human rights
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Then they came for the Doctors
Written By: - Date published: 10:38 am, March 22nd, 2025 - 45 comments
It seems that the National Act Government is looking at what is happening in the US of A and thinking that the rolling out of fascist restrictions of freedom of speech is a good thing. And they are starting with health professionals.
Cuts to Disability Services Are Part of a Class War
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, March 19th, 2025 - 14 comments
Over the last year, the Coalition has unleashed a series of cuts which have been devastating for the disabled community. These cuts are part of a class war — and it’s time to organise and fight back, writes Elliot Crossan.
Cancun Cruz’s crazy tweet
Written By: - Date published: 12:12 pm, February 2nd, 2025 - 17 comments
Ted Cruz has criticised New Zealand for requiring all Israelis to detail their military experience before coming to New Zealand. But there is a problem with this. He is wrong.
The absurdity of National’s Gang Patch ban
Written By: - Date published: 12:19 pm, December 29th, 2024 - 61 comments
It did not take long for the first example of the absurdity of the Government’s gang patch ban to appear.
The Pogues wrote the best Christmas song ever
Written By: - Date published: 9:21 am, December 25th, 2024 - 16 comments
It is Christmas time and the eternal debate about who wrote the best Christmas song ever is being debated yet again. For me there is only one possible contender.
Foreign interference Bill ‘repressive tool’ to intimidate public: former minister
Written By: - Date published: 2:43 pm, December 11th, 2024 - 4 comments
New Zealand is set to update sedition and espionage laws, making these as harsh as those of other Western states that are now gearing up for war with Russia and China.
When a right becomes a wrong
Written By: - Date published: 1:26 pm, October 31st, 2024 - 66 comments
The Free Speech Union is wanting an extremist right wing shock jock who the Christchurch Killer described as the person who most influenced him the privilege of visiting New Zealand to host a fundraising event.
National’s gang patch ban may hinder police investigations
Written By: - Date published: 10:55 am, September 18th, 2024 - 18 comments
The police’s recent successful operation against the Comanchero gang could concievably have been compromised by National’s proposed gang patch ban.
AUKUS. We “share values” with people committing genocide??
Written By: - Date published: 11:29 pm, May 20th, 2024 - 46 comments
Western leaders like to talk about values, shared values, common values. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) says the US and Israel have a partnership based on shared values. I believe them.
A sustainable environment should be a human right
Written By: - Date published: 9:18 am, April 10th, 2024 - 47 comments
James Shaw’s attempt to create a right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is expected to be voted down soon by Parliament. But the New Zealand Supreme Court as well as the European Court of Human Rights have shown a willingness to recognise a right to a sustainable environment that some politicians refuse to.
Uber Drivers in Court of Appeal
Written By: - Date published: 2:24 pm, March 19th, 2024 - 3 comments
Uber Drivers are in the Court of Appeal today. Uber is appealing against Employment Court decision they they are employees with worker rights. Its a no-brainer, so they are and should have them.
The Pogues wrote the best Christmas song ever
Written By: - Date published: 8:53 am, December 25th, 2023 - 4 comments
It is Christmas time and the eternal debate about who wrote the best Christmas song ever is being debated yet again. For me there is only one possible contender.
National’s gang policy has no foundation
Written By: - Date published: 9:15 am, October 27th, 2023 - 35 comments
National’s Mark Mitchell has proposed a law that will require Gang Members to apply foundation to any gang insignia tattoos before they can go out into the public.
NACT’s Law & Order Policies: Dog Whistle Or Proto-Fascism?
Written By: - Date published: 9:10 am, June 26th, 2023 - 22 comments
NACT’s Law & Order policies are a dog whistle and signs of proto-fascism.
Debating with nazis
Written By: - Date published: 8:34 pm, March 24th, 2023 - 278 comments
So Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull aka Posie Parker is coming to Aotearoa New Zealand and intends to spread her message. Wikipedia describes her as someone who “has used posters, billboards, stickers, and social media to promote anti-trans messages, and she has organized events in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia that have been protested by […]
Where is the Free Speech Union when you need it?
Written By: - Date published: 8:25 am, February 28th, 2023 - 97 comments
Rob Campbell is under some pressure from National and Act for calling out publicly the right’s dog whistle attacks on co governance. But so far self appointed protector of the right to freedom of speech, the Free Speech Union, has been very quiet. Why is this?
The great reset
Written By: - Date published: 7:45 am, February 9th, 2023 - 109 comments
Chris Hipkins has announced the great policy reset and there are no surprises.
Protecting poor people: the call for a rent freeze in Auckland
Written By: - Date published: 10:47 am, February 3rd, 2023 - 187 comments
As property investors indicate an intention to raise rents, Renters United and 20+ community groups call for a rent freeze in Auckland.
There is no misogyny in New Zealand *
Written By: - Date published: 8:48 am, January 24th, 2023 - 62 comments
* sung to the famous tune from Blam Blam Blam.
New Zealand is in a terrible state *
Written By: - Date published: 10:55 am, January 6th, 2023 - 116 comments
* or is it?
The politics of the voting age change
Written By: - Date published: 8:12 pm, November 21st, 2022 - 90 comments
The Supreme Court has just lobbed a grenade into New Zealand politics by ruling that denying 16 and 17 year olds the right to vote was not only discrimination on the basis of age but also had not been justified and was therefore a breach of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.
Diplomatic Values
Written By: - Date published: 5:39 pm, November 21st, 2022 - 4 comments
Trudeau got a 10-minute stand-up with Xi followed by a public shirt-fronting, Albanese a 32-minute sit-down, and Jacinda Ardern a 50-minute formal bilateral. In the carefully calibrated world of the diplomatic dance-card, that says something. New Zealand would be foolish not to take advantage of what is on offer from China.
