Yeah so I asked the question yesterday whether the invite to Don Brash was a publicity stunt and received some thoughts from other commenters that no, it was just an exercise in free speech.
Ngapuhi seems determined to get as many eyeballs on Waitangi this year as possible and I do now wonder if it might conveniently distract from the Prime Minister’s efforts there.
I met Marama Fox in the weeks before the last election and her positioning was with the National Party. That might have coloured my opinion but I don’t have much sympathy for her fall from grace.
She’s high profile. Of course she deserves to be singled out.
But back to the point I was trying to make, are the Waitangi celebration organisers deliberately constructing controversy at the Treaty grounds in order to promote their own brand?
One dickhead invited to speak might be an accident, but two is no accident.
You’ve got your reasons for defending Ms Fox and that’s fine, but she hooked her cart to the party of personal responsibility so I guess she’s got to be judged on her decisions.
I dare say that if the party Marama Fox hopped into bed with practiced natural justice instead of perpetuating bias, then some would go easier on her for her mistakes.
You are the only one going hard on her – seems pretty petty because as Pat says so fucken many people do it and a small percentage get caught – have you ever driven when over the limit?
Natural justice is there because it was on the news and she has a high profile. Her shame is real.
“I do now wonder if it might conveniently distract from the Prime Minister’s efforts there.”
I am sure that the Labour Party hierarchy hope so.
After Ardern’s appalling displays when interviewed on the morning News Programs today they will be desperate that anything she says is not reported.
Could she not have spent just a bit of her six weeks of Christmas holidays in attempting to learn something about what her job entails?
Her ignorance is totally terrifying.
Can you imagine recent luminaries in the job such as Clark, Key or English not being able to bat away the questions that she failed to even comprehend?
They of course worked at the job.
“What [Don Brash] brings to the table is he’s a doctor, he’s been in some high positions, financial ones as well,” said Mr Taipari.
“We’re trying to change the flavour and trying to be more innovative.
“We want to create our own financial freedom, stop being dependent on the Government, stop having all these racist attacks on us that we’re some kind of bludging society.”
He says if they want to change the narrative, they need to be creative.
“If we’re gonna do that we’ve got to go to every corner of the community to get the information we need.”
But Mr Brash is a theoretical economist and a lifetime public servant. Even RWNJs would not consider him a good source for entrepreneurial ideas because according to their definition Mr Brash has done nothing with his life!
That’s a bit silly. Nothing with his life?
He was Governer of the Reserve Bank. Leader of a major political party. That’s an achievement.
I’ve never heard much about him actually creating and running buisnesses but I think there is a more important point here.
He has been very critical of Moari relying on government. So this is a put up or shut up moment for Brash. Don’t criticise unless you have alternatives, and solutions.
Some within Maoridom also see Brash as an enemy. So invite your enemy to speak. It’s the opposite strategy of those that think they win by stoping people having points of veiw that are not there own from speaking. It’s people that can’t win contests of ideas that do that.
It is a major plank of right wing thought that lifetime civil servants and academics have no real life experience and as such have no mandate to speak on real life experience so that necessarily must apply to Mr Brash also.
You merely display your ignorance with comments such as this.
Were you aware that Brash was, from 1971 until 1988, in the following jobs?
General Manager of Merchant Bank, Broadbank Corporation.
Managing Director of the New Zealand Kiwifruit Authority.
General Manager of Banking Group Trust Bank.
Of course you weren’t, you silly little fellow.
If you were you might, just might, have seen that your comments merely spew forth from a morass of ignorance.
Last year Jacinda Ardern used her speech from the porch of the whare rūnanga, an honour women aren’t usually allowed, to declare the government had failed Māori in the justice system and would do better…
… “Unfortunately what we know, is that we have over-representation of Māori in our prisons. Upwards of 50 percent,” Ms Ardern said.
She said prison numbers have dropped overall and rehabilitation was working for Māori.
“We’ve seen about 1000 fewer people in our prisons, and so any work that we do on rehabilitation programmes ultimately does benefit Māori.”
but kev to the rescue
“There’s some 40,000 people under Corrections’ watch, less than 10,000 of them now are in prison. Some 30,000 are out in the communities,” Mr Davis said.
“So for groups that want to do work in prisons, I say to them actually get out into communities and work with the 30,000 out there who also need their support.”
Extrapolating, that is 1600 jobs in the regions for the full spend which sounds like a modest number but is it really? Does it account for the the expansion of these enterprises and the other jobs which grow around such enterprises?
