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.
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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It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
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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
https://twitter.com/panondo/status/1301308039530651649?s=20
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.”