Man takes out loan gets partner to co-sign and then they separate. He is unable to pay and so the other party gets WINZ to take money out of her DPB each week to repay the debt
Our bankruptcy law
Owner of whaleoil declares bankruptcy. Partner takes over ownership of whaleoil and puts it up on new site (sounds like a finance company boss transferring assets to wifes trust fund before the firm goes under).
Our new credit contracts law – a limit of 100 % payment on top of a loan
AB borrows a $500 pay day loan from company A – 2 months to pay $1000 (maximum allowed in law).
CS borrows a $500 pay day loan from Company B – 2 months to pay $1000 (maximum allowed in law).
AB borrows a $1000 pay day loan from company B – 4 months to pay $2000 (maximum allowed in law).
CS borrows a $1000 pay day loan from Company A – 4 months to pay $2000 (maximum allowed in law).
A little collusion and company A and B have easily subverted the proposed new laws around lending.
Company C (owned by the partners of the owners of company A and Company B) then lends each borrower $2000 with $4000 payable at the end of the year (maximum allowed in law) – the money owed tied to their car ownership. . They pay, or lose their car. They will try and pay, who wants to lose their car. So on a $1000 loan they have to pay $4000 within a year, or lose their car.
Just saw a TVNZ newsreader telling us the govt has issued a statement critical of the Maduro regime, particularly its failure to act in accord with human rights. Video showing an army vehicle driving over protestors had featured in the report from Caracas earlier. Google didn't find any such statement, but we'll see if it shows up later.
Pro-Maduro folks here will be keen to continue their claims that the regime and the people aren't on opposite sides. The notion will be tested tomorrow, when we see how many respond to Guaido's call for an uprising. I predict that Maduro will not declare that the driver of the army vehicle will be charged with attempted murder. Why not? It would make him seem humanitarian, using the rule of law. Wrong look.
If you replace created with compounded, I would agree. Corruption began with Chavez, apparently. If he had been an authentic socialist, distributing the oil money to the people, the crisis would not have happened. Instead, his daughter is now widely-known to be the richest woman in Venezuela, according to media reports.
Is it? If so, he deserves credit. If the BBC sent a doco crew to verify that, using random street interviews rather than Maduro-selected stooges, we would have a basis to form a more balanced view. To counter claims that regime officials have been siphoning off the oil revenues to enrich themselves, I mean.
Why just those two? All online news sources carry propaganda. Al Jazeera, for instance, provides us with this US propaganda: "It's still very important for three figures in the Maduro regime who have been talking to the opposition over these last three months to make good on their commitment to achieve the peaceful transition of power from the Maduro clique to interim president Juan Guaido," Bolton told reporters.
Such mediators doing non-violent conflict resolution seem a good option. Are they real, or just a figment of Bolton's fevered imagination? Until a journalist interviews them, we can't tell. You think Maduro would allow them to report the news to the media? No, any words of disloyalty and he'd lock them up pronto!
It's true enough, the evidence as to the change in that country during his years is largely positive but so dependent on oil revenue for continuance.
Thus the impact of change in the world oil market, poor management of the state oil company and sanctions.
As to corruption, US financial sanctions because Chavez was not an ally in the war against terrorism or the war on drugs – original excuses, just lead to backdoor operations that people skim off (loss of official channels and accountability). In a world where realpolitic reigns people become cynical and more selfish.
Several commenters here have been consistently pro-Maduro over the past year. I've attempted to open their minds by providing evidence in support of the residual democracy, which Guaido represents. I understand why he seems like a puppet, but I see him as authentic representative of the Venezuelan middle class, using Trump as leverage.
As with Putin, collusion is a reasonable perception, but an alignment of interests is the more reasonable view. Maduro originated as an authentic representative of the Venezuelan lower class. Too bad absolute power corrupts absolutely.
For reals? I haven't been actively commenting as much on here, but I've still been reading TS, and following Venezuelan comments/posts. Can't recall reading anything obviously pro Maduro, maybe I missed it.
It's really sad how power corrupts some leaders, meanwhile the people suffer. I think there is also much pride involved with this particular power struggle, and once again the people suffer, that's what really blows.
Yeah, seems to me the people are split along class lines, unfortunately. And Maduro is not obviously evil. His humanity is evident in some of his videos, such as a wry sense of humour at times.
I've opposed US foreign policy most of my adult life, so it's only in recent years I've trended towards a more-balanced view. In such nuanced situations, generalising can lead us astray. I agree US policy errs in trying to recycle 1980s hegemony (Eliot Abrams). Trump is too thick to realise he's reinforcing the polarisation – reconciliation is the only good way out.
Ends well: "we must encourage efforts to build trust and dialogue across the political divide while marginalizing hardliners who oppose any form of compromise."
Trump ought to delegate someone to go there & make it happen! He lacks the vision, and statesmanship, to do so. A credible Democratic contender for the US presidency would issue a public call for him to pull finger & solve the problem via this method. I bet nobody demonstrates such leadership capacity!
Also interesting that your link piece says Trump is continuing Obama's policy line in Venezuela. Now there's a thought: he ought to get Obama to solve the problem. Call him in to the Oval Office, suggest Obama use the opportunity to provide a model of bipartisan collaboration. Obama is a good talker, let's see if he's also a good actor…
If Guaido represented residual democracy why did he not run against Maduro in the 2018 Presidential elections?
The USA recognition of someone who chose not to contest that election is dubious, their opinion does not count for more than that of the local population.
I'd gone to bed. Unprejudiced people can easily discover the lengthy sequence of anti-democratic moves made by the Maduro regime. Evidence of their policy of faking democracy has been compiled onto several different interlinking Wikipedia pages by researchers. Not hard to find!
"On 11 December 2017, President Maduro announced that many of the main opposition parties, including Justice First and Popular Will, would be banned from participating in the 2018 presidential election… In February 2018, the government announced that elections would be held on 22 April 2018, less than three months before the date. Popular Will announced on 16 February that it would boycott the elections."
I am not convinced, given the performance of opposition parties in the previous parliamentary election (sure the Court removed 3 of those elected to take away a 66% super majority, but beating the government party in the election was done decisively)
There was nothing to stop anyone running as an opposition candidate supported by all of those parties – if anything what Maduro did was to make it easier to unite the opposition behind one candidate. Maybe he wanted to lose, but the opposition taking direction from DC, wanted another course for reasons we can only guess at.
No point participating in an election that has been rigged in advance. The regime stacked their equivalent of our Electoral Commission with its supporters, likewise their Supreme Court. Elections are only viable when designed to be free and fair. The opposition sensibly refused to endorse the charade.
Well, the people who compiled the evidence on Wikipedia disagree. The governments who recognised Guaido as president on the constitutional basis that he cited disagree. When facts are in dispute, opinions will differ. No point arguing against human nature, eh?
Some of the armed forces are with Guaido: "Leopoldo Lopez, his political mentor and the nation's most-prominent opposition activist, stood alongside him. Detained in 2014 for leading a previous round of anti-government unrest. Lopez said he had been released from house arrest by security forces adhering to an order from Guaidó. "I want to tell the Venezuelan people: This is the moment to take to the streets and accompany these patriotic soldiers," Lopez declared."
I recommend reading this piece. it may help explain why you are being told that there is mass support for Guaido, from the people and the military..and yet.."bizarrely"..Maduro is still in power.
Thanks, but that writer believes Maduro was "democratically elected". Wikipedia provides contrary evidence, which I compiled here several months ago.
All we can do when facts are disputed is to appraise competing claims critically. We will then disagree, because we interpret them in accord with our prior bias. My bias is neither left nor right, so ideology doesn't handicap me.
If you are saying that your ideology is Green as in the NZ Green Party then i call bullshit on that. Your opinion often varies widely from that of the Party as you often complain about.
If you are saying that the Greens don't have ideology then i call bullshit on that for reasons that should be obvious.
