Oh look! Another attempt to discredit Labour. Whatever arrangement the Hutt South LP has with Parliamentary Services it is legit and has been going on for decades. And it can be said with certainty that other political parties will be doing it too.
If they want to end this sort of thing then the only option is for parliament to own the building and make it available to the local electorate MP.
That'd upset National because then they wouldn't be able to make government guaranteed profits on buildings that the government has effectively paid for but doesn't own.
BREAKING – Damien is temporarily stopping all live stock exports and applications until they find out what happened regarding the ship of live cattle sailing into a typhoon and sinking.
Much love to the families of the 41 crew who are missing. One person has been found, hopefully they will find some more survivors.
Is part of the problem with live exports that stock can't be kept longer on the ship? This means navigating around a Typhoon is not possible. I would have thought most shipping would avoid such weather systems.
Maybe Master miscalculated typhoon trajectory, or maybe he hoped the ship will overtake it. Whatever were the reasons, the ship sailed straight into the typhoon.
Largely speaking, large modern ships can ignore bad weather. But taifun are an exception. What the survivor describes is the ship broaching (https://www.wartsila.com/encyclopedia/term/broaching-to-phenomenon) – caught abeam by the seas and rolled over – the way square riggers used to go down in the southern latitudes.
Although there probably wasn't a handy port to offload the stock, had the master avoided/waited out the storm, he'd have saved his ship and most of the stock. No doubt he was under pressure to make the quickest voyage possible.
Plus ca change – the Dutchman had sold his soul for a faster voyage.
Yup. 2-3 days delay tops, the storms move or dissipate quite quickly – neither fuel nor animal starvation would have been a factor – though lengthening the voyage would likely increase stock mortality, and with rough weather stress, perhaps considerably.
The captain does not own the boat though, and these days it's unlikely the owners were mariners. There's a good chance he was ordered to push on through – going into what is essentially a hurricane in a not very weatherly vessel is otherwise difficult to explain.
The ship, Gulf Livestock 1, carrying about 5867 cattle left Napier on August 14.
The ship was en route to the Port of Jingtang in Tangshan, China, with an estimated journey of approximately 17 days.
The continued export of cattle may be a risk to New Zealand’s brand.
Bet they were dairy cattle.
As I say, the problem with being a farm for the world is that everyone else can also produce food.
If we really want to become wealthy then we have to develop our economy away from its reliance upon agricultural exports and that's going to mean high tech R&D and production.
That doesn't really surprise me. Pork farms have been disappearing from NZ for awhile now but especially as cities have expanded into farmland. Pork farms stink and nobody wants to live near them – especially rich people who want a nice lifestyle block.
In the USA under Bush all the rules about effluent were dropped so end of clean water. Family pig farms were gobbled up and vast pig farms were established. There are very few family pig farms left and the vast corporate pig farms are so big that nobody in towns or countryside can contest the huge flows of pig swill that poison huge rivers.
The story’s points were valid, however, and even more shocking than the photo spread. Aside from the Cuyahoga, in which there were no signs of visible life — “not even low forms such as leeches and sludge worms that usually thrive on wastes” — unregulated dumping befouled nearly every river that passed through a major metropolitan area. The Potomac, TIME noted, left Washington “stinking from the 240 million gallons of wastes that are flushed into it daily” while “Omaha’s meatpackers fill the Missouri River with animal grease balls as big as oranges.”
We've seen it before – unregulated capitalism is purely destructive.
incredible twitter thread on Chevron's psychopathy
The terrible toll inflicted on the communities in Ecuador is one thing – it was perpetrated by people within Chevron that can only be described as evil. The truly horrible aspect of this is that evil gets away with evil – again. https://t.co/QKt2KdWyjD
On another topic…Has anyone noticed how very little has been said about Judith's husband ‘s memes on Facebook, by TV1/3 and RNZ?
Has anyone noticed how the press skimmed over Judith's advertisement which broke Parliament's rules?
I see National is offering Mums 3 days in care, $3000 for costs, which is means tested. Do they intend to keep the $60 a week for under threes? Or is this a one off and nothing for year two/three????
Always skeptical of nat policy, they usually give with one hand and take more with the other.
Not much coverage re judiths uncontrollable husband and his obvious lack of class. judith retweeted his meme's. But, but… the school, the school.. distract and delude. Meanwhile the nat's are spending up big on FB advertising.
Could be more coverage in the weekend on the political shows and panels maybe?
"They are exasperated that Shaw has spent three years saying he couldn’t put his foot down over issues such as welfare reform, water-bottling plants or getting agriculture into the ETS – that mean old Winston was bullying him – but found the strength to fight back… on behalf of a private school."
And that says it all about Shaws political judgment…could he have chosen a worse issue to take a stand over?….its difficult to imagine one
He didn't chose this issue to make a stand over. It was part of the ordinary business of Government. Do you really think James thought, "Right! I'll put my foot down on this one! I'm willing to die in a ditch for this!" No, Pat. No.
I'm answering your question, Pat, not trying to convince anyone of anything. James didn't choose this issue to take a stand over. Perhaps you think he did?
For how long did James delay the process, Pat? One day? 3 hours? What's the usual process for gaining the consent of every member of the team? Did James "put his foot down", or did he say, sorry to be a spanner in the works…"?
Your "rrrright" and "good grief" are not very well considered answered to my polite questions, Pat. Perhaps you could string together a few more words and make, you know, sentences.
Nope, Pat, that's not a question I struggle with, ever. I know that at any time, only around 10% of the population will be supportive of the kinds of alternate world-view The Greens champion. It's been this way for minority groups, since forever.
Robert I wish you would give yourself a break. If you think that Pat will ever be able to learn anything he/she doesn't want to know, you are mistaken. You know it is a waste of time.
You are fighting a losing battle Pat. If James Shaw ate a baby live on TV, Robert would be ok with it.
To me the issue is he held up other projects and demanded other ministers agreed to fund it against all advice. Which is why Robertson and Hipkins have not helped him.
Of course, you are jesting anyway. But don't pretend that the little bits we are getting through the media give you any right to announce anything with your assumed certainty.
I doubt that even Pat agrees with you about the eating baby metaphor.
Did James Shaw inform the Green party members on the Zoom meeting last Friday that he had told Government ministers and the Treasury that he wouldn't sign off on other infrastructure projects until the Green School funding was included?
Had he (James Shaw) "told Government ministers and the Treasury that he wouldn't sign off on other infrastructure projects until the Green School funding was included?"
Shaw has been a bit like a rabbit caught in the headlights with this. You don’t have to be Einstein to figure out that the zoom commentary was a half arsed attempt to deflect some of the blame. And his standup the other day was cringy really.
When you think of the PM fronting every bloody day, good times and bad, you realise what a totally class act she is.
"You don’t have to be Einstein to figure out that the zoom commentary was a half arsed attempt to deflect some of the blame."
Were you on that call? Because I was, and what I saw was a man who wanted to give an explanation, apologise and make set things right in various ways. He actually went out if his way to not blame others, which is consistent with who he is.
OK so you are telling us he is a great guy, fine we believe you, but no one has answered this simple question…maybe you can help as you where there.
Did James Shaw inform the Green party members on the Zoom meeting last Friday that he had told Government ministers and the Treasury that he wouldn't sign off on other infrastructure projects until the Green School funding was included?
There hasn't been any denials from Shaw or the Greens around the veracity of these emails so we can only assume them to be legitimate.
There hasn’t been any denials from Shaw or the Greens around the veracity of these emails so we can only assume them to be legitimate.
The e-mail came from Shaw’s Ministerial Office, didn’t it? If so, how can the Greens confirm or deny the veracity of it? It is not the Party’s business, at all.
The e-mail is most likely legit but we have only seen selected snippets. Context is important and I wouldn’t draw too many conclusions based on what has been published so far by MSM. Remember this recent Post here: https://thestandard.org.nz/nationals-latest-deception/?
