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Are the Vultures Already Circling Above?
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 14th, 2020 - 116 comments
We cannot go back to business as usual after the lockdown but can we shape the way things will be for the greater good?
No Right Turn: Ghost homes should be used to house the homeless
Written By: - Date published: 7:05 am, March 14th, 2020 - 100 comments
Idiot/Savant writes about empty houses and the homeless.
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out
Written By: - Date published: 12:27 pm, March 7th, 2020 - 163 comments
Changes to the Residential Tenancies Act have a few landlords threatening to quit the business.
The real cause of New Zealand’s failing housing system
Written By: - Date published: 3:16 pm, February 23rd, 2020 - 139 comments
Simon Wilson has set out in a Herald article historical data which suggests that the cause of the housing crisis can be dated back to decisions made generations ago. But Steven Joyce thinks that the cure is actually the cause of the problem.
National is not counting its chickens for granted
Written By: - Date published: 8:47 am, February 17th, 2020 - 27 comments
National will announce today that tax cuts will be a major policy plank for the next election.
Housing consents at highest level since 1974
Written By: - Date published: 9:03 am, January 15th, 2020 - 20 comments
Statistics New Zealand has confirmed that in the last year the number of new housing consents was the highest since 1974.
Labour Conference
Written By: - Date published: 7:10 am, November 30th, 2019 - 97 comments
It’s a weird moment for the Labour Party at Conference this weekend.
Goodbye shitty landlords
Written By: - Date published: 10:27 am, November 18th, 2019 - 97 comments
The only way out of the housing crisis is for the state to mandate the right to a home.
Dog whistling Housing Corp tenants
Written By: - Date published: 12:35 pm, October 25th, 2019 - 29 comments
National has announced that it will put an end to a “state house for life” if it gets into power next year. But its rationale is not only cruel but based on a faulty understanding of the local reality.
The Government’s Economic Development Plan
Written By: - Date published: 7:35 am, September 30th, 2019 - 15 comments
Last week the government launched its Economic Development Plan, arguably late but with lots of useful initiatives.
The Greens on the need for rental law changes
Written By: - Date published: 7:15 am, September 26th, 2019 - 11 comments
Marama Davidson: renting has to be a valid way of life.
Fertile land is priceless
Written By: - Date published: 7:45 am, August 15th, 2019 - 220 comments
As Labour moves to protect prime food growing land around our cities, we should be having a wider discussion about food security in New Zealand.
Do poor people and women exist in right wing economics land?
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, August 13th, 2019 - 125 comments
David Seymour has written a critique of Deborah Russel’s review of the hard right economic tome “Economics in one lesson”. And totally missed the point of what she was saying.
Institutional poverty
Written By: - Date published: 12:34 pm, August 3rd, 2019 - 32 comments
Christchurch City Council have provided hundreds of social housing tenants with bubble wrap and a mop instead of insulating their houses.
Nats must hate Auckland’s building consents boom
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, July 15th, 2019 - 59 comments
The rate at which the building consents have increased in Auckland, and the shift to a more useful mix, has been incredibly fast. You can understand why National after their decade of failure for housing and transport have been targeting the authors of that success. It highlights National’s economic incompetence.
National offers to help with housing crisis
Written By: - Date published: 11:50 am, June 28th, 2019 - 105 comments
On behalf of the National Party Judith Collins has offered to help Labour deal with the housing crisis, the one that National is responsible for.
The Coming Global Economic Slowdown and New Zealand
Written By: - Date published: 8:45 am, June 3rd, 2019 - 49 comments
With the United States – China trade war well underway, the sick chaos of Brexit is shrinking the U.K. economy and slowing much of Europe’s economy, and smaller economies such as that of Mexico in the crosshairs through further politically manufactured trade disputes, the second half of this year looks for New Zealand nowhere near as rosy as the first half.
Support Tax Fairness Reform
Written By: - Date published: 12:15 pm, April 9th, 2019 - 16 comments
The Tax Justice Network has started a campaign to gain support for taxing capital as income to support and improve our public services. If you would like to support the campaign, you can sign the petition here or donate here. All funds donated will go to the campaign advertising.
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.
Housing affordability and urban form
Written By: - Date published: 3:07 pm, January 21st, 2019 - 35 comments
Hugh Pavletich thinks that Auckland’s housing crisis is because of restrictions on urban sprawl and that loosening up would be a good thing. I disagree.
Political punditry in 2019
Written By: - Date published: 8:57 am, January 4th, 2019 - 79 comments
The media has recently reviewed its predictions from last year and made a few new ones. How did it go? And what is going to happen in the next 12 months?
Let it Be
Written By: - Date published: 8:44 am, December 12th, 2018 - 56 comments
Letting fees are a thing of the past. Labour’s Phil Twyford has outlawed the practice of charging tenants an upfront fee for a non existent service. It’s about fairness and it’s about time.
Twyford’s big announcement
Written By: - Date published: 12:46 pm, November 24th, 2018 - 71 comments
The government has just announced the creation of the most massive and powerful housing and land development agency that we have ever seen.
Bridges Billion dollar bungle
Written By: - Date published: 8:42 am, November 23rd, 2018 - 126 comments
Simon Bridges has claimed that Labour’s Kiwisaver fund is $18 billion short of the amount needed to meet the Government’s goals of constructing ten thousand Kiwibuild houses a year. The claim has as much credibility as National’s claim that Labour’s budget figures had an $11.5 billion hole in them.
What happens if housing prices really go down?
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, November 17th, 2018 - 164 comments
So what if Labour decides to go ahead with its capital gains tax? What happens to the equity of the remaining middle class? What happens to the equity of those who were brought in under KiwiBuild?
KiwiBuild doesn’t fly.
Written By: - Date published: 10:29 am, November 2nd, 2018 - 215 comments
More than that, it needs to be torn down before it makes a serious bid at flight.
National’s Judith problem
Written By: - Date published: 4:54 pm, October 30th, 2018 - 50 comments
Judith Collins has landed herself in trouble for publicising details of a young couple who just bought a Kiwibuild home.
National badly wants Kiwibuild to crash
Written By: - Date published: 8:34 am, October 30th, 2018 - 339 comments
National is complaining that Labour is not solving the National imposed housing crisis quickly enough.
Someone tell the business sector, Kiwis like this Government
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, September 18th, 2018 - 29 comments
A recent survey conducted by IPSOS shows New Zealanders are feeling more positive about the Labour-NZ First coalition government than they were the previous one.
Rental Rights Review
Written By: - Date published: 2:06 pm, August 27th, 2018 - 68 comments
The Labour led Government has announced a review into tenancy laws. It’s about time we balanced the rental market, which has for too long let renters down.
Let them fall
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, August 3rd, 2018 - 105 comments
We’ve seen a fair few construction companies go under or get close to it recently.
