Social issues
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Good Again
Written By: - Date published: 7:48 am, October 28th, 2021 - 17 comments
COVID has reminded us how good New Zealand is, and we should remember how we were reminded.
Why vaccine mandates are needed
Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, October 27th, 2021 - 149 comments
The Government has announced vaccine mandates for some publicly facing businesses designed to help minimise the spread of a virus that has killed millions of people world wide.
Happy Labour Day
Written By: - Date published: 9:48 am, October 25th, 2021 - 14 comments
Happy Labour day everyone, particularly essential workers including health workers who have to work today.
In December 2022 We Will Be …
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, October 25th, 2021 - 15 comments
A year ago we were preparing for the America’s Cup and threading our way through the latest crisis quite well. What will we be planning next year?
Get a haircut and get a real job
Written By: - Date published: 5:19 pm, October 24th, 2021 - 63 comments
While our eyes are peeled on the 90% vaccination target, the ground under our feet is shifting.
Won’t someone think of the business owners?
Written By: - Date published: 12:04 pm, October 24th, 2021 - 174 comments
This week Judith Collins was reported to be close to tears. But not about the possibility of a significant number of deaths but by the prospect of business closures.
Mad Tuesday
Written By: - Date published: 7:58 pm, October 22nd, 2021 - 15 comments
NZ Government is jumping at the deep end by re-opening schools on Tuesday.
Friday will change Us As Citizens
Written By: - Date published: 8:04 am, October 22nd, 2021 - 210 comments
While we may have been lifted out of martial lockdowns and some rights have been reinstated in limited form, we have surrendered to another more pervasive power. The power of big data.
National’s plan – open and be damned
Written By: - Date published: 9:43 am, October 21st, 2021 - 71 comments
Yesterday National released what feels like take 16 of its Covid response plan, this one focussing on business interests and setting a hard timeline for reopening. But getting significant details wrong and rehashing failed policies previously tried in England has dampened its effect.
Covid and kindness
Written By: - Date published: 10:16 am, October 20th, 2021 - 127 comments
The vaccine is a bloody useful tool, not a panacea. This is a long crisis that requires us to pay heed the bigger picture.
Get Ugly
Written By: - Date published: 9:20 am, October 20th, 2021 - 94 comments
Kindness will not get the country to meet its Covid vaccination goals. It is time to change the tone.
Slater smears again
Written By: - Date published: 8:33 am, October 18th, 2021 - 104 comments
The Herald’s publication of an attack on Ardern by a wedding venue owner appears to have been sourced from Cameron Slater and brings into stark relief the Herald’s twin business model of funding serious journalism by both subscriptions and the use of click bait.
New misogyny same as the old misogyny
Written By: - Date published: 12:38 pm, October 17th, 2021 - 140 comments
At the largest feminist conference in Europe, with a major focus on male violence against women, gender identity activists chose to protest with sexualised violent language and imagery.
Jacinda Ardern: Tear Down This Wall
Written By: - Date published: 11:18 am, October 17th, 2021 - 109 comments
In the coming months Fortress New Zealand will be dismantled. What will take its place?
Don’t be lax, get your vax
Written By: - Date published: 10:07 am, October 16th, 2021 - 43 comments
Posted for the big drive today for vaccinations for news and comments. Image borrowed from Waipareira who are doing great work out west.
Why Can’t We Do More?
Written By: - Date published: 8:44 am, October 16th, 2021 - 35 comments
The Government’s dramatic action taken over the past 18 months to respond to Covid and the population’s overwhelming support suggests that it should be taking similar drastic action to address poverty and climate change.
Time for Auckland to go back to level four?
Written By: - Date published: 7:55 am, October 15th, 2021 - 114 comments
With daily Covid infection rates in Tamaki Makaurau increasing it may be time for the Government to consider a short sharp lockdown to try and arrest this increase and to let vaccination rates improve.
Goudie blunders again
Written By: - Date published: 8:46 am, October 14th, 2021 - 176 comments
Thames Coromandel mayor Sandra Goudie who previously admitted not scanning where she goes has been at it again, this time stating that the Pfeizer vaccine is not good enough for her and she will be waiting for the Novovax vaccine to be available before she gets vaccinated.
Guest post: Whisper to a scream
Written By: - Date published: 6:10 am, October 13th, 2021 - 196 comments
What can you do when what you say is not what is being heard? This Guest Post by Standardista Molly explores different beliefs about femaleness and transness, and how we talk about these.
David Seymour is all class
Written By: - Date published: 8:35 am, October 12th, 2021 - 71 comments
David Seymour suggested that suburbs where the vaccination rate hit 90% should be allowed extra freedom. But an analysis suggests that the wealthiest parts of Auckland, including Remuera and Epsom would qualify, whereas the poorer parts of Auckland would struggle to qualify.
More Promises from Prime Minister Morrison
Written By: - Date published: 1:03 pm, October 11th, 2021 - 14 comments
So, the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is preparing for a November resumption of international air travel.
Covid D day
Written By: - Date published: 8:38 am, October 11th, 2021 - 159 comments
Some big decisions are due to happen today. What happens to Auckland’s Covid status? Should the lockdown level be reduced or should the Government think about putting it back up?
Terra Incognita
Written By: - Date published: 7:51 pm, October 9th, 2021 - 25 comments
The future can seem scary but we do not face it alone.
Chevron v Donziger
Written By: - Date published: 10:48 am, October 9th, 2021 - 12 comments
Despite spending over two years on home detention Attorney Steven Donziger, who successfully sued Chevron for the environmental carnage caused by its activities in Ecuador, was sentenced to the maximum jail time for refusing to hand over devices containing confidential client information protected by attorney client privilege in a prosecution mounted by lawyers with Chevron links before a pro Oil industry Judge.
Gender split is interesting in latest poll
Written By: - Date published: 10:49 am, October 7th, 2021 - 30 comments
The latest Roy Morgan poll was run between August 30th and September 26th. The headline results of Labour/Greens with 55% (increase by 3.5%) against opposition National/Act/Maori parties on 41% (up 0.5%) were good enough. But they also showed the gender split.. Women are deserting the right.
Gut Feeling and Common Sense
Written By: - Date published: 10:30 pm, October 6th, 2021 - 42 comments
With clear information people can and should be expected to make optimal and sub-optimal choices & decisions.
Holding our covid nerve
Written By: - Date published: 9:31 am, October 6th, 2021 - 48 comments
and keeping the faith.
That our covid response is not working out perfectly doesn’t mean we or the government are failing. What we need more of at this point are stories about ‘what if things work out’. Not in a Pollyanna or return to BAU sense, but that we can still be ok. We need strong narratives of what that might be like, us being ok despite the pandemic.
Right now Sonny Fatupaito is an essential worker
Written By: - Date published: 8:28 am, October 6th, 2021 - 125 comments
News that the head of Waikato’s Mongrel Mob chapter was given an essential workers exemption to travel to and around Auckland recently has attracted derision from the usual quarters. But right now Sonny Fatupaito’s help is essential.
The AUKUS Shell-game
Written By: - Date published: 3:54 pm, October 4th, 2021 - 44 comments
While the agreement between the 19th Century anglophone maritime powers the US and the UK to admit Australia to the exclusive nuclear submarine club gained all the headlines, another much more significant and imminent agreement was reached between the US and Australian governments on expanding US bases in Australia in the AUSMIN statement. The US gains another unsinkable aircraft carrier.
Priorities?
Written By: - Date published: 7:54 pm, October 3rd, 2021 - 16 comments
Is setting priorities just a matter of resources?
Who are these angry Aucklanders?
Written By: - Date published: 10:31 am, October 3rd, 2021 - 243 comments
This weekend there have been two attempts to undermine the current Auckland Covid lock down. Brian Tamaki’s was not the most ludicrous.
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #43, 2021
142 articles by 819 contributing authors Physical science of climate change, effects An Energy Budget Framework to Understand Mechanisms of Land–Ocean Warming Contrast Induced by Increasing Greenhouse Gases. Part I: Near-Equilibrium State Toda et al. Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-21-0302.1 Observations of climate change, effects Increasing large wildfires over the ...4 hours ago - Counter-Cultural Counter-Revolutionaries.
