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Class oppression and discrimination
Written By: - Date published: 12:45 pm, November 27th, 2021 - 79 comments
A brief analysis of power.
The 2022 We Are Heading Towards
Written By: - Date published: 11:13 am, November 13th, 2021 - 34 comments
Most of us have been diminished by COVID in 2020-21 so it’s time for everyone to prepare 2022 as an honest accounting of damage to our whole society.
We are all in this together
Written By: - Date published: 10:02 am, November 2nd, 2021 - 206 comments
Increasing levels of angst at the current lockdown can be related to privilege.
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.
COVID, We Need To Talk About Class
Written By: - Date published: 9:51 am, September 14th, 2021 - 27 comments
We’ve never seen a nationwide disease illustrate class and deprivation like the future of the country depended on it. Not like this. This should change us.
Labour’s List
Written By: - Date published: 12:54 pm, June 15th, 2020 - 38 comments
The Labour Party has released its list lineup. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to refresh the caucus, and it’s down to one leader’s sacrifice and another’s steller performance.
Two Tier. Bull. Shit.
Written By: - Date published: 2:58 pm, May 25th, 2020 - 217 comments
I thought we were “in this together” or some such?
Should Parents and Teachers Defy the Government?
Written By: - Date published: 4:02 pm, May 16th, 2020 - 66 comments
School’s back on Monday, but the medical community is still struggling to understand covid 19
His work here is not yet done
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, May 1st, 2020 - 71 comments
Former Prime Minister John Key has said that under current conditions employers are going to sack 20 per cent of their workers even if the company is doing well and that employers should never waste a crisis.
The class politics of the Covid-19 pandemic response
Written By: - Date published: 7:35 am, April 28th, 2020 - 59 comments
National economics spokesperson Paul Goldsmith has advanced a plan to address the Covid 19 pandemic which includes union bashing and privatisation.
Eat the rich
Written By: - Date published: 9:06 am, April 22nd, 2020 - 47 comments
Richard Branson, who has arranged his affairs so that he pays tax to no government, is upset that Governments are not bailing his empire out. And an idea has been floated to allow billionaires to set up boltholes in New Zealand.
Generational astrology
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, March 25th, 2020 - 25 comments
In the time of coronavirus, we can move from blame to connection.
BREAKING NEWS: Simon Bridges Calls on Simon Bridges to Stand Down
Written By: - Date published: 6:30 pm, February 18th, 2020 - 5 comments
BREAKING NEWS: Simon Bridges calls on the leader of the opposition to stand down while the SFO case is before the courts.
Mike Moore
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, February 3rd, 2020 - 104 comments
It’s not often you find New Zealanders who give every single breath they have to the left and do it with resounding and even global success. Such a person was Mike Moore.
Results matter
Written By: - Date published: 9:34 am, June 21st, 2019 - 29 comments
Everyone knows that getting employers to increase rates of pay and improve conditions of work takes real pressure and the only real way working people can exert pressure, in the unbalanced relationship that exists between individual employees and employers, is by acting together; collectively. And that’s what we’ve been doing week in, week out and getting real results.
Bene bashing
Written By: - Date published: 11:27 am, June 1st, 2019 - 101 comments
National has engaged in the most crass form of beneficiary bashing in opposing Government changes to the benefit system announced in the budget and passed under urgency.
Budget commentary
Written By: - Date published: 12:23 pm, May 31st, 2019 - 65 comments
Has New Zealand’s social media spent too much time on gocha politics and not enough on the substance of the wellbeing budget?
New Child Poverty statistics will provide a sound baseline for reduction targets
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 4th, 2019 - 6 comments
Child Poverty Action Goup has provided comments about new child poverty measurements.
Spare a thought for our poor impoverished landlords
Written By: - Date published: 8:17 am, February 25th, 2019 - 225 comments
Spare a thought for poor landlords who are aghast at the thought that they should have to share capital gains on properties they have purchased with no intent of making a capital gain.
All hail our computer overlords
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, February 24th, 2019 - 34 comments
IBM has staged a debate between an IBM computer and the world debating champion. The human won but the debate suggests that it may be just a matter of time … and the computer had remarkable things to say about poverty.
Child poverty reduction
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, December 5th, 2018 - 65 comments
It’s likely that Labour’s new Child Poverty Reduction Bill will get through its third reading by the end of this year.
National forgets it apologised for Housing Corp meth hysteria
Written By: - Date published: 9:12 am, September 22nd, 2018 - 31 comments
Three months ago National apoligised for getting dud advice and evicting hundreds of state house tenants where miniscule amounts of methamphetamine were discovered. This week National backed off from that very proper apology.
We are failing kids from poor families
Written By: - Date published: 9:21 am, September 16th, 2018 - 77 comments
Kirsty Johnston has produced an in-depth analysis of the current rate of young people from poor backgrounds entering professional ranks. And the news is not good.
Period. End. Done.
Written By: - Date published: 12:12 pm, August 26th, 2018 - 42 comments
The Scottish government has just taken a massive step to eradicate period poverty. Why not here?
Nurses.
Written By: - Date published: 12:31 pm, July 27th, 2018 - 76 comments
There’s a sickness affecting our health system.
The UN is shocked by NZ’s child poverty rates
Written By: - Date published: 11:40 am, July 22nd, 2018 - 89 comments
Earlier this year the United Nations expressed shock and concern at New Zealand’s rates of child poverty, homelessness, incarceration and violence. What is this Government doing to address these issues?
Killing Them Softly With…
Written By: - Date published: 10:24 am, June 11th, 2018 - 48 comments
In New Zealand there is sufficient evidence to show that poor peoples’ lives are cut short because of poverty related poor nutrition. While food banks are alleviating the worst impacts of hunger, their kindness may well be contributing to the problem. Food poverty is a systemic issue and requires a systemic response, a response that successive governments are able to avoid while charities continue to provide a buffer for the system.
Collins keeps Housing Corp P debacle in news cycle
Written By: - Date published: 7:53 am, June 7th, 2018 - 122 comments
Judith Collins has managed to keep the Housing Corp methamphetamine story alive for another news cycle by attacking poor people who take drugs.
Housing Band Aids
Written By: - Date published: 9:54 am, May 26th, 2018 - 54 comments
What lies behind the homelessness crisis in Aotearoa New Zealand? Is it a housing crisis or are the homeless to blame? If the problem is a housing crisis, why is there an assumption that the homeless themselves need extra services to secure and maintain rental housing?
Rogue Nation(s)
Written By: - Date published: 10:19 am, May 9th, 2018 - 30 comments
Just some thoughts that kind of meandered down to the ocean.
Thank you Metiria.
