Consider that the germans have used eagles as coat of arms for about 800 years as did the english.
That may factor in when comparing the US american eagle to the german or english one. Fwiw, one could argue that the American Eagle is a rip of of the English Eagle.
Fact is the nazis did only stylize the eagle and put their symbol of death underneath, they neither designed anything new, and the Trumpistas did nothing much either. But then i have been arguing for a while that the Trumpistas are nothing more then a really useless bunch of Ersatz Nazis.
The reports of a refusal to cooperate with MBIE may or may not be accurate, but going down the route of suppression orders just adds fuel to the fire.
And is Grant Dalton ever able to communicate in a way anyone else can understand? His excessive use of jargon and mangled grammar in itself raises a few red flags with me.
"And is Grant Dalton ever able to communicate in a way anyone else can understand? His excessive use of jargon and mangled grammar in itself raises a few red flags with me."
When I heard him on the radio, he seemed keen for us to have the impression that it was independent contarctors that are at fault.
Interesting. Tova's report just now on 3News juxtaposed two video recordings: one of the PM saying David Clark resigned yesterday and the other of David Clark saying he resigned this morning. I wonder who was telling the truth? They're both Labour MPs…
Tova is a shit stirrer. Who cares? Clark offered yesterday, Ardern accept this morning. Or Clark offered yesterday, but made it official this morning. And so on. The world is getting hotter and the NZ MSM are still playing gotcha games.
Clark's actual words were that he formally resigned this morning. Tova deliberately misquoted him by leaving that word out, so as to make up her little drama.
Any normal person would accept that yesterday was verbal, and the formal letter was given in this morning. But not nasty little Tova…?
1) This is the view of the National candidate for Invercargill:
Southern Institute of Technology chief executive Penny Simmonds said Queenstown was the logical place for a quarantine site for international students. … Queenstown has got the hotels free, it's got the space free, it's got an international airport – it's a logical site to be bringing international students into for quarantine."
2) And this is the view of the local National MP, Hamish Walker:
Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker said it was “disgraceful” thousands of people could eventually be quarantined in southern centres without community consultation.
“These people are possibly heading for Dunedin, Invercargill and Queenstown from India, Pakistan and Korea. “I’ve already had many calls, texts and emails from residents who do not want people in quarantine in Queenstown.”.
Certainly the rest of New Zealand should be sharing the quarantine burden. Auckland and now other centres have done the service which benefits the regions so the regions should do their bit too.
I must say it would be torture, particularly as a young person, being quarantined in Queenstown. To be confined to barracks with those spectacular views.
There was a sanction against smoking dope- ignored by most. There was a law about the age you could legally drink in a pub. There was a law against putting substances up your arm with a needle, against driving while drunk, against speeding, against sex with minors.
Nah, deport the whole cohort if they break the rules. It often is peer pressure that gets them into trouble so let’s reverse this and use peer pressure to keep them on the straight and narrow. It’s only for a fortnight FFS.
Hamish Walker's statement and tweet have now been deleted. He's very lucky it's a busy news day.
And just to emphasise the point: the message is that a National MP does not want people who are NZ citizens/residents (the only arrivals that are coming in now), if they are of the wrong ethnicity.
But National DO want people who are NOT citizens/residents, because they bring the cash.
It does make me wonder how political parties work. Can MPs just issues statements like that without talking to anyone? Or did he talk to someone and it's only in hindsight that they realise he will get slammed for it?
Walker told the Herald he had information Kiwis coming from India, Pakistan and Korea had higher infection results.
He declined to say where he got this information given the Herald has been given data showing the most imported cases had come from the UK, US, Australia and Europe.
So the twerp had to be told by a source what the rest of us with a brain inside our heads knew because its been splattered all over the news for the past fortnight.
