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The kind of imagination we’re going to need
Written By: - Date published: 9:43 am, April 2nd, 2020 - 29 comments
More was achieved by and for Americas throughout the Franklin D. Roosevelt era than ever before or since in American history. This may provide us with a model for how we get things back on track.
Then they came for public art
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, December 11th, 2019 - 6 comments
The conservative leadership in the United States and in Australia are both taking steps to attack the sustainability of public art. Shame on them.
Appalling men and great art
Written By: - Date published: 1:32 pm, November 27th, 2017 - 49 comments
There have been some great artists face some appalling allegations. Would they have been as successful if their great crimes had been exposed?
Next Floor
Written By: - Date published: 10:26 am, June 4th, 2016 - 5 comments
A short film by Denis Villeneuve…
Barry Brickell: Earth to Earth
Written By: - Date published: 8:11 am, January 26th, 2016 - 23 comments
Ad reflects on the death of Potter Barry Brickell and his tremendous contributions to art and environmental protection and poses the question are we doing as much as Barry to make the world a better place.
Christianity doesn’t compromise with other religions
Written By: - Date published: 7:58 am, September 29th, 2015 - 115 comments
Christianity doesn’t compromise with other religions or has the World Finally Gone madder?
17 year old kiwi sits atop the world
Written By: - Date published: 4:17 pm, February 7th, 2015 - 15 comments
The only person to receive 100% in the world for her work was a young kiwi with only two years background. Read more here.
A calculated feeding of the beasts within
Written By: - Date published: 2:13 pm, February 5th, 2015 - 74 comments
The social democracy of my youth has radically collapsed into our current culture of individualism, privatisation and personal greed.
Imperator Fish: A clarification
Written By: - Date published: 3:50 pm, January 28th, 2015 - 31 comments
Sexist right-wingers are lining up to abuse Eleanor Catton for speaking her mind. The odious Sean Plunket is the worst, calling Catton a “hua” (sounds like and sometimes defined as “whore”). Imperator Fish responds…
Eleanor Catton on NZ
Written By: - Date published: 5:17 pm, January 27th, 2015 - 212 comments
Award winning author Eleanor Catton has expressed her disappointment and anger with politics in general and the government in particular.
From Twitter
Written By: - Date published: 8:18 pm, August 31st, 2014 - 34 comments
All your trashing the SFO connections. h/t DebsHancock
Unspeakable secrets of the Aro Valley
Written By: - Date published: 7:26 am, March 18th, 2013 - 5 comments
I’ve just been alerted to the fact that Danyl from the dimpost has a novel out called Unspeakable Secrets of the Aro Valley.
RIP Ralph Hotere
Written By: - Date published: 8:31 am, February 25th, 2013 - 29 comments
Ralph Hotere, one of New Zealand’s greatest artists, has died.
- It (mostly) doesn’t matter who wins an electorate
There's an election coming up, so naturally over on The Standard there's the usual post demanding $GreenCandidate stand aside in $Electorate to boost the chances of $LabourPartyCandiate. This time you can fill in the variables as "Chlöe Swarbrick", "Auckland Central", and "Helen White", but you see the same thing from ...8 hours ago - The orcs lose againThe orcs in the mining industry have just been handed two defeats in a row in their battle to despoil our environment. Their idea was to rip the top off a mountain on the West Coast to dig an open cast coal mine. But most of the land they want ...11 hours ago
- Cat MacLennan: Millionaires and billionaires should act today
Millionaires and billionaires can step up today and start making proper contributions to improving the world. They do not need to wait for governments to act. A group of 83 wealthy people calling themselves “Millionaires for Humanity” earlier this week released an open letter calling on governments to raise taxes ...13 hours ago - National in tatters
Judith Collins - Dirty Politics practitionerIt’s little wonder that the beleaguered National Party is in complete disarray! They've clearly been stabbing each other in the backs again. Take for instance the internal poll leaker telling the world that they were doing terribly and had no chance of winning the next ...14 hours ago - National in tattersJudith Collins - Dirty Politics practitionerIt’s little wonder that the beleaguered National Party is in complete disarray! They've clearly been stabbing each other in the backs again. Take for instance the internal poll leaker telling the world that they were doing terribly and had no chance of winning the next ...14 hours ago
- Anti-fluoride 65 brain-fluoride studies not evidence against fluoridation
Activists like ant-fluoride and anti-vaccination propagandists are very selective about the studies they promote. But their bias often means they get even these ones wrong. FAN’s 65 brain-fluoride studies are an example of this. ... 17 hours ago- The Judith Collins-Led National Party: Be Scared – Be Very Scared.
Lookout! Here She Comes! It’s her political ambiguity that makes National’s new leader, Judith Collins, so dangerous. Collins does not belong to the crazy Christian Right faction of her caucus, but neither is she a member of the Nikki Kaye, Amy Adams, Chris Bishop “soppy liberal” wing of the party. ...20 hours ago- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #28, 2020
121 Articles Physical science of global warming & effects Aerosols enhance cloud lifetime and brightness along the stratus-to-cumulus transition (open access) The nature of ice-nucleating particles affects the radiative properties of tropical convective cloud systems (open access) Importance of boundary processes for heat uptake in the Subpolar North Atlantic ...1 day ago- Entire caucus continues to follow Judith Collins everywhere as she struggles to undo mind control sp...
The effects dark magic cast on Collins’ MPs has gotten so out of control that she’s beginning to fear it’s the work of someone else. When Judith Collins was finally elected leader of the New Zealand National Party last night, it was accompanied by a moving show of unity, as ...1 day ago- The Risks of Collins As Leader
Having lost yet another leader in quick succession, the National party was clearly so desperate to find a successor that they turned to someone whose earlier bids to become leader they had already twice rejected. It may not be clear why Judith Collins should suddenly have become National’s saviour after ...1 day ago- And now, some policy: The case for national insurance
For the third time in the past decade, the government is directly subsidising wage earners to get them through a tough patch. The Covid-19 wage subsidy scheme though dwarfs the previous two schemes that were implemented post the Christchurch and Kaikoura earthquakes: some figures put the number of New Zealanders ...1 day ago- Climate Change: Fudging the numbers
Supposedly the struggle against climate change is one of this government's priorities. But how can we assess whether government policies and targets are enough to meet that challenge? Are our policies working? Are our targets enough? On the latter question, whether or not they are consistent with the Paris Agreement ...2 days ago- An Introduction to Todd Muller
The Civilian takes a look at the new leader of the National Party, Todd Muller This article was written over the past weekend as part of The Civilian’s series of “Meet the Leaders” profiles. Some will claim that this makes the article outdated, because Muller is no longer leader. But ...2 days ago- Is democracy now illegal in Hong Kong?
Over the weekend half a million Hongkongers queued to vote in an opposition primary to choose candidates for upcoming Legislative Council elections. But the Chinese regime is now saying that its illegal. Late on Monday Beijing’s top representatives in Hong Kong labelled the primaries “illegal” and accused organisers of ...2 days ago- All milk should be carbon neutral
With carbon prices rising, farmers have been squealing about farmland being converted (or rather, restored) to forest for carbon farming. And meanwhile, Fooodstuffs has started selling carbon-neutral milk: Carbon-neutral milk – where the product's greenhouse gases are offset by carbon credits – is coming to a supermarket fridge near you. ...2 days ago- Running on cruelty
Like everyone else, I was shocked when Todd Muller resigned as Leader of the National Party yesterday morning - and even more shocked when National picked Judith Collins to replace him. Sure, this is about desperation and salvaging as many seats as they can, but still. In case ...2 days ago- What’s wrong with Crusher?
Judith Collins - National Party leaderThe National Party, after Todd Muller’s quick exit stage right, have chosen Judith Collins as their new leader in what can only be seen as a desperate attempt to regain some of the conservative voters they’ve lost in recent months.There are numerous pros and cons ...2 days ago- What if we took all farm animals off the land and planted crops and trees instead?
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nz I would like to know how much difference we could ...2 days ago- On baseball’s ‘first pitch’ and climate’s long road ahead
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Forgive me, if you will, a sports analogy. With the first call of “Play ball!” and the opening pitch of what will have to pass (or won’t) for the 2020 major league baseball season now scheduled to start in just a few weeks ...2 days ago- What’s happening to National?