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #36, 2021
108 articles by 621 contributing authors Physical science of climate change, effects Arctic amplification of climate change: a review of underlying mechanisms Previdi et al. Environmental Research Letters Open Access 10.1088/1748-9326/ac1c29 (provisional link) Understanding physical drivers of the 2015/16 marine heatwaves in the Northwest Atlantic 10.1038/s41598-021-97012-0 Observations of climate change, ...2 weeks ago - Cancel this odious debt
Writing on Newsroom, Laura Walters makes a case for cancelling student debt: [A]t the moment, loan debt is hurting the economy, holding back everything from small business formation, to new home buying, and even marriage and reproduction. So rather than offering interest-free borrowing, or expecting people to refinance their ...2 weeks ago - Climate Change: The CCR is a failed, counterproductive policyWriting on Interest, and in the context of carbon farming displacing traditional sheep and beef farming, Keith Woodford says: Given that this year’s cost-containment reserve is already exhausted, there is considerable speculation as to what will happen as soon as the next auction on 1 December. The Government will ...2 weeks ago
- Licensing bonanza in computational life sciences*
By Florian Pichlmueller (University of Auckland) and Christina Straub (ESR) . 2min read GPL, MIT, BSD, CC – no they’re not a secret vocabulary, these are in fact acronyms for open source licenses that allow code to be freely used, modified and shared. And there are many more – take ...2 weeks ago - NZ Politics Daily: 9 September 2021
Mall terror attack Andrew Geddis (Pundit): Why Not Just Send The Auckland Terrorist Back? Paul Buchanan (Kiwipolitico): The supermarket stabbing spree was not a terrorist act Hanlie Booysen (The Conversation): Social inclusion is important in Aotearoa New Zealand — but so is speaking honestly about terrorism Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Act and Greens agree on ...2 weeks ago - Submission on Conversion Not-A-Therapy Bill
. . . . . References Legislation: Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill Other Blogs Boots Theory: End conversion therapy in Aotearoa . . . Liked what you read? Feel free to share. Have your own thoughts? Leave a comment. (Trolls need not bother.)rolls need not bother.) . = fs ...2 weeks ago - Equality, Equity & The Great Race Of Life.
2 weeks ago - The Person Who Lies To You The Most…. Is YouThis 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. The difference between Cognitive Dissonance, Motivated Reasoning, and Confirmation Bias Dorothy Martin awoke early ...2 weeks ago
- Graham Adams: David Seymour is cast into hell… alongside Tova O’BrienTweets about giving Maori priority access to vaccines have blown up. Graham Adams assesses the damage. In his epic 14th-century poem Inferno, Dante depicted sinners who questioned established religion or whose heretical views damaged the fabric of society as trapped in burning tombs in the Sixth Circle of Hell, ...2 weeks ago
- Bryce Edwards: Political Roundup – What’s going on in the National Party?What exactly is plaguing the National Party? And would another leadership change help? These are the big and enduring questions that have surrounded the opposition party since they lost power in 2017. For the best answers to these questions, it’s well worth reading the latest piece by Matthew Hooton in ...2 weeks ago
- Musicians are urging us to vaccinate: the Australian federal government should learn from these movi...Andrea Fenton, Swinburne University of Technology A new ad has been released from the LIVE Alliance (Live Industry Venues + Entertainment) a music industry collective, under the guidance of advertising veteran Russel Howcroft. The campaign, Vax the Nation, is set to Powderfinger’s My Happiness. Here, the lyrics take on ...2 weeks ago
- More Labour secrecyThe government introduced a new Civil Aviation Bill to modernise the 30-year-old Civil Aviation Act and 55-year-old Airport Authorities Act today. Which is not normally the sort of bill I would comment on, except that it includes not one, but two new secrecy clauses. The first of these in section ...2 weeks ago
- The supermarket stabbing spree was not a terrorist act.
Blood had not even been mopped up from the floor after the supermarket stabbing spree when the prime minister strode to the parliamentary theatre podium and declared it to be an act of terrorism committed by an individual following an extremist ideology. Within minutes of her pronouncement the media sped ...2 weeks ago - Stupidly counterproductiveLast night the government made it mandatory for businesses to collect contact records. There are obvious concerns here around abuse - for example, the police forcing the production of someone's covid app data under a production order - and these concerns are a disincentive for some people to sign in ...2 weeks ago
- David Seymour – Arsehole of the Week
2 weeks ago - The OIA has a problem with extensionsThe Ombudsman released their latest OIA complaint stats today, and the headline is a rise in overall complaints. But buried in the data is something interesting: extension complaints have increased massively. There were 54 complaints about extensions in the first half of this year, compared to 29 in the previous ...2 weeks ago
- Why not just send the Auckland terrorist back?
In the wake of the LynnMall terror attack, there’s been a lot of questions asked and potential legal “fixes” proposed to the problem of why the terrorist was able to be active in the community. One particular issue, however, has yet to be fully addressed: what to do about the ...2 weeks ago - New research reveals animals are changing their body shapes to cope with climate changeSara Ryding, Deakin University and Matthew Symonds, Deakin University Global warming is a big challenge for warm-blooded animals, which must maintain a constant internal body temperature. As anyone who’s experienced heatstroke can tell you, our bodies become severely stressed when we overheat. Animals are dealing with global warming in ...2 weeks ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 8 September 2021Mall terror attack Bryce Edwards (Democracy Project): Political Roundup – Could government agencies have averted the development of a terrorist? Marc Daalder (Newsroom): How to stop the next terrorist RNZ: The Detail: Turning around a terrorist Kris Gledhill (The Conversation): Despite deportation and detention attempts, could New Zealand have done more to prevent Friday’s ...2 weeks ago
- With lockdowns easing for the rest of New Zealand, Auckland becomes the elimination frontlineMichael Plank, University of Canterbury and Shaun Hendy, University of Auckland The number of new cases in New Zealand’s Delta outbreak is now on a downward trend and we have a good chance of eliminating it, even as lockdown restrictions ease for most of the country from tomorrow. After ...2 weeks ago
- Geoffrey Miller: How 9/11 changed New Zealand’s foreign policyInternational analyst Geoffrey Miller reflects on the impact that the September 11 attacks had on New Zealand’s foreign policy This week’s anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001 is also an opportunity to recall the impact the tragedy – and the response to it ...2 weeks ago
