Social issues
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Festive Cheer, Hear Hear !
Written By: - Date published: 8:41 am, December 21st, 2024 - 7 comments
Some end of year politics videos – 2024. Happy Christmas, folks.
Police private trip to China – who to believe?
Written By: - Date published: 11:07 pm, December 16th, 2024 - 15 comments
The Police say it was a private trip to learn about Chinese culture, presumably because it would help their work here. Andrew Little and Anne-Marie Brady without any evidence gave it a sinister cast.
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.
Are Lester Levy and Shane Reti “cooking the books?”
Written By: - Date published: 11:51 am, December 7th, 2024 - 12 comments
See for yourself.
Unacceptable
Written By: - Date published: 10:28 am, December 7th, 2024 - 29 comments
It appears that the Government’s intent to politicise youth offending by making an elite few dress up in army uniforms and march around in an effort to solve a lifetime of neglect is not working out so well.
Creative accounting
Written By: - Date published: 10:23 am, December 5th, 2024 - 26 comments
It has emerged that Health NZ attempted to include hundreds of millions of dollars in redundancies and holiday pay remediation chargeable this year in last year’s Health accounts and this would have made the current deficit smaller but last year’s deficit larger.
Luxon Takes A Beating
Written By: - Date published: 10:14 am, December 4th, 2024 - 20 comments
Five recent polls show that Kiwis are tired of the Coalition government, but will the trendline hold?
Reti secretly wants to privatise Health
Written By: - Date published: 8:20 am, November 30th, 2024 - 23 comments
Shane Reti has said publicly that privatising health is not his overt policy. Which suggests strongly that it is his covert policy, especially given that he wants to increase the relationship with and outsourcing to private operators.
National’s dodgy health announcements
Written By: - Date published: 4:09 pm, November 27th, 2024 - 18 comments
National yesterday made great fanfare about an extra $30 million being spent on doctors and nurses. But news today of 1,500 health job cuts in the pipeline clearly shows how the extra funds are to be sourced.
If Seymour succeeds what happens to Ngāpuhi’s Treaty claim?
Written By: - Date published: 1:49 pm, November 27th, 2024 - 3 comments
If David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill is passed it may complicate Ngapuhi’s outstanding claim.
The Left Trumped?
Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, November 21st, 2024 - 36 comments
We woke up last week to the post-mortem on the US election. How and why Trump won, and their implications for political alignments everywhere, are front and centre. A fundamental issue, explicitly identified when Trump won in 2016, is the presence of large sections of the working class vote into the Trump camp. So why has that happened – again?
The Axis of Genocide
Written By: - Date published: 2:22 pm, November 8th, 2024 - 31 comments
The West, “will stand by the Israeli regime until they exterminate the last Palestinian”, says Mohammad Seyed Marandi, an American-Iranian academic. Despite being appalled at my government, I winced as a New Zealander to hear my country described as part of the Axis of Genocide.
The Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill gets slammed
Written By: - Date published: 12:42 pm, November 8th, 2024 - 14 comments
The Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill has now been released and it appears that the provisions take away more rights from Māori than originally proposed.
A Heavy Day
Written By: - Date published: 3:05 pm, November 7th, 2024 - 40 comments
This short excerpt represents a respite from the US election. Christopher Luxon apologises to Opposition leader Chris Hipkins and more. TPM ask Luxon about using force in boot camps. Plus a quick reminder on what we shouldn’t forget here in NZ either.
The Government’s cynical manipulation of the Treaty Principles Bill
Written By: - Date published: 10:15 am, November 6th, 2024 - 20 comments
In a cynical manipulation of Parliamentary Processes the Government is changing the date of introduction of the Treaty Principles Bill. And the Waitangi Tribunal has said that the bill is a deliberate attempt to destroy the treaty relationship.
Who is undermining the Government’s approach to reducing smoking rates?
Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, November 6th, 2024 - 11 comments
The Government’s offensive on public servants who express privately held strong views continues with Casey Costello attacking a public servant who alleged that her private research had come up with some papers that were “crap”.
The strange case of the I am Hope funding
Written By: - Date published: 9:13 am, November 3rd, 2024 - 11 comments
National is scrambling to justify designated funding to the I am Hope charity after Mike King claimed alcohol was good for mental health and preventing suicide.
What’s up with Matt Doocey, Mike King & the $24mn of taxpayers money?
Written By: - Date published: 1:55 pm, November 1st, 2024 - 15 comments
Mike King calls alcohol a solution to mental health anguish. But evidence shows alcohol is linked to a 94% increase in suicide and has links to family violence. So what is happening with King and the $24m this government handed him in a highly “irregular” contract process?
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.
Labour day
Written By: - Date published: 2:20 pm, October 28th, 2024 - 21 comments
Enjoying your weekend? Thank a unionist!
David Seymour Chooses School Lunches Provider With Questionable Record: Listeria, Horse Meat & Poor Quality
Written By: - Date published: 9:44 am, October 25th, 2024 - 27 comments
David Seymour said the new school lunches are the best food he’s ever eaten – but how true is it? And what has he chosen for our tamariki in the school lunch program?