INT: NATIONAL PARTY CAUCUS ROOM – MORNING The sun is streaming in the window. On the table is a single jandal. A group of 3 National Party members walk into the room instantly spotting the jandal. Gerry: What’s that? Judith: What? Gerry: That jandal. What’s that. Shane: It’s a… jandal? ...2 days ago- Josh Van Veen: Don’t give me culture: The appeal of Judith Collins
When Parliament sits next Tuesday, the Prime Minister will finally meet her match. Judith Collins and Jacinda Ardern are opposites in just about every respect. Yet they have the same basic appeal. Ardern and Collins are as much cultural icons as they are political leaders. Each represents a different side ...2 days ago- Time for another dismissal?
The "palace letters" between Australia's then Governor-General John Kerr and the Queen were released today by the Australian Archives. From the bits I caught of the original press conference, they didn't sound so bad. But now people have had time to go through them properly, and they show an appalling ...2 days ago- What National MPs need to weigh: Weeks v years… Collins’ high base v low ceiling
About 10 years ago when I was producing Q+A on TVNZ, first-term minister Judith Collins arrived for an interview with a staff member I hadn’t met. She kindly introduced us. “This is Tim Watkin,” she said. Adding after the briefest of pauses, “he writes mean things about me on Pundit”.Her ...2 days ago- Get a grip NZ: Muller imploding the National Party in on itself is utterly predictable
The toxic implosion of National thanks to an internal culture of screaming bullshit, most of it completely supercharged in the last decade by a feckless, moronic, “smile and wave” Banker (lauded as “a businessman who will sort out politics!”) who mainlined Neoliberal economics and was literally called, by his own ...2 days ago- Muller resigns, National in disarray
Todd Muller - National Party MPTodd Muller’s shock resignation today really only points to one possible conclusion; there’s further damning evidence linking him directly to National’s latest dirty political episode that will likely be unearthed during an official inquiry.Obviously Muller being directly involved in the leaking of COVID-19 patient’s private ...3 days ago- Another Australian war crime
Ten days ago we learned that the Australian government was attempting to prosecute Australian journalists for exposing Australian war crimes in Afghanisatan. Meanwhile, today we have news of another war crime - a massacre of civilians by Australian special forces: Australian special forces killed up to 10 unarmed Afghan civilians ...3 days ago- If you give the police a warrantless search power, they will abuse it
In the months following the Christchurch massacre, the police acquired a sudden interest in nazis and gun "enthusiasts" (both of which they had previously been ignoring because they were white), and started kicking in doors around Christchurch and seizing firearms, using warrantless search provisions in the Search and Surveillance Act ...3 days ago- Life in Level 1: Cunning Plans, Unanswered Questions
. . The last 24 hours in Aotearoa’s New Zealand’s politics has provided more drama than a week’s worth of “Shortie Street” episodes combined and binge-watched. It began approximately around 5.30 last night (7 July) with a disclosure by Clutha-Southland MP, Hamish Walker that he had leaked a list of ...3 days ago- Our dirty Parliament
The Serious Fraud Office has announced that it is investigating the Labour Party over donations it received in 2017. Which means the three largest parties in Parliament are all now either being investigated or prosecuted for donation fraud. The only parties who aren't are the Greens and ACT. As ...3 days ago- CTG – July 2020 Newsletter
Read our latest newsletter here ...3 days ago- Better understanding bacterial blooms in New Zealand waterways
Dr Kim Handley, University of Auckland Just how do cyanobacteria live in their natural habitat, and how do they coexist with other bacteria and microbial life forms? And what difference will knowledge on this bacteria have on maintaining New Zealand’s water quality? One of the consequences of declining water quality ...4 days ago- 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #28
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Climate Feedback Article Review... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... Global temperatures could exceed crucial 1.5 C target in the next five years In this aerial view ...4 days ago- Saving lives II
Three months on, and looking at the state of the world - 13 million cases, 560,000 dead, and both rising - it is clear that New Zealand's lockdown saved lives. But it didn't just save us from the pandemic and prevent future deaths - it also significantly reduced our background ...4 days ago- The Greens’ energy policy
Yesterday the Greens released their second big election policy - on energy. The short version is "more solar, less coal". They'd stick solar panels and batteries in every state house, and network them together to form a virtual power plant. They'd use grants to fund rooftop solar installations just as ...4 days ago- National’s problem with privacy and privilege
National has a problem. And it’s time they said it out loud. It can’t be dismissed as a one-off anymore or excused because ‘everyone does it’. No, it cuts deeper than that. National has an ethics problem. Especially when it comes to privacy and using ordinary people as pawns in ...4 days ago- 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #28
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, July 5 through Sat, July 11, 2020 Editor's Choice Think Covid-19 Disrupted the Food Chain? Wait and See What Climate Change Will Do The pandemic has revealed deep flaws in the ...5 days ago- Absolutely blasted mad July
The Council of Disobedient Women There is a regular segment in the Speak Up For Women podcasts called “Absolutely Blasted Mad Moment of the Week”. Each podcast the speaker and the host discuss a recent event that is the most insane thing they have seen in the gender critical space ...5 days ago- Dishonest Todd should step down
Todd Muller - Dishonest National Party leaderIt seems that dishonest Todd Muller is, like many right-wing politicians, entirely morally bankrupt. I mean just look at the National Party’s leaking omni-shambles over the last week or so. They’ve imploded in a spectacular display of backfiring dirty politics, the likes of which ...6 days ago- Radiation:
TUESDAY JULY 14Yorkshire Airport (Prime, 7.30pm). Bloomin’ ’eck, behind the scenes at Leeds Bradford Airport. Apparently, there is plenty of “northern charm”, although reaction in the UK ranged from “brilliant” to “patronising”. It is narrated by Hugh Dennis, whose middle name might be “Arch”.WEDNESDAY JULY 15Queen: Live at Wembley (Prime, ...6 days ago- Radiation: July 12 Views: Tom Sainsbury’s sex scandal
MONDAY JULY 13Bodyguard (TVNZ 1, 8.30pm). It's the final; if you haven't seen this already on Netflix, get ready, the ending is batshit.Unforgotten (Vibe, Sky 006, 8.30pm). I wonder if Sanjeev Bhasksar's character has got rid of that damn backpack in the third season of this cold case drama? Although, come ...6 days ago- Muller and the “Leak”.
Simon Bridges must be the unluckiest person in New Zealand politics. When he was elected as leader of the National party, he also became Leader of the Opposition – a position, he was entitled to assume, that would require him to “oppose”. But the government he set out to oppose ...6 days ago- Spreading rock dust on fields could remove vast amounts of CO2 from air
This is a re-post from The Guardian by Damian Carrington Spreading rock dust on farmland could suck billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide from the air every year, according to the first detailed global analysis of the technique. The chemical reactions that degrade the rock particles lock the greenhouse gas into ...6 days ago- #Junkterrorbill in the Philippines
...6 days ago- Women speaking up
Check out Speak Up For Women’s new podcasts: Episode 3 In this episode Speak Up For Women spokeswoman Ani O’Brien (@aniobrien) is joined by Beth Johnson (@beth_nosnhoj) to discuss the proposal from Statistics NZ to change standard data collection policy to “gender by default” rather than sex. They discuss why the ...6 days ago- The Rules of Consultative Engagement
During a recent public consultation on the future of Archives New Zealand, a key report was suppressed. The Ombudsman has ruled that the refusal was unjustified. Sadly, the consultation was over by the time of the the decision has been made. However, the law on the use of the ...6 days ago- Woodhouse must resign
National MP - Michael WoodhouseUnbelievable! Michelle Boag also sent National’s Michael Woodhouse confidential emails about COVD-19 patients, and he continued to publicly attack the Government over these very same breaches of privacy.This is the biggest political self-own since the Act Party’s David Garrett admitted in Parliament that he used a ...7 days ago- The law rhymes
Everyone is paying attention today to the Supreme Court ruling that the President is not above the law and that Trump's tax returns can be given to a New York grand jury investigating him. But the Supreme Court decided another, far more important case yesterday, and effectively restored Native American ...7 days ago- National Party policy announcement on roads and stuff
Transcript: National Party policy announcement on roads – 8 July, 2020 Muller: Good afternoon everybody. Thank you for coming. Reporter 1: Is Hamish Walker a racist? Muller: Hang on… you haven’t even said good afternoon to me yet. Reporter 1: Good afternoon Mr Muller. Is Hamish Walker a racist? ...7 days ago- Hard News: More on the repurposed hepatitis C drugs and their potential as a Covid-19 treatment
Back in April, I wrote about trials in Iran of a fixed-dose combination of two existing anti-viral drugs used to treat hepatitis C – sofosbuvir and daclatasvir – that could point to an effective treatment for Covid-19 symptoms.At the time, data from those trials was not available outside the hospitals ...7 days ago- NZ Politics Daily – 10 July 2020
Today’s content Tiwai Point to close Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Government subsidising practically everything plays hardball with Rio Tinto (paywalled) Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Sudden closure of aluminium smelter worst outcome for jobs, consumers and the environment Brian Fallow (Herald): Tiwai closure sad news – and an opportunity for the environment (paywalled) Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Rio ...7 days ago- Weekly deaths declined in NZ’s lockdown – but we still don’t know exactly why
Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Anja Mizdrak, Dr Jennifer Summers, Prof Michael Baker The pandemic-related lockdown is possibly the most dramatic public health intervention in NZ history. It helped achieve the elimination of community transmission of the COVID-19 virus in NZ. But it was also associated with 548 fewer total ...7 days ago- A Party Of Honourable men?
