An update on our efforts to save the St Heliers Post Shop and Kiwibank and the broader implications of this skirmish
Our petition drive is going unexpectedly well. We’re at 1200 signatures and should be to 1500 tomorrow, if weather permits us to set up outside the St Heliers Library again from 9 AM. I and other volunteers have also been taking it door-to-door. Doing that, I’ve personally had only eight people refuse to sign (usually spouting the ‘free market’ ‘way of the world’ ‘economic reality’ ‘progress’ argument). Everyone else realizes a counter or area in a private, unaccountable business won’t hold a candle to what we enjoy now. St Heliers has had a post shop/office since 1912 and it and the library distinguish us from the other suburbs east of Auckland CBD along Tamaki Drive.
I addressed the Orakei Local Board yesterday and asked them to support the vast majority of their constituents who wish the post shop to remain as is. They seemed engaged by the topic and most of them asked me a question. Chair Desley Simpson said they would need to do their own research, but I am hopeful.
We’ve scheduled a community meeting for Friday, February 19 from 7 PM at the St Heliers Church & Community Centre, 100 St Heliers Bay Road, so that residents can finally have a proper say. Many, many people feel NZ Post has not done an adequate job involving and notifying residents in their process. Twice we have asked NZ Post, in the form of Holden Hohaia, Government and Community Relations Manager, to attend the meeting and he has refused. We invited Hohaia, for he contacted the MP sponsoring our petition, Phil Twyford, within 48 hours of the launch of our campaign’s Facebook group, to attempt to quell our revolt I suppose.
Kiwis have already lost half of our post shop locations. With these losses can come loss of other businesses and the important but intangible feeling of community, which St Heliers has in spades. NZ Post claims they’ve adopted this model to reverse a downward spiral, yet now that they seem to have done so, they still continue unthinkingly on this course. They claim the franchise model works and seem hell bent on imposing it everywhere despite Hohaia’s statement that “all decision making considers the impacts on customers and the community.”
I don’t realistically expect to win this battle, but it seems important to try to challenge NZ Post. It is beyond insulting to be told, by a Wellington bureaucrat no less, that “we are retaining the services in the St Heliers community at over 99.7% of their current level.” They derive this ridiculous figure because they claim less than 0.3% of 2015 transaction volumes were for services that won’t be available in St Heliers any longer: opening new Kiwibank accounts, term deposits, or Kiwisaver accounts. This from an organization whose annual report states that growing Kiwibank is a goal. And is 2015 a fair year to count new Kiwisaver accounts, when we know the effect of the government stopping the kickstart payment?
In any event, how will Take Note’s undoubtedly low-wage employees match the experience of the Post Shop’s longer term staff members? How comfortably will customers, who frequently fill the Post Shop, fit into the smaller and more crowded space of Take Note?
As an SOE it seems NZ Post has forgotten the state (the people) in favour of enterprise (profits) and one has to wonder how pressed they are to turn a profit, in the face of this government’s complete fiscal mismanagement and desire to post a surplus at any cost.
Yes. The local population of the Orakei local board area is slightly over represented in older age groups, with a median age of 38.2 years, five years higher than the regional median of 33.9 years. And I would think there are more senior citizens in St Heliers than in some of the other suburbs within the district.
Well done Julia. This is another example of the creeping destruction of the kiwi way by corporate forces. The forces that be need to concentrate on providing for our communities and not feeding the bottom line.
I sampled a completely random segment of the protest. I talked to young and old, Pakeha and Maori, those up the front of the protest, those in the middle and those in the back. I was there all day. And I discovered that by far the majority of the protestors (we’re talking 8 or 9 out of 10) didn’t even have a basic knowledge of what the TPPA was.
The 6,000 pages tell us that to answer a question about what is wrong with TPPA is nearly impossible to answer in a sentence. They have made the paper-work so huge that the pro-TPP, just talk in general terms about how good it would be.
Turn it around. Ask Key why he supports TPP. General splurge would follow as expected. Yes but what specifics are you supporting? If the open-minded Garner was brave enough he could ask some of the NAt MPs to explain in specifics, on the hoof of course.
Yep their justification is palpably untrue, like “opening up trade markets” with countries we trade with already. Putting ordinary people in front of a camera and expecting them to give lecturer quality responses is kind of really dumb.
Typical lefties they became a bit nervous. The opposite response from the right would be a bunch of blow hards insisting that they understanding things completely.
Last week car rally against TPP, protester was asked by TV 1 reporter what he disagreed wth about TPP. a bemused silence and then this pearl of wisdom,” petrol prices are going to go up” go figure! This level of ignorance is wide spread in protest movement
Last week car rally against TPP, protester was asked by TV 1 reporter what he disagreed wth about TPP. a bemused silence and then this pearl of wisdom,” petrol prices are going to go up” go figure! This level of ignorance is wide spread in protest movement
At least those who marched understood that the public had not had a chance to have their say on the TPPA before it was signed.
Those who blindly trust Tim Groser and John Key have been gullible and have suspended their critical thinking by not researching more. If the Govt wanted to prove that it was better to be in than out of the TPPA, then why wasn’t a proper cost benefit analysis done. The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) are concerned at the TPPA and on 3 Feb 2016 called for a Health Benefit Analysis to be done.
Public Health Assn are also worried. http://www.asms.org.nz/news/asms-news/2016/02/03/tppa-impact-health-significant-concern/ http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/294244/public-health-assoc-critical-of-govt-support-for-tpp
“Bunch of gullible hive mind dumb arses” – Your words, BM but applied to the wrong set of people.
Ok so we are suppose to take advise from living in the past unions, failed hard left professional protesters and tin pot left wing ideological driven academics as gospel, I don’t think so Next polls are going to be a lot of fun
Didn’t any of you watch John Campbell on RNZ live-streaming the major protest ? He spoke to dozens of people : directly asking them why they were there, and what their concerns about TPPA were. And they all had clear valid answers. And they all knew why they were marching and protesting.