Who will count these in years to come? The continuing benefit might be tens of thousands of young people with a future which wouldn’t have occurred under a National led government.
And the PDF article in this link is a bit dated (July 2015), but I agree that a more transparent cost-benefit analysis of government (social) spending initiatives would be a plus.
It may be mostly BAU for the coalition government at the moment (few major improvements compared to the previous administration), but it is early days so here’s hoping for more transparency (and benefits) once some of these initiatives have been in place for at least a year.
OH Key and English were So transparent!! Really???
Live sheep export, Secret meetings with Hollywood, sudden wish to brand with his choice of flag. Millions wasted.
You are rather selective about when you want transparency and accountability.
Oh, and this money will be Loaned to and Repaid by Maori Land owners, not given or wasted.
Did we get any of our money gifted to the three examples above back?
No, in fact the first two saw more money go off shore, and the Flag well LOL.
Away with your selective transparency rules. We see through you LOL LOL
This is to establish, seed, start, support “Ready to go innovations and activities”
Like planting manuka as food for bees, beginning job training before apprenticeships… all sound slow but steady stuff.
Each time part of the money is tagged for accounting and administration as well.
So you will be able to see who borrowed and what for.
“At least a third of the huge ice fields in Asia’s towering mountain chain are doomed to melt due to climate change, according to a landmark report, with serious consequences for almost 2 billion people.
Even if carbon emissions are dramatically and rapidly cut and succeed in limiting global warming to 1.5C, 36% of the glaciers along in the Hindu Kush and Himalaya range will have gone by 2100. If emissions are not cut, the loss soars to two-thirds, the report found.”
Pat, you won’t get any response from the resident trolls because they can’t twist those facts.
Very scary scenarios happening, Including the report about rising sea levels affecting our fresh water reticulation both on the coast and even inland. Billions to avert/repair before another two generations pass.
This is real fast and terrifying. People here have seldom experienced grass fires and how rapidly they can travel. We have seldom suffered with water shortages, but water borne illness goes with that as in Napier /Hastings.
The 2 deg tipping point is possibly past already.
We should be conserving our drinking water. A necessary of life.
Open access notablesLarge emissions of CO2 and CH4 due to active-layer warming in Arctic tundra, Torn et al., Nature Communications:Climate warming may accelerate decomposition of Arctic soil carbon, but few controlled experiments have manipulated the entire active layer. To determine surface-atmosphere fluxes of carbon dioxide and ...
It's election year for Wellington City Council and for the Regional Council. What have the progressive councillors achieved over the last couple of years. What were the blocks and failures? What's with the targeting of the mayor and city council by the Post and by central government? Why does the ...
Over the holidays, there was a rising tide of calls for people to submit on National's repulsive, white supremacist Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill, along with a wave of advice and examples of what to say. And it looks like people rose to the occasion, with over 300,000 ...
The lie is my expenseThe scope of my desireThe Party blessed me with its futureAnd I protect it with fireI am the Nina The Pinta The Santa MariaThe noose and the rapistAnd the fields overseerThe agents of orangeThe priests of HiroshimaThe cost of my desire…Sleep now in the fireSongwriters: Brad ...
This is a re-post from the Climate BrinkGlobal surface temperatures have risen around 1.3C since the preindustrial (1850-1900) period as a result of human activity.1 However, this aggregate number masks a lot of underlying factors that contribute to global surface temperature changes over time.These include CO2, which is the primary ...
There are times when movement around us seems to slow down. And the faster things get, the slower it all appears.And so it is with the whirlwind of early year political activity.They are harbingers for what is to come:Video: Wayne Wright Jnr, funder of Sean Plunket, talk growing power and ...
Hi,Right now the power is out, so I’m just relying on the laptop battery and tethering to my phone’s 5G which is dropping in and out. We’ll see how we go.First up — I’m fine. I can’t see any flames out the window. I live in the greater Hollywood area ...
2024 was a tough year for working Kiwis. But together we’ve been able to fight back for a just and fair New Zealand and in 2025 we need to keep standing up for what’s right and having our voices heard. That starts with our Mood of the Workforce Survey. It’s your ...
Time is never time at allYou can never ever leaveWithout leaving a piece of youthAnd our lives are forever changedWe will never be the sameThe more you change, the less you feelSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan.Babinden - Baba’s DayToday, January 8th, 2025, is Babinden, “The Day of the baba” or “The ...