- Bryce Edwards: Political Roundup – Could government agencies have averted the development of a ter...The tragic terrorist attack at an Auckland shopping mall on Friday has led to a lot of debate about how it could have been prevented. It turns out authorities were well aware of Ahamed Aathill Mohamed Samsudeen’s severe mental health problems and his capacity for violent extremism if not dealt ...2 weeks ago
- Show me the money: a new slogan for the climate movementThis is a repost from Medium by Karl Burkart of OneEarth When climate activists make generic statements like, “It’s time for climate action” or “Governments need to act like it’s a climate crisis”, what specifically do they mean? At this stage of the game, with the UN proclaiming a “Code Red ...2 weeks ago
- Language Matters: Kiwi metaphors of Covid-19Featured image: ‘’Romantic love is sometimes described as a journey: our relationship is at a crossroads, it’s been a bumpy road, we can’t turn back now, we decided to go our separate ways, this relationship isn’t going anywhere.’’ OPINION: If you are anything like me, you have probably been scouring ...2 weeks ago
- E-cigarettes: misconceptions about their dangers may be preventing people from quitting smokingJamie Hartmann-Boyce, University of Oxford When electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) first emerged, they became a popular way for people to quit smoking. But in 2019, a mysterious lung condition emerged that primarily affected young people, particularly those who vaped. This left many questioning the safety of e-cigarettes. The condition was named ...2 weeks ago
- trends in human evolution – the shoulderHumans are the only living hominid that can throw objects accurately & at speed – while some of the other great apes can throw objects, their speed & accuracy is not the best. (In his musing on human evolution, Darwin noted that adaptations allowing this would be at a selective ...2 weeks ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 7 SeptemberMall terror attack Clarke Jones (Guardian): I assessed the Auckland terrorist – our approach to extremism has to change Anneke Smith (RNZ): Muslim leader ‘baffled’ Corrections passed up rehabilitation offer for LynnMall terrorist Edward O’Driscoll (Newshub): Community leaders say Corrections shouldn’t have housed supermarket terrorist in mosque Charlotte Cook (RNZ): Terrorist threw faeces, assaulted ...2 weeks ago
- Life in lockdown, Round Two – Day 20 (@L3). . . . . . References Newshub: As it happened: Latest on COVID-19 community outbreak – Sunday, September 5 RNZ: Covid-19 update – 20 new community cases reported in New Zealand today The Border Mail: Truck driver in isolation with COVID, exposure site listed at Henty NZ Herald: Covid ...2 weeks ago
- Hollow Laughter, Mixed With Tears.Guarding The Stable Door: In the absence of the hard evidence only an actual terrorist atrocity can supply, the ability of New Zealand’s national security apparatus to pre-empt such attacks is legally and politically compromised. Indeed, even in the aftermath of an all-too-real terrorist massacre, the judicial and bureaucratic machinery ...2 weeks ago
- Down to Level 2: 2021 Edition (+ Rant about Australian Plague)
New Zealand’s struggle against Delta has been going pretty well. We’re not out of the woods yet, but we’ve only had one death so far, and Lockdown is getting eased. In fact, the country outside Auckland is moving out of Level 3 Lockdown, and into Level 2 (“heightened ...2 weeks ago - Too many cows in CanterburyMore than a decade ago, the then-National government overthrew the elected Canterbury Regional Council (ECan) and imposed a Wellington-appointed dictatorship to steal Canterbury's water for farmers. As part of the PR for this, they promised "ambitious" goals to improve water quality. A decade on, have they met those goals? Of ...2 weeks ago
- NZ is introducing mandatory record keeping to help contact tracers. But is the data protected enoug...Andrew Chen, University of Auckland From 11:59pm on Tuesday September 7, every person in Aotearoa New Zealand over the age of 12 will be required to keep a record of their whereabouts, either by scanning QR codes or signing paper registers many businesses and event organisers will have to ...2 weeks ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 6 September 2021Mall terror attack Thomas Manch (Stuff): The terrorist was a ‘highly damaged’ refugee, and efforts to help him failed Sam Hurley (Herald): The terrorist I knew and the attack I had long feared (paywalled) Andrew Geddis (Spinoff): Would harsher terrorism laws have prevented the mall attack? Alexander Gillespie (The Conversation): New Zealand needs to go ...2 weeks ago
- Life in lockdown, Round Two – Day 19 (@L3). . . . . . References RNZ: Covid-19 wrap for day 18 of lockdown Facebook: COVID-19 update – 5 September 2021 (video, @ 25:22) BBC: Coronavirus doctor’s diary – A super-spreading funeral that led to three deaths Fox4: Texas funeral becomes ‘super spreader’ event after 40 ...2 weeks ago
- A Smokefree Aotearoa – could taking the nicotine out of smoked tobacco products help us get there?Nick Wilson, Janet Hoek, Nhung Nghiem, Jennifer Summers, Leah Grout, Richard Edwards* This blog presents key findings from a modelling study where we estimated the impact that denicotinising smoked tobacco products could have on smoking prevalence in Aotearoa New Zealand. A policy requiring that all smoked tobacco products are virtually ...2 weeks ago
- Amanda McLean on trans rights orthodoxy
...2 weeks ago - Colombia: Petro – A Change to Change Nothing?Gearóid Ó Loingsigh 31 August 2021 Gustavo Petro would seem to be the presidential candidate of the self-proclaimed Historic Pact, a coalition of parties that claim to be progressives or left such as Colombia Humana, the Democratic Pole and various other personalities from the Colombian right such as the Senators ...2 weeks ago
- 2021 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #36Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, August 29, 2021 through Sat, September 4, 2021 The following articles sparked above average interest during the week: From tweet to updated rebuttal - a little saga, The Person Who Lies To You The Most…. ...2 weeks ago
- Now is not the time to overreactIsis Terrorist - Ahamed Aathill Mohamed SamsudeenWe all agree that the attack on innocent people at LynnMall on Friday was a cowardly and despicable act. Six people were seriously injured, with three still remaining in a critical condition at Auckland City Hospital.However, this is not the time for a knee ...2 weeks ago
- Life in lockdown, Round Two – Day 17 & 18 (@L3). . . . . . References Stuff media: Covid-19 outbreak situation report – what happened today, September 2 RNZ: Covid-19 case numbers – 28 new community cases in NZ today Stuff media: Covid-19 outbreak situation report – what happened today, September 2 RNZ: Covid-19 case numbers ...2 weeks ago
- A Grim Future for National
Judith Collins must now know that the game is up. The Herald has decided that she must go – and the Herald can always be relied on to reflect the view of the National party. The signs are now coming thick and fast – and they are unmistakable. The latest ...2 weeks ago - Staying Focused: Why Labour Still Won’t Help The Poor.Still Waiting: Triennium after triennium, this tawdry charade goes on. Labour’s leaders speak of rescuing the poor, not because they have any intention of doing so – the poor don’t even register such promises anymore – but because Labour knows that the kind, well-educated women voters, who now constitute its ...2 weeks ago
- Are We Undermining Science’s Credibility?