The National tweet was a selective quote of an answer made in Parliament. However, without the context of the full answer provided it was highly misleading. That’s why I find it safer to see the full and complete information before I jump to conclusions.
Very wise and reasonable of you, Incognito. Your is the approach of a reasonable, thoughtful, emotionally-balanced person. You (and some others here) are a great comfort to someone like me who cringes at the comments from knee-jerky, sizzle-headed reactionaries who lack your poise
"I didn't sign off that final list, which included the Green School, until I was satisfied that all of my questions about a range of projects had been answered," he said in a statement.
"The first infrastructure projects were announced over five weeks before I signed the briefing that included the Green School, so to suggest I was holding up the process is absurd."
He later added: "To suggest that by asking questions I was giving an ultimatum is absurd.""
Oh Robert, for crying out loud! Shaw has been nothing but amateur hour since the shit hit the fan. It’s a shame, I really rate him as a minister and thinks he and other Green assoc ministers bring a lot to the government. But it’s the Metiria situation all over again isn’t it? Something goes awry and the Greens simply can’t manage the blowtorch of parliamentary politics and media scrutiny.
James should be able to "manage the blowtorch of parliamentary politics and media scrutiny"?
Really?
The usual methods for doing that, as exemplified by John Key, are obfuscation, blame-shifting, denial, attack, attacking the media, disappearing for the duration etc. You want James to behave in the way the likes of Gerry Brownlee, Judith Collins, Todd Barclay et al have shown? I have more confidence and faith in him that that and give my support to James in a very difficult time, in a way that you do not. Do you reckon it's a breeze, dealing with these attacks? Imagine James' reaction to realising that his own people are not behind him, are willing to snipe and snark alongside of the most witless of the Nats! Gotta feel for the guy (I do).
I think that the Greens should step down and be replaced by all the eminence greasys full of wisdom and clear about the way forward. Why do we waste time with politicians trying to move in any direction when we can have eternal arguments continuing as we walk off the edge of the cliff into space, down to the sea or the rocks, whatever.
As Robert says, his own people are not behind him but that's hardly surprising as he went against Greens policy and may have cost them their seats in Parliament. He really has had a Meteria Tuerei moment and that didn't end well for the Greens.
Even if I wasn't politically aware, I would still be voting for the Green Party because that is the best way to give all the National Party cheerleader broadcasters and journalists the fingers.
Nothing shouts "FUCK YOU HOSKING!" louder than voting Green.
I really feel for him too Robert and I would love to give him my wholehearted support. And I said as much when this shitstorm started to unfold. I pointed out at the time that it was unforgivable for the party membership to humiliate one of their leaders in the public fashion that has happened in the last week and this close to an election (and got dumped on by various commenters in here).
I don’t want James to behave like Key or any of the other National Party people you mention, he doesn’t need to, but I’d settle for him trying to be a bit more like Jacinda actually.
And yet weka he told all 400 odd of you that Hipkins had a-oked the school project? Which Hipkins had no ability to do? And at least one of the 400 zoomers found that statement incongruous enough to send the zoom to newshub?
And please don’t start dumping on me because I’m being critical. I WANT the Greens to be a part of the next government! But whichever way you look at this, it’s a class A fuck up at a terrible point in the electoral cycle.
From memory Shaw has said that Hipkins gave a verbal yes to the project. Pretty sure the Hipkins still has use of his mouth, so this it seems likely he did have the ability to do this.
No-one minds critique. My objection in the past week has been to poorly informed criticism and jumping to conclusions.
The point is though weka, that Hipkins didn’t have any ministerial responsibility to give the project a ‘yes’ regardless of what his mouth might be capable of. And Shaw as an Associate Minister of Finance would know that.
I’m on James Shaw’s side. I think he’s been a really good minister in the coalition government. He may have made a mistake by backing this project but in the matter of the wider fallout he’s been let down by all of you. Clearly there are more than a few of the membership who are not comfortable with the leadership that Shaw provides. But any leader of a political party has some right to expect the membership to line up behind them when the going gets tough. The position is surely untenable otherwise. It’s real politik and one of the trade offs you necessarily make in order to operate at the national level.
Actually I don’t think my statements are at odds really. The hesitant James Shaw that presented at the stand up I watched was a man who’d been through the wringer at that zoom and was maybe left wondering “with friends like these who needs enemies?” It’s obviously hard to present well in public when you’re unsure of the support you have from your team.
Could be. I don't regard James as amateurish at all. He's under immense pressure and handling it very well, despite his drawn look. Other politicians in recent times have collapsed under similar, or less, pressure than he is being subject to; that's the game, in my view; can those who wish the Greens gone, destroy James and render him unable to function, as they did Clare Curran.
I don’t think he’s amateurish either. So in that respect I acknowledge that I haven’t phrased my thinking very well. I just wish the Greens would keep an eye for once on the bigger picture.
one of the key things that stands out for me is that Shaw was bound by confidentiality convention around the budget and couldn't take his thoughts or decisions in that funding process to the GP caucus. That's huge. I'm guessing it's why Catherine Delahunty said that he might have ended up isolated from his own party. Shaw himself referred to the problematic nature of the process. I'm betting there are things he is not saying because of confidentiality, because of respect for the relationships, and because of pragmatics (the GP don't tell everyone everything, that would be electoral suicide in this environment).
What I fund stunning is the degree of perfection that the left expect of the GP. The standard being expected here is different than normal. We're not talking about the right condemning Shaw but the left. This is as big an issue as anything Shaw has done imo.
I'm going to fire my parting shot (knowing how dangerous that is) having contributed more than my share to the "James" debate.
I've come to admire supporters of the National Party. They fight for their leaders, even when those leaders are rat-bags. In James' instance, our leader is a decent man, something those Right-wingers surely would wish for most sincerely, but how do we treat or leader, when he finds himself in strife? We tear at him, like gulls. National party supporters know the value of loyalty, even though they misplace it sometimes. We on the Left seem to despise the very idea of giving our top people the benefit of the doubt and our unflinching loyalty. There's something amiss in the way we behave. In my opinion.
I think the purpose of leadership is (viewed) differently on the Left and Right. Consequently, if a leader ‘fails’ it is a learning experience and almost a badge to wear with pride because it is seen more as a ‘business transaction’ with little personal-individual investment and attachment or it is a ‘mortal sin’ and a ‘fall from Heaven’ because people’s personal hopes and dreams are invested in it and they have now been ‘shattered’. In a nutshell, of course; it requires much more elaboration to tease this out further. Of course, others may completely disagree and have different views 🙂
very well put Robert. My thinking this week has been similar (not so much about Nat, but about how the left treats our leaders when they disappoint us)
Having been in opposition so long, we revile leaders… ?
Or put it this way: We have spent so long in opposition decrying the dishonesty, of Govt that we hate the slightest sign of it in our own?
Be fair, James stuffed up bigly. But he has apologised genuinely to my mind, and probably should have just shut up after that. Politics is not his forte.
I don’t see him as a great future Prime Minister. I see him as someone struggling to cope. But that does not mean that we should not party vote Green.
Regarding James, he appears to have made an error of judgement, apologised, sought to correct it. What more would you like Greens?
National and friends were overjoyed as it detracted from David Wong Tung's memes and Judith Collins twice signing off a lying advert which was stopped by Parliament.
National are delighted to have that diversion supplied.
Labour have not supported James as they can not be seen to be associated with the mistake….sad fact.
Greens are so busy castigating Shaw they are not drawing the electorate’s attention to the perfidy of National.
Is there a Green faction who favour not being part of a Government with all the attendant difficulties? Would they rather sit on the side benches playing referee?
Compromise is a dirty word to some, but often necessary to defeat the actual evil.
Working together requires compromise quite often, otherwise relationships fail through rigid behaviour. Just saying.
James appears a good man.
Judith Collins is a nasty piece, who “doesn’t get angry she gets even.”
