PM Jacinda Ardern has confirmed our gun laws will change. The terrorist had 5 guns, including two semi automatic weapons. He has a valid NZ gun licence.
The gunman is an Australian who has lived in NZ on and off. He has left a racist, anti-immigrant manifesto in which he praises mass murderer Anders Breivek and Trump supporter Candace Owens.
Solidarity has been shown by world leaders, including the Queen, and Donald Trump, who as usual, showed a complete lack of self awareness, saying a few minutes ago that he didn’t think white supremacy was a rising problem.
I woke up this morning to many messages from friends and family overseas. This attack has shocked the world. One positive feature of the response is that solidarity has been shown from people of all faiths, which suggests the terrorists have instantly failed in their objective to split and divide us.
If you are like me, this morning you’re angry, tearful and confused about how to react. But I know this much; solidarity and aroha will always win.
I imagine she’s already had buy in from the opposition as well as her coalition partners. Bridges is on the same flight to Chch as Ardern this morning. I doubt he’s going to land at the airport and announce National oppose doing something practical to make NZ safer.
I’m more concerned how this guy slipped through the net and wasn’t picked up as an unbalanced nut.
All systems can be spoofed. That is just playing with the probabilities – and fails as a strategy when the gun lobby groups eat away at it. Just look at the current strategies that the gun companies have been using in aussie to get around their post-Tasmania shooting.
Semi-automatic weapons allow even untrained fools to kill and injure a lot people very quickly. If this dickhead had to work a bolt each round, then he’d have been jumped quickly and the weapon taken away from him, as eventually happened.
The real issue here is that there are semi-automatic weapons available. They just need to be destroyed and not allowed on the market. That is a better way of playing the probabilities with the dickheads. That will reduce any death and injury rates.
It is also a lot harder to wrangle around a full ban
According to someone who read the killers manifesto
He hopes that his actions and his choice of firearms will cause further firearm restrictions and force firearms owners to take a side noting that they do little to protect the erosion of their rights.
Then again, Gun owners might see that it’s a good idea and happily relinquish the semi-automatic guns they own, as happened (after some minor grumbling) in Australia after the Port Arthur Massacre.
Seems likely, as to not give the bastards what they want.
The $100m funding boost our spy’s got was mostly for infrastructure and hardware which is fine for after the fact. To actually have a readable report in real time you need analyst making those reports. That just leaves a weapons ban as the most likely course of action.
Clearly another who doesn’t understand the failure that’s was Howard’s Gun Laws.
Read the ABS reports for gun crimes in Australia
Those of the far left just don’t understand attacking law abiding citizens has never worked throughout history.
Prohibition on guns is fine by the far left, but prohibit drugs that would be against their human rights. How many people are killed and injured on our roads through drivers under the influence of drugs in NZ every year, or how many woman and children subjected to physical violence due to drug use each year. How many drug overdose deaths each year, how many self harm incidents each years induced by drugs, how many psychiatric admissions each year by drugs….and the list goes on
That’s right, ban guns, not drugs….wake up you stoners
”Police Association president Greg O’Connor also believed a mass shooting was “inevitable”, telling MPs police had noticed a massive increase in the number of firearms among “those who simply should not have them”.
“We’ve already had mass killings, there are mass killings happening in the United States, we would be naive to think we’re not going to have one here.”‘
“We have an opportunity in this country not to go down the American path.”
Those were the words of former Australian Prime Minister John Howard before he radically changed Australia’s gun laws and – many believe – rid the country of gun violence on a large scale.
You will already be hearing some Kiwis clutching their gun rights. We have to decide which ideals we really follow in NZ. Are we actually clean and green? Are we actually peaceful and safe? Which country do we use as a model for our future?
Hi might just not have been a ‘certified nut’ but rather passed all check and balances had a good laugh at us and our little laws and went on to kill unarmed praying people in a house of worship.
so yes, maybe in NZ we don’t need semi automatics to go hunting?
By making some controversial announcement, she is effectively deflecting attention away from the fact the incompetent Government SHE LEADS have failed the NZ people and allowed this event to occur.
Sure the alleged terrorist pulled the trigger, but it was Ms Photopportnity and the Intelligence and Police she and her responsible Ministers that failed to identify this person as a risk.
I mean the alleged terrorist didn’t exactly hide his intentions, and had been posting regularly on social media for weeks.
As taxpayers we pay multi millions annually to our intellegence and Police services, and they can’t even see him when he’s standing in plain view.
No the Prime Minister failed the NZ people again, she is the boss so the buck stops with her.
Haven’t heard any talk of her sacking the relevant Government Ministers for Intellegence services or Police for gross neglect…no let’s just blame the guns.
will she launch a Royal Commission into how this could have occurred, given all the resources at her Governments disposal.
The PM current verbal flatulence on changing gun laws is nothing more than a smoke screen to press home her Marxist agendas and won’t change a thing for the security of the NZ people.
I suppose the guns sideshow doesn’t work for her, she could get her spin doctors to trot out more family photos for the woman’s magazines.
Gun laws are just another excuse to deflect attention from her Govenments failures.
You can put up all the defences you like to protect the PM, as all the gun laws in the world don’t stop terrorists. Just look up the Lindt cafe and Parramatta police HQ murders. Both incidents by Muslim males, both having no firearms licences, both firearms used were illegal.
Criminals, terrorists etc will always get their hand on illegal firearms
Changing our national laws only makes 1/5 of our population who are law abiding citizens the scapegoats for the Governments failure to identify this terrorist.
the Governments failure to identify this terrorist.
Domestic terrorists who don’t do stupid things that put them on police/security service radar can’t be stopped by anything other then old fashioned dumb luck. And police and security services can’t track people they’ve never heard of.
In reality, counter terrorism isn’t like the movies but hey, I’m sure there’s something new over on NetFlix to stroke yourself over.
Relating to or involving the doctrines or principles of the Hindu or Buddhist tantras, in particular the use of mantras, meditation, yoga, and ritual.
‘tantric yoga’
It wasn’t the present Government either, putting all the terrorism focus onto ISIS and the Middle east, or focusing in on kiwi jihadi brides (not currently living in New Zealand! ) joining ISIS.
No doubt Saintarnuad is even more outraged at these fairly recent Government failures too… yeah right!
It seems you who is doing all the deflecting attention away from the public glare on our inadequate gun laws that are way too relaxed for our own good and if you think that is a “controversial” statement then it says a lot about you.
Completely incorrect, the present firearms legislation requires review in light of recent events, but not attention seeking knee jerk reactions by a desperate PM whose interests lays deflecting any blame from herself and the Government.
So you think our PM is not responsible in any way whatsoever for the recent events? Would love to hear your views on how’s she completely blameless
… the present firearms legislation requires review in light of recent events …
Good that you agree with the PM’s announcement on the need to reform NZ gun laws. That is the topic of the thread; anything else is (a) deflection from this.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been this sad, I feel like our country has been cheated and our sense of togetherness has been shattered. It is so unfair that innocent people seeking safety in what should be a safe home in this country have been let down so badly.
A few puzzles remain, what of the car and people seen driving the gunman away from the Linwood Mosque ? Sure, recall is rarely reliable in such stressful enviroments but still, a few people saw it happen.
I cannot find a reliable timeline to explain how the arsehole got across central Chch that quickly to strike a second target.
Which attack came first, and how did the white Subaru get as far as Brougham Sreet after what must have been over 30 minutes since the start of the attack.
Was it just laziness on behalf of the Police to oppose full scale person and individual gun registration the last time legislation was proposed ?
All the details of what exactly happened will of course be carefully looked at there’ll be conclusions reached and discussions and debate about those conclusions. But as far as why it happened I’m not surprised. It’s interesting the culprits are described as extreme right wing. It’s just a shame that Bridges, Bennett, Collins, Mitchell and their mates don’t have the capacity to ever consider who decides where the line’s drawn.
We also know some of the grief will move to the anger stage. I think Jacinda has given us a legitimate target for that. These weapons in the wrong hands are lethal. Australia took the opportunity to change their laws after the Port Arthur case, and we could do the same here.
As to delays in responding, perhaps it was some minutes before the police and responders realised two mosques were involved? It took some time for help to arrive.
We need to the city to mobilise now to locate the missing three year old, contribute to the fund, reach out to Muslim people with genuine support and aroha, and generally show what we are about. All genuine Kiwis care and feel terrible today.
“All kids are different. They need different information to feel safe, they look for a different level of detail and they are impacted by different parts of the story. Nobody knows your kids better than you do, so it’s important to manage the conversation based on who they are, what they already know, and what it means for them.”
Thank you for that, only this morning I for some reason realised that probably school children across NZ will turn up for the day and will have varying degrees of understanding or information on what happened in NZ on Friday, but they will hear about it and for some of them it may be the first time they have heard about it.
I know my daughter’s first inclination was that her son in some way didn’t need to know, or shouldn’t hear about the awful events in Ch Ch, to be fair I think it was an immediate instinct to “protect” her child.
The weekend has now passed and in case she hasn’t realised herself come tomorrow he will be at school I will be sending her the link to read so she can, if she has not done so, prepare him for what will no doubt be raised at school tomorrow.
This is a clear sign of a changing world now as we begin to have a more libertarian ‘diverse’ population as most overseas first world countries have had for some time and have experienced the same ‘backlash’ from extremists, though most have been historically carried out by Islamic extremists to date as other will obvious evolve.
This is the price we are about to pay for the dramatic changes in the fabric of our changing culture sadly.
How could this happen in NZ? Well as a regular on TS I notice how plugged in to the USA many are, to the extent they hardly discuss NZ at all. There have been many of these shooting accidents over there. When people get obsessed with the USA and their doings it would lead to copycat responses, from the number who are vulnerable to propaganda and outrage, eventually.
Then I notice that Radionz, and I suppose most news reporting private stations, (though I’m not sure about this), report in great detail every attack in the USA, getting the sheriff, the mothers, the colleagues, the bystanders…opinion in detailed reports during the news slot.
Then also there is always the reality of our government showing a lack of interest in NZ citizens needs as terrible holes in our welfare system show, there is a constant degradation of workers and low income lifestyles, while they encourage the rise of housing demand and prices beyond ordinary good citizens’ earning capacity to buy. Then they don’t even ensure there are good rental properties sufficient for the resulting demand from people who would once have been settled and in jobs affording them a reasonable living. Then the government has favoured cheap imports in return for export markets so much that the internal business community with jobs for people in NZ has collapsed because it can’t compete with the cheap imports flooding in and unbalancing our country’s financial standing. We live in a giant ponzi scheme, and though many won’t understand that, they see the results.
And then foreign people get let into the country as refugees. And they get looked after, and get houses. And foreign people are cutting off westerners heads. And it’s not right.
Blame the foreigners. That is basically the pathway to the atrocity we saw
yesterday. The bad stuff just keeps coming and builds up and there seems no end and the thought occurs that someone needs to do something, to show how wrong it all is….
You emphasise the points I was making OneTwo. It is a given that there will be serious matters happening in the world every moment! That means that we have to have our antennas up to catch the details but must not let ourselves
ignore our own problems, now and forecast to come, and we know that there
are big problems scientifically indicated, not just a prophesy like the daily sandwich-boarded man I saw once proclaiming ‘The End is Nigh’.
So we need to be extra bright, so many don’t want to know – have to be dragged complaining, threatening legal resort, to our truths in NZ. And TS can help by being bright and balanced. What other blog or media gives access to thought and opinion to the extent that TS does? Other blogs should be read and they gather comments, TS offers the fusion political cafe. And we care about our country, lot’s don’t, they skim across the water like those magic waterwalking insects (image below!), or they tramp across the landscape like fleeing herds of buffalo. (And I have read that the drive to flee is to get away from the cloud of stinging insects that arise in their area.)
