Christchurch Earthquake Bulletin
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- Date published:
12:31 pm, March 10th, 2011 - 22 comments
Categories: labour -
Tags: christchurch earthquake
The Labour Party’s Christchurch electorate MPs – Clayton Cosgrove (Waimakariri), Ruth Dyson (Port Hills), Lianne Dalziel (Christchurch East) and Brendon Burns (Christchurch Central) – are today starting a regular bulletin designed to keep people in their electorates and media informed about what is happening at grass roots level in their electorates.
Here’s the brief accounts from the Labour MPs on how they and their communities are coping with the disaster:
CLAYTON COSGROVE:
Yesterday spent time at Ngā Hau e Whā Marae in Pages Road with Annette King, other Christchurch MPs and Te Tai Tonga candidate Rino Tirikatene. This has become a hub of the community. TPK, Red Cross, Ngāi Tahu, Social Welfare and IRD are operating the equivalent of a one-stop shop, helped by other agencies and a large number of volunteers. Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt drove up unnannounced the other day in his mayoral car, with a trailer behind and a carful of students, and without any publicity they mucked in and helped clean up the street. There is an elderly couple there who have driven up from Timaru in their campervan, and who are there for the long haul because they want to help. And there’s a young bloke whose house has been destroyed, and who has shifted back in with his foster mother, and who’s rolled up his sleeves to help because he’s sick of sitting round doing nothing. The spirit is amazing.
I’ve also been visiting small businesses. They are still finding access a real issue, and there are genuine misgivings about the appropriateness and cost of the Christchurch day off. They say they would release staff for a memorial service anyway, but an official day off will create admin problems with pay etc, and people who have lost so much won’t be able to sit round anyway and put their feet up.
Today I will be talking to civil defence HQ about the agenda for the next MPs briefing. Portaloos and sewerage top the list. We are almost at the end of week 3, and people still don’t have timelines. I am also meeting the Wizard of Canterbury today. He’s here to help people in his own inimitable way.
RUTH DYSON:
Extensive visits to local recovery assistance centres and welfare centres for meetings. I have visited all fish and chip shops, hairdressers and dairies with fact sheets — specific to this electorate — with information specifying who to ring and for what. Linking people to agencies like the Salvation Army.
Went to a Pacific Island community meeting with a number of Pacific Island NGOs at Nga Hau E Wha Marae.
Today I am focusing on helping local business owners gain access to their businesses in the electorate. A number of these have businesses which are not damaged but are still cordoned off. I aim to help those who can safely access their businesses do so. In a number of cases buildings three doors down are damaged, but their businesses are okay. These people need to get onto their sites and assess their own situations.
LIANNE DALZIEL:
Spent a day with Phil Goff in the eastern suburbs. Met a trust that has been set up to focus on families as the foundation of rebuilding in Christchurch. Simply direct crediting money to families in need. This trust allows anonymous targeted personal assistance for families in need. I have helped Cantabrians connect with two needy families in the hard hit area of Bexley http://www.adoptachristchurchfamily.com. I know that many people want to help but don’t know where to start. This is a way to give practical support to families facing an uncertain future. They won’t know who you are but they will know someone cares and that means more than you will ever know. Make it personal and make it real – adopt a family.
Yesterday I attended three community meetings. Constituents were “disappointed” they were “just being told stuff- without the opportunity to engage that they expected- there were no timeframes given for water and sewerage.” Many families now have power but are still without water and sewerage. Residents need timeframes so they can plan ahead- they want best/ worst case scenarios but they are in awe of the work that is going on. Power companies have been fantastic with communications and people on the ground, working night and day.
Today I am attending a meeting at 11am with constituents at Switch Coffee in Brighton.
BRENDON BURNS:
Today I will be helping deliver portaloos I have sourced from a friend in Marlborough who has rounded them up from Marlborough vineyards. Nine have arrived in Christchurch so far. I am getting them delivered to Avonside, one of the worst-hit neighbourhoods in my electorate. They arrived on Tuesday and have now been cleansed etc, and are ready for Avonside.
I put out an issue of my newsletter to constituents today passing on information and helpful advice from officials. I am still receiving anguished calls from Avonside residents after Tuesday night’s report on television suggesting three Christchurch suburbs may be abandoned following the February 22 quake. It is causing much distress and anxiety. The report identified the suburbs as Avonside (in my electorate) Dallington (shared with Lianne Dalziel) and Bexley (where Lianne herself resides). Sure, these suburbs include hundreds of houses that are so badly damaged they may not be rebuilt; there may be particularly affected streets where it’s better to make a park than turn it back into housing once the bulldozers have been through. That is not the same as abandoning whole suburbs. The spur for the story was the Prime Minister saying 10,000 homes may have to be bowled, a figure he later said was not an official estimate. The figure itself is not a huge surprise when you consider more than 3000 were in that category after September 4 and that quake was a tiddler compared to February 22. But the process for communicating such information – and the geo-tech reports which fed it – is with the communities involved and their representatives; not a post-Cabinet news conference which then leads to unacceptable extrapolation that has pole-axed some of my constituents. It’s not as if there aren’t enough stresses here already.