Tobacco product investigation is requested and warranted
Written By: - Date published: 7:56 am, October 24th, 2024 - 17 comments
Welcome news from yesterday was the request to the Auditor General under the Public Audit Act on the arbitrary and unsupported by evidence decisions on tobacco products by the Customs Minister Casey Costello. As the request stated, Labour’s health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall had reached the limits of the information that she could seek using the Official Information Act.
Government succumbs to Sensible Sentencing Trust pressure and makes Three Strikes Bill worse
Written By: - Date published: 10:45 am, October 22nd, 2024 - 10 comments
The Goverment has bowed to pressure from the Sensible Sentencing Trust and made the Three Strikes Bill even more unworkable.
Will This Be a One-Term Government?
Written By: - Date published: 12:21 pm, October 20th, 2024 - 24 comments
Elliot Crossan at System Change Aotearoa reviews the past year. Despite the tepid public support for this government’s problematic actions, he warns that ‘The Right Is United By Power — Don’t Underestimate Them’
Where’s The Opposition?
Written By: - Date published: 11:36 am, October 13th, 2024 - 61 comments
Labour, Green Party and Te Pati Māori have been relatively quiet as the Coalition government move at breakneck speed to roll back laws and transfer wealth. Is it a matter of resources, media coverage, or will?
The best Government that money can buy
Written By: - Date published: 9:31 am, October 11th, 2024 - 35 comments
Radio New Zealand has reported that $500,000 in donations to National, Act and NZ First were made by entities associated to those who had their projects included in the recently released schedule to the Fast Track Projects Bill.
Where’s the “Oomph”?
Written By: - Date published: 2:04 pm, October 6th, 2024 - 92 comments
Join us to protest privatisation of health on the 23rd October. But can we have more oomph and co-ordination please?
She did her own research
Written By: - Date published: 11:23 am, October 4th, 2024 - 25 comments
It has been revealed that Casey Costello bypassed and second guessed official advice by an internet search and reading a collection of articles that do not way what she thought they said.
Inventing a crisis to privatise NZ healthcare
Written By: - Date published: 10:41 am, October 4th, 2024 - 12 comments
Yesterday a former Health NZ Chair said the government is intentionally manufacturing a crisis to privatise healthcare. However privatisation will not solve anything and will only lead to worse financial and health outcomes for all Kiwis as confirmed by Lancet Medical Journal and case studies around the world.
NZ Right Wing Government Moves to Privatise Health
Written By: - Date published: 9:49 am, October 2nd, 2024 - 41 comments
The National-ACT-NZ First government have signaled they want to privatise our health system. It’s a now or never moment.
When will Costello be sacked?
Written By: - Date published: 10:06 am, October 1st, 2024 - 35 comments
Casey Costello’s decision to give Phillip Morris a $216 million tax cut was based on alternative advice that she has received but which she is not disclosing. And Christopher Luxon is comfortable with this.
- Myanmar’s scam centres demand ASEAN-Australia collaboration
China’s crackdown on cyber-scam centres on the Thailand-Myanmar border may cause a shift away from Mandarin, towards English-speaking victims. Scammers also used the 28 March earthquake to scam international victims. Australia, with its proven capabilities ...2 weeks ago - The return of dirty politics
At the 2005 election campaign, the National Party colluded with a weirdo cult, the Exclusive Brethren, to run a secret hate campaign against the Greens. It was the first really big example of the rich using dark money to interfere in our democracy. And unfortunately, it seems that they're trying ...2 weeks ago - Our MOOC Denial101x has run its course
Many of you will know that in collaboration with the University of Queensland we created and ran the massive open online course (MOOC) "Denial101x - Making sense of climate science denial" on the edX platform. Within nine years - between April 2015 and February 2024 - we offered 15 runs ...2 weeks ago - In trade, nothing can replace the US consumer. Still, Asian countries look to each other
How will the US assault on trade affect geopolitical relations within Asia? Will nations turn to China and seek protection by trading with each other? The happy snaps a week ago of the trade ministers ...2 weeks ago
- Why Did Police Clear Brian Tamaki Of All Charges?