Written By: - Date published: 11:14 am, April 25th, 2018 - 94 comments
Some movement on social security (a thing we all deserve)
Nina Hall, Johns Hopkins University; Charles Lawrie, University of Sussex, and Sahar Priano, Johns Hopkins University To understand the agreement states reached at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow earlier this month, it’s important to explore how climate activism has grown and changed since the Paris Agreement in 2015. ...8 hours ago- Time to ban anonymous donationsOn Friday, the government began "consulting" on changes to electoral finance law, including a ban on anonymous donations. Given the subject, that's the sort of consultation you'd expect to be well-publicised to maximise public input, but apparently they forgot to do that bit, and we didn't learn about it until ...9 hours ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 7 December 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Barrie Saunders, Former government relations consultant “I find the daily email service very useful in the way it summarises and provides links to all the news and commentators of interest and have missed when looking at the media sites directly.” Anyone can sign up to NZPD for free at: https://democracyproject.nz/nz-politics-daily/ ...12 hours ago
- Graham Adams: Chris Luxon, abortion and the gender divideLabour commands around 65 per cent of the female vote but it will be worried that some will shift back to National now that Judith Collins has been despatched. The question of whether National made the right choice last week in selecting Christopher Luxon as its leader was immediately ...1 day ago
- The polluter doesn’t change its spotsOver the weekend there seems to have been a bit of a campaign to paint Nationals' new leader Christopher Luxon as being somehow different from his predecessors on climate change (despite its total absence from his initial "big issues" list). For example, this piece in Stuff, talking up Luxon's time ...1 day ago
- A Smooth Performance.In A Word: The new Leader of the Opposition, Christopher Luxon, has very clearly chosen to reject the option of presenting a “flinty-faced” National Party to an electorate grown accustomed to the rhetoric of “kindness”. If the message of National’s new leader could be compressed into a single word, then ...1 day ago
- Hard News: Public Address Word of the Year 2021: Discussion and nominationIt's that time again! Time to find the word or phrase that conjures, captures or sums up 2021. What'll it be? Last year's Public Address Word of the Year winner, "doomscrolling", made it all the way to The Guardian but is hardly heard now.This is how it works: you, the readers, ...1 day ago
- Verification will be essential as New Zealanders start using vaccine passes – to stop fraud and th...Andrew Chen, University of Auckland When New Zealand switches to the COVID-19 Protection Framework tomorrow, people will have to present vaccine passes to access many public spaces and venues. At this point, more than 2.4 million people have downloaded their official vaccine passes, which represents almost 70% of the 3.6 ...2 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 6 December 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Peter Kiely, Partner, Kiely Thompson Caisley “I find it useful to have a summary of the economy and business topics as well as the democracy related ones. A full perspective of various views.” Anyone can sign up to NZPD for free at: https://democracyproject.nz/nz-politics-daily/ Today’s content National Party Morgan Godfery (Guardian): Christopher Luxon ...2 days ago
- 2021 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #49Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, November 28, 2021 through Sat, December 4, 2021 The following articles sparked above average interest during the week: Who owns the wind? An anthropologist has ideas, Canada’s Tar Sands: Destruction So Vast and Deep It ...2 days ago
- Chemical shock doctrine: How abuse of corporate power fosters mistrust and resistanceby Sunil Williams Until recently I never really knew about the opioid crisis in the USA. I had a sense that such a thing existed. YouTube fed me the odd Vice documentary on the impact of opioid addiction on cities in the USA and Canada. But what really hooked me ...3 days ago
- Anti-science wokery is becoming sinisterThe Free Speech Union is campaigning in defence of scientists who are being investigated by the Royal Society for defending science! Few New Zealand publications have covered this story, but the Spectator in Britain has in this article by Toby Young, who heads the British Free Speech Union. It is ...3 days ago
- Gerrymandering is a climate problemThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah Wesseler Republican Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio, a staunch Trump supporter who recently called the Biden administration’s attempts to limit fossil fuel emissions “maybe the craziest thing I’ve ever heard,” represents an Ohio district whose bizarre shape has earned it the nickname ...4 days ago
- Is the Māori Caucus So Dominant in Labour?Journalist Graham Adams recently drew parallels between David Lange in the Fourth Labour Government and Jacinda Ardern in the Sixth, arguing that just as Lange was a hostage to the Rogernomes in his cabinet, Ardern is a hostage to the Māori in her caucus.The parallel Adams is making is not ...4 days ago
- Charlotte Bronte is one irrepressible human spiritby Don Franks It’s a bit like locking up your place and flying to another country, previously unseen. A country that fascinates you. You work your way in, trying to make sense of the new surroundings. Along with some things that seem familiar, you’re struck by unexpected sights, sounds, smells. ...4 days ago
- Incentives work againBack in July the government introduced an incentive scheme for electric vehicles. So how's it going? While the official statistics aren't in yet, Stuff seems to have got them, and they look pretty good: The November sales figures are in, and battery electric vehicles are closing in on the ...4 days ago
- When Christopher Became “Chris”.So, the first polling results on Christopher Luxon’s leadership of the National party are now available. The polling I refer to is not a public opinion poll but the private polling conducted by the National party itself. All parties conduct such polling, usually by means of focus groups, and they ...4 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 3 December 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Ross Henderson, Organiser, E tū Union “The NZ Politics Daily *is a wonderful resource that is formatted to enable readers to instantly locate news and opinions in a quick and efficient manner. Thanks for all the hard work producing such an enjoyable and up to date ...5 days ago
- Onward Luxon’s Soldiers (Sung to the tune of Onward Christian Soldiers)Marching As To War?Onward Luxon’s soldiers,Marching to class war,With the lust for profit,Going on before.Chris the new ringmaster,Leads against the foe;Forward into battleGoes this C.E.O!Onward Luxon’s soldiers,Marching to class war,With the lust for profit,Going on before.From Luxon’s religionVoters may yet flee;Surely someone’s focused-groupedHis Christianity?Bottom lips may quiver,When the news is ...5 days ago
- Can Luxon “Reimagine Capitalism” – Like Muldoon?Outflanking The Socialists: Because there really isn’t any other way that National can win. Christopher Luxon, like Rob Muldoon (above) needs to go fishing where there are fish to catch. Using what for bait? Simple. A solemn promise to halt the upward redistribution of wealth among the sort of highly-educated, ...5 days ago
- Capital Notions – acceptedNew story acceptance today.
My 4,600-word ‘Capital Notions,’ has been accepted for the Winter 2021 edition of Midnight Manuscripts Quarterly. It’s one of those pieces that is a tad hard to categorise. It ... 5 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #48, 2021117 articles in 88 journals by 779 contributing authors Physical science of climate change, effects Relative humidity gradients as a key constraint on terrestrial water and energy fluxes Kim et al. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Open Access pdf 10.31223/x59880 Improving Ground Heat Flux Estimation: Considering the Effect ...5 days ago
- Media Link: “A View from Afar” year-end review.Selwyn Manning and I wrapped up this year’s “A View from Afar” podcasts with a review of the past year and some speculation about what is to come. We meander a bit but the themes are clear. You can find the show here. ...5 days ago
- An embodiment of our problemsWhen Christopher Luxon was anointed leader of the National party, the first thing I did was look up how many houses he owned in Parliament's Register Of Pecuniary and Other Specified Interests 2021. The answer is seven, suggesting that when it comes to housing, one of Aotearoa's big three policy ...5 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on the elusive charms of Christopher LuxonWell, the first 36 hours of viewing the Christopher Luxon selfie were always going to be the best, before the repetitions set in. We get it, already. He’s an extroverted/big ego/high achieving/God fearing/country music lovin’/family man who is not at all averse to mansplaining to little ladies like RNZ’s Kathryn ...6 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 2 December 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Andy Newman, Director, Strategy and Planning, Wellington Faculty of Science, Victoria University of Wellington: “The NZ Politics Daily service allows me to keep on top of the latest developments across a wide spectrum of the political landscape. The service means I don’t need to spend time trawling ...6 days ago
- Josh Van Veen: Bridges isn’t the oneSimon Bridges is “older and wiser” but he still failed to read the room. Rather than accept the judgement of his colleagues last year, he set out to prove them wrong. Bridges rationalised his pursuit of the leadership as noble self-sacrifice. He didn’t convince many. Judith Collins stabbed him in ...6 days ago