We are animals also, with a heightened sense of our own cleverness, that is unjustified. Now that we can observe our mistakes, and our refusal to admit and think about them, we have to use our cleverness to overcome our clever deviousness.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CU8gYYkwSw
being white, being pakeha, confers zero natural superiority over any other skin colour.
It grants no natural right or privilege over any other skin colour.
It grants no higher intelligence or natural ability over any other skin colour.
It brings with it no basis what so ever to believe in supremacy based on skin colour.
What it does do however is give rise to a ignorant, deluded, sick cancerous belief within a % of the white/pakeha population that somehow skin colour creates superior rights which justifies violence.
Being white/pakeha, that deeply offends me. We don’t need that type of vile filth in our gene pool. I look forward to the day when we have purged that fucked up filth out of our DNA.
You are limiting your statement far to much.
Instead of saying that “sick cancerous belief within a % of the white/pakeha population” you should simply say that “sick cancerous belief within a % of the every racial group in the population”
It isn’t just white people. It is every group of people who will have some percentage who consider themselves to be superior to everyone else.
It is that we have to change.
yes Alwyn, every racial group has it. I just happen to be angry and disgusted that this shit exists in my race, white/pakeha.
The particular piece of trash who perpetrated the terror in Christchurch is a disgrace and abomination to his blood lines. I find ideas of superiority based on race as abhorrent, such ignorant ideas within my own race the worst.
I am a kiwi and a pakeha kiwi and bloody proud to be one. Any arsehole who comes to my country to shoot my countrymen, whatever race ethnicity or religion they are, in the name of racial supremacy offends the core of who I am and what my country does or should stand for.
As I feel at the moment, if the solution to purging this rubbish from white pakeha NZ might mean we dilute the pakeha poluation to the extent we are no longer white skinned, well, lets all get busy with inter racial marriage.
I am as my grandfather said the product of the riff raff of Europe being a mix of English, Irish, Scottish and German but being 5th generation NZ I class myself as Pakeha. I agree that these people who want to keep NZ white offends ME, I do nor feel that my culture translates the best to the Pacific, I prefer to defer to cultures that have been here for 1,000 years and at least 4,000 generations.
What I am concerned with is where we go from here. Once we recover from our grief, do we slide back into being passively a “good” country? To simply “not be racist” when what is required of us is to be outspoken “anti-racists”? I don’t want thoughts and prayers. What I want to see is bold leadership, standing up and uniting in this message: that hate will not be allowed to take root and triumph here. And to then act on that message. I need us all to be courageous and really look inwards at the fears, judgment and complacence we may have allowed into our hearts, and look outward to demand a change in the conversation. And to be that change.
If the alleged shooter was responsible for events at both locations, then perhaps he should be recruited at the Commander of the NZSASR instead of being sent to prison.
This tragic event as being reported in the media just doesn’t seem plausible.
[Go down this track and your time here will rapidly come to an end. I’ve done the trip from Deans Ave to Linwood many, many times. For a person who has no regard for human life, it is entirely possible to do the drive in the time stated by the police. TRP]
Well since you don’t know how to use a dictionary i’m guessing that google is also beyond your skill set. If you do manage to work out how to use it you can find the relevant press conference by the Police Commissioner.
I wonder if Cantabs will be able to feel so proud of the name of their rugby team still, The Crusaders, though I am kind expecting that thought to fly right over the heads of many.
It would appear the Auatralian was here because of our easier gun laws, he would not have been able to legally acquire them and then train up on them over in Oz. So he came here to buy the weapons and then train on them here – all quite legally.
Other Australians, including their government, will be aware this is now a threat to their security, not just our own.
If our gun laws had tightened up in 2017, this person would not have come here.
It’s the misfortune of those at the Christchurch mosques that he decided to make his attack here, for two reasons maybe – the time and risk acquiring such weapons illegally when back in Oz, and because of the name of the city for his homeland people church vs foreign immigrant mosque attack message.
It wasn’t only in 2017 that the opportunity was missed. The first time I remember was in 1990, immediately after the Aramoana tragedy. If Parliament had taken the opportunity immediately to tighten up the laws on the sort of weapon you could own it would have been done.
The trouble is that neither major party was willing to go it alone and as time went by, and people forgot, the impetus was lost. Both parties realised that there were a lot of one-issue voters in the country and if one party tried to put it through they might lose votes to the other side, even if the other side didn’t oppose the bill but simply sat on the fence.
The only thing to do is for at least National and Labour to agree immediately on a suitable law. Then put it through on a joint basis without either party trying to claim the credit as their own.
Winston may, or may not, sound of about it but they should simply ignore him if he does. However do it in a strictly defined way, say a simple ban and buy back of every semi-automatic weapon and pass it. Get it done by the end of the month.
If that doesn’t happen immediately it probably won’t happen at all, just as it never happened in 1990. It isn’t just old men who forget. the bulk of the public will have forgotten the raw horror of yesterday in only a few months time and all those single-issue gun owning voters will be at the front of all the politicians minds.
Get it done this month,while you can carry the whole population with you.
However I do not think Winston Peters will have a problem with this. I think you are being a little harsh, perhaps even partisan.
There are three things need changing:
1 / Banning all semi automatic sales to the general public.
2 / Limiting the size of magazines – This , however is of lesser importance if the civilian population is only allowed single shot hunting, sporting and pest eradication equipment.
3 / Rate of fire. this however will be determined to be moot if number one – banning semi automatics – is successful. Rate of fire was developed in the 19th century to provide a tactical military advantage over an enemy ; Gatling gun.
There is no place in civilian firearms for military style equipment.
There is also a fourth , – that of licensing , – then registering individual firearms – and those firearms being directly linked by registration to that licensed firearms user.
This would cut out the black market sale of firearms to criminal elements.
There are certainly other things about the firearms situation in New Zealand that need looking at.
However I believe that there is, as of today, pretty general agreement that there is no place at all for semi, or fully, automatic rifles outside the Police and the Armed Services.
Banning them in the general public’s hands is something that should be done NOW. If that was put forward immediately I believe that the great majority of the public would accept it and the firearm owners who have these things would get little or no support.
If it becomes a great big investigation into the whole system it will be argued over for years, people will forget the raw horror of this event and nothing will happen.
We will simply have the whole thing becoming bogged down in discussions about whether, while we are at it, we should discuss whether duck shooting should be banned, or deer stalking or whatever. I’m sure there will be those who will want to ban farmers shooting stock that really do need putting out of their misery and so on.
The one thing we can do right now is to get rid of semi-automatic military style weapons. Let’s really do it and not, as is the norm, just talk about it.
The you can worry about the other things.
I don’t know who said it first but I’m sure you remember the comment “Never let a good crisis go to waste”. Well we have such a chance.
So bypass democratic processes, consultation and constructive functional lawful outcomes in lieu of dictorial decree.
Stalin, Hitler, Mao…any of these murderous despots names ring a bell !
It’s a very slippery slope once you start down the pathway “banning” without due process. Guns today, free speech tomorrow, next thing you know people are off to the gas chambers for simply having an opinion
Clearly you don’t understand the legal requirements and legislative process of our parliament under democratic Westminster system….neither does our PM who makes big media grab promises while the victims bodies are still warm.
its really quick sick, turning a tragedy into political opportunism.
4 Power to declare weapons to be restricted weapons or specially dangerous airguns
(1)
For the purposes of this Act, the Governor-General may from time to time, by Order in Council, declare—
(a)
any weapon (including an airgun) to be a restricted weapon; or
(b)
any airgun to be a specially dangerous airgun.
(2)
Any Order in Council made under this section may relate to any weapon or airgun specified by its name or trade name, or to any class of weapons or airguns identified by a description of that class.
(3)
An Order in Council made under this section is a legislative instrument and a disallowable instrument for the purposes of the Legislation Act 2012 and must be presented to the House of Representatives under section 41 of that Act.
Like I said, you clearly don’t understand how legislation work.
If you had any legislative understanding, you clearly understand the wording of Subsection 3, and the ability of The Queen (via divested powers to the Govener General) can make an Order in Council, however this Does Not become law, and is sent to the House of Representatives for review ( i.e to be discussed in senate voted upon)
Unfortunately, our Comrade Princess thinks she has powers, that simply don’t exist.
I never said, or implied, that Winston really was a racist. He doesn’t mind appearing to have a bit of a lean that way if he thinks there are any votes in it though.
However, as someone who will know precisely what the polls are saying about his parties popularity, he might decide that he will become the champion of the gun owners and come out in support of their right to own any sort of weapon they want. They will be, in his view, the salt of New Zealand society and he will be their champion.
There are, I gather, about 250,000 of them in New Zealand. If there are that many prospective votes available Winston will go to bat for them. Going to bat for the votes that is. Winston doesn’t really give a damn about any person except himself.
The terrorist claims his purpose is to provoke a reaction by Moslems which will increase domestic opposition to immigration by Moslems.
Given Islamists attacks in Europe were/are of a design to foster a sense of oppression of the Moslem community by western governments, his real purpose maybe to provoke a crackdown of social media use by white race groups to drive them underground and or radicalise them. Already there are calls to regard these groups the same as Islamist ones who have been barred from social media.
I’ve been tough on this government. But today I’m glad Ardern is PM.
Yesterday and today our PM has shown real class. In particular her comment in response to the trump and his glib comment about white supremacy not being a growing problem.
Asked if she agreed with him, she simply said, no.
I don’t think much of him as the Leader of the Opposition but I do think he would rise to the occasion if he were to leave out the politics unlike the POTUS …
Frankly I think that Simon did well, as did Jacinda. The only thing that does surprise me is that I haven’t heard a word from the Governor-General? Has she said anything on TV which I only watch on very rare occasions?
The Government does have a problem though in that the DHB doesn’t appear to understand the religious need to get the bodies buried immediately.
It is a cultural thing of course and the Hospital is naturally concerned for the living rather than the dead but they shouldn’t have been so slow to try and get the bodies back to the relatives.
Unfortunately it may end up in a slanging match. The relatives are already complaining about the slowness of the process and to most people not of the religion that looks a bit like ingratitude for the Hospital’s work.
The DHB is well acquainted with the cultural problems,it has more difficult circumstances with identification following the earthquakes,where (and as of now ) additional specialist pathologists have to be brought from outside including Australia
The PM provided a diplomatic response to Trump’s disingenuousness. Mia Farrow called him out with less subtlety saying , “As the President of the United States, one of your first acts was to ban Muslims. Your hateful, anti- Muslim, anti refugee words are heard around the world and can inspire the very worst in humans. You are not blameless in this slaughter.”
I want ,… my Prime Minister to enact gun laws against semi automatics and to relegate them only into the hands of our Police and Military.
I want , our Prime Minister to require all responsible NZ firearms owners who wish to own and train with pistols, carbines and hybrid firearms including semi automatics to use designated and legitimate and NZ Police vetted gun clubs as the only fit and proper place to use , train with and store and retain under safe storage practice the aforementioned arms.
Automatics and semi automatics have no place in the sporting , hunting or pest control endeavors of the civilian population of New Zealand. They are , by definition, only the preserve of tactical military application and in the case of the NZ Police , a means of suppression of offenders until such time as apprehension.
I move that all such firearms and their variants and hybrid capacity excepting those used for legitimate hunting or pest control and eradication or used under strict ad vetted sports activity’s be removed from sale and banned for use by the general New Zealand public.
At least you offered “thoughts and prayers” which is more than our PM could offer.
Our religion hating atheist PM could only offer “thoughts”.
Yet it’s well noted in today’s media, that our atheist religion hating PM was wrapping herself up in a Muslim headscarf for a photo opportunity with Muslim families.
So what is it PM, full time atheist unless there is some shallow photo opportunity…pathetic
This PM has no respect, just blatant media opportunism.
And clearly if she understood Islam, she would know that faith regards her lifestyle and morality far more judgementally than other mainstream religions. Moderate followers of Islam would laugh at her as a joke, hard liners however would be considerably more critical in there critique of her donning a religious headscarf.