I mentioned this on Friday - but thought it deserved some emphasis.Auckland Waitematā District Commander Superintendent Naila Hassan has responded to Countering Hate Speech Aotearoa, saying police have cleared Brian Tamaki of all incitement charges relating to the Te Atatu library rainbow event assault.Hassan writes:..There is currently insufficient evidence to ...2 weeks ago - Reviewing the intelligence reviews (so far)
With the report of the recent intelligence review by Heather Smith and Richard Maude finally released, critics could look on and wonder: why all the fuss? After all, while the list of recommendations is substantial, ...2 weeks ago
- Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures
Well, I don't know if I'm readyTo be the man I have to beI'll take a breath, I'll take her by my sideWe stand in awe, we've created lifeWith arms wide open under the sunlightWelcome to this place, I'll show you everythingSongwriters: Scott A. Stapp / Mark T. Tremonti.Today is ...2 weeks ago - Monday 7 April
Staff at Kāinga Ora are expecting details of another round of job cuts, with the Green Party claiming more than 500 jobs are set to go. The New Zealand Defence Force has made it easier for people to apply for a job in a bid to get more boots on ...2 weeks ago - Australia’s food security needs national-security frameworks
Australia’s agriculture sector and food system have prospered under a global rules-based system influenced by Western liberal values. But the assumptions, policy approaches and economic frameworks that have traditionally supported Australia’s food security are no ...2 weeks ago
- Trump just detonated a neutron bomb under the global economy, but NZ could win
Following Trump’s tariff announcement, US stock values fell by the most ever in value terms (US$6.6 trillion). Photo: Getty ImagesLong story shortest in Aotearoa’s political economy this morning: Donald Trump just detonated a neutron bomb under the globalised economy, but this time the Fed isn’t cutting interest rates to rescue ...2 weeks ago - 2025 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #14
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 30, 2025 thru Sat, April 5, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. The formatting is a ...2 weeks ago
- Trump’s Secret Sauce Spills Over
This is a longer read.Summary:Trump’s tariffs are reckless, disastrous and hurt the poorest countries deeply. It will stoke inflation, and may cause another recession. Funds/investments around the world have tanked.Trump’s actions emulate the anti-economic logic of another right wing libertarian politician - Liz Truss. She had her political career cut ...2 weeks ago - Wouldn’t really go that far
We are all suckers for hope.He’s just being provocative, people will say, he wouldn’t really go that far. They wouldn’t really go that far.Germany in the 1920s and 30s was one of the world’s most educated, culturally sophisticated, and scientifically advanced societies.It had a strong democratic constitution with extensive civil ...2 weeks ago - Fact brief – Is Mars warming?
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 Mars warming? Mars’ climate varies due to completely different reasons than Earth’s, and available data indicates no temperature trends comparable to Earth’s ...2 weeks ago
- Maxing out – next steps for progressives
Max Harris and Max Rashbrooke discuss how we turn around the right wing slogans like nanny state, woke identity politics, and the inefficiency of the public sector – and how we build a progressive agenda. From Donald Trump to David Seymour, from Peter Dutton to Christopher Luxon, we are subject to a ...2 weeks ago - Maxing out – next steps for progressives
Max Harris and Max Rashbrooke discuss how we turn around the right wing slogans like nanny state, woke identity politics, and the inefficiency of the public sector – and how we build a progressive agenda. From Donald Trump to David Seymour, from Peter Dutton to Christopher Luxon, we are subject to a ...2 weeks ago
- FACT CHECKING DAVID SEYMOUR
I was interested in David Seymour's public presentation of the Justice Select Committee's report after the submissions to the Treaty Principles Bill.I noted the arguments he presented and fact checked him. I welcome corrections and additions to what I have written but want to keep the responses concise.The Treaty of ...2 weeks ago - It’s All Over Now
Well, he runs around with every racist in townHe spent all our money playing his pointless gameHe put us out; it was awful how he triedTables turn, and now his turn to cryWith apologies to writers Bobby Womack and Shirley Womack.Eight per cent, asshole, that’s all you got.Smiling?Let me re-phrase…Eight ...2 weeks ago - Bernard’s Pick ‘n’ Mix on Saturday, April 5
In short this morning in our political economy:The S&P 500 fell another 5.6% this morning after China retaliated with tariffs of 34% on all US imports, and the Fed warned of stagflation without rate cut relief.Delays for heart surgeries and scans are costing lives, specialists have told Stuff’s Nicholas Jones.Meanwhile, ...2 weeks ago - Unlike China’s flotilla, the Great White Fleet came in friendship
When the US Navy’s Great White Fleet sailed into Sydney Harbour in 1908, it was an unmistakeable signal of imperial might, a flexing of America’s newfound naval muscle. More than a century later, the Chinese ...2 weeks ago
- Resource Management and Property Rights
While there have been decades of complaints – from all sides – about the workings of the Resource Management Act (RMA), replacing is proving difficult. The Coalition Government is making another attempt.To help answer the question, I am going to use the economic lens of the Coase Theorem, set out ...2 weeks ago - Bookshelf: the evolution and future of amphibious warfare
2027 may still not be the year of war it’s been prophesised as, but we only have two years left to prepare. Regardless, any war this decade in the Indo-Pacific will be fought with the ...2 weeks ago
- Parliament’s secret “transparency” regime
When the Parliament Bill Committee rejected calls for Parliamentary agencies to be subject to the Official Information Act last month, their excuse was interesting: Parliament didn't need the transparency of the OIA because it already had its own transparency regime! Which came as rather a surprise to everyone working in ...2 weeks ago