Reprehensible: There is much that could be said about Michael Woodhouse, but what would be the point? Any man who willingly involves himself in a situation as reprehensible as the one depicted in the above photograph has already vouchsafed all that decent people need to know about his character. That there have ...7 days ago- Graham Adams: Euthanasia – Who speaks for the disabled?
As the debate over assisted dying rages in the run-up to the referendum at the election on September 19, a persistent problem continues to dog the discussions. That is to say, a prominent spokesperson for a particular group takes a strong public stand in opposition without acknowledging that they don’t ...7 days ago- Are Walker and Boag National’s (and the Media’s) Designated Villains?
No Other Suspects? The mainstream news media was willing to print and broadcast harsh Opposition criticism of the Government, even though they knew that the source of the leaked information was a National Party MP. Even though, by pushing the story up towards the top of every news bulletin they were ...1 week ago- Why Kurt Taogaga Had To Go.
Sacrificial Lamb: If the stories about Mr Taogaga and the unauthorised release of confidential medical data had been deliberately orchestrated by Labour’s political opponents, their deflection of the news media’s attention away from the Prime Minister’s address to the Labour Party Congress could hardly have been more successful.THE LABOUR PARTY ...1 week ago- Defending The Revolution.
The East is Rent: The consequences of unleashing the young against the old; of elevating ideological rigor above reasoned debate; and of setting the present against the past; was a decade of unprecedented social stress and tension, interspersed with explosions of murderous mob violence and tragic material destruction. More than ...1 week ago- Bryce Edwards: The Greens will be vital to Jacinda Ardern’s re-election
The Green Party of Aotearoa-New Zealand could go from helping Jacinda Ardern run the country, to being turfed out of Parliament altogether in ten weeks. And that could see the end of Labour in government. Without them, Labour would likely have to do what no party has done since the ...1 week ago- Labour lied about control orders
Remember the government's tyrannical Terrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill? Remember how it was rammed through Parliament, with a four-day submission period and a select committee process that was a democratic fraud? At the time, the government gave the impression that there was an urgent need for this legislation, that a ...1 week ago- It’s all over Tova
Attack journalist - Tova O'BrienWe all know that much of the mainstream media in New Zealand is terribly biased. They are in effect another branch of the National Party, and can often be even more prejudiced than their right wing bosses.In fact many right wing politicians moonlight as journalists and ...1 week ago- Dancing on Tiwai’s grave
This morning, after years of threats and demands for subsidies, Rio Tinto announced that it would be closing the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter. Good. Because as I've argued before, the best thing this foreign polluter can do is close. Doing so will free up 12% of our electricity supply, not ...1 week ago- Boag rides to oblivion
Former National Party President - Michelle BoagAfter the complete botch job Hamish Walker made of leaking the private details of COVID-19 patients to the mainstream media last week, the best-case scenario for Todd Muller and the National Party would be if the news cycle went quiet about their involvement.But unfortunately ...1 week ago- A transparency agenda
On Tuesday, after two years of pissing about, Justice Minister Andrew Little promised to rewrite the Official Information Act. It is unclear whether this was a government promise, or a Labour Party election promise - and Little played stupid games rather than giving a straight answer when asked directly. But ...1 week ago- Black Rhino Photo
One of the challenges of working on illegal wildlife markets, is you don’t really have scope to talk about your research into illegal wildlife markets. There is some stuff though that willbe coming out on Asiatic black bears in China, and before Covid19, I was delving more into rhinos. Which ...1 week ago- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #27, 2020
79 Articles Observations & observational methods of global warming & effects Six hundred years of South American tree rings reveal an increase in severe hydroclimatic events since mid-20th century (open access) Late summer temperature variability for the Southern Rocky Mountains (USA) since 1735 CE: applying blue light intensity to low-latitude ...1 week ago- A hard core of Dirty Politics tactics never died when John Key left as PM. Surely that’s driven ho...
Some are surprised at this sudden brain implosion on the part of both Michelle Boag, former National Party President, and the National Party in general, in exposing the private, confidential details of COVID patients. Others…? Let’s be blunt: not so much. Too many of that Party have long operated with ...1 week ago- Dirty tactics backfire on National
Michelle Boag - Former National Party PresidentWhen Todd Muller decided not to discipline Hamish Walker for his horribly racist press release last week, you had to wonder if his lack of proper leadership had something to do with a shared belief system? After all, the whiteness of the blue “team” ...1 week ago- A good question
On Twitter today, lawyer Felix Geiringer asked a good question: why are MP's exempt from the Privacy Act? The Act imposes its obligations on "agencies", and s8 of the 2020 Act states that this term does not include... a member of Parliament in their official capacity The 1993 Act, ...1 week ago- What the world was like the last time carbon dioxide levels were at 400ppm
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nz What was the climate and sea level like at times ...1 week ago- Unbelieveable
That's the only way to describe last night's admissions by National MP Hamish Walker and former party president Michelle Boag that they were responsible for leaking the names of Covid-19 patients to the media. How could anyone possibly think that was a good idea? But I guess I'd forgotten what ...1 week ago- The Dirty Leak
So now we know, beyond all doubt. The National party has no interest in joining the “team of five million” in our fight against the pandemic but its priority is to take every opportunity it can to damage the government. The cynicism is breathtaking. It was prepared to leak the ...1 week ago- Saharan dust cloud was most intense in decades, and more, though milder, are coming
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters The massive dust storm that formed over the Sahara Desert in mid-June invaded the southeastern U.S. June 25-28, bringing dangerous levels of air pollution, low visibility, and colorful sunsets. The air pollution event over parts of Texas and the Gulf ...1 week ago- NZ Politics Daily – 8 July 2020
Today’s content National Party revealed as source of Covid-19 privacy leak Audrey Young (Herald): National’s failures on patient leak from top to bottom (paywalled) Luke Malpass (Stuff): National leader Todd Muller found wanting in first real test of moral leadership Jo Moir (RNZ): How the Hamish Walker Covid-19 patient detail leak played out Mark ...1 week ago- The Political Roller-coaster in Full Swing
In 1987, as a British Labour MP, I was elected to the Shadow Cabinet by my colleagues and was asked by the party leader to direct Labour’s campaign in the general election of that year. The election was to take place at the height of Mrs Thatcher’s dominance and we ...1 week ago- National lacks credibility on housing
1 week ago- Hard News: The cannabis referendum: the evidence
If the government has not lined up behind a "Yes" vote in this year's cannabis referendum the way some reformers would have liked, one entirely laudable thing it did do was commission some science around the public's choice.That science landed today, in the form of the report from an expert ...1 week ago - The Judith Collins-Led National Party: Be Scared – Be Very Scared.