You seem unaware that the Green movement has always been neither left nor right. Such ignorance makes you unqualified for political commentary. Go back to kindergarten and pay attention this time…
You seem to be unaware that there is more political ideologies than left and right. You take a holier-than-thou attitude like somehow everybody has ideology except you. There are many types of political ideology: left, right, centrist, green, libertarian, authoritarian, anarchist..
You are too fucking stupid to understand your own ideas. And no you aren't Green, that is so obvious from the crap you talk.
How would you know? You've never demonstrated any ability in your comments here that you have the faintest clue about the world that surrounds you. You just get off on being abusive. Pathetic.
Bamboo is an awesome material but many species are very invasive and very difficult to control – repeated use of boosted concentrated herbicide is probably the only practical way to get rid of it.
The problem with that is it can spread into places where it will create issues for the property (under your house, in cracks in the driveway, etc.) or into places where it will not be controlled (a neighbours place, a reserve) or that dug up or cut bamboo will be dumped and start a new colony.
So … If you are going to plant bamboo please pick a species that spreads very slowly (depends on your local climate as well) and cannot spread into somewhere where it will not be controlled.
Hi Gsays – there sure are many upsides to bamboo but it is good to check out the downsides as well and also to check out alternatives. In NZ there has been a bit of research over the years on phytoremediation and whatnot on mine tailings and land stabilisation. It's a pretty interesting field.
I had to look up phytoremediation.. I did come at this from a charcoal making angle, with a view to make wood vinegar (liquid smoke) as a fertiliser, herbicide and perhaps in conjunction with biochar as a soil conditioner.
I suppose why bamboo stood out is because of its quick growing nature (also part of why it can be a pest, as you alluded to).
Fast growing, a bit like hemp, another plant that can offer so many solutions to the problems we face. But that is another story.
“The weak crumble, are slaughtered and are erased from history while the strong, for good or for ill, survive. The strong are respected, and alliances are made with the strong, and in the end peace is made with the strong…our enemies know very well what Israel is capable of doing. They are familiar with our policy. Whoever tries to hurt us—we hurt them”
“I like soft power, but hard power is usually better. You need F-35s (fighter jets), cyber (security), lot of intelligence… Where does the power for hard power come from? It comes from economic power,”
US economic sanctions on North Korea
US economic sanctions on Iran – now extended to all nations that trade with Iran
US economic sanctions on Venezuala – to be extended to Cuba if it does not withdraw its military from Venezuala
US economic sanctions on Russia
US cuts funds to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNWRA) and cuts off aid to the PA
US declares Moslem Brotherhood a terrorist organisation (even though it is not)
But then it’s not about winning – it’s about inspiring fear of being isolated by association with those cut off from the world market. It’s about us and them and fearing the nation which can do this to others. And fear of the USA when it is 100% behind Israel is fear of Israel.
The Chch terror attacks have led to a wholly misplaced questioning of our ways in NZ.
It should be clear: it was a foreigner who invaded and attacked New Zealanders on our own soil.
The attack had nothing to do with New Zealand, other than being a victim.
All this conflating with 'white New Zealand' this and 'racist New Zealand' that and 'haters in New Zealand' the other – it is all a nonsense and without basis in this context.
It was a foreign invasion and attack on New Zealanders on their own soil.
Characterising the mass murderer as an "invader" is potentially misleading – he may have 'invaded' places of religious worship, but he came to NZ legally.
1. Is NZ a peaceful country? It's certainly 'peaceful' for some.
2. Is NZ an equitable country? Less so with each passing day (see answer to Q. 1).
A foreigner entering the country for the purpose of murder and terrorism is not a legal entry, no.
But I don't think the question has been answered – it wasn't "is NZ a peaceful and equitable country?"… it was , in the context of the foreign attack on New Zealanders, "On what basis is this claim that New Zealand is not a peaceful and equitable country made? What is the evidence? "
So, what features of the foreign terror attack make it thus?
Except for the actual NZers who aided fucky mcfuckwit by sharing his manifesto and streaming video with others, and requested a "kill counter" to be added to the video.
Whether or not there were NZers who provided active assistance prior to the act (money, information, advice) is unknown, but we definitely had next-level supporters assisting the PR aspect that every terrorist requires. And then there are the less active supporters, too.
Maybe 1% of NZ citizens have been raised in the Muslim faith.
Vto, you views wiil naturally seem valid from your perspective. I'm suggesting that for those 1% of citizens, NZ perhaps feels like a less peaceful place after a visitor (who entered NZ legally in 2017) murdered 50 of those 1% in an afternoon. To be fair, some of the murder victims were probably too young to be devout Muslims, but it was a very calculated act.
At the risk of making an assumption, I would encourage you to try to examine the events from alternative points of view – walk a mile in their shoes and all that.
Thanks Kram, but I have been viewing the events from the others point of view, and that time spent in said consideration has led to the above questioning… I would encourage others to take up your suggestion and consider it more factually, rather than racing off to conflate anything and everything with the tragedy.
It was a foreigner who attacked New Zealanders.
How does that make New Zealanders less peaceful and equitable?
There is a disconnect going on which has been activated by emotion rather than due consideration.
I accept that most New Zealanders are largely peaceful (although we can each of us have our moments, no?) and probably view NZ as a peaceful, safe country to live in. I certainly count my lucky stars.
It's even possible that the majority of NZers view NZ as an equitable country, although more citizens might contest that view.
The NZ Geographic contention appears to be that "New Zealand" is not a peaceful or equitable country. Based on the events of 15 March 2019 onward, I would really struggle to present the contrary view to those who had partners and/or relatives murdered that day.
This was a targetted massacre. You may cling to the fact that the mass murderer was not raised in NZ, but IMHO it's hazardous to ignore or (worse) deny the racist, violent underbelly in NZ. Just last Sunday anti-Mulsim propaganda was left on church-goers cars in Palmerston North.
"The pamphlet itself uses really extreme language such as 'Islam is the enemy, this is a declaration of war, this is them versus us'," he [Reverend Andy Hickman] said.
Is NZreally that peaceful for all? Is there no room for improvement?
If you believe that you have given these questions “due consideration“, then perhaps we can agree to disagree?
"This was a targetted massacre" … by a foreigner who came to our shores for that specific purpose.
New Zealand is the victim here, not the perpetrator.
I am not ‘clinging’ to the terrorist’s foreign status. That is a basic and important fact. The fact you describe it as ‘clinging’ indicates a desire on your part to subjectively view the evidence.
If the Australian had committed this act in Australia, would this contention about New Zealand even reach people’s frontal lobes? I dont think so. So how does this foreign attack make New Zealand less peaceful and equitable?
It's not even clear that if he had been a New Zealander that he represented us in any meaningful fashion. All the evidence in the public domain strongly suggests he had little to no contact with anyone local, and was radicalised overseas in Europe and the Middle East.
Your question is idiotic and shows a complete myopic view that doesn't consider the many reported and unreported instances of violence, political, domestic, racial, ethnic, gender based and so on. You seem to be reverting back to your old ways which is sad cos I was liking the new considerate and peaceful vto. You live in a complete bubble I think.
The question is perfectly legitimate. The Standard requires those making claims to provide evidence in support of their claims. I got banned for not doing such.
So the question is repeated. What is the evidence?
You ignore the nazis and skinheads in christchurch the white supremacist that ran for mayor twice, the marches – all against others from the 'white' supremacists point of view, they bragged about it and flaunted it. But you, who live in christchurch can't see any evidence, never saw nothing – pull your head out your arse mate, the evidence has been presented for fucken years.
Those people exist in every country = not specifically related to the foreigner attacks = not evidence that supports the contention as so succinctly put, without evidence, by NZ Geo above.
On what basis is this claim that New Zealand is not a peaceful and equitable country made? What is the evidence?
On the basis of the first part of the sentence – the attack on the mosques in Christchurch are the evidence. The mass murder, by a killer, of a group of New Zealanders at prayer. This is not hard stuff. Do you dispute the evidence or diminish the attacks?