Perhaps one of the reasons for vaccination hesitancy is that we are too casual about what constitutes science.Some Māori health providers recently speculated that misinformation spread via social media is partly to blame for the poor vaccination rates among Māori (below the age of 40 – it is about two-thirds ...2 weeks ago - Climate Change: We need a total carbon budgetOn Wednesday the government blew its carbon budget, flooding the market with 7 million tons of extra pollution (at a social cost of over a billion dollars) in a failed attempt to keep carbon prices low. In the aftermath, Stuff quoted Climate Change Minister James Shaw as saying he would ...2 weeks ago
- Understanding life in our waterways through metagenomicsBy Michael Hoggard and Carmen Astudillo Garcia, University of Auckland The rapid development and extraordinary cost reductions of next-generation sequencing technologies has greatly increased data on the functioning of complex microbial communities. Although relatively new, metagenomics has already dramatically influenced our understanding of the microbial tree of life and the ...2 weeks ago
- An Upgraded Alert Level 2 is Urgently Needed to Address the Delta Variant ThreatDr Leah Grout, Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Jennifer Summers, Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Prof Michael Baker* Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ’s) Covid-19 Alert Level system worked well in early 2020, but the Covid-19 landscape has changed, and the system must be updated to address the threat of the highly transmissible Delta variant ...2 weeks ago
- Life in lockdown, Round Two – Day 16 (@L3). . . . . . . . References RNZ: Covid-19 update – 75 new community cases in NZ today RNZ: Covid-19 – Overseas Kiwi distraught at MIQ vouchers pause RNZ: Covid-19 – MIQ virtual lottery on the way, but bookings on pause for now RNZ: Covid-19 – Delta cases ...2 weeks ago
- Public health response to report on potential risk of nitrate from drinking waterDr Tim Chambers and Professor Simon Hales This week a report, co-funded by Fonterra and MBIE, investigated the relative contributions of nitrate in our diet from water and food. The report comes in response to emerging epidemiological evidence observing nitrate in drinking water as a risk factor for colorectal cancer. ...3 weeks ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 3 September 2021Government management of outbreak, expert advice, alert level changes Matthew Hooton (Herald): NZ is united on Covid – why a blow-torch on Government is still vital(paywalled) Henry Cooke (Stuff): The target that continues to elude Ashley Bloomfield, and will keep Auckland locked down Derek Cheng (Herald): Hospitalisations, fatalities and lockdown – the lessons ...3 weeks ago
- Geoffrey Miller: Covid-19’s impact on New Zealand’s diplomacy continuesInternational analyst Geoffrey Miller says New Zealand’s latest Covid-19 outbreak has once again delayed the country’s return to top-level face-to-face diplomacy – but this comes at a cost New Zealand’s new outbreak of Covid-19 has also stalled an attempt to restart the country’s top-level diplomatic engagement. Given the Delta variant’s ...3 weeks ago
- Not On The List.3 weeks ago
- CTG National Newsletter – September 2021
Read our newsletter here ...3 weeks ago - End conversion therapy in Aotearoa
I’ve just hit “send” on my submission to the Justice Select Committee on the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill – also known as the “conversion therapy ban”, except it’s not therapy, it’s torture. Submissions close 8 September. They definitely don’t have to be as long and detailed as mine, they ...3 weeks ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #35, 2021124 articles by 744 contributing authors Physical science of climate change, effects Tropical teleconnection impacts on Antarctic climate changes Li et al. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment 10.1038/s43017-021-00204-5 Interpreting the Dependence of Cloud-Radiative Adjustment on Forcing Agent Salvi et al. Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2021gl093616 Observations of ...3 weeks ago
- Climate Change: Even OPEC gets itBack in May we saw the International Energy Agency - historically not a green organisation - call for an immediate end to fossil fuel development to avoid catastrophic climate change. And now there's another unusual ally in the fight: OPEC: The finance minister of Iraq, one of the founding ...3 weeks ago
- Why we’re happy hobbits in Jacinda’s ‘mysterious socialist hermit kingdom’Max Rashbrooke, Guardian, 24 August 2021 Some British media have been mocking New Zealand for going into Covid lockdown over one case, but it’s hard to find downsides to the approach Physician, heal thyself. This phrase has been in my thoughts ever since global media outlets, most of them British, ...3 weeks ago
- Graham Adams: The battle over Plunket heats upMothers are aggrieved by what some say is a racist policy instituted by New Zealand’s most cherished parenting organisation. Graham Adams argues it is just one example of growing dissatisfaction over preference granted on grounds of ethnicity. In terms of the nation’s traditional iconography, it’s hard to decide whether ...3 weeks ago
- Climate Change: The CCR was a huge waste of moneyYesterday the government held an ETS auction, and triggered the "cost containment reserve", flooding the market with an extra 7 million tons of pollution in an effort to keep carbon costs low. So how much "cost containment" did we get? Unfortunately, we're not allowed to know: the pre-CCR clearing price ...3 weeks ago
- Gesta Gertrudis: Volume III
Time for another Gertrude update. Due to Lockdown, both sessions took place electronically via Discord. Session Five/Sixty-One The Angels obligingly pre-empted any attempt to talk them out of it… by attacking Thendwyn. One might be a Celestial Being, but attacking a cat – and destroying an archaeologically ...3 weeks ago - The end game should not be just Smokefree 2025 but also VapefreeJenni Stephenson* Aotearoa New Zealand has been a world leader in the smokefree arena and is doubling down on its efforts to reach the 2025 goal. This blog asks if is enough to aim just for smokefree or whether Te Tiriti o Waitangi demands we aim higher and eliminate vaping ...3 weeks ago
- Closing the Gaps How can we achieve affordable, secure homes for everyone?...3 weeks ago
- Prime Ministerial?Most people seem to think that politicians are a species apart, and they do not understand that politicians are just people like the rest of us. They share the same sentiments and prejudices, the same strengths and weaknesses. In any given situation, if we were to feel downcast or elated, ...3 weeks ago
- Beyond Hate.3 weeks ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 2 September 2021Parliament Jane Patterson (RNZ): Judith Collins’ reaction to Covid-19 criticism risks familiar public backlash Jo Moir (RNZ): Opposition plays role in national crisis Claire Trevett (Herald): Judith Collins is not the only villain in ‘pantomime’ of the lockdown Parliament(paywalled) 1 News: Judith Collins defends move to Wellington during level 4: ‘I’ll ask the questions’ ...3 weeks ago
- Life in lockdown, Round Two – Day 15 (@L3). . 1 September: Day 15 of living in lock-down… Day’s beginning. Current covid19 cases: 612 Cases in ICU: 8 Number of deaths: – . . . . . References RNZ: Covid-19 update on 31 August – 49 new cases in the community Twitter: @FranklNZ – we missed the L2 ...3 weeks ago
- Thinking is Power: Are you a Critical Thinker?This 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. Learn how to think, not what to think Everyone thinks. And everyone thinks they’re ...3 weeks ago
- Climate Change: The ETS is a farceThe third ETS auction happened today, and as predicted, the cost-containment reserve was triggered, flooding the market with an extra 7 million tons of carbon. But this didn't actually contain costs. Instead, the auction cleared at $53.85 a ton - higher than the pre-auction spot price of $52 a ton. ...3 weeks ago
- August ’21 – NZ blogs sitemeter ranking
3 weeks ago - What are the limits of dissent as NZ locks down, vaccinates and prepares to ‘open up’?Alexander Gillespie, University of Waikato As New Zealand grapples to bring a Delta outbreak under control and to accelerate the vaccination rollout, social cohesion is vital for a successful elimination strategy. Political consensus on elimination has endured so far. Unlike the anti-mask and anti-vaccination movements elsewhere, most New Zealanders ...3 weeks ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 1 September 2021Afghanistan Tim Watkin (Pundit): After 20 Years In Afghanistan, ‘A Little Revenge’ Has Done Immeasurable Damage Kurt Bayer (Herald): Military intelligence never saw total collapse coming of Afghan army, committee briefing hears Stuff Editorial: Afghanistan – yes, we have work to do Thomas Manch (Stuff): 375 New Zealanders, visa holders stranded as Government considers ...3 weeks ago
