeon Brown says the move is part of the Government’s plan to boost economic growth and productivity. “Walking is just too ...3 weeks ago
- 2024 Reading Summary (+ Writing Update)Completed reads for March: Lamia (poem), by John Keats The Moon Pool, by Abraham Merritt A Brief History of Time, by Stephen Hawking Inverted World, by Christopher Priest Fugue for a Darkening Island, by Christopher Priest The Secrets of Dr John Taverner (collection), by Dion Fortune St Benedict’s Rule ...3 weeks ago
- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #13A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 24, 2024 thru Sat, March 30, 2024. Story of the week When it comes to polar sea ice appearances can be deceptive, trends may be obvious ...3 weeks ago
- Love is Love.
There are three comedians I particularly like. One Scottish, one American, and one Australian. No walking into a bar in this joke, they’re all at various stage of alcoholism - funny how that works. They’re all liberal more than necessarily left - although the Scottish one is typically socialist. It’s ...3 weeks ago - In journalism facts should be verifiable
Fact-Checkers’ personal biases will often lead to presenting fake news as factual, or facts as fake news. Image credit: “The Psychology of Fact-Checking.” I ... 3 weeks ago- The Origins of Rage
Hi,I dyed my hair pink* this week. If I was being pretentious I’d say it was an art project. I’d used a pink-hair filter on social media earlier this month, which had people evenly split between “Oh my God you dyed your hair!” to “That’s clearly a filter!”At some point ...3 weeks ago- The Missing Body.
“And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.” – Matthew 27:2“THIS COURT OF INQUIRY will come to order!”The Presiding Officer surveyed the room. The tables arranged to form a hollow square. The soldiers in their dress uniforms. The evidence folders placed neatly ...3 weeks ago- National’s Governing For (Crony) Capitalists – Not Capitalism.
Gimme, Gimme, Gimme! The late Bruce Jesson used to say that while National governed for capitalists, Labour governed for Capitalism. Jesson’s suggestion: that National was so firmly locked inside the individualist logic of the private sector that it struggled to see the broader capitalist picture; was a shrewd one.WHY IS THE ...3 weeks ago- Rapture and Rage.
When Push Came To Shove: If Jacinda Ardern’s government struggled to contain 3,000 angry Kiwis in 2022, how will Christopher Luxon’s cope with 300,000 in 2025?THE OCCUPATION OF PARLIAMENT GROUNDS stands as one of the oddest moments in New Zealand political history. Not the least of its oddities was the mixture ...3 weeks ago- Things I’d have hoped we could all agree on
Eric Crampton writes – This week’s Budget Policy Statement was disappointing. There are a few things I’d have thought we could all have agreed on. They seem pretty basic. If the Reserve Bank is still using monetary policy to push against inflation, fiscal stimulus is a pretty bad ...3 weeks ago- Labour’s crime legacy of the last three years
Michael Bassett writes – The Labour Government lost the 2023 election when its support halved from 2020. It deserved to lose on economic grounds alone. Covid lockdowns that went beyond the prudent and wrecked livelihoods in the name of saving lives; an orgy of careless spending of borrowed ...3 weeks ago- Heroes and Rogues.