I refer to the fact that people returning from the US, UK, India, Pakistan and Korea are at a higher risk of testing positive because of the high rates of Covid in those countries.
a bit like what is done in the US. One underling goes out and is out and out racist, sexist, ageist, ableist, etc etc etc. It rails up all the wrong people, then when public outcry gets to big it is deleted. But the message was delivered and those for whom it was intended are now informed of the imminent arrival of Kiwis who are not enough Kiwi in the eyes of many.
Compost is a fuckwit. Some of his squarks are that far out there you'd think he was some fringe lefty community board candidate. This isn't that far outside his normal behaviour, except this one hit the front page nationally.
And still on ODT, and getting return serve from Megan Woods.
A safe seat and Barclay and Walker are the ones the electorate committee select, the other candidates must have been either ordinary or still in shock at the lack of judgment.
One of the other candidates, twice, Simon Flood, was a potential PM, but may have been from the wrong faction / background. Walker was challenged this year too, but it wasn't revealed by who, just Queenstown interests being behind it.
“The minister should come clean and tell the people of Southland and Otago how many of the 18 current Covid cases originate from Asia, which is a region of great risk.
(and where the f**k does he think international students come from?)
“My focus is on keeping New Zealanders safe,” Walker said. “The minister is not going to justify her failure to keep New Zealanders safe by attacking me for identifying where those risks are coming from.
(New Zealanders … but not the New Zealanders coming home)
Someone not capable of working out that those with symptoms stay at the quarantine hotel in Auckland, the ones going south into managed isolation are probably from Oz.
A speculative explanation for this could be an act of political self immolation to vacate the very safe seat for a current, more senior list MP who might be out of a job on Sept 20. But could be a bit close to the election for that now.
Grant Robertson has said that its likely to be 2021 before international students come in.
They have the hostel capacity to manage isolation and then house less than 1/3rd (usually the accomodation of the first year ones), for mine the doctorate and masters students have priority – so the capacity in hostels should be used to quarantine them first. Then come the year three students who want to finish their degree (we owe it to them to get them to the finish).
The ultimate question about numbers beyond this is over the accommodation availability and employment right we currently allow – given pandemic economics.
Just taking in this number (about 1/3rd) and to restrict them largely to the hostels eases accomodation pressure and limits impact on employment.
Ultimately whether we need to restrict numbers depends on capacity to house returning Kiwis which is still an unknown.
They add more value to the institution and potentially the economy (even without factoring in retaining them afterward) without any numerical pressure on our infrastructure (housing/employment).
The universities may cite the cash, but that comes with a wider cost – higher rents and more locals unemployed during a pandemic economy.
Two men, who both spent two weeks in hotel quarantine in Melbourne, have tested positive for coronavirus after returning home to New South Wales and the Northern Territory.
Not if infected during the two week stay … how they could manage that with room isolation … well it would indicate they need a change of management regime.
We've been lucky, given our regime is not as restrictive.
I seem to remember stories of some people testing positive after a month or so.. This is a really stand-out, weird virus, and I would agree that we may well have been lucky.
A Melbourne security guard has revealed even more unsettling allegations about the misconduct that occurred at Victorian hotels being used to quarantine returned travellers.
In a series of bold allegations, the security guard told Nine he believes the workers were actually “spreading the virus” instead of controlling it.
These allegations follow claims from other whistleblowers that guards were given only “five minutes” training and some had sex with infected guests while they were in quarantine.
A University of Melbourne epidemiologist and public health medicine specialist, Professor Tony Blakely, spent 20 years at the University of Otago before taking up the Melbourne role in 2017.
He said based on what’s going on in Melbourne, New Zealand’s quarantine issues have been a “storm in a tea cup”.
Todd Muller's token reshuffle still leaves the National Party front bench looking very pale and bland.
With regard to Hamish Walker, Todd should exercise his self-proclaimed leadership ability and publicity denounce Hamish's racist nimby ramblings, but I dout he will. After all, Muller is very proud of his MAGA cap which has become a symbol of racist ideology. Hamish Walker might even get a promotion for his latest racist ramblings.