So whoever Julian Lee is, and whoever he spoke, to is a load of old crock.
‘Completely open mind’ – well no self-reflection for a start. Sounds like just another journalist auditioning to be a future National Party press secretary.
That the same Julian Lee who shot the “edited to fuck” nonsense that somebody linked to yesterday? Certainly reads like it. (Checked the link from the piece, and yes it is)
Here’s a wee bit of food for thought BM. Put aside that the entire deal was only released very recently. The corporate media is meant to inform people. So, what does it say of the corporate media if “9 out of 10” people don’t have a handle on something as significant as the TPP?
I mean, media organisations have resources not available to most people, yet utterly failed (by their own admission if Lees rantings are to be believed) to get any sense of knowledge out there into the public arena.
Then again, it could be claimed that in spite of the corporate media not informing people, a fair few people managed to inform themselves by other avenues.
This made me smile. Lee could be talking back to himself and his fellow ‘free trade’ cultists from the future with this passage he penned 🙂
Self-denial kicked in. Excuses were made, people explained that the numbers had been miscalculated, and they returned to the cult with an even stronger willpower than before. People would not accept the simple truth: that their leader had been wrong and their cult was a sham.
whether those protesting could articulate what they are concerned about re TPPA is irrelevant…..these citizens are aware enough to know when they are being dismissed and treated like fools….maybe the TPPA is just an opportunity for some of them to express their displeasure with an administration that has manipulated things to the point where the only recourse is to protest
The neolibs believe they are very clever in their manipulation of the electorate…it remains to be seen how good they are at controlling the results of the pandoras box they are opening
I was asked a couple of pointless questions by a commentator, who came across as a total prat.
He had approached my son – late teens – who correctly identified him as a prat beforehand and said no. I felt a bit sorry for the guy, dressed in a badly fitted suit – and assumed he was a student given his approach and awkward manner.
Hah! After a couple of minutes of ego-strut questions from him, I took him for task for not staying on topic, and asked him if he had done any background at all on the issue before coming along. He looked offended. Then I asked where he was from, to which he demurred that he was from Auckland. No. I said – what organisation? NZME.
I parted from him, aware that he had led the questions into pointless discussions deliberately, suggesting that next time he asks someone for their opinions that he introduces himself and his organisation first as a matter of professionalism.
I have no doubt, many are better at me at spotting these “impartial” commentators, who will try to target those that meet their bias, and will selectively ask questions that are off tangent.
As per usual in the friday dump before a long weekend…. McCully not off the hook.
How come this man gets to keep his ministry?
Bribes in Saudi,
Incompetency in the job.
A complete lack of Moral compass – (oh! that’s the prime quality needed for success in the Key govt!) Keep that man.
Interesting Key is appalled that this incident is getting global publicity. What about the impact of the hair pulling incident and the prison rape joke? What does he imagine people overseas thought about the PM carrying out these actions???????
Get a grip mate. Can you tell the difference between:
A. The Prime Minister does something that is repeated bullying, assault and sexual harassment as a bit of fun for him.
B. Somebody from the general population assaulting a Minister as a part of a political protest.
Two wrongs don’t make a right is the sort of superficial analysis I expect from the media and most of the commentators the use. Use your brain and make a difference.
“Deranged jk syndrome” ??? …………. Is that a disease jk spreads ???? …. or is it a disease where you exhibit the symptoms of jk ( compulsive lies, bullying, hair fetish, selective amnesia etc )????
Either way I wouldn’t want to catch it.
Glad to have been warned about it though, thanks Redd :0
Well that is one way of thinking about it Redelusion at 7.1. But if you have done the first two wrongs ie. brought global media attention to this country for all the wrong reasons, then really your on extremely shaky ground acting outraged when someone else does it.
Added to this, I expect more of a PM. What about you?
Where did I say I was outraged, simply indicated both where silly. Outrage over the insignificant is more a left trait. This global media stuff is also bs, who really cares or judges a country on their leader gaffs, failings you could find any such stories on most global leaders
not you outraged Reddelusion. John Key, although checking back he said he was appalled, not outraged. HIs track record on getting international media attention for all the wrong reasons is well known………….pony tail gate, prison rape “joke”…….it is a bit rich then claiming to be appalled by the actions of the young woman who threw the dildo, when the international media attention he has garnered is far worse, as it comes from the PM
not you outraged Reddelusion. John Key, although checking back he said he was appalled, not outraged. HIs track record on getting international media attention for all the wrong reasons is well known………….pony tail gate, prison rape “joke”…….it is a bit rich then claiming to be appalled by the actions of the young woman who threw the dildo, when the international media attention he has garnered is far worse, as it comes from the PM
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Clubs New Zealand welcomes the decision of Justice Minister Andrew Little to put forward a bill amending the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act to allow all licensed premises to remain open for Rugby World Cup matches. ...
The Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation has ordered a review looking at labelling of added sugars in food and drinks. An option under investigation is ‘a pictorial approach applied to sugary beverages / sugar-sweetened beverages’ ...
Labour market data released by Statistics New Zealand today indicates that a gender pay gap persists in New Zealand, despite improvement in some areas. ...
In the midst of the 6th Great Extinction Event the coalition, STOP Trashing Our Planet is urging voters to take full responsibility for the legacy we are leaving our children. ...
LGNZ will carefully consider the proposed National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD) to assess if it meets the Government’s aim of enabling urban development or simply adds more red tape to the planning process. ...
Statistics out today from the Government show that the gender wage imbalance, or gap, in the average wage is 11.9%, a strong 2 percentage point improvement from 13.9% last year. The gender pay imbalance in the median wage is 9.3%. ...
Newstalk ZB Drive host and Herald on Sunday columnist Heather du Plessis-Allan is taking on the challenge of keeping 2019 Auckland Mayoral contenders Phil Goff and John Tamihere in line and on point in tonight’s live NZ Herald Newstalk ZB debate. ...