Male privilege is a fragile thing
Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, October 28th, 2022 - 22 comments
Golriz Ghahraman wanted Parliament to condemn the Iranian Government’s oppression of women’s rights. David Seymour moved to block the motion because Golriz had raised points of order against him during a previous speech. Fancy putting your hurt feelings in front of making a statement of support and principle.
The right is weirdly gleeful about the end of the mask mandate
Written By: - Date published: 6:59 am, September 14th, 2022 - 40 comments
National MPs and their supporters have been celebrating the removal of the mandate with weird levels of glee.
Hey Free Speech Union, Simon O’Connor is being muzzled
Written By: - Date published: 9:05 am, June 28th, 2022 - 41 comments
Someone should send out the free speech police. Simon O’Connor has been muzzled and is being stopped from saying what he thinks.
Human rights, culture wars and the right
Written By: - Date published: 10:49 am, June 17th, 2022 - 39 comments
Christopher Luxton has proposed that social media posts showing gang members wearing bling should be censored. And in the United Kingdom Boris Johnson has railed against a ECHR decision which has upset his efforts to illegally extradite refugee status applicants to Rwanda. These are different examples of something the right is finessing, culture wars against minorities in breach of their rights for political advantage.
National’s anti gang policies and the Bill of Rights
Written By: - Date published: 4:09 pm, June 12th, 2022 - 33 comments
This weekend National threw out a few hunks of red meat to some of its more rabid supporters by going to its old favourite of gang bashing.
Kia kaha Louisa Wall
Written By: - Date published: 8:25 pm, March 31st, 2022 - 10 comments
Earlier this week Louisa Wall announced that she is retiring as a Member of Parliament. History will confirm that she was one of our best Parliamentarians.
The right to protest Christchurch version
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, March 22nd, 2022 - 31 comments
Christchurch Council has billed Destiny Church for traffic management fees relating to recent protests. For once I am firmly if reluctantly on the side of Destiny Church. Exercising the right to protest should not attract Council bills.
Real protestors do not burn kids playgrounds
Written By: - Date published: 8:10 am, March 4th, 2022 - 239 comments
Wellington protestors recent activities in torching a 100 year old Pohutukawa, burning a kid’s playground and threatening to occupy Wainuiomata Marae suggests they are being given PR advice by Vladimir Putin.
The difference between the Wellington protests and the pro Ukraine protests in Russia
Written By: - Date published: 7:59 am, February 26th, 2022 - 76 comments
Currently in this world there are two significant protests occurring, both similar but at the same time completely different.
- Is Mark Mitchell a racist?
The National Party’s Minister of Police, Corrections, and Ethnic Communities (irony alert) has stumbled into yet another racist quagmire, proving that when it comes to bigotry, the right wing’s playbook is as predictable as it is vile. This time, Mitchell’s office reposted an Instagram reel falsely claiming that Te Pāti ...5 hours ago - Australian statecraft must restore the link between deterrence and non-proliferation to survive in t...
In the week of Australia’s 3 May election, ASPI will release Agenda for Change 2025: preparedness and resilience in an uncertain world, a report promoting public debate and understanding on issues of strategic importance to ...6 hours ago - J.K. Rowling – Arsehole of the Week
In a world crying out for empathy, J.K. Rowling has once again proven she’s more interested in stoking division than building bridges. The once-beloved author of Harry Potter has cemented her place as this week’s Arsehole of the Week, a title earned through her relentless, tone-deaf crusade against transgender rights. ...6 hours ago
- The rotten, unaccountable crown
Between 1950 and 1993 the New Zealand government tortured and abused up to 250,000 children in residential care facilities. They then proceeded to cover it up in order to minimise their liability, dragging out cases, slandering their victims and ultimately denying redress. In its final report, the Inquiry into Abuse ...7 hours ago - To prepare for future threats, treat health security as national security
Health security is often seen as a peripheral security domain, and as a problem that is difficult to address. These perceptions weaken our capacity to respond to borderless threats. With the wind back of Covid-19 ...7 hours ago
- What’s on the Label -vs- What’s in the Tin.
Would our political parties pass muster under the Fair Trading Act?WHAT IF OUR POLITICAL PARTIES were subject to the Fair Trading Act? What if they, like the nation’s businesses, were prohibited from misleading their consumers – i.e. the voters – about the nature, characteristics, suitability, or quantity of the products ...9 hours ago - Simeon Brown Doesn’t Consider Abortion To Be Healthcare As Services Scaled Back
Rod EmmersonThank you to my subscribers and readers - you make it all possible. Tui.Subscribe nowSix updates today from around the world and locally here in Aoteaora New Zealand -1. RFK Jnr’s Autism CrusadeAmerica plans to create a registry of people with autism in the United States. RFK Jr’s department ...10 hours ago - Another Munich crisis? Understanding the limits of policymaking by analogy
We see it often enough. A democracy deals with an authoritarian state, and those who oppose concessions cite the lesson of Munich 1938: make none to dictators; take a firm stand. And so we hear ...12 hours ago
- Wednesday 23 April
370 perioperative nurses working at Auckland City Hospital, Starship Hospital and Greenlane Clinical Centre will strike for two hours on 1 May – the same day senior doctors are striking. This is part of nationwide events to mark May Day on 1 May, including rallies outside public hospitals, organised by ...13 hours ago - Auckland character rules stop building on 20,000 sections
Character protections for Auckland’s villas have stymied past development. Now moves afoot to strip character protection from a bunch of inner-city villas. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories shortest from our political economy on Wednesday, April 23:Special Character Areas designed to protect villas are stopping 20,000 sites near Auckland’s ...14 hours ago - AI is changing Indo-Pacific naval operations
Artificial intelligence is poised to significantly transform the Indo-Pacific maritime security landscape. It offers unprecedented situational awareness, decision-making speed and operational flexibility. But without clear rules, shared norms and mechanisms for risk reduction, AI could ...15 hours ago
- What is a Man?