It's very obvious now that Todd is an uncharismatic gaffe prone mudder who can't control his MPs. Todd will be a great asset to the Labour Party election campaign.
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 ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
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Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
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The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
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Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
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Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
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The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
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Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
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It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
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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. ...
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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. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
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 ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Recent extreme weather events showed the importance of a well-functioning insurance system, says Commerce and Consumer Affairs minister Andrew Bayly. ...
By Jo Moir, RNZ News political editor, and Craig McCulloch, deputy political editor New Zealand’s Labour Party is demanding Winston Peters be stood down as Foreign Minister for opening up the government to legal action over his “totally unacceptable” attack on a prominent AUKUS critic. In an interview on RNZ’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Brakenridge, Postdoctoral research fellow at Swinburne University, Centre for Urban Transitions, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute The Conversation, Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock People have a pretty intuitive sense of what is healthy – standing is better than sitting, exercise is great for overall ...
The Wellington-based Reserve Force soldier is now almost three years into his New Zealand Army career with 5th/7th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. ...
"The Government needs to release the review immediately as this reckless approach to change risks disjointed decision making and creates more distress and uncertainty for staff," Fitzsimons said. ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor Jeremiah Manele has been elected Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, polling 31 votes to 18 over rival candidate and former opposition leader Mathew Wale with one abstention. The final result of the election by secret ballot was announced by the Governor-General, Sir David Vunagi, ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shaun Eaves, Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Jamey Stutz, CC BY-SA How often do mountains collapse, volcanoes erupt or ice sheets melt? For Earth scientists, these are important questions as we try ...
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The NZQA proposal released to staff today would involve a net loss of 35 roles. There are 66 roles being disestablished with 13 of those currently vacant, and 31 new roles proposed, said Fleur Fitzsimons Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga ...
Alex Casey talks to Loren Taylor, the writer, director and star of new film The Moon is Upside Down, about assembling her dream ensemble cast, toilet paper pads and turning literal dreams into reality. There’s a moment in The Moon is Upside Down where frazzled anaesthetist Briar (Loren Taylor) gets ...
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Workers at a major ASB contact centre in Auckland have voted to take strike action and withdraw their labour following disappointing pay negotiations with the employer and an "offer" to workers that would leave them worse off than the previous year. ...
As the government tries to get the country back on track with a school phone ban, Tara Ward has an idea for where they should turn their attention to next.New Zealand students returned to school on Monday morning, but their cellphones did not. The government’s new phone ban began ...
The Labour Party is demanding Peters be stood down, saying "he's embarrassed the country" with a "totally unacceptable" attack on a prominent AUKUS critic. ...
The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance, whose members were victims of a China-backed cyber attack, is discussing forming a standing committee to deal with foreign influence. ...
The PSA is concerned that the voluntary redundancies being offered to staff by Stats NZ will impact on the agency’s ability to deliver on its core functions. ...
Results ranged from surprisingly yum to soul-destroying. I love cooking. The kitchen is a hearth of culinary creation, of sensory delights, of gastronomic poetry. I also can’t afford anything nice. Why does a pack of instant noodles and some milk cost ten bucks? I love you, Aotearoa, but I miss ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor Police in Solomon Islands are on high alert ahead of the election of the prime minister today. The two candidates for the top job are former foreign affairs minister Jeremiah Manele at the head of the Coalition for National Unity and Transformation, which is ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Balanzategui, Senior Lecturer in Media, RMIT University ABC “Bluey mania” shows no sign of abating. Bluey’s season finale, The Sign, was the most viewed ABC program of all time on iView. A “hidden” follow-up episode, aptly named The Surprise, created ...
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The campaign will engage the community and encourage submissions on the bill to the New Zealand government by the closing submission deadline of Friday 31st of May 2024 4pm. ...
The paper raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand's political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency plays in that. ...
The Urban Habitat Collective was an attempt to built an innovative new form of apartment building in Wellington. Here’s why it failed, and why the idea could still work, writes co-founder Bronwen Newton. When we started the Urban Habitat Collective in November 2018, we thought we were starting a revolution, ...