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Gabrielle Po-Ching In November 1918, the cargo and passenger ship Talune travelled to Apia, Samoa from Auckland, carrying a number of passengers who had pneumonic influenza. From these passengers stemmed the biggest pandemic Samoa had ever seen. With around 8,500 deaths, over 20% of the country’s population at the ...
Prof Nick Wilson*, Prof Michael Baker In this blog the arguments for and against shifting all COVID-19 related isolation/quarantine facilities to a single air force base at Ōhakea are considered. The main advantage would be a reduction in the risk of border control failures, which can potentially involve outbreaks ...
So the Greens co-leader James Shaw recently made a mistake. In his role as Associate Finance Minister approving funding for “shovel-ready” projects, he fought hard for a private “Green school” to get funding to expand their buildings and, therefore, their student capacity. There are many problems with what he did: ...
Over the last three years there have been growing calls for the government to provide dental services under the health system – universal free dental care. This is because at the moment there’s an anomaly in which teeth are regarded as different from the rest of the body which means ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 6, 2020 through Sat, Sep 12, 2020Editor's ChoiceWith California ablaze, Newsom blasts Trump administration for failing to fight climate change Trinity River Conservation Camp crew members drown ...
Dear Sir, As we head into the run up to the upcoming election I feel it is my duty to draw your attention to the lack of fun we are currently forced to ensure by the Adern regime. In their efforts to keep the nation’s essential workers, health compromised people, ...
It finally happened: about 13 years after first watching Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” (AIT) in 2007 when it became available in Germany, I recently completed the Climate Reality Leadership Corps Training! Participating in this particular training had been on my to-do list for quite some time but it ...
Windows 95 is famous for requiring the shutting down the system by clicking ‘start, like stopping your car by turning the ignition key on. Why are so many interfaces so user-unfriendly? The Covid app to register your entering premises can be so clumsy. Sometimes I have signed in, sat down ...
Is the 2020 election result really the foregone conclusion that the polls and commentators are suggesting? Josh Van Veen suggests otherwise, pointing to some of the shortcomings of opinion polling, which could ready some politicians to say “bugger the pollsters” on election night. In November 1993, opinion polls foretold ...
Back in 2019, six select committees of the UK Parliament established a Citizen's Assembly to investigate how to respond to climate change. The Assembly's deliberations were forced online by the pandemic, but it has finally reported back, and overwhelmingly supports strong action: Taxes that increase as people fly further ...
I am feeling a bit impish today and so for no particular reason I thought I would share this thought, which I first posted over on twitter: “Hurricanes, wildfires, floods, heatwaves, street protests, armed vigilante militias, a lethal pandemic and a corrupt authoritarian using the federal government for partisan and ...
Wayne Mapp (Photo: Tsmith.nz via Wikimedia) A former Minister of Defence says the government was too slow to involve the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) in New Zealand’s response to Covid-19. But Wayne Mapp, a National MP from 1996-2011 who served as Minister of Defence for three ...
Transport is our second biggest polluter after agriculture, making up 17% of our national emissions. Cars and trucks emit 15 million tons of CO2 every year. So, if we're serious about tackling climate change, we need to eliminate this entirely. Public transport and better urban design will be a key ...
Five things we’ve learnt 1. We know where the virus ultimately came from We know that the virus originally came from bats, and most probably a species of horseshoe bat in South East Asia. However, the spike protein in SARS-CoV-2, which allows the virus to attach to cells and infect ...
The Greens' greatest disappointment while in government this term has been the failure to implement a ban on mining on conservation land. Promised by Jacinda Ardern immediately after gaining power, it had long been assumed that the problem was NZ First (who have a long history of environmental vandalism). But ...
If they get into Parliament, everyone expects the Greens to form a coalition with Labour. But James Shaw has said that that might not be the case, and that they might instead choose to sit on the cross-benches: The Greens are prepared to forego a coalition or confidence and ...
Tonight was the first Leaders’ Debate, broadcast live on TVNZ 1. It was the first time New Zealanders have seen Jacinda Ardern side-by-side Opposition Leader Judith Collins this campaign. ...
Last updated 30 July 2020. The whole world is battling with COVID-19, and no country is immune. In New Zealand, our focus is getting the latest resurgence under control and making sure we put in place immediate financial supports to cushion the economic blow.As before, the best economic response is ...
Led by Jacinda Ardern, our strong, stable government has delivered results and put people first every step of the way. In health, housing, education and more, we've got a strong track record of delivering for New Zealanders. Now, we’re continuing to put people first with our decisive response to COVID-19. ...
Labour has a strong track record of making progress on the big issues facing our country. Now, as we recover and rebuild from COVID-19, we’re rolling out our plan to grow our economy, support businesses and communities, and keep New Zealand moving. If you’re still undecided ahead of this year’s ...
The Green Party is calling for Waka Kotahi the NZ Transport Agency to convert a lane over the Auckland Harbour Bridge to bus-only and make buses free to use across the bridge until all lanes are back in operation. ...
The Green Party has released its Thriving Oceans Plan, which would dramatically increase marine protected areas and ban bottom trawling on seamounts. ...
It was another busy week out on the campaign trail, with Labour focused on jobs, training, and supporting Kiwi workers. As we continue to roll out our five-point plan for recovery, we’re investing in our people, businesses, communities and vital services, so we can keep our economy moving as we ...
Our regions are a vital part of our economic recovery plan. They’re home to innovative and creative businesses, and the backbone of our export economy - which is why Labour will continue to support our regions to grow as together, we rebuild better. ...
National’s ‘alternative budget’ that includes huge cuts to the government’s operating allowance would risk gutting critical public services, and put health, education and nature at dire risk. ...
Data released this week shows that, while New Zealand is not immune to the economic impacts of the global pandemic, our strong health response has meant we’ve been able to get our economy going faster than many other countries. ...
This year’s election is on 17 October - and it’s coming up fast! With one month to go until Election Day, we’ve come up with 17 ways you, your friends and family can get involved in our campaign and help Labour keep New Zealand moving. ...
PREFU has given a good insight into what was required to ensure New Zealanders were largely supported to continue work and remain healthy during COVID-19, but it is clear we need additional revenue raising measures ongoing, Green Party Co-leader James Shaw said today. ...
The Green Party is disappointed with the Labour Party’s decision to reverse their three free years education policy and back down on their commitment to postgraduate student allowances. ...
In the first two years of our term in Government, we gave teachers record pay rises as a way of recognising the lack of adequate adjustments over the previous decade and the significant role they play in the lives of children and young people. We also increased the number of ...
Labour has a proud history of supporting working New Zealanders, whether through the implementation of the 40hr work week or the introduction of the Working for Families package. ...
The Green Party welcome Labour’s commitment to extend the living wage to Government contractors, but will push for Fair Pay Agreements across industries in the next Government so more New Zealanders can earn a dignified income. ...
The Green Party is urging the Government to act on its commitment to te reo Māori, by making it a core subject up to year 10, and including te reo courses in the Targeted Training and Apprenticeships scheme. ...
We're officially back to the campaign for the 2020 General Election. The campaign may look a little different this year, but our candidates are still getting out and about in their communities and spreading the word about how another term of Labour will keep New Zealand moving in the right ...
You might have heard a bit of discussion about Government debt lately, as experts weigh in on the COVID-19 economic recovery. If you’re wondering why it’s such a contested topic, or even if you’re unsure of what Government debt actually is, then read on - we’ve got you covered! ...
The Green Party has released its Farming for the Future Plan, including a $297m fund to support farmers and growers to transition to climate-friendly practices. ...
We believe every New Zealander deserves the chance to make an informed decision on Election Day. We’ve answered some of the most common questions on our 2020 tax policy, including how much money will be raised from our new top tax rate, and how this will be used to control ...
The Green Party says Labour’s energy policy is a step in the right direction, but the Greens would go further and faster to meaningfully tackle the climate crisis. ...