The Political Economy Of "Hippyness": Small businesses selling “whole-foods”, pottery, furniture, or (if the small business was bad) a little home-grown weed, swallowed up the hippy “movement”, leaving only a peculiar social sub-set devoted to “doing their own thing”. Refugees from the dominant culture: suspicious of, if not downright hostile ...10 hours ago - Bryce Edwards: Government failure on water reform
The Government’s water reforms appear to be fatally flawed before legislation is even introduced to Parliament. The fact that the Minister of Local Government Nanaia Mahuta is now pushing through unpopular reforms in the face of mass opposition and concern from nearly all quarters shows just how much she has ...12 hours ago - Obstacles Biden could face in changing approach to climate cost-benefit analysisThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Lexi Smith ABiden administration shift from cost-benefit analysis to cost-effectiveness analysis could allow President Biden to pursue more aggressive climate action. But any such shift also would face some administrative and legal challenges. While President Biden could act unilaterally to change cost-benefit ...14 hours ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 28 October 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Prof John Halligan, Emeritus Professor of Public Administration and Governance, Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis, University of Canberra, Australia “The emails from ‘NZ Politics Daily’ provides an indispensable service for an expat trying to keep abreast of events in New Zealand. As a comparative specialist I’m unaware of anything comparable in ...15 hours ago
- Why workers should support ACT’s Education and Training Amendment Bill
by Don Franks This year, New Zealand’s parliament will debate the ACT party’s Education and Training (Freedom of Expression) Amendment Bill. This relates to tertiary education, which many workers are denied. Despite that, I believe it’s in workers’ interests that this Bill becomes law. The Bill’s preamble states: “ Freedom ...1 day ago - Striving to ‘help people reinstate their health’
Dr Anna Rolleston and her team in Tauranga are on a mission to develop a new way of delivering healthcare that demonstrates the power of tikanga Māori and supports people taking control of their hauora (health). Anna, who holds a PhD in medicine, is the managing director of the Centre ...1 day ago - Te reo Māori changed Dr Awanui Te Huia’s lifeTe reo Māori immersion workshops, Kura Reo, changed the trajectory of Dr Awanui Te Huia’s life and set her on a new course of research to explore. Awanui’s initial research background is in Māori health and social psychology. For the past 10 years, her passion for research includes the links ...1 day ago
- “Close to useless”
A while ago I pointed out how some government agencies are juking the OIA stats, abusing the power to extend requests to make it look like they are answering requests in a timely manner, when the reality is anything but. I didn't do the followup of trawling through estimates hearings ...1 day ago - Vaccine mandates and human rightsYesterday the government announced a new vaccine mandate, requiring workers in high-contact industries to be vaccinated and allowing them to be fired if they refuse. This is obviously a prima facie breach of the BORA rights to refuse medical treatment, and to be free from discrimination (on health and potentially ...1 day ago
- The cost of Tiwai PointTwo years ago, foreign polluters Rio Tinto blackmailed Aotearoa into giving them lower electricity prices again. And they got away with it, getting themselves a rate nearly ten times lower than what us plebs pay. So how much does that cost us? $200 a year per household, according to the ...1 day ago
- We Have Failed the Government
We must now accept that our national response to the Delta variant has not been as successful as our initial effort last year when the coronavirus first made an appearance. This, we can assume, is partly because the Delta variant is a more formidable opponent but also partly because our ...1 day ago - Monitoring CO2 indoors for improving ventilation as a Covid-19 control toolDr Ian Longley and Dr Julie Bennett* Poor ventilation in indoor settings is widely recognised as a risk factor for the airborne transmission of the virus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes Covid-19. Virus-laden aerosols can remain airborne for hours in indoor spaces with low levels of ventilation. In this blog, we discuss ...2 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on our weird ways of funding care for the dying
National Party leader Judith Collins thinks the government’s traffic light system for emerging from Covid lockdowns is “confusing.” Perhaps she could be looking in the mirror because in recent weeks, National has hardly been a model of crystalline clarity. On RNZ this morning Collins was calling for the scrapping of ...2 days ago - Long read: reflections of a volcanologist as a science organisation faces charges in the wake of the...Ben Kennedy, University of Canterbury This week, a case review hearing sought to set a trial date – now likely in 2023 – for 13 organisations and individuals facing charges in the wake of the Whakaari White Island eruption of December 9 2019. The volcano erupted while 47 people ...2 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 27 October 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Prue Hyman, Economist; former Associate Professor of Economics and Gender and Women’s Studies at Victoria University of Wellington “Bryce Edwards’ emails NZ Politics Daily does a great job of putting together the urls of the vast majority of the day’s columns on NZ politics and economic and social policy ...2 days ago
- Misopogon: In Defence of Beards Among Tolkien’s Elves and Men
Fun fact: New Zealand’s release date for The Nature of Middle-earth is 10th November, which means I still do not have my copy. While you lot are busy with Tolkien’s calculations of Elven life-cycles to multiple decimal places,* and laughing (from a safe distance) at Númenorean dancing bears, I ...2 days ago - Climate Change: Make the dairy industry pay their wayThe dairy industry is celebrating its biggest payout ever: $13 billion. Which is great for the farmers, but immediately raises the obvious question: if they're so rich, why aren't they paying their way? Because dairy farming relies on enormous water and carbon subsidies from everyone else, and it is neither ...2 days ago
- Putting On The Armour Of Covid Righteousness.Moral Authority? To those who complain that the Prime Minister is unnecessarily and unethically stigmatising the vaccine hesitant and resistant, there is only one genuinely ethical retort: They have stigmatised themselves.ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES facing New Zealanders over the next few weeks will be Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy and resistance. ...2 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 26 October 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Denis Welch, Author and commentator “In a world where we’re potentially inundated by newsfeeds, NZ Politics Daily serves an invaluable function in providing direct access to news reports, articles, blogs and other commentary of interest to anyone wanting to know what’s going on in New Zealand politics and ...3 days ago
- Reducing the risk of Covid-19 transmission through the use of air purifiersProf Mark Jermy, Dr Julie Bennett, Dr Jason Chen, Phoebe Taptiklis and Dr Caroline Shorter* Indoor environments increase the risk of transmission for the virus that causes Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2) by containment and concentration of the airborne virus. However, to reduce such transmission, the particles that carry the virus can be ...3 days ago
- Is cost-benefit analysis the right tool for federal climate policy?This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Lexi Smith Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) may sound like the realm of wonky bureaucrats tinkering on the edges of major policy initiatives. But CBA can have enormous consequences, especially in the context of climate change. When calculating climate harms, seemingly small assumptions made ...3 days ago
- Labour Day musings
by Don Franks Labour Day’s just another holiday now, although workers wouldn’t have any paid holidays without the long up and down grind of past union struggles. This Labour Day I thought back to my first union experience. It was in 1969, one morning in a timber yard. I’d been ...3 days ago - Business and Media pimp for dodgy covid test. Govt caves. Questions Remain.
. . Recent vociferous demands by business interests and the National Party have pressured the government into allowing Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) to be used throughout the country. The pressure has grown as freight-trucking companies and others have demanded the ability to move between Auckland and the rest of the ...3 days ago - The Shadow of the Shadow: Isildur as Amazon’s Main Character
Yay. Some more leakages. About the upcoming Amazon Second Age series, that is. Fellowship of Fans can reveal that, as of episode 3 of Season 1, we will see Isildur as a focal point character: My first thought? I don’t like this. I don’t like this ...4 days ago - 2021 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #43Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, October 17, 2021 through Sat, October 23, 2021 The following articles sparked above average interest during the week: Forget your carbon footprint. Let's talk about your climate shadow, People Who Jump to Conclusions Show Other ...4 days ago
- Media Link: “A View from Afar” on supply chain bottlenecks, commodity (over) concentration and t...