For what is a man, what has he got?If not himself, then he has naughtTo say the things he truly feelsAnd not the words of one who kneelsThe record showsI took the blowsAnd did it my wayLyrics: Paul Anka.Morena folks, before we discuss Winston’s latest salvo in NZ First’s War ...16 hours ago - Britain recasts AUKUS for a new era
Britain once risked a reputation as the weak link in the trilateral AUKUS partnership. But now the appointment of an empowered senior official to drive the project forward and a new burst of British parliamentary ...1 day ago
- Australia’s basic-metals problem: old plants and subsidised Chinese competition
Australia’s ability to produce basic metals, including copper, lead, zinc, nickel and construction steel, is in jeopardy, with ageing plants struggling against Chinese competition. The multinational commodities company Trafigura has put its Australian operations under ...1 day ago
- Rob Campbell – Public Private Partnerships: What a Good Idea! OR ‘There will be no free...
There have been recent PPP debacles, both in New Zealand (think Transmission Gully) and globally, with numerous examples across both Australia and Britain of failed projects and extensive litigation by government agencies seeking redress for the failures.Rob Campbell is one of New Zealand’s sharpest critics of PPPs noting that; "There ...1 day ago - RB spending: the Board and the Minister
On Twitter on Saturday I indicated that there had been a mistake in my post from last Thursday in which I attempted to step through the Reserve Bank Funding Agreement issues. Making mistakes (there are two) is annoying and I don’t fully understand how I did it (probably too much ...1 day ago - Indonesia needs to rethink its approach to military drones
Indonesia’s armed forces still have a lot of work to do in making proper use of drones. Two major challenges are pilot training and achieving interoperability between the services. Another is overcoming a predilection for ...2 days ago
- Help Stop the Gaza Genocide Through Activism
As a living breathing human being, you’ve likely seen the heart-wrenching images from Gaza...homes reduced to rubble, children burnt to cinders, families displaced, and a death toll that’s beyond comprehension. What is going on in Gaza is most definitely a genocide, the suffering is real, and it’s easy to feel ...2 days ago
- Willis ignores new Global Financial & Trade Crisis
Donald Trump, who has called the Chair of the Federal Reserve “a major loser”. Photo: Getty ImagesLong stories shortest from our political economy on Tuesday, April 22:US markets slump after Donald Trump threatens the Fed’s independence. China warns its trading partners not to side with the US. Trump says some ...2 days ago - One of the Good Ones
2 days ago - AI is reshaping security, and the intelligence review sets good direction
The 2024 Independent Intelligence Review found the NIC to be highly capable and performing well. So, it is not a surprise that most of the 67 recommendations are incremental adjustments and small but nevertheless important ...2 days ago
- A worse-than-current-policy world?
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink The world has made real progress toward tacking climate change in recent years, with spending on clean energy technologies skyrocketing from hundreds of billions to trillions of dollars globally over the past decade, and global CO2 emissions plateauing. This has contributed to a reassessment of ...2 days ago - “An A-Grade Teacher’s Pet”
Hi,I’ve been having a peaceful month of what I’d call “existential dread”, even more aware than usual that — at some point — this all ends.It was very specifically triggered by watching Pantheon, an animated sci-fi show that I’m filing away with all-time greats like Six Feet Under, Watchmen and ...2 days ago - Gordon Campbell On Papal Picks, And India As A Defence Ally
Once the formalities of honouring the late Pope wrap up in two to three weeks time, the conclave of Cardinals will go into seclusion. Some 253 of the current College of Cardinals can take part in the debate over choosing the next Pope, but only 138 of them are below ...2 days ago - The National Party’s Prison Pipeline Ruining New Zealand
The National Party government is doubling down on a grim, regressive vision for the future: more prisons, more prisoners, and a society fractured by policies that punish rather than heal. This isn’t just a misstep; it’s a deliberate lurch toward a dystopian future where incarceration is the answer to every ...3 days ago
- Don Brash’s NZME Power Grab Must Be Rejected
3 days ago
- 2025 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #16
A listing of 28 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 13, 2025 thru Sat, April 19, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. The formatting is a ...3 days ago
- The “perfect storm” National can use to consolidate slash’n’burn policy is here…
“What I’d say to you is…” our Prime Minister might typically begin a sentence, when he’s about to obfuscate and attempt to derail the question you really, really want him to answer properly (even once would be okay, Christopher). Questions such as “Why is a literal election promise over ...3 days ago - Economic Futures – Climate Change and Modernity
Ruth IrwinExponential Economic growth is the driver of Ecological degradation. It is driven by CO2 greenhouse gas emissions through fossil fuel extraction and burning for the plethora of polluting industries. Extreme weather disasters and Climate change will continue to get worse because governments subscribe to the current global economic system, ...3 days ago
- Winning Together
A man on telly tries to tell me what is realBut it's alright, I like the way that feelsAnd everybody singsWe are evolving from night to morningAnd I wanna believe in somethingWriter: Adam Duritz.The world is changing rapidly, over the last year or so, it has been out with the ...3 days ago - My Food Bag’s Cecilia Robinson Courts Your Money For Health
MFB Co-Founder Cecilia Robinson runs Tend HealthcareSummary:Kieran McAnulty calls out National on healthcare lies and says Health Minister Simeon Brown is “dishonest and disingenuous” (video below)McAnulty says negotiation with doctors is standard practice, but this level of disrespect is not, especially when we need and want our valued doctors.National’s $20bn ...3 days ago - The Case Against Chris Luxon Remaining PM
Chris Luxon’s tenure as New Zealand’s Prime Minister has been a masterclass in incompetence, marked by coalition chaos, economic lethargy, verbal gaffes, and a moral compass that seems to point wherever political expediency lies. The former Air New Zealand CEO (how could we forget?) was sold as a steady hand, ...3 days ago
- Cameron Slater’s Creepy Fixation On Jacinda Ardern
Has anybody else noticed Cameron Slater still obsessing over Jacinda Ardern? The disgraced Whale Oil blogger seems to have made it his life’s mission to shadow the former Prime Minister of New Zealand like some unhinged stalker lurking in the digital bushes.The man’s obsession with Ardern isn't just unhealthy...it’s downright ...4 days ago
- Fact brief – Is climate change a net benefit for society?