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Labour acknowledges the hundreds of workers today losing their jobs as the Winstone Pulp mill closes and what it will mean for their families and community. ...1 week ago
- Tell National what their $216m tobacco tax cut could have funded instead
In Budget '24, the National Government put aside $216 million to pay for a tax cut which mainly benefitted one company: global tobacco giant Philip Morris. Instead of giving hundreds of millions to big tobacco, National could have spent the money sensibly, on New Zealand. ...1 week ago
- Release: Govt has made up a cost crisis to justify cuts
Te Whatu Ora’s financials from the last year show the Government has manufactured a financial crisis to justify making cuts that are already affecting patient care. ...1 week ago
- Speech: Why Kiwi businesses are the best in the world
The New Zealand business community is unique. It has always punched well above its weight on the world stage. ...1 week ago
- Te Pāti Māori Statement on Israel & Iran
Over 41,000 Palestinian’s have been murdered by Israel in the last 12 months. At the same time, Israel have launched attacks against at least four other countries in the Middle East including Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iran. “You cannot play the aggressor and the victim at the same time,” said ...1 week ago
- Release: Costello makes a fool of the PM
Associate health minister Casey Costello has made a fool of the Prime Minister, because the product she’s been fighting to get a tax cut for and he’s been backing her on is now illegal – and he doesn’t seem to know it. ...1 week ago
- Work to do on climate adaptation
The Finance and Expenditure Committee’s inquiry into climate adaptation is something that must be built on for an enduring framework to manage climate risk. ...2 weeks ago
- End of free RAT tests means more exposure to virus
The end of free Rapid Antigen Tests today is another sign the Government is giving up on the challenge of protecting the community from Covid-19. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government breaks promise on ferry plan
Time has run out for Nicola Willis who has failed to keep her promise to deliver a solution to replace the Interislander ferries by today. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour supports marches for better health
Labour supports Buller and Dunedin communities who are marching today and calling on the Government to act urgently to fix the health crisis. ...2 weeks ago
- Raising speed limits will cost our communities
The Government’s move to disregard all evidence and increase speed limits will result in serious harm. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens stand in solidarity with Buller community
The Green Party stands in solidarity with the Buller community in its silent protest for better healthcare. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Proposed job losses devastating for Timaru
News that the Smithfield meatworks could close is devastating for the hundreds of people who work there, Timaru and the wider region. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Question mark over financial sustainability of Polytechs
The Government is taking tertiary education down a worrying path with new reporting finding that fourteen of the country’s sixteen polytechnics couldn’t survive on their own,” Labour’s tertiary education spokesperson Dr Deborah Russell says. ...2 weeks ago
- TPM issues warning to Govt: Back down or prepare for the wrath of the million Māori
Today the government announced a $30m cut to Te Ahu o Te Reo Māori- a programme that develops te reo Māori among our kaiako. “This announcement is just the latest in an onslaught of attacks on te iwi Māori,” said Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader Rawiri Waititi. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt set to break promise on Dunedin Hospital
The Green Party is calling on the Government to honour its promise to Dunedin and build its new hospital to full capacity. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Dunedin Hospital d-listed by Government
The non-announcement in Dunedin today had Ministers leaving broken promises and a likely severely diluted hospital build in their wake. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour welcomes UAE trade deal
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed today with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Hundreds more jobs cuts on housing frontline
The Government has shown its true intentions for the public service and economy – it’s not to get more public servants back to the office, it’s more job losses. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt not addressing health workforce crisis
The National Government is hiding the gaps in the health workforce from New Zealanders, by not producing a full workforce plan nearly a year into their tenure. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government cuts fair pay for bus drivers
The Government has cut funding for bus drivers to get paid fairly for the work they do, Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...2 weeks ago
- Crown Minerals Bill Advances Colonisation
Today, the Crown Mineral Amendment Bill was read for the first time, reversing the ban on oil exploration off the coast of Taranaki. It was no accident that this proposed law change was read directly after the Government started to unravel the ability of iwi and hapū Māori to have ...2 weeks ago
- Landlord govt finds new way to undermine public housing
Proposed cuts to Kāinga Ora reflect a failure to fully commit to fixing the housing crisis. ...2 weeks ago
- Crown should prove their rights to Foreshore & Seabed – Te Pāti Māori
Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Justice, Tākuta Ferris, has hit out at the Government, demanding the Crown prove its rights to the foreshore, following the Marine and Coastal Area Amendment Bill, passing its first reading. "Māori rights to the foreshore pre-exist the Declaration of Independence, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and ...2 weeks ago