All this tax talk leaving you a bit dazed and confused? Read below to find out more about our progressive tax system and what Labour's policy means for you. ...
We’re committed to managing the Government’s books responsibly and keeping debt under control while supporting our people and our economy through the 1-in-100 year shock caused by COVID-19. ...
The Labour Party has moved towards more progressive income tax, but is not addressing the growing wealth gap and inequality in Aotearoa. Labour’s new revenue policy also doesn’t help pay for the necessary response to the COVID-19 crisis, Green Party Co-leader James Shaw said today. ...
As New Zealanders we are proud of who we are, what we stand for, and the way we weave together different worlds and cultures to create our unique national identity. ...
It is appalling and negligent that landlords are being encouraged to keep their properties cold and damp until after the election, as advised by the NZ Property Investors Federation, Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said today. ...
The expanded scheme will cover: People who have COVID-19 like symptoms and meet the Ministry of Health’s criteria, and need to self-isolate while awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test. People who are directed to self-isolate by a Medical Officer of Health or their delegate or on advice of their ...
The Government is putting in place a range of immigration policy changes to help fill labour shortages in key industries while ensuring New Zealanders, who have lost jobs due to COVID-19, have the chance to find new employment. “Two key sectors we are moving to help are horticulture and wine ...
The Government has established class exceptions for border entry for a limited number of veterinarians, deep sea fishing crew, as well as agricultural and horticultural machinery operators. “Tight border restrictions remain the backbone of the Government’s border strategy to protect New Zealand against COVID-19 and ensure New Zealand citizens and ...
The Crown will not appeal the Court of Appeal decision in the Dodds v Southern Response case, Grant Robertson announced today. “Southern Response will be paying the damages awarded by the Court to Mr and Mrs Dodds shortly. The Crown was already meeting their legal costs for this appeal. “The ...
The Provincial Growth Fund is investing nearly $30 million in a diverse range of projects that will create immediate and long-term jobs and lift economic and social outcomes for Northland and its people. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones made the announcement today in ...
The Coalition Government has committed to invest $27 million in COVID-19 vaccine development through the global COVAX Facility, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced today. “The COVAX Facility is a key part of our COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy to obtain safe and effective vaccines. It allows us to invest in a high-quality, ...
The Government will provide up to $1.69 million through the One Billion Trees programme to Māori landowners to make their whenua more productive through the planting of forests, both native and exotic, and improve economic and environmental outcomes, Forestry Minister Shane Jones has announced. “Around 1.5 million ha of land ...
People planning to head outdoors now have a resource that lets them know how accessible an area is for people with varying levels of mobility, Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced today. The Halberg Foundation, Sensibel, and the Department of Conservation (DOC) have launched Accessibel, a new tool which helps ...
One of the most significant battle sites of the 1860s Land Wars will receive $2.96 million from the Provincial Growth Fund to improve the site and help tell the New Zealand story to visitors, Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones have announced. Nanaia Mahuta ...
The journey towards recognising Māori as an official language and taonga has been captured as a web series and launched today during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, announced Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni. “Te reo Māori is a living language, and understanding its significance, and pathways to ...
Today’s better-than-forecast GDP figures show the expected impact of the decision to act quickly to protect New Zealanders from the global COVID-19 pandemic. GDP fell 12.2% in the June quarter from March, reflecting decisions to close New Zealand’s borders and enter Alert Level 4. “This result was better than the ...
The Government is investing $39.7 Million over four years to support the educational needs of Pacific learners and families in the regions hardest hit by COVID-19, with Auckland getting an immediate boost, Associate Minister of Education Jenny Salesa says. “Like all New Zealanders Pacific families want learners to do well ...
New Zealand’s goal of 100,000 kiwi by 2030 is being helped by an extra $19.7 million in funding to accelerate iwi and community efforts to protect kiwi, Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced. “$19.7 million of Jobs for Nature funding is being invested in kiwi conservation activities including increased predator ...
Ensuring New Zealanders can get the best deal on their electricity takes a step in the right direction today with the South Island launch of the EnergyMate pilot run by the Electricity Retailers’ Association, says Minister of Energy and Resources, Dr Megan Woods. EnergyMate is an industry-led programme providing coaching ...
Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter announced today that the Government has reached its target of 50 percent on women on state sector board and committees – setting a new record level of women on state sector boards. “This Government is committed to having more women in leadership roles - ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford released today the final Government Policy Statement on land transport (GPS) 2021 which outlines the planned $48 billion investment in services and infrastructure over the next decade. “The final GPS supports our Government’s five-point plan for economic recovery by confirming our record investments in transport infrastructure ...
Three ambitious and cutting-edge research programmes that will lift New Zealand’s advanced energy technology research capability over seven years, have been supported by Government today, says Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods. The projects will each receive a share of $40.7 million investment from the Strategic Science Investment Fund. ...
The critical area for forensic examination known as Pit Bottom in Stone has been reached in what is a major milestone for the Pike River re-entry project, Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little announced. “The infrastructure located in Pit Bottom in Stone is of very significant interest in ...
The Government is working on how New Zealand’s retirement income policies and settings can best support Kiwis in light of the COVID-19 economic recovery, with the help of the Retirement Commissioner’s latest review, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi said. “The Retirement Commissioner’s three-yearly review into New Zealand’s retirement ...
A new digital hub and development centre in Murupara will be instrumental in growing the region’s productivity, said Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau at the official opening of two community initiatives today. “I’m pleased to be here celebrating a significant milestone for two projects set to make a ...
PREFU shows economy doing better than forecast Unemployment to peak at 7.8%, down from 9.8% forecast in the Budget Year-to-June accounts show tax revenue, debt and OBEGAL better than forecast Global forecast downgraded as COVID-19 second waves and uncertainty grows Balanced plan to support critical public services, manage debt and ...
The Kāpiti Coast town of Ōtaki will receive $1.4 million in Government funding for two projects providing scores of jobs for locals while improving community facilities, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The Māoriland Charitable Trust will receive a $900,000 Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) grant to upgrade the ...
The Provincial Growth Fund will provide $11.88 million to fund fencing and waterway projects nationwide that will improve the environment and create jobs in their communities, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. “These projects will create more than 100 jobs nationwide with work starting within the next couple ...
As part of the COVID-19 recovery, the Government has strengthened its procurement rules to ensure its annual $42 billion spend creates more jobs, uses more sustainable construction practices and results in better outcomes for Māori and Pasifika, Government Ministers announced today. Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford says the $42 ...
The Government is supporting a major upgrade of Timaru’s iconic Theatre Royal and the construction of a new connected Heritage Facility museum and exhibition space with $11.6 million from the Government’s Infrastructure Fund, Jacinda Ardern announced today. “We heard the call from the community and the council. The Theatre Royal ...
Chrissy Montague (formerly Armstrong), barrister of Auckland has been appointed as a District Court Judge with Family Court jurisdiction to be based in Wellington, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. Ms Montague commenced practice in Auckland in 1987 and went into general practice dealing with Wills, Estates, Trusts, Conveyancing, Relationship Property ...
A Proposal to provide for the development and operation of commercial film and video production facilities in areas of Christchurch has been given the go ahead. Hon Poto Williams, Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, has approved the Proposal, which was prepared and submitted by Regenerate Christchurch. Minister Williams ...
As part of the Government’s focus on building closer partnerships with Māori and enhancing the quality of, and access to, Māori medium education, a payment of $8 million will be made to Te Wānanga o Raukawa in partial recognition of its Waitangi Tribunal claim (WAI 2698), Associate Education Minister Kelvin ...
The Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage has announced a $19 million investment over four years in an important forest restoration project involving a partnership between the Department of Conservation, iwi/hapū, the Bay of Plenty and Waikato Regional Councils, community conservation groups and organisations such as Forest and Bird across the ...
New Zealand will be the first country in the world to require the financial sector to report on climate risks, the Minister for Climate Change James Shaw announced today. The changes build on the huge progress this Government has made to tackle the climate crisis. “Today is another step on ...