..I/We wish to make the following comments:I oppose the Treaty Principles Bill."5. Act binds the CrownThis Act binds the Crown."How does this Act "bind the Crown" when Te Tiriti o Waitangi, which the Act refers to, has been violated by the Crown on numerous occassions, resulting in massive loss of ...
Everything is good and brownI'm here againWith a sunshine smile upon my faceMy friends are close at handAnd all my inhibitions have disappeared without a traceI'm glad, oh, that I found oohSomebody who I can rely onSongwriter: Jay KayGood morning, all you lovely people. Today, I’ve got nothing except a ...
Welcome to 2025. After wrapping up 2024, here’s a look at some of the things we can expect to see this year along with a few predictions. Council and Elections Elections One of the biggest things this year will be local body elections in October. Will Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Canadians can take a while to get angry – but when they finally do, watch out. Canada has been falling out of love with Justin Trudeau for years, and his exit has to be the least surprising news event of the New Year. On recent polling, Trudeau’s Liberal party has ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Much like 2023, many climate and energy records were broken in 2024. It was Earth’s hottest year on record by a wide margin, breaking the previous record that was set just last year by an even larger margin. Human-caused climate-warming pollution and ...
Submissions on National's racist, white supremacist Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill are due tomorrow! So today, after a good long holiday from all that bullshit, I finally got my shit together to submit on it. As I noted here, people should write their own submissions in their own ...
Ooh, baby (ooh, baby)It's making me crazy (it's making me crazy)Every time I look around (look around)Every time I look around (every time I look around)Every time I look aroundIt's in my faceSongwriters: Alan Leo Jansson / Paul Lawrence L. Fuemana.Today, I’ll be talking about rich, middle-aged men who’ve made ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 29, 2024 thru Sat, January 4, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
Hi,The thing that stood out at me while shopping for Christmas presents in New Zealand was how hard it was to avoid Zuru products. Toy manufacturer Zuru is a bit like Netflix, in that it has so much data on what people want they can flood the market with so ...
And when a child is born into this worldIt has no conceptOf the tone of skin it's living inAnd there's a million voicesAnd there's a million voicesTo tell you what you should be thinkingSong by Neneh Cherry and Youssou N'Dour.The moment you see that face, you can hear her voice; ...
While we may not always have quality political leadership, a couple of recently published autobiographies indicate sometimes we strike it lucky. When ranking our prime ministers, retired professor of history Erik Olssen commented that ‘neither Holland nor Nash was especially effective as prime minister – even his private secretary thought ...
Baby, be the class clownI'll be the beauty queen in tearsIt's a new art form, showin' people how little we care (yeah)We're so happy, even when we're smilin' out of fearLet's go down to the tennis court and talk it up like, yeah (yeah)Songwriters: Joel Little / Ella Yelich O ...
Open access notables Why Misinformation Must Not Be Ignored, Ecker et al., American Psychologist:Recent academic debate has seen the emergence of the claim that misinformation is not a significant societal problem. We argue that the arguments used to support this minimizing position are flawed, particularly if interpreted (e.g., by policymakers or the public) as suggesting ...
What I’ve Been Doing: I buried a close family member.What I’ve Been Watching: Andor, Jack Reacher, Xmas movies.What I’ve Been Reflecting On: The Usefulness of Writing and the Worthiness of Doing So — especially as things become more transparent on their own.I also hate competing on any day, and if ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by John Wihbey. A version of this article first appeared on Yale Climate Connections on Nov. 11, 2008. (Image credits: The White House, Jonathan Cutrer / CC BY 2.0; President Jimmy Carter, Trikosko/Library of Congress; Solar dedication, Bill Fitz-Patrick / Jimmy Carter Library; Solar ...
Morena folks,We’re having a good break, recharging the batteries. Hope you’re enjoying the holiday period. I’m not feeling terribly inspired by much at the moment, I’m afraid—not from a writing point of view, anyway.So, today, we’re travelling back in time. You’ll have to imagine the wavy lines and sci-fi sound ...
Completed reads for 2024: Oration on the Dignity of Man, by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola A Platonic Discourse Upon Love, by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola Of Being and Unity, by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola The Life of Pico della Mirandola, by Giovanni Francesco Pico Three Letters Written by Pico ...
Welcome to 2025, Aotearoa. Well… what can one really say? 2024 was a story of a bad beginning, an infernal middle and an indescribably farcical end. But to chart a course for a real future, it does pay to know where we’ve been… so we know where we need ...