Happy Easter. 🙂As with last week’s review I’ll begin today with the the view from the right. Which last week seemed cloudy, and lacking in the ideal accoutrements for depth perception. Hosking’s Hall of Heroes.Donald Trump: 7/10 He floated and made a fortune and got a bond reduction with more time ...3 weeks ago- Getting Laid with Lamiae: The Origins of Sexy Vampires
I ran across a recent essay from The Brothers Krynn, which attempts to map common horror monsters onto the Seven Deadly Sins: https://canadianculturecorner.substack.com/p/horror-monsters-and-vice My interest, however, is not in the meat of the piece, but rather the opening paragraph: It is an interesting fact that in recent decades, Vampires have ...3 weeks ago - The Origins of Rage
- Watch: Christopher Luxon faces questions in Singapore
The Prime Minister is speaking to media on his second day of a tour around South East Asia. ...2 days ago - Watch live: Christopher Luxon faces questions in SingaporeThe Prime Minister is speaking to media on his second day of a tour around South East Asia. ...2 days ago
- How The Lost Boys of Dilworth brought a ‘horrendous nightmare’ to life
Alex Casey talks to the makers of TVNZ’s new docudrama retelling the stories of Dilworth survivors. This story contains reference to sexual abuse, please take care. When she first saw the child actors that would be playing the young versions of Dilworth survivors, Mary Durham nearly burst into tears on ...2 days ago - Pro-independence activist issues dire warning to France over Kanaky New Caledonia
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist A pro-independence activist in New Caledonia is warning France to immediately halt its planned constitution amendments or face “war”. The call for a u-turn follows proposed constitutional changes to voting rights which could push the number of eligible anti-independence voters up. Pacific Independence Movement ...2 days ago - The last days of motorsport at Pukekohe Park Raceway | Checkered Flag | The SpinoffIn the final months of the Pukekohe Park Raceway, the father and daughter duo managing the grassroots racecourse want to give everyone a last chance to go fast. This asphalt has been a part of New Zealand’s motorsport community and history for 60 years. Checkered Flag is made with the ...2 days ago
- Watch: David Seymour announces early childhood education centre changesACT's leader read to children while sitting next to a book featuring Jacinda Ardern, before telling reporters the former prime minister was an authoritarian. ...2 days ago
- Smaller agencies cutting deepest into staffing, data to date showsSmaller agencies are making deepest cuts as they look to save costs, RNZ data shows. ...2 days ago
- The last days of motorsport at Pukekohe Park RacewayIn Checkered Flag, the father and daughter duo managing the Pukekohe Park Raceway want to give everyone one last chance to go fast before its closure. Since it opened in 1962, the Pukekohe Park Raceway has hosted the New Zealand Grand Prix, the Tasman Series, and Supercar Championships as ...2 days ago
- Labour Productivity Falls 0.9 Percent
Labour productivity fell 0.9 percent in the year ended March 2023, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. The 0.9 percent fall in labour productivity was the largest fall since 2009. It follows a rise of 1.0 percent in the year ended March ...2 days ago - Shane Jones Throws A Lump Of Coal To The Mining LobbyistsCoal Action Network Aotearoa (CANA), the national organisation campaigning for an end to coal mining and coal use, says Resources Minister Shane Jones needs to understand the world has moved on from the industrial revolution, and coal - and siding with ...2 days ago
- Jeepers creepers: the climbing cost of climate change compoundsKiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr explains what effect climate change will have on inflation, housing and policy – and whether there’s a way out. Climate change. It’s a gigantic force and it’s coming into play at a time when New Zealand is already struggling with inflation. We’ve gone from a ...2 days ago
- New deal intends to make trade with Singapore simplerCustoms has signed a cooperation agreement with its Singaporean counterpart. ...2 days ago
- Will pet bonds really be a win-win? I’m not holding my breathMaking it easier for people with pets to find rentals is a good thing. But the pet bonds policy is just one proposal in a suite of many that overwhelmingly favour landlords’ rights, argues Kristin Kelly. Renting in New Zealand, generally speaking, sucks. At the time of the last census, ...2 days ago
- Shane Jones announces easier coal mine consentingThe Resources Minister says changes to coal mine consenting will reduce barriers to extraction. ...2 days ago
- How a global crisis, drift racing and Memphis hip-hop gave us phonk – the music of the TikTok gene...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andy Ward, Senior Lecturer in Music, School of Business and Creative Industries, University of the Sunshine Coast Shutterstock What’s that sound you hear – a combination of down-tempo hip-hop, menacing bass, distorted drums and plucky synths? It’s phonk! Still ...2 days ago