Economic activity across the Auckland region and the country bounced back to levels experienced under Alert Level 1 following Auckland’s move out of Alert Level 3, analysis in the Treasury’s latest Weekly Economic Update shows. The analysis of economic data since Auckland’s move out of Level 3 shows: Auckland card ...
Takiri mai te ata, ka ao, ka ao, ka awatea, tihei mauriora! Tātou katoa ngā iwi o Aotearoa, tēnā koutou! Tēnā tātou e whakanuia ana i te wiki nei, te wiki o te reo Māori Greeting to you all from Otepoti, Dunedin. This week is the Māori Language week and ...
More mental health and addiction services are available for young New Zealanders in Rotorua and Taupō, Wairarapa, South Canterbury, Dunedin and Southland from next month, Health Minister Chris Hipkins and Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter say. “The Government is serious about making sure New Zealanders struggling with mental health ...
The Manuherekia catchment in Central Otago is the third exemplar catchment to be targeted as part of the Government’s plan to clean up waterways by supporting community-led programmes. Environment Minister David Parker said the Manuherekia catchment is vitally important to the people of Central Otago. “The Manuherekia rises in the ...
The Government has agreed on a preferred design for the new Dunedin Hospital featuring two separate buildings, and has provided funding for the next stages of work. Minister of Health Chris Hipkins says Cabinet has approved in principle the detailed business case for the new hospital, giving people in ...
New Zealanders across the country are set to mark history as part of the Māori Language Week commemorations led by Te Taura Whiri i te reo Māori this year. Māori Development Minister, Nanaia Mahuta says the initiative will mark history for all the right reasons including making te reo Māori ...
More than 1000 teachers, support staff and school leaders have graduated from a programme designed to grow their capability to use te reo Māori in their teaching practice, as part of the Government’s plan to integrate te reo Māori into education, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. Being trialled ...
The Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio, says the Toloa Tertiary Scholarships which aims to encourage more Pacific student numbers participating and pursuing STEM-related studies in 2021, are now open. “These tertiary scholarships are administrated by the Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP), and are part of MPP’s overall Toloa ...
Four Bay of Plenty timber businesses will receive investments totalling nearly $22 million through the Provincial Growth Fund to boost the local economy and create jobs, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. Rotorua-based sawmill Red Stag Wood Solutions will receive a $15 million loan to develop an engineered ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced that New Zealand is exploring the viability of working with partners to conduct a search for the black box on the Gulf Livestock 1. “We know how much it would mean to the families of those on the ship to understand more about ...
The first leaders' debate lacked stand-out moments, but covered a wide range of topics plaguing the country as New Zealand feels the pain of the Covid recession. Laura Walters reports. Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins have gone head-to-head on inequality, infrastructure, jobs, environment and the Covid-19 border response in the first ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grant Duncan, Associate Professor for the School of People, Environment and Planning, Massey University Prime Minister and Labour leader Jacinda Ardern and National Party leader Judith Collins have met for the first televised debate of the 2020 election campaign. With the results ...
Analysis - Riding high on the back of a stellar public poll, ACT leader David Seymour was the standout performer at the finance debate in Queenstown tonight. ...
Who came out on top in tonight’s leaders’ debate? Here are our debate watchers’ verdicts. A bit knackeredGiven that most of the country, most of the Covid-battered world, is basically just knackered, is it any surprise that tonight’s opening debate felt a bit knackered, tooWhether it was in an attempt to ...
Labour leader Jacinda Ardern and National leader Judith Collins are facing off in their first televised election debate at 7pm, with a new poll out at 6pm. Follow live updates here. ...
The first leader debate begins at 7pm on TVNZ 1. Ready your pencils.Judith Collins, Jacinda Ardern and John Campbell all want you to have a good time during tonight’s first leader debate for election 2020. And so do we.That’s why we (well, Toby Morris mostly) have conjured up a bingo ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Harry Al-Wassiti, Bioengineer and Research Fellow, Monash University On Sunday, the Australian government announced it would put A$6 million towards the research and development of three local COVID-19 vaccine candidates, via the Medical Research Future Fund. The three candidates to share this ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Larkins, Professor Emeritus and Former Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Melbourne Australian university research funding is made up of discretionary income that comes from various sources, including international student fees. This is additional to the funding, including government grants, specifically received ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Larkins, Professor Emeritus and Former Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Melbourne Australian university research funding is made up of discretionary income that comes from various sources, including international student fees. This is additional to the funding, including government grants, specifically received ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Haskell-Dowland, Associate Dean (Computing and Security), Edith Cowan University Plot twists in the TikTok saga continue to emerge daily, with a proposed deal to secure the future of the video sharing platform in the United States now in doubt. Under the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Greg Raymond, Lecturer, Australian National University Thousands of Thai students turned out over the weekend to protest in Bangkok — the latest gathering in a long-simmering movement against the power structures that hold sway in Thailand. The three core demands of students ...
Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Megan Woods has spoken about the government's decision not to appeal a landmark court case against Southern Response. ...
Dunedin general election candidates will take part in a My Votes Count forum event on 29 September organised by the Dunedin and Districts Disabled Persons Assembly (DPA) alongside Disability Information Service, People First, Blind Citizens New ...
Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Megan Woods has spoken about the government's decision not to appeal a landmark court case against Southern Response. ...
Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Megan Woods is speaking to media after the government revealed it has decided not to appeal a landmark court case. ...
What happened to the bridge, when will it be fixed, are we ever getting another harbour crossing – and how long will it take to get home tonight?Few of us remember a time before the bridge. Its eight glorious lanes run from St Mary’s Bay across the Waitematā harbour to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Axel Bruns, Professor, Creative Industries, Queensland University of Technology Google’s role in delivering audiences to news outlets has been under scrutiny of late. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s initiative to redirect advertising revenue from Google and Facebook to news publishers has ...
Discriminatory laws that place unreasonable hurdles to increased Māori participation in local government need to be urgently reformed, says Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese. In a Nelson City Council meeting held on Tuesday, 22 September, Council resolved ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vivienne Skinner, Industry/Professional Fellow, School of the Built Environment, University of Technology Sydney Australia’s six-month moratorium on evictions is due to end soon. Somestates have extended the moratorium, but when it ends that’s likely to force even more Australians into housing ...
On Thursday night the arts, culture and heritage spokespeople from Labour, National and the Greens will have a conversation on arts policy, facilitated by Miriama Kamo. We’ve got all their policies here, so you know who stands for what.Earlier this year, Ben Thomas wrote for The Spinoff about why politicians ...
Responding to reports that Cr Catherine Chu failed to attend over half of Christchurch City Council briefings since October , the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union says the revelation is proof elected local councillors must refuse their salaries while they ...
From next week, the scheme will cover people who have symptoms of the coronavirus and need to self-isolate while waiting for the results of a test. ...
Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk The Tabernacle Bible Church of Indonesia’s congregation from the Intan Jaya regency in Papua has fled into the forests in fear after the killing of a pastor at the weekend, allegedly by the military, reports CNN Indonesia. The church (GKII) says it believes Rev Yeremia Zanambani ...
When we first checked the Beehive website for press statements this morning, we found just one announcement – from the Deputy PM – had been posted since September 19. His news was that the Coalition Government has committed to invest $27 million in Covid-19 vaccine development through the global COVAX ...
The government’s decision today to slightly loosen border entry restrictions to allow in certain specialised staff crucial to the agriculture and fishing industries is excellent news, Federated Farmers says. "Feds has been strongly advocating ...
We recently built our own members platform so that readers can donate to and support our journalism in a more direct way. If you’re a Spinoff Member, here’s how it affects you. At the end of last year, our team was fortunate to receive a grant that allowed us to ...
Keep New Zealand Beautiful are excited to announce that three New Zealand students have won awards at the 2020 Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) International competition. These three students were all winners from the national New Zealand ...