Selwyn Manning and I have created YouTube channels under our respective business names in order to promote the “A View from Afar” podcast series. The latest episode examines recent problems of global supply, production and exchange, using a micro-to-macro lens to discuss the interplay between economics, policy and politics in ...5 days ago - Dark Lord Musings: Why Sauron Joined Team Melkor
It has often been noted that Tolkien’s two great Dark Lords had quite distinct motivations for their villainy, Melkor/Morgoth being what we might today term ‘Chaotic Evil,’ and Mairon/Sauron being ‘Lawful Evil.’ One was obsessed with destroying Creation because it was not his, the other was obsessed with governing ...5 days ago - Electric aircraft – coming soon to save us, or all hype and greenwash?By Paul Callister and Robert McLachlan Electric aircraft have arrived, but a lot has to happen to make commercial flights a reality. Can they live up to the hype, and can they reduce aviation emissions? We run the numbers. It’s not easy to keep up with the rapidly-changing world of ...5 days ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #42, 2021105 articles by 463 contributing authors Physical science of climate change, effects A simple model of blocking action over a hemisphere Kurgansky Theoretical and Applied Climatology 10.1007/s00704-021-03782-y Mechanisms of European Summer Drying under Climate Change Tuel & Eltahir Alizadeh Journal of Climate Open Access 10.1175/jcli-d-20-0968.1 Observations of climate ...6 days ago
- Vaccinating the Underclass
If we want to minimise the impact of the Covid virus we are going to have to think about social class.New Zealanders do not easily talk about social class: that there are groups in the community who connect together, live different lives and have standards of living very different from ...6 days ago - Brian Tamaki – Arsehole of the Week
You may find it somewhat amusing to see Brian Tamaki arrested again for organising another Destiny Church protest. After all, his largely nonsensical argument against the Government’s Covid restrictions is one thing, but those tattooed on eyebrows are really something else.However it’s no laughing matter. The self-proclaimed messiah is in ...6 days ago - Jacinda’s Choice: “Freedom Day”, Or Failure.Lining Up With The Right: Though Jacinda Ardern hasn’t endorsed the John Key-Act-National preference for 1 December as Auckland's “Freedom Day” in as many words, that is clearly the timeline she is working to. The Prime Minister of New Zealand cannot assure 1.6 million Aucklanders that they will be free ...6 days ago
- Rendering Unto Caesar: In Labour, “L’état c’est Jacinda”.6 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on why New Zealand needs to change its Defence habitsIn a flashback to the military displays of days gone by, one of our frigates recently joined a Carrier Strike show of force in the South China Sea, en route to a joint military exercise in Singapore with our traditional allies, called BersamaGold21. Reportedly, Anna Powles, from the Centre of ...7 days ago
- New Zealand’s mass vaccination event lifts uptake but highlights dangerous inequities as the count...Jesse Whitehead, University of Waikato New Zealand’s mass vaccination event last Saturday, when more than 130,000 people turned up to get their first or second dose, surpassed Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s expectations. Super Saturday and a televised “vaxathon” were part of the government’s push towards a 90% vaccination goal. ...7 days ago
- Is Funding Euthanasia a Health Priority for Aotearoa New Zealand: Part 2?Dr Ben Gray* Providing equity of access for assisted dying without equity of access to palliative care is to completely undermine the goals of the End of Life Choice Act. The choice is distorted towards aid in dying and away from palliative care. In this blog I will describe the ...7 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 22 October 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Peder Gustafsson, Asia Correspondent, Swedish National Radio “As a Asia-Pacific Correspondent for the Swedish National Radio The newsletter from NZ Politics Daily is one of my best sources for getting information and keeping up with what’s happening in New Zealand. I appreciate the variety and breadth of the information ...7 days ago
- The Power Of “No”.Irrational Resistance: With the Delta variant of Covid-19 raging through their communities and pumping up the number of community cases to new and frightening levels, it’s beginning to dawn on the ill-treated and excluded that, for once in their lives, they have the power. If the System is so desperate ...7 days ago
- Geoffrey Miller: Geopolitics behind NZ-UK free trade dealInternational analyst Geoffrey Miller explains why the free trade agreement between New Zealand and the United Kingdom is not just about building back butter The new Aukus defence pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States will go down as one of this year’s biggest foreign policy ...7 days ago
- Barbados elects its first presidentBarbados will officially become a republic at the end of November, and today they took an important step along the way: electing their first president. To make things easy on themselves in the transition, they simply elected their current Governor-General to the role: Governor General Dame Sandra Mason has ...1 week ago
- Labour’s sneaky copyright dealThe big news this morning is that the government has reached an in-principle FTA with the UK, with the usual benefits for farmers (and therefore incentives to increase emissions). The wisdom of making an agreement with a government which literally admitted last week that it makes agreements in bad faith ...1 week ago
- Moving To The Right.1 week ago
- DrawnA ballot for five Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Education and Training (Freedom of Expression) Amendment Bill (James McDowall) Employment Relations (Extended Time for Personal Grievance for Sexual Harassment) Amendment Bill (Deborah Russell) Financial Professional Services Trading Advice Transparency Bill ...1 week ago
- National's failed firearms bill cost over $390,0001 week ago
- Waitemata Burning: Narrowing Down the Auckland Outbreak
So the Auckland Coronavirus Outbreak has been steadily increasing in case numbers. Not exploding, Melbourne-style, but definitely increasing. The question then becomes… how is this happening, and where is this happening? Well, I’m pleased you asked that. Because I do think we can mine the available data for clues. ...1 week ago - Wishful ThinkngIt should come as no surprise that the government’s critics, on the pandemic and other subjects, are from the political right. For many of them, the touchstone is purely political – if the policy is right-wing, it is “right”, and, if not, then it is by definition wrong. In no ...1 week ago
- The critically endangered Māui dolphin is a conservation priority – we shouldn’t let uncertaint...Rochelle Constantine, University of Auckland and Wendi Roe, Massey University The world’s rarest marine dolphin, Māui, is found only along the west coast of the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. Based on our surveys over the last two summers, during which we collected small tissue samples for DNA ...1 week ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 21 October 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Dr Mike Reid, Principal Policy Advisor, Local Government New Zealand “NZ Politics Daily is essential early morning reading in our organisation like LGNZ. To effectively represent our members we need to understand and respond to changes in the political landscape, particularly policy and political changes at the national ...1 week ago
- Fluoridation and child IQ – the problem of counting chickens before they hatch
Image credit: Cherry-picking data – don’t get fooled by misleading statistics It’s easy to find studies that confirm ones own bias on health issues. But cherry-picking such studies is unscientific because one could equally cite studies showing the exact opposite. The problem is ...1 week ago- Kids’ quality of life will depend on today’s climate choices
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections It’s the moral quandary of human-caused climate change: People least responsible for the problem will bear the brunt of its harmful consequences. As a substantial body of scientific research has established, this reality is true of developing countries. They generally are located in already-hot regions ...1 week ago- Purpose-built MIQ: National’s sums don’t add up
. . Parts of National’s document – to open up Aotearoa New Zealand “to the world” – has been recycled from various policy and media releases last year and more recently. Despite demanding that the country open up to the outside world and end lockdowns by 1 December, and ...1 week ago- Member’s Day
Today is a Member's Day, and there's an interesting bill up for debate for once. But they'll have to get through a lot of boring stuff first. First up is Simeon Brown's Arms (Firearms Prohibition Orders) Amendment Bill (No 2), which should go quickly as it has been overtaken by ...1 week ago- Justice for Brazil?
Brazil has been one of the countries worst-hit by the pandemic, with over 21 million confirmed cases and 600,000 deaths. Much of the blame for that can be squarely laid at the feet of its president, Jair Bolsonaro, who put the economy first and let the disease spread unchecked, while ...1 week ago- Freedom Day is coming!
Could 1 December be Freedom Day? ...1 week ago- Gordon Campbell on juggling Covid, and France’s Trump-like populist
It is the age-old Covid problem. How to balance the needs for firms (and schools) to re-open against the need to protect public health. In the past, the balance has been struck by insisting that the best public health outcomes also deliver the best economic (and educational) outcomes. While that ...1 week ago- Ben Santer on ‘separating’ and his ‘small part’ in understanding of climate science
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Separating is hard. I’ve spent most of my scientific career trying to separate observed climate records into human-caused signals and the background noise of natural variability. It’s been challenging and fascinating work. Challenging because so many different human and natural factors affect Earth’s ...1 week ago- NZ Politics Daily: 20 October 2021
Today’s NZPD testimonial from Joe Atkinson, Political Scientist, University of Auckland: “NZPD is an indispensable source for political junkies like me. It sorts the wheat out from the media chaff and saves a lot of time.” Anyone can sign up to NZPD for free at: https://democracyproject.nz/nz-politics-daily/ Today’s content Housing Zane Small (Newshub): How ...1 week ago- Many of New Zealand’s most popular websites use ‘dark patterns’ to manipulate users – is it ...
Cherie Lacey, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington and Alex Beattie, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington More than half of the most popular New Zealand websites may be unfairly manipulating visitors, according to our latest research into the use of “dark patterns” in sites ...1 week ago- COVID-19 cases rise when schools open – but more so when teachers and students don’t wear masks
Zoë Hyde, The University of Western Australia As students return to schools in Victoria and New South Wales after months of lockdowns, many people may be worried about the risks to their kids – and transmission overall. The role that schools play in transmission of the virus that causes ...1 week ago- The Picnic Period: A sign of our Covid times
Auckland. For a long been it’s been known to Maori as Tamaki Makaurau, a place of ‘many lovers’. In the past fortnight, though, Auckland has shaken out the rug and grabbed a drink to become Tamaki Pikiniki, a place of many picnics. The humble picnic is now, in many ways, a ...1 week ago- Are Covid vaccines becoming less effective?
A critical debate about Covid-19 vaccines is when does protection wane, by how much, why, and what does this mean for controlling the pandemic and the impacts of infections. Depending on the studies or headlines you read it can be confusing. Some report declining vaccine effectiveness, and others don’t. Some ...1 week ago- Widespread collapse of West Antarctica’s ice sheet is avoidable if we keep global warming below 2...