- South African health experts have identified a new lineage of SARS-CoV-2: what’s known so farProf. Wolfgang Preiser, Stellenbosch University; Cathrine Scheepers, University of the Witwatersrand; Jinal Bhiman, National Institute for Communicable Diseases; Marietjie Venter, University of Pretoria; Penny Moore, University of the Witwatersrand, and Tulio de Oliveira, University of KwaZulu-Natal As a team of South African researchers we have identified a new lineage ...3 weeks ago
- New Zealand’s fossil record suggests more species lived in warmer waters. But the current rate of ...Tom Womack, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Marine organisms found in New Zealand’s past and present coastal waters. Tom Womack, CC BY-ND New Zealand may be relatively small, but its fossil record reveals a globally important ecological relationship between the number of species, their role in ...3 weeks ago
- Here’s what makes a new Amazon carbon study so unnervingThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob Henson The sixth major assessment of climate science from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – which landed with an existential thud on our collective doorstep in August – confirms why we need to be profoundly concerned about parts of the ...3 weeks ago
- Life in lockdown, Round Two – Day 13 & 14. . ...3 weeks ago
- After 20 years in Afghanistan, 'a little revenge' has done immeasurable damage
In the early days of the Afghanistan War and the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington D.C. Bruce Springsteen released The Rising, his landmark, Grammy-winning album about the grief, fear, anger and sense of loss that was transforming America at the time. It sought to capture ...3 weeks ago
- New beef genetics programme to deliver cows with smaller environmental hoof-print
The Government is backing a genetics programme to lower the beef sector’s greenhouse gas emissions by delivering cows with a smaller environmental hoof-print, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced today. Informing New Zealand Beef is a seven-year partnership with Beef + Lamb New Zealand that is expected to result in more ...2 weeks ago - Appointments to the New Zealand Qualifications AuthorityEducation Minister Chris Hipkins today announced new appointments to the board of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). Former Associate Minister of Education, Hon Tracey Martin, has been appointed as the new Chair for NZQA, replacing the outgoing Acting and Deputy Chair Professor Neil Quigley after an 11-year tenure on ...2 weeks ago
- Govt supports residential house building by allowing manufacture of building suppliesThe Government has agreed to allow some building product manufacturing to take place in Auckland during Covid lockdown to support continued residential construction activity across New Zealand. “There are supply chain issues that arise from Alert Level 4 as building products that are manufactured domestically are mostly manufactured in Auckland. ...2 weeks ago
- Government invests in scientific research to boost economy, address climate change and enhance wellb...Research, Science and Innovation Minister Hon Dr Megan Woods has today announced the recipients of this year’s Endeavour Fund to help tackle the big issues that New Zealanders care about, like boosting economic performance, climate change, transport infrastructure and wellbeing. In total, 69 new scientific research projects were awarded over ...2 weeks ago
- Transport to drive economic recoveryThe Government is investing a record amount in transport services and infrastructure to get New Zealand moving, reduce emissions and support the economic recovery, Transport Minister Michael Wood announced today. The 2021-24 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) was released today which outlines the planned investments Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency ...2 weeks ago
- Government congratulates NZ Paralympic teamThe Government has congratulated New Zealand’s Paralympic Team following an outstanding showing at the Tokyo Paralympic Games. “Our New Zealand Paralympian athletes have once again shown incredible talent, tenacity and determination at the Tokyo Paralympic Games winning 12 medals, with every athlete who represented New Zealand making us so proud,” ...2 weeks ago
- Aotearoa mourns passing of creative icon Billy AppleArts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni has expressed her condolences at the passing of Billy Apple, one of New Zealand’s most influential artists. “Today we’ve lost a giant of New Zealand art. Billy was a creative visionary, an inspiration and a friend to so many,” Carmel Sepuloni said. “Billy ...2 weeks ago
- Government attempted to deport terroristThe lifting of final suppression orders relating to the Auckland terrorist shows Immigration New Zealand had been attempting for years to deport him and also sought to detain him while deportation was considered in order to keep him out of the community. “The individual arrived in New Zealand in October ...2 weeks ago
- Prime Minister’s update on the 3 September Auckland terrorist attack***Check against delivery*** I want to begin with an update on the status of our victims from yesterday’s attack. We’re aware now that there were a total of seven people injured. There are five people in hospital, three are in a critical condition. The remaining victims have been treated and are ...2 weeks ago
- Tonga’s language week goes virtual This year’s Tonga Language week is going to be a virtual affair because of the nationwide lockdowns for Covid 19, said the Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio. “We have been working closely with the Tongan community ahead of Uike Lea Faka-Tonga, and they have selected the theme Fakakoloa ...2 weeks ago
- Resurgence Support Payment amended to include new businessesThe Government’s Resurgence Support Payment (RSP) has been updated to better support newly established businesses. The RSP is a one-off payment that helps businesses with costs like rent or fixed costs during higher alert levels. When this COVID-19 response scheme was first established last year the criteria was included that ...2 weeks ago
- New law commissioners appointedJustice Minister Kris Faafoi has announced the appointment of three new members of Te Aka Matua o te Ture | Law Commission. The new appointees are: Hon Justice Christian Whata, who has been appointed for a term of one year; beginning on 12 October 2021. Geof Shirtcliffe, who has been ...3 weeks ago
- Minister reminds people that they are not alone this weekendMinister for the Prevention of Family Violence and Sexual Violence Marama Davidson is reminding New Zealanders that there is support available for anyone feeling unsafe during this lockdown. “We know that family violence and sexual violence can escalate in times of crisis, including isolation,” says Marama Davidson. “As the lockdown ...3 weeks ago
- Targeted hardship fund for City Rail Link-affected businesses to be establishedA new Targeted Hardship Fund will be set up to help Auckland small businesses that are impacted by disruption from construction of the City Rail Link, Transport Minister Michael Wood and Auckland Mayor Phil Goff announced today. “The City Rail Link project will deliver a step-change for Auckland’s public transport ...3 weeks ago
- Greyhound racing industry formally on noticeThe Government has put the greyhound racing industry on notice following a review of animal welfare and safety in the industry. “Sir Bruce Robertson carried out a thorough review of the industry, meeting with interest groups from both within greyhound racing and outside. He also met with individual trainers and ...3 weeks ago
- PR Davis, Sepuloni, Henare-Government increases whānau support for COVID-19 responseThe Government is increasing support for whānau through Whānau Ora to help with the current COVID-19 response. “Delta has created new challenges for access to food and essential services and also requires more intensive responses to maintain whānau wellbeing. As a result it is important that additional funding is provided ...3 weeks ago
- Criteria set for NCEA if lockdown impacts learningTo help provide certainty for the many senior secondary students eyeing up end of year exams, Education Minister Chris Hipkins has today laid out the criteria under which changes could be made to school qualifications. It includes re-introducing Learning Recognition Credits, and adjustments to NCEA endorsements and University Entrance to ...3 weeks ago
- Major boost to support the Pacific Community in the face of Covid-19The Government has agreed to a $26 million boost to support our Pacific communities in this current outbreak of the COVID-19 Delta variant, Associate Minister of Health, Aupito William Sio said. “We know we need to get every eligible person in our communities vaccinated and this will help this effort. ...3 weeks ago