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Just another coincidence, I'm sure.
https://twitter.com/aravosis/status/1278490967838986240
Blatant as.
/shrug
I've always considered the US Great Seal very similar to the Third Reich's.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Great_Seal_of_the_United_States_%28obverse%29.svg/1200px-Great_Seal_of_the_United_States_%28obverse%29.svg.png
It is simply history that has made it that way.
yeah, the US seal predates the Nazis by about 150 years.
I did hear that the presidential seal on the oval office rug has the eagle face the olive branch if US is at peace, or the arrows if at war.
The "America First" thing, on the other hand…
Consider that the germans have used eagles as coat of arms for about 800 years as did the english.
That may factor in when comparing the US american eagle to the german or english one. Fwiw, one could argue that the American Eagle is a rip of of the English Eagle.
Fact is the nazis did only stylize the eagle and put their symbol of death underneath, they neither designed anything new, and the Trumpistas did nothing much either. But then i have been arguing for a while that the Trumpistas are nothing more then a really useless bunch of Ersatz Nazis.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_(heraldry)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Germany
the question just is, is Ivanka still ripping of designs of others and passing them of as her own?
And, of course, the reason why the Nazi's chose the swastika is because it's an ancient symbol of good luck.
As I said, its all history and, quite often, common history that's resulted in people using the same symbols in the same ways.
The similarities dont end there.
Team NZ always pressuring for decades for massive public handouts, yet now have grown so arrogant they think they are above public scrutiny.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12345068
The reports of a refusal to cooperate with MBIE may or may not be accurate, but going down the route of suppression orders just adds fuel to the fire.
And is Grant Dalton ever able to communicate in a way anyone else can understand? His excessive use of jargon and mangled grammar in itself raises a few red flags with me.
"And is Grant Dalton ever able to communicate in a way anyone else can understand? His excessive use of jargon and mangled grammar in itself raises a few red flags with me."
When I heard him on the radio, he seemed keen for us to have the impression that it was independent contarctors that are at fault.
Time will tell if that is the case.
Interesting. Tova's report just now on 3News juxtaposed two video recordings: one of the PM saying David Clark resigned yesterday and the other of David Clark saying he resigned this morning. I wonder who was telling the truth? They're both Labour MPs…
They could both be right if he tended his resignation yesterday but it was effective from this morning.
I really don’t see it as an issue.
Tova is a shit stirrer. Who cares? Clark offered yesterday, Ardern accept this morning. Or Clark offered yesterday, but made it official this morning. And so on. The world is getting hotter and the NZ MSM are still playing gotcha games.
Maybe Tova is still a bit pissed at Grant Robertson's mickey taking in parliament yesterday.
1) Could it be that Clark advised the PM yesterday by telephone that he was resigning.
2) Could it be that Clark formerly presented his resignation letter this morning?
3) Could it be yet another example of dear Tova’s efforts to create a controversy out of nothing?
Clark's actual words were that he formally resigned this morning. Tova deliberately misquoted him by leaving that word out, so as to make up her little drama.
Any normal person would accept that yesterday was verbal, and the formal letter was given in this morning. But not nasty little Tova…?
She's a common garden tabloid operator (wouldn't honour her with the title of journalist) and she has a very high opinion of herself.
Total non issue. Surprised she felt it was worth her time. I'm sure Tova is regarding this one as a total fail.
This one?
Everything Tova is involved with is a total fail, In the interview today Ardern straightened her out, again, for going for the gotcha moment
Another unsolvable binary dilemma!
lol
Not sure about the timing, but both Tova O'Brien and HdPA seem to think the PM has been publicly backing Clark while privately pushing him out.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12345119
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/07/pm-jacinda-ardern-was-pushing-david-clark-out-as-health-minister-while-publicly-saying-he-d-stay-until-election.html
Some brutal commentary in there.