The government has announced more border exemptions and visa changes to help get specialised workers in the country and fill labour shortages in key sectors. ...
The National Party leader tells Duncan Greive what conviction means to her, and why she thinks she gets a different treatment to Jacinda Ardern.The first time I saw Judith Collins at close quarters, she was moving through what was inelegantly billed as the “National stakeholder party” held at parliament last ...
Being in the midst of a global pandemic does funny things to you, finds Michelle Langstone as she gives in to an overwhelming urge to return to the Auckland amusement park of her youth. I don’t know if it’s nostalgia working, but my husband and I had an overwhelming urge ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Blair Williams, Associate Lecturer, School of Political Science and International Relations, Australian National University The grand final of Plate of Origin will air on on Channel Seven tonight. Like other blockbuster cooking shows (think MasterChef, My Kitchen Rules), Plate of Origin is ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union has released a list of questions that should be asked at tonight’s TVNZ leaders' debate – and at tonight’s separate finance debate in Queenstown. Questions for Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins: Is tax theft ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Barrett, Senior Lecturer in Taxation, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington The conservative tax policies proposed by Labour and National ahead of next month’s election are hard to distinguish in substance, with each party offering no more than a ...
Judith Collins says she'll be pointing out a "lack of follow-through" by the Labour leader while for Jacinda Ardern it is less about "sparring" than "directly communicating". ...
National wants to boost the capacity of managed isolation facilities by allowing private accommodation providers to join the government-controlled network and charge what they like. ...
National wants to boost the capacity of managed isolation facilities by allowing private accommodation providers to join the government-controlled network and charge what they like. ...
Covid-19 will not be going away any time soon and the National Party says we should team up with the private sector to let more workers and tourists in safely National have announced that, if elected, they will ramp up the private provision of quarantine to allow workers and long-term tourists ...
A joint statement by the national leaders of most New Zealand church denominations We urge the people of Aotearoa New Zealand to vote very cautiously in the two Referendums, because both decisions carry the risk of inflicting serious long-term damage on our ...
A celebration of 35 years working with whānau in the Heretaunga community was celebrated with a short history lesson, waiata and the cutting of the cake this morning. Iwi chair Ngahiwi Tomoana provided the history of the kaupapa Māori organisation which ...
Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell says 2019/20 was a good year for the co-op, with profit up, debt down and a strong milk price. The result, a profit of $659m, may have brought a cheer from the co-op’s farmer-suppliers and Hurrell deserves a cheer, too, for succeeding in turning around the ...
Three weeks ago, the NZ Parliament enacted new Water Laws. The WHO says 1.1 levels Nitrogen for rivers is OK. We are already at 0.6. The new Law (The Greens) wants 0.1 Nitrogen, this is impossible and absolutely ridiculous! ...
Too much news? Welcome to the only round-up you need.The election was supposed to be over by now. We were all supposed to be free but instead we’re back talking about fiscal holes and house prices. Bit of housekeeping: there’ll be no more yes, no, huh? in this column as ...
In a time of growing ideological conformity within the New Zealand media, a backlash from the public has seen media outlets seeking to proclaim themselves as the arbiters of truth. The New Zealand media industry, once renowned for impartial journalism, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katherine Wynn, Lead Economist, CSIRO Futures, CSIRO Over the next few years, science and technology will have a vital role in supporting Australia’s economy as it strives to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. At Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, we’ve identified opportunities ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yun Jiang, Senior Research Officer, Australian National University Last month, the University of New South Wales came under harsh criticism after its media team deleted an article and tweet in which Elaine Pearson, the Australia director of Human Rights Watch, expressed concern ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Theodore E. (Ted) Zorn, Professor of Organisational Communication and Head of Massey Executive Development, Massey University When New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was named the “world’s most eloquent leader” last month it raised the question of just how important eloquence is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle Coffee is regularly in the news for its potential health benefits and drawbacks. A review of the research found drinking a few cups of coffee a day was associated with a lower ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bryan Fry, Associate Professor, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland Funnel webs are considered one of Australia’s most fearsome spiders, but their ability to kill humans is by accident rather than design, our new research shows. In findings published today, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracey Muir, Associate Professor in Mathematics Education, University of Tasmania Parents and carers were responsible for overseeing their children’s learning during the first wave of COVID restrictions in Australia. Many parents in Melbourne and some in regional Victoria will still be doing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marilyn Lake, Professorial Fellow in History, University of Melbourne Review: Vida: A Woman for Our Time, published by Penguin (Viking imprint) Australian women were not the first to win the right to vote in national elections. That world-historic distinction belongs to New ...
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Daily review 03/09/2020 
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Oh look! Another attempt to discredit Labour. Whatever arrangement the Hutt South LP has with Parliamentary Services it is legit and has been going on for decades. And it can be said with certainty that other political parties will be doing it too.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300098040/taxpayer-foots-bill-for-labour-electorate-funds-in-decadesold-subletting-arrangement
What is more, according to Parliamentary Services, it saves the tax-payer a lot of money.
If they want to end this sort of thing then the only option is for parliament to own the building and make it available to the local electorate MP.
That'd upset National because then they wouldn't be able to make government guaranteed profits on buildings that the government has effectively paid for but doesn't own.
I wonder if Dr custard charges a fee? nick smith often has groups etc meeting at his electorate HQ. For example……
http://www.orchidcouncil.org.nz/societies/southern-region/nelson/
Might ring dr custard tomorrow and find out.
Of course he does and makes a nice profit.
Probably donates to the National Party as well.
This'll be Chris Bishop's office getting increasingly desperate. This is the office which hacked Budget 2019. They love to watch the world burn.
BREAKING – Damien is temporarily stopping all live stock exports and applications until they find out what happened regarding the ship of live cattle sailing into a typhoon and sinking.
Much love to the families of the 41 crew who are missing. One person has been found, hopefully they will find some more survivors.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/122649647/one-person-rescued-from-missing-ship-with-two-new-zealanders-onboard
Some info here – capsized apparently.
Good link, thanks Stuart. What a horrid situation for all.
Is part of the problem with live exports that stock can't be kept longer on the ship? This means navigating around a Typhoon is not possible. I would have thought most shipping would avoid such weather systems.
That makes sense.
The storm went inland then out to sea again.
Maybe Master miscalculated typhoon trajectory, or maybe he hoped the ship will overtake it. Whatever were the reasons, the ship sailed straight into the typhoon.
Largely speaking, large modern ships can ignore bad weather. But taifun are an exception. What the survivor describes is the ship broaching (https://www.wartsila.com/encyclopedia/term/broaching-to-phenomenon) – caught abeam by the seas and rolled over – the way square riggers used to go down in the southern latitudes.
Although there probably wasn't a handy port to offload the stock, had the master avoided/waited out the storm, he'd have saved his ship and most of the stock. No doubt he was under pressure to make the quickest voyage possible.
Plus ca change – the Dutchman had sold his soul for a faster voyage.
They call avoiding bad weather 'dodging' in the fishing industry.
It cut's into profits by costing fuel and time. Can also cost extra food stores depending on how many days they have provisions for.
Yup. 2-3 days delay tops, the storms move or dissipate quite quickly – neither fuel nor animal starvation would have been a factor – though lengthening the voyage would likely increase stock mortality, and with rough weather stress, perhaps considerably.
The captain does not own the boat though, and these days it's unlikely the owners were mariners. There's a good chance he was ordered to push on through – going into what is essentially a hurricane in a not very weatherly vessel is otherwise difficult to explain.
Bet they were dairy cattle.
As I say, the problem with being a farm for the world is that everyone else can also produce food.
If we really want to become wealthy then we have to develop our economy away from its reliance upon agricultural exports and that's going to mean high tech R&D and production.