- Watch live: David Seymour announces early childhood education centre changesThe government has announced changes to the ECE sector, which it says will make it easier for new centres to be set up. ...2 days ago
- The cost of being: A skint student waiting anxiously to start a new jobAs part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a 30-year-old who’s just finished his studies will be breathing a sigh of relief when that first paycheck comes in. Gender: Male Age: 30 Ethnicity: Māori/European Role: Student/trainee, volunteer for a youth organisation. Salary/income/assets: Me: $400pw ...2 days ago
- Breaking: Stuff wins race to replace Newshub with a new 6pm bulletin for ThreeSources familiar with the deal say the print news giant has beaten out NZME to create a 6pm bulletin to replace Newshub at Three. Less than a week after Three confirmed that its proposal to completely shutter Newshub will be going ahead, it will today confirm that Stuff has won ...2 days ago
- Can playing Tetris help prevent PTSD if you’ve witnessed something traumatic?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Bressington, Professor in Mental Health, Charles Darwin University In the wake of witnessing tragic events, many people turn to online communities such as Reddit to discuss and process their experiences. A common bit of advice users give each other is to ...3 days ago
- Have New Zealanders really been ‘misled’ about AUKUS, or is involvement now a foregone conclusio...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marco de Jong, Lecturer, Law School, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images When former prime minister Helen Clark spoke out against New Zealand potentially compromising its independent foreign policy by joining pillar two of the AUKUS security pact, foreign minister ...3 days ago
- With democracy under threat in Narendra Modi’s India, how free and fair will this year’s electio...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Priya Chacko, Associate Professor, International Politics, University of Adelaide India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, is favoured to win reelection when India’s 970 million voters start heading to the polls on April 19 in the country’s massive, six-week general election. Modi, who has ...3 days ago
- What happens when I stop taking a drug like Ozempic or Mounjaro?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natasha Yates, General Practitioner, PhD Candidate, Bond University Diva Plavalaguna/Pexels Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide are taking drugs like Ozempic to lose weight. But what do we actually know about them? This month, The Conversation’s experts explore their rise, ...3 days ago
- Climate change is causing marine ‘coldwaves’ too, killing wildlifeSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicolas Benjamin Lubitz, Researcher in marine ecology, James Cook University Ryan Daly The effects of ocean warming are profound and well-documented. But sometimes changes in the patterns of winds and ocean currents cause seawater to suddenly cool, instead. Surface temperatures ...3 days ago
- Our research suggests eating an unhealthy breakfast could have a similar effect on your child’s sc...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew J. Martin, Scientia Professor and Professor of Educational Psychology, UNSW Sydney Haley Owens/Unsplash, CC BY Many parents know it is important for their teenagers to have breakfast before they go to school. Even though young people can be reluctant ...3 days ago
- NZ joins call for Israel not to escalate tensions with IranForeign Minister Winston Peters says now is not the time escalation, but rather for calmness. ...3 days ago
- China’s forced returns prompt call for foreign interference committee
A report sheds new light on NZ residents pressured into returning to China to face its legal system The post China’s forced returns prompt call for foreign interference committee appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 days ago - Mega tunnel idea prompts anger and satire but finds a couple of championsOne proponent has suggested the minister give Elon Musk a call about the newly resurrected mega tunnel idea for Wellington, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ‘We’re having a really good look ...3 days ago
- Costs of Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway not to be finalised until 2025The divvying up of costs for the billion-dollar Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway will not be finalised until next year. ...3 days ago
- Air NZ calls for Govt mandates to help drive sustainable aviation fuel useNew Zealand’s national carrier has taken a leap towards its net zero 2050 goal, with its biggest ever purchase of sustainable aviation fuel. But Air NZ chair Dame Therese Walsh said it was now time for the Government to step in with policies that would help level the playing field ...3 days ago