Hey, I personally don’t care what her lifestyle choices are, but just don’t insult people with hapless disingenuous gestures for a photo opportunity in front of the media.
These people has lost family and friends, they need private time to grieve loved ones, not impromptu visits from Comrade Princess with the press gallery in tow.
I think what they need most is love and support. I am really proud that as a country we are providing that and that we have a PM who is actually capable of these things.
49 people are dead, it must be a bit fucking galling for their families to see newspapers lead with how angelic the victims’ murderer was as a child pic.twitter.com/K9DGwvQ3VO
Well, tonight’s tv news was full of coverage of Tarrant and his background. The efforts by a couple of folks here to deter discussion of that due to some criminologist not liking it obviously died a swift death. Grafton, the NSW town he was born in, features the family as a local institution: the camera showed a large sign saying Tarrant Bridge to illustrate this.
Yesterday’s narrative that he was the product of the Chch skinhead scene evaporated. First, he actually lived in Dunedin, they interviewed his neighbours (who called him friendly). Second, Oz coverage had him growing up there, so the prior report that he grew up here seems wrong. They said he’d travelled to many different countries in the past seven years since his father died. Inheritance explains that lack of need to work.
Now the cops reckon he was both shooters. No explanation of why the other people were arrested, so we await clarification of Paul Buchanan’s reference to a cell of ten. The cops will check that out in regard to adding the charge of terrorism to murder. Whether his manifesto advocated shooting of muslims is a key question re evidence.
If info on Shatpant’s background assists in rooting out more terrorists, then fair enough franky. No doubt industrious polce will look closely into the inheritance/funding issue.
Go on, you can cut straight to the end-game of all this JAQing off. I’m kinda curious what it’s going to be. A Soros-controlled false flag? Something to do with Hillary trying to undermine the Queens Rufous Loofah-faced Shitgibbon? The Illuminati?
Sadly disturbed individuals of all stripes will always be with us BUT if we continue to create the conditions that increase their prevalence we can do nothing but expect increased tragedy.
Why no state of emergency or counter-terror measures invoked? Black bag, intern & render anybody remotely connected to the toxic little man. Soldiers should be guarding all public facilities forthwith. Emboldened neo- Nazis are paying $1.10 to go again
As part of our solidarity with our Muslim brothers and sisters we should be insisting on a far more rigorous inquiry into the unlawful killing of Muslims in Afghan villages
The Hit and Run saga is state sanctioned terrorism
From what i have read Brenton Tarrant was from a poor family in Australia where his father was a ‘bin collector’ so he died before his son was to finish school obviously to support his mother and sister, and worked at a fitness coach at the local gym so he had issues then.
We do know from NZ school admin’s here that the study they made recently showed children need some government assistance to complete school curriculum to get a real career, so he probably was failed here by the system after his father died of asbestos cancer it says in his history.
Tarrant’s family in Grafton, Australia
Tarrant’s father, Rodney Tarrant, died of cancer at age 49 in April 2010, according to an obituary The Daily Examiner in Grafton. He was described as a “dedicated family man” and “competitive athlete.” According to the obituary, Tarrant’s father separated from his mother when he was young.
Tarrant’s family is currently “assisting and cooperating” with investigations from Grafton, nearly 400 miles north of Sydney, local police told CNN.
Apart from the gun control aspect, Australia owns this atrocity as far as I’m concerned. The guy was an Australian citizen, not in the country very long, and not radicalized here.
Maybe we should be considering our diplomatic relations with them especially in context of their deportation policy towards us.
This is a copy of a post I also posted as a comment elsewhere and thought it needed to be said here also:
The so-called Muslims Terrorists who commit Murder are actually just Right-Wing Fascists flying a false flag. The so-called Cristian Terrorists who are committing murder are also Fascists flying a false flag. It is time that the war on Terror is targeted against the true enemy that is these Fascists no matter what false flag they are flying and religious groups they claim to belong to. Arrest all those who facilitate and radicalize all these Fascists.
I’ve just had my dentist’s assistant cancel an appointment because my dentist is in Christchurch to help identify bodies. She is a forensic expert. Such a hideous thought that this is necessary.
by Daphna Whitmore Twitter and Facebook shutting down Trump’s accounts after his supporters stormed Capitol Hill is old news now but the debates continue over whether the actions against Trump are a good thing or not. Those in favour of banning Trump say Twitter and Facebook are private companies and ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Democrats now control the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives for the first time in a decade, albeit with razor thin Congressional majorities. The last time, in the 111th Congress (2009-2011), House Democrats passed a carbon cap and trade bill, but it died ...
Session thirty-three was highly abbreviated, via having to move house in a short space of time. Oh well. The party decided to ignore the tree-monster and continue the attack on the Giant Troll. Tarsin – flying on a giant summoned bat – dumped some high-grade oil over the ...
Last night I stayed up till 3am just to see then-President Donald Trump leave the White House, get on a plane, and fly off to Florida, hopefully never to return. And when I woke up this morning, America was different. Not perfect, because it never was. Probably not even good, ...
Watching today’s inauguration of Joe Biden as the United States’ 46th president, there’s not a lot in common with the inauguration of Donald Trump just four destructive years ago. Where Trump warned of carnage, Biden dared to hope for unity and decency. But the one place they converge is that ...
Dan FalkBritons who switched on their TVs to “Good Morning Britain” on the morning of Sept. 15, 2020, were greeted by news not from our own troubled world, but from neighboring Venus. Piers Morgan, one of the hosts, was talking about a major science story that had surfaced the ...
Sara LutermanGrowing up autistic in a non-autistic world can be very isolating. We are often strange and out of sync with peers, despite our best efforts. Autistic adults have, until very recently, been largely absent from media and the public sphere. Finding role models is difficult. Finding useful advice ...
Doug JohnsonThe alien-like blooms and putrid stench of Amorphophallus titanum, better known as the corpse flower, draw big crowds and media coverage to botanical gardens each year. In 2015, for instance, around 75,000 people visited the Chicago Botanic Garden to see one of their corpse flowers bloom. More than ...
Getting to Browser Tab Zero so I can reboot the computer is awfully hard when the one open tab is a Table of Contents for the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, and every issue has more stuff I want to read. A few highlights: Gugler et al demonstrating ...
Timothy Ford, University of Massachusetts Lowell and Charles M. Schweik, University of Massachusetts AmherstTo mitigate health inequities and promote social justice, coronavirus vaccines need to get to underserved populations and hard-to-reach communities. There are few places in the U.S. that are unreachable by road, but other factors – many ...
Israel chose to pay a bit over the odds for the Pfizer vaccine to get earlier access. Here’s The Times of Israel from 16 November. American government will be charged $39 for each two-shot dose, and the European bloc even less, but Jerusalem said to agree to pay $56. Israel ...
Orla is a gender critical Marxist in Ireland. She gave a presentation on 15 January 2021 on the connection between postmodern/transgender identity politics and the current attacks on democratic and free speech rights. Orla has been active previously in the Irish Socialist Workers Party and the People Before Profit electoral ...
. . America: The Empire Strikes Back (at itself) Further to my comments in the first part of 2020: The History That Was, the following should be considered regarding the current state of the US. They most likely will be by future historians pondering the critical decades of ...
Nathaniel ScharpingIn March, as the Covid-19 pandemic began to shut down major cities in the U.S., researchers were thinking about blood. In particular, they were worried about the U.S. blood supply — the millions of donations every year that help keep hospital patients alive when they need a transfusion. ...
Sarah L Caddy, University of CambridgeVaccines are a marvel of medicine. Few interventions can claim to have saved as many lives. But it may surprise you to know that not all vaccines provide the same level of protection. Some vaccines stop you getting symptomatic disease, but others stop you ...
Back in 2016, the Portuguese government announced plans to stop burning coal by 2030. But progress has come much quicker, and they're now scheduled to close their last coal plant by the end of this year: The Sines coal plant in Portugal went offline at midnight yesterday evening (14 ...
The Sincerest Form Of Flattery: As anybody with the intestinal fortitude to brave the commentary threads of local news-sites, large and small, will attest, the number of Trump-supporting New Zealanders is really quite astounding. IT’S SO DIFFICULT to resist the temptation to be smug. From the distant perspective of New Zealand, ...
RNZ reports on continued arbitrariness on decisions at the border. British comedian Russell Howard is about to tour New Zealand and other acts allowed in through managed isolation this summer include drag queen RuPaul and musicians at Northern Bass in Mangawhai and the Bay Dreams festival. The vice-president of the ...
As families around the world mourn more than two million people dead from Covid-19, the Plan B academics and their PR industry collaborator continue to argue that the New Zealand government should stop focusing on our managed isolation and quarantine system and instead protect the elderly so that they can ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 10, 2021 through Sat, Jan 16, 2021Editor's ChoiceNASA says 2020 tied for hottest year on record — here’s what you can do to helpPhoto by Michael Held on Unsplash ...
Health authorities in Norway are reporting some concerns about deaths in frail elderly after receiving their COVID-19 vaccine. Is this causally related to the vaccine? Probably not but here are the things to consider. According to the news there have been 23 deaths in Norway shortly after vaccine administration and ...
Happy New Year! No, experts are not concerned that “…one of New Zealand’s COIVD-1( vaccines will fail to protect the country” Here is why. But first I wish to issue an expletive about this journalism (First in Australia and then in NZ). It exhibits utter failure to actually truly consult ...
All nations have shadows; some acknowledge them. For others they shape their image in uncomfortable ways.The staunch Labour supporter was in despair at what her Rogernomics Government was doing. But she finished ‘at least, we got rid of Muldoon’, a response which tells us that then, and today, one’s views ...
Grigori GuitchountsIn November, Springer Nature, one of the world’s largest publishers of scientific journals, made an attention-grabbing announcement: More than 30 of its most prestigious journals, including the flagship Nature, will now allow authors to pay a fee of US$11,390 to make their papers freely available for anyone to read ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Gary Yohe, Henry Jacoby, Richard Richels, and Benjamin Santer Imagine a major climate change law passing the U.S. Congress unanimously? Don’t bother. It turns out that you don’t need to imagine it. Get this: The Global Change Research Act of 1990 was passed ...
“They’re here already! You’re next! You’re next! You’re next!”WHO CAN FORGET the penultimate scene of the 1956 movie classic, Invasion of the Body Snatchers? The wild-eyed doctor, stumbling down the highway, trying desperately to warn his fellow citizens: “They’re here already! You’re next! You’re next! You’re next!”Ostensibly science-fiction, the movie ...
TheOneRing.Net has got its paws on the official synopsis of the upcoming Amazon Tolkien TV series. It’s a development that brings to mind the line about Sauron deliberately releasing Gollum from the dungeons of Barad-dûr. Amazon knew exactly what they were doing here, in terms of drumming up publicity: ...
Since Dwight Eisenhower’s inauguration in 1953, US presidents have joined an informal club intended to provide support - and occasionally rivalry - between those few who have been ‘leaders of the free world’. Donald Trump, elected on a promise to ‘drain the swamp’ and a constant mocker of his predecessors, ...
For over a decade commentators have noted the rise of a new brand of explicitly ideological politics throughout the world. By this they usually refer to the re-emergence of national populism and avowedly illiberal approaches to governance throughout the “advanced” democratic community, but they also extend the thought to the ...
The US House of Representatives has just impeached Donald Trump, giving him the dubious honour of being the only US President to be impeached twice. Ten Republicans voted for impeachement, making it the most bipartisan impeachment ever. The question now is whether the Senate will rise to the occasion, and ...
Kieren Mitchell; Alice Mouton, Université de Liège; Angela Perri, Durham University, and Laurent Frantz, Ludwig Maximilian University of MunichThanks to the hit television series Game of Thrones, the dire wolf has gained a near-mythical status. But it was a real animal that roamed the Americas for at least 250,000 ...