Welcome to the official half-way point of the 2020s. Anyway, as per my New Years tradition, here’s where A Phuulish Fellow’s blog traffic came from in 2024: United States United Kingdom New Zealand Canada Sweden Australia Germany Spain Brazil Finland The top four are the same as 2023, ...
Completed reads for December: Be A Wolf!, by Brian Strickland The Magic Flute [libretto], by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Emanuel Schikaneder The Invisible Eye, by Erckmann-Chatrian The Owl’s Ear, by Erckmann-Chatrian The Waters of Death, by Erckmann-Chatrian The Spider, by Hanns Heinz Ewers Who Knows?, by Guy de Maupassant ...
Well, it’s the last day of the year, so it’s time for a quick wrap-up of the most important things that happened in 2024 for urbanism and transport in our city. A huge thank you to everyone who has visited the blog and supported us in our mission to make ...
Leave your office, run past your funeralLeave your home, car, leave your pulpitJoin us in the streets where weJoin us in the streets where weDon't belong, don't belongHere under the starsThrowing light…Song: Jeffery BuckleyToday, I’ll discuss the standout politicians of the last 12 months. Each party will receive three awards, ...
Hi,A lot’s happened this year in the world of Webworm, and as 2024 comes to an end I thought I’d look back at a few of the things that popped. Maybe you missed them, or you might want to revisit some of these essay and podcast episodes over your break ...
Hi,I wanted to share this piece by film editor Dan Kircher about what cinema has been up to in 2024.Dan edited my documentary Mister Organ, as well as this year’s excellent crowd-pleasing Bookworm.Dan adores movies. He gets the language of cinema, he knows what he loves, and writes accordingly. And ...
Without delving into personal details but in order to give readers a sense of the year that was, I thought I would offer the study in contrasts that are Xmas 2023 and Xmas 2024: Xmas 2023 in Starship Children’s Hospital (after third of four surgeries). Even opening presents was an ...
Heavy disclaimer: Alpha/beta/omega dynamics is a popular trope that’s used in a wide range of stories and my thoughts on it do not apply to all cases. I’m most familiar with it through the lens of male-focused fanfic, typically m/m but sometimes also featuring m/f and that’s the situation I’m ...
Hi,Webworm has been pretty heavy this year — mainly because the world is pretty heavy. But as we sprint (or limp, you choose) through the final days of 2024, I wanted to keep Webworm a little lighter.So today I wanted to look at one of the biggest and weirdest elements ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 22, 2024 thru Sat, December 28, 2024. This week's roundup is the second one published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, ...
We’ll have a climate change ChristmasFrom now until foreverWarming our hearts and mindsAnd planet all togetherSpirits high and oceans higherChestnuts roast on wildfiresIf coal is on your wishlistMerry Climate Change ChristmasSong by Ian McConnellReindeer emissions are not something I’d thought about in terms of climate change. I guess some significant ...
KP continues to putt-putt along as a tiny niche blog that offers a NZ perspective on international affairs with a few observations about NZ domestic politics thrown in. In 2024 there was also some personal posts given that my son was in the last four months of a nine month ...
I can see very wellThere's a boat on the reef with a broken backAnd I can see it very wellThere's a joke and I know it very wellIt's one of those that I told you long agoTake my word I'm a madman, don't you knowSongwriters: Bernie Taupin / Elton JohnIt ...
.Acknowledgement: Tim PrebbleThanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work..With each passing day of bad headlines, squandering tax revenue to enrich the rich, deep cuts to our social services and a government struggling to keep the lipstick on its neo-liberal pig ...
This is from the 36th Parallel social media account (as brief food for thought). We know that Trump is ahistorical at best but he seems to think that he is Teddy Roosevelt and can use the threat of invoking the Monroe Doctrine and “Big Stick” gunboat diplomacy against Panama and ...
Don't you cry tonightI still love you, babyAnd don't you cry tonightDon't you cry tonightThere's a heaven above you, babyAnd don't you cry tonightSong: Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin“Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so”, said possibly the greatest philosopher ever to walk this earth, Douglas Adams.We have entered the ...
Because you're magicYou're magic people to meSong: Dave Para/Molly Para.Morena all, I hope you had a good day yesterday, however you spent it. Today, a few words about our celebration and a look at the various messages from our politicians.A Rockel XmasChristmas morning was spent with the five of us ...
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). 2024 has been a series of bad news for climate change. From scorching global temperatures leading to devastating ...