- The Fellowship Of The Upper Room.Render Unto Caesar: What kind of Christian would attempt to persuade his brothers and sisters that the moral imperatives of their faith must not, under any circumstances, be given practical expression in the flesh-and-blood world they inhabit? To suggest, as Luxon does, that faith and politics can – and should ...6 days ago
- Current and future generations must flourish: Time for a long-term and global perspective on pandemi...Dr Matt Boyd & Prof Nick Wilson* (Syndicated from Adapt Research’s Blog Site) In this blog post we cover the following: The recent United Nations report ‘Our Common Agenda’ which calls for solidarity, concern for future generations, and collaborative action on global risks including pandemics. The newly mandated Long-term ...6 days ago
- FLOATER: A Tool-Kit for evaluating ClaimsThis is a re-post from the Thinking is Power website maintained by Melanie Trecek-King where she regularly writes about many aspects of critical thinking in an effort to provide accessible and engaging critical thinking information to the general public. Please see this overview to find links to other reposts from Thinking is Power. ...6 days ago
- More solarThe other day I posted about the renewable energy challenge if Aotearoa is to meet its climate change goals, arguing that we can do it. Today, Christchurch Airport has stepped up, providing another big chunk of what we need to get to a greener 2035, in the form of a ...6 days ago
- When will we follow Barbados?Barbados became a republic last night, ending nearly 400 years of British colonialism: After 396 years, the sun has set on the British monarchy’s reign over the Caribbean island of Barbados, with a handover ceremony at midnight on Monday marking the birth of the world’s newest republic. As the ...6 days ago
- What Else Do We Know About Luxon?What do we know so far about Christopher (or is it to be “Chris”?) Luxon? We have so far been allowed to know only that he was chief executive of Air New Zealand, that he is an evangelical Christian (that is, a proselytising, and not just your everyday,) Christian, and ...6 days ago
- Something is missing from this pictureYesterday the National Party picked a new leader, who seems indistinguishable from the last-but-one. Today, Stuff has an article exploring where he stands on the "big issues", which looks at "faith and politics", "identity and housing", "three Waters and He Puapua", and "health and social investment". What's missing? Just climate ...6 days ago
- Chris Luxon – Day Onea.image2.image-link.image2-549-728 { display: inline; padding-bottom: 75.41208791208791%; padding-bottom: min(75.41208791208791%, 549px); width: 100%; height: 0; } a.image2.image-link.image2-549-728 img { max-width: 728px; max-height: 549px; } "New Zealand is over it, the National Party members are over it, and the caucus is over it. So we want to turn the page and ...7 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 1 December 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Leo Milani, Policy Advisor, Waimate District Council: “NZ Politics Daily offers an indispensable survey, and methodical analysis of, NZ media’s coverage of the most pertinent political issues of the day. Its format, content, and quality renders it a vital tool not only to the general reader, but also ...7 days ago
- 2021 Reading Log: NovemberCompleted reads for November: Unfinished Tales, by J.R.R. TolkienMurder in Mesopotamia, by Agatha ChristieCreative Metal, by Len GaleThe Man in the Brown Suit, by Agatha ChristieEndless Night, by Agatha ChristieLord Edgware Dies, by Agatha Christie ...7 days ago
- A strong start – but can Luxon last?The first thing Chris Luxon did publicly after being elected as the 15th leader of the National Party was thank his colleagues. It was the proper thing to do. For it is only thanks to the cloak and dagger politics that they’ve engaged in over the past three years that ...1 week ago
- Air New Zealand flight attendant named CEO after one year on jobA 51-year-old flight attendant has completed a swift and stunning rise to CEO of Air New Zealand. New Zealand’s national carrier, Air New Zealand, has expressed great enthusiasm in announcing its new CEO today: 51-year-old Nathan Guy, a flight attendant who has spent about 1200 hours on the job. Guy ...1 week ago
- A true storyby Daphna Whitmore In a recent debate on free speech I closed with a true story. A woman I know – a writer – tweeted a joke in response to a man having just insulted her on the platform. The joke featured some violent imagery, but it also featured absurdist ...1 week ago
- Māui Tikitiki a Tāranga inspires Māui Hudson’s research journeyMāui Hudson says the characteristics of his namesake, the Māori diety Māui Tikitiki a Tāranga, enables and inspires him to confidently walk into new spaces of research. He hails from Te Whakatōhea, Ngāruahine and Ngāpuhi. Māui is a trained physiotherapist but is well-known for his leadership in creating guidelines and ...1 week ago
- Driven to help the planet and humanity thriveMihi mai ki a Dr Te Kīpa Kēpa Morgan, a professional engineer, who’s inspiring a different value system that he says can help humanity thrive and safeguard the sustainability of our planet. Kēpa affiliates to Ngāti Pikiao (Te Arawa), Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāi Tahu. For more than a decade, Kēpa’s main ...1 week ago
- Gordon Campbell on why an attack on Iran is back on the agendaReportedly, Christopher Luxon has the edge on Simon Bridges in National’s leadership contest although there is no firm evidence for that hunch. So, one hesitates about joining a media echo chamber that amplifies Luxon’s chances ahead of the 3pm caucus meeting today. You know how it goes: Luxon doesn’t quite ...1 week ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 30 November 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Dr David Bromell, Senior Associate, Institute for Governance and Policy Studies: “While working as a public policy advisor, NZ Politics Daily was a daily “must read” as it alerted me to wider public policy issues than workplace-based media scanning, which generally covered only subject areas that related directly to ...1 week ago
- The ocean is our greatest climate regulator. It must be a stronger part of climate policy and actio...Sarah Seabrook, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research; Elisabeth Holland, The University of the South Pacific; Lisa Levin, University of California San Diego, and Natalya Gallo, University of Bergen The German linguist Heinrich Zimmer once described the ocean as “limitless and immortal … the beginning and end of ...1 week ago
- Can genetically engineered seeds prevent a climate-driven food crisis?This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Samantha Harrington When John Boelts sows acres of cotton seed on his farm in Yuma, Arizona, he does so knowing that the fields will be free of an invasive pest called pink bollworm. For nearly a century, the small pink striped ...1 week ago
- The Simple Thing That’s Hard To Do.1 week ago
- A Stay of Execution: The National Library of New Zealand Caves to AuthorsWell, well. Looks like Christmas has arrived early, with a victory over vandalism. You may recall this little furore about the future of the National Library of New Zealand’s Overseas Published Collection: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2021/11/22/lack-of-public-service-announcement-the-national-library-of-new-zealand-internet-archive-and-alleged-digital-piracy/ Well, those outrageous plans to digitise and pirate copyrighted works have got enough negative attention ...1 week ago
- Climate Change: We can do it!RNZ reports on the other story to come out of the government's emissions budget Cabinet paper: the scale of the changes we need to make: The massive scale of the nationwide changes needed quickly to cut climate gas emissions is laid bare in newly-released government documents. [...] The number ...1 week ago
- Climate Change: Cold feet?Ministry for the Environment has dumped more cabinet papers related to its recent initial consultation on the emissions reduction plan. The key document is an August cabinet paper on Emissions Budgets for 2022-2025, 2026-2030 and 2031-2035, which made the dubious in-principle decision to increase the first period's emissions budget (which ...1 week ago
- Rating The Contenders.There Can Be Only One: Some might ask why National MPs would install yet another “successful business person” at the helm of their party? Isn’t one Todd Muller enough? Especially when Simon Bridges could become the first National politician of Māori descent to become Prime Minister.LET’S GET SOMETHING out of ...1 week ago
- Gordon Campbell on Omicron, and the Bridges/Luxon dilemmaAt this early stage, the Omicron variant seems to be more infectious, and more able to bypass the protection offered by vaccines and by the antibodies generated by previous infection. The fact that it is being spread around the globe by travellers who were all presumably fully immunised and had ...1 week ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 29 November 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Dr Kevin Moore, Associate Professor in Psychology & Tourism, Lincoln University: “For me, the big advantage of NZ Politics Daily is the breadth of opinion and sources it gathers. Together. There is always a mix of news reporting, news analysis, opinion pieces and blog posts. That breadth ...1 week ago
- National is still very much the same Party even without Collins leading it… that’s the real issu...Judith Collins regarded Thatcher as “a personal hero” of hers. But like her hero though, it took the UK Conservative Party and their ideological counterparts here to get rid of both of them, from the inside. There’s a sort of bizarre symmetry to that really. Both were rather messy ...1 week ago
- 2021 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #48Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, November 21, 2021 through Sat, November 27, 2021 The following articles sparked above average interest during the week: To Breed or Not to Breed?, The Vaccine for Fake News, Ten ways to confront the climate ...1 week ago