Dan Lowry, GNS Science; Mario Krapp, GNS Science, and Nick Golledge, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Rising seas are already making storm damage more costly, adding to the impact on about 700 million people who live in low-lying coastal areas at risk of flooding. Scientists expect ...1 week ago- NZ Politics Daily: 19 October 2021
Today’s NZPD testimonial from Dr Oliver Hartwich, Executive Director, The New Zealand Initiative “There is a dearth of quality journalism in New Zealand, and so I am grateful to NZ Politics Daily for sifting through our media to discover the gems of reporting and opinion editorials. It is a valuable contribution to ...1 week ago- Geert Jan van Oldenborgh, 1961–2021
This is a re-post from World Weather Attribution With deepest sadness we must share with you the news that Geert Jan van Oldenborgh, dear friend, amazing scientist, co-founder and co-leader of World Weather Attribution, husband and father, and a wonderful human, passed away on 12 October 2021. Geert ...1 week ago- The Entrust election
Auckland is holding elections for EnTrust, its local electricity trust. Entrust is important - it owns electricity and gas-supplier Vector, and so the decisions it makes around energy infrastructure could make a significant difference to greenhouse gas emissions. But the elections have traditionally been ignored, so its run by CitRats ...1 week ago- Argentina returns the favour
In the early 2000s, Argentinian victims of the Dirty War, denied justice due to a local amnesty, sought justice in Spanish courts, who obligingly convicted agents of that country's dictatorship of crimes against humanity under Spain's "universal jurisdiction" law. But Argentina wasn't the only country with a repressive dictatorship which ...1 week ago- Climate Change: A good move, but not enough
The government has announced that it will quadruple climate aid to developing nations, from $300 million to $1.3 billion over four years. This is good: "climate finance" - aid to developing nations to decarbonise and offset the damage caused by rich-country emissions - is going to be a flashpoint at ...1 week ago- Too Much Say, Not Enough Do.
When The Green Party Co-Leader Speaks, Does He Make Any Sound? James Shaw must know that neither New Zealanders, nor the rest of humanity, will ever take the urgent and transformative action that Science now deems necessary to stave-off climate catastrophe.POOR JAMES SHAW: He’s the man this government sends out ...1 week ago- Gordon Campbell on the perils of declaring premature victory
Sure enough, Saturday’s Vaxathon was a barrel of fun and a throwback not merely to the Telethons of the past. It also revived memories of those distant days of early 2020, when we were all carefully wiping down our groceries, not touching our faces, washing our hands for 20 seconds ...2 weeks ago- NZ Politics Daily: 18 October 2021
Today’s NZPD testimonial from Kim Gillespie, Editor NZME Newspapers Lower North Island & Communities “I find the daily email great for giving me an overview of each morning’s big issues across the media landscape, and really appreciate the huge amount of work that must go in to compiling it each day.” Anyone ...2 weeks ago- Bryce Edwards: Political Roundup – Celebrating and critiquing 25 years of MMP
Over the last week, MMP has been in the spotlight, given that it’s now been 25 years since the first general election was held under this proportional representation system. This has produced some important commentary and storytelling about the introduction of MMP and about the various pros and cons of ...2 weeks ago- COVID-19 in Aotearoa: what does public health do now?
Dr Belinda Loring, Dr Ruth Cunningham, Dr Polly Atatoa Carr* Public health activities have collectively made an incredible contribution to minimising the impact of COVID-19 in Aotearoa. But the work for public health is not over. As the situation in Auckland heralds a transition point in our approach to the ...2 weeks ago- 2021 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #42
Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, October 10, 2021 through Sat, October 16, 2021 The following articles sparked above average interest during the week: ‘This is a story that needs to be told’: BBC film tackles Climategate scandal, Why trust science?, ...2 weeks ago- Is injection technique contributing to the risk of post vaccine myocarditis?
Recent misleading media headlines about vaccines being administered incorrectly in the absence of evidence do little to help public confidence in vaccines. Spoiler alert, vaccines are not being administered incorrectly. The topic of this blog is based on what could be an important scientific question – is one of the ...2 weeks ago - Kids’ quality of life will depend on today’s climate choices
- Fossil fuels divestment must be urgent priority in new investment framework
The Green Party welcomes the announcement of a new investment framework for Crown Financial Institutions (CFIs) and says the first order of business must be to divest from fossil fuels. ...11 hours ago - Green advocacy tilts balance in favour of small businessesThe Green Party’s amendment to the COVID-19 Response (Management Measures) Legislation Bill has been adopted by the Government today. ...1 day ago
- Guaranteeing safe and affordable water for all New Zealanders
Everyone should be able to get safe drinking water from their tap, and swim at their local beach without worrying about contaminated water. We’re taking action to make this a reality for all New Zealanders. ...1 day ago - Press pause on Three Waters reformsThe Green Party says the Government should hit the pause button on its three waters reform so it can fully address the concerns that have been raised by communities and councils all over the country. ...1 day ago
- Sector calls for major changes to ACC operationsThe Green Party has written to the new chair of the board of ACC, with 27 organisations and individuals, calling for major internal changes to the way ACC operates. ...1 day ago
- Boosting support for hard-hit businessesOur response to COVID-19 over the past 20 months means we’re in a stronger position than many other countries, but we know it’s been tough for businesses – especially those in Auckland. That’s why we’re boosting support for businesses affected by COVID restrictions as we move into the new COVID ...3 days ago
- Funding to test drugs at festivals a lifesaverNew funding for drug-checking services at festivals is a Green Party win that will save lives. However the Government needs to go further, faster and expand these lifesaving services. ...5 days ago
- Green Party sets out more equitable approach to COVID-19 responseThe Green Party has warned that the Labour’s plan to move to a new COVID-19 response strategy is rushed and risky, and will leave some people at risk. Meanwhile, the Greens have a safer, more appropriate approach that won’t leave anyone behind. ...7 days ago
- Transform arms export regime to strengthen human rights protectionsThe Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is calling on the Government to urgently introduce legislation to better regulate the export of military products and technology that could be used to breach human rights in other countries. ...1 week ago
- Make it a shore thing – Bird of the Year 2021The Green Party is calling on people to go dotty for dotterel and vote for the New Zealand Dotterel/Tūturiwhatu as Bird of the Year 2021. ...1 week ago
- National’s irresponsible COVID plan will cost livesThe National Party’s plan to remove all COVID restrictions on 1 December, regardless of whether or not people are vaccinated, would cost lives, the Green Party says. ...1 week ago
- New research reinforces urgency to end conversion practicesNew research from the University of Waikato showing a link between conversion practices and negative mental health for trans and non-binary people reinforces the urgent need to pass the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill. ...1 week ago
- Te Mātāwaka: Greens call for the Government to listen to Māori health expertsTe Mātāwaka caucus support the call from iwi leaders, and Māori providers for a COVID-19 vaccination rate of 95 percent for Māori, Pasifika and other marginalised communities before further lifting COVID-19 restrictions. ...1 week ago
- Govt must build on foundation of planning rule changes to solve housing crisisFamilies looking for their first home will welcome a bipartisan commitment to increase housing supply, but will be asking what more can be done. ...1 week ago
- Equitable financial support urgently needed to combat COVID outbreakThe Green Party is calling for a broader and more equitable financial support package to slow the COVID-19 outbreak and ensure everyone in Alert Level 3 can make ends meet, following the announcement that Alert Level 3 has been extended for at least two more weeks in Auckland and at ...1 week ago
- Waste strategy needs to learn from natureAnything less than a transformational national waste strategy and waste legislation will not be enough, the Green Party said today. ...2 weeks ago
- 5 ways you can help New Zealand get vaccinatedGetting vaccinated is the best thing we can do to protect ourselves and the people we care about from COVID-19. It means we’ll all be able to do more of what we love this summer, while keeping each other safe. ...2 weeks ago
- Te Mātāwaka: Greens support iwi led housing solutionsThe Green Party’s Te Mātāwaka Caucus welcome the Government’s investment into iwi Māori-led housing initiatives. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens call for expanded protection for renters, overseas voting for COVID-19 billThe Green Party is calling for expanded protections for renters and extended eligibility for overseas voters for the COVID-19 Response Management Measures Legislation Bill, which is currently before select committee. ...2 weeks ago
- One-off residency scheme needs to include working holiday and seasonal workersThe Green Party says the Government needs to extend the one-off residency scheme to all workers, instead of keeping them in limbo with visa extensions every 6 months. ...2 weeks ago
- Camping, concerts, cuddles: Kiwis tell us why they’re vaccinatedRight now, the single most important thing New Zealanders can do in the fight against COVID-19 is get vaccinated. More and more of us are stepping up, with more than two million people now fully vaccinated. ...2 weeks ago
- Support measures for COVID-19 related commercial rent issues pass into law
Temporary law changes have been passed in Parliament enabling landlords and commercial tenants to agree a fair proportion of rent relief where a business has suffered losses due to the impacts of COVID-19. “The provisions passed into law in the COVID-19 Response (Management Measures) Legislation Bill strike a balanced response ...6 hours ago - Over 2,600 new police officers on the frontlineThe Government’s record investment in Police has resulted in 2,695 new police officers on the frontline with the graduation of 36 new officers from Wing 347 today, Police Minister Poto Williams says. “Police work tirelessly every day to keep our communities safe, whilst also being vital to our COVID-19 ...9 hours ago