- NZ must urgently help whanau in Lebanon
The Government must immediately help evacuate New Zealanders and Lebanese whanau caught up in the current conflict unfolding across south Lebanon. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Government will revoke oil and gas permits
The Green Party vows to reinstate the oil and gas ban and revoke permits when it returns to government following the coalition’s introduction of legislation to reopen offshore oil and gas exploration this afternoon. ...3 weeks ago
- Overseas investment changes to get New Zealand off the bench
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour says the Government has committed to action on overseas investment, where the country’s policy settings are the worst in the developed world and holding back wage growth. “Cabinet has agreed to the principles for reforming our overseas investment law. At the core of these principles ...7 hours ago - Luxon wraps up East Asia Summit
The annual East Asia Summit (EAS) held in Laos this week underscored the critical role that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plays in ensuring a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. "My first participation in an EAS has been a valuable opportunity to engage ...21 hours ago
- Feedback will improve health and safety system and grow the economy
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says the feedback from the health and safety roadshow will help shape the future of health and safety in New Zealand and grow the economy. “New Zealand’s poorly performing health and safety system could be costing this country billions,” says Ms van ...1 day ago
- Government releases more Fast-track detail
The Government has released the independent Advisory Group’s report on the 384 projects which applied to be listed in the Fast-track Approvals Bill, and further detail about the careful management of Ministers’ conflicts of interest, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop says. Independent Advisory Group Report The full report has now been ...1 day ago
- Government releases plan for affordable electricity
The Government Policy Statement (GPS) on electricity clearly sets out the Government’s role in delivering affordable and secure electricity at internationally competitive prices, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says.“New Zealand’s economic growth and prosperity relies on Kiwi households and businesses having access to affordable and secure electricity at internationally competitive prices. ...1 day ago
- Govt broadly accepts Royal Commission findings
The Government has broadly accepted the findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care whilst continuing to consider and respond to its recommendations. “It is clear the Crown utterly failed thousands of brave New Zealanders. As a society and as the State we should have done better. ...1 day ago
- Brakes put on contractor and consultant spending
The brakes have been put on contractor and consultant spending and growth in the public service workforce, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “Workforce data released today shows spending on contractors and consultants fell by $274 million, or 13 per cent, across the public sector in the year to June 30. ...2 days ago
- Accounts confirm need for spending restraint
The Crown accounts for the 2023/24 year underscore the need for the Government’s ongoing efforts to restore discipline to public spending, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Financial Statements of the Government for the year ended 30 June 2024 were released today. They show net core Crown net debt at ...2 days ago
- Minister to co-chair carbon market negotiations at COP29
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will chair negotiations on carbon markets at this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) alongside Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and Environment, Grace Fu. “Climate change is a global challenge, and it’s important for countries to be enabled to work together and support each other ...2 days ago
- Confirmation of Payee service to improve payment security
A new confirmation of payments system in the banking sector will make it safer for Kiwis making bank transactions, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “In my open letter to the banks in February, I outlined several of my expectations of the sector, including the introduction of a ...2 days ago
- Medicines access continues to increase
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour is pleased to see Pharmac continue to increase availability of medicines for Kiwis with the Government’s largest ever investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,” says Mr Seymour. “When our ...2 days ago
- Strengthening NZ’s emergency management system
The Government has released its long-term vision to strengthen New Zealand’s disaster resilience and emergency management, Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced today. “It’s clear from the North Island Severe Weather Events (NISWE) Inquiry, that our emergency management system was not fit-for-purpose,” Mr Mitchell says. “We’ve seen first-hand ...2 days ago
- Brighter days ahead for Kiwis
Today’s cut in the Official Cash Rate (OCR) to 4.75 per cent is welcome news for families and businesses, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “Lower interest rates will provide much-needed relief for households and businesses, allowing families to keep more of their hard-earned money and increasing the opportunities for businesses ...3 days ago
- Sport NZ asked to update Transgender Inclusion Guiding Principles
Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop has asked Sport NZ to review and update its Guiding Principles for the Inclusion of Transgender People in Community Sport. “The Guiding Principles, published in 2022, were intended to be a helpful guide for sporting bodies grappling with a tricky issue. They are intended ...3 days ago
- Freshwater farm plan rollout set to be paused by end of year