- Centring people of colour to close the climate justice gap
Australia must do more to empower communities of colour in its response to climate change. In late February, the Multicultural Leadership Initiative hosted its Our Common Future summits in Sydney and Melbourne. These summits focused ...2 weeks ago
- Presidency of doom
Questions 1. In his godawful decree, what tariff rate was imposed by Trump upon the EU?a. 10% same as New Zealandb. 20%, along with a sneer about themc. 40%, along with an outright lie about France d. 69% except for the town Melania comes from2. The justice select committee has ...2 weeks ago - The ideology of grovelling to Trump
Yesterday the Trump regime in America began a global trade war, imposing punitive tariffs in an effort to extort political and economic concessions from other countries and US companies and constituencies. Trump's tariffs will make kiwis nearly a billion dollars poorer every year, but Luxon has decided to do nothing ...2 weeks ago
- $6m later, 90% against, 8% for, Treaty Principles Bill Committee recommends Bill be shelved
Here’s 7 updates from this morning’s news:90% of submissions opposed the TPBNZ’s EV market tanked by Coalition policies, down ~70% year on yearTrump showFossil fuel money driving conservative policiesSimeon Brown won’t say that abortion is healthcarePhil Goff stands by comments and makes a case for speaking upBrian Tamaki cleared of ...2 weeks ago - Thanks, Folks: Mountain Tūī Hits A Milesone
2 weeks ago - The people have spoken
The Justice Committee has reported back on National's racist Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill, and recommended by majority that it not proceed. So hopefully it will now rapidly go to second reading and be voted down. As for submissions, it turns out that around 380,000 people submitted on ...2 weeks ago
- To fight disinformation, treat it as an insurgency
We need to treat disinformation as we deal with insurgencies, preventing the spreaders of lies from entrenching themselves in the host population through capture of infrastructure—in this case, the social media outlets. Combining targeted action ...2 weeks ago
- The surprise of the Independent Intelligence Review: economic security
After copping criticism for not releasing the report for nearly eight months, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released the Independent Intelligence Review on 28 March. It makes for a heck of a read. The review makes ...2 weeks ago
- The surprise of the Independent Intelligence Review: economic security
After copping criticism for not releasing the report for nearly eight months, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released the Independent Intelligence Review on 28 March. It makes for a heck of a read. The review makes ...2 weeks ago
- Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Friday, April 4
In short this morning in our political economy:Donald Trump has shocked the global economy and markets with the biggest tariffs since the Smoot Hawley Act of 1930, which worsened the Great Depression.Global stocks slumped 4-5% overnight and key US bond yields briefly fell below 4% as investors fear a recession ...2 weeks ago - I Hope I Never Send This Webworm
Hi,I’ve been imagining a scenario where I am walking along the pavement in the United States. It’s dusk, I am off to get a dirty burrito from my favourite place, and I see three men in hoodies approaching.Anther two men appear from around a corner, and this whole thing feels ...2 weeks ago - Australia’s plan for acquiring nuclear-powered submarines is on track
Since the announcement in September 2021 that Australia intended to acquire nuclear-powered submarines in partnership with Britain and the United States, the plan has received significant media attention, scepticism and criticism. There are four major ...2 weeks ago
- Weekly Roundup 04-April-2025
On a very wet Friday, we hope you have somewhere nice and warm and dry to sit and catch up on our roundup of some of this week’s top stories in transport and urbanism. The header image shows Northcote Intermediate Students strolling across the Te Ara Awataha Greenway Bridge in ...2 weeks ago - Weekly Roundup 04-April-2025
On a very wet Friday, we hope you have somewhere nice and warm and dry to sit and catch up on our roundup of some of this week’s top stories in transport and urbanism. The header image shows Northcote Intermediate Students strolling across the Te Ara Awataha Greenway Bridge in ...2 weeks ago
- The Hoon around the week to April 4
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: and Elaine Monaghan on the week in geopolitics and climate, including Donald Trump’s tariff shock yesterday; and,Labour’s Disarmament and Associate ...2 weeks ago
- Stranger Days
I'm gonna try real goodSwear that I'm gonna try from now on and for the rest of my lifeI'm gonna power on, I'm gonna enjoy the highsAnd the lows will come and goAnd may your dreamsAnd may your dreamsAnd may your dreams never dieSongwriters: Ben Reed.These are Stranger Days than ...2 weeks ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #14 2025
Open access notables A pronounced decline in northern vegetation resistance to flash droughts from 2001 to 2022, Zhang et al., Nature Communications: Here we show that vegetation resistance to flash droughts declines by up to 27% (±5%) over the Northern Hemisphere hotspots during 2001-2022, including eastern Asia, western North America, ...2 weeks ago
- Trump’s tariffs: Australia’s worry is the effect on its trading partners
With the execution of global reciprocal tariffs, US President Donald Trump has issued his ‘declaration of economic independence for America’. The immediate direct effect on the Australian economy will likely be small, with more risk ...2 weeks ago
- In national security, governments still struggle to work with startups
AUKUS governments began 25 years ago trying to draw in a greater range of possible defence suppliers beyond the traditional big contractors. It is an important objective, and some progress has been made, but governments ...2 weeks ago
- What I saw at liberation day