- Ethnic Communities get vaccination funding boostA new Vaccine Uptake Fund to provide support for activities aimed at increasing vaccination in our harder-to-reach ethnic communities Ethnic Communities Communications Fund doubled to support 71 initiatives aimed at boosting vaccination rates by eliminating the barriers and countering misinformation faced by our ethnic communities A new Vaccine Uptake Fund ...10 hours ago
- Government accelerates efforts to support disabled peoples vaccination experiencesLaunch of ‘The Manaakitanga Journey’ tool to help disabled people get vaccinated against COVID-19 A one-stop shop online containing COVID-19 information, with accessible format considerations, and locations of Super Accessible Vaccination sites. A new tool that supports disabled people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 was launched today as the country ...10 hours ago
- First step in managed isolation changes; expanding QFT with PacificHalving of time overseas arrivals spend in MIQ facility to seven days followed by home isolation until they return a negative day 9 test, from 14 November Expanded quarantine free travel for eligible one-way travellers from some Pacific nations, from 8 November Phased easing of border restrictions will see home ...10 hours ago
- Mental Health Act Amendment Bill passes third readingThe Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Amendment Bill has passed its third reading, an important step to ensure patient safety until the whole Act can be replaced, Health Minister Andrew Little says. “Today’s amendments eliminate indefinite treatment orders, which have been criticised as a serious breach of human rights,” ...11 hours ago
- ‘Humble’ onion to undergo extreme makeoverThe ‘humble’ onion is about to undergo an extreme makeover, with the Government investing $2.83 million in a programme to enhance the competitive advantage of New Zealand’s onion industry, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced today. Onions New Zealand and the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF Futures) ...11 hours ago
- 30-year-old RSI system to moderniseWide-ranging consultation on the future of New Zealand’s research system kicks off with Green Paper First step of multi-year system re-design All researchers and stakeholder voices encouraged to join conversation The Te Ara Paerangi – Future Pathways Green Paper, has today been launched by Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan ...12 hours ago
- Te Ara Paerangi – Future Pathways Green Paper Launch – Minister VerrallTēnā koutou e ngā mātāwaka. Tēnā koutou e te hau kāinga Te Ātiawa, tēnā koutou. Ko Ayesha Verrall ahau, Minita o te Karauna. Tēnā koutou i runga i te kaupapa o te ata. Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tatou katoa. Acknowledgements I would like to start by acknowledging ...12 hours ago
- Kiwi sustainable housing project featured at COP26A new low carbon housing initiative launched today by Kāinga Ora is one of only 17 worldwide initiatives to be showcased in the COP26 ‘Build Better Now’ virtual pavilion at UN Climate Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Housing Minister Megan Woods announced. Ngā Kāinga Anamata has been identified by the United ...13 hours ago
- Tunes that captured kids’ hearts now available onlineA much loved school resource is now available for the next generation – a project that is being welcomed by Associate Minister of Education Jan Tinetti. Kiwi Kidsongs were distributed to schools every year for almost 20 years until 2010 and now 50 of the classics including Fish and Chips ...13 hours ago
- Clean energy upgrade for public sectorMore state sector organisations will be supported to switch to clean energy as part the Government’s plan for a carbon neutral public sector by 2025. The Minister of Climate Change, James Shaw has allocated another $13.2 million from the Government’s $220 million State Sector Decarbonisation Fund to purchase electric vehicles and ...14 hours ago
- New investment framework aligns with Govt’s 2050 carbon neutrality goalA new framework will align investment decisions by the Crown Financial Institutions (CFIs) to reflect the Government’s goal of a carbon neutral New Zealand by 2050. The Crown Responsible Investment Framework has been issued to the NZ Super Fund, the Accident Compensation Corporation, the Government Superannuation Fund and the National ...14 hours ago
- Strategy to improve outcomes for women in prisonA new strategy developed together with women who have had direct experience with the justice system will help guide Corrections in improving the treatment of women in prison. The strategy - Wāhine - E rere ana ki te pae hou - will set a new direction for Corrections in its ...14 hours ago
- Prime Minister attends East Asia SummitPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern attended overnight the 16th East Asia Summit hosted virtually by Brunei Darussalam. The East Asia Summit is a key forum for leaders to discuss pressing issues facing the region and provides a platform to manage strategic risks through cooperation and collaboration. “Our region continues to manage a ...21 hours ago
- Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill passes first reading – Ka tutuki te pānuitanga tuatahi o te P...The Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill passed its first reading in Parliament and a special Select Committee has been set up to consider the Bill and hear public submissions, Health Minister Andrew Little says. “We are fixing a public health system that has, for far too long, failed Māori and ...1 day ago
- Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty – what next for the nuclear “grand bargain?” – Speech t...(Check against delivery) Kia ora tatou It’s my great pleasure to be here today at the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. I welcome this opportunity to share with you the Government’s thinking on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, or NPT. Forged in the depths of the ...1 day ago
- Government helps sharpen the competitive edge of New Zealand’s medicinal cannabis industryThe Government is backing an innovative research and development programme to help accelerate the establishment of New Zealand’s medicinal cannabis industry and boost export potential, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced today. The Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund (SFF Futures) is contributing nearly $760,000 to the $1.9 million, three-year programme ...1 day ago
- Restrictions eased in parts of Waikato at Alert Level 3; Northland to remain at Alert Level 2Restrictions in the Waikato will be eased slightly from midnight tonight, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “From 11.59pm tonight, people in the parts of Waikato at Alert Level 3 will be able to meet for outdoor gatherings between two households, with a maximum of 10 people,” Chis Hipkins ...1 day ago
- COVID-19 rent relief support measures refinedThe Government has landed on a balanced package of changes to improve rent relief measures for both landlords and tenants hit by COVID-19 restrictions, the Minister of Justice Kris Faafoi says. “Businesses in the Auckland region, and elsewhere under COVID Alert Level Three, have been doing it tough, and ...1 day ago
- Govt considers regulatory safeguards for three waters servicesPublic feedback is being sought on the regulatory safeguards required to ensure consumers and communities receive three waters services that meet their needs, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister, Dr David Clark announced today. “The future three waters system needs to promote consumer interests and ensure infrastructure is delivered in a ...1 day ago
- Appointment of new Te Pou Tupua welcomedEnvironment Minister David Parker and Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui chairperson Sheena Maru have welcomed the appointment of Keria Ponga and Turama Hawira as Te Pou Tupua. In a joint statement Sheena Maru and David Parker said: Today, Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui chairperson Sheena Maru Minister and Environment David ...1 day ago
- Don't freak out, ShakeOutMinister for Emergency Management Kiri Allan is challenging more people to join the almost 650,000 who have already signed up to take part in the nation-wide ShakeOut drill, happening tomorrow. “ShakeOut, New Zealand’s annual national earthquake drill and tsunami hīkoi, is a great opportunity for all of us to put ...1 day ago
- Government to protect vital public water services for future generationsLocal Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta today confirmed the Government will create four publicly owned water entities to ensure every New Zealander has access to affordable, long-lasting drinking, waste and storm water infrastructure without ballooning costs to households and families. “The case for change is too compelling to ignore. It is ...2 days ago
- Annual MFAT- NGO HuiTēnā koutou katoa, Talofa Lava and Warm Pacific Greetings to one and all— and in recognition of Tokelauan Language Week this week, Fakatalofa atu ki te koutou uma. Malo ni. Thank you for inviting me to join with you at the 2021 MFAT–NGO Hui. It’s a privilege for me to ...2 days ago
- Opening Address – Council for International Development and MFAT NGO HuiTuia te rangi e tu iho nei, Tuia te papa e takoto nei, Tuia te here tangata ki te here wairua kia rongo te pō, kia rongo te āo – Tīhei Mauri Ora! Kei ngā iti, kei ngā rahi i whakapau kaha ki te whakahaere i ngā mahi atawhai mo ...2 days ago
- Govt backs business to vaccinate workforcesVaccination will be required for all workers at businesses where customers need to show COVID-19 Vaccination Certificates, such as hospitality and close-contact businesses. New law to introduce a clearer and simplified risk assessment process for employers to follow when deciding whether they can require vaccination for different types of work. ...2 days ago
- Winners of the 2021 Prime Minister’s Education Excellence AwardsFrimley Primary School in Hawke’s Bay is the Supreme Award winner of the 2021 Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Education Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “The past year has been a real test for teachers, schools and local communities. But out of the challenge of ...2 days ago
- Government provides greater assurance to homeownersThe Government has provided greater assurance for homeowners with the introduction of a new code of ethics for Licensed Building Practitioners (LBPs), Building and Construction Minister Poto Williams announced today. The Code of Ethics, which comes into force in October 2022, sets behavioural standards for LBPs to give both ...2 days ago
- Primary sector returns strengthen export-led recoveryFarmers’ hard work in leading New Zealand’s export-led recovery from COVID-19 is being rewarded with high prices forecast for milk and very strong returns for meat, says Trade and Export Growth and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. Fonterra announced today a record predicted milk price of $7.90 to $8.90 for the ...2 days ago
- Supporting economic resilience in the Indo-Pacific – Speech to the Asia Forum(Check against delivery) Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, kia ora koutou katoa Thank you Farib. It is a great pleasure to be invited to speak at this event. I want to acknowledge the on-going work of the Asia Forum. Over many years – decades, in fact – you have been ...3 days ago