The Coalition Government is restoring confidence to the rural sector by pausing the rollout of freshwater farm plans while changes are made to ensure the system is affordable and more practical for farmers and growers, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “Freshwater farm plans ...3 days ago
- New report shows improvements in air quality
The latest report from the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) and Stats NZ, Our air 2024, reveals that overall air quality in New Zealand is improving, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Statistics Minister Andrew Bayly say. “Air pollution levels have decreased in many parts of the country. New Zealand is ...3 days ago
- New Zealand Climate Change Ambassador appointed
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts has announced the appointment of Stuart Horne as New Zealand’s Climate Change Ambassador. “I am pleased to welcome someone of Stuart’s calibre to this important role, given his expertise in foreign policy, trade, and economics, along with strong business connections,” Mr Watts says. “Stuart’s understanding ...3 days ago
- Plunket to help increase childhood vaccination rates
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti and Associate Health Minister Casey Costello have announced a pilot to increase childhood immunisations, by training the Whānau Āwhina Plunket workforce as vaccinators in locations where vaccine coverage is particularly low. The Government is investing up to $1 million for Health New Zealand to partner ...3 days ago
- Holding careless builders accountable
The Government is looking at strengthening requirements for building professionals, including penalties, to ensure Kiwis have confidence in their biggest asset, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says “The Government is taking decisive action to make building easier and more affordable. If we want to tackle our chronic undersupply of houses ...4 days ago
- Further action to tackle driver licence wait times
The Government is taking further action to tackle the unacceptable wait times facing people trying to sit their driver licence test by temporarily extending the amount of time people can drive on overseas licences from 12 months to 18 months, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The previous government removed fees for ...4 days ago
- Strengthened cyber security support for New Zealand businesses
The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring New Zealand is a safe and secure place to do business with the launch of new cyber security resources, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Cyber security is crucial for businesses, but it’s often discounted for more immediate business concerns. ...4 days ago
- Apprenticeship Boost targets key occupations
Investment in Apprenticeship Boost will prioritise critical industries and targeted occupations that are essential to addressing New Zealand’s skills shortages and rebuilding the economy, Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston say. “By focusing Apprenticeship Boost on first-year apprentices in targeted occupations, ...4 days ago
- Funding boost to reduce wait times at Palmerston North ED
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has announced a funding boost for Palmerston North ED to reduce wait times and improve patient safety and care, as well as new national standards for moving acute patients through hospitals. “Wait times in emergency departments have deteriorated over the past six years and Palmerston ...4 days ago
- Funding boost to reduce wait times at Palmerston North ED
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has announced a funding boost for Palmerston North ED to reduce wait times and improve patient safety and care, as well as new national standards for moving acute patients through hospitals. “Wait times in emergency departments have deteriorated over the past six years and Palmerston ...4 days ago
- Significant investment for affordable housing with Waikato-Tainui
Mehemea he pai mō te tangata, mahia! If it’s good for the people, get on with it! A $35 million Government investment will enable the delivery of 100 affordable rental homes in partnership with Waikato-Tainui, Associate Minister of Housing Tama Potaka says. Investment for the partnership, signed and announced today ...4 days ago
- Unlocking the potential of ethnic businesses
This week’s inaugural Ethnic Xchange Symposium will explore the role that ethnic communities and businesses can play in rebuilding New Zealand’s economy, Ethnic Communities Minister Melissa Lee says. “One of my top priorities as Minister is unlocking the economic potential of New Zealand’s ethnic businesses,” says Ms Lee. “Ethnic communities ...5 days ago
- New Zealand marks anniversary of 7 October
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters are renewing New Zealand’s calls for restraint and de-escalation, on the first anniversary of the 7 October terrorist attacks on Israel. “New Zealand was horrified by the monstrous actions of Hamas against Israel a year ago today,” Mr Luxon says. ...5 days ago
- Iwi-led and partnered projects among those referred for Fast Track approval
Kia uru kahikatea te tū. Projects referred for Fast-Track approval will help supercharge the Māori economy and realise the huge potential of Iwi and Māori assets, Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says. Following robust and independent review, the Government has today announced 149 projects that have significant regional or national ...6 days ago
- Fast-track to boost renewable electricity
The Fast-track Approvals Bill will list 22 renewable electricity projects with a combined capacity of 3 Gigawatts, which will help secure a clean, reliable and affordable supply of electricity across New Zealand, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Government has a goal of doubling New Zealand’s renewable electricity generation. The 22 ...6 days ago
- Fast-track to drive transport projects forward