Ríu Ríu ChíuRíu Ríu Chíu is a Spanish Christmas song from the 16th Century. The traditional carol would likely have passed unnoticed by the English-speaking world had the made-for-television American band The Monkees not performed the song as part of their special Christmas show back in 1967. The show's ...
Dunedin’s summer thus far has been warm and humid… and it looks like we’re in for a grey Christmas. But it is now officially Christmas Day in this time zone, so never mind. This year, I’ve stumbled across an Old English version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen: It has a population of just under 3.5 million inhabitants, produces nearly 550,000 tons of beef per year, and boasts a glorious soccer reputation with two World ...
Morena all,In my paywalled newsletter yesterday, I signed off for Christmas and wished readers well, but I thought I’d send everyone a quick note this morning.This hasn’t been a good year for our small country. The divisions caused by the Treaty Principles Bill, the cuts to our public sector, increased ...
This morning’s six standouts for me at 6.30 am include:Kāinga Ora is quietly planning to sell over $1 billion worth of state-owned land under 300 state homes in Auckland’s wealthiest suburbs, including around Bastion Point, to give the Government more fiscal room to pay for tax cuts and reduce borrowing.A ...
Hi,It’s my birthday on Christmas Day, and I have a favour to ask.A birthday wish.I would love you to share one Webworm story you’ve liked this year.The simple fact is: apart from paying for a Webworm membership (thank you!), sharing and telling others about this place is the most important ...
The last few days have been a bit too much of a whirl for me to manage a fresh edition each day. It's been that kind of year. Hope you don't mind.I’ve been coming around to thinking that it doesn't really matter if you don't have something to say every ...
The worms will live in every hostIt's hard to pick which one they eat the mostThe horrible people, the horrible peopleIt's as anatomic as the size of your steepleCapitalism has made it this wayOld-fashioned fascism will take it awaySongwriter: Twiggy Ramirez Read more ...
Hi,It’s almost Christmas Day which means it is almost my birthday, where you will find me whimpering in the corner clutching a warm bottle of Baileys.If you’re out of ideas for presents (and truly desperate) then it is possible to gift a full Webworm subscription to a friend (or enemy) ...
This morning’s six standouts for me at 6.30am include:Rachel Helyer Donaldson’s scoop via RNZ last night of cuts to maternity jobs in the health system;Maddy Croad’s scoop via The Press-$ this morning on funding cuts for Christchurch’s biggest food rescue charity;Benedict Collins’ scoop last night via 1News on a last-minute ...
A listing of 25 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 15, 2024 thru Sat, December 21, 2024. Based on feedback we received, this week's roundup is the first one published soleley by category. We are still interested in ...
Well, I've been there, sitting in that same chairWhispering that same prayer half a million timesIt's a lie, though buried in disciplesOne page of the Bible isn't worth a lifeThere's nothing wrong with youIt's true, it's trueThere's something wrong with the villageWith the villageSomething wrong with the villageSongwriters: Andrew Jackson ...
ACT would like to dictate what universities can and can’t say. We knew it was coming. It was outlined in the coalition agreement and has become part of Seymour’s strategy of “emphasising public funding” to prevent people from opposing him and his views—something he also uses to try and de-platform ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Are we heading ...
So the Solstice has arrived – Summer in this part of the world, Winter for the Northern Hemisphere. And with it, the publication my new Norse dark-fantasy piece, As Our Power Lessens at Eternal Haunted Summer: https://eternalhauntedsummer.com/issues/winter-solstice-2024/as-our-power-lessens/ As previously noted, this one is very ‘wyrd’, and Northern Theory of Courage. ...
The Natural Choice: As a starter for ten percent of the Party Vote, “saving the planet” is a very respectable objective. Young voters, in particular, raised on the dire (if unheeded) warnings of climate scientists, and the irrefutable evidence of devastating weather events linked to global warming, vote Green. After ...
The Government cancelled 60% of Kāinga Ora’s new builds next year, even though the land for them was already bought, the consents were consented and there are builders unemployed all over the place. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political ...
The Green Party welcomes the extension of the deadline for Treaty Principles Bill submissions but continues to call on the Government to abandon the Bill. ...
The time it takes to process building determinations has improved significantly over the last year which means fewer delays in homes being built, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “New Zealand has a persistent shortage of houses. Making it easier and quicker for new homes to be built will ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden is pleased to announce the annual list of New Zealand’s most popular baby names for 2024. “For the second consecutive year, Noah has claimed the top spot for boys with 250 babies sharing the name, while Isla has returned to the most popular ...