- A professor without honour in his own countryMichael Corballis just three months before his death appeared in an interview on the Hui with Mihirangi Forbes. She made no effort to conceal her disdain for his defence of science and proceeded to lecture him on not knowing enough about mātauranga Maori to comment on it and accused him ...1 week ago
- Businessman – and Political NoviceThe drums are beating – see Heather Du Plessis-Allan in today’s Herald – for Christopher Luxon’s bid to become National’s new (and latest) leader. It is conceded that he is a political tyro but – such is National’s current plight – it is suggested that he is a risk worth ...1 week ago
- No, Elizabeth Stuart Would Not Have Stopped the English Civil War (Probably)As you might have noticed, A Phuulish Fellow is a fairly eclectic blog. Even an organic one. I have my interests, and write about them as the fit takes me. And sometimes I stumble across an article I feel the need to comment on. Today, I ran across a ...1 week ago
- Rumour Has It: A Númenórean Character List?Today we have another Amazon rumour on our hands. And for a change, it is not coming out of Fellowship of Fans. No, instead we have the following tweet doing the rounds, ostensibly listing (mostly) Númenórean characters and their code names. It’s an interesting leak, if true. And that’s ...2 weeks ago
- Covid as WarriorsThe book I am currently working on – tentative title ‘In Open Seas’ – looks at the current and future New Zealand. One chapter describes the policy towards Covid using the trope of warfare. It covers an important period in our history but show how policy evolves and why, as ...2 weeks ago
- COVID-19: the B.1.1.529 variant – what do we know?There’s a lot of news about a new variant originally reported in southern Africa. Early signs have prompted calls for immediate precautionary blocks on travel from the region to restrict its spread. The WHO has called an emergency conference on this variant. Here’s a round-up of what we know so ...2 weeks ago
- National Party board denies it unanimously agreed to Collins’ Faustian bargain with SatanSources close to party president Peter Goodfellow say he was totally blindsided by Collins’ claims he was party to this particular satanic ritual. National Party president Peter Goodfellow is today issuing a strong denial on behalf of the party’s board, saying they did not, at any point, agree to the ...2 weeks ago
- The cost of optimismYesterday the National Party imploded in a messy knife-fight that cost it its leader and probably one of the contenders. So naturally, the government has taken the opportunity to do a dump of its pandemic advice, including the Cabinet papers on its controversial decisions to repeatedly lower the Auckland alert ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell on National’s less than stellar choicesAmid all the jostling in the National caucus ranks, spare a thought for Andrew Bayly. Who? Well might you ask. Plucked from obscurity by Judith Collin, elevated from number 18 to number 3 in the caucus rankings and given the Finance portfolio – a role in which he has been ...2 weeks ago
- Are New Zealand’s universities doing enough to define the limits of academic freedom?Matheson Russell, University of Auckland The news last week that University of Auckland public health researcher Simon Thornley was retracting a co-authored paper about supposed vaccination risks during pregnancy raised deeper questions about the limits of academic freedom. Thornley’s own head of department had called for the paper to ...2 weeks ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 26 November 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Jean Drage, Political scientist specialist in local government: “With 78 local authorities and central government currently intent on reform, local government is a challenging area of research to keep on top of. Thank goodness for Bryce’s NZ’s Politics Daily. It is a gem, especially as it also ...2 weeks ago
- Josh Van Veen: Bridges is not the oneSimon Bridges failed to bluff Judith Collins out of the leadership. A campaign to rehabilitate his image began shortly after the election and culminated in the publication of a memoir in August. There were persistent rumours of a deal with rival Christopher Luxon and MPs from the ‘liberal’ wing of ...2 weeks ago
- Smokefree cars – an important step towards protecting children from the hazards of smokingRichard Edwards, Jude Ball, Janet Hoek, George Thomson, Nick Wilson* On November 28 new legislation to protect children from smoking and vaping in cars will come into force. This blog sets out the background and rationale for the new law, and discusses implementation, evaluation and the next steps to protect ...2 weeks ago
- Judith's Last Stand.2 weeks ago
- Act’s Precarious Ascendancy.On The Lookout: It is easy to imagine how closely Seymour has been watching the National Opposition for the slightest sign of a Clark figure emerging. A respected politician, who enjoys broad support across the party and, much more importantly, who impresses the ordinary centre-right voter as having what it ...2 weeks ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #47, 2021104 articles by 574 contributing authors Physical science of climate change, effects Delayed impacts of Arctic sea-ice loss on Eurasian severe cold winters Jang et al. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 10.1029/2021jd035286 Observations of climate change, effects Divergent responses of terrestrial carbon use efficiency to climate variation from 2000 ...2 weeks ago
- Labour’s Eyes Wide Shut To “Unruly Tenants”.2 weeks ago
- Is the mob coming for Charles Darwin?Richard Dawkins recently noted the giants of the past are being sanctimoniously judged by nonentities of the present whose only qualification is still being alive to do so. How will the future judge our own time when we are not around? Peter Franklin from Unherd examines whether the woke can ...2 weeks ago
- Blowing a Hole in Your Own Wall: Idiotic Tampering with MIQManaged Isolation/Quarantine has been a fact of life for New Zealand for eighteen months. It’s not popular – there are only so many spaces available at any given time, and the process is famously opaque – but it is the key to saving New Zealand from rampant Coronavirus. That, ...2 weeks ago
- Now Labour wants secret trialsToday, the government introduced the Security Information in Proceedings Legislation Bill to the House. The Bill would allow the government to use classified information in civil or criminal proceedings and keep it secret from the other party. So people suing the government for human rights abuses could lose, and defendants ...2 weeks ago
My 4,600-word ‘Capital Notions,’ has been accepted for the Winter 2021 edition of Midnight Manuscripts Quarterly. It’s one of those pieces that is a tad hard to categorise. It ... 
- Supporting families as we secure our recoveryProtecting Kiwis from COVID-19 has been and remains a central focus of our Government – but, even with the challenges of the pandemic, we’ve continued to make progress on long-term issues like housing affordability, water quality, climate change, and child poverty. ...3 days ago
- Housing legislation needs further changesThe Green Party welcomes changes Parliament’s Environment Select Committee has recommended to Labour and National’s housing legislation but says further improvements need to be made. ...4 days ago
- No new mines: It’s time to uphold your promiseThe Green Party has launched a campaign calling on the Minister for Conservation, Kiritapu Allan and Minister for Energy, Megan Woods to fulfil a promise the Prime Minister made in 2017 to ban new mines on conservation land. ...6 days ago
- Support needed for Auckland families and communities, not just tourismThe Green Party welcomes the additional support for Auckland this summer but said Labour needs to do more to ease the hardship many families in Tāmaki Makaurau are experiencing right now. ...6 days ago
- What is the traffic light system? Your questions answeredWe’re taking the next steps in our COVID response, with our plan to safely and carefully reopen. The COVID Protection Framework has been designed to protect lives and livelihoods while ensuring we can do more of what we love. New Zealand’s move into the framework, on Friday 3 December, marks ...1 week ago
- The next steps in our COVID-19 response planOver the past two years, keeping Kiwis safe from COVID-19 has been a key focus of the Government. As we move into a new phase of our COVID response, the traffic light system, protecting lives and livelihoods remains our priority. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party seeks post-enactment review for COVID BillThe Green Party is calling on Labour to commit to a review of the COVID legislation that will pass through Parliament today under urgency. ...2 weeks ago
- Test and refine COVID traffic light system firstThe Green Party says Labour should test and refine the COVID Protection Framework before opening the Auckland border. ...2 weeks ago
- The Ahuriri Hapū Claims Settlement Bill passes Third Reading – Pānuitanga Tuatoru o te Pire ...Kua pahure te Pire Whakataunga Kerēme a ngā Hapū o Ahuriri i tōna pānuitanga tuatoru i te pāremata - he pae nunui i te hātepe whakataunga Tiriti o Waitangi hītori mō ngā Hapū o Ahuriri. “Ko te pae whakahirahira nei te tohu o te tīmatanga hou mō te whakahoanga i ...6 hours ago
- Launch of Te Aorerekura – the national strategy for the elimination of family violence and sex...Tēnā tātou katoa Kei a koutou e Te Ātiawa, koutou e kaha tiaki nei, koutou e mau tonu nei ki te mana o tēnei o ngā whenua taurikura, tēnā koutou e te manawhenua, e Te Ātiawa. Kaha tautoko ana ahau i ngā kōrero kua kōrerotia, e ngā mihi kua mihia, ...8 hours ago
- A guiding star sets a new path for the elimination of family violence and sexual violenceToday the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence Marama Davidson joined tangata whenua and sector representatives to launch Te Aorerekura, the country’s first National Strategy to Eliminate Family Violence and Sexual Violence. “Te Aorerekura sets a collective ambition to create peaceful homes where children, ...10 hours ago