The Government has enabled fast-track consenting for 29 critical road, rail, and port projects across New Zealand to deliver these priority projects faster and boost economic growth, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “New Zealand has an infrastructure deficit, and our Government is working to fix it. Delivering the transport infrastructure Kiwis ...6 days ago
- Fast-track projects released
The 149 projects released today for inclusion in the Government’s one-stop-shop Fast Track Approvals Bill will help rebuild the economy and fix our housing crisis, improve energy security, and address our infrastructure deficit, Minister for Infrastructure Chris Bishop says. “The 149 projects selected by the Government have significant regional or ...6 days ago
- Ruakākā recreation centre opened
A new multi-purpose recreation centre will provide a valuable wellbeing hub for residents and visitors to Ruakākā in Northland, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. The Ruakākā Recreation Centre, officially opened today, includes separate areas for a gymnasium, a community health space and meeting rooms made possible with support of ...1 week ago
- Extra Government support for farmers and growers in Southland and parts of Otago
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, and Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson announced up to $50,000 in additional Government support for farmers and growers across Southland and parts of Otago as challenging spring weather conditions have been classified a medium-scale adverse event. “The relentless wet weather has been tough on farmers and ...1 week ago
- Government welcomes move to delay EU Deforestation Regulation
Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay today welcomed a move by the European Commission to delay the implementation of the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by 12 months, describing the proposal as a pragmatic step that will provide much-needed certainty for New Zealand exporters and ensure over $200 million in ...1 week ago
- Response to Ministerial Inquiry into School Property
The Government is taking decisive action in response to the Ministerial Inquiry into School Property, which concludes the way school property is delivered is not fit for purpose. “The school property portfolio is worth $30 billion, and it’s critically important it’s managed properly. This Government is taking a series of immediate actions ...1 week ago
- New Government support for residential construction market announced
The Government has announced a new support programme for the residential construction market while the economy recovers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk say. “We know the residential development sector is vulnerable to economic downturns. The lead time for building houses is typically 18 ...1 week ago
- New appointment to the EPA board
Environment Minister Penny Simmonds has confirmed the final appointee to the refreshed Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) board. “I am pleased to welcome Brett O’Riley to the EPA board,” Ms Simmonds says. “Brett is a seasoned business advisor with a long and distinguished career across the technology, tourism, and sustainable business ...1 week ago
- Strengthening resilience with critical road improvement projects
The Government has approved a $226.2 million package of resilience improvement projects for state highways and local roads across the country that will reduce the impact of severe weather events and create a more resilient and efficient road network, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Our Government is committed to delivering ...1 week ago
- Doubling road rehabilitation this summer to prevent potholes
Kiwis will see fewer potholes on our roads with road rehabilitation set to more than double through the summer road maintenance programme to ensure that our roads are maintained to a safe and reliable standard, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is a key ...1 week ago
- Sir Jerry Mateparae appointed in Bougainville post-referendum moderator role
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the announcement of Sir Jerry Mateparae as an independent moderator, to work with the Government of Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Bougainville Government in resolving outstanding issues on Bougainville’s future. “New Zealand is an enduring friend to Papua New Guinea and the ...1 week ago
- Winston Peters calls out opponents and media at New Zealand First annual conference
The NZ First leader has opened the party's 31st annual convention in antagonistic style, calling out opponents and the media alike. ...2 hours ago - Foreign investment rules to be loosened, David Seymour announces
The Associate Minister of Finance says changes to foreign investment laws, to be passed before the end of 2025. ...3 hours ago
- Transport Minister appalled by taxi driver stabbing
Simeon Brown says new legislation will mean harsher penalties for people attacking taxi drivers. ...4 hours ago
- Manawanui: 200,000 litres of diesel has leaked from wreck, says Samoan authorities
And RNZ sources say concerns had been raised about potential leakage from the ship's engine before it departed New Zealand. ...5 hours ago
- Hamilton councillors spend $42k of ratepayer money on training and conferences
It included $3000 on a two-day course in Canada and $790 on a Koru Club membership. ...5 hours ago
- How my collection of Funko Pops ended up in Te Papa
Somewhere in the national museum’s vast storage facility sit 13 bug-eyed plastic figurines, most of them bought from The Warehouse. This is how they got there. If you have managed to avoid them so far, I wouldn’t be offended if you went and read about anything else instead. Funko Pops ...6 hours ago - Is celebrity book culture… good, actually?
Reese Witherspoon is co-writing a thriller with Harlan Coben. At first this annoyed books editor Claire Mabey, but then she did a full 180. Here’s why. I started off thinking I was going to write a dark tirade about celebrities hijacking publishing. But I’ve landed myself squarely on opposing turf ...7 hours ago
- East Asia summit: ‘We’ll get it done’ – PM Christopher Luxon on India trade ...