After twenty years Napier residents have endured heavy sleep and health disruptive noise and air pollution from freight trucks gridlock operations to and from the Napier port and other regions. ...
The EMA says much is riding on the board and chief executive of the new National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) announced by Infrastructure Minister Hon Shane Jones today, with a difficult task ahead to deliver on its purpose. ...
The Public Service Association welcomes the introduction of workplace standards by the State Services Commission that make it clear public services should expect positive and safe workplaces. ...
The Financial Services Federation (FSF) - the voice of responsible lenders and leasing companies - and FinCap - working with consumers facing financial hardship - are signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) this Thursday 22 August in Auckland. It will ...
Wellington, 20 August 2019 — Lawyers for Vulnerable New Zealanders (LVNZ) has lent its support to the amendments proposed by MP Chris Penk to better protect vulnerable people from being coerced to end their lives under the End of Life Choice Bill, currently ...
The Government’s decision to establish and independent Parliamentary Budget Office, outside of Treasury, is a taxpayer victory and will improve democracy, says the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union . Taxpayers' Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “It's ...
The Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that the cost-benefit analysis prepared by Ministry of Transport and used to advise Ministers on the Government’s Clean Car Standard and ‘Feebate’ policies has serious flaws which undermine justifications for the ...
The Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) welcomes new proposals for prison reform put forward by the Minister of Corrections and non-government organisations recently. ...
The New Zealand Maori Council has called on the nation to address all forms of racism and not to shy away from an honest conversation about where it’s taking hold. The call comes after the Nelson Club decided to keep a member after his comments became ...
Wellington (20 August 2019): The New Zealand Initiative enthusiastically welcomes the Coalition Government’s announcement of an Independent Parliamentary Budget Office. Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Associate Finance Minister James Shaw ...
Drs Say No agree with Chris Penk’s amendment to protect vulnerable patients from coercion, although the organisation still maintains that no safe euthanasia legislation can ever be drafted and continues to urge MPs to defeat the End of Life Choice Bill. ...
The Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier says the Northland Regional Corrections Facility is persisting with policies that are preventing it from achieving its full potential. ...
The second national hui in the Māori-led Inquiry into Oranga Tamariki concluded yesterday ahead of schedule after a capacity audience formally ratified the terms of reference that determines the scope and purpose of the independent investigation ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Even Scott Morrison, with his abundant self-belief, couldn’t have imagined that on Saturday’s first anniversary of his seizing the prime ministership, he’d be winging his way to France for a G7 meeting, where Australia has ...
A group of students, including some Youth MPs, have been banned from Parliament for a year, after singing a waiata in the public gallery in support of the Ihumātao hīkoi. ...
National MP Nick Smith has lodged a serious accusation against Parliament's Speaker calling him "biased" after once again being booted out of the debating chamber. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sunanda Creagh, Head of Digital Storytelling Last weekend, hundreds of thousands of people again took to the streets in Hong Kong to protest against the government – the 11th straight weekend of demonstrations that began in June over a proposed extradition bill. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Scott Hamilton, Strategic Advisory Panel Member, Australian-German Energy Transition Hub, University of Melbourne Australia’s primary federal renewable energy target – to have 33 terawatts of renewable energy by 2020 – has essentially been achieved. There is much uncertainty as to what is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lewis Mitchell, Senior Lecturer in Applied Mathematics, University of Adelaide I swear by Hypatia, by Lovelace, by Turing, by Fisher (and/or Bayes), and by all the statisticians and data scientists, making them my witnesses, that I will carry out, according to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Blaxland, Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University Just when we thought Australia was getting serious about shifting priorities away from the Middle East to its own neighbourhood, the prime minister has announced another Middle East step up. Australia ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Keogh, ARC DECRA Fellow, Queensland University of Technology In the last three months, the Australian Classification Board has “refused classification” for at least four video games – effectively banning them in Australia. The latest is zombie-survival shooter DayZ. Despite being previously ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle The Heart Foundation now recommends full-fat milk, cheese and yoghurt or reduced-fat options as part of its updated dietary advice released yesterday. This moves away from earlier advice that recommended only reduced-fat ...
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand. This week he talks to Paris Georgia co-founders Paris Mitchell Temple and Georgia Cherrie.This week’s podcast features a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer, who has died aged 73 of cancer, leaves a political and personal legacy as a man of courage, conviction and congeniality. The support that Fischer as National Party leader ...
One part telenovela, one part family drama, one part addictive love story. Sam Brooks reviews Jane the Virgin, the great show with an unfortunate name that should be your next Netflix binge.The following piece contains very mild spoilers for Jane the Virgin.While watching the last season of Jane the Virgin, ...
Before Zumba, before Just Dance, before it was cool again to move in public group settings, there was Jump Jam. Madeleine Chapman reflects.Jump Jam entered the lives of New Zealand kids in 2001, a year filled with historic cultural movements. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was released in 2001; ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Jensz, Research associate professor, University of Münster Donald Trump is not the first US President to make an offer of buying Greenland from Denmark – but he might be the last. Home of some 56,000 people and around 80% covered by ...
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, Tara Ward taste-tests the best hot chips in the country. Everyone loves a hot chip because they’re a) hot, and b) a chip, but there’s nothing more disappointing than a bad chip experience. A ...
Sky Network Television has written down the value of large parts of its business and scrapped paying a dividend as it changes direction to counter falling pay TV subscribers. ...
Strict word limits for Māori translations of local body election candidate profiles is a form of "institutional racism" and should be changed, a candidate says. ...
ACT Party leader David Seymour's voluntary euthanasia bill has cleared another stage in Parliament with a suite of changes aimed at securing support. ...
A finalist for New Zealander of the Year for her work with Māori smokers is at war with academics because her research is funded by tobacco giant Philip Morris. Guyon Espiner reports. ...