- NZ secures new Pfizer COVID-19 medicineNew Zealand has secured supplies of another medicine to treat COVID-19, Health Minister Andrew Little announced today. “In October, New Zealand was one of the first countries in the world to make an advance purchase of a promising new antiviral drug, molnupiravir,” Andrew Little said. “Today I am pleased to ...1 day ago
- Strong Pipeline for Construction SectorStrong pipeline ahead for the construction sector Infrastructure activity forecast to reach $11.2 billion in 2026 Construction sector now the fourth biggest employer with more than 280 000 people working in the industry Residential construction the largest contributor to national construction activity. Minister for Building and Construction Poto Williams says ...1 day ago
- Regenerative agriculture research receives Government boostThe Government continues to invest in farm sustainability, this time backing two new research projects to investigate the impacts of regenerative farming practices, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced today. Soil health and regenerative agriculture “We’re contributing $2.8 million to a $3.85 million five-year project with co-investment by Synlait Milk and ...3 days ago
- David McLean appointed as KiwiRail chairDavid McLean has been appointed as Chair of KiwiRail Holdings Ltd, the Minister for State Owned Enterprises Dr David Clark and Minister of Finance Grant Robertson announced today. “Minister Clark and I are confident that David’s extensive business knowledge and leadership experience, including his time as former Chief Executive and ...4 days ago
- New Ambassador to Turkey announcedForeign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta today announced the appointment of Zoe Coulson-Sinclair as New Zealand’s next Ambassador to Turkey. “Aotearoa New Zealand and Turkey’s relationship is one of mutual respect and underpinned by our shared Gallipoli experience,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “Turkey is also a generous ANZAC Day host and has ...4 days ago
- Announcement of new Consul-General in GuangzhouForeign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta today announced the appointment of Rachel Crump as New Zealand’s next Consul-General in Guangzhou, China. “China is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most significant relationships – it is our largest trading partner, and an influential regional and global actor,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “As the capital of ...4 days ago
- Government marks International Day of Persons with DisabilitiesThe Government joins the disabled community of Aotearoa New Zealand in marking and celebrating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Minister for Disabilty Issues Carmel Sepuloni said. The theme for this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities is “Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, ...4 days ago
- Deputy Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, and Advisory panel member appointedPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced the appointments of Graeme Speden as the Deputy Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, and Ben Bateman as a member of the Inspector-General’s Advisory Panel. “These are significant roles that assist the Inspector-General with independent oversight of New Zealand’s intelligence agencies,” Jacinda Ardern said. “While ...4 days ago
- Five million COVID-19 tests processedAssociate Minister of Health, Dr Ayesha Verrall has congratulated testing teams right around New Zealand for reaching the five million tests milestone. Today, an additional 31,780 tests were processed, taking the total since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 to 5,005,959. “This really is an incredible and sustained team ...4 days ago
- Funding for extra ICU capacityCare for the sickest New Zealanders is getting a major boost from the Government, with plans to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on expanding intensive care-type services, Health Minister Andrew Little announced today. “Through good planning, we have avoided what the COVID-19 pandemic has done in some countries, where ...5 days ago
- “THE LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF NEW ZEALAND’S FIGHT AGAINST COVID.”Speech to the New Zealand Centre for Public Law Tēnā koutou katoa Thank you for providing this opportunity to speak with you today as Attorney General. I’m here to talk about the constitutional consequences of Covid -19. I love the law. The way it exists with the consent of the ...5 days ago
- The legal and constitutional implications of New Zealand’s fight against COVIDSpeech to the New Zealand Centre for Public Law Tēnā koutou katoa Thank you for providing this opportunity to speak with you today as Attorney General. I’m here to talk about the constitutional consequences of Covid -19. I love the law. The way it exists with the consent of the ...5 days ago
- Pharmac Review interim report releasedHealth Minister Andrew Little has released an interim report by an independent panel reviewing the national pharmaceuticals-buying agency Pharmac. Pharmac was established in 1993 and is responsible for purchasing publicly funded medicines for New Zealanders, including those prescribed by GPs or administered in hospitals. The review, chaired by former Consumer ...5 days ago
- Appointment to Network for Learning boardFormer MP Clare Curran has been appointed to the board of Crown company Network for Learning (N4L), Education Minister Chris Hipkins says. Hon Clare Curran served as a Member of Parliament for Dunedin South from 2008-2010. During this time, she held a number of ministerial portfolios including Broadcasting, Communications and ...5 days ago
- Putting home ownership within reach of Pacific AotearoaPacific community groups and organisations will get tools to help them achieve home ownership with the implementation of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP) Pacific Housing Initiative, said Pacific Peoples Minister Aupito William Sio. In July 2021, MPP launched the Pacific Community Housing Provider Registration Support programme and the Pacific ...5 days ago
- Coastal shipping will help keep New Zealand’s supply chain buoyantTransport Minister Michael Wood today welcomed the release of the Coastal Shipping Investment Approach State-of-Play report as an important step towards a more sustainable coastal shipping sector, which will further diversify New Zealand’s supply chain. “This Government is committed to strengthening our domestic supply chain by making coastal shipping a ...6 days ago
- Response to Human Rights Commission's reports into violence towards disable peopleTēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa. Thank you for that introduction Hemi and thank you for inviting me to respond on behalf of Government to the release of these two important reports (Whakamanahia Te Tiriti, Whakahaumarutia te Tangata -Honour the Treaty, Protect the Person and Whakamahia te Tūkino kore ...6 days ago
- Law change strengthens petroleum decommissioning regulationPetroleum permit and licence holders operating in New Zealand will now have an explicit statutory requirement to carry out and fund the decommissioning of oil and gas fields after a new law was given Royal assent today, says Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods. Once in effect The Crown ...6 days ago
- New Zealand Response to assist peace and stability in Solomon IslandsThe New Zealand government has announced that it will deploy Defence Force and Police personnel to Honiara to help restore peace and stability. “New Zealand is committed to its responsibilities and playing its part in upholding regional security,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said. “We are deeply concerned by the recent ...6 days ago
- Continued growth in volume of new home consentsIn the year ended October 2021, 47,715 new homes were consented, up 26 per cent from the October 2020 year. In October 2021, 4,043 new dwellings were consented Canterbury’s new homes consented numbers rose 31% to higher than post-earthquake peak. New home consents continue to reach remarkable levels of growth, ...6 days ago
- Saddle up for summer with cycle trail fundingNew investment will keep the best of New Zealand’s cycle trails in top condition as regions prepare to welcome back Kiwi visitors over summer and international tourists from next year. “Cycle tourism is one of the most popular ways to see the country ‘off the beaten track’ but the trails ...6 days ago
- New Zealand provides additional funding to COVAX for vaccine deliveryForeign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta today announced additional funding will be provided to COVAX to support vaccine delivery in developing countries. “New Zealand remains cognisant of the dangers of COVID-19, especially as new variants continue to emerge. No one is safe from this virus until we all are and this ...6 days ago
- COVID-19 Community fund providing support for 160 organisations focused on women and girlsMinister for Women Jan Tinetti today announced financial support will be allocated to the 160 successful applicants for the COVID-19 Community Fund, to support organisations helping women/wāhine and girls/kōtiro in Aotearoa New Zealand affected by the pandemic. “COVID-19 has had a disproportionate effect on women around the world including in ...6 days ago
- Government delivers reactivation package as Aucklanders reconnect for summerA new support package will help revive economic, social and cultural activities in our largest city over summer, and ensure those in hardship also get relief. The Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni and the Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash have announced a Reactivating Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland ...6 days ago
- Mobile services and broadband come to Chatham Islands for first timeWorld class mobile and broadband services have been switched on for the 663 residents of the Chatham Islands, Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications, David Clark and Minister for Economic and Regional Development, Stuart Nash announced today. “This eagerly awaited network will provide fast broadband and mobile services to ...6 days ago
