Daily Review 07/09/2016
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5:30 pm, September 7th, 2016 - 67 comments
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Returning to the model that was failing for most polytechnics and Institutes of Technology is not the answer. ...2 days ago
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It’s been revealed that National has cancelled 60 percent of its housing projects planned before mid-2025 amidst housing woes. ...3 days ago
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The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...3 days ago
- Release: Why not both? Luxon shuns Waitangi celebrations
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is running away from problems of his own creation, with his decision not to go to Waitangi. ...3 days ago
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The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...3 days ago - Release: Nicola Willis spirals country deeper into recession
The economy shrank 1% this quarter and New Zealand has tumbled into the depths of a recession of Nicola Willis’ making. ...4 days ago
- Release: Hikes for company directors but not ordinary Kiwis
Working people are going backwards while company directors are being given huge pay hikes. ...4 days ago
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The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...4 days ago
- Release: Strengthening Justice Services for New Zealanders
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...5 days ago
- Release: Labour will continue fight against destructive projects
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...5 days ago
- Green Government will revoke dodgy fast-track projects
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...5 days ago
- Government for the wealthy keeps pushing austerity
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...5 days ago
- Release: Visa changes let migrant workers be paid less
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...5 days ago
- Release: Nightmare before Christmas for Nicola Willis
With more debt and a larger deficit, Nicola Willis’ reputation is in tatters after her failure to return the Government’s books to surplus. ...5 days ago
- Warning to Fast-Track Applicants – ‘Exploit the Whenua, Face the Consequences’
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...5 days ago
- Release: Govt cuts wages for lowest paid NZers… again
For the second year running, the government has effectively cut wages for the lowest paid workers in New Zealand. ...6 days ago
- Govt’s miserly 1.5% minimum wage will take workers backwards
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt shirking responsibility for rate hikes
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...6 days ago
- Luxon’s ‘localism’ strikes again
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt breaks promise on EV chargers
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...6 days ago
- Greens call for end to subsidies for Methanex
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...6 days ago
- Govt child poverty targets allow for increase in poverty
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...1 week ago
- Release: Four weeks annual leave under threat
The Government’s attack on workers continues with news it is scrapping work on the Holidays Act. ...1 week ago
- Govt’s emissions plan for measly 1% reduction
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...1 week ago
- Greens stand in solidarity with Whakaata Māori on sad day
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...1 week ago
- Sanctions regime to create more hardship for families
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...1 week ago
- Govt gifts renters housing anxiety for Christmas
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...1 week ago
- Release: National Party urged to support modern slavery legislation
Labour is urging the Prime Minister to walk the talk and support legislation combating modern slavery. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour has lost confidence in the Speaker
The Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament made an unprecedented decision on the government amendment to the Fast Track Approvals Bill last night. ...2 weeks ago
- One year on, still no progress on new ferries
Today’s announcement from the Government on its plan for new ferries throws more uncertainty on the future of the country’s rail network. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Nicola Willis’ smaller ferries will cost more
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...2 weeks ago
- Bill to sanction unlawful occupation of Palestine
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
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The Government has done the right thing in moving to ban greyhound racing. ...2 weeks ago
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Office of the Auditor General ducking for cover?
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/312782/auditor-general-can't-fully-investigate-niue-contract
So, why did it take 6 months to come to that conclusion?
Guess she could have a similar excuse regarding the Saudi sheep scam, as the abattoir is not in NZ.
And look who was front and centre of both cases – Murray McCully. So, what ‘knowledge’ does he possess that he can be exonerated, one way or another, from all ethical and legal considerations? Anyone hazard a guess?
Good on My Food Bag.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/84000599/chiefs-lose-first-sponsor-after-incident-with-stripper
Guess it’s really down to a bit of bad luck, though, that the “celebration” was in public otherwise nobody would’ve known about it and everything would’ve been all right.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/84014638/chiefs-coach-dave-rennie-says-the-mistake-was-having-a-celebration-in-public
“that the “celebration” was in public… “
Yup, this is what got me as well. Dave Rennie really seems to imply if it was all done in private that would be ok – and that it all seems to have been normal celebratory behaviour for a bunch of guys.
If a young guy ‘misspoke’ like this it would be understandable, but a man of his age and experience? It reeks of entitlement.
Nothing about addressing the issue of abusive behaviour toward women that he’s tarnished all men with either doing or at least accepting – including the Chiefs players who weren’t there.
And no apology.
“…but a man of his age and experience? It reeks of entitlement.”
Quite possibly. Or perhaps he doesn’t understand, either?
Or perhaps he doesn’t understand – yup, as well.
Entitlement in terms of entitled to do whatever he likes just as long as no-one finds out, rather than the power-tripping kind of entitlement – although there is that.