- Investment in community and jobs in Southland and Otago welcomed by New Zealand First
Mark Patterson MP, New Zealand First List MP A range of projects announced by the Hon Shane Jones in Southland and Otago will build communities and create jobs, according to New Zealand First List MP Mark Patterson. The town of Gore received funding to build a new public library and ...12 hours ago - Winston Peters: The future of Tiwai is a matter of national interestNews that Rio Tinto has announced that it is planning to wind-down operations at the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter could not have a come at a worse time for the people of Southland. While it has been clear that Rio Tinto was never going to support Southlanders over the long haul, ...15 hours ago
- New Zealand First Statement on Muller ResignationRt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters acknowledged today the heavy price of trying to lead the National Party today. ‘One’s sympathy goes out to Todd Muller and his family. Todd is a good man, unlike most of his colleagues he does ...3 days ago
- Week That Was: Keeping New Zealand moving
We're keeping New Zealand moving, one progress-packed week at a time. Read below to find out how we're creating jobs, protecting the environment, looking out for the health of New Zealanders', and upgrading our critical infrastructure - and that's only this week. ...4 days ago - Week That Was: Keeping New Zealand movingWe're keeping New Zealand moving, one progress-packed week at a time. Read below to find out how we're creating jobs, protecting the environment, looking out for the health of New Zealanders', and upgrading our critical infrastructure - and that's only this week. ...4 days ago
- Government backs Northland innovation and enterprise parkHon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund is providing up to $19.5 million to boost innovative primary sector businesses and create training and job opportunities for Northland locals through the construction of an innovation and enterprise park at Ngawha, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones ...4 days ago
- Green Party unveils Clean Energy Plan
The Green Party is today unveiling part one of its plan for a fossil-fuel free Aotearoa, including an immediate ban on new industrial coal boilers. ...5 days ago - New Zealand First calls for tahr cull haltMark Patterson MP, Spokesperson for Primary Industry New Zealand First is supporting calls by hunters and the New Zealand Tahr Foundation (NZTF) to halt a large scale cull of Himalayan Tahr by the Department of Conservation in National Parks. The calls are supported by a 40,000 strong petition and the ...1 week ago
- Response to Spin-off allegationsRt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First leader Winston Peters today scoffed at suggestions that a team of six political operatives have been dispatched to New Zealand to assist his campaign. ‘As President Ronald Reagan once said, ‘there they go again.’ ‘The clickbait journos can’t ...1 week ago
- Jenny Marcroft MP to represent New Zealand First in Auckland CentralNew Zealand First is pleased to announce Jenny Marcroft as the party’s election 2020 candidate for the Auckland Central electorate. Jenny spent years working in Auckland Central, having spent a vast proportion of her broadcasting career there. She says she, "knows the place and knows the people." Ms Marcroft says ...2 weeks ago
- Creating jobs and cleaning up our riversNew Zealanders deserve healthy rivers and lakes that are safe to swim in - but they have been getting worse for decades. That's why, with our latest announcement, we're investing in projects that will help clean up our rivers and lakes and restore them to health, within a generation. ...2 weeks ago
- Jacinda Ardern: 2020 Labour Congress SpeechJacinda Ardern's speech to the 2020 Labour Party Congress. ...2 weeks ago
- Kelvin Davis: 2020 Labour Congress SpeechKelvin Davis' speech to the 2020 Labour Party Congress. ...2 weeks ago
- Week That Was: Another week of major progressThis week we moved into the second half of 2020 - and our Government delivered another week of big changes and major progress for New Zealanders. Read below for a wrap of the key things moments from the week - from extending paid parental leave, to making major investments in ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party opposes RMA fast-track bill that cut corners on environmental safeguards and public cons...The Green Party has opposed the COVID-19 Recovery Fast-track Consenting Bill which shortcuts normal consenting processes under the Resource Management Act (RMA), reduces public participation and narrows environmental considerations. ...2 weeks ago
- Site of new freight hub revealedHon Shane Jones, Minister of Regional Economic Development A regional freight hub for the lower North Island will be built just northeast of Palmerston North, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The Government is investing $40 million through the Provincial Growth Fund to designate and buy land and design ...2 weeks ago
- Greens call for Guaranteed Minimum Income to alleviate skyrocketing debt with MSDGreen Party Co-leader Marama Davidson is calling for the introduction of a Guaranteed Minimum Income to lift hundreds of thousands of people out of poverty and prevent more families entering into further debt with the Ministry of Social Development. ...2 weeks ago
- Winston Peters: Facts matter when taxpayer money is on the lineThere has been renewed focus on New Zealand First acting as a handbrake on the Government after our decision to not support Auckland light rail. We are a handbrake for bad ideas, that is true, but our track record since 2017 has seen New Zealand First constructively also serve as an ...2 weeks ago
- Bill raising minimum residency requirement for NZ Super passes first readingMark Patterson MP, New Zealand First List MP New Zealand First’s Fair Residency for Superannuation Bill passed its First Reading in Parliament today. The Bill makes a significant change to NZ Super by raising the minimum residency requirement from 10 to 20 years, after age 20. “Currently, a migrant of ...2 weeks ago
- Harsher penalties for assaults on first responders one step closerDarroch Ball MP, Spokesperson for Law and Order A New Zealand First member’s bill in the name of Darroch Ball introducing a six-month minimum prison sentence for assaults on first responders has passed its second reading in Parliament. The new offence of "injuring a first responder or corrections officer with ...2 weeks ago
- Criminal Cases Review Commission delivers Coalition promiseFletcher Tabuteau MP, Deputy Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First welcomes the launch of the new Criminal Cases Review Commission, gifted with the name from Waikato-Tainui - Te Kāhui Tātari Ture, announced in Hamilton today by Justice Minister Andrew Little. “New Zealand First has long believed in and ...2 weeks ago
- Greens welcome huge new investment in sustainable projectsThe Green Party is celebrating over $800m in new funding for green projects, which will get people into jobs while solving New Zealand’s long-term challenges. ...2 weeks ago
- New Zealand First demands answers from Meridian EnergyMark Patterson MP, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First is appalled that Meridian seems to have been unnecessarily spilling water from its dams to drive up its profits."While New Zealanders have been coming together in some of our darkest hours, we don’t expect power gentailers to waste water and ...2 weeks ago
- Getting New Zealand moving again: June 2020We wrapped up the first half of 2020 with a busy month, taking additional steps to support New Zealanders as we continue with our economic recovery. We rolled out targeted packages to support key industries like tourism and construction, helped create jobs in the environmental and agriculture sectors, and set ...2 weeks ago
- Māori union leader appointed to Infrastructure Commission boardHon Shane Jones, Minister for Infrastructure Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones has welcomed the appointment of Maurice Davis and his deep infrastructure and construction experience to the board of the Infrastructure Commission. Mr Davis (Ngāti Maniapoto), is the seventh and final appointment to the board led by former Reserve Bank Governor ...2 weeks ago
- Click-bait journalism at its worstRt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand’s click bait journalism is taking a turn for the worse, with yet another example of sensationalist, wilful-misrepresentation of the facts. “New Zealand First has worked constructively with its Coalition partner on hundreds of pieces of legislation and policy, and ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party proposes transformational Poverty Action PlanThe Green Party is today unveiling its Poverty Action Plan, which includes a Guaranteed Minimum Income to ensure people have enough to live with dignity. ...3 weeks ago
- PGF accelerates Rotorua projectsRt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Rotorua Museum redevelopment and Whakarewarewa and Tokorangi Forest projects will be accelerated thanks to a $2.09 million Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) boost, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher ...3 weeks ago
- Market Manipulation in the Energy Sector
The Minister for State-Owned Enterprises Winston Peters, has expressed an equal measure of shock and concern at the recent Electricity Authority Board’s preliminary finding that Meridian Energy was involved in an ‘undesirable trading situation’ during December 2019. Between December 3 and 18 last year Meridian spilled water from their hydro ...11 hours ago - Growth in Police numbers enhances diversityDiversity in frontline Police ranks has been enhanced by rapid growth in officer numbers over the past three years. Stuart Nash today presented awards to new constables from Wing 339 at the Royal New Zealand Police College in Porirua. It is the 37th Police recruit wing to graduate since the ...11 hours ago