Tide of tidal data rises Having cast our own fate to include rising sea level, there's a degree of urgency in learning the history of mean sea level in any given spot, beyond idle curiosity. Sea level rise (SLR) isn't equal from one place to another and even at a particular ...
Well, some of those chickens sure came home bigly, didn’t they… and proceeded to shit all over the nice carpet in the Capitol. What we were seeing here are societal forces that have long had difficulty trying to reconcile people to the “idea” of America and the reality of ...
In the wake of Donald Trump's incitement of an assault on the US capitol, Twitter finally enforced its terms of service and suspended his account. They've since followed that up with action against prominent QAnon accounts and Trumpers, including in New Zealand. I'm not unhappy with this: Trump regularly violated ...
Peter S. Ross, University of British ColumbiaThe Arctic has long proven to be a barometer of the health of our planet. This remote part of the world faces unprecedented environmental assaults, as climate change and industrial chemicals threaten a way of life for Inuit and other Indigenous and northern ...
Susan St John makes the case for taxing a deemed rate of return on excessive real estate holdings (after a family home exemption), to redirect scarce housing resources to where they are needed most. Read the full article here ...
I’m less than convinced by arguments that platforms like Twitter should be subject to common carrier regulation preventing them from being able to decide who to keep on as clients of their free services, and who they would not like to serve. It’s much easier to create competition for the ...
The hypocritical actions of political leaders throughout the global Covid pandemic have damaged public faith in institutions and governance. Liam Hehir chronicles the way in which contemporary politicians have let down the public, and explains how real leadership means walking the talk. During the Blitz, when German bombs were ...
Over the years, we've published many rebuttals, blog posts and graphics which came about due to direct interactions with the scientists actually carrying out the underlying research or being knowledgable about a topic in general. We'll highlight some of these interactions in this blog post. We'll start with two memorable ...
Yesterday we had the unseemly sight of a landleech threatening to keep his houses empty in response to better tenancy laws. Meanwhile in Catalonia they have a solution for that: nationalisation: Barcelona is deploying a new weapon in its quest to increase the city’s available rental housing: the power ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters, PhD The 2020 global wildfire season brought extreme fire activity to the western U.S., Australia, the Arctic, and Brazil, making it the fifth most expensive year for wildfire losses on record. The year began with an unprecedented fire event ...
NOTE: This is an excerpt from a digital story – read the full story here.Tess TuxfordKo te Kauri Ko Au, Ko te Au ko Kauri I am the kauri, the kauri is me Te Roroa proverb In Waipoua Forest, at the top of the North Island, New ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Story of the Week... Coming attraction: IPCC's upcoming major climate assessmentLook for more emphasis on 'solutions,' efforts by cities, climate equity ... and outlook for emissions cuts in ...
Ringing A Clear Historical Bell: The extraordinary images captured in and around the US Capitol Building on 6 January 2021 mirror some of the worst images of America's past.THERE IS A SCENE in the 1982 movie Missing which has remained with me for nearly 40 years. Directed by the Greek-French ...
To impact or not to impeach? I understand why some of those who are justifiably aghast at Trump’s behaviour over recent days might still counsel against impeaching him for a second time. To impeach him, they argue, would run the risk of making him a martyr in the eyes of ...
The Capitol Building, Washington DC, Wednesday, 6 January 2021. Oh come, my little one, come.The day is almost done.Be at my side, behold the sightOf evening on the land.The life, my love, is hardAnd heavy is my heart.How should I live if you should leaveAnd we should be apart?Come, let me ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 3, 2021 through Sat, Jan 9, 2021Editor's ChoiceAfter the Insurrection: Accountability, Reform, and the Science of Democracy The poisonous lies and enablers of sedition--including Senator Hawley, pictured ...
This article, guest authored by Prof. Angela Gallego-Sala & Dr. Julie Loisel, was originally published on the Carbon Brief website on Dec 21, 2020. It is reposted below in its entirety. Click here to access the original article and comments. Peatlands Peatlands are ecosystems unlike any other. Perpetually saturated, their ...
The assault on the US Capitol and constitutional crisis that it has caused was telegraphed, predictable and yet unexpected and confusing. There are several subplots involved: whether the occupation of the Michigan State House in May was a trial run for the attacks on Congress; whether people involved in the ...
On Christmas Eve, child number 1 spotted a crack in a window. It’s a double-glazed window, and inspection showed that the small, horizontal crack was in the outermost pane. It was perpendicular to the frame, about three-quarters of the way up one side. The origins are a mystery. It MIGHT ...
Anne-Marie Broudehoux, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)Will the COVID-19 pandemic prompt a shift to healthier cities that focus on wellness rather than functional and economic concerns? This is a hypothesis that seems to be supported by several researchers around the world. In many ways, containment and physical distancing ...
Does the US need to strike a grand bargain with like-minded countries to pool their efforts? What does this tell us about today’s global politics? Perhaps the most remarkable editorial of last year was the cover leader of the London Economist on 19 November 2020. Shortly after Joe Biden was ...
Alexander Gillespie, University of Waikato and Valmaine Toki, University of WaikatoAotearoa New Zealand likes to think it punches above its weight internationally, but there is one area where we are conspicuously falling behind — the number of sites recognised by the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Globally, there are 1,121 ...
An event organised by the Auckland PhilippinesSolidarity group Have a three-course lunch at Nanam Eatery with us! Help support the organic farming of our Lumad communities through the Mindanao Community School Agricultural Foundation. Each ticket is $50. Food will be served on shared plates. To purchase, please email phsolidarity@gmail.com or ...
"Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here." Prisons are places of unceasing emotional and physical violence, unrelieved despair and unforgivable human waste.IT WAS NATIONAL’S Bill English who accurately described New Zealand’s prisons as “fiscal and moral failures”. On the same subject, Labour’s Dr Martyn Findlay memorably suggested that no prison ...
This is a re-post from Inside Climate News by Ilana Cohen. Inside Climate News is a nonprofit, independent news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for the ICN newsletter here. Whether or not people accept the science on Covid-19 and climate change, both global crises will have lasting impacts on health and ...
. . American Burlesque As I write this (Wednesday evening, 6 January), the US Presidential election is all but resolved, confirming Joe Biden as the next President of the (Dis-)United State of America. Trump’s turbulent political career has lasted just four years – one of the few single-term US presidents ...
The session started off so well. Annalax – suitably chastised – spent a pleasant morning with his new girlfriend (he would say paramour, of course, but for our purposes, girlfriend is easier*). He told her about Waking World Drow, and their worship of Her Ladyship. And he started ...
In a recent column I wrote for local newspapers, I ventured to suggest that Donald Trump – in addition to being a liar and a cheat, and sexist and racist – was a fascist in the making and would probably try, if he were to lose the election, to defy ...
A growing public housing waiting list and continued increase of house prices must be urgently addressed by Government, Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said today. ...
The Government has released its Public Housing Plan 2021-2024 which outlines the intention of where 8,000 additional public and transitional housing places announced in Budget 2020, will go. “The Government is committed to continuing its public house build programme at pace and scale. The extra 8,000 homes – 6000 public ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has congratulated President Joe Biden on his inauguration as the 46th President of the United States of America. “I look forward to building a close relationship with President Biden and working with him on issues that matter to both our countries,” Jacinda Ardern said. “New Zealand ...
A major investment to tackle wilding pines in Mt Richmond will create jobs and help protect the area’s unique ecosystems, Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor says. The Mt Richmond Forest Park has unique ecosystems developed on mineral-rich geology, including taonga plant species found nowhere else in the country. “These special plant ...
To further protect New Zealand from COVID-19, the Government is extending pre-departure testing to all passengers to New Zealand except from Australia, Antarctica and most Pacific Islands, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “The change will come into force for all flights arriving in New Zealand after 11:59pm (NZT) on Monday ...
Bay Conservation Cadets launched with first intake Supported with $3.5 million grant Part of $1.245b Jobs for Nature programme to accelerate recover from Covid Cadets will learn skills to protect and enhance environment Environment Minister David Parker today welcomed the first intake of cadets at the launch of the Bay ...
The Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern and the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Mark Brown have announced passengers from the Cook Islands can resume quarantine-free travel into New Zealand from 21 January, enabling access to essential services such as health. “Following confirmation of the Cook Islands’ COVID ...
Jobs for Nature funding is being made available to conservation groups and landowners to employ staff and contractors in a move aimed at boosting local biodiversity-focused projects, Conservation Minister Kiritapu Allan has announced. It is estimated some 400-plus jobs will be created with employment opportunities in ecology, restoration, trapping, ...
The Government has approved an exception class for 1000 international tertiary students, degree level and above, who began their study in New Zealand but were caught offshore when border restrictions began. The exception will allow students to return to New Zealand in stages from April 2021. “Our top priority continues ...
Today’s deal between Meridian and Rio Tinto for the Tiwai smelter to remain open another four years provides time for a managed transition for Southland. “The deal provides welcome certainty to the Southland community by protecting jobs and incomes as the region plans for the future. The Government is committed ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has appointed Anna Curzon to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). The leader of each APEC economy appoints three private sector representatives to ABAC. ABAC provides advice to leaders annually on business priorities. “ABAC helps ensure that APEC’s work programme is informed by business community perspectives ...
The Government’s prudent fiscal management and strong policy programme in the face of the COVID-19 global pandemic have been acknowledged by the credit rating agency Fitch. Fitch has today affirmed New Zealand’s local currency rating at AA+ with a stable outlook and foreign currency rating at AA with a positive ...
The Government is putting in place a suite of additional actions to protect New Zealand from COVID-19, including new emerging variants, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “Given the high rates of infection in many countries and evidence of the global spread of more transmissible variants, it’s clear that ...
$36 million of Government funding alongside councils and others for 19 projects Investment will clean up and protect waterways and create local jobs Boots on the ground expected in Q2 of 2021 Funding part of the Jobs for Nature policy package A package of 19 projects will help clean up ...
The commemoration of the 175th anniversary of the Battle of Ruapekapeka represents an opportunity for all New Zealanders to reflect on the role these conflicts have had in creating our modern nation, says Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Kiri Allan. “The Battle at Te Ruapekapeka Pā, which took ...
Babies born with tongue-tie will be assessed and treated consistently under new guidelines released by the Ministry of Health, Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Around 5% to 10% of babies are born with a tongue-tie, or ankyloglossia, in New Zealand each year. At least half can ...
The prisoner disorder event at Waikeria Prison is over, with all remaining prisoners now safely and securely detained, Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis says. The majority of those involved in the event are members of the Mongols and Comancheros. Five of the men are deportees from Australia, with three subject to ...
Travellers from the United Kingdom or the United States bound for New Zealand will be required to get a negative test result for COVID-19 before departing, and work is underway to extend the requirement to other long haul flights to New Zealand, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today. “The new PCR test requirement, foreshadowed last ...
With criticism from National piling on over the property market, the prime minister has detailed when the government will make housing announcements. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marco Rizzi, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Western Australia Some Australians could be receiving a COVID-19 vaccine within weeks. Amid the continued spread of the virus and emergence of highly contagious variants, the federal government has accelerated the start of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Australia’s Threatened Species Strategy — a five-year plan for protecting our imperilled species and ecosystems — fizzled to an end last year. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Lecturer, General Dentist & PhD Candidate, The University of Queensland Baby teeth, or milk teeth, act like lighthouses to guide the adult ones to their correct destination. A baby tooth will become wobbly and fall out because the adult tooth ...
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand. This week he’s joined by Simon Coley, co-founder of All Good and Karma Drinks.Bananas are one of the ...
Tackling topics such as rugby and body image, Stuff’s latest podcast shines a much-needed light on Aotearoa’s complex relationship with masculinity, writes Trevor McKewen, author of the book Real Men Wear Black.I wasn’t sure what to think when two episodes of the new local podcast He’ll Be Right landed in ...