- Public service cuts: $6.3m in payouts at one ministry so farThe total cost of redundancies across the public service is not yet known and the Finance Minister has not asked for an estimated price tag. ...3 days ago
- A flagpole, a failed space, and a confused history of white fragilityWellington’s Flagstaff Hill has a strange, dark history…. or does it? Max Rashbrooke uncovers the truth about a historical myth. I pass it almost every day, yet never see it used. The flagpole, placed on a grassy hill above Wellington’s CBD, surrounded by trees and houses, and accessible only by ...3 days ago
- A series of alternative, equally ambitious, transport options for WellingtonYou want to build a giant underground tunnel? Dream a little bigger. On Monday, news broke that the government is investigating the prospect of a mega-tunnel, running from Wellington’s The Terrace to Kilbirnie, designed to reduce the car load on State Highway 1 and speed trips up by an astounding ...3 days ago
- Principals on the truth behind truancyBad parenting – or are there a million other reasons that a child might not make it to school? Ask Ash Maindonald, the principal of Western Heights School, a primary school in West Auckland. He’ll tell you that every principal he speaks to has a litany of war stories they ...3 days ago
- Beyond the DoC job cuts: ‘The worst is yet to come’Losing staff is just the beginning of a coming storm for the Department of Conservation, environmental groups warn The post Beyond the DoC job cuts: ‘The worst is yet to come’ appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 days ago
- ‘Reverse uplift’ foster parents still waiting to hear from OTThe foster couple at the centre of a Newsroom video investigation ordered removed from our website by the High Court are hopeful a Court of Appeal ruling means they finally hear back from Oranga Tamariki, who have been giving the couple the “silent treatment”. “We’re still in limbo. Our lives ...3 days ago
- Environment Court shuts down Pākiri sand mining appealThe court found the ‘clear benefits’ of continuing to take sand from Pākiri didn’t outweigh environmental concerns The post Environment Court shuts down Pākiri sand mining appeal appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 days ago
- Man in the middleIt’s no easy task leading a company that supplies fossil fuels in this day and age, and no one gives Z Energy chief executive Lindis Jones a harder time about it than his own kids. His work skating the friction zone – maintaining steady fuel supply while supporting the transition ...3 days ago
- Carers want out from disability ministry over funding fiascoCarers want to use their funding as they see fit The post Carers want out from disability ministry over funding fiasco appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 days ago
- Swiss climate ruling full of holesOpinion: European Court of Human Rights rules that Switzerland’s climate policy violates human rights of its citizens The post Swiss climate ruling full of holes appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 days ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 16 AprilLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 16 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 days ago
- Rhapsody in feijoaThe greatest book ever written about the feijoa may well be the only book ever written about the feijoa but there is no doubting that the recently published Feijoa by Kate Evans qualifies as a New Zealand natual history classic, a deep and knowledgeable dive into the life story of ...3 days ago
- Daily crossword, Tuesday 16 AprilThe post Daily crossword, Tuesday 16 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 days ago
- Security steals focus in Luxon’s Singapore swingOne of New Zealand’s closest defence partners has warned of the possibility of “calamity” if countries didn’t come together to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the Middle East conflict. “It is a very troubled world. And in particular, it is a very very troubled Middle East,” said Singapore Prime Minister ...3 days ago
- Rideshare giant Ola has abruptly exited the Australian market. What does this mean for the future of...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Neil G Sipe, Honorary Professor of Planning, The University of Queensland Diego Thomazini/Shutterstock Last week, Indian rideshare giant Ola announced that it would abruptly cease operations in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. A competitor to Uber, the company ...3 days ago
- Recession, high interest rates take toll on construction industryTony Boyce threw "mega bucks" into his company to try keep it afloat but with no work coming in, he has to close it down for good. ...3 days ago