Keith Rankin’s Chart Analysis Auckland Māori exodus after 2014The 2018 census has had such a low compliance rate, that it really acted as a large convenience sample (therefore a biased sample) of the New Zealand population. (See my Census Survey from March 2018.) Despite the assurances we are getting, ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Housing Bernard Hickey (Newsroom): Lecturing councils won’t work for Labour either Marc Daalder (Newsroom): ‘Nice pointers, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Prudence Flowers, Lecturer in US History, College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Flinders University As the abortion decriminalisation bill gradually makes its way through the NSW parliament, opponents have been increasingly drawing on their long relationship with the right-to-life movement in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Hansen, Chief of Staff, The Conversation With the advent of online ancestry DNA testing, and advancements in genetic screening for various medical aliments, we’re able to know more than ever about the genes that make us who we are. But is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Linda Galligan, Associate professor, University of Southern Queensland If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskids@theconversation.edu.au.How was maths discovered? Who made up the numbers and rules? – Bianca, age 12, Strathfield, Sydney. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Borroz, PhD candidate in international business and comparative political economy, University of Auckland India’s Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft has settled into lunar orbit, ahead of its scheduled Moon landing on September 7. If it succeeds India will join a very select club, now ...
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Twyford and Parker propose new urban development policy statement, Tamihere unveils transport plans, and Māori King issues challenge on child abuse.For a lead today, a nudge towards one of those deeply dense announcements that could end up having a huge ...
Just like its National predecessor, this Labour-led Government is trying to lecture councils into growing the 'right' kinds of cities without giving them the funding tools or help to do it. ...
Part three of our debate on the state of New Zealand fiction continues as Chris Else, whose opening essay was strongly rebutted last week by Catherine Robertson, returns to put the boot in once more. ...
This morning the five shortlisted songs for the 2019 Silver Scroll Award were announced. Here, exclusively for The Spinoff, the finalists discuss each other’s nominated songs.Tom Scott of Avantdale Bowling Club on ‘The Barrel’ by Aldous Hardingit’s such a beautiful stunt to witness. breaking just before the cliff edge. the ...
A group is currently holding seminars around NZ which appear to be based on misinformation about vaccines. Dr Helen Petousis-Harris fact checks some of their claims. ...
The Football Ferns are at a crossroads - they need to move on from simply being "competitive" to make a serious impression on the world football stage. ...
Countless stories from women who have a right to be safe on campus still go unanswered, writes Kate Hannah, deputy director equity and inclusion, Te Pūnaha MatatiniDespite the hashtags and the headlines, universities in New Zealand seem to have largely avoided facing up to their own “#MeToo moment”. It is ...
The government’s plan to avoid another ‘fiscal hole’ fiasco has an unlikely fan: the chief economist of the corporate think tank New Zealand Initiative. Eric Crampton explains what else it could do.Have you ever driven past one of those stores that mostly sells blinds but calls itself ‘Not Just Blinds’ ...
Over the course of the local elections period, The Spinoff will be publishing primers on some of the most interesting races around the country. Today, Alex Braae casts his eyes over the Otago Regional Council contest.The Spinoff local election coverage is made possible thanks to The SpinoffMembers. For more about ...
By Michael Andrew Journalists across Papua New Guinea have spoken out in support of EMTV news director Neville Choi after his “unacceptable” termination from a role he had held for six years. A public statement released on Monday listed the reasons for his termination, one of which was his ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Camellia Webb-Gannon, Lecturer, University of Wollongong Last weekend, the Indonesian police took 43 West Papuan students into custody for allegedly disrespecting the Indonesian flag during an independence day celebration (an allegation the students deny). Police stormed the students’ dorm and used teargas ...
Daily Review 05/02/2016 
Spark is bracing for a customer backlash as rugby fans all across the country struggle to get a picture on their wireless router. With the Rugby World Cup fast approaching, an elderly Taranaki couple are furious after being told that they still won’t be able to watch the tournament, even ...5 hours ago
Several explosions have been reported across Auckland, as well-meaning environmentalists have already begun purchasing too much petrol Starting from next week, customers will no longer need a car to purchase petrol directly from the pump, a development that two major fuel providers are billing as an opportunity to help fight ...5 hours ago
A new study claims to find that a mother’s exposure to fluoridated water during pregnancy may decrease the IQ of male children – but is it correct? (Photo: Getty Images) Anti-fluoride campaigners are promoting ... 7 hours ago
Donald Trump seems to be eager to start a war with Iran, and naturally Australia is yapping at its heels like a good little vassal. The UK also asked New Zealand to get involved, but fortunately, we had a good excuse: we simply didn't have the toys available:Britain asked New ...12 hours ago
Television advertising has a huge impact on our lives. Even if we don’t recognise that, we know it has to be true, since otherwise why would advertisers spend so much on it? Its significance, however, is greater than simply the influence it has on what we purchase and consume. It ...2 days ago
by Jan Rivers More than 30 years ago a Commission of Inquiry was held in New Zealand to investigate, amongst other things, whether women with cervical cancer were aware that they had been part of a research project and whether they were properly informed of the treatment options ...2 days ago
Everyone Wants To Be Fuhrer: When fascist groups are discussed, the image conjured-up in the minds of most New Zealanders is one of pathetic misfits. This negative impression is reinforced by the latter’s idiotic embrace of the swastika. Even in the second decade of the twenty-first century, the baleful legacy ...3 days ago
In the previous two posts, I laid out the context and set the theoretical framework to answer a question: whether indigenous economies should take the LEAP. This final part outlines ways to conceive of practicing mana motuhake within the existing legal system by carving out special jurisdictions that enable Indigenous ...4 days ago
Fully Informed? Labour’s 2017 promises raised expectations that were little short of revolutionary. Unfortunately, they were never adequately shaken through the fiscal sieve. The hard economic work was not done – and it shows. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s critics have long complained that her grasp of the way the New ...5 days ago