The Rainforest Alliance reveals that 68%* of Kiwis say the COVID-19 pandemic has made them more conscious about environmental and social sustainability issues. Seventy two percent* state that they have been trying to make more sustainable purchasing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tama Leaver, Professor of Internet Studies, Curtin University The inventor of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee, has raised concerns that Australia’s proposed News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code could fundamentally break the internet as we know it. His concerns ...
ANALYSIS:By Scott Lucas, University of Birmingham Politics doesn’t have to be a raging fire destroying everything in its path Two weeks after the storming of the US Capitol by the followers of his predecessor, in the middle of an out-of-control pandemic that has killed more than 400,000 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Cantrell, Lecturer, Creative Writing & English Literature, University of Southern Queensland Described as “the world’s greatest storyteller”, Roald Dahl is frequently ranked as the best children’s author of all time by teachers, authors and librarians. However, the new film adaptation of ...
Peak housing body, Community Housing Aotearoa (CHA) welcomes the updated Public Housing Plan announced today by Minister Woods, and the commitment by this Government to fix New Zealand’s housing crisis. The 8,000 additional homes are a significant ...
Having recently walked much of the South Island stretch of Te Araroa, Kirsten O’Regan reflects on the magnificent landscapes and interesting characters she encountered along the way.On our 36th day of walking, we climb through the fire-blackened hills above Ohau, stopping to examine heat-disfigured trail markers. Fresh green shoots have ...
Miss Torta in central Auckland is putting the spotlight on a snack that’s commonplace in Mexico, but until now relatively unknown in New Zealand.You’ve heard of a torta, but what is it, exactly? Well, depending on the cuisine it can mean a flatbread, cake, tart, sweet pie, savoury pie or ...
Two of three ministerial statements from the Beehive have been released in the name of the PM over the past two days. The more important, insofar as it involves political action that will affect the wellbeing of significant numbers of Kiwis, was the release of the government’s Public Housing Plan ...
Jacinda Ardern has reminded Labour MPs "ongoing vigilance" will be required in 2021 to avoid another Covid outbreak, admitting she held her breath over the summer break. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zareh Ghazarian, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, Monash University Despite many young Australians having a deep interest in political issues, most teenagers have a limited understanding about their nation’s democratic system. Results from the 2019 National Assessment Program – Civics and ...
Pinged $65 for overstaying 10 minutes in a parking block? Put away your hard-earned cash and read this first.Hopefully, by now, I’ve already established myself at The Spinoff as the resident tightarse, determined to avoid all unfair and unnecessary punishments (see: oversize baggage charges). Today, I’m focusing my attention on ...
Nuclear weapons states and their allies risk reputational ruin if they flout a new UN Treaty, Carolina Panico argues The United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons will come into force this month, on January 22, 2021, turning nuclear weapons into illegal objects. It is an achievement that ...
How does one turn into a rabid extremist over the description of a children’s bike? Emily Writes looks at Facebook comments so you don’t have to.You’ve been there, I know it. You’re scrolling along, trying to avoid QAnon conspiracy theories and Trump apocalypse memes when a story catches your eye. ...
Joe Biden is now the President of the United States and many people across America and throughout the world will consequently be breathing more easily. But while the erratic, unpredictable and irresponsible years of the Trump Presidency may be over, ...
Tough border testing for New Zealand honey imports to Japan is re-igniting the conversation about the use of the weed killer glypohsate in New Zealand. ...
The Taxpayers Union should be aware of the law and of the history of ACC. The ACC is a legal system introduced in 1974 to replace the common law right of accident victims to sue for damages for personal injury sustained as a result of negligence ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, University of Melbourne Terrorism, political extremism, Donald Trump, social media and the phenomenon of “cancel culture” are confronting journalists with a range of agonising free-speech dilemmas to which there are no easy answers. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Associate Professor of the Sydney Pharmacy School, University of Sydney You’ve just come from your monthly GP appointment with a new script for your ongoing medical condition. But your local pharmacy is out of stock of your usual medicine. Your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deanna D’Alessandro, Professor & ARC Future Fellow, University of Sydney On Wednesday this week, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was measured at at 415 parts per million (ppm). The level is the highest in human history, and is growing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Renwick, Professor, Physical Geography (climate science), Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington It might be summer in New Zealand but we’re in for some wild weather this week with forecasts of heavy wind and rain, and a plunge in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zareh Ghazarian, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, Monash University Despite many young Australians having a deep interest in political issues, most teenagers have a limited understanding about their nation’s democratic system. Results from the 2019 National Assessment Program – Civics and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle O’Shea, Senior Lecturer, School of Business, Western Sydney University Last week, the McIver’s Ladies Baths in Sydney came under fire for their (since removed) policy stating “only transgender women who’ve undergone a gender reassignment surgery are allowed entry”. The policy was ...
There are good grounds for optimism after the guardrails of American democracy held firm through to Joe Biden's inauguration today as President, writes Stephen Hoadley Pessimism abounds about the perilous condition of American democracy. Commentators and headline writers proffer memes such as ‘broken and divided nation’, ‘the threat from within’. ...
*This article was originally appeared on RNZ and is republished with permission. Donald Trump will forever be remembered as the president who was impeached twice - and for his rhetoric that struck a chord so deep in America that it will take years to dissipate. Donald Trump leaves Washington with the lowest approval ...
A new plan shows how and where the Government will build 8,000 new state housing places it funded in Budget 2020, Marc Daalder reports Jacinda Ardern has kicked off the political year with a major announcement, promising hundreds of new state housing places in regional centres across the country. With ...
This is the full transcript of President Joe Biden's speech after being sworn in at his inauguration this morning in Washington DC Chief Justice Roberts, Vice President Harris, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Vice President Pence, and my distinguished guests, my fellow Americans, this is America's day. This ...
Analysis: President Donald Trump has left the White House, and his deputy chief of staff confirms he is withdrawing his candidacy to lead the OECD. New Zealander Christopher Liddell withdrew his nomination to be Secretary-General of the powerful 37-member OECD and was one of the last members of the Trump Administration to depart ...
Kate Wills is facing stage four cancer with the same fierce approach she takes into her ocean swimming - never say can't. Even on the mornings Kate Wills feels wretched from her fortnightly chemotherapy treatment, she drags herself up at 5am and goes swimming. “I have to. It’s my job – to ...
Some costs associated with meetings speak for themselves, others are less conspicuous. Victoria University of Wellington's Val Hooper lays those costs out, making suggestions on where we can rein them in. Meetings – when last did we count the costs? And so it’s back to work and one of the ...
Andrew Paul Wood assesses the best-selling picture book by Grahame Sydney It's no great secret the commercially very successful Grahame Sydney has a long-standing beef that his work doesn’t receive more critical and institutional approval. I sympathise about the lack of critical attention, but I can understand why. The Discourse™ ...
This story was produced in collaboration with the Center for Public Integrity and Columbia Journalism Investigations. It was originally published by Public Integrity, Mother Jones, The Arizona Republic and Orlando Sentinel. It is republished here as part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the ...
Analysis: It has been easy to ignore anyone daring to criticise or even question any aspect of the government’s Covid-19 response. Their voices have rarely been heard, and when they have been raised they have been quickly and decisively howled down by the favoured coterie of academics. ...
Welcome to The Spinoff’s US presidential inauguration live blog: inauguration news, analysis and reaction, updated through Wednesday and Thursday. The inauguration ceremony begins at 5.15am Thursday, NZ time, and Joe Biden takes the oath of office around 6am. 7.25am: And what about Trump?In the early hours of this morning, NZ ...
In 10 x 100, we survey a group of 100 people via Stickybeak and ask them 10 questions. Last month we quizzed Wellingtonians. Today, we ask NZ drivers how they’ve found a holiday period without international tourists, and what they get up to while they’re on the road.Across Aotearoa roads ...
Emmanuel Macron's anti-separatist policies have garnered backlash from the international Muslim community. Now, a global coalition has complained to the UN. ...
Summer reissue: Join Michèle A’Court, Alex Casey and Leonie Hayden as they go on an odyssey of women’s rage, and find out how we can channel our anger into good. First published September 15, 2020.Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded by ...
By Lorraine Ecarma in Cebu City The University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) will continue to stand against any threats to human rights, chancellor Clement Camposano has declared in response to the termination of a long-standing accord preventing military incursion on campus. In a Facebook post, Camposano said the academic ...
ANALYSIS:By Jennifer S. Hunt, Australian National University Every four years on January 20, the US exercises a key tenant of democratic government: the peaceful transfer of power. This year, the scene looks a bit different. If the last US presidential inauguration in 2017 debuted the phrase “alternative facts”, the ...
By Lulu Mark in Port Moresby In spite of Papua New Guinea’s mandatory mask-wearing requirement under the National Pandemic Act 2020, many public servants attending a dedication service in Port Moresby have failed to wear one. They were issued masks before entering the Sir John Guise Indoor Complex but took ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Moro, Associate Professor of Science & Medicine, Bond University How do scabs form? — Talila, aged 8 Great question, Talila! Our skin has many different jobs. One is to act as a barrier, protecting us from harmful things in the ...
US President Donald Trump is pardoning former White House adviser Steve Bannon, who is accused of fraud in a case involving funds for the border wall. ...
Joel Little with Lorde, Dera Meelan with Church & AP, Josh Fountain with Maala and Randa and Benee – producers make good songs great. Now a new fund from NZ on Air is putting the focus on them.Six months ago it looked like the music industry was on the brink ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denise Buiten, Senior Lecturer in Social Justice and Sociology, University of Notre Dame Australia On average, one child is killed by a parent almost every fortnight in Australia. Last week, three children — Claire, 7, Anna, 5, and Matthew, 3 — were ...
This commendable and realistic decision again underlines that it is the police, not government, who are largely responsible for the reduction in cannabis prosecutions over the past 15 years, writes Russell Brown.The news that New Zealand police have discontinued the annual Helicopter Recovery Operation, which has, each summer for more ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ilan Noy, Professor and Chair in the Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington We will not be able to put the COVID-19 pandemic behind us until the world’s population is mostly immune through vaccination ...
Welcome to The Spinoff’s US inauguration live blog: inauguration news, analysis and reaction, updated throughout Wednesday and Thursday, NZ time. Reach me at catherine@thespinoff.co.nz.4.00pm: What will Trump be doing tomorrow?It’s pretty well known by now that outgoing president Donald Trump intends to throw out the rulebook when it comes to ...
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is calling out Mayor Phil Goff for his undignified comment that the claim made by Councillor Greg Sayers asking why Auckland Council is funding yoga classes is “bullshit.” Yesterday, Councillor Greg Sayers penned ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne At 4am Thursday AEDT, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be inaugurated as president and vice president of the United States, replacing Donald Trump and Mike Pence. What follows is ...
*This article was originally published on RNZ and is republished with permission. New Zealanders flocked to beaches and lakes this summer, but it wasn't enough to fill the gap left by international tourists in other regions. The tourism industry is struggling to fill a $6 billion hole left by international tourists ...
Summer reissue: Chef Monique Fiso joins us for a chat about Hiakai – her acclaimed Wellington restaurant, and the title of her stunning new book.First published November 3, 2020.Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded by its members – click here to learn ...
A new trough was brought to our attention this morning, although ethnicity will limit the numbers of eligible applicants. If you are non-Maori, it looks like you shouldn’t bother getting into the queue – but who knows?We learned of the trough from the Scoop website, where the Kapiti ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Britta Denise Hardesty, Principal Research Scientist, Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship, CSIRO Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing costs economies up to US$50 billion globally each year, and makes up to one-fifth of the global catch. It’s a huge problem not only for the ...
Police stopping major cannabis eradication operations has given the green light to drug dealers and gangs to expand operations, make more profit, and continue to wreak havoc on the most vulnerable in our society, says Sensible Sentencing Trust. ...