- New Wellington tunnel: 'An astonishing misunderstanding of transport priorities'A new underground mega-tunnel in the capital would be a colossal waste of money, opponents of the government's suggestion for the tunnel say. ...3 days ago
- Singapore PM warns against Middle East 'calamity', signs NZ agreementSingapore's PM has warned small countries cannot solve the Middle East situation but efforts must be made to push for peace, after promising closer cooperation with NZ. ...3 days ago
- Pet bond will be 'safety blanket' for landlords – Housing Minister Chris BishopLandlords will be able to charge up to two weeks' rent, but renters say it's just another way for landlords to "pad their wallets". ...3 days ago
- We found three new species of extinct giant kangaroo – and we don’t know why they died out when ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Isaac A. R. Kerr, Research Assistant at Flinders University Palaeontology Laboratory, Flinders University Artist’s impression of the prehistoric landscape and creatures that Protemnodon would have walked among. Peter Schouten For millions of years, giant animals or megafauna roamed the lands that are ...3 days ago
- What public sector job cuts mean for Wellington small businessIt's not just public sector workers who are feeling the pain - the Wellington shops and services who rely on their custom fear they will be hit hard, too. ...3 days ago
- Judge finds Bruce Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins and dismisses Network 10 defamation case. How did ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Clift, Lecturer of law, The University of Melbourne Bruce Lehrmann has lost his defamation suit against Channel Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson after the media defendants proved, on the balance of probabilities, that Lehrmann raped his colleague Brittany Higgins in Parliament ...3 days ago
- Sydney attacker had ‘mental health issues’ but most people with mental illness aren’t violentSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Ogloff, University Distinguished Professor of Forensic Behavioural Science & Dean, School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology The man who killed six people and injured countless others at a Bondi shopping centre on Saturday, 40-year-old Joel Cauchi, reportedly had “mental ...3 days ago
- Family carers lose employment status after successful Govt appealTwo parents victorious in the Employment Court have had the decision to count them as employees of the Government for the work they do in caring for their children, overturned. The Court of Appeal has released its judgment following a lengthy deliberation since the final day of the hearing ...3 days ago
- Australia now has a $70 ‘shadow price’ on carbon emissions. Here’s why we won’t see a real p...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Andriano/Shutterstock For those who have followed the tortuous path of Australian climate policy over recent decades, a recent report by the Australian Energy Market Commission of a “shadow price” of ...3 days ago
- Revealed: A cost-benefit analysis for Wellington’s long tunnelDoes the capital really need a really long tunnel? Quite possibly, reckons Simeon Brown. Here’s how the transport minister might* have decided a project once rejected because it was eye-wateringly expensive was worth another look. Transport minister Simeon Brown has asked Waka Kotahi officials to investigate building a long tunnel ...3 days ago
- Long Covid sufferers scared they'll face penalties under government benefit resetSarah Macrae is in "agony" just trying to drive her children to school. Looking for work is impossible, she says. ...3 days ago
- Crisis communication saves lives – but people with disability often aren’t given the messageSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ariella Meltzer, Research Fellow in Social Impact, UNSW Sydney In a pandemic, bushfire or flood, people need high quality safety and crisis information. Getting emergency messages quickly can help people know how to prepare, what rules to follow, where dangers are, where ...3 days ago
- More WorkSafe Cuts Will Put Workers’ Health And Safety At RiskMoves by WorkSafe to start planning for further job cuts risks making New Zealand workplaces less safe, and New Zealand’s already poor worker safety record even worse, the PSA says. In November 2023 WorkSafe disestablished 113 roles , putting ...3 days ago
- Something borrowed, something Bluey: why we love a TV weddingSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liz Giuffre, Senior Lecturer in Communication, University of Technology Sydney Ludo Studio There is nothing like a wedding episode. Bluey’s first 28-minute special, The Sign, was the ultimate wedding television. Full of family, and family-friendly, the wedding between Bluey’s ...3 days ago
- New Paper On A Framework For Assessing The Economic And Fiscal Impacts Of Climate ChangeMore fully understanding the impacts of climate change to New Zealand is a critical step in evaluating the potential threats or opportunities posed to New Zealanders’ living standards. ...3 days ago