- Crown accounts reflect strong economy amid pandemicThe Government’s financial accounts continue to reflect an economy that has performed better than expected, despite the latest Delta COVID-19 outbreak. The Crown accounts for the four months to the end of October factors in the improved starting position for the new financial year. Core Crown tax revenue was $2.5 ...7 days ago
- Applications open for new 2021 Resident VisaThe first round of applications for New Zealand’s new 2021 Resident visa open today (6am). “This one-off pathway provides certainty for a great many migrant families who have faced disruption because of COVID-19 and it will help retain the skills New Zealand businesses need to support the economic recovery,” Minister ...7 days ago
- More Vietnam Veterans to receive compensation for Agent Orange ExposureMinister for Veterans, the Hon Meka Whaitiri announced today that two new conditions associated with Agent Orange exposure have been added to the Prescribed Conditions List. Under the 2006 Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Crown and representatives of Vietnam veterans and the Royal New Zealand RSA. Vietnam veterans in ...1 week ago
- Government commits to international effort to ban and regulate killer robotsMinister of Disarmament and Arms Control Phil Twyford announced today that New Zealand will push for new international law to ban and regulate autonomous weapons systems (AWS), which once activated can select and engage targets without further human intervention. “While the evidence suggests fully autonomous weapons systems are not yet ...1 week ago
- New freedom camping rules – right vehicle, right placeTougher freedom camping laws will be introduced to prevent abuse which has placed an unfair burden on small communities and damaged our reputation as a high quality visitor destination. Tourism Minister Stuart Nash has confirmed that new legislation will be introduced to Parliament following an extensive round of public consultation ...1 week ago
- Government invests to support a classic Kiwi summerVaccinated New Zealanders can look forward to Kiwi summer events with confidence, while artists and crew will have more certainty, following the launch of details of the Arts and Culture Event Support Scheme, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni announced today. “The Government recognises that the arts and ...1 week ago
- Grace period for expired driver licences cruises into 2022Due to the ongoing Delta outbreak and extended lockdowns, all New Zealand driver licences and licence endorsements that expired on or after 21 July 2021 will now be valid until 31 May 2022, Transport Minister Michael Wood announced today. “This further extension to the validity of driver licenses recognises that ...1 week ago
- Delivered: 1,000 extra transitional homesA further 1,000 transitional homes delivered New housing development starts in Flaxmere, Hastings The Government has delivered the next 1,000 transitional housing places it promised, as part of its work to reduce homelessness. Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods is marking the milestone in Hastings at a new development that includes ...1 week ago
- Traffic light levels announcedThe levels at which different parts of New Zealand will move forward into the COVID-19 Protection Framework this Friday have been announced. Northland, Auckland, Taupō and Rotorua Lakes Districts, Kawerau, Whakatane, Ōpōtiki Districts, Gisborne District, Wairoa District, Rangitikei, Whanganui and Ruapehu Districts will move in at Red The rest of ...1 week ago
- Financial support to move to traffic light systemA new transition payment will be made available particularly for affected businesses in Auckland, Waikato and Northland to acknowledge the restrictions they have faced under the higher Alert Levels. Transition payment of up to $24,000 as businesses move into traffic light system Leave Support Scheme and Short Term Absence Payment ...1 week ago
- New Ambassador to Russia announcedForeign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta today announced the appointment of Sarah Walsh as New Zealand’s next Ambassador to Russia. “Aotearoa New Zealand and Russia have a long-standing relationship, engaging on a range of regional and global interests including disarmament and Antarctica issues. We also work together as members of the East ...1 week ago
- New Permanent Representative to the UN announcedForeign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta today announced the appointment of Carolyn Schwalger as Permanent Representative to the New Zealand Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York. “Aotearoa New Zealand is a founding member of the UN and we have worked hard to ensure our stance on human rights, ...1 week ago
- Resource Management Act amendment passes second readingA bill making it easier for landowners to build in the backyards of the country's biggest cities has passed its second reading. ...1 hour ago
- Australia’s asylum policy has been a disaster. It’s deeply disturbing the UK wants to adopt itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madeline Gleeson, Senior Research Fellow, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Late last month, at least 27 people drowned after their inflatable dinghy capsized while trying to cross the English Channel to the UK. The International Organization for ...2 hours ago
- Covid-19 Māori response: 'It is not partnership when Crown ignores advice'The Waitangi Tribunal has heard that authorities were told early on that the vaccine rollout would need a whānau focus but Māori providers were rebuffed. ...2 hours ago
- Treaty settlement legislation for Hawke's Bay hapū passes final readingThe third and final reading of the deed of settlement recognising seven hapū of Ahuriri (Napier/Hawke's Bay) has passed in Parliament today. ...3 hours ago
- Remembering Geoff Harcourt, the beating heart of Australian economicsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society and NATSEM, University of Canberra UNSW Australian economics has lost one of its most internationally renowned scholars with the passing of Geoffrey Harcourt AC at the age of 90. ...3 hours ago
- Regenerative agriculture will get funding for research by scientists – dealing with family violenc...Monitoring the ministers Science has been to the fore in Point of Order’s considerations in recent days and it’s been high in Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor’s considerations, too. The Government is backing two new research projects to investigate the impacts of “regenerative farming” practices. This is a contentious issue in ...3 hours ago
- Is foam rolling effective for muscle pain and flexibility? The science isn’t so sureSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ken Nosaka, Professor of Exercise and Sports Science, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock Many physically active people get muscle pain after exercise, known as “delayed onset muscle soreness” or DOMS. Foam rolling has emerged as a popular means of alleviating ...4 hours ago
- Government plan to stop domestic and sexual violence 'only a start' – Women's R...Women's Refuge says time will tell if the newly announced 25-year plan to tackle domestic and sexual violence will work. ...4 hours ago
- Who’s the unsung architect behind Labor’s climate plans? A retiring Coalition ministerSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The architect of the ingenious mechanism at the heart of Labor’s plan to sharply cut carbon emissions is about to leave the parliament. Throughout the pandemic, Greg Hunt has been ...5 hours ago
- Richard Dawkins (a foe of creationism) pitches into the NZ furore over letter in defence of science ...Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins a few years ago reacted to Donald Trump’s shock election victory in the United States by urging fellow scientists to move to New Zealand. He called on this country to offer British and American academics citizenship following the “catastrophes” both countries had suffered at the hands ...5 hours ago
- A history of destruction: why the WA Aboriginal cultural heritage bill will not prevent another Juuk...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joe Dortch, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, The University of Western Australia Western Australia’s Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill 2021 is set to become law, replacing the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. The Bill will be read tonight for the third and final time in ...6 hours ago
- Tidal damage cuts swathe across wide area of PacificSPECIAL REPORT: By Michael Field, co-editor of The Pacific Newsroom Extensive damage to food crops across South Pacific atolls has followed three days of high spring tides in the region. Reports into The Pacific Newsroom show the tides have afflicted Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands and the ...6 hours ago
- Solomon Islands political battle ends with Sogavare winning confidence voteBy Robert Iroga in Honiara After a day of political showdown that at times involved shouting battles and personal clashes, the much anticipated motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare was defeated by 32 votes to 15 with two abstentions. With the capital city Honiara virtually closed for ...6 hours ago
- Two Fijians from Nigeria test positive for omicron variantRNZ Pacific Health authorities in Fiji have confirmed two people who had arrived in the country from southern Africa last month have now tested positive to the omicron variant of covid-19. The pair travelled to Fiji from Nigeria on November 25. They both tested positive to covid-19 while in a ...6 hours ago
- Mount Semeru’s deadly eruption was triggered by rain and storms, making it much harder to predictSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heather Handley, Adjunct Associate Professor, Monash University The eruption of Mount Semeru in Indonesia on Saturday tragically claimed the lives of 22 people, with another 22 still missing and 56 injured. More than 5,000 people have been affected by the eruption, and ...7 hours ago