Varieties of merino wool footwear are emerging faster than Netflix series about British aristocracy. Michael Andrew takes a look at the rise of the shoe that almost everyone – including his 95-year-old grandma – is wearing.Some might say it all started with Allbirds. After all, to the average consumer, it ...
A new report from New Zealand’s Independent Monitoring Mechanism (IMM) highlights the realities and challenges disabled people faced during the COVID-19 emergency. The report, Making Disability Rights Real in a Pandemic, Te Whakatinana i ngā Tika ...
The Maritime Union is questioning the reasons provided for ongoing delays at the Ports of Auckland. Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Craig Harrison says there is a need for an honest conversation about what has gone wrong at the ...
As New Zealand faces a dire shortage of veterinarians, a petition has been launched urging the Government to reclassify veterinarians as critical workers so we can Get Vets into NZ. “New Zealand desperately needs veterinarians from overseas to counter ...
New Zealand is fast developing a reputation as a South Pacific vandal, says Greenpeace, as the government continues to fight against increased ocean protection. At the upcoming meeting of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO), ...
The Department of Internal Affairs and Netsafe are urging parents and caregivers to be mindful of the online content their tamariki may be consuming in the lead up to the inauguration of president-elect of the United States of America Joe Biden ...
Care is at the centre of Auckland Zoo’s mandate, and it’s clear to see when you witness the staff doing their day-to-day jobs up close. Leonie Hayden went behind the scenes to talk to two people who would do anything for the animals they look after. “We were having this ...
The Game Animal Council (GAC) is applying its expertise in the use of firearms for hunting to work alongside Police, other agencies and stakeholder groups to improve the compliance provisions for hunters and other firearms users. The GAC has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Verica Rupar, Professor, Auckland University of Technology “The lie outlasts the liar,” writes historian Timothy Snyder, referring to outgoing president Donald Trump and his contribution to the “post-truth” era in the US. Indeed, the mass rejection of reason that erupted in a ...
The internet ain’t what it used to be, thanks to privacy issues, data leaks, censorship and hate speech. But a group of New Zealanders are working on a way to give power back to the people. A flood of headlines over the last week made it clear: the internet has become ...
How can Jacinda Ardern announce that all gun laws are changing?
Has she got the support of NZ First or National?
I imagine she’s already had buy in from the opposition as well as her coalition partners. Bridges is on the same flight to Chch as Ardern this morning. I doubt he’s going to land at the airport and announce National oppose doing something practical to make NZ safer.
Who do you think will vote against it?
NZ First, maybe National,
There are over 250,000 gun owners in NZ, they might get a bit angry if politicians want to take away their weapons.
It’s hard work to get a firearms license these days, lots and lots of background checks, personal interviews with wives, partners, house visits etc.
I’m more concerned how this guy slipped through the net and wasn’t picked up as an unbalanced nut.
I don’t own a weapon by the way
I’m more concerned how this guy slipped through the net and wasn’t picked up as an unbalanced nut.
All systems can be spoofed. That is just playing with the probabilities – and fails as a strategy when the gun lobby groups eat away at it. Just look at the current strategies that the gun companies have been using in aussie to get around their post-Tasmania shooting.
Semi-automatic weapons allow even untrained fools to kill and injure a lot people very quickly. If this dickhead had to work a bolt each round, then he’d have been jumped quickly and the weapon taken away from him, as eventually happened.
The real issue here is that there are semi-automatic weapons available. They just need to be destroyed and not allowed on the market. That is a better way of playing the probabilities with the dickheads. That will reduce any death and injury rates.
It is also a lot harder to wrangle around a full ban
According to someone who read the killers manifesto
He hopes that his actions and his choice of firearms will cause further firearm restrictions and force firearms owners to take a side noting that they do little to protect the erosion of their rights.
Then again, Gun owners might see that it’s a good idea and happily relinquish the semi-automatic guns they own, as happened (after some minor grumbling) in Australia after the Port Arthur Massacre.
Seems likely, as to not give the bastards what they want.
The $100m funding boost our spy’s got was mostly for infrastructure and hardware which is fine for after the fact. To actually have a readable report in real time you need analyst making those reports. That just leaves a weapons ban as the most likely course of action.
Clearly another who doesn’t understand the failure that’s was Howard’s Gun Laws.
Read the ABS reports for gun crimes in Australia
Those of the far left just don’t understand attacking law abiding citizens has never worked throughout history.
Prohibition on guns is fine by the far left, but prohibit drugs that would be against their human rights. How many people are killed and injured on our roads through drivers under the influence of drugs in NZ every year, or how many woman and children subjected to physical violence due to drug use each year. How many drug overdose deaths each year, how many self harm incidents each years induced by drugs, how many psychiatric admissions each year by drugs….and the list goes on
That’s right, ban guns, not drugs….wake up you stoners
Oh dear the far left lines. Frankly law abiding citizens with military style weapons can just get over themselves.
False equivalence.
Better gun law consultation has already been done – we just need the will to act.
2017 ‘Police Minister Paula Bennett consulted with independent firearms experts, and accepted seven recommendations, but rejected 12.
“We needed to strike the right balance between public safety and the rights of legal firearms owners,” Bennett said at the time.’
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/97512128/opportunity-missed-for-nz-to-tighten-gun-control-laws
and 2016
”Police Association president Greg O’Connor also believed a mass shooting was “inevitable”, telling MPs police had noticed a massive increase in the number of firearms among “those who simply should not have them”.
“We’ve already had mass killings, there are mass killings happening in the United States, we would be naive to think we’re not going to have one here.”‘
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/83499342/mass-shooting-in-new-zealand-inevitable-without-action-on-gun-laws-mps-warned
Australia has benefited from their stand….
“We have an opportunity in this country not to go down the American path.”
Those were the words of former Australian Prime Minister John Howard before he radically changed Australia’s gun laws and – many believe – rid the country of gun violence on a large scale.
You will already be hearing some Kiwis clutching their gun rights. We have to decide which ideals we really follow in NZ. Are we actually clean and green? Are we actually peaceful and safe? Which country do we use as a model for our future?
Hi might just not have been a ‘certified nut’ but rather passed all check and balances had a good laugh at us and our little laws and went on to kill unarmed praying people in a house of worship.
so yes, maybe in NZ we don’t need semi automatics to go hunting?
BM not hard enough for this terrorist to get a gun.
It’s like suicide. The suicide rate dropped dramatically after they changed the lethally of house hold gas.
We will never prevent all terrorist acts, but we can slow them down but limiting their means………
Anyway why the hell does anyone need a semi automatic
She obviously hasn’t got yours. It why you are called a Right Wing Nut Job.
+100%
Why wouldn’t she have their support?
You mean there is another legitimate point of view?
By making some controversial announcement, she is effectively deflecting attention away from the fact the incompetent Government SHE LEADS have failed the NZ people and allowed this event to occur.
Sure the alleged terrorist pulled the trigger, but it was Ms Photopportnity and the Intelligence and Police she and her responsible Ministers that failed to identify this person as a risk.
I mean the alleged terrorist didn’t exactly hide his intentions, and had been posting regularly on social media for weeks.
As taxpayers we pay multi millions annually to our intellegence and Police services, and they can’t even see him when he’s standing in plain view.
No the Prime Minister failed the NZ people again, she is the boss so the buck stops with her.
Haven’t heard any talk of her sacking the relevant Government Ministers for Intellegence services or Police for gross neglect…no let’s just blame the guns.
will she launch a Royal Commission into how this could have occurred, given all the resources at her Governments disposal.
The PM current verbal flatulence on changing gun laws is nothing more than a smoke screen to press home her Marxist agendas and won’t change a thing for the security of the NZ people.
I suppose the guns sideshow doesn’t work for her, she could get her spin doctors to trot out more family photos for the woman’s magazines.
Wrong target.
It wasn’t the present Government that opposed sensible gun laws.
Or who set the spooks onto people that embarrassed them, ordinary citizens computers, and on harmless protesters, instead of terrorists.
BTW. Present day Labour is less “Marxist” than Muldoon. Unfortunately!
Gun laws are just another excuse to deflect attention from her Govenments failures.
You can put up all the defences you like to protect the PM, as all the gun laws in the world don’t stop terrorists. Just look up the Lindt cafe and Parramatta police HQ murders. Both incidents by Muslim males, both having no firearms licences, both firearms used were illegal.
Criminals, terrorists etc will always get their hand on illegal firearms
Changing our national laws only makes 1/5 of our population who are law abiding citizens the scapegoats for the Governments failure to identify this terrorist.
Domestic terrorists who don’t do stupid things that put them on police/security service radar can’t be stopped by anything other then old fashioned dumb luck. And police and security services can’t track people they’ve never heard of.
In reality, counter terrorism isn’t like the movies but hey, I’m sure there’s something new over on NetFlix to stroke yourself over.
Ah Joe90, the catch cry replies from the far left when the truth is too confronting…carry on like a tantric child being rude, abusive & threatening.
Stay in denial Joe90, it’s much easier for your sort to use hate speech from behind the keyboard than mounting a sound structured rebuttal.
My apologies for using too many big words you may not understand.
like a tantric child being rude
Muphry strikes!.
My apologies for using too many big words you may not understand.
Thanks for the laugh.
What a load of rubbish.
Look up where the guns used in shootings, in NZ, come from.
It wasn’t the present Government either, putting all the terrorism focus onto ISIS and the Middle east, or focusing in on kiwi jihadi brides (not currently living in New Zealand! ) joining ISIS.
No doubt Saintarnuad is even more outraged at these fairly recent Government failures too… yeah right!
Another Jacinta apologist eh Maui???
She’s been in power heading on for two years, when are you going to stop blaming the previous Government.
Face it, she’s proven to be a complete dud. There is some talent inside the Labour Party, maybe it’s time they stand up and puss this failed PM aside
It seems you who is doing all the deflecting attention away from the public glare on our inadequate gun laws that are way too relaxed for our own good and if you think that is a “controversial” statement then it says a lot about you.
Completely incorrect, the present firearms legislation requires review in light of recent events, but not attention seeking knee jerk reactions by a desperate PM whose interests lays deflecting any blame from herself and the Government.
So you think our PM is not responsible in any way whatsoever for the recent events? Would love to hear your views on how’s she completely blameless
Good that you agree with the PM’s announcement on the need to reform NZ gun laws. That is the topic of the thread; anything else is (a) deflection from this.
Unless Comrade Princess is now backing down and changed her position, Her verbatim quote was “banning”…not review or discussion
So are you suggesting she’s now changed her position since yesterday?
Where’s ya link? Not what she said at all.
Since you seem a helpful person you wouldn’t mind giving the full quote plus link, would you?
It’s been a long time since I’ve been this sad, I feel like our country has been cheated and our sense of togetherness has been shattered. It is so unfair that innocent people seeking safety in what should be a safe home in this country have been let down so badly.
A few puzzles remain, what of the car and people seen driving the gunman away from the Linwood Mosque ? Sure, recall is rarely reliable in such stressful enviroments but still, a few people saw it happen.
I cannot find a reliable timeline to explain how the arsehole got across central Chch that quickly to strike a second target.
Which attack came first, and how did the white Subaru get as far as Brougham Sreet after what must have been over 30 minutes since the start of the attack.
Was it just laziness on behalf of the Police to oppose full scale person and individual gun registration the last time legislation was proposed ?
All the details of what exactly happened will of course be carefully looked at there’ll be conclusions reached and discussions and debate about those conclusions. But as far as why it happened I’m not surprised. It’s interesting the culprits are described as extreme right wing. It’s just a shame that Bridges, Bennett, Collins, Mitchell and their mates don’t have the capacity to ever consider who decides where the line’s drawn.
Adrian, we all share your sadness and grief.
We also know some of the grief will move to the anger stage. I think Jacinda has given us a legitimate target for that. These weapons in the wrong hands are lethal. Australia took the opportunity to change their laws after the Port Arthur case, and we could do the same here.