Analysis - Christopher Luxon made the most of his first East Asia Summit, but the harder ask will be now translating that to tangible results. ...9 hours ago
- New Zealand First to savour electoral victory at Annual General Meeting
Voted out of Parliament in 2020, NZ First clawed its way back to more than 6 percent of the vote, guaranteeing seats in Parliament and at the negotiating table. ...10 hours ago
- The Secret Diary of .. the HMNZS Manawanui
Christopher LuxonLook, I’ve been at a social function with Amanda, you might have seen the Instagram pictures we’ve been posting of us out and about, so I’ve not read the report into the sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui yet, or any of the briefing papers, which I would like to, ...10 hours ago - Anne Salmond: Arrogance laced with ignorance
Comment: After a talk I gave recently, a member of the audience, concerned about the coalition Government’s high-handed dismissal of evidence and its avoidance of public scrutiny on many issues, described their style of governance as ‘arrogance combined with ignorance.’Its difficult to disagree. I have tried, for instance, and failed ...10 hours ago
- How artificial intelligence could be a leap forward for brain disease detection
Two words uttered during a phone call home inspired an AI expert to create an app that can detect brain injuries.“I said, ‘hi mum’ and she said, ‘ okay, what’s wrong?’. It was just two words, how did my mum realise that I’m not in my best mood?” asks Sam ...10 hours ago
- Short story: Baby without a name, by Kirsteen Ure
Even Ailsa’s hair is tired. Thin, split and hungry like the baby. He is five weeks old, with nothing you could call hair yet, just fuzz and dry skin, a sweet smell and sharp nails that Ailsa knows she needs to deal with before he scratches himself.And so far, no ...10 hours ago
- ‘Party in the sky’ over Waiheke: The documentary maker and the UFO encounter
Alex Casey talks to filmmaker Alexis Smith about documenting her journey to communicate with extraterrestrial life. It began with just a few sudden bursts of light. Filmmaker Alexis Smith had been lying on a trampoline with her friend for a few hours on Waiheke Island, and nothing had happened. Exasperated, ...11 hours ago
- ‘You’ll love it, but you’ll hate it’: Christian Cullen on becoming CTI’s most unlikely sta...
Former All Black and current Celebrity Treasure Island castaway Christian Cullen looks back on his life in TV. Every season of Celebrity Treasure Island brings with it a surprise breakout star, and often it’s the person you know the least about or have the lowest expectations for. This season, as ...11 hours ago
- The Weekend: When did you stop listening to new music?
Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was. I will preface this newsletter by acknowledging that I have been old from the day I was born. I was born prematurely but was 10 and a half pounds. A friend once looked at a photo of me at two days old ...11 hours ago
- Why young women like me are rotting in our bedrooms
It’s become an internet trope, but the art of girl rotting dates back at least to the 19th century. The Spinoff Essay showcases the best essayists in Aotearoa, on topics big and small. Made possible by the generous support of our members. I went for a walk after spending a day ...11 hours ago
- ‘A balm for the brokenhearted’: Kirsten Morrell’s perfect weekend playlist
The former Goldenhorse frontwoman shares her perfect weekend playlist. Kirsten Morrell recently finished reading Pip Williams’ The Bookbinder Of Jericho, a novel about women working in a man’s world, and what gets lost when knowledge is withheld. Reading is how the UK-born former Goldenhorse frontwoman enjoys spending her weekends, but ...11 hours ago
- Podcast: The price we pay for cutting costs
The government aims to slash costs without raising taxes, but will slashing spending boost long-term stability or cripple New Zealand’s growth? Bernard Hickey asks finance minister Nicola Willis to explain her thinking. The coalition government plans to significantly cut spending across health, housing and transport with the goal of ...11 hours ago
- 1 News but not as we know it
Comment: Having been badly mauled by the E tū union and the Employment Court for not carrying out proper staff consultation over earlier cutbacks TVNZ’s management is staying silent about its latest cost reduction strategy.The bungled axing of Sunday and Fair Go means no one outside TVNZ is privy to ...11 hours ago
- West Papua – the war on our doorstep under The Pacific spotlight
Pacific Media Watch ABC’s The Pacific has gained rare access into West Papua, a region ruled by Indonesia that has been plagued by military violence and political unrest for decades. Now, as well as the long-running struggle for independence, some say the Melanesian region’s pristine environment is under threat by ...13 hours ago - Published by the Star – the genocide advert that Stuff didn’t want you to see
By John Minto Published in the Christchurch Star newspaper yesterday — this was the advert rejected last week by Stuff, New Zealand’s major news website, by an editorial management which apparently thinks pro-Israel sympathies are more important than the industrial-scale slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza and Lebanon. Stuff told the ...14 hours ago
- Bring France into decolonisation talks, French Polynesian president tells UN
By Stefan Armbruster 0f BenarNews French Polynesia’s president and civil society leaders have called on the United Nations to bring France to the negotiating table and set a timetable for the decolonisation of the Pacific territory. More than a decade after the archipelago was re-listed for decolonisation by the UN ...18 hours ago
- Ministers lift the curtain on fast-track approval conflicts
Analysis - RNZ understands the Cabinet Office would have eventually released it, but the narrative and claims of shady deals had grown loud enough to warrant getting it out earlier. ...21 hours ago