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is climate change a net benefit for society? Human-caused climate change has been a net detriment to society as measured by loss of ...4 days ago
- National’s Water Done Well Will Cost Ratepayers More
When the National Party hastily announced its “Local Water Done Well” policy, they touted it as the great saviour of New Zealand’s crumbling water infrastructure. But as time goes by it's looking more and more like a planning and fiscal lame duck...and one that’s going to cost ratepayers far more ...4 days ago
- Trump’s Tariff Tantrum Is Causing Economic Chaos
Donald Trump, the orange-hued oligarch, is back at it again, wielding tariffs like a mob boss swinging a lead pipe. His latest economic edict; slapping hefty tariffs on imports from China, Mexico, and Canada, has the stench of a protectionist shakedown, cooked up in the fevered minds of his sycophantic ...5 days ago
- The ‘China’ challenge: now a multi-generational test for Australian strategy
In the week of Australia’s 3 May election, ASPI will release Agenda for Change 2025: preparedness and resilience in an uncertain world, a report promoting public debate and understanding on issues of strategic importance to ...5 days ago
- White Rabbit
One pill makes you largerAnd one pill makes you smallAnd the ones that mother gives youDon't do anything at allGo ask AliceWhen she's ten feet tallSongwriter: Grace Wing Slick.Morena, all, and a happy Bicycle Day to you.Today is an unofficial celebration of the dawning of the psychedelic era, commemorating the ...5 days ago - Why Has The World Forgotten About Hollywood?
It’s only been a few months since the Hollywood fires tore through Los Angeles, leaving a trail of devastation, numerous deaths, over 10,000 homes reduced to rubble, and a once glorious film industry on its knees. The Palisades and Eaton fires, fueled by climate-driven dry winds, didn’t just burn houses; ...5 days ago
- Viennese Refugees Who Changed the Way We Think
Four eighty-year-old books which are still vitally relevant today. Between 1942 and 1945, four refugees from Vienna each published a ground-breaking – seminal – book.* They left their country after Austria was taken over by fascists in 1934 and by Nazi Germany in 1938. Previously they had lived in ‘Red ...5 days ago - Disputationes adversus astrologiam divinatricem, by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1496): A Complete...
Good Friday, 18th April, 2025: I can at last unveil the Secret Non-Fiction Project. The first complete Latin-to-English translation of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola’s twelve-book Disputationes adversus astrologiam divinatricem (Disputations Against Divinatory Astrology). Amounting to some 174,000 words, total. Some context is probably in order. Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463-1494) ...5 days ago - Hamish Campbell Lied About His Links With Two By Twos Cult
National MP Hamish Campbell's pathetic attempt to downplay his deep ties to and involvement in the Two by Twos...a secretive religious sect under FBI and NZ Police investigation for child sexual abuse...isn’t just a misstep; it’s a calculated lie that insults the intelligence of every Kiwi voter.Campbell’s claim of being ...5 days ago
- Is Shane Jones The Most Corrupt Politician in New Zealand?
New Zealand First’s Shane Jones has long styled himself as the “Prince of the Provinces,” a champion of regional development and economic growth. But beneath the bluster lies a troubling pattern of behaviour that reeks of cronyism and corruption, undermining the very democracy he claims to serve. Recent revelations and ...6 days ago
- Good Friday
Give me one reason to stay hereAnd I'll turn right back aroundGive me one reason to stay hereAnd I'll turn right back aroundSaid I don't want to leave you lonelyYou got to make me change my mindSongwriters: Tracy Chapman.Morena, and Happy Easter, whether that means to you. Hot cross buns, ...6 days ago - Luxon Turns A Blind Eye to Homelessness
New Zealand’s housing crisis is a sad indictment on the failures of right wing neoliberalism, and the National Party, under Chris Luxon’s shaky leadership, is trying to simply ignore it. The numbers don’t lie: Census data from 2023 revealed 112,496 Kiwis were severely housing deprived...couch-surfing, car-sleeping, or roughing it on ...6 days ago
- The Hoon around the week to April 18
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: on a global survey of over 3,000 economists and scientists showing a significant divide in views on green growth; and ...6 days ago - Simeon Brown Has Caused The Doctor’s Strike
Simeon Brown, the National Party’s poster child for hubris, consistently over-promises and under-delivers. His track record...marked by policy flip-flops and a dismissive attitude toward expert advice, reveals a politician driven by personal ambition rather than evidence. From transport to health, Brown’s focus seems fixed on protecting National's image, not addressing ...6 days ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2025
Open access notables Recent intensified riverine CO2 emission across the Northern Hemisphere permafrost region, Mu et al., Nature Communications: Global warming causes permafrost thawing, transferring large amounts of soil carbon into rivers, which inevitably accelerates riverine CO2 release. However, temporally and spatially explicit variations of riverine CO2 emissions remain unclear, limiting the ...6 days ago
- Whatever Happened to Cactus Kate?