I approach fresh Trump news reluctantly. It never holds the remotest promise of pleasure. I had the very, very least of expectations for his Rumble in the Jungle, his Thriller in Manila, his Liberation Day.God May 1945 is becoming the bitterest of jokes isn’t it?Whatever. Liberation Day he declared it ...2 weeks ago - Open Australia versus closed United States
Beyond trade and tariff turmoil, Donald Trump pushes at the three core elements of Australia’s international policy: the US alliance, the region and multilateralism. What Kevin Rudd called the ‘three fundamental pillars’ are the heart ...2 weeks ago
- The fix is in
So, having broken its promise to the nation, and dumped 85% of submissions on the Treaty Principles Bill in the trash, National's stooges on the Justice Committee have decided to end their "consideration" of the bill, and report back a full month early: Labour says the Justice Select Committee ...2 weeks ago
- Intelligence review is strong on workforce issues. Implementation may be harder
The 2024 Independent Intelligence Review offers a mature and sophisticated understanding of workforce challenges facing Australia’s National Intelligence Community (NIC). It provides a thoughtful roadmap for modernising that workforce and enhancing cross-agency and cross-sector collaboration. ...2 weeks ago
- Corruption Tsunami
OPINION AND ANALYSIS:Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier’s comments singling out Health NZ for “acting contrary to the law” couldn’t be clearer. If you find my work of value, do consider subscribing and/or supporting me. Thank you.Health NZ has been acting a law unto itself. That includes putting its management under extraordinary ...2 weeks ago - Sharing security interests, ASEAN’s big three step up cooperation
Southeast Asia’s three most populous countries are tightening their security relationships, evidently in response to China’s aggression in the South China Sea. This is most obvious in increased cooperation between the coast guards of the ...2 weeks ago
- Technology can make Team Australia fit for strategic competition
In the late 1970s Australian sport underwent institutional innovation propelling it to new heights. Today, Australia must urgently adapt to a contested and confronting strategic environment. Contributing to this, a new ASPI research project will ...2 weeks ago
- Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Thursday, April 3
In short this morning in our political economy:The Nelson Hospital waiting list crisis just gets worse, including compelling interviews with an over-worked surgeon who is leaving, and a patient who discovered after 19 months of waiting for a referral that her bowel and ovaries were fused together with scar tissue ...2 weeks ago - Gordon Campbell On The Clash Between Auckland Airport And Air New Zealand
Plainly, the claims being tossed around in the media last year that the new terminal envisaged by Auckland International Airport was a gold-plated “Taj Mahal” extravagance were false. With one notable exception, the Commerce Commission’s comprehensive investigation has ended up endorsing every other aspect of the airport’s building programme (and ...2 weeks ago - Just what does drive so much of this global, Right-wing populism we all see at present?
Movements clustered around the Right, and Far Right as well, are rising globally. Despite the recent defeats we’ve seen in the last day or so with the win of a Democrat-backed challenger, Dane County Judge Susan Crawford, over her Republican counterpart, Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel, in the battle for ...2 weeks ago - Two-part webinar about the scientific consensus on human-caused global warming
In February 2025, John Cook gave two webinars for republicEN explaining the scientific consensus on human-caused climate change. 20 February 2025: republicEN webinar part 1 - BUST or TRUST? The scientific consensus on climate change In the first webinar, Cook explained the history of the 20-year scientific consensus on climate change. How do ...2 weeks ago
- Bookshelf: ‘Vampire state: The rise and fall of the Chinese economy’
After three decades of record-breaking growth, at about the same time as Xi Jinping rose to power in 2012, China’s economy started the long decline to its current state of stagnation. The Chinese Communist Party ...2 weeks ago
- Too complacent, too greedy
The Pike River Coal mine was a ticking time bomb.Ventilation systems designed to prevent methane buildup were incomplete or neglected.Gas detectors that might warn of danger were absent or broken.Rock bolting was skipped, old tunnels left unsealed, communication systems failed during emergencies.Employees and engineers kept warning management about the … ...2 weeks ago - It’s time to imagine how China would act as regional hegemon
Regional hegemons come in different shapes and sizes. Australia needs to think about what kind of hegemon China would be, and become, should it succeed in displacing the United States in Asia. It’s time to ...2 weeks ago
- We don’t need the fast track to kill fossil fuels
RNZ has a story this morning about the expansion of solar farms in Aotearoa, driven by today's ground-breaking ceremony at the Tauhei solar farm in Te Aroha: From starting out as a tiny player in the electricity system, solar power generated more electricity than coal and gas combined for ...2 weeks ago
- How world order changes
After the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, and almost a year before the Soviet Union collapsed in late 1991, US President George H W Bush proclaimed a ‘new world order’. Now, just two months ...2 weeks ago
- Social Contracts Are Breaking
Warning: Some images may be distressing. Thank you for those who support my work. It means a lot.A shopfront in Australia shows Liberal leader Peter Dutton and mining magnate Gina Rinehart depicted with Nazi imageryUS Government Seeks Death Penalty for Luigi MangioneMangione was publicly walked in front of media in ...2 weeks ago - Wednesday 2 April
Aged care workers rallying against potential roster changes say Bupa, which runs retirement homes across the country, needs to focus on care instead of money. More than half of New Zealand workers wish they had chosen a different career according to a new survey. Consumers are likely to see a ...2 weeks ago
- The Green’s Identity Bubble Problem.