- A year of netball rivalry decided by a single goal
For an entire netball season, barely a hair’s breadth separated the country’s top two school sides, Howick College and Avondale College.Avondale may have been the defending national champions, but Howick seemed to have a slight upper hand each time they met – whether it was the final of the Auckland ...21 hours ago
- The government’s social media ban for kids will exempt ‘low-risk’ platforms. What does that me...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa M. Given, Professor of Information Sciences & Director, Social Change Enabling Impact Platform, RMIT University BAZA Production/Shutterstock In a speech to the New South Wales and South Australian government social media summit today, Federal Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland announced ...22 hours ago
- East Asia summit: Luxon upbeat on chances of free trade deal with India
India's leader wants more trade with this country and ultimately both nations will aim for a free trade deal, the prime minister says. ...23 hours ago
- Open Letter Calls For NZDF To Deploy Cleanup Team, HMNZS Manawanui Leaking Residual Oil
11 October: An open letter has been launched, supported by 350 Aotearoa, Greenpeace and student unions, calling on Defence Minister Judith Collins to urgently task the NZDF with immediately deploying a cleanup team to Sāmoa, to plug any leaks and remove ...23 hours ago - Lowest Support For National In 15 Months; Highest For Labour In 16 Months; In Latest Taxpayers’ Un...
Based on these results, National are down four seats on the last poll to 44, while Labour gains five to 38 seats. The Greens are down one seat to 13 while ACT is up one to 12 seats. New Zealand First are up one seat to nine from the last ...23 hours ago
- Billion-dollar backtrack by fast-tracked seabed mine
The economic windfall promised by a seabed mine off Taranaki was an incentive to use the fast track, but the company’s own claims about its profitability have had to be retracted.On Monday, Manuka Resources claimed its Taranaki seabed mine would contribute a billion dollars a year towards New Zealand’s export ...24 hours ago
- What is pelvic organ prolapse and how is it treated?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer King, Senior Clinical Lecturer, University of Sydney Halfpoint/Shutterstock As a urogynaecologist I care exclusively for women with pelvic floor problems. These are the women with leaking bladders and weak supporting tissues allowing the vaginal walls to bulge outside. Pelvic ...24 hours ago
- Seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources retracts claim it will earn $1 billion a year
It comes after the plan was included in the list of projects up for Fast Track Bill approval. ...1 day ago
- Hope returns to Kashmir after elections, but the ultimate power still belongs to Narendra Modi’s g...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leoni Connah, Lecturer in International Relations, Flinders University This year’s local elections in India’s northernmost territory of Jammu and Kashmir were the first since the national government controversially stripped the region of its semi-autonomous status in 2019. It’s also the first local ...1 day ago
- National takes hit in new TPU-Curia poll
Christopher Luxon has also taken a hit as preferred prime minister, dropping five points to 27.7 percent. ...1 day ago
- Why hurricanes like Milton in the US and cyclones in Australia are becoming more intense and harder ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dowdy, Principal Research Scientist in Extreme Weather, The University of Melbourne Tropical cyclones, known as hurricanes and typhoons in other parts of the world, have caused huge damage in many places recently. The United States has just been hit by Hurricane ...1 day ago
- Christopher Luxon puts another rental property on the market
The Auckland property listed for sale on Friday has a current market valuation, according to Homes.co.nz, of $995,000. ...1 day ago
- As the conflicts in the Middle East dramatically escalate, could Iran acquire a nuclear bomb?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ali Mamouri, Research fellow, Middle East Studies, Deakin University As Israel continues its assault on Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iran appears increasingly backed into a corner. Israel’s efforts to weaken Iran’s proxy network have focused on a number of objectives: eliminating key Hezbollah ...1 day ago
- New teen dramedy Camp Be Better sparkles with potential
Tara Ward watches TVNZ’s new local series about a group of teen delinquents sent to an unusual rehabilitation facility. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. TVNZ’s new teen comedy-drama begins like no other. A balaclava-clad teenager breaks into a fancy house and ...1 day ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘the dancer’ by Zephyr Zhang
A new poem by Zephyr Zhang. the dancer wavy air noodle flailing at the used car yard shake shake shaky shake it my tube bod writhes cosmic spaghetti on hot asphalt a flag in a hurricane waving to strangers in cars waving at shiny sedans ...1 day ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending October 11
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Intermezzo by Sally Rooney (Faber & Faber, $37) Riveting and insightful interview between Rooney and Merve ...1 day ago
Wooop-dee-doo. Its a pity they abdicated responsibility and voted against any mitigating clauses when ceded the democratic rights of their people to Dictator Brownlee. Had they not done so, they might have been better able to properly represent their people in parliament. That they are reduced to helping shift shit-houses around the place and pump out weak PR rather than their real job doesn’t impress me.