Once a venomous thorn in New Zealand’s blogosphere, Cathy Odgers, aka Cactus Kate, has slunk into the shadows, her once-sharp quills dulled by the fallout of Dirty Politics.The dishonest attack-blogger, alongside her vile accomplices such as Cameron Slater, were key players in the National Party’s sordid smear campaigns, exposed by Nicky ...6 days ago
- Sovereign capability can benefit Australia—up to a point
Once upon a time, not so long ago, those who talked of Australian sovereign capability, especially in the technology sector, were generally considered an amusing group of eccentrics. After all, technology ecosystems are global and ...6 days ago
- David Seymour’s Charter School Rort
The ACT Party leader’s latest pet project is bleeding taxpayers dry, with $10 million funneled into seven charter schools for just 215 students. That’s a jaw-dropping $46,500 per student, compared to roughly $9,000 per head in state schools.You’d think Seymour would’ve learned from the last charter school fiasco, but apparently, ...6 days ago
- Flexibility and awareness will help India deal with Trump (again)
India navigated relations with the United States quite skilfully during the first Trump administration, better than many other US allies did. Doing so a second time will be more difficult, but India’s strategic awareness and ...6 days ago
- Inflation data confirms real terms minimum wage cut
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi is concerned for low-income workers given new data released by Stats NZ that shows inflation was 2.5% for the year to March 2025, rising from 2.2% in December last year. “The prices of things that people can’t avoid are rising – meaning inflation is rising ...6 days ago
- Climate Change: Kicking the can down the road again
Last week, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment recommended that forestry be removed from the Emissions Trading Scheme. Its an unfortunate but necessary move, required to prevent the ETS's total collapse in a decade or so. So naturally, National has told him to fuck off, and that they won't be ...6 days ago
- The Spirit for Australia: why Canberra should pursue the B-2 bomber
China’s recent naval circumnavigation of Australia has highlighted a pressing need to defend Australia’s air and sea approaches more effectively. Potent as nuclear submarines are, the first Australian boats under AUKUS are at least seven ...6 days ago
- A bit more unpicking of RB spending and the Funding Agreement
In yesterday’s post I tried to present the Reserve Bank Funding Agreement for 2025-30, as approved by the Minister of Finance and the Bank’s Board, in the context of the previous agreement, and the variation to that agreement signed up to by Grant Robertson a few weeks before the last ...6 days ago
- A successful COP31 needs Pacific countries at the table
Australia’s bid to co-host the 31st international climate negotiations (COP31) with Pacific island countries in late 2026 is directly in our national interest. But success will require consultation with the Pacific. For that reason, no ...7 days ago
- Brown unveils unfunded health plan for small NZ
Old and outdated buildings being demolished at Wellington Hospital in 2018. The new infrastructure being funded today will not be sufficient for future population size and some will not be built by 2035. File photo: Lynn GrievesonLong stories short from our political economy on Thursday, April 17:Simeon Brown has unveiled ...7 days ago - Thursday 17 April
Thousands of senior medical doctors have voted to go on strike for 24 hours overpay at the beginning of next month. Callaghan Innovation has confirmed dozens more jobs are on the chopping block as the organisation disestablishes. Palmerston North hospital staff want improved security after a gun-wielding man threatened their ...7 days ago
- Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace
The introduction of AI in workplaces can create significant health and safety risks for workers (such as intensification of work, and extreme surveillance) which can significantly impact workers’ mental and physical wellbeing. It is critical that unions and workers are involved in any decision to introduce AI so that ...7 days ago
- NZ Must Undertake a Peacekeeping Role in Trump’s Wars
Donald Trump’s return to the White House and aggressive posturing is undermining global diplomacy, and New Zealand must stand firm in rejecting his reckless, fascist-driven policies that are dragging the world toward chaos.As a nation with a proud history of peacekeeping and principled foreign policy, we should limit our role ...7 days ago
- Donald Trump’s first three months: rude, raucous and rogue
Sunday marks three months since Donald Trump’s inauguration as US president. What a ride: the style rude, language raucous, and the results rogue. Beyond manners, rudeness matters because tone signals intent as well as personality. ...7 days ago
- Gordon Campbell On The Left’s Electability Crisis, And The Abundance Ecotopia
There are any number of reasons why anyone thinking of heading to the United States for a holiday should think twice. They would be giving their money to a totalitarian state where political dissenters are being rounded up and imprisoned here and here, where universities are having their funds for ...7 days ago
- Taiwan: the sponge that soaks up Chinese power
Taiwan has an inadvertent, rarely acknowledged role in global affairs: it’s a kind of sponge, soaking up much of China’s political, military and diplomatic efforts. Taiwan soaks up Chinese power of persuasion and coercion that ...1 week ago
- Women in combat roles strengthen our defence force
The Ukraine war has been called the bloodiest conflict since World War II. As of July 2024, 10,000 women were serving in frontline combat roles. Try telling them—from the safety of an Australian lounge room—they ...1 week ago
- China targets Canada’s election—and may be targeting Australia’s
Following Canadian authorities’ discovery of a Chinese information operation targeting their country’s election, Australians, too, should beware such risks. In fact, there are already signs that Beijing is interfering in campaigning for the Australian election ...1 week ago
- Climate Adam: Climate Scientist Reacts to Elon Musk
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). From "founder" of Tesla and the OG rocket man with SpaceX, and rebranding twitter as X, Musk has ...1 week ago
- Rattus Interneticus: Otago’s Internet Saga
Back in February 2024, a rat infestation attracted a fair few headlines in the South Dunedin Countdown supermarket. Today, the rats struck again. They took out the Otago-Southland region’s internet connection. https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360656230/internet-outage-hits-otago-and-southland Strictly, it was just a coincidence – rats decided to gnaw through one fibre cable, while some hapless ...1 week ago - Spin (and obfuscation)
I came in this morning after doing some chores and looked quickly at Twitter before unpacking the groceries. Someone was retweeting a Radio NZ story with the headline “Reserve Bank’s budget to be slashed by 25%”. Wow, I thought, the Minister of Finance has really delivered this time. And then ...1 week ago
- Little’s pitch
So, having teased it last week, Andrew Little has announced he will run for mayor of Wellington. On RNZ, he's saying its all about services - "fixing the pipes, making public transport cheaper, investing in parks, swimming pools and libraries, and developing more housing". Meanwhile, to the readers of the ...1 week ago
- Our Rough Beast.