You cannot expect to pound communities into the ground day after day, year after year, decade after decade and just expect them to take it lying down. There’s a point at which the place will explode. And we’re faced with some very big ructions on both sides of the Atlantic ...6 days ago
7 days ago
Going Down? Once truth and propaganda become fused in the minds of one’s followers, debate and discussion become redundant. If one’s opponents are all outrageous liars, then engaging with them in any way is pointless. Rather than waste its time, a political party should, instead, target all its messages at ...7 days ago
We need to fundamentally reframe our systems settings to address the drivers causing and underpinning inequality; structural change in systems especially financial. The Equality Network Hui was held in Wellington on 27 June 2019. The hui covered important topics such as child poverty; a living wage; taxation; public health; mental ...1 week ago
The views-per-page for some of my recent postings:Depressing, isn't it? Provide thoughtful and wise commentary on the mainstream of British politics and no-one notices. Make a passing reference to Tommy DICKHEAD Robinson in a thread title and you get hundreds of views. Write something about anti-Semitism and you get another ...1 week ago
The government has announced plans to move the Treaty of Waitangi and other taonga to a new site. Great news! So where are they going? Right next to the old one:The new plan will see a new 22,000-square-metre archive built on the former site of Defence House - the former ...1 week ago
Back in June, StatsNZ went public about a project to track population data on an hourly level by using people's cellphones. It wasn't as bad as it initially looked - they were receiving no individual data, only counts by suburb - but there was still a huge consent problem, so ...1 week ago
I did an interview on the TVNZ Breakfast Show about the situation in Hong Kong. I tried to frame the issue as a collective action problem between two sides with very different end games. The video is here. Because of time constraints we could not discuss the fact that the ...1 week ago
Image Credit: Wild Rose College A new study reporting the ranges of values for kidney and liver parameters in a healthy population is being actively misrepresented by anti-fluoride campaigners. The Fluoride Action Network’s (FAN) latest ... 1 week ago
Alone, Alone. All, All Alone: Will it be a good or a bad thing, when humanity’s bright blue spacecraft is stricken by the civilisation-destroying problem of Climate Change, that no Huston Control will be standing-by to rescue the crew?“WE HAVE A PROBLEM, HUSTON.” These were the words used by the ...1 week ago
Divided Loyalties: Can the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, be relied upon? That’s what the boys and girls at Foggy Bottom and the Pentagon needed to be reassured about. Because, from the perspective of Washington, it’s looking more and more like Jacinda Ardern and her Labour Party comrades are getting ready ...2 weeks ago
This handy Queer Theory Glossary is from thetranswidow.com In case you’ve had trouble keeping up with the spate of new queer theory terms, here’s a handy glossary for your reference. Queer – A straight person with an interesting haircut. Non-binary/genderqueer – A chubby young female, typically 16-28, who has ...2 weeks ago
The winter grazing issue is becoming a highly sensitised one that I hope will not become so politicised that it delays solutions and results in the suicides of some very stressed farmers.Winter grazing has hit the headlines after a determined campaign, including the release of a video of some very ...2 weeks ago
The Green Part has been accused of lack of transparency in two recent situations. The first was the claimed media lockdown during Green's annual conference and the second was Julie Ann Genter's refusal to release a letter she had sent to Phil Twyford.I do get frustrated when journalist's succumb to ...2 weeks ago
Blowing-Up The House: Is Winston Peters planning to put himself at the head of all those New Zealanders who refuse to countenance the Coalition Government caving-in to the Ihumatao protesters? The most effective way of doing this would be to issue Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with an ultimatum. If she ...2 weeks ago
Opportunities to dodge tax are shrinking with the completion of a new tax agreement with Switzerland, Revenue Minister Stuart Nash announced today. Mr Nash and the Swiss Ambassador David Vogelsanger have today signed documents to update the double tax agreement (DTA). The previous DTA was signed in 1980. “Double tax ...2 weeks ago
The organiser of the annual YWCA Equal Pay Awards has expressed her disappointment with the latest Gender Pay Gap figure for New Zealand workers. The figure rose slightly from 9.2% in 2018 to 9.3% for the quarter ended 30 June 2019. ...6 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Even Scott Morrison, with his abundant self-belief, couldn’t have imagined that on Saturday’s first anniversary of his seizing the prime ministership, he’d be winging his way to France for a G7 meeting, where Australia has ...3 hours ago
By distorting the climate truth Federated Farmers is making its members complacent about their performance and blind to the threats they face. ...4 hours ago
ANALYSIS: By Camellia Webb-Gannon of the University of Wollongong Last weekend, the Indonesian police took 43 West Papuan students into custody for allegedly disrespecting the Indonesian flag during an independence day celebration (an allegation the students deny). Police stormed the students’ dorm and used teargas to force them out, ...5 hours ago
A group of students, including some Youth MPs, have been banned from Parliament for a year, after singing a waiata in the public gallery in support of the Ihumātao hīkoi. ...7 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sunanda Creagh, Head of Digital Storytelling Last weekend, hundreds of thousands of people again took to the streets in Hong Kong to protest against the government – the 11th straight weekend of demonstrations that began in June over a proposed extradition bill. ...7 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Scott Hamilton, Strategic Advisory Panel Member, Australian-German Energy Transition Hub, University of Melbourne Australia’s primary federal renewable energy target – to have 33 terawatts of renewable energy by 2020 – has essentially been achieved. There is much uncertainty as to what is ...9 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Keogh, ARC DECRA Fellow, Queensland University of Technology In the last three months, the Australian Classification Board has “refused classification” for at least four video games – effectively banning them in Australia. The latest is zombie-survival shooter DayZ. Despite being previously ...9 hours ago
Government agencies are taking an unconventional approach to family violence solutions. ...9 hours ago
Sky Network Television has bought the rights to put its name on Wellington's Westpac Stadium. ...11 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle The Heart Foundation now recommends full-fat milk, cheese and yoghurt or reduced-fat options as part of its updated dietary advice released yesterday. This moves away from earlier advice that recommended only reduced-fat ...11 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Libby Porter, Professor of Urban Planning, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University The Victorian government has announced it is seeking heritage listing for parts of the Eastern Freeway in Melbourne. We heard this news on Wednesday as we sat under a grandfather ...11 hours ago