That is evidence of an attack by a foreigner on New Zealanders.
How does that make New Zealand less peaceful and equitable? It doesn't.
That evidence perhaps shows that New Zealand is less safe than previously perceived because our border controls and domestic laws are useless when it comes to terrifying Australians, but it does not support the contention that New Zealand is less peaceful and equitable.
In fact, the opposite should be the contention in light of the outpouring of emotion towards the muslim community in the aftermath.
You do understand Marty that it was not a New Zealander who did this don't you
It is you who is the delusional hater marty mars. All your comments ever have is personal attack. Have a look back at your comments in this thread and count the number of personal comments you have made and then count the number of actual points on the issue you have made. Go on – add them up.
I have no personal knowledge of what the Brian Tamaki Man Up program does.
However Hone Harawira does and he claims it really does work. Any chance that Ardern, Robertson, and Davis might just pull their heads in and look at it? Do they really need to simply come out with smart arse comments and refuse to go anywhere near it because they won't get the credit and they don't like Tamaki dissing them?
Andrew Little at least seems willing to consider it. Why not the others? After all you can hardly accuse Hone of being a National Party mouthpiece can you?
Why does Hone say the system works? I am not aware that Hone is trying to get Tamaki to go into politics. I'm not a great fan of Hone's but I believe he really is trying to do something for his people. Ardern, Robertson and Davis show no evidence of any such intention. They are only interested in themselves and in attacking anyone they can't control. Ban anyone who says anything that doesn't flatter them seems to be their style
I have no idea why Hone would say such, and don't consider it relevant because of Tamaki's political aspirations. Hone seeks headlines as well – maybe that is why he commented, plus the fact that he does do good work for his people, including those the programs are aimed at.
If a political aspiration is wrapped around Tamaki's deeds and words then it all makes sense, imo
It may well work – but assuming without evidence that it is best or even good practice is quite a step. Tamaki will have a chance to establish its benefits and may get to implement a trial. Trying to obtain more on prophetic grounds is also quite a step. Had Ardern et al bought Tamaki's claims at face value I expect you still would not be happy.
tamaki needs to man up with the paperwork. Interesting that seems to have been overlooked in the link.
Man up can't even provide the proper documentation by the sounds of it, I heard only one piece of paper was produced. A government can't analyse a proposal with out the information/documentation.
If tamaki's program is not copyrighted, then why not create a new improved model of it, without a patched up wanna be christian gang milking running it…..
Maybe Hone could man up and help brian with the paperwork….
However Hone Harawira does and he claims it really does work.
Do you consider Hone Harawira to be a person of excellent judgement and discernment? Because I don't, and I'd be very surprised if you do.
There's also the matter of the Harawiras not having a great history when it comes to dealing with others' mental problems. His opinion on the efficacy of the Man Up programme may actually be of less value than other people's.
Then there's the documented instances of Man Up "counsellors" telling abusers the violence is their wife's fault for provoking them. If that "really does work," what is the "work" that's being achieved?
Any chance that Ardern, Robertson, and Davis might just pull their heads in and look at it?
Why would they look at it? There's a process for getting your programme into prisons, and it doesn't involve either standing outside Parliament shouting, or the PM and Minister of Corrections examining your programme to see if they personally think it's a good idea or not. There's nothing to stop Tamaki following that process, although I doubt his application would get a very welcome reception at Corrections now.
Don Brash seeks legal advice after being called out by the Maori Council for inciting racisim and violence. I’m not much of a Maori…lighter skin and disconnected from my culture. Even so I wouldn’t feel comfortable eating dinner with the guy. I find him judgemental, misinformed.
Tukaki also said Hobson’s Pledge was “nothing more than a divisive group of haters who would do nothing more than send us all back to the dark ages”.
“They may wear suits and drive around in late model expensive European cars … but they are nothing more than a gang of misfits that seek to incite hate and divide the country.
“They should be held to account,” Tukaki said.
“They’re creating an environment…in which hate is breeding and not just breeding but duplicating and replicating.”
He said if the lobby group wanted to become a political party it should “go for it” because “then all of your policies will be seen for what they are.”
Tukaki said the Māori Council was concerned that comments Hobson’s Pledge leaders had made in public constituted “incitement to both violence and racism, hate and the segregation of New Zealand society”.
Hobsons’ Pledge spokesman Don Brash said claims of racism were “absolutely outrageously stupid” and he was taking legal advice.
Unfortunately I don’t have faith in our HRC. Do they even care? Are they resourced enough to investigated, or should we start a GoFundMe page?
Yes – very elegant. But it has a logical flaw – if you are being a dick, you mostly can't tell whether you are being a dick of not.
So as well as YES and NO options, there should be a DON'T KNOW option. The flow from the DON"T KNOW option should return to the question "Are you being a dick?"
Thus, unwitting dicks are trapped in a potentially endless loop of self-questioning. The time-consuming anxiety of endless self-analysis might just stop them from being dicks.
No, I think many dicks have issues with reading comprehension and they’ll read the question as “do you have a dick?”. The result is the same though: an infinite loop. And that’s how you know somebody is a dick
Probably doesn't make much difference to him – bail might have been hard to get while he works through the US (and possibly revitalised Swedish) extradition case(s).
Yes Dennis, some of his behaviour is likely due to his upbringing – which of his parents do we blame for that?
"Assange had a nomadic childhood, and had lived in over thirty Australian towns and cities by the time he reached his mid-teens, when he settled with his mother and half-brother in Melbourne."
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NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is sounding the alarm about the latest attack on workers from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden, who is ignoring her own officials to pursue reckless changes that would completely undermine the personal grievance system. “Brooke van Velden’s changes will ...
Hi,When I started writing Webworm in 2020, I wrote a lot about the conspiracy theories that were suddenly invading our Twitter timelines and Facebook feeds. Four years ago a reader, John, left this feedback under one of my essays:It’s a never ending labyrinth of lunacy which, as you have pointed ...
And if you said this life ain't good enoughI would give my world to lift you upI could change my life to better suit your moodBecause you're so smoothAnd it's just like the ocean under the moonOh, it's the same as the emotion that I get from youYou got the ...
Aotearoa remains the minority’s birthright, New Zealand the majority’s possession. WAITANGI DAY commentary see-saws manically between the warmly positive and the coldly negative. Many New Zealanders consider this a good thing. They point to the unexamined patriotism of July Fourth and Bastille Day celebrations, and applaud the fact that the ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: and on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump’s administration over Gaza and Ukraine; on the ...
Up until now, the prevailing coalition view of public servants was that there were simply too many of them. But yesterday the new Public Service Commissioner, handpicked by the Luxon Government, said it was not so much numbers but what they did and the value they produced that mattered. Sir ...
In a moment we explore the question: What is Andrew Bayly wanting to tell ACC, and will it involve enjoying a small wine tasting and then telling someone to fuck off? But first, for context, a broader one: What do we look for in a government?Imagine for a moment, you ...
As expected, Donald Trump just threw Ukraine under the bus, demanding that it accept Russia's illegal theft of land, while ruling out any future membership of NATO. Its a colossal betrayal, which effectively legitimises Russia's invasion, while laying the groundwork for the next one. But Trump is apparently fine with ...
A ballot for a single member's bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Employment Relations (Collective Agreements in Triangular Relationships) Amendment Bill (Adrian Rurawhe) The bill would extend union rights to employees in triangular relationships, where they are (nominally) employed by one party, but ...
This is a guest post by George Weeks, reviewing a book called ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin AshtonBook review: ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin Ashton (2015) – and what it means for Auckland. The title of this article might unnerve any Greater Auckland ...
This story was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Within just a week, the sheer devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires has pushed to the fore fundamental questions about the impact of the climate crisis that have been ...