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?W.B. Yeats, The Second Coming, 1921ALL OVER THE WORLD, devout Christians will be reaching for their bibles, reading and re-reading Revelation 13:16-17. For the benefit of all you non-Christians out there, these are the verses describing ...1 week ago
- What does India Want? What is New Zealand willing to give?
1 week ago
- President Trump is redefining America’s international role, and Australia has influence
In the week of Australia’s 3 May election, ASPI will release Agenda for Change 2025: preparedness and resilience in an uncertain world, a report promoting public debate and understanding on issues of strategic importance to ...1 week ago
- Simeon Brown Gaslights Doctors
Yesterday, 5,500 senior doctors across Aotearoa New Zealand voted overwhelmingly to strike for a day.This is the first time in New Zealand ASMS members have taken strike action for 24 hours.They are asking the government to fund them and account for resource shortfalls.Vacancies are critical - 45-50% in some regions.The ...1 week ago - ACT’s “Tough on Crime” Facade Crumbles with Jago’s Appeal
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- Release: Govt funding needed to combat invasive seaweed
The Government must support Northland hapū who have resorted to rakes and buckets to try to control a devastating invasive seaweed that threatens the local economy and environment. ...1 day ago - New Zealand First Introduces Bill Defining ‘Woman’ and ‘Man’ in Law
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill that would ensure the biological definition of a woman and man are defined in law. “This is not about being anti-anyone or anti-anything. This is about ensuring we as a country focus on the facts of biology and protect the ...2 days ago - Release: Labour marks the passing of Pope Francis
Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins joins those mourning the passing of Pope Francis. ...2 days ago
- Release: Boot camps blog post fails to provide clarity
After stonewalling requests for information on boot camps, the Government has now offered up a blog post right before Easter weekend rather than provide clarity on the pilot. ...6 days ago
- Release: Inflation rises and families feel the squeeze
Inflation is rising again and it’s landing hardest on families already stretched thin. ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt doesn’t know how to fund new hospitals
The Government’s health infrastructure plan is big on promises but coy on where the money is coming from. ...1 week ago
- Release: $10 million for only 215 students in charter schools
David Seymour is pouring $10 million into charter schools that only have 215 students enrolled. ...1 week ago
- Release: Food prices further stretching the family budget
Families already stretched by rising costs will struggle with the news food prices are going up again. ...1 week ago
- Release: Mental health staff and patients at risk without plan
More people could be harmed if Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey does not guarantee to protect patients and workers as the Police withdraw from supporting mental health call outs. ...1 week ago
- Release: Driver licensing proposal doesn’t put safety first
The Government’s proposal to change driver licensing rules is a mixed bag of sensible and careless. ...1 week ago
- Release: Students struggling as Govt sits on hands
The Government is continuing to sit on its hands as students struggle to pay rent due to delays with StudyLink. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: More must be done to stop children going hungry
More children are going hungry and statistics showing children in material hardship continue to get worse. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens continue to call for Pacific Visa Waiver
The Green Party recognises the extension of visa allowances for our Pacific whānau as a step in the right direction but continues to call for a Pacific Visa Waiver. ...2 weeks ago - More children going hungry under Coalition govt
The Government yesterday released its annual child poverty statistics, and by its own admission, more tamariki across Aotearoa are now living in material hardship. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Longer wait for treatment under National
New Zealanders have waited longer to get an appointment with a specialist and to get elective surgery under the National Government. ...2 weeks ago
- Ka mate te Pire- Ka ora te mana o Te Tiriti o Waitangi me te iwi Māori
Today, Te Pāti Māori join the motu in celebration as the Treaty Principles Bill is voted down at its second reading. “From the beginning, this Bill was never welcome in this House,” said Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader, Rawiri Waititi. “Our response to the first reading was one of protest: protesting ...2 weeks ago
- Chris Hipkins speech: Treaty Principles Bill second reading
Normally, when I rise in this House to speak on a bill, I say it's a great privilege to speak on the bill. That is not the case today. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: End to the Treaty Principles Bill, but challenges remain ahead for Aotearoa
Ka mate te pire I te rā neiThe bill dies today ...2 weeks ago
- Ka mate te Pire, ka ora Te Tiriti o Waitangi – Treaty Principles Bill dead, Te Tiriti o Waitangi m...