A flood and a botched insurance job has left a Howick couple out of their home for almost two years. But it's a story with some strange twists. ...11 hours ago
One part telenovela, one part family drama, one part addictive love story. Sam Brooks reviews Jane the Virgin, the great show with an unfortunate name that should be your next Netflix binge.The following piece contains very mild spoilers for Jane the Virgin.While watching the last season of Jane the Virgin, ...12 hours ago
Before Zumba, before Just Dance, before it was cool again to move in public group settings, there was Jump Jam. Madeleine Chapman reflects.Jump Jam entered the lives of New Zealand kids in 2001, a year filled with historic cultural movements. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was released in 2001; ...13 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Jensz, Research associate professor, University of Münster Donald Trump is not the first US President to make an offer of buying Greenland from Denmark – but he might be the last. Home of some 56,000 people and around 80% covered by ...13 hours ago
Live updates: Around 150 are taking part in the hīkoi to the PM's electorate office from Ihumātao in a bid to get her to visit the site. ...14 hours ago
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, Tara Ward taste-tests the best hot chips in the country. Everyone loves a hot chip because they’re a) hot, and b) a chip, but there’s nothing more disappointing than a bad chip experience. A ...14 hours ago
Sky Network Television has written down the value of large parts of its business and scrapped paying a dividend as it changes direction to counter falling pay TV subscribers. ...14 hours ago
A finalist for New Zealander of the Year for her work with Māori smokers is at war with academics because her research is funded by tobacco giant Philip Morris. Guyon Espiner reports. ...16 hours ago
Air New Zealand's full-year profit has hit headwinds as higher fuel costs and slower passenger growth hit its earnings. ...16 hours ago
Keith Rankin’s Chart Analysis
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Prudence Flowers, Lecturer in US History, College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Flinders University As the abortion decriminalisation bill gradually makes its way through the NSW parliament, opponents have been increasingly drawing on their long relationship with the right-to-life movement in ...18 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Hansen, Chief of Staff, The Conversation With the advent of online ancestry DNA testing, and advancements in genetic screening for various medical aliments, we’re able to know more than ever about the genes that make us who we are. But is ...18 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Linda Galligan, Associate professor, University of Southern Queensland If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskids@theconversation.edu.au. How was maths discovered? Who made up the numbers and rules? – Bianca, age 12, Strathfield, Sydney. ...18 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Baumann, Casual Academic, School of Social Sciences & Psychology, Western Sydney University Many of us do not need to hear any more warnings from the IPCC, David Attenborough or climate activists like Greta Thunberg. We have seen enough to be convinced ...18 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Borroz, PhD candidate in international business and comparative political economy, University of Auckland India’s Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft has settled into lunar orbit, ahead of its scheduled Moon landing on September 7. If it succeeds India will join a very select club, now ...18 hours ago
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Twyford and Parker propose new urban development policy statement, Tamihere unveils transport plans, and Māori King issues challenge on child abuse.For a lead today, a nudge towards one of those deeply dense announcements that could end up having a huge ...19 hours ago
Just like its National predecessor, this Labour-led Government is trying to lecture councils into growing the 'right' kinds of cities without giving them the funding tools or help to do it. ...20 hours ago
Part three of our debate on the state of New Zealand fiction continues as Chris Else, whose opening essay was strongly rebutted last week by Catherine Robertson, returns to put the boot in once more. ...20 hours ago
This morning the five shortlisted songs for the 2019 Silver Scroll Award were announced. Here, exclusively for The Spinoff, the finalists discuss each other’s nominated songs.Tom Scott of Avantdale Bowling Club on ‘The Barrel’ by Aldous Hardingit’s such a beautiful stunt to witness. breaking just before the cliff edge. the ...20 hours ago
Concerns about the rugby team’s name emerged when it was conceived, Crusaders’ management tells sponsors. ...20 hours ago
Newsroom literary editor Steve Braunias announces the coolest writer's residency in New Zealand. ...20 hours ago
A group is currently holding seminars around NZ which appear to be based on misinformation about vaccines. Dr Helen Petousis-Harris fact checks some of their claims. ...21 hours ago
The Football Ferns are at a crossroads - they need to move on from simply being "competitive" to make a serious impression on the world football stage. ...21 hours ago
Unravelling who's to blame for our rocketing petrol prices. ...21 hours ago
By Michael Andrew Journalists across Papua New Guinea have spoken out in support of EMTV news director Neville Choi after his “unacceptable” termination from a role he had held for six years. A public statement released on Monday listed the reasons for his termination, one of which was his ...1 day ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Camellia Webb-Gannon, Lecturer, University of Wollongong Last weekend, the Indonesian police took 43 West Papuan students into custody for allegedly disrespecting the Indonesian flag during an independence day celebration (an allegation the students deny). Police stormed the students’ dorm and used teargas ...1 day ago
An update on our efforts to save the St Heliers Post Shop and Kiwibank and the broader implications of this skirmish
Our petition drive is going unexpectedly well. We’re at 1200 signatures and should be to 1500 tomorrow, if weather permits us to set up outside the St Heliers Library again from 9 AM. I and other volunteers have also been taking it door-to-door. Doing that, I’ve personally had only eight people refuse to sign (usually spouting the ‘free market’ ‘way of the world’ ‘economic reality’ ‘progress’ argument). Everyone else realizes a counter or area in a private, unaccountable business won’t hold a candle to what we enjoy now. St Heliers has had a post shop/office since 1912 and it and the library distinguish us from the other suburbs east of Auckland CBD along Tamaki Drive.
I addressed the Orakei Local Board yesterday and asked them to support the vast majority of their constituents who wish the post shop to remain as is. They seemed engaged by the topic and most of them asked me a question. Chair Desley Simpson said they would need to do their own research, but I am hopeful.