In this world, it's just usYou know it's not the same as it wasSongwriters: Harry Edward Styles / Thomas Edward Percy Hull / Tyler Sam JohnsonYesterday, I received a lovely message from Caty, a reader of Nick’s Kōrero, that got me thinking. So I thought I’d share it with you, ...
In past times a person was considered “unserious” or “not a serious” person if they failed to grasp, behave and speak according to the solemnity of the context in which they were located. For example a serious person does not audibly pass gas at Church, or yell “gun” at a ...
Long stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, February 13 are:The coalition Government’s early 2024 ‘fiscal emergency’ freeze on funding, planning and building houses, schools, local roads and hospitals helped extend and deepen the economic and jobs recession through calendar ...
For obvious reasons, people feel uneasy when the right to be a citizen is sold off to wealthy foreigners. Even selling the right to residency seems a bit dubious, when so many migrants who are not millionaires get turned away or are made to jump through innumerable hoops – simply ...
A new season of White Lotus is nearly upon us: more murder mystery, more sumptuous surroundings, more rich people behaving badly.Once more we get to identify with the experience of the pampered tourist or perhaps the poorly paid help; there's something in White Lotus for all New Zealanders.And unlike the ...
In 2016, Aotearoa shockingly plunged to fourth place in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index. Nine years later, and we're back there again: New Zealand has seen a further slip in its global ranking in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). [...] In the latest CPI New Zealand's score ...
1. You’ve started ranking your politicians on how much they respect the rule of law2. You’ve stopped paying attention to those news publications3. You’ve developed a sudden interest in a particular period of history4. More and more people are sounding like your racist, conspiracist uncle.5. Someone just pulled a Nazi ...
Transforming New Zealand: Brian EastonBrian Easton will discuss the above topic at 2/57 Willis Street, Wellington at 5:30pm on Tuesday 26 February at 2/57 Willis Street, WellingtonThe sub-title to the above is "Why is the Left failing?" Brian Easton's analysis is based on his view that while the ...
Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2025 report highlights falling living standards, the highest unemployment rates since the 1990s and half of all Pacific children going without food. There are reports of hundreds if not thousands of people are applying for the same jobs in the wake of last year’s ...
Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Correction: On the article The Condundrum of David Seymour, Luke Malpass conducted joint reviews with Bryce Wilkinson, the architect of the Regulatory Standards Bill - not Bryce Edwards. The article ...
Tomorrow the council’s Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee meet and agenda has a few interesting papers. Council’s Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport Every year the council provide a Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport which is part of the process for informing AT of the council’s priorities and ...
All around in my home townThey're trying to track me down, yeahThey say they want to bring me in guiltyFor the killing of a deputyFor the life of a deputySongwriter: Robert Nesta Marley.Support Nick’s Kōrero today with a 20% discount on a paid subscription to receive all my newsletters directly ...
Hi,I think all of us have probably experienced the power of music — that strange, transformative thing that gets under our skin and helps us experience this whole life thing with some kind of sanity.Listening and experiencing music has always been such a huge part of my life, and has ...
Business frustration over the stalled economy is growing, and only 34% of voters are confidentNicola Willis can deliver. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 12 are:Business frustration is growing about a ...
I have now lived long enough to see a cabinet minister go both barrels on their Prime Minister and not get sacked.It used to be that the PM would have a drawer full of resignations signed by ministers on the day of their appointment, ready for such an occasion. But ...
This session will feature Simon McCallum, Senior Lecturer in Engineering and Computer Science (VUW) and recent Labour Party candidate in the Southland Electorate talking about some of the issues around AI and how this should inform Labour Party policy. Simon is an excellent speaker with a comprehensive command of AI ...
The proposed Waimate garbage incinerator is dead: The company behind a highly-controversial proposal to build a waste-to-energy plant in the Waimate District no longer has the land. [...] However, SIRRL director Paul Taylor said the sales and purchase agreement to purchase land from Murphy Farms, near Glenavy, lapsed at ...
The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been a vital tool in combatting international corruption. It forbids US companies and citizens from bribing foreign public officials anywhere in the world. And its actually enforced: some of the world's biggest companies - Siemens, Hewlett Packard, and Bristol Myers Squibb - have ...
December 2024 photo - with UK Tory Boris Johnson (Source: Facebook)Those PollsFor hours, political poll results have resounded across political hallways and commentary.According to the 1News Verizon poll, 50% of the country believe we are heading in the “wrong direction”, while 39% believe we are “on the right track”.The left ...
A Tai Rāwhiti mill that ran for 30 years before it was shut down in late 2023 is set to re-open in the coming months, which will eventually see nearly 300 new jobs in the region. A new report from Massey University shows that pensioners are struggling with rising costs. ...
As support continues to fall, Luxon also now faces his biggest internal ructions within the coalition since the election, with David Seymour reacting badly to being criticised by the PM. File photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Not since 1988 when Richard Prebble openly criticised David Lange have we seen such a challenge to a Prime Minister as that of David Seymour to Christopher Luxon last night. Prebble suggested Lange had mental health issues during a TV interview and was almost immediately fired. Seymour hasn’t gone quite ...
Three weeks in, and the 24/7 news cycle is not helping anyone feel calm and informed about the second Trump presidency. One day, the US is threatening 25% trade tariffs on its friends and neighbours. The reasons offered by the White House are absurd, such as stopping fentanyl coming in ...
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Wherever you look, you'll hear headlines claiming we've passed 1.5 degrees of global warming. And while 2024 saw ...
Photo by Heather M. Edwards on UnsplashHere’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s politics and economy in the week to Feb 10 below. That’s ahead of live chats on the Substack App and The Kākā’s front page on Substack at 5pm with: on his column in The ...
Is there anyone in the world the National Party loves more than a campaign donor? Why yes, there is! They will always have the warmest hello and would you like to slip into something more comfortable for that great god of our age, the High Net Worth Individual.The words the ...
Waste and fraud certainly exist in foreign aid programs, but rightwing celebration of USAID’s dismantling shows profound ignorance of the value of soft power (as opposed to hard power) in projecting US influence and interests abroad by non-military/coercive means (think of “hearts and minds,” “hugs, not bullets,” “honey versus vinegar,” ...
Health New Zealand is proposing to cut almost half of its data and digital positions – more than 1000 of them. The PSA has called on the Privacy Commissioner to urgently investigate the cuts due to the potential for serious consequences for patients. NZNO is calling for an urgent increase ...
We may see a few more luxury cars on Queen Street, but a loosening of rules to entice rich foreigners to invest more here is unlikely to “turbocharge our economic growth”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
The Government’s newly announced funding for biodiversity and tourism of $30-million over three years is a small fraction of what is required for conservation in this country. ...
The Government's sudden cancellation of the tertiary education funding increase is a reckless move that risks widespread job losses and service reductions across New Zealand's universities. ...
National’s cuts to disability support funding and freezing of new residential placements has resulted in significant mental health decline for intellectually disabled people. ...
The hundreds of jobs lost needlessly as a result of the Kinleith Mill paper production closure will have a devastating impact on the Tokoroa community - something that could have easily been avoided. ...
Today Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, released her members bill that will see the return of tamariki and mokopuna Māori from state care back to te iwi Māori. This bill will establish an independent authority that asserts and protects the rights promised in He Whakaputanga ...
The Whangarei District Council being forced to fluoridate their local water supply is facing a despotic Soviet-era disgrace. This is not a matter of being pro-fluoride or anti-fluoride. It is a matter of what New Zealanders see and value as democracy in our country. Individual democratically elected Councillors are not ...
Nicola Willis’ latest supermarket announcement is painfully weak with no new ideas, no real plan, and no relief for Kiwis struggling with rising grocery costs. ...
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
The purpose was to establish the facts and provide an independent assessment of government agency activity in relation to allegations that personal data may have been misused during the 2023 General Election. ...
Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster said he is carefully reviewing the referrals raised in the two reports. That work will be done in the context the Privacy Act and the need to ensure individuals’ rights to privacy is protected and respected. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bhavna Middha, ARC DECRA Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University The average Australian household size has decreased from 4.5 people per household in 1911 to 2.5 people in 2024. At the same time, the average house size has increased, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Page Jeffery, Lecturer in Media and Communications, University of Sydney suriyachan/Shutterstock When the Australian government passed legislation in November last year banning young people under 16 from social media, it included exemptions for platforms “that are primarily for the purposes ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leslie Roberson, Postdoctoral research fellow, Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland If you’ve ever been stopped by quarantine officers at the airport, you might think Australia’s international border is locked down like a fortress. But when it comes ...
Duncan Sarkies’ latest novel, Star Gazers, is about the collapse of democracy in a society of alpaca breeders. Here are some things his intensive research revealed. 1 How greed works, psychologicallyYes, I guess I already understood greed, but I could never understand why people who already have everything they ...
The proposed cuts would see only two full time Telehealth data and digital roles, and one Planning, Funding and Outcomes (PFO) role remain, reduced from 17 Telehealth support roles (including vacant roles). Roles proposed to be cut include Telehealth ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is calling for Ministers to end funding for Te Kurahuna programmes and workshop grifters that have received millions in taxpayer funding, despite the Government’s supposed focus on cutting costs. ...
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist, in Avarua, Rarotonga More than 400 people have taken to the streets to protest against Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown’s recent decisions, which have led to a diplomatic spat with New Zealand. The protest, led by Opposition MP and Cook Islands United Party ...
In the second episode, Brynley Stent and Kura Forrester unearth some truths about dating on a dance floor in South Canterbury. Bryn & Ku’s Singles Club is a brand new documentary series for The Spinoff following award-winning comedians and friends Brynley Stent and Kura Forrester as they embark ...
The first half of a billion-dollar pipe that will drastically reduce wastewater overflows in the Auckland isthmus is now in operation. As I biked south, I thought about all the poo sloshing beneath my wheels. Tubes of it disgorging from U-bends, into wastewater pipes laid under our streets that become ...
🚐 The vulnerability continues as the pair head to the Hunt Ball in South Canterbury in search of a rich farmer, before getting some sage relationship advice from Brynley’s Dad and Oma. ❣️ Bryn & Ku’s Singles Club follows comedians Brynley Stent and Kura Forrester as they head out on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joel Garrett, Lecturer in Exercise Science and Physiology, Griffith University Australia’s love affair with the major football codes – the Australian Football League (AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL) – is well documented. However, one aspect that stands out to many observers, ...
The White Lotus is back for season three. Here’s what we made of episode one. The third White Lotus season rinses and repeats – and thank God for that. Turns out there is enough comedic and dramatic juice in resort-set ensemble satires on privilege in the modern world, ...
Founder, journalist and author Tim Burrowes joins Duncan Greive to discuss a torrid decade in Australian media and whether there are reasons to be optimistic amid the carnage. Tim Burrowes is the author of a book and a Substack called Unmade, which are truly essential guides to media in ...
The self-appointed apostle says he could be to Christopher Luxon what Elon Musk is to Donald Trump, and his track record speaks for itself.Who is New Zealand’s answer to Elon Musk? The Herald’s tech insider, Chris Keall, put the question to his LinkedIn acolytes the other day. “If Luxon ...
The last good thing at the supermarket is gone. Mad Chapman mourns the Cadbury mini egg cartons. When life is overwhelming and it feels like every story around you is a bad news story, there are a few things that can be relied upon to instil a sense of calm, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Parker, Honorary Professorial Fellow, Melbourne CSHE, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Judges in Australian courtrooms have a lot of power. They can decide on someone’s guilt and the punishment for it, including lengthy prison time. But what if they get ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Louise Birrell, Researcher, Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock Australians are waiting an average of 12 years to seek treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, our new research shows. While ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justine Bell-James, Professor, TC Beirne School of Law, The University of Queensland Almost 200 nations have signed an ambitious agreement to halt and reverse biodiversity loss but none is on track to meet the crucial goal, our new research reveals. The agreement, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philippa Collin, Professor, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University Australian school students’ civics knowledge is the lowest it has been since testing began 20 years ago, according to new national data. Results have fallen since the last assessment in 2019 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Buckley, Senior Research Fellow, Education Research, Policy and Development Division, Australian Council for Educational Research Michael Jung/ Shutterstock There is a persistent gender gap in Australian schools. Boys, on average, outperform girls in maths. We see this in national ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Deane, Professor, Queensland University of Technology Australian beef exports to the United States are GST-free and should not be subject to any retaliatory tariff. William Edge/Shutterstock The latest round of proposed tariffs from US President Donald Trump includes a response ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a 36-year-old tertiary adviser and bartender shares her approach to spending and saving. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Female. Age: 36. Ethnicity: Pākehā. Role: Tertiary adviser, ...
The change allows for devices that do screening, similar to at drink-drive checkpoints, rather than having to test oral fluid to an evidentiary standard. ...
Almost 40% of those departing NZ long-term are aged 18 to 30. What sort of country will they leave behind, asks Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Young people leading the charge out the door Last year saw ...
New Health Minister Simeon Brown is presiding over a list of resignations from high-ranking health officials that some say is a "bloodbath". What's going on? ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Rickerby, Lecturer, School of Product Design, University of Canterbury The Poly-1. MOTAT , CC BY-NC Some 45 years ago, a team of staff and students at Wellington Polytechnic designed and built a desktop computer with an operating system customised for ...
Our debt law
Man takes out loan gets partner to co-sign and then they separate. He is unable to pay and so the other party gets WINZ to take money out of her DPB each week to repay the debt
Our bankruptcy law
Owner of whaleoil declares bankruptcy. Partner takes over ownership of whaleoil and puts it up on new site (sounds like a finance company boss transferring assets to wifes trust fund before the firm goes under).
Our new credit contracts law – a limit of 100 % payment on top of a loan
AB borrows a $500 pay day loan from company A – 2 months to pay $1000 (maximum allowed in law).
CS borrows a $500 pay day loan from Company B – 2 months to pay $1000 (maximum allowed in law).
AB borrows a $1000 pay day loan from company B – 4 months to pay $2000 (maximum allowed in law).
CS borrows a $1000 pay day loan from Company A – 4 months to pay $2000 (maximum allowed in law).
A little collusion and company A and B have easily subverted the proposed new laws around lending.
Company C (owned by the partners of the owners of company A and Company B) then lends each borrower $2000 with $4000 payable at the end of the year (maximum allowed in law) – the money owed tied to their car ownership. . They pay, or lose their car. They will try and pay, who wants to lose their car. So on a $1000 loan they have to pay $4000 within a year, or lose their car.
So on a
$1000$500 loan they have a $4000 liability within 1 year.https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=12226410
and now for some light relief. Hilarious in my opinion
Just saw a TVNZ newsreader telling us the govt has issued a statement critical of the Maduro regime, particularly its failure to act in accord with human rights. Video showing an army vehicle driving over protestors had featured in the report from Caracas earlier. Google didn't find any such statement, but we'll see if it shows up later.
Pro-Maduro folks here will be keen to continue their claims that the regime and the people aren't on opposite sides. The notion will be tested tomorrow, when we see how many respond to Guaido's call for an uprising. I predict that Maduro will not declare that the driver of the army vehicle will be charged with attempted murder. Why not? It would make him seem humanitarian, using the rule of law. Wrong look.
A crisis created by economic sanctions on Venezuala.
If you replace created with compounded, I would agree. Corruption began with Chavez, apparently. If he had been an authentic socialist, distributing the oil money to the people, the crisis would not have happened. Instead, his daughter is now widely-known to be the richest woman in Venezuela, according to media reports.
The use of the money for health, education and social housing is well known to those who voted for him time and time again.
