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?
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After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Photo by Jari Hytönen on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
A senior lawyer has filed a complaint about tikanga becoming a required law school module. Law lecturer Carwyn Jones explains what he’s getting wrong. “…the first law of Aotearoa, a law that served the needs of tangata whenua for a thousand years before the arrival of tauiwi.”– Ani Mikaere ...
In 2019, an Auckland woman woke up from surgery to find that she had undergone a treatment she didn’t consent to. She tells Alex Casey about her experience. From her very first period at the age of 14, Laura experienced “debilitating” levels of pain that forced her to withdraw from ...
Comment: Concerns about the state of the economy are creeping up to the top of firms’ list of challenges. That’s evident in both surveys and the tone of our recent client discussions. Skimming the past few weeks of eco-news, it’s not hard to see why. – Retail card spending fell ...
Opinion: Could former co-leader James Shaw still make a difference to working with National? The post How the Greens could be contenders appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: What if we got rid of our existing drug laws and replaced them with a new law that legalised and carefully regulated all psychoactive substances, from cannabis to MDMA, methamphetamine and LSD to magic mushrooms? And which also included legal drugs such as alcohol and nicotine. “Wow,” you might ...
In the gloom following director-general Al Morrison’s job cuts in 2013, the Department of Conservation restructured its operations arm. Eleven conservancy districts were whittled into six new “conservation delivery” regions, under which the Rēkohu/Wharekauri/Chatham Islands area, comprising 40 scattered islands more than 800km east of Christchurch, was tethered to the ...
One of th e country’s top litigation lawyers says New Zealand is seeing a lift in court action between companies. Chapman Tripp partner Justin Graham, who oversees a team of around 80 litigation specialists, says the courts are now so log-jammed that it’s taking over two years to get cases ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government is talking up the crucial role of gas as a transition fuel “through to 2050 and beyond”. In a gas strategy to be released on Thursday, the government envisages the fuel’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Next week the government will again next try to get its legislation through to deal with non-citizens who won’t cooperate with efforts to deport them. The bill, which the opposition and crossbench refused to rush ...
A long-term project that will set out an alternative vision for Aotearoa that looks beyond the narrow confines of the policy straight jacket adopted by successive governments. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bree Hurst, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Law, QUT, Queensland University of Technology TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock A much-awaited report into Coles and Woolworths has found what many customers have long believed – Australia’s big supermarkets engage in price gouging. What started ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Ghezelbash, Associate Professor and Deputy Director, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney The Albanese government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its migration amendment bill. The report, handed down yesterday by a senate committee that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joo-Cheong Tham, Professor, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Lobbying is at the heart of government. Who has access to and influence over key government officials shapes the decisions governments make – and how they make them. The ability to influence ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Myfany Turpin, Associate Professor, Ethnomusicology, Linguistics and Ethnobiology, University of Sydney The act representing Australia at this year’s Eurovision contest has sadly not qualified for the grand final. Yet for Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross, the duo that makes up Electric Fields, ...
In announcing changes to the school lunches programme, David Seymour said kids would no longer be served ‘woke’ foods. To clear up any confusion, The Spinoff has compiled a guide to the wokeness levels of some common food items. Apple = NOT WOKE Avocado = WOKE Avocado, smashed = EVEN ...
The Minister Responsible for GCSB and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security have been notified of this review, and have been provided a finalised Terms of Reference. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Minglu Chen, Senior Lecturer, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney Robert Way/Shutterstock As the past few years have illustrated so clearly, the Australia-China relationship is complicated. As such, it is crucial for Australians to develop a more nuanced understanding of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mariana Campbell, Research Lecturer, Conservation, Charles Darwin University Marilyn Connell Australian freshwater turtles are facing an alarming trend. Almost half of these species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is one of Australia’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Debbie Passey, Digital Health Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Algorithms have become integral to our lives. From social media apps to Netflix, algorithms learn your preferences and prioritise the content you are shown. Google Maps and artificial intelligence are nothing without ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Josephine Barbaro, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, Psychologist, La Trobe University Unsplash We’ve come a long way in terms of understanding that everyone thinks, interacts and experiences the world differently. In the past, autistic people, people with attention deficit hyperactive disorder ...
PNG Post-Courier Papua New Guinea’s deputy opposition leader James Nomane has accused the government of “reckless economic management” that has forced devaluation to manage loan repayments in foreign currency and placate the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Prime Minister James Marape “must stop lying to the people of Papua New Guinea”, ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Bookseller Confessional, in which we get to know Aotearoa’s booksellers. This week: Jane Arthur, author of Brown Bird, and former bookseller at Good Books.The book I wish I’d writtenI have been working on not comparing myself to others. On accepting that what I can ...
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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?