- Moulin Rouge! The Musical is a spectacular feast for the sensesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sonya Suares, Guest Lecturer, WAAPA, Edith Cowan University Global Creatures/ Michelle Grace Hunder Review: Moulin Rouge! The Musical Someone wise once observed that theatre is the only artform to acknowledge its audience, and that’s why it will never die. As ...7 hours ago
- Will Roe v Wade be overturned, and what would this mean? The US abortion debate explainedSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Prudence Flowers, Senior Lecturer in US History, College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Flinders University Andrew Harnik/AP Last week, the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that is the most significant threat to abortion rights in ...7 hours ago
- ACT Demands Urgent Debate On COVID Deaths“The ACT Party has secured an Urgent Debate in Parliament about the deaths of New Zealanders who were isolating at home with COVID-19,” says ACT Deputy Leader and Health spokesperson Brooke van Velden. “This debate is not about politics – ...7 hours ago
- National MPs align themselves with Luxon's new-page philosophyIt is a new day for National MPs, who are turning to introspection as they settle into their new roles. ...8 hours ago
- History made the National Party a ‘broad church’ – can it hold in the MMP era?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Swanson, PhD Student, University of Otago Conservative and liberal: new National Party leader Christopher Luxon with deputy leader Nicola Willis. GettyImages Christopher Luxon’s ascendancy to the National Party leadership has highlighted – once again – the precarious balance between the ...8 hours ago
- Iwi Roadblocks Are What's Racist, Not The Criticism Directed At Them“Kelvin Davis’ comment that any challenging of the Northland iwi roadblocks is just ‘racist’ is as shallow as it is wrong,” says Winston Peters Leader of New Zealand First. “When you set up something that is racist, criticism against ...8 hours ago
- RMTU-KIWIRAIL MECA SETTLED – Strike AvertedToday, the Rail and Maritime Transport Union and KiwiRail agreed on Terms of Settlement which bring their Collective Agreement negotiations to a conclusion. Notice of strike action has now been lifted by the RMTU and that will avoid further disruption to ...9 hours ago
- SSPA Welcomes Te Aorerekura To Guide Collective Journey Towards Safe Whānau And CommunitiesSocial Service Providers Aotearoa (SSPA), the national membership-based organisation representing over 200 community-based social service organisations, is welcoming Te Aorerekura, The National Strategy to Eliminate Family Violence and Sexual Violence ...10 hours ago
- Taxpayers Are Forking Out $103 Per Laundry Service Or Shower Provided By A Government-funded CharityTaxpayers are forking out $103 per laundry service or shower provided by a Government-funded charity, reveals the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union. According to its 2020 annual review , taxpayer-funded charity Orange Sky received $437,500 from the Ministry of Housing ...10 hours ago
- Aged Care Workers: Safe Staffing Must Be Mandatory In 2022Workers at aged care home and hospitals across Aotearoa New Zealand will take action at their workplaces and at Parliament this December in the fight to win mandatory safe staffing. On 9 December, union members from E tū and NZNO, supported by national ...11 hours ago
- KiwiRail strike notices withdrawn following new offerStrike notices on KiwiRail have been withdrawn. Rail and Maritime Transport Union General Secretary Wayne Butson says following negotiations between the RMTU and KiwiRail, a new offer from KiwiRail will be taken back to union members for ratification. The ...11 hours ago
- KiwiRail Strike Notices Withdrawn Following New Management OfferStrike notices on KiwiRail have been withdrawn. Rail and Maritime Transport Union General Secretary Wayne Butson says following negotiations between the RMTU and KiwiRail, a new offer from KiwiRail will be taken back to union members for ratification. The ...11 hours ago
- Big Welcome For Family Violence StrategyToday’s launch of New Zealand’s first joint family violence and sexual violence strategy is being celebrated by a leading national family violence network. Te Aorerekura – the National Strategy to Eliminate Family Violence and Sexual Violence – guides ...11 hours ago
- Government Finance Statistics (general Government): Year Ended June 2021Government finance statistics (general government) gives an economic representation of New Zealand's central and local government financial activity. Key facts In the year ended June 2021: General government net operating balance shrank to a $904 million ...12 hours ago
- Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – December 07 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 National Party reshuffle, leadership change Audrey Young ...13 hours ago
- Government Launches Te Aorerekura National Strategy For Eliminating Family Violence And Sexual Viole...Today sees the launch of Te Aorerekura, a national strategy aiming to create an Aotearoa no longer scarred by the shameful and destructive family and sexual violence for which we are, sadly, internationally renowned. Te Aorerekura, rooted deeply and ...13 hours ago
- New ERO Research Finds Teachers And Principals Struggling During PandemicNew research published today by the Education Review Office (ERO) has found teachers and principals are increasingly struggling with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. "We know that Covid-19 has had a big impact on teachers and principals. They ...13 hours ago
- Latest Child Poverty Monitor Report Shows Maori, Pacific And Disabled Children Left BehindThe latest child poverty monitor report reveals that the government is meeting its targets in reducing child poverty for Pakeha children, but more targeted and focussed support is required for Pacific, Maori and Disabled children who continue to be left ...14 hours ago
- Government reveals 25-year plan to tackle family and sexual violenceTe Aorerekura represents an evolution in the journey to address violence in homes and in communities, says Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence Marama Davidson. ...14 hours ago
- Mixed reaction to housing intensification bill recommendations ahead of second readingA change to a key part of the housing intensification bill has been enough to alarm supporters, but too little to placate critics. ...14 hours ago
- A Cigarette Butt Ban Now!...14 hours ago
- Covid-19 Has Caused A Further Decline In Wellbeing For Teachers And PrincipalsAn ERO survey released today shows that over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, teacher and principal wellbeing has markedly declined. Survey results show that teachers’ enjoyment of work has declined from 62 percent to 56 percent and only a third felt ...14 hours ago
- NZ’s unemployment insurance scheme will be the biggest welfare shakeup in generations – is it ju...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Chapple, Director, Institute for Governance and Policy Studies, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Finance Minister Grant Robertson with his 2021 Budget, which signalled an unemployment insurance scheme was coming. GettyImages When Minister of Finance Grant Robertson announced in ...14 hours ago
- Half of women over 35 who want a child don’t end up having one, or have fewer than they plannedSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karin Hammarberg, Senior Research Fellow, Global and Women’s Health, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University Matthew Henry/Unsplash At age 35, one in four Australian women and one in three men were hoping to have a child or ...14 hours ago
- How much meat do we eat? New figures show 6 countries have hit their peakSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Diana Bogueva, Team Manager/ Adjunct Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Sydney Shutterstock Eating meat comes with an enormous environmental footprint, with food systems responsible for an estimated 34% of global emissions. And yet, in most countries, meat consumption is continuing to ...14 hours ago
- We are professional fire watchers, and we’re astounded by the scale of fires in remote Australia r...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rohan Fisher, Information Technology for Development Researcher, Charles Darwin University Shutterstock While southern Australia experienced a wet winter and a soggy spring, northern Australia has seen the opposite. Extreme fire weather in October and November led to bushfires across 120,000 ...14 hours ago
- Graduates lose pay advantage in tougher times, but overall workforce entrants seem surprisingly sati...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roger Wilkins, Professorial Fellow and Deputy Director (Research), HILDA Survey, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Around 400,000 people under the age of 25 leave full-time education and embark on their careers each ...14 hours ago
- BHP’s vaccine policy ‘not lawful and reasonable’ – but this is no win for mandate opponentsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giuseppe Carabetta, Senior Lecturer, Sydney University Business School, University of Sydney Shutterstock Australia’s Fair Work Commission has made its first ruling against an employer mandating COVID-19 vaccination as condition of work. But this isn’t the decision those opposed to vaccine ...14 hours ago
- Even in the colourful world of video games, most players demand historical accuracySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacqueline Burgess, Associate Lecturer in International Business, University of the Sunshine Coast Ubisoft Some of the most popular video game series are those that use historical settings, and research has revealed players have extremely high standards when it comes to ...14 hours ago