Work is set to get underway on a new bus station at Westgate this week. A contract has been awarded to HEB Construction to start a package of enabling works to get the site ready in advance of main construction beginning in mid-2025, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“A new Westgate ...
Minister for Children and for Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour is encouraging people to use the resources available to them to get help, and to report instances of family and sexual violence amongst their friends, families, and loved ones who are in need. “The death of a ...
Uia te pō, rangahaua te pō, whakamāramatia mai he aha tō tango, he aha tō kāwhaki? Whitirere ki te ao, tirotiro kau au, kei hea taku rātā whakamarumaru i te au o te pakanga mo te mana motuhake? Au te pō, ngū te pō, ue hā! E te kahurangi māreikura, ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says people with diabetes and other painful conditions will benefit from a significant new qualification to boost training in foot care. “It sounds simple, but quality and regular foot and nail care is vital in preventing potentially serious complications from diabetes, like blisters or sores, which can take a long time to heal ...
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour is pleased to see Pharmac continue to increase availability of medicines for Kiwis with the government’s largest ever investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the government,” says Mr Seymour. “When this government assumed ...
Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora e mua - Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead. Māori recipients in the New Year 2025 Honours list show comprehensive dedication to improving communities across the motu that ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden is wishing all New Zealanders a great holiday season as Kiwis prepare for gatherings with friends and families to see in the New Year. It is a great time of year to remind everyone to stay fire safe over the summer. “I know ...
From 1 January 2025, first-time tertiary learners will have access to a new Fees Free entitlement of up to $12,000 for their final year of provider-based study or final two years of work-based learning, Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Targeting funding to the final year of study ...
“As we head into one of the busiest times of the year for Police, and family violence and sexual violence response services, it’s a good time to remind everyone what to do if they experience violence or are worried about others,” Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence ...
Kiwis planning a swim or heading out on a boat this summer should remember to stop and think about water safety, Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop and ACC and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “New Zealand’s beaches, lakes and rivers are some of the most beautiful in the ...
The Government is urging Kiwis to drive safely this summer and reminding motorists that Police will be out in force to enforce the road rules, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“This time of year can be stressful and result in poor decision-making on our roads. Whether you are travelling to see ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand will move swiftly to support dozens of internationally-trained doctors already in New Zealand on their journey to employment here, after a tripling of sought-after examination places. “The Medical Council has delivered great news for hardworking overseas doctors who want to contribute ...
The sun exploded on May 10th, 2024. It bathed the planet in radiation and flooded Instagram with photos of the resulting aurora. It was the largest solar storm in New Zealand’s modern history. To one expert, it was a wake-up call for the entire planet: “We need to get our shit ...
Opinion: The Department of Conservation is currently consulting on a proposal to significantly change how it plans for, and gives permissions for, activities on public conservation land – currently about a third of New Zealand. The proposals include simplifying and reducing the number of general policies, conservation management strategies and management plans, making ...
Comment: Nearly half of women around Aotearoa New Zealand who exercise recreationally experience health issues due to over-exercising and under-eating.But our new research shows educating them about their energy intake versus outtake is key to fixing the problem and could prevent the development of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports (REDs).REDs ...
NewsroomBy Penny Matkin-Hussey and Katherine Black
Summer reissue: Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether it’s a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to ...
Summer reissue: Alex Casey recounts a reverse honeymoon that ended with a secret wedding. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today.It was a sighting ...
Summer reissue: An increasingly manic diary of Hollywood Avondale’s 24-hour film marathon, as it celebrates its 25th anniversary. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today. ...
Summer reissue: The photograph is striking and beautiful, but also disturbing – a reminder that my love for John was often entangled in shame.The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign ...
Summer reissue: For those who lose a baby pre-birth or shortly after, grief is often unacknowledged. Those who know are trying to change things. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign ...
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Photo courtesy of the uber talented Glenn Jeffrey.
lols lols.
Poor old Brash. He does lend himself to ridicule though.
Unlike Simon he didn’t have to bullshit filling his glass.
I have yet to see a more appropriate “name/caption” accompanying a picture, as that above 🙂
Cock AND Bull………………
Mate of mine took the photo. He says the secret is to be patient and wait for the perfect moment …
Has your mate copyrighted, trademarked it etc?
He could make a fortune!!! Wonderful!!!!
The decisive moment.
Experienced photographers are able to use that experience to anticipate what is going to happen in front of them.