The scurrilous attacks on Benjamin Doyle, a list Green MP, over his supposed inappropriate behaviour towards children has dominated headlines and social media this past week, led by frothing Rightwing agitators clutching their pearls and fanning the flames of moral panic over pedophiles and and perverts. Winston Peter decided that ...2 weeks ago - Fabian Fundraiser – Twilight Time
Twilight Time Lighthouse Cuba, Wigan Street, Wellington, Sunday 6 April, 5:30pm for 6pm start. Twilight Time looks at the life and work of Desmond Ball, (1947-2016), a barefooted academic from ‘down under’ who was hailed by Jimmy Carter as “the man who saved the world”, as he proved the fallacy ...2 weeks ago
- That’s Democracy?
The landedAnd the wealthyAnd the piousAnd the healthyAnd the straight onesAnd the pale onesAnd we only mean the male ones!If you're all of the above, then you're ok!As we build a new tomorrow here today!Lyrics Glenn Slater and Allan Menken.Ah, Democracy - can you smell it?It's presently a sulphurous odour, ...2 weeks ago - Think laterally: government air and shipping services can boost Australian defence
US President Donald Trump’s unconventional methods of conducting international relations will compel the next federal government to reassess whether the United States’ presence in the region and its security assurances provide a reliable basis for ...2 weeks ago
- Reserve Bank, bank capital etc
Things seem to be at a pretty low ebb in and around the Reserve Bank. There was, in particular, the mysterious, sudden, and as-yet unexplained resignation of the Governor (we’ve had four Governors since the Bank was given its operational autonomy 35 years ago, and only two have completed their ...2 weeks ago - Luxon’s ‘going for growth’ actually means ‘going for debt reduction’
Long story short: PM Christopher Luxon said in January his Government was ‘going for growth’ and he wanted New Zealanders to develop a ‘culture of yes.’ Yet his own Government is constantly saying no, or not yet, to anchor investments that would unleash real private business investment and GDP growth. ...2 weeks ago - Luxon’s ‘going for growth’ actually means ‘going for debt reduction’
Long story short: PM Christopher Luxon said in January his Government was ‘going for growth’ and he wanted New Zealanders to develop a ‘culture of yes.’ Yet his own Government is constantly saying no, or not yet, to anchor investments that would unleash real private business investment and GDP growth. ...2 weeks ago
- Life after D-notices: Australia can learn from Britain’s updated system
For decades, Britain and Australia had much the same process for regulating media handling of defence secrets. It was the D-notice system, under which media would be asked not to publish. The two countries diverged ...2 weeks ago
- Life after D-notices: Australia can learn from Britain’s updated system
For decades, Britain and Australia had much the same process for regulating media handling of defence secrets. It was the D-notice system, under which media would be asked not to publish. The two countries diverged ...2 weeks ago
- Should Auckland demolish Spaghetti Junction?
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission. In this article, I make a not-entirely-serious case for ripping out Spaghetti Junction in Auckland, replacing it with a motorway tunnel, and redeveloping new city streets and neighbourhoods above it instead. What’s ...2 weeks ago
- Should Auckland demolish Spaghetti Junction?
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission. In this article, I make a not-entirely-serious case for ripping out Spaghetti Junction in Auckland, replacing it with a motorway tunnel, and redeveloping new city streets and neighbourhoods above it instead. What’s ...2 weeks ago
- Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Wednesday, April 2
In short this morning in our political economy:The Nelson Hospital crisis revealed by 1News’ Jessica Roden dominates the political agenda today. Yet again, population growth wasn’t planned for, or funded.Kāinga Ora is planning up to 900 house sales, including new ones, Jonathan Milne reports for Newsroom.One of New Zealand’s biggest ...2 weeks ago - Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Wednesday, April 2
In short this morning in our political economy:The Nelson Hospital crisis revealed by 1News’ Jessica Roden dominates the political agenda today. Yet again, population growth wasn’t planned for, or funded.Kāinga Ora is planning up to 900 house sales, including new ones, Jonathan Milne reports for Newsroom.One of New Zealand’s biggest ...2 weeks ago
- Diplomacy is the newest front in the Russia-Ukraine war
The war between Russia and Ukraine continues unabated. Neither side is in a position to achieve its stated objectives through military force. But now there is significant diplomatic activity as well. Ukraine has agreed to ...3 weeks ago
- The wettest choppiest part
This was my first thought about yesterday's announcement from Winston Peters, ferry-whisperer. Read more ...3 weeks ago
- Fiji defence minister draws flak for six-week trip to meet peacekeepers
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs is facing a backlash after announcing that he was undertaking a multi-country, six-week “official travel overseas” to visit Fijian peacekeepers in the Middle East. Pio Tikoduadua’s supporters say he should “disregard critics” for his commitment to Fijian peacekeepers, which “highlights a ...2 days ago - Election Diary: there were a couple of ‘moments’ in second Albanese-Dutton encounter
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Two “moments” stuck out in Wednesday’s leaders’ debate, the second head-to-head of the campaign. Peter Dutton cut his losses over his faux pas this week when he wrongly named Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto as having ...3 days ago
- Second leaders’ debate is a tame affair befitting a ‘deeply uninspiring’ campaign
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andy Marks, Vice-President, Public Affairs and Partnerships, Western Sydney University Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have had their second showdown of the 2025 federal election campaign. The debate, hosted by the ABC, was moderated by David Speers in ...3 days ago
- Poll shows Australians hate Trump policies and have lost trust in US, but still strongly believe in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Australians strongly disagree with key policies of US President Donald Trump, and have overwhelmingly lost trust in the United States to act responsibly in the world, according to the Lowy Institute’s 2025 poll. Despite ...3 days ago
- NZ’s Palestine Forum calls on Luxon to take ‘firm stand’ over Israeli atrocities with temporar...