- RSI ‘state of the nation’ report publishedNew Zealand’s FCR cited research ratio is twice the world average Investment in R&D is increasing Case studies underscore how a science based COVID-19 response helped save lives In 2019, Māori and Pacific people represented 5 per cent of PhD graduates. The latest research, science and innovation system report card ...3 days ago
- Funding to translate science into real life solutionsThe Government is investing in ‘Te Tītoki Mataora’ the MedTech Research Translator, to deliver new medical tools - and meet both the demands of a global pandemic and of a growing and aging population. “COVID-19 has shown that we need to build a more resilient, productive, innovative and economically-sustainable health ...3 days ago
- Tokelau champions language and cultureCOVID-19 continues to be a powerful reminder of the importance of language and culture to the wellbeing of our Pacific communities, said the Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio. “Our Tokelau community in Aotearoa has responded strongly to the challenges of the global pandemic by getting vaccinated and supporting ...4 days ago
- Festival drug-checking services get a boostThe Government is financially supporting drug-checking services to help keep young people safe at this summer’s large festivals and events, Health Minister Andrew Little says. “This is not about condoning drug use, but about keeping people safe,” Andrew Little said. “There is clear evidence that having drug-checking services at festivals ...5 days ago
- Expanded vaccination order for health and disability, education and prison workersA newly-signed Order means most people working in three key sectors will very soon need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for the sake of themselves, their workmates and their communities, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins has confirmed. The extended COVID-19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Amendment Order 2021 comes into effect ...5 days ago
- APEC finance ministers focus on inclusive, sustainable COVID recoveryAPEC finance ministers will continue to work together to respond to the effects of COVID-19 and ensure a sustainable and inclusive recovery while capitalising on the opportunity to build a more resilient future. The New Zealand Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson chaired the virtual APEC Finance ...6 days ago
- Improvements to child and maternity facilities at Timaru Hospital on trackImprovements to child and maternity facilities at Timaru Hospital are well underway, and the next stage of the project will begin next month. Health Minister Andrew Little visited Timaru Hospital today to view progress onsite. “The improvements are part of South Canterbury DHB’s four-year refurbishment project and will create a ...6 days ago
- Govt responds to independent review into WorkSafeThe Government has clear expectations that WorkSafe must action the recommendations of the independent review into the regulator to improve its management of adventure activities following the tragedy at Whakaari White Island, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood says. The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) today released the ...6 days ago
- Prevention funding to reduce tamariki in careA new iwi-led prevention programme will receive funding from Oranga Tamariki to help reduce the number of tamariki and rangatahi coming into state care, Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis has announced. Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu (Te Rūnanga) will receive $25.9m of Oranga Tamariki funding over three years to improve outcomes ...6 days ago
- Speed of govt's move towards Pzifer's paediatric vaccines under scrutiny
New Zealand does not yet have a confirmed delivery for paediatric vaccines and the opposition is calling for more urgency. ...5 hours ago - Speed of govt's move towards Pfizer's paediatric vaccines under scrutinyNew Zealand does not yet have a confirmed delivery for paediatric vaccines and the opposition is calling for more urgency. ...5 hours ago
- Drying land and heating seas: why nature in Australia’s southwest is on the climate frontline
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jatin Kala, Senior Lecturer and ARC DECRA felllow, Murdoch University Supplied, Author provided In a few days world leaders will descend on Glasgow for the United Nations climate change talks. Much depends on it. We know climate change is already ...6 hours ago - Fewer than half of Australia’s 150 biggest companies have committed to zero emissions by 2050Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Renzo Mori Junior, Senior Advisor, Sustainable Development, RMIT University Shutterstock Corporate Australia has of late become a strong voice for more action on climate change. Earlier this month the Business Council of Australia, which represents the nation’s 100 biggest companies, ...6 hours ago
- Unvaccinated travel makes mockery of Delta misery
Double-jabbed Kiwis are right to ask how it’s fair those with travel exemptions can enter Auckland without vaccine protection and return home with Covid in tow. If the Prime Minister is serious about different treatment for the unvaccinated, she should start with the Auckland border, writes political editor Jo Moir. ...6 hours ago - Vaccine requirements for travel: 'You can see the complexity'The government is considering requiring some travellers to be vaccinated to fly between regions, but warns there are complications to account for. ...7 hours ago
- The micro tools to help you study on the job
Technology is rapidly changing our everyday lives. Two new courses at Tech Futures Lab allow you to keep up with the developments affecting your work, without taking time away from your job. Technology can be intimidating. Words like “blockchain” and “augmented reality” and concepts like big data and the Internet of ...7 hours ago - Good Policy And Policy For Good: Public Investment Funds Are Going Net Zero
Mindful Money welcomes the announcement today by the Government and the Crown Financial Institutions (CFIs) to reflect the goal of a carbon neutral New Zealand by 2050. Mindful Money founder and CEO, Barry Coates commented: “This decision to align ...7 hours ago - With Labor gaining in polls, is too much Barnaby Joyce hurting the Coalition?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne AAP/Mick Tsikas A federal Resolve poll for Nine newspapers, conducted October 21-24 from a sample of 1,603, gave the Coalition 37% of the primary vote (down two ...8 hours ago
- Christchurch suburb’s high vax rate a silver lining
Christchurch’s Covid cases live in a highly vaccinated suburb of the city, a councillor says. David Williams reports By city councillor Aaron Keown’s telling, Bishopdale is pretty much average for Christchurch. But in ways that have become much more relevant today, the suburb in the city’s north-west, not far from ...8 hours ago - Slowly opening the door to MIQ
While the Government’s announcement of changes to MIQ today provides hope to overseas Kiwis trying to return home, the amount of freed up space will ultimately depend on the current outbreak’s rate of growth The MIQ system has been the focal point of no small amount of controversy since ...8 hours ago - Handout For Big Onion Undermines Free TradeResponding to the Government's $2.8 million handout to onion growers , New Zealand Taxpayers' Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, "This is an eye-watering display of protectionist subservience to New Zealand's influential onion lobby." "It ...8 hours ago
- The pou tokomanawa in the whare: Bringing te reo to life in the places we liveReclaiming te reo Māori is always hard, but the hardest work – and the most important – takes place within the home, writes Te Kuru Dewes, co-host of The Spinoff’s new te ao Māori podcast Nē? Te reo Māori is everywhere. While that riles up certain types who haunt comments ...8 hours ago
- If governments fail to act, can the courts save our planet?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By George Newhouse, Adjunct Professor of Law, Macquarie University Talei Elu The climate crisis threatens all life on our planet. Even the people who a few years ago were shouting from the rooftops that it was all a hoax have suddenly ...8 hours ago
- Stays in MIQ to be halved under NZ’s new system – 89 community casesRNZ News The New Zealand government revealed changes to MIQ (managed isolation and quarantine) today, with stays halving from 14 to seven days, followed by isolation at home for three days. Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins and Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield gave today’s update on the government’s response ...8 hours ago
- PM on Christchurch cases: 'We're always on high alert'Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says Christchurch is not out of the woods yet, but the advice is that the new cases in the city can be managed under alert level 2 settings. ...9 hours ago
- The Chungking Legation: Australia’s first diplomatic mission to China, 80 years agoSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Bagnall, Senior Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania Frederic Eggleston presented his credentials to Chinese President Lin Sen (林森) at an official reception in Chungking on 28 October 1941 Sydney Morning Herald, November 12 1941 Gough Whitlam’s visit to China in ...9 hours ago
- The Problems, Progress, And Potential Of Performance ReportingOur paper The problems, progress, and potential of performance reporting was presented to the House of Representatives today. This paper builds on our recent research about the future of public accountability. It considers performance reporting in its entirety ...9 hours ago
- Siouxsie Wiles: FluTracking data is a huge help in tracking Covid. Here’s how you can helpComparing reports of flu symptoms with Covid testing rates provides a critical insight, explains Siouxsie Wiles.For almost two years, my family and I have been taking part in the FluTracking project. This fantastic initiative started in Australia in 2006 to use the power of the internet to track flu and ...9 hours ago
- COVID vaccines for 5 to 11 year olds are inching closer. Here’s what we know so farSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vasso Apostolopoulos, Professor of Immunology and Associate Provost, Research Partnerships, Victoria University Shutterstock Australian children aged five to 11 could begin receiving the Pfizer vaccine by the end of November, with the nation’s regulator currently reviewing the health and safety ...9 hours ago
- Early childhood educators feel burnt out and undervalued. Here’s what we can do to helpSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Penny Levickis, Senior Research Fellow, REEaCh (Research in Effective Education in Early Childhood) Hub, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Australian early childhood educators feel burnt out and undervalued. Our research reports on more than 200 educators’ experiences during the COVID-19 ...9 hours ago
- NZ has yet to announce climate-warming pledge for Glasgow summit but RBNZ is developing guidance for...