(NOTE: Okay, okay – this will be my last anti-Labour comment until after the election. But, seriously, WTF?)
Being critical of Labour is in my opinion, fine. How else are they going to learn?
Of course I do most of mine inside the party because I find that more effective…..
ditto… but not sure they always listen 🙁
Where are they publishing these bulletins?
On the party website and via press release
Carol – on the Labour website here http://labour.org.nz/news/christchurch-earthquake-bulletin-edition-one
Thanks.
“We are almost at the end of week 3, and people still don’t have timelines.” – Clayton Cosgrove
Eh wtf ? It’s only been 16 days (2 weeks, 2 days) since it struck. Perhaps he should get his timeline in order first before banging his drum.
A bit pedantic vidiot? Give him some leeway. They are having a very stressful time of it.
so stressful they can take time out and write screeds of crud ?
Crud like 10,000 houses need to be bulldozed and two suburbs completely moved?
FFS we are in the third week after the incident so it is roughly in the ball park and why are you playing chronographer anyway?
your nitpicking is almost amusing vidiot…. but your total lack of proportion isn’t even close…. so how hard is swishypants working if he’s got time for net practice?
Screeds? It’s about 250 words each. I turn out a 250 word post in ten to fifteen minutes
I manage a wave and smile for the camera without even needing a script written for me these days. My aren’t I clever?
LPrent. What is the difference between visitors, logged in users, and comment authors please?
Visitors are all probable humans that read something on the site within a 2 minute time period. That means that the site has to have detected a request to read a page. If you spend more than 2 minutes reading the page, then you’d drop off the count. That is why the count fluctuates quite a lot.
Within that- Logged in users are those who logged into the site. Obviously the system knows who they are because they are logged in
- Comment authors are those who are not logged into the site, but who have left a comment in a wordpress based site at some time. This is picked up from the cookie information that would normally fill in the comment field with the last value used in a wordpress site. Obviously this will ignore people who don’t store cookies. It will also include people who haven’t left a comment here. Generally it will over represent comment authors by up to double from the names I’ve seen.
As you can see, comment writers and logged in are the minority compared to the lurkers. At times during the day they will get up to 25% of the total. But most of the time they’re closer to 10%.
Thanks. My wife did some research on “Lurkers.” It seems that for every 100 visits to a blog 5 will be frequent commenters, 1or 2 will be occasional commenters. The other 90+ will be lurkers who just visit and read without comment.
It is a very active comments section here. But it’d be about 8% of unique visitors will comment on the long term averages, and about 3% comment regularly (and a lot).
During the day it is quite a lot better than that. But during the NZ dead period from 1am to 7am, the overseas load and local insomniacs virtually don’t comment – which pulls it down overall. Mostly people doing searches.
The averages are definitely pulled down a lot because every couple of months we’ll get something with international attention and gets massive numbers of visitors with no comments. That post on Christchurch Black humor was like that. So was the Marianne Ny post….
It’s astonishing that we’re still getting complaints about cordons hurting businesses a mere two weeks after the post-Sept 4 cordons cut the death toll by at least half, assuming the reduction in trade in the oldest parts of the city is a reasonable proxy for reduced foottraffic and hence the number of innocent passersby hit by (mostly) unrestrained parapets and facades.
At least the MPs are speaking on behalf of the affected shopkeepers but they really shouldn’t be sounding like the CBD property investor Antony Gough whining in Tuesday’s Press.
So Labour MP’s in Christchurch put out a bulletin to try to promote and try to win votes for Labour. Pathetic.
Meanwhile the National led government day by day simply gets on with rescuing and restoring the economy of NZ to help all New Zealanders.
Self promotion versus real action.
Whinging versus working.
Honest John and Battler Bill will see us through.
What a fucking crock.
It’s liars like you that are complicit in destroying this country for the real, day to day honest hard workers that actually contribute to this country. The ones that are facing increased costs of living, lower wages and a government that is content to hand out taxpayer money hand over fist to it’s mates. Media Works, South Canterbury Finance, etc.
John Key and Bill English are the biggest bludgers this country has ever known. Bill with his housing rort and the gall to ask for extra money to clean his house, Key with his transparent trusts and massive tax windfalls he hands himself.
They disgust me.
You disgust me.
Honest John and Battler Bill will see us through.
Doesn’t sound very “ambitious for New Zealand”. I’d prefer a government that will do more than seeing us through.