We’ve scheduled a community meeting for Friday, February 19 from 7 PM at the St Heliers Church & Community Centre, 100 St Heliers Bay Road, so that residents can finally have a proper say. Many, many people feel NZ Post has not done an adequate job involving and notifying residents in their process. Twice we have asked NZ Post, in the form of Holden Hohaia, Government and Community Relations Manager, to attend the meeting and he has refused. We invited Hohaia, for he contacted the MP sponsoring our petition, Phil Twyford, within 48 hours of the launch of our campaign’s Facebook group, to attempt to quell our revolt I suppose.
Kiwis have already lost half of our post shop locations. With these losses can come loss of other businesses and the important but intangible feeling of community, which St Heliers has in spades. NZ Post claims they’ve adopted this model to reverse a downward spiral, yet now that they seem to have done so, they still continue unthinkingly on this course. They claim the franchise model works and seem hell bent on imposing it everywhere despite Hohaia’s statement that “all decision making considers the impacts on customers and the community.”
I don’t realistically expect to win this battle, but it seems important to try to challenge NZ Post. It is beyond insulting to be told, by a Wellington bureaucrat no less, that “we are retaining the services in the St Heliers community at over 99.7% of their current level.” They derive this ridiculous figure because they claim less than 0.3% of 2015 transaction volumes were for services that won’t be available in St Heliers any longer: opening new Kiwibank accounts, term deposits, or Kiwisaver accounts. This from an organization whose annual report states that growing Kiwibank is a goal. And is 2015 a fair year to count new Kiwisaver accounts, when we know the effect of the government stopping the kickstart payment?
In any event, how will Take Note’s undoubtedly low-wage employees match the experience of the Post Shop’s longer term staff members? How comfortably will customers, who frequently fill the Post Shop, fit into the smaller and more crowded space of Take Note?
As an SOE it seems NZ Post has forgotten the state (the people) in favour of enterprise (profits) and one has to wonder how pressed they are to turn a profit, in the face of this government’s complete fiscal mismanagement and desire to post a surplus at any cost.
Lots of old people in St Heliers ?
Yes. The local population of the Orakei local board area is slightly over represented in older age groups, with a median age of 38.2 years, five years higher than the regional median of 33.9 years. And I would think there are more senior citizens in St Heliers than in some of the other suburbs within the district.
Well done Julia. This is another example of the creeping destruction of the kiwi way by corporate forces. The forces that be need to concentrate on providing for our communities and not feeding the bottom line.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/opinion/opinion-the-tppa-protests-were-deeply-ill-informed-2016020510#.VrQDagJPeOo.facebook
so what?
So what?, they’re protesting and haven’t got a fucking clue what they’re actually protesting about.
Bunch of gullible hive mind dumb arses.
What percentage do you think were there because they knew and were concerned about the issues?
10-20% max.
The rest were there because they don’t like capitalism and they don’t like John Key.
as capitalism and john key are directly related to concerns about the TPP then surely that makes 100%
I have a fucking clue. And everyone I spoke to had very good reasons for opposing the TPPA.
Do you understand the TPPA BM? Read the 6,000 pages?
The 6,000 pages tell us that to answer a question about what is wrong with TPPA is nearly impossible to answer in a sentence. They have made the paper-work so huge that the pro-TPP, just talk in general terms about how good it would be.
Turn it around. Ask Key why he supports TPP. General splurge would follow as expected. Yes but what specifics are you supporting? If the open-minded Garner was brave enough he could ask some of the NAt MPs to explain in specifics, on the hoof of course.
Yep their justification is palpably untrue, like “opening up trade markets” with countries we trade with already. Putting ordinary people in front of a camera and expecting them to give lecturer quality responses is kind of really dumb.
Typical lefties they became a bit nervous. The opposite response from the right would be a bunch of blow hards insisting that they understanding things completely.
AND the lawyers haven’t EVEN got involved yet with in disputes!!!
I’m sure you do MS and I respect your opinion.
But, the facts are in and unfortunately when it comes to actually knowing what you’re protesting about, you’re in the minority.
Seriously, gonna take da fishing, the benefit and our Maori rights !!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/video.cfm?c_id=1503078&gallery_id=157534
Bullshit. Everyone in that video knew what they were talking about, just like in another video someone put up. You just disagree with them.
Nice easy memo from CT this week I guess – just make out that protestors are all dumb.
Last week car rally against TPP, protester was asked by TV 1 reporter what he disagreed wth about TPP. a bemused silence and then this pearl of wisdom,” petrol prices are going to go up” go figure! This level of ignorance is wide spread in protest movement
Last week car rally against TPP, protester was asked by TV 1 reporter what he disagreed wth about TPP. a bemused silence and then this pearl of wisdom,” petrol prices are going to go up” go figure! This level of ignorance is wide spread in protest movement
At least those who marched understood that the public had not had a chance to have their say on the TPPA before it was signed.
Those who blindly trust Tim Groser and John Key have been gullible and have suspended their critical thinking by not researching more. If the Govt wanted to prove that it was better to be in than out of the TPPA, then why wasn’t a proper cost benefit analysis done. The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) are concerned at the TPPA and on 3 Feb 2016 called for a Health Benefit Analysis to be done.
Public Health Assn are also worried.
http://www.asms.org.nz/news/asms-news/2016/02/03/tppa-impact-health-significant-concern/
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/294244/public-health-assoc-critical-of-govt-support-for-tpp
“Bunch of gullible hive mind dumb arses” – Your words, BM but applied to the wrong set of people.
Ok so we are suppose to take advise from living in the past unions, failed hard left professional protesters and tin pot left wing ideological driven academics as gospel, I don’t think so Next polls are going to be a lot of fun
“I have a clue”. Debatable and if so not based on reason or logic, simply ideology and hysteria
I have a fucking clue BM, but I bet all the brain dead fuckwits who vote the spiv in time after time after time don’t
Wasn’t someone bragging/dribbling on The Standard the other day ‘duh I like John Key coz he goes on shock jock radio station’.