The clock is ticking on global warming, the Dominion-Post warned this week ahead of the Climate Change Summit in Glasgow. The opening paragraph of the report was ominous: “Even after countries — excluding NZ — unveiled ambitious new pledges to cut emissions, it’s still not enough to achieve the global ...10 hours ago - Rising To The Challenge: A Ministry Of Green Works For AotearoaTwo of the biggest crises of our times - housing and climate change - could be the target of a new Ministry of Green Works that would integrate important responsibilities related to safeguarding Aotearoa’s future, according to a report released today ...10 hours ago
- Serious Concerns About Cruel And Inhuman Treatment At Forensic FacilityChief Ombudsman Peter Boshier says he is seriously concerned about the use of seclusion at forensic units in the Wellington region. He also says more must be done for an intellectually disabled client who has been living in effective seclusion for years. ...10 hours ago
- Covid-19 briefing: Stays in MIQ to be halved under new systemThe government is revealing changes to MIQ today, with stays halving from 14 to seven days, followed by isolation at home for three days. Watch the latest briefing here. ...10 hours ago
- Keith Rankin Analysis – Covid19: Revaccinate Now, and address Influenza tooAnalysis Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin. In its pandemic response, the New Zealand government has consistently been tardy, and then found itself playing catch-up, having to ‘go hard’ (indeed a ‘world-leading’ hardest) on account of its lack of preparedness. Further, having gone hard, there has always been an ambivalence about when ...10 hours ago
- Law Change Recognises Vaccinations Received Overseas By Border WorkersThree of the vaccines commonly administered overseas are now recognised by the Vaccinations Order that requires people working at New Zealand’s borders to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This follows a change to the legislation, which took effect at ...10 hours ago
- Watch live: Government Covid-19 briefing on MIQ, Christchurch casesThe government is set to reveal changes to MIQ today, and it comes after two new community cases of Covid-19 have been found in Christchurch. ...11 hours ago
- Working with us, not for us: strategies for being a better ally to First Nations peopleSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Matthews, Associate Professor of Medical Ethics, Bond University Shutterstock We write this article together – Kelly, a First Nations woman living on Kombumerri Country, and Richard, a Canadian white male settler living on the lands of the Minjungbal people ...11 hours ago
- Much ado about water, a bill to shake up the health system and an investment in pot (strictly for me...
The PM was strutting the international stage (virtually), the Minister of Agriculture turned to pot, the Minister for Emergency Management was limbering up for a shake-up, and the Minister for the Environment ... 11 hours ago - The case for a $250 payment for everyone who gets vaccinatedAct has a policy that is not nearly so radical as it appears: $250 to everyone who gets double vaccinated. Duncan Greive argues that to get to 90%, it’s worth a shot. It’s a truly jaw-dropping goal, as audacious as it is admirable: 90% vaccination rates across 20 DHBs. Audacious because ...12 hours ago
- Some Auckland local leaders still unvaccinated
A clutch of local board members remain unvaccinated in Auckland, and could soon be affected by a council vaccination mandate Auckland Mayor Phil Goff says there are "four or five" members of the city's 21 local boards who are not vaccinated - and if the council decides to make vaccinations mandatory for ...12 hours ago - Māori co-governance and Three Waters boundaries a 'historic' step
The decision to align the new water authorities with generations-old iwi boundaries Lost amid the shoutings ... Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Corey Hebberd / Te Rūnanga a Rangitāne o Wairau GM Ngai Tahu Judith Collins/Westland mayor Lianne Dalziel Corey ...12 hours ago - Launch Of New Strategy For Women + Response To Release Of Independent Inspectorate ReportsThe Department of Corrections has today launched Wāhine - E rere ana ki te pae hou, the organisation’s new women’s strategy for 2021-2025. The strategy was developed in consultation with a range of predominantly wāhine Māori, including ...12 hours ago
- Office Of The Inspectorate Releases Three Reports About Women In PrisonThe Office of the Inspectorate today released three reports which aim to focus and strengthen Department of Corrections’ efforts to make significant and lasting changes in its women’s prison network. “These reports examine the challenges that women ...12 hours ago
- West Papuans flee from ‘liberation’ conflict into remote PNG regionSPECIAL REPORT: By Johnny Blades, RNZ Pacific journalist Armed conflict in West Papua has caused an exodus of displaced people into one of the most remote parts of neighbouring Papua New Guinea. The latest flashpoint in the conflict is in the Indonesian-administered Bintang Mountains regency, where state forces are pursuing ...12 hours ago
- Inspectorate Report: Humiliation And Degradation Of Women PrisonersThe Prison Inspectorate has issued its Special Investigation: Report into the Management of Three Wāhine at Auckland Region Women’s Corrections Facility [ARWCF]. The investigation was triggered by a complaint on behalf of three of our clients who were being held ...12 hours ago
- SPCA Targets Early Learners To Help Break Animal Cruelty CycleSPCA has launched its first ever resources for Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers and new entrant primary school teachers, in a bid to help more young Kiwis learn empathy towards animals and improve animal welfare. It’s no secret that animal ...13 hours ago
- Future Pathways Consultation Important To Aotearoa New Zealand’s Future...13 hours ago
- Outgoing Children’s Commissioner Says We Must Do MoreChild Poverty Action Group welcomes Judge Andrew Becroft’s impassioned speech yesterday in which he calls for a Michael Joseph Savage approach to eliminate child poverty. CPAG has appreciated his efforts to engage on all the complex dimension ...13 hours ago
- Some things need to burn: A review of Taranaki horror novel ButcherbirdIt’s the most distinctive cover of the year – a novel wrapped in screaming, electric green. Alexander Stronach finds the ghost story inside is just as intense. While I was reading Butcherbird, an old friend back in Malaysia found out about the Bain case. Apparently the true crime channels all caught ...13 hours ago
- University Of Canterbury To Be Carbon Neutral Sooner With $2.16m Funding BoostThe Minister for Climate Change James Shaw has today announced $2.16 million in additional funding to help the University of Canterbury become carbon net neutral by 2030. This will help the University of Canterbury (UC) expand the scope of a boiler ...13 hours ago
- Three Waters Proposal Should Be Flushed Down The DrainRatepayers and water users are being forced by the government to provide a guaranteed gold plated return to wealthy bank shareholders and New Zealand and overseas investors who will be salivating at the prospect. The spurious reasoning rolled out to try ...14 hours ago
- National, ACT promise to return water assets to councilsOpposition parties would return water infrastructure to councils, they say, and they doubt the proposed working groups will address concerns about governance, ownership and accountability. ...14 hours ago
- Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – October 28 2021Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. You can sign up to NZ Politics Daily as well as New Zealand Political Roundup columns for free here. Today’s content Three Waters, local government Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Three ...14 hours ago
- Australia aims to stymie China with $US1.6bn telecoms purchase in the Pacific
Australia is to buy the mobile phone networks of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu from Digicel Group based in Jamaica. Telstra Corp, the country’s biggest telecom operator, will pay $US1.6 billion for the deal backed by $US1.3 billion from the Government’s export finance agency. Commentators describe ...14 hours ago - Aue! It’s a new te ao Māori podcast from The SpinoffToday we launch Ne?, a new podcast by Māori, for Māori – and a dream that’s finally come true for co-host Leonie Hayden.Follow Nē? on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favourite podcast provider. “Nē” is such a versatile, complex expression. It’s both a statement and a question, which variously means “really?”, ...15 hours ago
- Resource Management Amendment Bill – Don’t Bet Your House On It YetRecently, the Government announced it was introducing new legislation intending to increase housing supply in Auckland, greater Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, and Christchurch. The Bill proposes a new streamlined process, Intensification Streamlined ...15 hours ago
- Dunne Speaks: Words Count MinisterJust three weeks ago the Minister of Local Government received the interim report of the Future for Local Government Review which the government had earlier commissioned. Predictably, she welcomed the report the way Ministers usually do, with the standard ...15 hours ago