- Government open to Rugby Championship being held in New ZealandSport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson says the Government is keen to work with New Zealand Rugby and SANZAAR to see if The Rugby Championship can be held safely in New Zealand. “We are open to the idea of hosting these international games here, but of course we will need ...13 hours ago
- $242 million boost for mothers and maternity servicesMaternity service providers, women and their babies will receive more support after a $242 million maternity package announced today by Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter. This is the largest ever funding boost for primary maternity services, and is targeted to recognise the work midwives do when caring for women ...15 hours ago
- Funding boost helps Pasifika Education Centre expand its online reach in Pacific language coursesThe Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio spoke at the opening of the new premises for the Pasifika Education Centre (PEC) in Manukau this morning and announced a $3.9 million allocation over four years, that will enable PEC to offer free community Pacific language courses including online platforms and ...16 hours ago
- Search and rescue gets funding boost to save livesTransport Minister Phil Twyford announced today a $58.4 million boost over four years for New Zealand Search and Rescue, recreational boating safety and safety awareness to help save lives. Phil Twyford said safety is this Government’s top transport priority. ...16 hours ago
- $5.3 million for Southland producersTwo Southland businesses will receive loans from the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) to boost production and take on more local workers, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. Up to $5.3 million will go to Alliance Group Limited’s meat processing facility and Drysdale Hydroponics’ vegetable growing business. “These businesses ...16 hours ago
- Homer Tunnel upgrade: Jobs and improved safetyA Government investment of $25 million will create 180 jobs and improve the safety and resilience of the Homer Tunnel on the crucial State Highway 94 (The Milford Road) tourist route linking Te Anau and Piopiotahi Milford Sound, Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones says. The multimillion-dollar investment from the Government’s rejuvenation ...16 hours ago
- Te Arawa Lakes Trust among first to benefit from Jobs for Nature and biosecurity investmentWhenua/land, roto/lakes and awa/rivers in the central North Island will benefit from increased habitat protection with new biosecurity investment across iwi and Crown-managed lands and lakes announced Conservation and Land Information Minister Eugenie Sage in Rotorua today. “I’m delighted to announced that Rotorua iwi entity Te Arawa Lakes Trust will ...17 hours ago
- Independent review of the New Zealand Defence Force’s Operation Respect releasedAn independent review of the New Zealand Defence Force’s progress against its action plan for Operation Respect has been released by the Ministry of Defence today, announced Defence Minister Ron Mark. Operation Respect was implemented in 2016 with the objective to address inappropriate and harmful sexual behaviours, discrimination, harassment and ...17 hours ago
- PGF delivers more jobs and skills training for the regionsThe Coalition Government is again delivering for jobs and skills training in Otago and Southland through the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF), Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones said today. “A total investment of over $3.5 million from the PGF will help close to 1,500 people become work-ready,” Shane Jones said. ...22 hours ago
- Clutha and Arrowtown: Govt support for community facilitiesGovernment support for two community facilities will provide a major economic boost for Otago, helping the region’s recovery from COVID-19, Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones says. Minister Jones has today announced funding for the Lakes District Museum and the Clutha Community Hub – two locally-led projects that will retain and create ...22 hours ago
- Less flooding, more jobs in Southland and OtagoNew investment in flood protection measures in Southland and Otago will keep residents safer and boost their local economies, with funding of $30 million from central Government announced by Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones today. The funding forms part of the $210m for shovel-ready climate resilience and flood protection ...22 hours ago
- Condolences on passing of Sir Toke TalagiForeign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has expressed his condolences regarding the passing of Niue’s former Premier, Sir Toke Talagi, which occurred today in Niue. “Sir Toke, who was also formerly Niue’s Foreign Minister, made a significant contribution to Niue over a long career. He served as a dedicated Premier of ...1 day ago
- Prime Minister extends condolences on passing of Niue’s former PremierPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern has extended New Zealand’s condolences following the death of Niue’s former Premier, Sir Toke Talagi, who has passed away in Niue. “We extend our condolences to his family and to the people of Niue. Sir Toke was an elder statesman of the Pacific and a long ...1 day ago
- New Whānau Ora localised approach to be testedWhānau in North Island communities are set to test the benefit of a new localised commissioning approach, Minister for Whānau Ora Peeni Henare announced today. Four organisations will receive a total of $500,000 each to trial a localised approach that will seek to move investment decision-making a step closer to whānau in their region. This funding is a ...1 day ago
- Gore community facilities get Government backingTwo leaking and run-down community facilities in Gore will receive Government funding to provide jobs for local contractors and long-term benefits to the Gore community and wider region, Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones has announced. The funding comes from the $3 billion tagged contingency set aside in Budget 2020 for infrastructure. ...2 days ago
- Hood Aerodrome upgrade gets the green lightA major Government investment will see construction on a revamped Hood Aerodrome get underway this year, creating jobs and boosting the local economy. “The $10 million investment from the Government’s recently announced infrastructure fund will support Masterton District Council to get the project into construction. “Hood Aerodrome is an important ...2 days ago
- Clean energy future for more public servicesNew Zealand’s state sector has taken another important step towards a clean energy future, the Minister for Climate Change James Shaw said today as he announced six new projects that will be supported by the Government’s clean-powered public service fund. The University of Canterbury, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand ...2 days ago
- Next steps in COVID responseKia ora tatou Today I am setting out our plan in the event we have a new case of community transmission of COVID-19 in New Zealand. I will take a bit of time to do that, and then I’ll be happy to take questions at the end. Since we moved ...2 days ago
- Government steps up action on waste – funds recycling infrastructure and expands levy scheme·$124 million Government investment in recycling infrastructure ·Plans confirmed to increase and expand the waste levy to divert material from landfill, and recycle revenue into resource recovery and waste minimisation ·Innovative construction and demolition facility opened in Auckland with $3.1 million in support from Government’s Waste Minimisation Fund (WMF). As ...2 days ago
- Wellbeing infrastructure for KaiparaA package of wellbeing infrastructure investments in Kaipara which focuses on improving the lives of the elderly and upgrading the iconic Kauri Museum has been announced by Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones today. “These shovel-ready projects will have significant benefits for their respective communities and I’m pleased this funding ...3 days ago
- More support rolls out for SMEsMore support is rolling out for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from the COVID Response and Recovery Fund, to help them adapt and innovate to deal with the impact of the virus. The Ministers for Economic Development and Small Business have announced a further $40 million for the Regional Business ...3 days ago
- District Court Judge appointedStephen Clark, Māori Land Court Judge of Hamilton has been appointed as a District Court Judge with jury jurisdiction to be based in Hamilton, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. Judge Clark graduated with an LLB from Auckland University in 1988 and was admitted to the Bar in the same year. ...4 days ago
- Hawke’s Bay Airport agreement protects jobs, safeguards terminal developmentThe Crown will provide a loan to Hawke’s Bay Airport to ensure it can trade through COVID-19 economic impacts, support the region’s recovery and protect up to 200 jobs. The Crown has a 50 percent shareholding in Hawke’s Bay Airport Limited (HBAL), with Napier City Council holding 26 percent and ...4 days ago
- Funding boost for four cultural eventsFour celebrated Māori and Pasifika events will receive up to $100,000 each in funding from the new Creative and Cultural Events Incubator fund, Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford announced today. The four events that were successful in the inaugural funding round are: Kia Mau Festival, Wellington Māoriland Film Festival, Otaki ...4 days ago
- Inaugural launch of Kiribati Language WeekThe Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio is pleased to announce the inaugural launch of Kiribati Language Week as part of the 2020 Pacific language Weeks programme. “I am so pleased that this year we are able to provide resourcing support to the Kiribati community in Aotearoa which will ...6 days ago