Asia Pacific Report A Palestinian advocacy group has called on NZ Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters to take a firm stand for international law and human rights by following the Maldives with a ban on visiting Israelis. Maher Nazzal, chair of the Palestine Forum of New ...3 days ago
- Bipartisanship On The Field And In The House
MPs from across the political spectrum reveal they're a surprisingly collegial bunch. ...3 days ago - Callaghan Innovation confirms 67 more potential job cuts as it disestablishes
The entity confirmed consultation had begun to disestablish another 67 roles, bringing the total number of roles that could be axed to 107. ...3 days ago - Global Push Back Against Gender Equality A Growing Crisis In Aotearoa
Barriers to gender equality exist in many forms and in New Zealand, these barriers are worse for Māori, Pasifika, Asian, migrant, refugee, disabled, LGBTQIA+ and rural women, and Government action is required. ...3 days ago
- We compared the Labor and Coalition’s income tax proposals to see who benefits most
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra Shutterstock We now have the competing bids for our votes by the alternative governments on income tax policy. From Labor, future cuts to the lowest marginal ...3 days ago
- Half of Australian landlords sell their investments after 2 years, adding to renters’ insecurity
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ranjodh B. Singh, Senior Economics and Finance Lecturer, Curtin University Marc Bruxelle/Shutterstock Australia’s renters have to battle rising rents and a lack of available properties. They also face ongoing instability. Our new research suggests half of all landlords sell their investment ...3 days ago
- Labor and the Greens likely to gain Senate seats at the 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 As well as the election for the full House of Representatives, there will be an election on May 3 for 40 of ...3 days ago
- 3 in 4 meth users relapse – outcomes could improve if treatments considered the drug’s effect on...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Bodeker, Teaching Assistant in Behavioural Psychology, University of Canterbury Getty Images Methamphetamine is New Zealand’s most harmful illicit drug and wastewater testing shows its use and availability are on the rise. Much of the harm results from reckless and ...3 days ago
- This election, disinformation is swirling on Chinese social media. Here’s how it spreads
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fan Yang, Research fellow at Melbourne Law School, the University of Melbourne and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society., The University of Melbourne Shutterstock/The Conversation Since 2024, the RECapture research team has been monitoring political disinformation and ...3 days ago
- Politics with Michelle Grattan: Warwick McKibbin on trying to model economic certainty in uncertain ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Global markets have remained on edge after Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs caused panic worldwide. Now, more than ever, markets and economists are looking for trying to read the implications. Joining us from ...3 days ago
- ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for April 16, 2025
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 16, 2025. Trump’s racist, corrupt agenda – like a bank robbery in broad daylightEDITORIAL: By Giff Johnson, editor of the Marshall Islands Journal US President Donald Trump and his team is pursuing a white man’s racist ...3 days ago
- Madness To Slash Reserve Bank Budget At A Time Of Economic Challenge
The bank’s inflation mandate is a key tool for economic management. It fights inflation so the economy can flourish without the damaging impacts of runaway inflation. ...3 days ago
- There’s a new best hot cross bun in Auckland
Breaking news for those who just want a really good, classic hot cross bun. “This is the best hot cross bun I’ve ever had.” “I don’t usually like hot cross buns but fuck that was good.” Just two of the many overhead comments in The Spinoff office this morning after ...3 days ago - Trump’s racist, corrupt agenda – like a bank robbery in broad daylight
EDITORIAL: By Giff Johnson, editor of the Marshall Islands Journal US President Donald Trump and his team is pursuing a white man’s racist agenda that is corrupt at its core. Trump’s advisor Elon Musk, who often seems to be the actual president, is handing his companies multiple contracts as his ...3 days ago
- Why the Coalition’s tone-deaf diss track was bound to hit all the wrong notes
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andy Ward, Senior Lecturer in Music, School of Business and Creative Industries, University of the Sunshine Coast Hip-hop is a cultural powerhouse that has infiltrated every facet of popular culture, across a global market. That said, one place you usually don’t see ...3 days ago
- Homelessness – the other housing crisis politicians aren’t talking about
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cameron Parsell, Professor, School of Social Science, The University of Queensland Igor Corovic/Shutterstock Measures to tackle homelessness in Australia have been conspicuously absent from the election campaign. The major parties have rightly identified deep voter anxiety over high house prices. They ...3 days ago
- Superb fairy-wrens’ songs hold clues to their personalities, new study finds
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Diane Colombelli-Négrel, Senior Lecturer, Animal Behaviour, Flinders University Two superb fairy-wrens (_Malurus cyaneus_). ARKphoto/Shutterstock When we think of bird songs, we often imagine a cheerful soundtrack during our morning walks. However, for birds, songs are much more than background music – they ...3 days ago
- ‘De-extinction’ of dire wolves promotes false hope: technology can’t undo extinction
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martín Boer-Cueva, Ecologist and Environmental Consultant, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Colossal Biosciences Over the past week, the media have been inundated with news of the “de-extinction” of the dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus) – a species that went extinct about 13,000 years ...3 days ago