Divisions in the National Party, episode 374:
1) This is the view of the National candidate for Invercargill:
Southern Institute of Technology chief executive Penny Simmonds said Queenstown was the logical place for a quarantine site for international students. … Queenstown has got the hotels free, it's got the space free, it's got an international airport – it's a logical site to be bringing international students into for quarantine."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/121830812/queenstown-pitched-as-a-quarantine-town-for-international-students
2) And this is the view of the local National MP, Hamish Walker:
Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker said it was “disgraceful” thousands of people could eventually be quarantined in southern centres without community consultation.
“These people are possibly heading for Dunedin, Invercargill and Queenstown from India, Pakistan and Korea. “I’ve already had many calls, texts and emails from residents who do not want people in quarantine in Queenstown.”.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/122019916/coronavirus-unease-at-expanded-covid19-isolation-plans-for-south-island
So to sum up … Jacinda, bring them in! Jacinda, but not here!
Foreigners in, foreigners out, shake it all about …
Certainly the rest of New Zealand should be sharing the quarantine burden. Auckland and now other centres have done the service which benefits the regions so the regions should do their bit too.
I must say it would be torture, particularly as a young person, being quarantined in Queenstown. To be confined to barracks with those spectacular views.
Since when have young people allowed themselves to be confined to barracks, with views, brews and 'who's he/she" to entice?
threat of deportation and never being allowed back should mean something. Plus adequate security.
There was a sanction against smoking dope- ignored by most. There was a law about the age you could legally drink in a pub. There was a law against putting substances up your arm with a needle, against driving while drunk, against speeding, against sex with minors.
They meant something, too………
Nah, deport the whole cohort if they break the rules. It often is peer pressure that gets them into trouble so let’s reverse this and use peer pressure to keep them on the straight and narrow. It’s only for a fortnight FFS.
Fair point and that is a big danger. The inventiveness and exuberance of youth.
Quarantining 2K, 5K, 11K students anywhere sounds like a massive exercise.
Hamish Walker's statement and tweet have now been deleted. He's very lucky it's a busy news day.
And just to emphasise the point: the message is that a National MP does not want people who are NZ citizens/residents (the only arrivals that are coming in now), if they are of the wrong ethnicity.
But National DO want people who are NOT citizens/residents, because they bring the cash.
For those that didn't see it,
https://twitter.com/wekatweets/status/1278573455680475138
It does make me wonder how political parties work. Can MPs just issues statements like that without talking to anyone? Or did he talk to someone and it's only in hindsight that they realise he will get slammed for it?
Yeah, it's the "thinking time" that makes it so bad.
I'm more forgiving of a comment in conversation, using the wrong word, realizing it, apologising in real time. People can slip up. Or be misquoted.
But this is a prepared statement. It's deliberate. No excuse, it says exactly what he wanted – and meant.
Sounds familiar?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=12345104
We can probably be thankful for that. After all, we really don't want another political brown-eye.
So the twerp had to be told by a source what the rest of us with a brain inside our heads knew because its been splattered all over the news for the past fortnight.
I refer to the fact that people returning from the US, UK, India, Pakistan and Korea are at a higher risk of testing positive because of the high rates of Covid in those countries.
a bit like what is done in the US. One underling goes out and is out and out racist, sexist, ageist, ableist, etc etc etc. It rails up all the wrong people, then when public outcry gets to big it is deleted. But the message was delivered and those for whom it was intended are now informed of the imminent arrival of Kiwis who are not enough Kiwi in the eyes of many.
rinse repeat.
but yeah, racist gonna racist.
Compost is a fuckwit. Some of his squarks are that far out there you'd think he was some fringe lefty community board candidate. This isn't that far outside his normal behaviour, except this one hit the front page nationally.
And still on ODT, and getting return serve from Megan Woods.
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/politics/southern-national-mp-slated-over-racist-statement
Couldn't happen to a more deserving person.