- Watch live: Govt reveals 25-year plan to tackle family and sexual violenceTe Aorerekura represents an evolution in the journey to address violence in homes and in communities, says Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence Marama Davidson. ...15 hours ago
- Newsroom daily crossword, Tuesday 7 December...17 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 7 December17 hours ago
- Pining for more profitable and sustainable native forestsThe real reason for NZ to help landowners switch from plantation pines ...18 hours ago
- Why NZ needs a women’s health strategyThe impending reform of the NZ health system needs to include a clear emphasis on improving women's health, writes Dr Orna McGinn ‘Mother of God! Sure you didn’t think I’d have had 8 children if I’d had a choice?’ I had always wondered why my granny had chosen to have ...18 hours ago
- Eric Crampton: The personal touch denied by impersonal bordersPerson to person interactions are vital for human relationships but our government officials don't seem to see the enormous benefits the border and immigration rules are denying NZ, writes Eric Crampton ...18 hours ago
- Christmas babyOne night very recently in Wellington The night began, and ended too, with snow, ice floes and perfect, terrifying isolation; men and their ship reduced to a smudge on polar whiteness. I was reading Ernest Shackleton’s account of his Antarctic expedition, a boring book as it turns out, overstuffed ...18 hours ago
- The Kiwi scientist and the failed surf breaksA Raglan based surfer-scientist involved in a company facing major opposition for its plans to create a surf break by excavating 2.5 hectares of a Fijian coral reef has courted controversy before for his role in attempts at creating surfable waves - including a project in the same part of ...18 hours ago
- Air NZ struggles to meet even conservative climate emissions targetsThe national carrier's carbon intensity has increased in the Covid slowdown, and it can't buy local forest offsets ...18 hours ago
- Unrest and riots in the troubled Solomon IslandsNew Zealand forces are being sent to the Solomon Islands to help calm growing unrest in what is most definitely not a tropical tourist paradise. But the portents for a lasting peace are not good. New Zealand has sent police and military personnel to the Solomon Islands in a response ...18 hours ago
- Renewed hope for migrant fighting to change the ‘ableist’ systemAfter a special exemption, Aisling Smyth can apply for residency following multiple failed attempts due to Immigration NZ's medical requirement. ...18 hours ago
- Horror at new plan to excavate pristine Fiji reefThey want to create ‘world class’ surf waves by excavating two channels through coral reef off a pristine Fijian island group. But this Kiwi-led group, backed by some serious heavy-hitters, is being slammed for pushing what’s been described as essentially a dredging project. A New Zealand-registered company is facing ...18 hours ago
- A new chapter in world champion rower's legendAfter falling out of love with rowing, world champion Fiona Bourke is back on Lake Karapiro, but now as a coach. And she's collecting the wisdom of other coaches to guide the next generation of promising Kiwi rowers. Fiona Bourke’s story has all the classic elements of a fairy tale. ...18 hours ago
- Solomons PM condemned during confidence debate, but survivesRNZ Pacific The Solomon Islands prime minister came in for searing criticism when he faced a confidence vote in Parliament today. A motion of no confidence against Manasseh Sogavare was debated amid tight security in the capital Honiara, where hundreds of regional security forces have deployed following major political unrest ...21 hours ago
- Yamin Kogoya: 60 years ago, Indonesia invaded West Papua with guns. 60 years later, they’re still ...Shocking footage has been circulating on social media showing National Armed Forces (TNI) Indonesian military helicopters firing indiscriminately at civilian villages in Suru-Suru District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua. Video: via Café Pacific SPECIAL REPORT: By Yamin Kogoya This past week marked 60 years since West Papua declared independence on 1 December ...21 hours ago
- Solomon Islands – where the world news talent is all localSPECIAL REPORT: By Sue Ahearn, co-editor of The Pacific Newsroom Did you notice anything different about the news coverage of the recent unrest in Honiara? Those fast-breaking stories on Australia’s television, radio and online networks were not presented by Australian journalists but by Solomon Islanders professionally reporting from the frontlines ...22 hours ago
- ‘Unthinkable’ referendum on New Caledonia independence challengedRNZ Pacific A group of citizens in New Caledonia has asked France’s highest administrative court to postpone next Sunday’s third and final independence referendum. In an urgent submission, 146 voters and three organisations said that given the impact of the covid-19 pandemic, it was “unthinkable” to proceed with such an ...22 hours ago
- ‘Don’t interfere’, Solomon Islands police tell opposition leaderBy Robert Iroga in Honiara The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) has appealed to opposition leader Matthew Wale to “stop interfering” with police investigations in the wake of the rioting in Honiara last month. “It is unfortunate that the leader of opposition, Mr Mathew Wale, attempted to question an ...22 hours ago
- #HoldTheLine coalition demands charges against Maria Ressa be dropped before Nobel awardsReporters Without Borders One week ahead of the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony, the #HoldtheLine Coalition has called on the government of the Philippines to drop all pending cases and charges against veteran journalist and Nobel laureate Maria Ressa and grant her unrestricted permission to travel to Oslo to accept ...22 hours ago
- More NZ peacekeepers arrive to help defuse tensions in Solomon IslandsRNZ Pacific The latest members of New Zealand’s Defence Force and police contingent have arrived in Honiara after days of unrest in the Solomon Islands capital. They are part of a regional peacekeeping force that also includes teams from Australia, Papua New Guinea and Fiji. Two flights landed in Honiara ...22 hours ago
- ‘Shameless, misguided’ NZ anti-vax protesters cost Newmarket storesRNZ News An anti-vax protest that shut down the centre of Newmarket in New Zealand’s largest city Auckland today may have cost local businesses hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost customers, says the local business association. Hundreds gathered at 11am at the Auckland Domain before heading to Westfield Newmarket ...22 hours ago
- Indonesian police charge 8 Papuan youths with ‘treason’ over flying Morning StarBy Dhias Suwandi in Jayapura Eight youths have been declared suspects on charges of makar (treason, subversion, rebellion) for flying the banned Papuan independence flag Morning Star at the Cenderawasih Sports Centre in the capital Jayapura this week on December 1. The Morning Star is a symbol used as a ...22 hours ago
- Vanuatu’s Shefa province recognises Wenda’s West Papua governmentRNZ Pacific Vanuatu’s Shefa province is recognising Benny Wenda as the interim president of a provisional “independent” West Papuan government. In a country that has historically been the most vocal in support of West Papuan self-determination rights, Shefa province is the first authority in the country to officially recognise an ...22 hours ago
- View from The Hill: Running Berejiklian ahead of ICAC report would send the worst of signals on inte...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Labor’s Chris Bowen made a very pertinent contribution on Monday to the debate over whether the Liberals should run Gladys Berejiklian, the subject of an ICAC investigation, in the Sydney seat of Warringah. What would ...24 hours ago
- Government releases proposals for changes to political donationsThe government quietly released a number of proposals, which are now out for public feedback. ...1 day ago
- Covid-19 response: Waitangi Tribunal hearing into whether Te Tiriti breached beginsToday was the first day of a special hearing into whether the Crown has breached Te Tiriti in its Covid-19 response. ...1 day ago
- 265,000 new dwellings in pipeline over next five years – MBIE reportMinistry of Business Innovation and Employment's National Construction Pipeline Report forecast 265,000 new dwellings would be consented between now and December 2026. ...1 day ago
- Wool growers, too, have something to cheer about as dairy leads the charge in brightening farmers’...City dwellers, preoccupied by Covid, may not have observed that the country’s export economy is being sustained by its primary industries. Last week came the news that Fonterra had signalled a record payout to its suppliers, pumping $13.2bn into the regions. Some analysts think that may be on the conservative ...1 day ago
- Luxon Called Out On Christianity ClaimsFollowing on from the implosion of the last National Party leader New Zealand has the fresh face of Christopher Luxon to lead the party with an aspiration to lead the country, come the next election In his opening speech Christopher Luxon promised ...1 day ago
- Australia’s agriculture sector sorely needs more insights from First Nations people. Here’s how ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Gilbert, Researcher (Indigenous Policy) Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education & Research and Higher Degree Research Student at Charles Sturt University, University of Technology Sydney Much of the debate on Indigenous agriculture in Australia has focused on a contested pre-colonial definition as ...1 day ago
- Here’s a worthy challenge for Judith Collins – asking why our Royal Society is investigating tw...Soon after the latest National Party line-up was announced this afternoon, Newshub was reporting who had finished up with higher rankings than before and who had slipped. Chris Luxon’s election as leader last week obviously led to his being catapulted from number 29 to number one. Nicola Willis, his deputy, ...1 day ago
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