Hey, we even import pork from China! Go figure.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/113999892/pork-imports-from-countries-hit-by-swine-fever-must-be-stopped
That doesn't really surprise me. Pork farms have been disappearing from NZ for awhile now but especially as cities have expanded into farmland. Pork farms stink and nobody wants to live near them – especially rich people who want a nice lifestyle block.
In the USA under Bush all the rules about effluent were dropped so end of clean water. Family pig farms were gobbled up and vast pig farms were established. There are very few family pig farms left and the vast corporate pig farms are so big that nobody in towns or countryside can contest the huge flows of pig swill that poison huge rivers.
Private ownership is so good!
Sounds like the USA is back to the Good Old Days:
We've seen it before – unregulated capitalism is purely destructive.
Capitalism is death
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6wXWxJ2oLo
incredible twitter thread on Chevron's psychopathy
Halleluhua
The US has been made Great Again.
Yes We are sad for those families. It is tragic.
On another topic…Has anyone noticed how very little has been said about Judith's husband ‘s memes on Facebook, by TV1/3 and RNZ?
Has anyone noticed how the press skimmed over Judith's advertisement which broke Parliament's rules?
I see National is offering Mums 3 days in care, $3000 for costs, which is means tested. Do they intend to keep the $60 a week for under threes? Or is this a one off and nothing for year two/three????
Always skeptical of nat policy, they usually give with one hand and take more with the other.
Not much coverage re judiths uncontrollable husband and his obvious lack of class. judith retweeted his meme's. But, but… the school, the school.. distract and delude. Meanwhile the nat's are spending up big on FB advertising.
Could be more coverage in the weekend on the political shows and panels maybe?
Tim Watkin's article is good.
https://www.pundit.co.nz/content/the-naughty-prefect-amp-the-single-source-of-truth
it is…and I may sue for copyright.
"They are exasperated that Shaw has spent three years saying he couldn’t put his foot down over issues such as welfare reform, water-bottling plants or getting agriculture into the ETS – that mean old Winston was bullying him – but found the strength to fight back… on behalf of a private school."
And that says it all about Shaws political judgment…could he have chosen a worse issue to take a stand over?….its difficult to imagine one
He didn't chose this issue to make a stand over. It was part of the ordinary business of Government. Do you really think James thought, "Right! I'll put my foot down on this one! I'm willing to die in a ditch for this!" No, Pat. No.
carry on Robert….you are convincing no-one…not even I suspect yourself
I'm answering your question, Pat, not trying to convince anyone of anything. James didn't choose this issue to take a stand over. Perhaps you think he did?
rrright
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/425096/james-shaw-held-off-on-approving-44-projects-over-green-school
For how long did James delay the process, Pat? One day? 3 hours? What's the usual process for gaining the consent of every member of the team? Did James "put his foot down", or did he say, sorry to be a spanner in the works…"?
good grief
Your "rrrright" and "good grief" are not very well considered answered to my polite questions, Pat. Perhaps you could string together a few more words and make, you know, sentences.
Have you ever wondered why the Greens struggle to attract anything more than barely above threshold support Robert?
OH, it's because they use sentences!
Nope, Pat, that's not a question I struggle with, ever. I know that at any time, only around 10% of the population will be supportive of the kinds of alternate world-view The Greens champion. It's been this way for minority groups, since forever.
Robert I wish you would give yourself a break. If you think that Pat will ever be able to learn anything he/she doesn't want to know, you are mistaken. You know it is a waste of time.
Pat's sincere and so am I. The actual story will become apparent eventually.
You are fighting a losing battle Pat. If James Shaw ate a baby live on TV, Robert would be ok with it.
To me the issue is he held up other projects and demanded other ministers agreed to fund it against all advice. Which is why Robertson and Hipkins have not helped him.
That is silly, Jester
Of course, you are jesting anyway. But don't pretend that the little bits we are getting through the media give you any right to announce anything with your assumed certainty.
I doubt that even Pat agrees with you about the eating baby metaphor.
So much for Shaw’s mea culpa to the party though eh? He tried to dump it on poor old Chippie.
Shaw's probably telling the truth.
Hipkins dumping on Shaw now
Yeah. Can you blame him?
Yes. James has been quite the restrained gentleman.
OK Robert Guyton maybe you can enlighen us…
A simple yes or no answer will do….
Did James Shaw inform the Green party members on the Zoom meeting last Friday that he had told Government ministers and the Treasury that he wouldn't sign off on other infrastructure projects until the Green School funding was included?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12361614
Had he (James Shaw) "told Government ministers and the Treasury that he wouldn't sign off on other infrastructure projects until the Green School funding was included?"
That's not a 'yes' or a 'no.
It's a different question in case you hadn't noticed. And a better one, again, in case you hadn't noticed
yes I noticed. But he still didn't answer original question
That is a way of pointing out that your original question was stupid anyway, in case you hadn't noticed. A wrong question…
Original question was fine, but he did a Winston Peters and didn't want to answer it so did so with a question.
Shaw has been a bit like a rabbit caught in the headlights with this. You don’t have to be Einstein to figure out that the zoom commentary was a half arsed attempt to deflect some of the blame. And his standup the other day was cringy really.
When you think of the PM fronting every bloody day, good times and bad, you realise what a totally class act she is.
"You don’t have to be Einstein to figure out that the zoom commentary was a half arsed attempt to deflect some of the blame."
Were you on that call? Because I was, and what I saw was a man who wanted to give an explanation, apologise and make set things right in various ways. He actually went out if his way to not blame others, which is consistent with who he is.
I wasn't on the call, weka, yet felt confident James would behave exactly as you describe.
OK so you are telling us he is a great guy, fine we believe you, but no one has answered this simple question…maybe you can help as you where there.
Did James Shaw inform the Green party members on the Zoom meeting last Friday that he had told Government ministers and the Treasury that he wouldn't sign off on other infrastructure projects until the Green School funding was included?
There hasn't been any denials from Shaw or the Greens around the veracity of these emails so we can only assume them to be legitimate.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12361614
we believe you
Would that be the royal We?
Adrian: did James send an email?
If so, what did it say?
The e-mail came from Shaw’s Ministerial Office, didn’t it? If so, how can the Greens confirm or deny the veracity of it? It is not the Party’s business, at all.
The e-mail is most likely legit but we have only seen selected snippets. Context is important and I wouldn’t draw too many conclusions based on what has been published so far by MSM. Remember this recent Post here: https://thestandard.org.nz/nationals-latest-deception/?
The National tweet was a selective quote of an answer made in Parliament. However, without the context of the full answer provided it was highly misleading. That’s why I find it safer to see the full and complete information before I jump to conclusions.
Very wise and reasonable of you, Incognito. Your is the approach of a reasonable, thoughtful, emotionally-balanced person. You (and some others here) are a great comfort to someone like me who cringes at the comments from knee-jerky, sizzle-headed reactionaries who lack your poise
Too much praise and some of which is a little, just a little, off the mark 😉
That said, being a Moderator here does temper my knee-jerk urges somewhat lest I’d be accused of being a hypocrite or worse: elite!
Be the change you want to see. I can’t say it is easy because sometimes I want to … scream!!
As you say, Master Jedi
Tova O'Brien seems to have the email. Would be interesting as to who leaked it to her.
James had this to say:
"I didn't sign off that final list, which included the Green School, until I was satisfied that all of my questions about a range of projects had been answered," he said in a statement.
"The first infrastructure projects were announced over five weeks before I signed the briefing that included the Green School, so to suggest I was holding up the process is absurd."
He later added: "To suggest that by asking questions I was giving an ultimatum is absurd.""
My bold.
Link?
In the comment from Adrian that I was responding to
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12361614
Ah, thanks and my apologies.
Not even slightly perturbed
Adrian seems to have ducked-out…
Oh Robert, for crying out loud! Shaw has been nothing but amateur hour since the shit hit the fan. It’s a shame, I really rate him as a minister and thinks he and other Green assoc ministers bring a lot to the government. But it’s the Metiria situation all over again isn’t it? Something goes awry and the Greens simply can’t manage the blowtorch of parliamentary politics and media scrutiny.