- Aotearoa New Zealand Sustainable Development Goals Summit 2021By Zoom 9am Thursday 2 September 2021 Introduction E ngā Manukura katoa o Aotearoa whānui, ko tēnei he mihi maioha ki o koutou. Ko tōku tūmanako kia haumarutia tonutia tātou I o tātou kainga maha, i tēnei wā o te Urutā, Covid 19. Noho ora pai mai ...3 weeks ago
- New Māori COVID-19 Communication portalMinister for Māori Development Willie Jackson has today announced a new approach to the Government’s Māori communications response to COVID-19. “We’ve done some good work so far. But there is so much happening that we have to bring all that information under one umbrella. So that’s why we are launching ...3 weeks ago
- Application details for the Wage Subsidy this weekApplications for the initial Wage Subsidy scheme in this outbreak close on Thursday, and applications for the next fortnightly payment will begin on Friday morning. Cabinet decided that all of New Zealand south of the Auckland boundary would move to Alert Level 3 at 11.59pm on Tuesday 31 August. Northland ...3 weeks ago
- Wellington And Dunedin Feminists Rally For Disappearing Rights
Local feminists are marching for their rights in Wellington and Dunedin on New Zealand Suffrage Day, this Sunday, in protest against two bills before Parliament that the women say will erode their rights; the Births, Deaths, Marriages and Relationships ...3 days ago - ‘Either you cave in, or you fight back’: The Christchurch family fundraising for Afghanistan
A Christchurch couple who fundraised to create a ‘living memorial’ for the victims of March 15 are calling for more government support for young Afghans affected by the war. When Kabul fell to the Taliban last month, Christchurch couple Bariz Shah and his wife Saba Afrasyabi watched on anxiously, glued ...3 days ago - Siouxsie Wiles: Should I get vaccinated if I’m pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding?I know from personal experience the anxiety, the nausea, the uncertainty that can surround decisions at such sensitive times, writes Siouxsie Wiles.I’ve been inundated with emails and messages from people worried about getting vaccinated if they are trying for a baby, or pregnant, or breastfeeding. Before I tell you what ...3 days ago
- Gasson giving it her all in global swim league
She may have missed the cut to swim at her second Olympics in Tokyo, but now Helena Gasson is the only Kiwi breaking records on the international stage, Dave Crampton reports. Helena Gasson has no idea when she will be back in New Zealand. She’s one of many Kiwi athletes competing ...3 days ago - Women’s police stations in Australia: would they work for ‘all’ women?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amanda Porter, Senior Fellow (Indigenous Programs), The University of Melbourne Proposals to expand police powers, to criminalise coercive control and to establish specialist women’s police stations have all occupied a prominent place in Australia’s recent debate about responses to violence against women. ...3 days ago - Forget nose spray, good sex clears a stuffy nose just as effectively — and is a lot more funSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David King, Senior Lecturer in General Practice, The University of Queensland Shutterstock Medical news is full of stories about promising new treatments for challenging conditions, or for additional health benefits of routine behaviours and habits. Who doesn’t want to feel ...3 days ago
- ‘Bloody fool!’: why Ripper the musk duck, and many other talkative Aussie birds, are exciting bi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Dalziell, Postdoctoral Associate, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University shutterstock Recently, two native Australian birds have stolen the limelight with their impressive vocal imitations. A superb lyrebird called Echo at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo has produced a painfully realistic vocal ...3 days ago
- The Week in Politics: Vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate
Analysis - The government makes a big push to get as many people as possible vaccinated, the polls are bleak for Judith Collins and MIQ bookings are set to re-open, writes Peter Wilson. ...3 days ago - VIDEO: Michelle Grattan on the Anglosphere’s reassertion in the Indo-PacificSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra University of Canberra Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan and University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Paddy Nixon discuss the week in politics. This week Michelle and Paddy discuss the revelation that anonymous donors covered some ...3 days ago
- Why does my internet connection feel slow and jumpy, even when my internet speed is high?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vijay Sivaraman, Professor of Telecommunications and Internet Technologies, UNSW Jeshoots.com/Unsplash, CC BY-SA Of the 8.2 million homes and businesses active on Australia’s National Broadband Network (NBN) in July 2021, 77% are now reported to be on a broadband plan that ...3 days ago
- ECE relief teachers present COVID pay petition to GovernmentA union-backed petition to ensure ECE relief teachers are paid during lockdown, signed by nearly 5,000 teachers and supporters, was delivered to Government via Zoom this afternoon. The petition, addressed to Education Minister Chris Hipkins and received ...3 days ago
- Come on, Joel – more research should show that classism and the pox weren’t the only exports sen...
ACT leader David Seymour (who is doing nicely in opinion polls) irked many people when he sent out priority vaccination access codes intended for Māori. The critics (no surprises here) included Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson, who said the move was “despicable” and she would be writing to Speaker ...3 days ago - The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending September 17The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.The Auckland store remains benched but we have fingers crossed for an imminent move to level three, at ...3 days ago
- On the money: Kate Sheppard and the making of a New Zealand feminist iconSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Pickles, Professor of History, University of Canterbury Shutterstock In 1992 four New Zealand icons (and the queen) appeared on new banknotes. Part of creating national identity, these notable citizens were chosen to represent the pinnacles of achievement. Āpirana ...3 days ago
- PSA Nurses and MERAS Midwives settle pay talksDistrict Health Boards are pleased to announce settlements have been reached in bargaining with PSA Nurses and with midwives covered by the MERAS – the Midwifery Employee Representation & Advisory Service. ...3 days ago
- C’est fini: can the Australia-France relationship be salvaged after scrapping the sub deal?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Romain Fathi, Senior Lecturer, History, Flinders University YOAN VALAT/EPA French diplomatic language can be subtle. When Canberra announced its abrupt foreign policy change and unilateral decision to walk away from its contract with French submarine builder Naval Group, the French ...3 days ago
- It’s official: The AM Show has gone just as bonkers as BreakfastHow has Auckland’s long lockdown affected The AM Show? Tara Ward tuned in this morning to find out.Two weeks ago, Magic Talk radio host Ryan Bridge was announced as the new host of Three’s The AM Show, following the departure of long time presenter Duncan Garner. While TVNZ1’s Breakfast spends ...3 days ago
- Yesterdaze: A vacation of interest
An equestrian, a judge and a lawyer united the Team of Five Million, as Judith Collins doth projected too much. James Elliott has the news of the week. About 70 percent of us have now had one dose of the Pfizer vaccine. About 35 percent of us have had both doses of the Pfizer vaccine. And ...3 days ago - Minister of Police is engaged in a relentless crackdown on the gangs – but look at how seized mon...Your Point of Order team delighted at the words chosen by Police Minister Poto Williams to brandish the government’s law-and-order colours. Her statement was headed Government continues crackdown on gangs and organised crime and kicked off by advising us that … Operation Tauwhiro (did you know anything about it?) ...3 days ago
- ORC team places second in Trans-Tasman competitionThe Otago Regional Council (ORC) Team, ‘In Our Element’, won the New Zealand leg of the Australasian Management Challenge in May and competed remotely in the finals on 24 August, during alert level 4. ...3 days ago
- Covid-19 briefing: Trans-Tasman bubble burst for another eight weeksThe trans-Tasman bubble is being suspended for a further eight weeks, the New Zealand government has confirmed today. Watch the latest government briefing here. ...3 days ago
- Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – September 17 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 AUKUS Pact, Afghanistan, China Tess McClure (Guardian): Aukus ...3 days ago
- Fitzgibbon is quitting politics but this doesn’t mean Albanese can partySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Kenny, Professor, Australian Studies Institute, Australian National University Joel Fitzgibbon and Anthony Albanese in parliament in 2018. Mick Tsikas/AAP One imagines the retirement of Joel Fitzgibbon at the next election simplifies things for Anthony Albanese, as he crafts a climate change ...3 days ago
- Govt warned of dangers if US and China seek to join CPTPPIt’s Our Future is reminding the Labour Government that it opposed the original Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), in light of reports the United States may consider joining the successor Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership ...3 days ago
- Keith Rankin Analysis – Indo-Pacific: The World’s New Geopolitical BuzzwordAnalysis by Keith Rankin, Keith Rankin. I have been watching the sudden rise to prominence of the word ‘Indo-Pacific’ these last couple of months. These last couple of days it may have been the most repeated word on Radio New Zealand. According to Wikipedia today, Indo-Pacific is “biogeographic region”, although ...3 days ago
- Te reo Māori and Welsh: Two indigenous languages, two stories of revivalBeaten for speaking the language; shame around speaking it; suppressed and ridiculed by the British. Sound familiar?Welsh is a dead language.This is what I’ve been hearing my entire life.I’ve always been aware of the comparison between my language and te reo Māori. Both, I knew, shared the precarious position of ...3 days ago
- Covid-19 update: Govt gives latest details on current Delta outbreakDeputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson and Director of Public Health Caroline McElnay are providing a media update on the Covid-19 outbreak. ...3 days ago
- How The Beths made lockdown movie magicNo one can go to a big gig right now, but a 2020 concert by The Beths has become the lockdown movie experience the country needs. How’d that happen?It was designed to be a brilliant night. After 12 shows around the country, The Beths were in some of the best ...3 days ago
- When COVID patients are intubated in ICU, the trauma can stay with them long after this breathing em...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deb Massey, Associate Professor, Faculty of Health, School of Nursing, Southern Cross University Shutterstock The current wave of COVID cases is leading to more hospital and intensive care (ICU) admissions. Frontline health workers and experts use the term “intubation” for ...3 days ago
- Back to the Rafters review: series reboot is full of heart and reflects changing timesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Sparkes, Senior Lecturer (Media Studies and Production), University of Southern Queensland Brook Rushton/Amazon Prime Soap operas have been around since television was invented. Often involving outlandish plots, exaggerated storylines and hyperbolic characters and dialogue, they labour each moment on ...3 days ago
- The Friday Poem: Whāngai, by Jessie PuruA new poem from Tāmaki Makaurau poet Jessie Puru.WhāngaiKoro picked him up from the office they moved him to still wet from the womb sucking on his tongue waiting for mīraka, mother still being stitched and sedated.Koro wanted to slap the social worker’s hand away from him he took him ...3 days ago
- Do you think most people are trustworthy and helpful? How we measured ‘social cohesion’ and why ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Biddle, Professor of Economics and Public Policy, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University Shutterstock COVID-19 has upended so many aspects of our lives in Australia, it can be hard to remember what life was like ...3 days ago
- Power plan regulations change aims to ensure fairnessAbout 60 percent of homes can expect lower power bills as the government announces a plan to phase out regulations on "low-use" electricity plans, the minister says. ...3 days ago
- Human Rights Commission says “Te Reo Māori is a right”The Human Rights Commission will no longer consider individual complaints over the use of te reo Māori or the term Pākehā. ...3 days ago
- ‘It has nothing to do with Lorde’Lorde’s te reo Māori mini-album Te Ao Mārama has prompted passionate conversation in Māori communities, and exposed the complex layers of hurt and intergenerational trauma being carried by those without their language. Writer and poet Rangimarie Sophie Jolley explains it’s about more than pop music – it’s personal.Te Reo Māori ...3 days ago
- Rules restricting boatingto stop spread of pest seaweedBiosecurity New Zealand is placing legal controls on parts of Aotea Great Barrier Island in a bid to contain the invasive seaweed Caulerpa brachypus , while the local Mana Whenua governance group on Aotea are supporting a dual response by imposing ...4 days ago
- Authorities told to throw out flawed sea level estimatesCoastal property groups are recommending the government urgently update its faulty advice to local authorities on sea level rise. ...4 days ago
- Commissioner warns against paper-based contact tracingPrivacy Commissioner John Edwards is concerned that people are gaining access to personal information from paper-based contact tracing registers and using it in ways that breach peoples’ privacy. The Government’s introduction of mandatory record ...4 days ago
- Greenpeace appalled by nightmarish waste to energy proposalA new proposal to build a waste to energy incinerator in Waimate to burn 350,000 tonnes of plastic, toxic sludge, nappies and other waste, is facing strong opposition from Greenpeace Aotearoa. ...4 days ago
- Low fixed charge regulation removal good for Kiwis in need“The Government’s decision to remove the low fixed charge regulation is a positive move which will stop many low-income households subsidising the electricity of better-off families,” Electricity Retailers’ Association Chief Executive Cameron Burrows ...4 days ago
- New Conservative supports rights of Defence force personnelRecently, the NZDF (New Zealand Defence Force) mandated that all personnel take the COVID-19 vaccine as a part of the baseline medical requirements for deployment in NZ and overseas. This decision has a far-reaching impact on service men and women ...4 days ago
- Fires caused by lithium-ion batteries on the increaseBlazes have become more common in recent times due to the sheer number of lithium-Ion batteries simply being discarded in household bins. ...4 days ago
- Commission supports legislation to ban conversion therapyThe Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission (the Commission) appeared in front of the Justice Select Committee yesterday to speak to its written submission on the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill (the Bill). ...4 days ago
- Why NZ is unlikely to follow Australia’s lead on social media defamation lawSome key differences in existing law mean that New Zealand media organisations remain generally safe from liability for comments posted under their content, writes Otago University law lecturer Alex Patu.Let’s face it, there’s a reason people say “never read the comments”: most commentary below social media posts is just the ...4 days ago
- QLD police will use AI to ‘predict’ domestic violence before it happens. Beware the unintended c...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heather Douglas, Professor of Law, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock The Queensland Police Service (QPS) is expected to begin a trial using artificial intelligence (AI) to determine the future risk posed by known domestic violence perpetrators. Perpetrators identified as ...4 days ago
- Chief health officers are in the spotlight like never before. Here’s what goes on behind the scene...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Harris, Senior Research Fellow, Deputy Director, CHETRE, UNSW Until COVID-19, few people knew anything about Australia’s chief medical officer or the state and territories’ chief health officers. Now they are front and centre of the news cycle. But media coverage misses ...4 days ago
- Tasmania’s salmon industry detonates underwater bombs to scare away seals – but at what cost?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin Richardson, Professor of Environmental Law, University of Tasmania Shutterstock Australians consume a lot of salmon – much of it farmed in Tasmania. But as Richard Flanagan’s new book Toxic shows, concern about the industry’s environmental damage is growing. ...4 days ago
- Destroying vegetation along fences and roads could worsen our extinction crisis — yet the NSW gove...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Shutterstock What do koalas, barking owls, greater gliders, southern rainbow skinks, native bees, and regent honeyeaters all have in common? ...4 days ago