Every ones crazy but me, such a statement probably reflects more on you halfcrown ( or wit) than the so called brain dead fuckwits
“The rest were there because they don’t like capitalism and they don’t like John Key.”
Don’t like the greedy bankers form of capitalism and don’t trust key.
Fify
That’s kind of the point.
Didn’t any of you watch John Campbell on RNZ live-streaming the major protest ? He spoke to dozens of people : directly asking them why they were there, and what their concerns about TPPA were. And they all had clear valid answers. And they all knew why they were marching and protesting.
So whoever Julian Lee is, and whoever he spoke, to is a load of old crock.
‘Completely open mind’ – well no self-reflection for a start. Sounds like just another journalist auditioning to be a future National Party press secretary.
That the same Julian Lee who shot the “edited to fuck” nonsense that somebody linked to yesterday? Certainly reads like it. (Checked the link from the piece, and yes it is)
Here’s a wee bit of food for thought BM. Put aside that the entire deal was only released very recently. The corporate media is meant to inform people. So, what does it say of the corporate media if “9 out of 10” people don’t have a handle on something as significant as the TPP?
I mean, media organisations have resources not available to most people, yet utterly failed (by their own admission if Lees rantings are to be believed) to get any sense of knowledge out there into the public arena.
Then again, it could be claimed that in spite of the corporate media not informing people, a fair few people managed to inform themselves by other avenues.
Is there a third way to look at it? All ears.
ha ha, very good Bill.
This made me smile. Lee could be talking back to himself and his fellow ‘free trade’ cultists from the future with this passage he penned 🙂
whether those protesting could articulate what they are concerned about re TPPA is irrelevant…..these citizens are aware enough to know when they are being dismissed and treated like fools….maybe the TPPA is just an opportunity for some of them to express their displeasure with an administration that has manipulated things to the point where the only recourse is to protest
The neolibs believe they are very clever in their manipulation of the electorate…it remains to be seen how good they are at controlling the results of the pandoras box they are opening
I was asked a couple of pointless questions by a commentator, who came across as a total prat.
He had approached my son – late teens – who correctly identified him as a prat beforehand and said no. I felt a bit sorry for the guy, dressed in a badly fitted suit – and assumed he was a student given his approach and awkward manner.
Hah! After a couple of minutes of ego-strut questions from him, I took him for task for not staying on topic, and asked him if he had done any background at all on the issue before coming along. He looked offended. Then I asked where he was from, to which he demurred that he was from Auckland. No. I said – what organisation? NZME.
I parted from him, aware that he had led the questions into pointless discussions deliberately, suggesting that next time he asks someone for their opinions that he introduces himself and his organisation first as a matter of professionalism.
I have no doubt, many are better at me at spotting these “impartial” commentators, who will try to target those that meet their bias, and will selectively ask questions that are off tangent.
I hear its been raining cats & dildos up Waitangi, oh what a week!
LOL
I’m sure Joyce is more than capable of swallowing the whole thing, as per usual..
Yes hard left had there little hissy fit, hopefully therapeutic, world will move on, left will go backwards, normal status resumes
a new pin up boy for the neolibs….what a guy!
http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-shkreli-looked-like-a-jerk-20160204-column.html
jeez Mallard, why don’t you fuck off and go play Mayor or something.
No one would want him…
As per usual in the friday dump before a long weekend….
McCully not off the hook.
How come this man gets to keep his ministry?
Bribes in Saudi,
Incompetency in the job.
A complete lack of Moral compass – (oh! that’s the prime quality needed for success in the Key govt!) Keep that man.
http://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/pm-appalled-at-waitangi-sex-toy-incident/ar-BBpbBuA?li=AAaeXZz
Interesting Key is appalled that this incident is getting global publicity. What about the impact of the hair pulling incident and the prison rape joke? What does he imagine people overseas thought about the PM carrying out these actions???????
2 wrongs don’t make a right
Get a grip mate. Can you tell the difference between:
A. The Prime Minister does something that is repeated bullying, assault and sexual harassment as a bit of fun for him.
B. Somebody from the general population assaulting a Minister as a part of a political protest.
Two wrongs don’t make a right is the sort of superficial analysis I expect from the media and most of the commentators the use. Use your brain and make a difference.
Deranged jk syndrome is well advanced in your case Gristle
A. silly at best, long bow to call an assault , B an assault of which you seem to condone is ok as long as a political protest, interesting
“Deranged jk syndrome” ??? …………. Is that a disease jk spreads ???? …. or is it a disease where you exhibit the symptoms of jk ( compulsive lies, bullying, hair fetish, selective amnesia etc )????
Either way I wouldn’t want to catch it.
Glad to have been warned about it though, thanks Redd :0
Well that is one way of thinking about it Redelusion at 7.1. But if you have done the first two wrongs ie. brought global media attention to this country for all the wrong reasons, then really your on extremely shaky ground acting outraged when someone else does it.
Added to this, I expect more of a PM. What about you?
Where did I say I was outraged, simply indicated both where silly. Outrage over the insignificant is more a left trait. This global media stuff is also bs, who really cares or judges a country on their leader gaffs, failings you could find any such stories on most global leaders
not you outraged Reddelusion. John Key, although checking back he said he was appalled, not outraged. HIs track record on getting international media attention for all the wrong reasons is well known………….pony tail gate, prison rape “joke”…….it is a bit rich then claiming to be appalled by the actions of the young woman who threw the dildo, when the international media attention he has garnered is far worse, as it comes from the PM
not you outraged Reddelusion. John Key, although checking back he said he was appalled, not outraged. HIs track record on getting international media attention for all the wrong reasons is well known………….pony tail gate, prison rape “joke”…….it is a bit rich then claiming to be appalled by the actions of the young woman who threw the dildo, when the international media attention he has garnered is far worse, as it comes from the PM