- New support package for wildlife institutionsWildlife institutions affected by a loss of visitor revenue during the COVID-19 lockdown are set to receive government support with nearly $15 million of funding available announced Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage. “Eco-sanctuaries, zoos, aquariums, wildlife parks, and wildlife rescue, hospital and rehabilitation facilities provide crucial support for the recovery ...6 days ago
- 300,000 students to benefit from free mental health servicesThe Government is expanding and accelerating frontline mental health and wellbeing services at tertiary education institutes (TEI) to help students manage ongoing stresses related to COVID-19. “The lockdown has been hugely disruptive for students. Many of them have had to relocate and move to online learning, isolating them from their ...6 days ago
- Gang crime, meth harm targeted in WaikatoThe Minister of Police says a major operation against the Mongrel Mob in Waikato will make a big dent in drug harm and violent offending linked to organised crime networks. “Senior leadership of the Waikato Mongrel Mob has been taken out as a result of Operation Kingsville, which resulted in ...7 days ago
- Supporting victims and families to attend mosque attack sentencingThe Government is extending the border exception criteria to enable some offshore victims and support people of the Christchurch mosque attacks to attend the sentencing of the accused beginning on 24 August2020, says Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway. “We want to support our valued Muslim brothers and sisters who were directly ...7 days ago
- Boost for community freshwater restoration projectsA project to support volunteer efforts to look after streams and rivers is getting a boost thanks to support from DOC’s Community Conservation Fund announced Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage today. “The government is backing efforts to look after waterways with $199,400 for the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust from ...7 days ago
- More support for women and girlsMinister for Women Julie Anne Genter today announced that funding for the COVID-19 Community Fund for women and girls will be doubled, as the first successful funding applications for the initial $1million were revealed. “Women and girls across the country have suffered because of the effects of COVID-19, and I ...7 days ago
- Crown accounts stronger than forecast with higher consumer spendingThe Government’s books were better than forecast with a higher GST take as the economy got moving again after lockdown, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. The Crown Accounts for the 11 months to the end of May indicate the year end results for tax revenue will be stronger than forecast. ...7 days ago
- Govt releases plan to revitalise wool sectorA plan to revitalise New Zealand’s strong wool sector and set it on a new, more sustainable and profitable path was unveiled today by Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. The newly-released report - Vision and Action for New Zealand’s Wool Sector - was developed by the Wool Industry Project Action Group ...7 days ago
- Funding for Predator Free WhangāreiCommunity efforts to create a Predator Free Whangārei will receive a $6 million boost, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage announced today. The new funding, through Government company Predator Free 2050 Ltd, will create around 12 jobs while enabling the complete removal of possums over ...7 days ago
- New Zealand to review relationship settings with Hong KongForeign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced that the New Zealand Government is reviewing the settings of its relationship with Hong Kong. “China’s decision to pass a new national security law for Hong Kong has fundamentally changed the environment for international engagement there,” Mr Peters said. “New Zealand remains deeply ...1 week ago
- Funding for Whangārei’s infrastructure projects revealedRegional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced details of a multimillion-dollar investment in Whangārei for infrastructure projects that will help it recover from the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 200 jobs are expected to be created through the $26 million investment from the Government’s rejuvenation package ...1 week ago
- Managed isolation and quarantine updateFollowing a second incident in which a person escaped from a managed isolation facility, security is being enhanced, including more police presence onsite, Minister Megan Woods said. “The actions of some individuals who choose to break the very clear rules to stay within the facilities means that more resourcing is ...1 week ago
- Call for providers of new kaupapa Māori primary mental health servicesNew kaupapa Māori primary mental health and addiction services are being sought, Associate Minister of Health, Peeni Henare has announced today. This work is part of the $2 billion mental health package announced in Budget 2019 and will make it easier for Māori to access primary mental health and addiction ...1 week ago
- Grattan on Friday: Palace letters make great reading but leave a republic as far away as ever
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the midst of our present crisis, this week’s release of the Palace letters has taken us back to the debate about another crisis, massive at the time and of lasting significance but rather put ...3 hours ago - Universities are cutting hundreds of jobs – they, and the government, can do betterSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexis Vassiley, PhD candidate, School of Management, Curtin University Monash University will reportedly cut 277 jobs by the end of the year, due to projecting a more than A$300 million financial shortfall caused by COVID-19. It comes after the vice chancellor of ...5 hours ago
- Politics with Michelle Grattan: Jane Halton on the risk of ‘vaccine nationalism’Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Jane Halton, who formerly headed the federal health and finance departments, is chair of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness. CEPI, founded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is at the forefront of the international ...5 hours ago
- Maternity services get extra $180 million, midwives in line for pay rises
Rural midwives are in line for as much as a 40 percent pay rise, with the government finally bringing more funding for the sector, and hope the boost will entice more into the job. ...7 hours ago - Immunity to COVID-19 may not last. This threatens a vaccine and herd immunitySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nigel McMillan, Program Director, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Menzies Health Institute, Griffith University How is the world going to go back to the days when we could grab a coffee, see a movie, or attend a concert or footy game with anyone? ...8 hours ago
- The Twitter hack targeted the rich and famous. But we all lose if trusted accounts can be hijackedSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kobi Leins, Senior Research Fellow in Digital Ethics, University of Melbourne The list of US figures whose Twitter accounts were hijacked by scammers on Wednesday US time reads like a Who’s Who of the tech and celebrity worlds: Tesla boss Elon Musk, ...8 hours ago
- Brownlee: ‘Some sorrow’ over MPs’ exit but others will step upAttempts were made to retain Nikki Kaye and Amy Adams, but they've made personal decisions to move on, says National's new deputy leader Gerry Brownlee. ...8 hours ago
- Boss allegedly assaulted seasonal worker
Newsroom can now reveal there are additional allegations around a tape-recorded meeting seasonal workers had with their boss - and what happened when the recording stopped Police say they will charge a man with assault in relation to a tape-recorded meeting between seasonal workers and their boss. Newsroom understands that man is Anthony Rarere, ...8 hours ago - Coalition split over Tiwai Point aluminium smelter’s fateThe future of Tiwai Point aluminium smelter, and heavy industry nationwide, is shaping to be a sticking point between Coalition partners - Labour and New Zealand First. ...8 hours ago
- Sydney’s second wave: can it avoid a Melbourne-style lockdown?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nic Geard, Senior Lecturer, School of Computing and Information Systems, University of Melbourne; Senior Research Fellow, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne Throughout the second half of May and into June, almost all COVID-19 cases in New South Wales ...8 hours ago
- The Yield wins the Miles Franklin: a powerful story of violence and forms of resistanceSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Webb, Dean, Graduate Research, University of Canberra This remarkable novel opens and closes in the voice of Albert Gondiwindi, the recently deceased grandfather of one of the main characters, August. Albert was born, he says in the first sentence, on Country ...8 hours ago
- Got a COVID-19 test in Victoria and still haven’t got your results? Here’s what may be happening...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, La Trobe University Stories are emerging of Victorians who have followed advice and sought a COVID-19 test, only to find they’re still waiting to hear results more than five days later. The scale of testing underway in Victoria ...9 hours ago
- JobTrainer explained: what is it, who qualifies, what does it pay?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Hurley, Policy Fellow, Mitchell Institute, Victoria University The Australian government has announced a A$2 billion skills package it has dubbed JobTrainer. It follows JobKeeper, the wage subsidy program (worth about A$70 billion); Jobseeker, which doubled the A$550-a-week unemployment benefit (as well ...9 hours ago
- Drive-in music festivals allow you to social distance. But what happens when you add drugs and alcoh...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole Lee, Professor at the National Drug Research Institute (Melbourne), Curtin University The cancellation of events due to the COVID-19 pandemic has hit Australia’s music industry hard, with reports of losses up to A$200 million. But music festivals have quickly adapted. First, ...9 hours ago