Is it? If so, he deserves credit. If the BBC sent a doco crew to verify that, using random street interviews rather than Maduro-selected stooges, we would have a basis to form a more balanced view. To counter claims that regime officials have been siphoning off the oil revenues to enrich themselves, I mean.
First mistake is getting your information on Venezuela from well known propaganda sources TVNZ and the BBC.
Why just those two? All online news sources carry propaganda. Al Jazeera, for instance, provides us with this US propaganda: "It's still very important for three figures in the Maduro regime who have been talking to the opposition over these last three months to make good on their commitment to achieve the peaceful transition of power from the Maduro clique to interim president Juan Guaido," Bolton told reporters.
Such mediators doing non-violent conflict resolution seem a good option. Are they real, or just a figment of Bolton's fevered imagination? Until a journalist interviews them, we can't tell. You think Maduro would allow them to report the news to the media? No, any words of disloyalty and he'd lock them up pronto!
It's true enough, the evidence as to the change in that country during his years is largely positive but so dependent on oil revenue for continuance.
Thus the impact of change in the world oil market, poor management of the state oil company and sanctions.
As to corruption, US financial sanctions because Chavez was not an ally in the war against terrorism or the war on drugs – original excuses, just lead to backdoor operations that people skim off (loss of official channels and accountability). In a world where realpolitic reigns people become cynical and more selfish.
I doubt that anyone here is pro Maduro.
What I do know is that many, myself included are anti Guaido (who is a USA puppet) and pro the Venezuelan people.
Several commenters here have been consistently pro-Maduro over the past year. I've attempted to open their minds by providing evidence in support of the residual democracy, which Guaido represents. I understand why he seems like a puppet, but I see him as authentic representative of the Venezuelan middle class, using Trump as leverage.
As with Putin, collusion is a reasonable perception, but an alignment of interests is the more reasonable view. Maduro originated as an authentic representative of the Venezuelan lower class. Too bad absolute power corrupts absolutely.
For reals? I haven't been actively commenting as much on here, but I've still been reading TS, and following Venezuelan comments/posts. Can't recall reading anything obviously pro Maduro, maybe I missed it.
It's really sad how power corrupts some leaders, meanwhile the people suffer. I think there is also much pride involved with this particular power struggle, and once again the people suffer, that's what really blows.
Yeah, seems to me the people are split along class lines, unfortunately. And Maduro is not obviously evil. His humanity is evident in some of his videos, such as a wry sense of humour at times.
I've opposed US foreign policy most of my adult life, so it's only in recent years I've trended towards a more-balanced view. In such nuanced situations, generalising can lead us astray. I agree US policy errs in trying to recycle 1980s hegemony (Eliot Abrams). Trump is too thick to realise he's reinforcing the polarisation – reconciliation is the only good way out.
http://cepr.net/publications/op-eds-columns/the-united-states-hand-in-undermining-democracy-in-venezuela
Ends well: "we must encourage efforts to build trust and dialogue across the political divide while marginalizing hardliners who oppose any form of compromise."
Trump ought to delegate someone to go there & make it happen! He lacks the vision, and statesmanship, to do so. A credible Democratic contender for the US presidency would issue a public call for him to pull finger & solve the problem via this method. I bet nobody demonstrates such leadership capacity!
Also interesting that your link piece says Trump is continuing Obama's policy line in Venezuela. Now there's a thought: he ought to get Obama to solve the problem. Call him in to the Oval Office, suggest Obama use the opportunity to provide a model of bipartisan collaboration. Obama is a good talker, let's see if he's also a good actor…
If Guaido represented residual democracy why did he not run against Maduro in the 2018 Presidential elections?
The USA recognition of someone who chose not to contest that election is dubious, their opinion does not count for more than that of the local population.
Dennis
Dennis
Dennis you haven't answered this question.
Dennis where are yuuuuuuuuu
I'd gone to bed. Unprejudiced people can easily discover the lengthy sequence of anti-democratic moves made by the Maduro regime. Evidence of their policy of faking democracy has been compiled onto several different interlinking Wikipedia pages by researchers. Not hard to find!
I presume it was due to Maduro's moves to rig the election. Elections in a democracy are supposed to be free and fair. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Venezuelan_presidential_election
"On 11 December 2017, President Maduro announced that many of the main opposition parties, including Justice First and Popular Will, would be banned from participating in the 2018 presidential election… In February 2018, the government announced that elections would be held on 22 April 2018, less than three months before the date. Popular Will announced on 16 February that it would boycott the elections."
I am not convinced, given the performance of opposition parties in the previous parliamentary election (sure the Court removed 3 of those elected to take away a 66% super majority, but beating the government party in the election was done decisively)
There was nothing to stop anyone running as an opposition candidate supported by all of those parties – if anything what Maduro did was to make it easier to unite the opposition behind one candidate. Maybe he wanted to lose, but the opposition taking direction from DC, wanted another course for reasons we can only guess at.
No point participating in an election that has been rigged in advance. The regime stacked their equivalent of our Electoral Commission with its supporters, likewise their Supreme Court. Elections are only viable when designed to be free and fair. The opposition sensibly refused to endorse the charade.
Demonstrably not so, the earlier parliamentary election result being evidence.
Well, the people who compiled the evidence on Wikipedia disagree. The governments who recognised Guaido as president on the constitutional basis that he cited disagree. When facts are in dispute, opinions will differ. No point arguing against human nature, eh?
Sure not, the same (US backed) entitled middle class made the same effort to remove the elected President Chavez in 2002.
Well said SPC.
"U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton said the Trump administration was waiting for three key officials, including Maduro's defense minister and head of the supreme court, to act on what he said were private pledges to remove Maduro. He did not provide details." https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/world/anti-government-protesters-in-venezuela-clash-troops-close-president-maduro
Some of the armed forces are with Guaido: "Leopoldo Lopez, his political mentor and the nation's most-prominent opposition activist, stood alongside him. Detained in 2014 for leading a previous round of anti-government unrest. Lopez said he had been released from house arrest by security forces adhering to an order from Guaidó. "I want to tell the Venezuelan people: This is the moment to take to the streets and accompany these patriotic soldiers," Lopez declared."
Far right nut job.
Promoting violence, thus showing us all you’re just another white nationalist.
https://fair.org/home/venezuela-its-only-a-coup-if-the-us-government-says-so/?awt_l=CnT3e&awt_m=jCYO.gMRaIR._TQ
I recommend reading this piece. it may help explain why you are being told that there is mass support for Guaido, from the people and the military..and yet.."bizarrely"..Maduro is still in power.
Thanks, but that writer believes Maduro was "democratically elected". Wikipedia provides contrary evidence, which I compiled here several months ago.
All we can do when facts are disputed is to appraise competing claims critically. We will then disagree, because we interpret them in accord with our prior bias. My bias is neither left nor right, so ideology doesn't handicap me.
ideology doesn't handicap me.
Your ideology handicaps you more than most as you are not able to understand the basis of your ideas.
What part of being Green do you not get? Half a century of non-alignment and it remains a principle too hard for you to comprehend? Try harder.
If you are saying that your ideology is Green as in the NZ Green Party then i call bullshit on that. Your opinion often varies widely from that of the Party as you often complain about.
If you are saying that the Greens don't have ideology then i call bullshit on that for reasons that should be obvious.
You seem unaware that the Green movement has always been neither left nor right. Such ignorance makes you unqualified for political commentary. Go back to kindergarten and pay attention this time…
You seem to be unaware that there is more political ideologies than left and right. You take a holier-than-thou attitude like somehow everybody has ideology except you. There are many types of political ideology: left, right, centrist, green, libertarian, authoritarian, anarchist..
You are too fucking stupid to understand your own ideas. And no you aren't Green, that is so obvious from the crap you talk.
How would you know? You've never demonstrated any ability in your comments here that you have the faintest clue about the world that surrounds you. You just get off on being abusive. Pathetic.