- The tiniest rebuild in Ōtautahi is finally complete
For the last four years, one artist has been rebuilding the lost icons of the city in miniature form. It’s a Friday morning and Mike Beer, aka Ghostcat, is flitting about Pūmanawa Gallery in Ōtautahi making last-minute adjustments. “These are actually from the Canterbury sale yards,” he says, gesturing to ...3 days ago
- ‘Makes me feel better about humanity’: Hannah Tunnicliffe’s favourite writer
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits of Aotearoa writers, and guests. This week: Hannah Tunnicliffe, author of new mystery book for children Detective Stanley and the Mystery at the Museum (illustrated by Erica Harrison). The book I wish I’d written Anything ...3 days ago
- Students are neither left nor right brained: how some early childhood educators get this ‘neuromyt...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate E. Williams, Professor of Education, University of the Sunshine Coast MalikNalik/ Shutterstock Many teachers and parents know neuroscience, the study of how the brain functions and develops, is important for children’s education. Brain development is recommended as part of ...3 days ago
- Reserve Bank’s budget to be slashed by 25%
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced the cut for the next year. ...3 days ago
- Review: The Polkinghorne documentary and what the trial was missing
Does Three’s new true crime series about the trial that gripped the nation bring us any closer to knowing what happened to Pauline Hanna? We all have our vices, and for eight weeks in the winter of 2024 mine was ghoulishly mainlining coverage of the Philip Polkinghorne murder trial. Day ...3 days ago
- $20 billion of funding needed, first ‘Health Infrastructure Plan’ reveals
Simeon Brown has released what he says is a first-ever plan for a national, long-term health infrastructure plan. ...3 days ago
- The rise of linkrot: What happens when the internet starts to disappear?
The internet seems to be permanent. But all those dead links are a reminder that useful information sometimes only stays accessible when someone is paying for it. Sometime in the early 2010s, it occurred to my high school teachers that they ought to be teaching us something about how to ...3 days ago
- ‘Made-up number’: Doctors dispute Simeon Brown’s pay claim
Simeon Brown has accused the senior doctors' union of using patients as "bargaining chips". ...3 days ago
- NZ plugs in to boost US Navy’s space race with China
New Zealand is becoming increasingly involved in operations designed to benefit the US Navy in its space race against China, even as the defence force denies its tentative steps into space have anything to do with military operations. ...3 days ago
- Trump’s trade war puts America’s AI ambitions at risk
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Zomaya, Professor, School of Computer Science, University of Sydney remotevfx.com/Shutterstock The global trade war triggered by US President Donald Trump earlier this month shows no signs of ending anytime soon. In recent days, China suspended exports of a wide range ...3 days ago
- More bulk billing is fine. But what the health system really needs this election is genuine reform
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne Worrying signs are emerging about aspects of Australia’s health system, which will require the attention of whoever wins the ...3 days ago
- Half way through the campaign, how are the major party leaders faring?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Mills, Honorary Senior Lecturer, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Sydney More than two weeks in, we know one thing for sure. This time, the election campaign does matter. In decades past, when voters were more loyally rusted ...3 days ago
- Safe seat syndrome? Why some hospitals get upgrades and others miss out
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anam Bilgrami, Senior Research Fellow, Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy, Macquarie University On his campaign trail, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged A$200 million to upgrade St John of God Midland Public Hospital in Perth. He promised more beds and operating ...3 days ago
- Allowing forests to regrow and regenerate is a great way to restore habitat
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hannah Thomas, PhD candidate in Environmental Policy, The University of Queensland Cynthia A Jackson, Shutterstock Queensland is widely known as the land clearing capital of Australia. But what’s not so well known is many of the cleared trees can grow back ...3 days ago
- A century after its discovery, scientists capture first confirmed footage of a colossal squid in the...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kat Bolstad, Associate professor, Auckland University of Technology The colossal squid was first described in 1925 based on specimens from the stomach of a commercially hunted sperm whale. A century later, an international voyage captured the first confirmed video of this species ...3 days ago
- Students are neither left or right brained: how some early childhood educators get this ‘neuromyth...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate E. Williams, Professor of Education, University of the Sunshine Coast MalikNalik/ Shutterstock Many teachers and parents know neuroscience, the study of how the brain functions and develops, is important for children’s education. Brain development is recommended as part of ...3 days ago
- Pagan loaves, Christian bread, a secular treat: a brief history of hot cross buns
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Historian, Australian Catholic University Jasmine Waheed/Unsplash Hot cross buns aren’t just a sweet snack that appears around Easter. They carry centuries of storytelling in their dough. From ancient gods to modern supermarkets, these sticky spiced buns have ...3 days ago
- Furore Over New Zealand Green MP’s Criticisms Of Police
In a TikTok video, Paul described this as an event “to talk about the police and what alternatives we could have to the police and what radical kind of police abolition could look like in real terms.” ...3 days ago
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