- Australia has some of the highest rates of drinking during pregnancy. It’s time to make labelling ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natasha Reid, Research Fellow, The University of Queensland State and federal minsters involved in the Forum on Food Regulation will tomorrow vote on whether or not to introduce mandatory alcohol pregnancy warning labels in Australia and New Zealand. If approved, it will ...9 hours ago
- Health care has a huge environmental footprint, which then harms health. This is a matter of ethicsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Capon, Director, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University The health impacts of environmental change are now squarely on the radar. Australia’s recent intense wildfires is one glaring example. Spillover of the virus causing the COVID-19 pandemic from animals to humans is ...9 hours ago
- Auckland National Party Join Hands With Phil Goff To Hike Council Taxes
The Taxpayers’ Union is slamming the National Party’s local offshoot ‘C & R’ leader Desley Simpson for joining hands with Phil Goff to hike Council taxes by 3.5% in the middle of a pandemic. Jordan Williams, a Spokesman in Auckland said: ...9 hours ago - Vandals Attack New Conservative...9 hours ago
- Rates Increase A Betrayal To Aucklanders...9 hours ago
- Keith Rankin Analysis – Universal Basic Income: Left, Right, and CentreAnalysis by Keith Rankin. Representative Democracy On 26 June, I attended a zoom webinar called ‘Modern politics – 20thC to MMP’, run by Auckland Libraries and Ancestry.com. The speakers were politics’ academics Grant Duncan and Toby Boraman, from Massey University. Duncan is a well-known political scientist, and ...10 hours ago
- More Australians back legalising cannabis and 57% support pill testing, national survey showsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jarryd Bartle, Sessional Lecturer, RMIT University A growing number of Australians support the legalisation of cannabis, while almost three in five back the idea of pill testing, according to a new national survey. The 2019 National Drug Strategy Household Survey also shows ...11 hours ago
- Tracer app ‘almost certain to achieve nothing’, CovidCard backers told PM
The high-powered group behind a Bluetooth-enabled, credit card-sized alternative to Covid Tracer warned Ardern a month ago that a voluntary app was doomed to fail, reports BusinessDesk editor Pattrick Smellie. The Ministry of Health’s Covid Tracer smartphone app is “almost certain to achieve nothing with regard to slowing the ...11 hours ago - Pact Group Welcomes $124 Million Waste Disposal Levy ExpansionPact Group welcomes the announcement by the New Zealand Government of its $124 million investment into the Waste Disposal Levy Expansion, which will see the Government expand the waste levy to all classes of landfill and support critical recycling infrastructure ...11 hours ago
- The NZ company striving to make sheep milk a thingBusiness is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand. This week he talks to Scottie Chapman from Spring Sheep Milk Co.New Zealand is famous all around the ...11 hours ago
- Emily Writes: If you don’t know the price of cheese, you’re not fit to run the countryThe leader of the National Party, Judith Collins, doesn’t know how much cheese costs. Yesterday, the nation stopped when one of the hosts of The Project, Josh Thomson, asked Judith Collins how much a 1kg block of cheese cost.“I think it’s about $4 or $5 – something like that, depending ...11 hours ago
- Newsroom’s hiring: applications open for social media specialist
Newsroom is on the look out for a Social Media Specialist - does that sound like you? Are you a social media expert with a strong news sense? Newsroom is expanding our team and looking to hire a social media specialist to help nurture our growing community of readers ...11 hours ago - Watt A Waste Of Wellington Ratepayers’ MoneyThe New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is disappointed but sadly not surprised at the revelation that Wellington’s electric vehicle (EV) chargers are only being used 1-3 per cent of the time . Union spokesperson Jordan Williams says: “This was utterly ...11 hours ago
- National leader Judith Collins’ reshuffle no minor matterPower Play - With hastily-filled gaps in National's new-look line-up, Judith Collins still has work to do to shake the narrative of a party in disarray, writes Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch. ...12 hours ago
- From hands on to digital: How a physio studio found success over lockdownTwo days before alert level four lockdown, Unity Studios was meant to open its doors for the very first time. First-time business owners Caitlin Day and Sophie Lax were forced to quickly become a virtual studio hosting classes and consults online.If you’ve never been on a Pilates reformer, the large ...13 hours ago
- How New Zealand could keep eliminating coronavirus at its border for months to come, even as the glo...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Plank, Professor in Mathematics, University of Canterbury Stringent border controls and mandatory quarantine give New Zealand a good chance to remain free of COVID-19 for months to come, according to our latest modelling. It’s been 76 days since New Zealand’s last ...13 hours ago
- Collins has a daunting challenge – exacerbated by resignations – but our MMP system is among the...
Back from the dead? National backbenchers, particularly those down the party list, might be breathing again— now that Judith Collins has taken control, after the political trauma of the past few weeks. Party stalwarts, some of whom had been drifting off to ACT party, are rallying again. Collins’ ascension has ...13 hours ago - Packaging Industry Body Backs Waste Levy IncreaseGovernment’s decision to expand and increase the waste levy is a bold and welcome move towards reducing the country’s reliance on landfills in favour of reuse, recycling and composting. This according to the country’s biggest member-based packaging ...14 hours ago
- Let’s see how much money ministers can dispense before Covid-19 calls for a tougher govt response
Latest from the Beehive – The PM provided a disquieting heads-up on what the government will do if a new case of community transmission of COVID-19 is found in New Zealand. She outlined the cabinet-approved framework designed to give the public and business community as much certainty as can be ...14 hours ago - Judith Collins and the strong teamThe new National Party leader enjoyed a very short political honeymoon, with two MP resignations landing this morning. Her challenge now is to pull off a superhuman repair job on the party’s core reputational strength, writes Toby Manhire.It wasn’t quite a team of five million, but when Judith Collins took ...15 hours ago
- Economist warns risk of another Covid-19 outbreak risingAn economist modelling Covid-19 cases says people should enjoy the freedoms of alert level 1 because they may not last. ...15 hours ago
- With a rāhui ignored, opponents of a Dome Valley dump launch hīkoiA campaign against a huge new dump north of Auckland has drawn together a coalition of iwi, local residents and local government. With their rāhui ignored, they’ve decided to send a hīkoi direct to Auckland Council’s door. Alex Braae reports.For Dame Rangimarie Naida Glavish (Ngāti Whātua), the prospect of pollution ...15 hours ago
- As it happened: National leader Judith Collins unveiling party’s line-upFormer National leaders Simon Bridges and Todd Muller have been promoted to the party's front bench. See who else made the cut here. ...15 hours ago
- Judith Collins line-up revealed, Todd Muller to take a breakNew National leader Judith Collins has revealed her reshuffled caucus, promoting former leaders Simon Bridges and Todd Muller to the party's front bench. ...15 hours ago
- Reti rises, Mitchell misses in Collins’ National reshuffle
National's new leader has stamped her mark on the caucus with a reshuffle after taking over - but it's not only allies who have profited Judith Collins has announced her new caucus rankings after taking the National Party leadership from Todd Muller, with Shane Reti, Chris Bishop and David Bennett among ...15 hours ago - New EPA Mātauranga Framework A First Of Its KindToday the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) launched its Mātauranga Framework, which aims to help appointed decision-makers and EPA staff incorporate Māori perspectives and mātauranga evidence into their decision-making. Chief Executive ...16 hours ago
- Taxpayers’ Union Thanks Amy Adams For Her Service In ParliamentThe New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union thanks Hon Amy Adams for her twelve years of service in politics and wishes her well for her future career. The following can be attributed to Union spokesperson Jordan Williams: “Ms Adams has whole-heartedly ...16 hours ago
- Taxpayers’ Union Wishes Nikki Kaye Well In Her Life After PoliticsThe New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union thanks Hon Nikki Kaye for her twelve years of service in politics and wishes her well for her future career. The following can be attributed to Union spokesperson Jordan Williams: “Ms Kaye was the first and ...16 hours ago
- Dunne Speaks: It’s Time For Matariki DayThe period of Matariki, the celebration of the Māori New Year, which began earlier this week, is being celebrated increasingly as an important national event. While many other countries have their own form of New Year celebrations, Matariki is uniquely ...16 hours ago
- National reshuffle – Judith Collins unveils party’s line-upFormer National leaders Simon Bridges and Todd Muller have been promoted to the party's front bench. See who else made the cut here. ...16 hours ago