Story telling in pictures.
‘ere take a gander at me ol’ Cock ‘avin’ a sup …
Many thanks to your extremely clever friend MS (2.2), for providing some light and quite humorous entertainment.
ha ha reminds me of one I saw once of Helen Clark standing in front of a female dog…
so funny this stuff
and grown up
no wonder it never ends
the cycles
of abuse
and
degradation
all in good fun though eh yeah nah
Yeah so I asked the question yesterday whether the invite to Don Brash was a publicity stunt and received some thoughts from other commenters that no, it was just an exercise in free speech.
But then this.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/381706/destiny-church-leader-brian-tamaki-will-bring-issues-to-waitangi-shane-jones
Ngapuhi seems determined to get as many eyeballs on Waitangi this year as possible and I do now wonder if it might conveniently distract from the Prime Minister’s efforts there.
Maybe we could get Marama Fox to drive Bishop Tamaki to Waitangi. 😈
Like he won’t arrive by helicopter? Come on.
He will arrive on a Harley Davidson…with Lorde on the..back.
bit harsh….most wouldnt have their conviction on the evening news and be required to give a statement
Well if you are going to represent the public then you’d better scrub up well.
an ex politician makes a very common mistake…..emphasis on the ex
I met Marama Fox in the weeks before the last election and her positioning was with the National Party. That might have coloured my opinion but I don’t have much sympathy for her fall from grace.
that would appear obvious….shes one of around 17000 a year….does she deserve to be singled out (nat supporter or not)?
She’s high profile. Of course she deserves to be singled out.
But back to the point I was trying to make, are the Waitangi celebration organisers deliberately constructing controversy at the Treaty grounds in order to promote their own brand?
One dickhead invited to speak might be an accident, but two is no accident.
are you speaking as well as Brash?
Ha.
You’ve got your reasons for defending Ms Fox and that’s fine, but she hooked her cart to the party of personal responsibility so I guess she’s got to be judged on her decisions.
my only reason is natural justice
I dare say that if the party Marama Fox hopped into bed with practiced natural justice instead of perpetuating bias, then some would go easier on her for her mistakes.
You are the only one going hard on her – seems pretty petty because as Pat says so fucken many people do it and a small percentage get caught – have you ever driven when over the limit?
Natural justice is there because it was on the news and she has a high profile. Her shame is real.
By crikey, the self proclaimed bishop of greed…….
I don’t think anyone, let alone our own political poet laureate shane jones can help tamaki with his issues.
PS…. Those destiny church groupies better show some respect and remove their patches before entering the grounds.
“I do now wonder if it might conveniently distract from the Prime Minister’s efforts there.”
I am sure that the Labour Party hierarchy hope so.
After Ardern’s appalling displays when interviewed on the morning News Programs today they will be desperate that anything she says is not reported.
Could she not have spent just a bit of her six weeks of Christmas holidays in attempting to learn something about what her job entails?
Her ignorance is totally terrifying.
Can you imagine recent luminaries in the job such as Clark, Key or English not being able to bat away the questions that she failed to even comprehend?
They of course worked at the job.
Good ole Teutonic precision, haha
https://www.dw.com/en/german-town-votes-no-to-street-names/a-47345093
Mr Taipari asks:
But Mr Brash is a theoretical economist and a lifetime public servant. Even RWNJs would not consider him a good source for entrepreneurial ideas because according to their definition Mr Brash has done nothing with his life!
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/02/waitangi-organiser-defends-innovative-decision-to-invite-don-brash-to-speak.html
That’s a bit silly. Nothing with his life?
He was Governer of the Reserve Bank. Leader of a major political party. That’s an achievement.
I’ve never heard much about him actually creating and running buisnesses but I think there is a more important point here.
He has been very critical of Moari relying on government. So this is a put up or shut up moment for Brash. Don’t criticise unless you have alternatives, and solutions.
Some within Maoridom also see Brash as an enemy. So invite your enemy to speak. It’s the opposite strategy of those that think they win by stoping people having points of veiw that are not there own from speaking. It’s people that can’t win contests of ideas that do that.
Good on the organisers.
It is a major plank of right wing thought that lifetime civil servants and academics have no real life experience and as such have no mandate to speak on real life experience so that necessarily must apply to Mr Brash also.
They don’t “live in the real world”.
You merely display your ignorance with comments such as this.
Were you aware that Brash was, from 1971 until 1988, in the following jobs?