- Why are birds’ eggs colourful? New research shows it’s linked to the shape of their nestsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kiara L’Herpiniere, PhD Candidate, Wildlife Biologist, Macquarie University Author provided Of all the vertebrates on Earth – that is, animals with backbones – birds are the only ones that lay colourful eggs. Scientists are still unsure why, but new research brings ...15 hours ago
- The bryozoan mystery: a new look at an old fossil reveals the origin of these tiny coral-like creatu...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Glenn A Brock, Honorary Professor, Macquarie University Christian Schwarz, CC BY-NC Most groups of modern animals had their beginnings more than half a billion years ago in an amazing evolutionary event known as the Cambrian Explosion. This wasn’t the ...15 hours ago
- Accountability is under threat. Parliament must urgently reset the balanceSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anne Tiernan, Adjunct Professor of Politics. Griffith Business School, Griffith University All Australians have a stake in our nation’s good governance. The past week has provided plenty of reasons to be concerned about the Morrison government’s disregard of core tenets of Australian ...15 hours ago
- Your unvaccinated friend is roughly 20 times more likely to give you COVIDSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Baker, Research Fellow in Statistics for Biosecurity Risk, The University of Melbourne As lockdowns ease in New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT, and people return to work and socialising, many of us will be mixing more with others, even though ...15 hours ago
- Scott Morrison’s deal with the Nationals must not ignore land stewardship – an attractive, low-h...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Martin, Director, Australian Centre for Agriculture and Law, University of New England Shutterstock The Nationals this week finally agreed to a plan of net-zero emissions by 2050. Farmers say they’ve done much of the heavy lifting on Australia’s emissions ...15 hours ago
- 40% of Australia’s unvaccinated population will soon be kids under 5. Childcare will be the next C...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Hurley, Policy Fellow, Mitchell Institute, Victoria University Shutterstock Once five to 11 year olds have access to COVID vaccines, children up to four years old will make up about 40% of Australia’s unvaccinated population. This will make Australia’s early ...15 hours ago
- Building more houses quickly is harder than it looks. Australia hasn’t done it in decadesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ehsan Gharaie, Associate Professor of Project Management, RMIT University Rich Kareckas/AP Thanks to HomeBuilder and the housing price boom, house building is experiencing its hottest year on the record. Over the space of a year the number of houses (not ...15 hours ago
- The Green Knight review: a wonderfully unsettling cinematic reimagining of the medieval story of Sir...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sabina Rahman, Sessional Academic in English Literature, Macquarie University A24/Eric Zachanowich Review: The Green Knight, directed by David Lowery. Nothing about The Green Knight, the new film from director David Lowery, is comfortable. From its opening scene, where Gawain ...15 hours ago
- The countdown is on to reinvent our outdated, unfit Mental Health ActThe next months present a once-in-a-generation opportunity to remake mental health legislation, and it could define the Ardern government’s legacy on this crucial issue, writes Anthony O’Brien, an expert in mental health nursing.Last weekend, four years after promising to reform the Mental Health Act, the government called for public consultations ...16 hours ago
- Why everybody hates Three WatersThe government is moving forward with its programme to take over the country’s water assets amid howls of protest, Justin Giovannetti writes in The Bulletin.Three Waters, four entities and a political hornets’ nest. The government’s decision to push ahead with its Three Waters programme and take control of the country’s water ...16 hours ago
- Live updates, October 28: Pair of Covid-19 cases confirmed in ChristchurchWelcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for October 28, by Stewart Sowman-Lund. Reach me on stewart@thespinoff.co.nz. Help support our Covid coverage – join Members today.7.10am: Pair of Covid-19 cases confirmed in ChristchurchTwo people in a Christchurch household have tested positive for Covid-19.In a statement, the Ministry of Health said the ...16 hours ago
- Watchdog to protect homes and businesses from big new water providers
Government consults on a Water Commissioner to regulate the prices and provision of big and unresponsive drinking water and wastewater services Analysis: A paper published this week expresses some of the worries about the Government's four big new regional water authorities more succinctly than any tub-thumbing mayor: as monopoly providers, there's ...17 hours ago - Oxfam: Loss And Damage Report Reveals Significant Gap In NZ Climate Support For The PacificOxfam Aotearoa along with Oxfam Australia, and Oxfam in the Pacific have released a new report titled Breaking through red lines . Oxfam says that the report draws attention to gaps in the latest funds announced for overseas climate action by the ...17 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 28 October18 hours ago
- Newsroom daily crossword, Thursday 28 October
...18 hours ago - I love you, Tāmaki MakaurauAn appreciation of the city that’s forever changing, by Anna Rawhiti-Connell.I secured my first job in Tāmaki Makaurau surrounded by human horse costumes, the Duchess of Malfi’s cloak and Caligula’s fur. My ticket to the city was granted after making three people laugh during an interview conducted in Auckland Theatre ...18 hours ago
- My journey down the anti-vax rabbit hole – and back out againA first person account of fear, misinformation, and the light at the end of the tunnel. As told to Dylan Reeve for IRL.It was supposed to be the most joyous time of my life. Pregnant with my first child 10 years ago, I planned a home birth. Since moving to a ...19 hours ago
- COP26: What business needs to know
Business should pay close attention to the COP26 talks or face being blocked from the table, argues Sara Walton Without climate innovation, business risks being left behind. Climate risk is now not just about the impacts a business will experience from climate change, but also about the risks that not ...19 hours ago - The mum who gave all for her son to play basketball
A young single mum, Tiana Griffin worked four jobs to help her son, Akiva, reach his dream of playing US college basketball. But, as she explains to Shontelle Matano, he's been her ‘saving grace’. On Friday and Saturday nights, 15-year-old Akiva McBirney-Griffin would babysit his brother, Tamatoa, and sister, Ke’iki. ...19 hours ago - The young barrister taking on the Family Court
The fallout from child uplift practices carried out by Oranga Tamariki and signed off by the Family Court continues to be felt in homes and courtrooms throughout the country. But in one extraordinary case, a young lawyer is taking on the power of the Family Court as she attempts to ...19 hours ago - Can Fonterra finally focus on adding value to milk? Please
Fonterra has been talking up value-add as a way to add value for shareholders for a decade, to little effect. Could this time be any different? Business editor Nikki Mandow pores over a decade of Fonterra annual reports. “We have clear aspirations,” trumpets Fonterra in its 2016 annual report, alongside a soft-focus photo of ...19 hours ago - Book of the Week: She's on fire
Kiran Dass is blown away by a new eco-thriller Kirsten McDougall’s novel She’s a Killer is such an engrossing page-turner that 200-odd pages passed me by in a flurry before I even realised. And the action hadn’t even started yet. It’s no mean feat to sustain a reader’s attention over ...19 hours ago - Saints, sinners and omissions
Tearfund's annual name-and-shame of unethical fashion chains leaves out some important factors - such as clothing that's manufactured in New Zealand Every year the charity Tearfund puts out its list of saints and sinners in the fast fashion industry. It grades big companies in the rag trade on their ...19 hours ago - Stranded South Islanders charter green flight to Australia
Confusing border rules that clash with airlines’ commercial realities have left Kiwis and Australians stranded in New Zealand. ...19 hours ago - The biggest threat to reefs in our lifetime
Ocean acidification is the biggest problem for coralline algae when assessed against all others. Now is the time for COP26 leaders to be courageous on the issue, argues Dr Christopher Cornwall. Comment: With dire predictions of the impacts of climate change on humankind and Earth’s atmosphere, it’s easy to overlook ...19 hours ago - Trucking bosses left to own devices on vaccine mandate
Calls to prioritise truck drivers for vaccination went unanswered - trucking lobby. ...19 hours ago
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