- 151% More DuckA recent analysis has shown the number of whio (blue duck) pairs across security sites where the birds’ population restoration work is underway have increased by 151% since 2011. There are now 748 pairs of whio in security sites across New Zealand, ...16 hours ago
- RACISM IS NO JOKE Campaign Launched To Fight Racism Against Asian New ZealandersRace Relations Commissioner Meng Foon has launched the ‘RACISM IS NO JOKE ’ campaign featuring well-known comedian, Filipino New Zealander James Roque. “Since COVID-19, we’ve seen an increase in racism against Chinese and other Asian New ...17 hours ago
- Watch live: National reshuffle – Judith Collins unveils party’s line-upFormer National leaders Simon Bridges and Todd Muller have been promoted to the party's front bench. See who else made the cut here. ...17 hours ago
- A yes vote will likely put ‘green fairies’ out of a job, and that’s OKWhen medically prescribed cannabinoids are inaccessible or ineffective, ‘green fairies’ step in to help. Those in chronic pain deserve better than an ad hoc, black market system, writes Kevin Dew.“Green fairies” are dealers who provide cannabis products to those who want to access them for health purposes. As well as ...17 hours ago
- Watch live: National reshuffle – Judith Collins set to unveil party’s line-upNew National Party leader Judith Collins is unveiling her reshuffle at Parliament. See who makes the cut here. ...17 hours ago
- New health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti on his approach to Covid-19 in oppositionNational's new health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says he will be collaborative with the government on the Covid-19 response, but will still be holding them to account. ...17 hours ago
- Live: Two National MPs quit ahead of reshuffleNikki Kaye and Amy Adams have both announced their retirement from politics as leader Judith Collins gets ready to announce her party's new line-up. ...17 hours ago
- National MPs Nikki Kaye and Amy Adams quitting politicsFormer National Party deputy leader Nikki Kaye and senior MP Amy Adams have both announced their resignations this morning ahead of a reshuffle. ...17 hours ago
- $226,500 In COVID-19 Recovery Funding Approved For Western BOP Community GroupsThe WBOP COVID-19 Recovery Fund has paid out its first round of grants, totalling $226,530 to nine community groups. The successful recipients include Brain Injured Children Trust, Tauranga Community Foodbank, House of Science Tauranga, Complex Chronic ...18 hours ago
- CEAC Calls Gov’t To Transport Waste By Rail Not By Road To Reduce Pollution & Climate Emission...The Government’s announcement that it will invest in recycling and change the waste levy to reduce our waste is 100% supported by CEAC, and further consideration must be given to the ‘transportation of this hazardous waste in using regulatory ...18 hours ago
- How volunteers created Wikipedia’s world-beating Covid-19 coverageWikipedia’s coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic has outdone most media companies in both content output and page views. Josie Adams spoke to Wikipedian Mike Dickison about what makes the organisation so good at covering these events.There are more than 5,200 articles about Covid-19 on Wikipedia. One defines the disease, and ...18 hours ago
- Live updates: Nikki Kaye quitting politics, Amy Adams followsFormer National Party deputy leader Nikki Kaye and senior MP Amy Adams have both announced their resignations this morningahead of a reshuffle. ...18 hours ago
- Nikki Kaye Commended For Her Tireless Work Around Child Protection“it is a sad day for all New Zealanders and those of us working around child protection” says Debbie Swanwick, Director of child advocacy group Ministry for Families. Her comments follow the announcement today that Nikki Kaye is retiring from politics. ...18 hours ago
- Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – July 16 2020Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. Today’s content Nikki Kaye and Amy Adams retire from politics Audrey Young (Herald): Live: Revolt – National Party MPs Nikki Kaye, Amy Adams quit politics RNZ: Nikki Kaye announces she ...18 hours ago
- Nikki Kaye to leave politics after Muller saga
The blows keep coming for the National Party, with Nikki Kaye announcing her retirement after serving as deputy leader during Todd Muller's short-lived reign atop the party Senior National MP Nikki Kaye has announced she will leave Parliament at the election, following Todd Muller's departure as party leader and Judith ...18 hours ago - Nikki Kaye announces she is quitting politics: ‘I’m ready for the next chapter’Former National Party deputy leader Nikki Kaye has officially announced she is quitting politics, and RNZ understands senior MP Amy Adams is also due to resign. ...19 hours ago
- Can Australian businesses force customers to wear a mask? Here’s what the law saysSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rick Sarre, Adjunct Professor of Law and Criminal Justice, University of South Australia Many Victorians are now being asked to wear a mask in public if they can’t socially distance. It is possible this practice may be encouraged more widely across Australia, ...19 hours ago
- Eradication, elimination, suppression: let’s understand what they mean before debating Australia...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anita Heywood, Associate Professor, UNSW The current surge in community transmission of COVID-19 in Victoria has brought renewed discussion of whether Australia should maintain its current “suppression” strategy, or pursue an “elimination” strategy instead. But what do these terms actually mean, and ...19 hours ago
- Humans are encroaching on Antarctica’s last wild places, threatening its fragile biodiversitySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Leihy, PhD candidate, Monash University Since Western explorers discovered Antarctica 200 years ago, human activity has been increasing. Now, more than 30 countries operate scientific stations in Antarctica, more than 50,000 tourists visit each year, and new infrastructure continues to be ...19 hours ago
- School is important, and so is staying safe from coronavirus. Here are some tips for returning senio...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gerard Fitzgerald, Emeritus Professor, School of Public Health, Queensland University of Technology Victorian senior students returned to school this week, as did those in specialist schools. This follows substantial community transmission of COVID-19, and stage three restrictions, in metropolitan Melbourne and the ...19 hours ago
- What does the ‘new normal’ look like for women’s safety in cities?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole Kalms, Director, XYX Lab, and Associate Professor, Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture, Monash University Women’s safety in public space is very complex. Women’s perception of safety – as opposed to their risk of experiencing gendered violence or crime – very ...19 hours ago
- The Mukbang controversy is a chance to discuss race and Australian films. Let’s not squander itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olivia Khoo, Associate Professor, Film & Screen Studies, Monash University Eliza Scanlen’s film Mukbang (2020) has become a flashpoint in race relations in the Australian screen industry. Scanlen’s film is famous not for winning Best Director in the short film category at ...19 hours ago
- Live updates, July 16: Nikki Kaye poised to quit politicsGood morning, and welcome to The Spinoff’s Live Updates for July 16. If you want to get in touch about anything, flick me an email at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz7.35am: Updates from today’s edition of The Bulletin
The most prominent liberal in the National Party is expected to quit politics today, in what ...
19 hours ago - Business Wrap: Auckland’s $750m hole
Auckland Council faces $750m fiscal hole; US markets stronger on fresh vaccine talk, Apple's European tax win and Goldman Sachs' trading profits ...19 hours ago - Nikki Kaye set to announce she is quitting politicsThe National Party's former deputy leader Nikki Kaye is set to announce she is stepping down from politics, RNZ understands. ...20 hours ago
- The Bulletin: Kaye departure reports signal massive changes in NationalGood morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Nikki Kaye reportedly set to quit politics, clearer indications of what response to renewed community transmission would be, and Auckland Council to debate emergency budget.
The most prominent liberal in the National Party is expected to quit politics today, in ...
20 hours ago - National Party caucus reshuffle another chance for Collins to make her markAnalysis - Judith Collins is stamping her mark as a decisive leader willing to make the tough calls less than 24 hours into the job. ...20 hours ago
- The many sides of Judith CollinsThe Detail - The new National Party leader has an 18-year political career dotted with controversy, combat, and quick quips. ...21 hours ago
- Kiwi ultra runner calls out abuse
Kiwi ultramarathon runner Sophie Grant has been pushed and yelled at while racing in the Northern Hemisphere, but now she's striking back. Sophie Grant has made a promise to herself. If she or a fellow female ultra runner is blocked from passing, told to slow down, or pushed off the trail ...21 hours ago - The amazing sporting genes of Tall Ferns hopeful
With an All Black on one side of her lineage, and an NBA player on the other, Olivia Williams is a natural-born athlete who wants to be a Tall Fern. Olivia Williams is a New Zealand basketball star on the rise – and it’s no surprise considering her incredible ...21 hours ago - Hungry and scared in Hawkes Bay
A Newsroom investigation into the plight of RSE workers after lockdown explores the experience of some Solomon Island seasonal workers living on almost nothing who believe they have been blacklisted from returning home because they complained about their situation RSE workers in Hawkes Bay have alleged they are the victims of intimidation tactics from ...21 hours ago
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