General Manager of Merchant Bank, Broadbank Corporation.
Managing Director of the New Zealand Kiwifruit Authority.
General Manager of Banking Group Trust Bank.
Of course you weren’t, you silly little fellow.
If you were you might, just might, have seen that your comments merely spew forth from a morass of ignorance.
All beltway stuff warty.
talk about logic trev
but kev to the rescue
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/381732/ardern-defends-govt-track-on-maori-prison-numbers
ffs
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/02/exclusive-provincial-growth-fund-has-created-just-54-jobs.html
Still. At least it’s doing better than KiwiBuild.
Lol
That cracked me up when I saw it.
Still. If it gets Winston his seat back, what’s a lazy 3 bill’ between friends?
Extrapolating, that is 1600 jobs in the regions for the full spend which sounds like a modest number but is it really? Does it account for the the expansion of these enterprises and the other jobs which grow around such enterprises?
Who will count these in years to come? The continuing benefit might be tens of thousands of young people with a future which wouldn’t have occurred under a National led government.
yep – sadly bert and ernie will never get it because they are gnats. They just want to find the leaker and move on to policy lol
That’s still almost $500000 per job.
Only a moron would think that is successful.
jumping the shark there MB, defending the indefensible.
Care to shed any light on what the forecasts are from each of the money transactions?
The plans?
The expected minimum outcomes before budgets start getting pulled?
I expect this is the red tape of which Jones speaks. Accountability, targets and expectations.
Guys, do you want it done quick or do you want it done right?
Right, but open and transparent.
You know. Like Ardern promised before having to sack the “Open and transparent govt” Minister for not being open and transparent.
Not sure what you are talking about. You’d like all these provincial entities to open their books to the public?
No
I would like the govt to open it’s books as to exactly what they gave the money for and what they are getting for it.
The expected new job numbers for each project and the possible gains/verse losses projections per project.
No internal detail for individual groups, just an overview, that you would hope like shit Jones read before giving cash over.
https://treasury.govt.nz/information-and-services/state-sector-leadership/investment-management/plan-investment-choices/cost-benefit-analysis-including-public-sector-discount-rates/treasurys-cbax-tool
And the PDF article in this link is a bit dated (July 2015), but I agree that a more transparent cost-benefit analysis of government (social) spending initiatives would be a plus.
https://treasury.govt.nz/publications/guide/guide-social-cost-benefit-analysis
It may be mostly BAU for the coalition government at the moment (few major improvements compared to the previous administration), but it is early days so here’s hoping for more transparency (and benefits) once some of these initiatives have been in place for at least a year.
OH Key and English were So transparent!! Really???
Live sheep export, Secret meetings with Hollywood, sudden wish to brand with his choice of flag. Millions wasted.
You are rather selective about when you want transparency and accountability.
Oh, and this money will be Loaned to and Repaid by Maori Land owners, not given or wasted.
Did we get any of our money gifted to the three examples above back?
No, in fact the first two saw more money go off shore, and the Flag well LOL.
Away with your selective transparency rules. We see through you LOL LOL
This is to establish, seed, start, support “Ready to go innovations and activities”
Like planting manuka as food for bees, beginning job training before apprenticeships… all sound slow but steady stuff.
Each time part of the money is tagged for accounting and administration as well.
So you will be able to see who borrowed and what for.
“What about them!!”
Fantastic argument
Just one point
Did National claim they were going to be the bestest “Most open and transparent government ever”?
With this government you get neither.
“At least a third of the huge ice fields in Asia’s towering mountain chain are doomed to melt due to climate change, according to a landmark report, with serious consequences for almost 2 billion people.
Even if carbon emissions are dramatically and rapidly cut and succeed in limiting global warming to 1.5C, 36% of the glaciers along in the Hindu Kush and Himalaya range will have gone by 2100. If emissions are not cut, the loss soars to two-thirds, the report found.”
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/04/a-third-of-himalayan-ice-cap-doomed-finds-shocking-report
Pat, you won’t get any response from the resident trolls because they can’t twist those facts.
Very scary scenarios happening, Including the report about rising sea levels affecting our fresh water reticulation both on the coast and even inland. Billions to avert/repair before another two generations pass.
This is real fast and terrifying. People here have seldom experienced grass fires and how rapidly they can travel. We have seldom suffered with water shortages, but water borne illness goes with that as in Napier /Hastings.
The 2 deg tipping point is possibly past already.
We should be conserving our drinking water. A necessary of life.