- Local, face-to-face support offers a lifeline for uni students in regional and remote AustraliaSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cathy Stone, Conjoint Associate Professor, School of Humanities & Social Science, University of Newcastle CUC Far West, Author provided For university students living out of reach of a campus and studying online, the growing presence of Regional University Centres is ...4 days ago
- Vital Signs: we’re doing well despite Delta, but 3 major economic challenges loomSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW This week the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development published its first “Economic Survey of Australia” since 2018. It gives Australia good marks for a remarkably good economic response to the COVID pandemic, but warns ...4 days ago
- Friday essay: Nevermind 30 years on – how Nirvana’s second album tilted the world on its axisSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dean Biron, PhD in Cultural Studies; teaches in School of Justice, Queensland University of Technology For many of us back in 1991, it felt as if the planet tilted slightly further on its axis when Smells Like Teen Spirit — the lead ...4 days ago
- ANZUS without NZ? Why the new security pact between Australia, the UK and US might not be all it see...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato We live, to borrow a phrase, in interesting times. The pandemic aside, relations between the superpowers are tense. The sudden arrival of the new AUKUS security agreement between Australia, the US and UK simply ...4 days ago
- Live updates, September 17: ‘Trajectory of horror’ – What National MPs are saying about their...Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for September 17, by Stewart Sowman-Lund. Say hello at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz. 8.00am: ‘Trajectory of horror’ – What National MPs are saying about their own partyNational MPs have started leaking again after a horror few weeks for party leader Judith Collins.Newshub’s Tova O’Brien has heard from several ...4 days ago
- NZ’s weapon against vaccine misinformationThe Covid-19 minister says New Zealanders aren’t falling for misinformation like people overseas and an expert reveals why, Justin Giovannetti writes in The Bulletin.There’s nothing holding back New Zealand’s vaccine campaign. That’s the message from Covid-19 minister Chris Hipkins after hundreds of thousands of extra Pfizer doses arrived in Auckland this ...4 days ago
- Auckland has sold out of doughnutsStuck in level four, Aucklanders are smashing deep-fried dough balls into their faces like never before. Chris Schulz tries to get his hands on one.When Daniel Black begins listing flavours of his filled doughnuts, I tell him to shut up. He doesn’t listen. “We do a Belgian chocolate mousse and ...4 days ago
- Undisclosed problem shifting billions in water debts from councils
Government officials admit they can't easily take over billions in ratepayers' water debts ...4 days ago - Scepticism as government watchdogs launch review into LynnMall terror attackACT is calling the review of key agencies' actions "prejudiced" before it starts while the Greens are concerned about its scope and independence. ...4 days ago
- Newsroom daily crossword, Friday 17 September4 days ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 17 September4 days ago
- Normal feelings, or ADHD, ASD or PTSD? Social media is here to diagnose youPsychologists say more and more New Zealanders are self-diagnosing as neurodivergent or mentally ill. Josie Adams explores the social media communities encouraging them to do so. Put a finger down if you regularly: touch your face, make impulse purchases, have more than four tabs open on your browser, ignore texts, lose ...4 days ago
- Bernard Hickey: Is a kinder, gentler sort of capitalism really possible?Many of the world’s top business figures claim they’ve had an ethical epiphany – but one that won’t stop them continuing to make huge profits. Bernard Hickey, who worked among many of these ‘masters of the universe’ for years, is sceptical.Follow When the Facts Change on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or ...4 days ago
- The weird and wonderful world of Trade Me’s ‘fresh produce’ sectionFrom rude fruit and veg to past-its-best fast food, you’ll find it in this dusty corner of the internet. Olivia Sisson rounds up some recent highlights. When New Zealanders want to buy or sell something, Trade Me is the first port of call.In America, my home country, it’s Craigslist. While Trade Me ...4 days ago
- Wilson Parking tells customer it can't guarantee security
A Wilson Parking customer is fuming over the car park company’s inaction after his car was damaged by thieves in lockdown Apartment dweller Rubens Elling Junior has been paying $360 every month for four years to park his car in downtown Auckland. Junior works in Henderson and has relied on Wilson Parking’s Kitchener ...4 days ago - The best-seller books chart
This week's biggest-selling New Zealand books, as recorded by the Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list and described by Steve Braunias FICTION 1 The Last Guests by JP Pomare (Hachette, $34.99) The latest crime novel by the Melbourne-based New Zealand writer. 2 Auē by Becky Manawatu (Makaro Press, $35) Becky ...4 days ago - Hundreds of the dead wait to be farewelled
Funeral directors are calling for a change of heart from Government when it comes to funeral and tangihanga restrictions as Auckland faces its extended lockdown Michele Murphy lost her father a week into lockdown. After two weeks in Auckland Hospital, 94-year old Bob passed away with only one family ...4 days ago - Why New Zealand's being targeted for DDoS attacks
A recent spate of cyberattacks on NZ organisations almost feels like someone's out to get us. Ian Welch looks at why we might be being targeted - and what we can do to prepare. We have recently experienced repeated distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on high-profile Aotearoa organisations such as Kiwibank, ANZ, ...4 days ago - Government dropping ball on impact investment
The Australian government has put $8 million into getting social enterprises ready for investment funding. New Zealand must follow its lead, says impact investment expert ...4 days ago - Collins the master of her own death spiral
The National Party looks to be kicking a leadership spill down the road, for now. That means Judith Collins has time on her side to stop her death spiral, writes political editor Jo Moir Two polls on Wednesday got National MPs’ phones ringing hot over the past 24 hours. Half ...4 days ago - Rod Oram: Govt lacks integrity, skill and will on climate
The Ardern Government has two months to prove to New Zealanders and the world that it's serious about climate change, writes Rod Oram ...4 days ago - AUKUS deal's awkwardness for New Zealand
A new defence partnership between the US, UK and Australia may not be as revolutionary as some are suggesting – but the push to contain China could still have significant consequences for New Zealand, Sam Sachdeva reports Into the alphabet soup of international groupings comes a new ingredient. Hyped in advance ...4 days ago - Govt's violent extremism research centre to be part virtual
The Government will publish an update on the establishment of a national Centre of Excellence specialising in preventing violent extremism next week. ...4 days ago - Wilson Parking tells robbed customer it can't guarantee securityA Wilson Parking customer is fuming over the car park company’s inaction after his car was damaged by thieves in lockdown. ...4 days ago
- Willie Jackson under fire from Maori Council
The NZ Māori Council accuses its minister of interfering in its business and stopping its funding over claims made by losing candidates in the council's election. Aaron Smale reports. Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson has received a scathing letter from the Māori Council alleging, among other things, that he is ...4 days ago - Sir Peter Gluckman: Beyond science, there are hard decisions ahead
Tough decisions we've had to make in order to protect NZ from Covid will pale in comparison to those we must make soon. Sir Peter Gluckman explains. Science has played an essential part in Aotearoa New Zealand’s response to this phase of the pandemic. Astonishing progress in vaccine development and ...4 days ago - Arizona's realising her dream for wāhine in sport
Born and raised in a rugby community, young Kiwi leader Arizona Leger is living her dream, working towards gender equality in sport across the globe. Arizona Leger has represented Aotearoa New Zealand around the globe, brainstorming with some of the world’s brightest young minds. Whether she’s discussing the rights of ...4 days ago
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