James should be able to "manage the blowtorch of parliamentary politics and media scrutiny"?
Really?
The usual methods for doing that, as exemplified by John Key, are obfuscation, blame-shifting, denial, attack, attacking the media, disappearing for the duration etc. You want James to behave in the way the likes of Gerry Brownlee, Judith Collins, Todd Barclay et al have shown? I have more confidence and faith in him that that and give my support to James in a very difficult time, in a way that you do not. Do you reckon it's a breeze, dealing with these attacks? Imagine James' reaction to realising that his own people are not behind him, are willing to snipe and snark alongside of the most witless of the Nats! Gotta feel for the guy (I do).
I want James to behave in a way that strengthens the Green Movement in NZ. Woowoocrystalgate weakens it.
Do you really think you have a credible role in this discussion, Grafton Gully? Yours has a "hired-clown" sort of feel to it.
no sense of irony then GG.
I think that the Greens should step down and be replaced by all the eminence greasys full of wisdom and clear about the way forward. Why do we waste time with politicians trying to move in any direction when we can have eternal arguments continuing as we walk off the edge of the cliff into space, down to the sea or the rocks, whatever.
As Robert says, his own people are not behind him but that's hardly surprising as he went against Greens policy and may have cost them their seats in Parliament. He really has had a Meteria Tuerei moment and that didn't end well for the Greens.
Who are you to comment, Jester? You are a giveaway troll, who never had any Green leanings anyway. Feel free to subside away..
You are correct, I did not vote Green last time and wont be this time either.
Saw this on twitter, quite liked it….
I really feel for him too Robert and I would love to give him my wholehearted support. And I said as much when this shitstorm started to unfold. I pointed out at the time that it was unforgivable for the party membership to humiliate one of their leaders in the public fashion that has happened in the last week and this close to an election (and got dumped on by various commenters in here).
I don’t want James to behave like Key or any of the other National Party people you mention, he doesn’t need to, but I’d settle for him trying to be a bit more like Jacinda actually.
And yet weka he told all 400 odd of you that Hipkins had a-oked the school project? Which Hipkins had no ability to do? And at least one of the 400 zoomers found that statement incongruous enough to send the zoom to newshub?
And please don’t start dumping on me because I’m being critical. I WANT the Greens to be a part of the next government! But whichever way you look at this, it’s a class A fuck up at a terrible point in the electoral cycle.
From memory Shaw has said that Hipkins gave a verbal yes to the project. Pretty sure the Hipkins still has use of his mouth, so this it seems likely he did have the ability to do this.
No-one minds critique. My objection in the past week has been to poorly informed criticism and jumping to conclusions.
"My objection in the past week has been poorly informed criticism and jumping to conclusions."
Amen. And still they come in, those poorly informed criticisms and jumped-to conclusions.
The point is though weka, that Hipkins didn’t have any ministerial responsibility to give the project a ‘yes’ regardless of what his mouth might be capable of. And Shaw as an Associate Minister of Finance would know that.
I’m on James Shaw’s side. I think he’s been a really good minister in the coalition government. He may have made a mistake by backing this project but in the matter of the wider fallout he’s been let down by all of you. Clearly there are more than a few of the membership who are not comfortable with the leadership that Shaw provides. But any leader of a political party has some right to expect the membership to line up behind them when the going gets tough. The position is surely untenable otherwise. It’s real politik and one of the trade offs you necessarily make in order to operate at the national level.
Shaw is a good guy but he's probably been played (or out smarted)
"I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him."
100% agree, ScottGN.
And yet…”Shaw has been nothing but amateur hour since the shit hit the fan”
Difficult to reconcile your two statements…
James is just National's "Look Over there!!"
Aided by a gaggle of Lefties squawking, "Where? Where! Oh DEAR!!!"
Haha Robert, you edited that comment.
Actually I don’t think my statements are at odds really. The hesitant James Shaw that presented at the stand up I watched was a man who’d been through the wringer at that zoom and was maybe left wondering “with friends like these who needs enemies?” It’s obviously hard to present well in public when you’re unsure of the support you have from your team.
Could be. I don't regard James as amateurish at all. He's under immense pressure and handling it very well, despite his drawn look. Other politicians in recent times have collapsed under similar, or less, pressure than he is being subject to; that's the game, in my view; can those who wish the Greens gone, destroy James and render him unable to function, as they did Clare Curran.
I don’t think he’s amateurish either. So in that respect I acknowledge that I haven’t phrased my thinking very well. I just wish the Greens would keep an eye for once on the bigger picture.
one of the key things that stands out for me is that Shaw was bound by confidentiality convention around the budget and couldn't take his thoughts or decisions in that funding process to the GP caucus. That's huge. I'm guessing it's why Catherine Delahunty said that he might have ended up isolated from his own party. Shaw himself referred to the problematic nature of the process. I'm betting there are things he is not saying because of confidentiality, because of respect for the relationships, and because of pragmatics (the GP don't tell everyone everything, that would be electoral suicide in this environment).
What I fund stunning is the degree of perfection that the left expect of the GP. The standard being expected here is different than normal. We're not talking about the right condemning Shaw but the left. This is as big an issue as anything Shaw has done imo.
I'm going to fire my parting shot (knowing how dangerous that is) having contributed more than my share to the "James" debate.
I've come to admire supporters of the National Party. They fight for their leaders, even when those leaders are rat-bags. In James' instance, our leader is a decent man, something those Right-wingers surely would wish for most sincerely, but how do we treat or leader, when he finds himself in strife? We tear at him, like gulls. National party supporters know the value of loyalty, even though they misplace it sometimes. We on the Left seem to despise the very idea of giving our top people the benefit of the doubt and our unflinching loyalty. There's something amiss in the way we behave. In my opinion.
This could be worth a post on its own!
I think the purpose of leadership is (viewed) differently on the Left and Right. Consequently, if a leader ‘fails’ it is a learning experience and almost a badge to wear with pride because it is seen more as a ‘business transaction’ with little personal-individual investment and attachment or it is a ‘mortal sin’ and a ‘fall from Heaven’ because people’s personal hopes and dreams are invested in it and they have now been ‘shattered’. In a nutshell, of course; it requires much more elaboration to tease this out further. Of course, others may completely disagree and have different views 🙂
very well put Robert. My thinking this week has been similar (not so much about Nat, but about how the left treats our leaders when they disappoint us)
Having been in opposition so long, we revile leaders… ?
Or put it this way: We have spent so long in opposition decrying the dishonesty, of Govt that we hate the slightest sign of it in our own?
Be fair, James stuffed up bigly. But he has apologised genuinely to my mind, and probably should have just shut up after that. Politics is not his forte.
I don’t see him as a great future Prime Minister. I see him as someone struggling to cope. But that does not mean that we should not party vote Green.
I'll be voting Green and Shaw's apology has a large part to play in that as it cements that the leaders of the Greens are honourable people.
Something we never see in National and all to rarely see in Labour.
/agreed
The Left seems to have forgotten the concept of forgiveness for simple human error.
Regarding James, he appears to have made an error of judgement, apologised, sought to correct it. What more would you like Greens?
National and friends were overjoyed as it detracted from David Wong Tung's memes and Judith Collins twice signing off a lying advert which was stopped by Parliament.
National are delighted to have that diversion supplied.
Labour have not supported James as they can not be seen to be associated with the mistake….sad fact.
Greens are so busy castigating Shaw they are not drawing the electorate’s attention to the perfidy of National.
Is there a Green faction who favour not being part of a Government with all the attendant difficulties? Would they rather sit on the side benches playing referee?
Compromise is a dirty word to some, but often necessary to defeat the actual evil.
Working together requires compromise quite often, otherwise relationships fail through rigid behaviour. Just saying.
James appears a good man.
Judith Collins is a nasty piece, who “doesn’t get angry she gets even.”