As to delays in responding, perhaps it was some minutes before the police and responders realised two mosques were involved? It took some time for help to arrive.
We need to the city to mobilise now to locate the missing three year old, contribute to the fund, reach out to Muslim people with genuine support and aroha, and generally show what we are about. All genuine Kiwis care and feel terrible today.
I hope this helps someone
“All kids are different. They need different information to feel safe, they look for a different level of detail and they are impacted by different parts of the story. Nobody knows your kids better than you do, so it’s important to manage the conversation based on who they are, what they already know, and what it means for them.”
https://www.theparentingplace.com/how-to-talk-about/world-trauma/
Thank you for that, only this morning I for some reason realised that probably school children across NZ will turn up for the day and will have varying degrees of understanding or information on what happened in NZ on Friday, but they will hear about it and for some of them it may be the first time they have heard about it.
I know my daughter’s first inclination was that her son in some way didn’t need to know, or shouldn’t hear about the awful events in Ch Ch, to be fair I think it was an immediate instinct to “protect” her child.
The weekend has now passed and in case she hasn’t realised herself come tomorrow he will be at school I will be sending her the link to read so she can, if she has not done so, prepare him for what will no doubt be raised at school tomorrow.
I’m pleased it may help. It is a challenging conversation for us all and especially for the kids.
This is a clear sign of a changing world now as we begin to have a more libertarian ‘diverse’ population as most overseas first world countries have had for some time and have experienced the same ‘backlash’ from extremists, though most have been historically carried out by Islamic extremists to date as other will obvious evolve.
This is the price we are about to pay for the dramatic changes in the fabric of our changing culture sadly.
This is currently on the SMH website. From Waleed an Australian.
Certainly well worth while watching
Thank you – he spoke very well.
Good post thanks for putting up, well worth the 5 minutes.
How could this happen in NZ? Well as a regular on TS I notice how plugged in to the USA many are, to the extent they hardly discuss NZ at all. There have been many of these shooting accidents over there. When people get obsessed with the USA and their doings it would lead to copycat responses, from the number who are vulnerable to propaganda and outrage, eventually.
Then I notice that Radionz, and I suppose most news reporting private stations, (though I’m not sure about this), report in great detail every attack in the USA, getting the sheriff, the mothers, the colleagues, the bystanders…opinion in detailed reports during the news slot.
Then also there is always the reality of our government showing a lack of interest in NZ citizens needs as terrible holes in our welfare system show, there is a constant degradation of workers and low income lifestyles, while they encourage the rise of housing demand and prices beyond ordinary good citizens’ earning capacity to buy. Then they don’t even ensure there are good rental properties sufficient for the resulting demand from people who would once have been settled and in jobs affording them a reasonable living. Then the government has favoured cheap imports in return for export markets so much that the internal business community with jobs for people in NZ has collapsed because it can’t compete with the cheap imports flooding in and unbalancing our country’s financial standing. We live in a giant ponzi scheme, and though many won’t understand that, they see the results.
And then foreign people get let into the country as refugees. And they get looked after, and get houses. And foreign people are cutting off westerners heads. And it’s not right.
Blame the foreigners. That is basically the pathway to the atrocity we saw
yesterday. The bad stuff just keeps coming and builds up and there seems no end and the thought occurs that someone needs to do something, to show how wrong it all is….
All relevant points , gw…
The ‘world’ is an abusive environment, governments being prime movers in local and foreign abuse of human, animal, plant…
Silos nor vacuums lead to global atrocities such as these…
And as a result, global atrocities will continue on a daily basis…
You emphasise the points I was making OneTwo. It is a given that there will be serious matters happening in the world every moment! That means that we have to have our antennas up to catch the details but must not let ourselves
ignore our own problems, now and forecast to come, and we know that there
are big problems scientifically indicated, not just a prophesy like the daily sandwich-boarded man I saw once proclaiming ‘The End is Nigh’.
So we need to be extra bright, so many don’t want to know – have to be dragged complaining, threatening legal resort, to our truths in NZ. And TS can help by being bright and balanced. What other blog or media gives access to thought and opinion to the extent that TS does? Other blogs should be read and they gather comments, TS offers the fusion political cafe. And we care about our country, lot’s don’t, they skim across the water like those magic waterwalking insects (image below!), or they tramp across the landscape like fleeing herds of buffalo. (And I have read that the drive to flee is to get away from the cloud of stinging insects that arise in their area.)
We are animals also, with a heightened sense of our own cleverness, that is unjustified. Now that we can observe our mistakes, and our refusal to admit and think about them, we have to use our cleverness to overcome our clever deviousness.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CU8gYYkwSw
The Eagle has landed – More bloody foreigners – YouTube
being white, being pakeha, confers zero natural superiority over any other skin colour.
It grants no natural right or privilege over any other skin colour.
It grants no higher intelligence or natural ability over any other skin colour.
It brings with it no basis what so ever to believe in supremacy based on skin colour.
What it does do however is give rise to a ignorant, deluded, sick cancerous belief within a % of the white/pakeha population that somehow skin colour creates superior rights which justifies violence.
Being white/pakeha, that deeply offends me. We don’t need that type of vile filth in our gene pool. I look forward to the day when we have purged that fucked up filth out of our DNA.
You are limiting your statement far to much.
Instead of saying that “sick cancerous belief within a % of the white/pakeha population” you should simply say that “sick cancerous belief within a % of the every racial group in the population”
It isn’t just white people. It is every group of people who will have some percentage who consider themselves to be superior to everyone else.
It is that we have to change.
yes Alwyn, every racial group has it. I just happen to be angry and disgusted that this shit exists in my race, white/pakeha.
The particular piece of trash who perpetrated the terror in Christchurch is a disgrace and abomination to his blood lines. I find ideas of superiority based on race as abhorrent, such ignorant ideas within my own race the worst.
I am a kiwi and a pakeha kiwi and bloody proud to be one. Any arsehole who comes to my country to shoot my countrymen, whatever race ethnicity or religion they are, in the name of racial supremacy offends the core of who I am and what my country does or should stand for.
As I feel at the moment, if the solution to purging this rubbish from white pakeha NZ might mean we dilute the pakeha poluation to the extent we are no longer white skinned, well, lets all get busy with inter racial marriage.
Talking as if ‘race’ is an actual thing like you do enables these people to hold that one ‘race’ is superior over another.
100% alwyn.
End of story.
Thank you for that pragmatic and balanced opinion. I agree totally.
Me too Wild Katipo.
Alwyn is right here, as my dear departed mother taught me that “there is good and bad in everyone”.
and your skin colour is exactly?
Purple with yellow spots.
I am as my grandfather said the product of the riff raff of Europe being a mix of English, Irish, Scottish and German but being 5th generation NZ I class myself as Pakeha. I agree that these people who want to keep NZ white offends ME, I do nor feel that my culture translates the best to the Pacific, I prefer to defer to cultures that have been here for 1,000 years and at least 4,000 generations.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/384852/christchurch-mosque-terror-attacks-a-dark-day-of-grief-shock-and-unspeakable-heartbreak
A thorough background check into the idenities of all suspects please, this lunatic stuff could be a hallmark of manchurian candidates.
One shooter,two events .
One gunman is believed to be responsible for both shootings, police say.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/111313938/live-terror-attack-video-christchurch-mosque-shooting-muslims-new-zealand
And you thinks that’s possible?
If the alleged shooter was responsible for events at both locations, then perhaps he should be recruited at the Commander of the NZSASR instead of being sent to prison.
This tragic event as being reported in the media just doesn’t seem plausible.
[Go down this track and your time here will rapidly come to an end. I’ve done the trip from Deans Ave to Linwood many, many times. For a person who has no regard for human life, it is entirely possible to do the drive in the time stated by the police. TRP]
This tragic event as being reported in the media just doesn’t seem plausible.
That’s as being reported by the Police if you bothered to pay attention.
It’s actually being reported by the media, the police only release a statement
If you bothered with attention to detail
Attention to detail. Like “tantric” children and NZ’s “senate”.
Well since you don’t know how to use a dictionary i’m guessing that google is also beyond your skill set. If you do manage to work out how to use it you can find the relevant press conference by the Police Commissioner.
I wonder if Cantabs will be able to feel so proud of the name of their rugby team still, The Crusaders, though I am kind expecting that thought to fly right over the heads of many.
It would appear the Auatralian was here because of our easier gun laws, he would not have been able to legally acquire them and then train up on them over in Oz. So he came here to buy the weapons and then train on them here – all quite legally.
Other Australians, including their government, will be aware this is now a threat to their security, not just our own.
If our gun laws had tightened up in 2017, this person would not have come here.
It’s the misfortune of those at the Christchurch mosques that he decided to make his attack here, for two reasons maybe – the time and risk acquiring such weapons illegally when back in Oz, and because of the name of the city for his homeland people church vs foreign immigrant mosque attack message.
It wasn’t only in 2017 that the opportunity was missed. The first time I remember was in 1990, immediately after the Aramoana tragedy. If Parliament had taken the opportunity immediately to tighten up the laws on the sort of weapon you could own it would have been done.
The trouble is that neither major party was willing to go it alone and as time went by, and people forgot, the impetus was lost. Both parties realised that there were a lot of one-issue voters in the country and if one party tried to put it through they might lose votes to the other side, even if the other side didn’t oppose the bill but simply sat on the fence.
The only thing to do is for at least National and Labour to agree immediately on a suitable law. Then put it through on a joint basis without either party trying to claim the credit as their own.
Winston may, or may not, sound of about it but they should simply ignore him if he does. However do it in a strictly defined way, say a simple ban and buy back of every semi-automatic weapon and pass it. Get it done by the end of the month.
If that doesn’t happen immediately it probably won’t happen at all, just as it never happened in 1990. It isn’t just old men who forget. the bulk of the public will have forgotten the raw horror of yesterday in only a few months time and all those single-issue gun owning voters will be at the front of all the politicians minds.
Get it done this month,while you can carry the whole population with you.
Yes indeed, and again , 100% support.
However I do not think Winston Peters will have a problem with this. I think you are being a little harsh, perhaps even partisan.
There are three things need changing:
1 / Banning all semi automatic sales to the general public.
2 / Limiting the size of magazines – This , however is of lesser importance if the civilian population is only allowed single shot hunting, sporting and pest eradication equipment.
3 / Rate of fire. this however will be determined to be moot if number one – banning semi automatics – is successful. Rate of fire was developed in the 19th century to provide a tactical military advantage over an enemy ; Gatling gun.
There is no place in civilian firearms for military style equipment.
There is also a fourth , – that of licensing , – then registering individual firearms – and those firearms being directly linked by registration to that licensed firearms user.
This would cut out the black market sale of firearms to criminal elements.
There are certainly other things about the firearms situation in New Zealand that need looking at.
However I believe that there is, as of today, pretty general agreement that there is no place at all for semi, or fully, automatic rifles outside the Police and the Armed Services.
Banning them in the general public’s hands is something that should be done NOW. If that was put forward immediately I believe that the great majority of the public would accept it and the firearm owners who have these things would get little or no support.
If it becomes a great big investigation into the whole system it will be argued over for years, people will forget the raw horror of this event and nothing will happen.
We will simply have the whole thing becoming bogged down in discussions about whether, while we are at it, we should discuss whether duck shooting should be banned, or deer stalking or whatever. I’m sure there will be those who will want to ban farmers shooting stock that really do need putting out of their misery and so on.
The one thing we can do right now is to get rid of semi-automatic military style weapons. Let’s really do it and not, as is the norm, just talk about it.
The you can worry about the other things.
I don’t know who said it first but I’m sure you remember the comment “Never let a good crisis go to waste”. Well we have such a chance.
Well said @Alwyn!
So bypass democratic processes, consultation and constructive functional lawful outcomes in lieu of dictorial decree.