Well it looks like that the Nat MP took a leaf out of a Labour MP's playbook IMHO.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/70155168/labours-half-baked-property-data-turns-chinese-buyers-into-scapegoats
Nice graph information – immigration clearly does drive up house prices
Nice diversion.
A safe seat and Barclay and Walker are the ones the electorate committee select, the other candidates must have been either ordinary or still in shock at the lack of judgment.
One of the other candidates, twice, Simon Flood, was a potential PM, but may have been from the wrong faction / background. Walker was challenged this year too, but it wasn't revealed by who, just Queenstown interests being behind it.
Walker makes it worse …
“The minister should come clean and tell the people of Southland and Otago how many of the 18 current Covid cases originate from Asia, which is a region of great risk.
(and where the f**k does he think international students come from?)
“My focus is on keeping New Zealanders safe,” Walker said. “The minister is not going to justify her failure to keep New Zealanders safe by attacking me for identifying where those risks are coming from.
(New Zealanders … but not the New Zealanders coming home)
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300047988/national-mp-hamish-walker-defends-remarks-dubbed-racist-by-labour
Someone not capable of working out that those with symptoms stay at the quarantine hotel in Auckland, the ones going south into managed isolation are probably from Oz.
… erm …. if he wants to know where the current cases come from he should try googling "covid 19 nz" and then tap on the ministry of health website …
Where's Todd? (Barclay) – probably trying to bail back to NZ as well…
A speculative explanation for this could be an act of political self immolation to vacate the very safe seat for a current, more senior list MP who might be out of a job on Sept 20. But could be a bit close to the election for that now.
The National Party is a shambolic shambles and a National disgrace.
What a shambles is National. Agreed Fireblade.
Grant Robertson has said that its likely to be 2021 before international students come in.
They have the hostel capacity to manage isolation and then house less than 1/3rd (usually the accomodation of the first year ones), for mine the doctorate and masters students have priority – so the capacity in hostels should be used to quarantine them first. Then come the year three students who want to finish their degree (we owe it to them to get them to the finish).
The ultimate question about numbers beyond this is over the accommodation availability and employment right we currently allow – given pandemic economics.
Just taking in this number (about 1/3rd) and to restrict them largely to the hostels eases accomodation pressure and limits impact on employment.
Ultimately whether we need to restrict numbers depends on capacity to house returning Kiwis which is still an unknown.
FYI, international PhD students are not good cash cows as they pay the same fees as domestic students.
They add more value to the institution and potentially the economy (even without factoring in retaining them afterward) without any numerical pressure on our infrastructure (housing/employment).
The universities may cite the cash, but that comes with a wider cost – higher rents and more locals unemployed during a pandemic economy.
Two weeks may not be long enough.
Not if infected during the two week stay … how they could manage that with room isolation … well it would indicate they need a change of management regime.
We've been lucky, given our regime is not as restrictive.
I seem to remember stories of some people testing positive after a month or so.. This is a really stand-out, weird virus, and I would agree that we may well have been lucky.
Two weeks may well not be enough for certainty.
I agree, it does call into question the quality of the isolation regime. Daniel Andrews state govt in Victoria seems to have made a particular hash of it.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/lessons-from-victoria-dont-lose-elimination-status
Todd Muller's token reshuffle still leaves the National Party front bench looking very pale and bland.
With regard to Hamish Walker, Todd should exercise his self-proclaimed leadership ability and publicity denounce Hamish's racist nimby ramblings, but I dout he will. After all, Muller is very proud of his MAGA cap which has become a symbol of racist ideology. Hamish Walker might even get a promotion for his latest racist ramblings.
It's very obvious now that Todd is an uncharismatic gaffe prone mudder who can't control his MPs. Todd will be a great asset to the Labour Party election campaign.
Elsa sat on Trevor Mallard's lap during the televised Speakers Briefing today. What a beautiful animal.
https://www.twitter.com/SpeakerTrevor/status/1278483460412149765