The Green Party is proud to have voted down the Coalition Government’s Treaty Principles Bill, an archaic piece of legislation that sought to attack the nation’s founding agreement. ...2 weeks ago
- Member’s Bill an opportunity for climate action
A Member’s Bill in the name of Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter which aims to stop coal mining, the Crown Minerals (Prohibition of Mining) Amendment Bill, has been pulled from Parliament’s ‘biscuit tin’ today. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Bill to make trading laws fairer passes first hurdle
Labour MP Kieran McAnulty’s Members Bill to make the law simpler and fairer for businesses operating on Easter, Anzac and Christmas Days has passed its first reading after a conscience vote in Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Reserve Bank acts while Govt shrugs
Nicola Willis continues to sit on her hands amid a global economic crisis, leaving the Reserve Bank to act for New Zealanders who are worried about their jobs, mortgages, and KiwiSaver. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Property Law Amendment Bill pulled from ballot
A Bill to protect first home buyers and others from bad faith property vendors has been drawn from the Member’s Ballot. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: More children at risk of losing family connections
Karen Chhour is proposing to scrap Oranga Tamariki targets which aim to connect more children under state care with family and their culture. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: David Parker made a difference – Hipkins
The Labour Leader today acknowledged and celebrated David Parker’s 23-year contribution to the Labour Party and to Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: David Parker to step down from Parliament
Long-serving Labour MP and former Minister David Parker has today announced his intention to leave Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Flaws in Govt’s climate strategy will cost us money
The Government’s plan to achieve our climate goals falls short, and will cost New Zealanders money and jobs. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party differing view on the Treaty Principles Bill
Read the Green Party's differing view on the Treaty Principles Bill, prepared by Tamatha Paul. ...2 weeks ago
- Flooding incidents in Ghana’s capital are on the rise. Researchers chase the cause
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Appiah Takyi, Senior Lecturer, Department of Planning, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Urban flooding is a major problem in the global south. In west and central Africa, more than 4 million people were affected by flooding in 2024. ...3 hours ago - Australia needs bold ideas on defence. The Coalition’s increased spending plan falls disappointing...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University Just as voting has begun in this year’s federal election, the Coalition has released its long-awaited defence policy platform. The main focus, as expected, is a boost in defence spending to 3% of Australia’s ...4 hours ago
- Sniping koalas from helicopters: here’s what’s wrong with Victoria’s unprecedented cull
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liz Hicks, Lecturer in Law, The University of Melbourne Roberto La Rosa/Shutterstock Snipers in helicopters have shot more than 700 koalas in the Budj Bim National Park in western Victoria in recent weeks. It’s believed to be the first time koalas ...5 hours ago
- Rather than short-term fixes, communities need flexible plans to prepare for a range of likely clima...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tom Logan, Senior Lecturer Above the Bar of Civil Systems Engineering, University of Canterbury Dave Rowland/Getty Images As New Zealanders clean up after ex-Cyclone Tam which left thousands without power and communities once again facing flooding, it’s tempting to seek immediate ...6 hours ago
- ‘Me tū, me haka!’: Te Pāti Māori MPs defend haka in Privileges Committee written subm...
The MPs refused to appear in person, citing a lack of fairness and disregard for tikanga Māori. ...8 hours ago - Why do Labor and the Coalition have so many similar policies? It’s simple mathematics
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gabriele Gratton, Professor of Politics and Economics and ARC Future Fellow, UNSW Sydney Pundits and political scientists like to repeat that we live in an age of political polarisation. But if you sat through the second debate between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ...8 hours ago
- Feeling mad? New research suggests mindfulness could help manage anger and aggression
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Siobhan O’Dean, Research Fellow, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney Kaboompics.com/Pexels There’s no shortage of things to feel angry about these days. Whether it’s politics, social injustice, climate change or the cost-of-living crisis, ...8 hours ago
- Who will the next pope be? Here are some top contenders
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Historian, Australian Catholic University The death of Pope Francis this week marks the end of a historic papacy and the beginning of a significant transition for the Catholic Church. As the faithful around the world mourn his passing, ...8 hours ago
- Mentoring Crucial For Success Of Overseas And New Secondary Teachers
A recent survey, carried out by PPTA Te Wehengarua, of establishing and overseas trained secondary teachers found that 90% of respondents agreed that mentoring had helped their development. ...8 hours ago - Chris Bishop makes announcement on Auckland’s Northwest Rapid Transit
The plans include a busway that can move up to 9000 people an hour either way. ...8 hours ago
- Investitures At Government House Wellington
Other Honours recipients include country singer Suzanne Prentice, most capped All Black Samuel Whitelock, and Māori language educator and academic Professor Rawinia Higgins. ...8 hours ago
- ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for April 23, 2025
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 23, 2025. The ‘responsible gambling’ mantra does nothing to prevent harm. It probably makes things worseSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Livingstone, Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University ...9 hours ago
- Labour wants Christopher Luxon to step in over Winston Peters’ comments on RNZ funding
"Threatening to cut funding is a form of censorship. It is totally and utterly wrong," Chris Hipkins says. ...9 hours ago
- The ‘responsible gambling’ mantra does nothing to prevent harm. It probably makes things worse
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Livingstone, Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University Haelen Haagen/Shutterstock Recent royal commissions and inquiries into Crown and Star casino groups attracted much media attention. Most of this was focused on money laundering and other ...9 hours ago
- This election, Gen Z and Millennials hold most of the voting power. How might they wield it?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Intifar Chowdhury, Lecturer in Government, Flinders University The centre of gravity of Australian politics has shifted. Millennials and Gen Z voters, now comprising 47% of the electorate, have taken over as the dominant voting bloc. But this generational shift isn’t just ...9 hours ago
- Only a third of Australians support increasing defence spending: new research
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Dunley, Senior Lecturer in History and Maritime Strategy, UNSW Sydney National security issues have been a constant feature of this federal election campaign. Both major parties have spruiked their national security credentials by promising additional defence spending. The Coalition has ...9 hours ago
- After stunning comeback, centre-left Liberals likely to win majority of seats at Canadian election
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne In Canada, the governing centre-left Liberals had trailed the Conservatives by more than 20 points in January, but now lead by five ...9 hours ago
- The Greens are hoping for another ‘greenslide’ election. What do the polls say?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Narelle Miragliotta, Associate Professor in Politics, Murdoch University Election talk is inevitably focused on Labor and the Coalition because they are the parties that customarily form government. But a minor party like the Greens is consequential, regardless of whether the election ...9 hours ago
- Victory for US press freedom and workers – court grants injunction in VOA media case
Asia Pacific Report The US District Court for the District of Columbia has granted a preliminary injunction in Widakuswara v Lake, affirming the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) was unlawfully shuttered by the Trump administration, Acting Director Victor Morales and Special Adviser Kari Lake. The decision enshrines that USAGM ...10 hours ago
- Gone By Lunchtime: Christopher, champion of the free trade world
As the PM talks trade with Keir Starmer, his deputy is busy, busy, busy. A prime ministerial speech and free-trade phone tree with like-minded leaders in response to Trump’s tarrif binge impressed many commentators, but not all of them: leading pundit and deputy prime minister Winston Peters was indignant ...10 hours ago - PSA Forces Changes To Restructure Of Data & Digital And Pacific Health
The settlement relates to proposed restructures of the Data and Digital and Pacific Health teams at Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora which were subject to litigation before the Employment Relations Authority set down for 22 April 2025. ...10 hours ago
- Scientists claim to have found evidence of alien life. But ‘biosignatures’ might hide more than ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Campbell Rider, PhD Candidate in Philosophy – Philosophy of Biology, University of Sydney Artist’s impression of the exoplanet K2-18b A. Smith/N. Madhusudhan (University of Cambridge) Whether or not we’re alone in the universe is one of the biggest questions in science. A ...10 hours ago
- Defence Ministry puts out tender for help strengthening systems ‘increasingly vulnerable’...