Stalin, Hitler, Mao…any of these murderous despots names ring a bell !
It’s a very slippery slope once you start down the pathway “banning” without due process. Guns today, free speech tomorrow, next thing you know people are off to the gas chambers for simply having an opinion
If the “due process” involves ministerial regulation already empowered by current laws, your “slippery slope” is simply a flat plain to walk over.
And if it requires legislative change, this is why “due process” includes things like legislation passed under urgency. So again, no slope.
But if you have a large enough chip on your shoulder, the lean might make the plain look like a slope, I suppose.
Clearly you don’t understand the legal requirements and legislative process of our parliament under democratic Westminster system….neither does our PM who makes big media grab promises while the victims bodies are still warm.
its really quick sick, turning a tragedy into political opportunism.
Like I said, you clearly don’t understand how legislation work.
If you had any legislative understanding, you clearly understand the wording of Subsection 3, and the ability of The Queen (via divested powers to the Govener General) can make an Order in Council, however this Does Not become law, and is sent to the House of Representatives for review ( i.e to be discussed in senate voted upon)
Unfortunately, our Comrade Princess thinks she has powers, that simply don’t exist.
discussed in senate?
and no, it does not become “law”. It becomes a legislative instrument in force unless parliament explicitly decides to disallow it.
You might want to familiarise yourself with terms as used in the NZ system of government.
The irony is strong in this one!
100% again Wld Katipo.
Winston is not a racist at all.
I never said, or implied, that Winston really was a racist. He doesn’t mind appearing to have a bit of a lean that way if he thinks there are any votes in it though.
However, as someone who will know precisely what the polls are saying about his parties popularity, he might decide that he will become the champion of the gun owners and come out in support of their right to own any sort of weapon they want. They will be, in his view, the salt of New Zealand society and he will be their champion.
There are, I gather, about 250,000 of them in New Zealand. If there are that many prospective votes available Winston will go to bat for them. Going to bat for the votes that is. Winston doesn’t really give a damn about any person except himself.
Alwyn said “if he thinks there are any votes in it”
Yes that’s politics.
And it is not only ‘exclusive’ to Winston.
But every Politician ‘feathers their own nest’ for the future don’t they?
It’s really ‘all about the money for most politicians’- from what i see.
The terrorist claims his purpose is to provoke a reaction by Moslems which will increase domestic opposition to immigration by Moslems.
Given Islamists attacks in Europe were/are of a design to foster a sense of oppression of the Moslem community by western governments, his real purpose maybe to provoke a crackdown of social media use by white race groups to drive them underground and or radicalise them. Already there are calls to regard these groups the same as Islamist ones who have been barred from social media.
Just over 50,000 New Zealanders are Muslims.
1 out of every 1,000 Muslim New Zealanders were killed yesterday.
And another 1 out of every 1000 wounded.
I’ve been tough on this government. But today I’m glad Ardern is PM.
Yesterday and today our PM has shown real class. In particular her comment in response to the trump and his glib comment about white supremacy not being a growing problem.
Asked if she agreed with him, she simply said, no.
+1.
Can you imagine Simon Bridges mangling the multiple press conferences required?
I don’t think much of him as the Leader of the Opposition but I do think he would rise to the occasion if he were to leave out the politics unlike the POTUS …
Frankly I think that Simon did well, as did Jacinda. The only thing that does surprise me is that I haven’t heard a word from the Governor-General? Has she said anything on TV which I only watch on very rare occasions?
The Government does have a problem though in that the DHB doesn’t appear to understand the religious need to get the bodies buried immediately.
It is a cultural thing of course and the Hospital is naturally concerned for the living rather than the dead but they shouldn’t have been so slow to try and get the bodies back to the relatives.
Unfortunately it may end up in a slanging match. The relatives are already complaining about the slowness of the process and to most people not of the religion that looks a bit like ingratitude for the Hospital’s work.
The DHB is well acquainted with the cultural problems,it has more difficult circumstances with identification following the earthquakes,where (and as of now ) additional specialist pathologists have to be brought from outside including Australia
.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1903/S00119/message-from-the-queen-to-the-governor-general.htm [Saturday, 16 March 2019, 12:51 pm]
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1903/S00113/message-from-the-governor-general-christchurch.htm [Friday, 15 March 2019, 5:35 pm]
Bridges has already “burnt his bridges” and is now ‘dead man walking’
The PM provided a diplomatic response to Trump’s disingenuousness. Mia Farrow called him out with less subtlety saying , “As the President of the United States, one of your first acts was to ban Muslims. Your hateful, anti- Muslim, anti refugee words are heard around the world and can inspire the very worst in humans. You are not blameless in this slaughter.”
Gotta respect Mia Farrow for that.
Really…
This would be the same MIA Farrow who protected her peado husband while he was having sexual relations with their adopted child.
Yea, what a bastion of moral fortitude she is !!!
People can be complicated.
I’m sure you’d be a massive enigma if we ever got to know you.
And trump said he like to have sex with his daughter, so there is that…
Also adam when trump asked Jacinda what could he do she said said reach out to Muslim communities with love and sympathy
Indeed, our PM was all class.
I want ,… my Prime Minister to enact gun laws against semi automatics and to relegate them only into the hands of our Police and Military.
I want , our Prime Minister to require all responsible NZ firearms owners who wish to own and train with pistols, carbines and hybrid firearms including semi automatics to use designated and legitimate and NZ Police vetted gun clubs as the only fit and proper place to use , train with and store and retain under safe storage practice the aforementioned arms.
Automatics and semi automatics have no place in the sporting , hunting or pest control endeavors of the civilian population of New Zealand. They are , by definition, only the preserve of tactical military application and in the case of the NZ Police , a means of suppression of offenders until such time as apprehension.
I move that all such firearms and their variants and hybrid capacity excepting those used for legitimate hunting or pest control and eradication or used under strict ad vetted sports activity’s be removed from sale and banned for use by the general New Zealand public.
Blerta – Dance All Around The World – YouTube
Can’t work out if your running for office, or just expecting 5,000,000 Kiwi’s to just bow down to your demands because “you want”
‘Hey hey Woodie Guthrie I know that you know’d, all the things that I’m [we’re] saying and a million times more.’
If you think people quietly praying at a mosque in a peaceful country are your enemy, then you have a very long way to go.
My thoughts and prayers are with those who have had to go through this heartbreaking tragedy.
At least you offered “thoughts and prayers” which is more than our PM could offer.
Our religion hating atheist PM could only offer “thoughts”.
Yet it’s well noted in today’s media, that our atheist religion hating PM was wrapping herself up in a Muslim headscarf for a photo opportunity with Muslim families.
So what is it PM, full time atheist unless there is some shallow photo opportunity…pathetic
There is a thing called respect. You might need to use a dictionary as you obviously have no idea of this concept.
This PM has no respect, just blatant media opportunism.
And clearly if she understood Islam, she would know that faith regards her lifestyle and morality far more judgementally than other mainstream religions. Moderate followers of Islam would laugh at her as a joke, hard liners however would be considerably more critical in there critique of her donning a religious headscarf.
Hey, I personally don’t care what her lifestyle choices are, but just don’t insult people with hapless disingenuous gestures for a photo opportunity in front of the media.
These people has lost family and friends, they need private time to grieve loved ones, not impromptu visits from Comrade Princess with the press gallery in tow.
I think what they need most is love and support. I am really proud that as a country we are providing that and that we have a PM who is actually capable of these things.
In the darkest night, the stars shine brightest.
FFS.
Well, tonight’s tv news was full of coverage of Tarrant and his background. The efforts by a couple of folks here to deter discussion of that due to some criminologist not liking it obviously died a swift death. Grafton, the NSW town he was born in, features the family as a local institution: the camera showed a large sign saying Tarrant Bridge to illustrate this.
Yesterday’s narrative that he was the product of the Chch skinhead scene evaporated. First, he actually lived in Dunedin, they interviewed his neighbours (who called him friendly). Second, Oz coverage had him growing up there, so the prior report that he grew up here seems wrong. They said he’d travelled to many different countries in the past seven years since his father died. Inheritance explains that lack of need to work.
Now the cops reckon he was both shooters. No explanation of why the other people were arrested, so we await clarification of Paul Buchanan’s reference to a cell of ten. The cops will check that out in regard to adding the charge of terrorism to murder. Whether his manifesto advocated shooting of muslims is a key question re evidence.
If info on Shatpant’s background assists in rooting out more terrorists, then fair enough franky. No doubt industrious polce will look closely into the inheritance/funding issue.
There now appears to be some questions as to whether the alleged shooter has posted the online material himself.
More questions being raised as to how he could pull this off himself in just over 30 minutes at two seperate locations.
Christchurch central police station is under a kilometre from the mosque, what was the delay in responding???
Conflicting Witness statements in the media don’t all marry up with the suspect currently before the courts
This whole event is really becoming as questionable as it is tragic
Go on, you can cut straight to the end-game of all this JAQing off. I’m kinda curious what it’s going to be. A Soros-controlled false flag? Something to do with Hillary trying to undermine the Queens Rufous Loofah-faced Shitgibbon? The Illuminati?
Can’t be sure, but apparently Elvis was also seen in the vicinity
The headcam show the journey around HP and down bealy
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/17FE1/production/_106037289_christchurch_mosque_attacks_map04_976-nc.png
Sadly disturbed individuals of all stripes will always be with us BUT if we continue to create the conditions that increase their prevalence we can do nothing but expect increased tragedy.
Why no state of emergency or counter-terror measures invoked? Black bag, intern & render anybody remotely connected to the toxic little man. Soldiers should be guarding all public facilities forthwith. Emboldened neo- Nazis are paying $1.10 to go again
Because that would be simply moronic.
The best way NZ can react is by living life as we always have, not by becoming a fearful, undignified and reactive nation like the US did after 9/11.
As part of our solidarity with our Muslim brothers and sisters we should be insisting on a far more rigorous inquiry into the unlawful killing of Muslims in Afghan villages
The Hit and Run saga is state sanctioned terrorism
From what i have read Brenton Tarrant was from a poor family in Australia where his father was a ‘bin collector’ so he died before his son was to finish school obviously to support his mother and sister, and worked at a fitness coach at the local gym so he had issues then.
We do know from NZ school admin’s here that the study they made recently showed children need some government assistance to complete school curriculum to get a real career, so he probably was failed here by the system after his father died of asbestos cancer it says in his history.
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/03/16/asia/new-zealand-suspect-brenton-tarrant-about-intl/index.html
Tarrant’s family in Grafton, Australia
Tarrant’s father, Rodney Tarrant, died of cancer at age 49 in April 2010, according to an obituary The Daily Examiner in Grafton. He was described as a “dedicated family man” and “competitive athlete.” According to the obituary, Tarrant’s father separated from his mother when he was young.
Tarrant’s family is currently “assisting and cooperating” with investigations from Grafton, nearly 400 miles north of Sydney, local police told CNN.
Apart from the gun control aspect, Australia owns this atrocity as far as I’m concerned. The guy was an Australian citizen, not in the country very long, and not radicalized here.
Maybe we should be considering our diplomatic relations with them especially in context of their deportation policy towards us.
This is a copy of a post I also posted as a comment elsewhere and thought it needed to be said here also:
The so-called Muslims Terrorists who commit Murder are actually just Right-Wing Fascists flying a false flag. The so-called Cristian Terrorists who are committing murder are also Fascists flying a false flag. It is time that the war on Terror is targeted against the true enemy that is these Fascists no matter what false flag they are flying and religious groups they claim to belong to. Arrest all those who facilitate and radicalize all these Fascists.
This Saintarnuad clown seems like another Tarrant in the making.
I’ve just had my dentist’s assistant cancel an appointment because my dentist is in Christchurch to help identify bodies. She is a forensic expert. Such a hideous thought that this is necessary.