While researching a good design for a rocket stove/gasifier/charcoal maker I came across this clip
Talking about bamboo as improving soil health, erosion prevention, housing.
Then the biochar, carbon sequestering, retaining nitrous oxide in the soil and lots of benefits for mycorrhizal fungi.
Really inspiring and positive.
What a great link about bamboo. I'm sold on that.
timely facebook page on bamboo uses not sure it worked as intended you may need to scroll down a couple of post.
https://www.facebook.com/SprinkleDrinkingWater/photos/pcb.2343354775727402/2343350685727811/?type=3&theater
Bamboo is an awesome material but many species are very invasive and very difficult to control – repeated use of boosted concentrated herbicide is probably the only practical way to get rid of it.
The problem with that is it can spread into places where it will create issues for the property (under your house, in cracks in the driveway, etc.) or into places where it will not be controlled (a neighbours place, a reserve) or that dug up or cut bamboo will be dumped and start a new colony.
So … If you are going to plant bamboo please pick a species that spreads very slowly (depends on your local climate as well) and cannot spread into somewhere where it will not be controlled.
Hi Pingau, it does ring a bell the invasive nature of the plant.
The trick would be to plant the right sort in the right place.
In the clip, there is an example of bamboo being planted on a barren hill of mine tailings and in a few months the soil is viable.
Lots of upsides to the plant.
Hi Gsays – there sure are many upsides to bamboo but it is good to check out the downsides as well and also to check out alternatives. In NZ there has been a bit of research over the years on phytoremediation and whatnot on mine tailings and land stabilisation. It's a pretty interesting field.
I had to look up phytoremediation.. I did come at this from a charcoal making angle, with a view to make wood vinegar (liquid smoke) as a fertiliser, herbicide and perhaps in conjunction with biochar as a soil conditioner.
I suppose why bamboo stood out is because of its quick growing nature (also part of why it can be a pest, as you alluded to).
Fast growing, a bit like hemp, another plant that can offer so many solutions to the problems we face. But that is another story.
The mentor and the pupil
“The weak crumble, are slaughtered and are erased from history while the strong, for good or for ill, survive. The strong are respected, and alliances are made with the strong, and in the end peace is made with the strong…our enemies know very well what Israel is capable of doing. They are familiar with our policy. Whoever tries to hurt us—we hurt them”
“I like soft power, but hard power is usually better. You need F-35s (fighter jets), cyber (security), lot of intelligence… Where does the power for hard power come from? It comes from economic power,”
US economic sanctions on North Korea
US economic sanctions on Iran – now extended to all nations that trade with Iran
US economic sanctions on Venezuala – to be extended to Cuba if it does not withdraw its military from Venezuala
US economic sanctions on Russia
US cuts funds to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNWRA) and cuts off aid to the PA
US declares Moslem Brotherhood a terrorist organisation (even though it is not)
As to why none of this seems to work – see
https://www.timesofisrael.com/those-ineffectual-us-sanctions/
But then it’s not about winning – it’s about inspiring fear of being isolated by association with those cut off from the world market. It’s about us and them and fearing the nation which can do this to others. And fear of the USA when it is 100% behind Israel is fear of Israel.
The Chch terror attacks have led to a wholly misplaced questioning of our ways in NZ.
It should be clear: it was a foreigner who invaded and attacked New Zealanders on our own soil.
The attack had nothing to do with New Zealand, other than being a victim.
All this conflating with 'white New Zealand' this and 'racist New Zealand' that and 'haters in New Zealand' the other – it is all a nonsense and without basis in this context.
It was a foreign invasion and attack on New Zealanders on their own soil.
You know i can't live in your ghost NZ.
that was going to be my last line
I wonder what the characteristics of the people that subscribe to that view are? Doesn't take a mensa score to work it out i'd say lol
The opening line in this months NZ Geographic article on the attacks;
"After the attack on two Christchurch mosques, after the number of dead and injured climbed and climbed, New Zealand came to several hard realisations: This is not a peaceful and equitable country." https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/brothers-and-sisters/?source=homepage
On what basis is this claim that New Zealand is not a peaceful and equitable country made? What is the evidence?
edit: those questions are open to anyone. marty mars will likely only reply with smartarsery again and avoid them.
Characterising the mass murderer as an "invader" is potentially misleading – he may have 'invaded' places of religious worship, but he came to NZ legally.
1. Is NZ a peaceful country? It's certainly 'peaceful' for some.
2. Is NZ an equitable country? Less so with each passing day (see answer to Q. 1).
A foreigner entering the country for the purpose of murder and terrorism is not a legal entry, no.
But I don't think the question has been answered – it wasn't "is NZ a peaceful and equitable country?"… it was , in the context of the foreign attack on New Zealanders, "On what basis is this claim that New Zealand is not a peaceful and equitable country made? What is the evidence? "
So, what features of the foreign terror attack make it thus?
Except for the actual NZers who aided fucky mcfuckwit by sharing his manifesto and streaming video with others, and requested a "kill counter" to be added to the video.
Whether or not there were NZers who provided active assistance prior to the act (money, information, advice) is unknown, but we definitely had next-level supporters assisting the PR aspect that every terrorist requires. And then there are the less active supporters, too.
So, yeah, it is a NZ problem.
Maybe 1% of NZ citizens have been raised in the Muslim faith.
Vto, you views wiil naturally seem valid from your perspective. I'm suggesting that for those 1% of citizens, NZ perhaps feels like a less peaceful place after a visitor (who entered NZ legally in 2017) murdered 50 of those 1% in an afternoon. To be fair, some of the murder victims were probably too young to be devout Muslims, but it was a very calculated act.
At the risk of making an assumption, I would encourage you to try to examine the events from alternative points of view – walk a mile in their shoes and all that.
Thanks Kram, but I have been viewing the events from the others point of view, and that time spent in said consideration has led to the above questioning… I would encourage others to take up your suggestion and consider it more factually, rather than racing off to conflate anything and everything with the tragedy.
It was a foreigner who attacked New Zealanders.
How does that make New Zealanders less peaceful and equitable?
There is a disconnect going on which has been activated by emotion rather than due consideration.
I accept that most New Zealanders are largely peaceful (although we can each of us have our moments, no?) and probably view NZ as a peaceful, safe country to live in. I certainly count my lucky stars.
It's even possible that the majority of NZers view NZ as an equitable country, although more citizens might contest that view.
The NZ Geographic contention appears to be that "New Zealand" is not a peaceful or equitable country. Based on the events of 15 March 2019 onward, I would really struggle to present the contrary view to those who had partners and/or relatives murdered that day.
This was a targetted massacre. You may cling to the fact that the mass murderer was not raised in NZ, but IMHO it's hazardous to ignore or (worse) deny the racist, violent underbelly in NZ. Just last Sunday anti-Mulsim propaganda was left on church-goers cars in Palmerston North.
Is NZ really that peaceful for all? Is there no room for improvement?
If you believe that you have given these questions “due consideration“, then perhaps we can agree to disagree?
"This was a targetted massacre" … by a foreigner who came to our shores for that specific purpose.
New Zealand is the victim here, not the perpetrator.
I am not ‘clinging’ to the terrorist’s foreign status. That is a basic and important fact. The fact you describe it as ‘clinging’ indicates a desire on your part to subjectively view the evidence.
If the Australian had committed this act in Australia, would this contention about New Zealand even reach people’s frontal lobes? I dont think so. So how does this foreign attack make New Zealand less peaceful and equitable?
It's not even clear that if he had been a New Zealander that he represented us in any meaningful fashion. All the evidence in the public domain strongly suggests he had little to no contact with anyone local, and was radicalised overseas in Europe and the Middle East.
Your question is idiotic and shows a complete myopic view that doesn't consider the many reported and unreported instances of violence, political, domestic, racial, ethnic, gender based and so on. You seem to be reverting back to your old ways which is sad cos I was liking the new considerate and peaceful vto. You live in a complete bubble I think.