- Digital ‘death knocks’: is it fair game for journalists to mine social media profiles of victims...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alysson Watson, Associate lecturer in journalism, University of Newcastle The family of Ash Good, one of the Bondi stabbing victims and the mother of the nine-month-baby who was also stabbed, issued a plea overnight for media to stop reproducing photos of Ash, ...3 days ago
- Pet Refuge Charitable Trust Welcoming Introduction Of Pet BondsPet Refuge hopes the introduction of Pet Bonds will lead to more families finding safe homes for themselves and their pets after fleeing family violence. The government has today announced it will make changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to make ...3 days ago
- Ships in the night – final day of election campaigning in Solomon IslandsBy Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor It is the final day of election campaigning in Solomon Islands and there is a palpable sense of anticipation in the country, which is holding national and provincial elections simultaneously for the first time this year. There is also significant international interest this year ...3 days ago
- Watch: Government announces pet bond policy for rentersThe government has unveiled a two-week pet bond and obligations for tenants to pay for damage their animals cause. ...3 days ago
- More adults are being diagnosed as neurodivergent. Here’s how employers can help in the workplaceSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dougal Sutherland, Clinical Psychologist, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Anne Koeleman/Shutterstick There has been a rise in the number of people diagnosed with “neurodivergence” in adulthood over the past decade. This trend has been noted both internationally ...3 days ago
- Charges Laid Against Fraudulent Immigration Agent In ThailandCharges have been laid against two visa agents in Thailand after Immigration New Zealand identified they were providing fake documents for visitor visa applicants. ...3 days ago
- New Caledonia: Flags and emotions flying high over proposed changesBy Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk New Caledonia’s capital was on Saturday flooded by two simultaneous waves of French and Kanaky flags with two rival demonstrations in downtown Nouméa, only two streets away from each other and under heavy security surveillance. The French High Commission in Nouméa ...3 days ago
- Watch live: Government announces pet bond policy for rentersThe government has announced a two-week pet bond and obligations for tenants to pay for damage their animals cause. ...3 days ago
- PM Christopher Luxon would consider Singapore drone testing in NZ airspaceThe Prime Minister has talked up the prospect stronger defence ties Singapore. ...3 days ago
- What does a uni student with two part-time jobs eat?An interview with a student and food Instagrammer about eating as a first-time flatter and the importance of Auckland University mainstay Munchy Mart. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. “All I ever really want to know is how other people are making it through life ...3 days ago
- Finding Neutral: Estimates Of New Zealand’s Nominal Neutral Interest RateDue to New Zealanders’ high inflation expectations, the Official Cash Rate (OCR) would currently need to be about 3.9 percent to neither tap the brakes nor push on the accelerator of the economy, the Reserve Bank’s new Bulletin article shows. ...3 days ago
- International Migration: February 2024International migration statistics give the latest outcomes-based measure of migration, which includes estimates of migrants entering or leaving New Zealand. Key facts Annual migration Provisional estimates for the February 2024 year compared with the February ...3 days ago
- Owner Of Liquidated Auckland Restaurant Ordered To Pay Former Chef Almost $100,000The former owner of an Auckland restaurant business has been heavily sanctioned by the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) for multiple breaches of minimum employment standards even though the business is no longer trading and was liquidated in 2022. ...3 days ago
- Disability Support Zero For Three In Government Priority ListsSupport for disabled New Zealanders is yet to appear on a government action point list, missing from November’s 100 day plan, the 2 April 36 point plan or the nine government 2030 targets released on 8 April. “The government has set out its priorities ...3 days ago
- Briscoes’ new ‘retro’ collection looks awfully familiarRemakes are never as good as the originals, and that goes for plates too. There are many joys to op shopping, but for myself and a whole host of others it’s the discovery of something totally unexpected. A branded item mistakenly snuck onto the $1 rack, or a book you’ve ...3 days ago
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