Its new Defence Capability Plan envisages spending between $100 million and $300 million on cyber upgrades in the next four years. ...11 hours ago
- Questioning Content Is Not Hate
A free and democratic society must allow citizens to question — especially when it involves influential figures with platforms that reach into education and public life. Dismissing every objection as bigotry is not progress; it’s intimidation. ...11 hours ago
- The Fold: Big job ahead for TVNZ’s news and content chief
Glen Kyne joins Anna Rawhiti-Connell to discuss the enormity of the task ahead for TVNZ’s new chief news and content officer, analyse the case laid out by Philip Crump on Monday for a Jim Grenon-led board at NZME and reflect on the recent anti-trust rulings against Google in the US. ...11 hours ago
- The Unity Books children’s book review roundup for autumn
The booksellers of Unity Books Auckland and Wellington review a handful of children’s books sure to delight and inspire readers of all ages. AUCKLAND Reviews by Elka Aitchison and Roger Christensen, booksellers at Unity Books Auckland The Sad Ghost Club: Find Your Kindred Spirits by Liz Meddings (Age 12+) This ...11 hours ago
- Statement On Spy Agency Probe Into RNZ ‘Russian Edits Scandal’ And IGSS Report
Conflating editorial endeavour that seeks accurate reporting and proper context in news stories with subjective support for foreign enemies is a smear, creates a chill factor within newsrooms and stifles open and informed public discourse over foreign ...12 hours ago
- What would change your mind about climate change? We asked 5,000 Australians – here’s what they ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Kirkland, Research Fellow in Psychology, The University of Queensland LOOKSLIKEPHOTO/Shutterstock Australia just sweltered through one of its hottest summers on record, and heat has pushed well into autumn. Once-in-a-generation floods are now striking with alarming regularity. As disasters escalate, insurers ...12 hours ago
- Regulation Minister David Seymour on ECE sector review
Cabinet is moving to simplify regulations for Early Childhood Education centres by the end of this year. ...12 hours ago
- Te Pāti Māori MPs will not attend Privileges Committee hearing, citing lack of fairness and disreg...
Te Pāti Māori MPs have again declined to turn up to a hearing over their haka protest, but this time they have lodged a written submission in their absence. ...12 hours ago
- Northland Expressway preferred routes: New road over Brynderwyn Hills to be built
A replacement for State Highway 1 over Northland's notorious Brynderwyn Hills will be built just to the east of the current road - a major change from the original plan. ...12 hours ago
- NZ First leader Winston Peters defends gender bill during fiery RNZ interview
The NZ First leader has mounted a defence of his party's proposal to define "woman" in law when questioned over its enforcement. ...13 hours ago
- Watch: Regulation Minister David Seymour on ECE sector review
David Seymour is due to speak to media about changes to be made to "outdated" rules in the early childhood sector. ...13 hours ago
- Saving our taonga: Iwi unite to protect tuna and our waterways
Mass die-offs of our freshwater guardians expose a failing, fragmented management system. Iwi and hapū are calling for a unified, indigenous-led recovery plan. Although it’s a delicacy for many around the country, you won’t find any smoked tuna on the menu at my marae. Where I come from in the ...13 hours ago
- What happens now that Pope Francis has died and should I just watch Conclave?
The conclave explained, a cinematic knowledge shortcut and very scientific musings about a possible curse. Gather round atheists, agnostics, apathetes, anyone who hasn’t seen Conclave and all who have successfully rinsed their religious education from their memories. Pope Francis, the first pope from Latin America, the first from the ...13 hours ago
- Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to attend Pope Francis’ funeral
It comes after Prime Minister Christopher Luxon confirmed he will also attend the funeral at St Peter's Basilica on Saturday. ...13 hours ago
- Even experts disagree over whether social media is bad for kids. We examined why
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Knight, Associate Professor, Transdisciplinary School, University of Technology Sydney A low relief sculpture depicting Plato and Aristotle arguing adorning the external wall of Florence Cathedral. Krikkiat/Shutterstock Disagreement and uncertainty are common features of everyday life. They’re also common and expected features ...14 hours ago
- Australian women are wary of AI being used in breast cancer screening – new research
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Pearce, Associate Professor, Health Economics, University of Sydney Okrasiuk/Shutterstock Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly relevant in many aspects of society, including health care. For example, it’s already used for robotic surgery and to provide virtual mental health support. In ...14 hours ago
- These 3 climate misinformation campaigns are operating during the election run-up. Here’s how to s...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alfie Chadwick, PhD Candidate, Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub, Monash University Australia’s climate and energy wars are at the forefront of the federal election campaign as the major parties outline vastly different plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and tackle soaring ...14 hours ago
- Infrastructure failures: Govt makes little headway on fixing weaknesses
Two widespread communications failures in the Northland storm and Otago within two days last week have again exposed the vulnerability of the country's critical infrastructure. ...14 hours ago
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