The question is perfectly legitimate. The Standard requires those making claims to provide evidence in support of their claims. I got banned for not doing such.
So the question is repeated. What is the evidence?
Try going right up to the top of this post and following the wee flowchart – your answer is there.
You are a useless smartarse all the time
You too scared to answer the question? Chicken book book
You ignore the nazis and skinheads in christchurch the white supremacist that ran for mayor twice, the marches – all against others from the 'white' supremacists point of view, they bragged about it and flaunted it. But you, who live in christchurch can't see any evidence, never saw nothing – pull your head out your arse mate, the evidence has been presented for fucken years.
Those people exist in every country = not specifically related to the foreigner attacks = not evidence that supports the contention as so succinctly put, without evidence, by NZ Geo above.
You wrote
On the basis of the first part of the sentence – the attack on the mosques in Christchurch are the evidence. The mass murder, by a killer, of a group of New Zealanders at prayer. This is not hard stuff. Do you dispute the evidence or diminish the attacks?
That is evidence of an attack by a foreigner on New Zealanders.
How does that make New Zealand less peaceful and equitable? It doesn't.
That evidence perhaps shows that New Zealand is less safe than previously perceived because our border controls and domestic laws are useless when it comes to terrifying Australians, but it does not support the contention that New Zealand is less peaceful and equitable.
In fact, the opposite should be the contention in light of the outpouring of emotion towards the muslim community in the aftermath.
You do understand Marty that it was not a New Zealander who did this don't you
You are sad and delusional – keep your stupid head in the sand – people like you are the support structure for hate – I hope you're proud of yourself.
It is you who is the delusional hater marty mars. All your comments ever have is personal attack. Have a look back at your comments in this thread and count the number of personal comments you have made and then count the number of actual points on the issue you have made. Go on – add them up.
dickhead
yeah play the victim card – you dudes always get to that one lol sadsack
Oh and there you go doing it again. What a dick.
You need to stop the abuse
The question is repeated
What is the evidence?
Do you have an issue with white people Mars?
lol, excellent question, very well put
No.
Quite obviously, gone are the days of the Dominion reading room of proof readers and sub editors:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-shooting/112374374/police-investigation-into-leaked-watchlist-contradictory-security-analyst-paul-buchanan-says
(even if most of them were off their faces half the time)
“Buchanan also explained tha, mere mention ………….”
“Stuff chose has chosen not to publish the names of the those on the list.”
I have no personal knowledge of what the Brian Tamaki Man Up program does.
However Hone Harawira does and he claims it really does work. Any chance that Ardern, Robertson, and Davis might just pull their heads in and look at it? Do they really need to simply come out with smart arse comments and refuse to go anywhere near it because they won't get the credit and they don't like Tamaki dissing them?
Andrew Little at least seems willing to consider it. Why not the others? After all you can hardly accuse Hone of being a National Party mouthpiece can you?
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/05/01/guest-blog-hone-harawira-kelvin-davis-time-to-man-up/
Its all a con for Tamaki's political purposes… a trojan horse… to get engagement with current politicians so he can become one himself…
nothing more
Can you please answer the question I brought up?
Why does Hone say the system works? I am not aware that Hone is trying to get Tamaki to go into politics. I'm not a great fan of Hone's but I believe he really is trying to do something for his people. Ardern, Robertson and Davis show no evidence of any such intention. They are only interested in themselves and in attacking anyone they can't control. Ban anyone who says anything that doesn't flatter them seems to be their style
sure alwyn, tho the question was "addressed"…
I have no idea why Hone would say such, and don't consider it relevant because of Tamaki's political aspirations. Hone seeks headlines as well – maybe that is why he commented, plus the fact that he does do good work for his people, including those the programs are aimed at.
If a political aspiration is wrapped around Tamaki's deeds and words then it all makes sense, imo
" the question was "addressed"
My God, vto is unmasked. Who but Trevor Mallard can make a statement like that without even a giggle?
no bananas for that one
i was aping our great leaders, in the hope of exposing their inadequacies and failings
It may well work – but assuming without evidence that it is best or even good practice is quite a step. Tamaki will have a chance to establish its benefits and may get to implement a trial. Trying to obtain more on prophetic grounds is also quite a step. Had Ardern et al bought Tamaki's claims at face value I expect you still would not be happy.
tamaki needs to man up with the paperwork. Interesting that seems to have been overlooked in the link.
Man up can't even provide the proper documentation by the sounds of it, I heard only one piece of paper was produced. A government can't analyse a proposal with out the information/documentation.
If tamaki's program is not copyrighted, then why not create a new improved model of it, without a patched up wanna be christian gang
milkingrunning it…..Maybe Hone could man up and help brian with the paperwork….
If it worked the MP would have backed it when they were in coalition with National.
However Hone Harawira does and he claims it really does work.
Do you consider Hone Harawira to be a person of excellent judgement and discernment? Because I don't, and I'd be very surprised if you do.
There's also the matter of the Harawiras not having a great history when it comes to dealing with others' mental problems. His opinion on the efficacy of the Man Up programme may actually be of less value than other people's.
Then there's the documented instances of Man Up "counsellors" telling abusers the violence is their wife's fault for provoking them. If that "really does work," what is the "work" that's being achieved?
Any chance that Ardern, Robertson, and Davis might just pull their heads in and look at it?
Why would they look at it? There's a process for getting your programme into prisons, and it doesn't involve either standing outside Parliament shouting, or the PM and Minister of Corrections examining your programme to see if they personally think it's a good idea or not. There's nothing to stop Tamaki following that process, although I doubt his application would get a very welcome reception at Corrections now.
Maybe Hone could provide a copy of the programme wally. Then they could 'look at it'.
Don Brash seeks legal advice after being called out by the Maori Council for inciting racisim and violence. I’m not much of a Maori…lighter skin and disconnected from my culture. Even so I wouldn’t feel comfortable eating dinner with the guy. I find him judgemental, misinformed.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/112386350/divisive-group-of-haters-in-hobsons-pledge-must-be-investigated-mori-council-says
Tukaki also said Hobson’s Pledge was “nothing more than a divisive group of haters who would do nothing more than send us all back to the dark ages”.
“They may wear suits and drive around in late model expensive European cars … but they are nothing more than a gang of misfits that seek to incite hate and divide the country.
“They should be held to account,” Tukaki said.
“They’re creating an environment…in which hate is breeding and not just breeding but duplicating and replicating.”
He said if the lobby group wanted to become a political party it should “go for it” because “then all of your policies will be seen for what they are.”
Tukaki said the Māori Council was concerned that comments Hobson’s Pledge leaders had made in public constituted “incitement to both violence and racism, hate and the segregation of New Zealand society”.
Hobsons’ Pledge spokesman Don Brash said claims of racism were “absolutely outrageously stupid” and he was taking legal advice.
Unfortunately I don’t have faith in our HRC. Do they even care? Are they resourced enough to investigated, or should we start a GoFundMe page?
That flow diagram is awesome.
Yes – very elegant. But it has a logical flaw – if you are being a dick, you mostly can't tell whether you are being a dick of not.
So as well as YES and NO options, there should be a DON'T KNOW option. The flow from the DON"T KNOW option should return to the question "Are you being a dick?"
Thus, unwitting dicks are trapped in a potentially endless loop of self-questioning. The time-consuming anxiety of endless self-analysis might just stop them from being dicks.
No, I think many dicks have issues with reading comprehension and they’ll read the question as “do you have a dick?”. The result is the same though: an infinite loop. And that’s how you know somebody is a dick
Assange gets 50 weeks for skipping bail.
Probably doesn't make much difference to him – bail might have been hard to get while he works through the US (and possibly revitalised Swedish) extradition case(s).
Q: Will he get time off for good behaviour?
A: Dude doesn't know how to do that. Parents forgot to teach him.
Yes Dennis, some of his behaviour is likely due to his upbringing – which of his parents do we blame for that?