Good on My Food Bag.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/84000599/chiefs-lose-first-sponsor-after-incident-with-stripper
Guess it was all a bit of bad luck, though, that the “celebration” was in public otherwise nobody would’ve known about it and everything would’ve been all right.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/84014638/chiefs-coach-dave-rennie-says-the-mistake-was-having-a-celebration-in-public
No surprise here. Sexual assault by Rugby players? “Nah, nothing to see. Someone we won’t name asked some of the team’s fans that we won’t name and they all agreed nothing happened, so the slut’s a liar. She probably liked it.”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/84013841/we-apologise-to-the-chiefs-and-new-zealand-rugby–oh-and-the-women-too
2016 and rape culture’s alive and well.
I hope the Chiefs do her for damages, be a good warning to others who want to go down this path.
Yeah, punish the women who make claims of assault as a warning to the others to keep in line.
BM, supporter of rapists. Just proved my point.
Thank you r. I can’t be bothered with BM meself. Glad you said it.
You didn’t read the article did you?
“In a court of law, public confidence that justice had been done would require an investigator with no conflict of interest, interviewing named witnesses whose own biases could be questioned.
But this was not a court of law. It was an employment matter, with naughty workers getting the once over from the bosses.
It may well have been nothing untoward happened, but lack of transparency raises questions, suspicions something is being hidden.”
Why after achieving their whitewash would they take this case to court and risk unbiased examination under oath?
She is full of it
• No complaint was laid with police and police are not pursuing either incident
• The discrepancies between the reported accounts of both women, and those of the players and independent witnesses could not be reconciled in a number of key respects
• The allegations of sexual assault, were strongly denied by players, and were not substantiated by the witnesses’ who did not see players touch, throw anything or pour alcohol on any women at either celebration
• Nine independent witnesses to the performances were interviewed and gave statements that were considered genuine and credible
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/83999800/live-chiefs-stripper-scandal–nz-rugby-inquiry-findings-announcement
Funny but do you know how many times the victims of sexual assault have had the same criticisms thrown at them?
Yep, same old, same old from rape culture proponents such as BM
Aye.
Total whitewash.
Fancy relying on a Rugby Union paid lawyer to conduct the investigation.
They got the fairest, most unbiased and thorough investigation they could buy.
A lawyer is not an unbiased investigator, a lawyer is someone who charges money to give you the result you want.
Exactly. It’s tiring that this “close in and protect the ranks” procedure is still occurring. It’s hard to see it any other way from my jaded view. I felt quite sad watching the news tonight.
Your storyline below sums it up, sadly. It’s just happened far, far too many times, that it appears as a well trodden path. It’s happened so many times before that there’s a rut in the ground where this path has formed. BM’s wearing the blur o’ vision glasses so he can’t see it.
Hi Rosie,
Pablo (Dr Paul Buchanan) has written a nice little piece about this affair (and a couple of others) over on Kiwipolitico. It doesn’t change anything, but it’s always nice to read someone who can eloquently express their understanding of the injustice of a situation.
http://www.kiwipolitico.com/
This one?
The answer to that last question is NO
@ DTB
I think ‘Pablo” anticipates that ‘he’ and ‘we’ know the answer to be NO. Glad you emphasize the excerpt because it represents in a nutshell the gross social inequalities in NZ.
So it doesn’t matter what the evidence is you’ll ignore it any way, because it doesn’t fit you bias.
Please do us all a favour and remove yourself from any positions of influence you may ever find yourself in.
Is this the Rugby Union paid lawyer collection of the evidence you are referring to?
EDIT
This is how it worked out.
A bunch of jocks get pissed and harass a woman who strips for a job.
She complains.
Bunch of jocks sober up.
Bunch of jocks talk to each other.
Bunch of jocks then have the same story and tell it to the tame lawyer employed by the Rugby Union conducting the investigation.
Rugby Union paid lawyer then concludes that the evidence supports the collective recollection of the bunch of jocks.
Have I got this right?
We all know the police record for investigating rape and sexual assault cases, especially the crimes they’ve committed themselves, don’t we? That’s one of the reasons why few women have the slightest faith in the police to treat them seriously.
As for the “investigation”? A whitewash. Witnesses were not named or under oath, they were never cross-examined as they would have been even if the case ever made its way to court.
What you’re saying is what you should change your name to: BS
Do you stand by your clear statement that women who complain of sexual assault should be punished or intimidated as an example or warning to other women who might be assaulted or raped? You haven’t retracted it and therefore you effectively support a culture of rape.
http://thespinoff.co.nz/featured/07-09-2016/good-news-the-chiefs-scandal-didnt-really-even-happen/
Rennie’s response beggars belief. The overseas papers are going to have a field day.
So buying an apartment is now a bad thing, carbon foot print?, climate change?, Christ you guys are all over the place.
No wonder everyone thinks the left is a complete joke.
[How about you elaborate? For the life of me I do not know what you are talking about – MS]
If you ever manage to know what everyone thinks how will you maintain your right wing cretinhood?
I must have misinterpreted the graphic I thought Labour was blagging apartments now.
A true home being the 1/4 acre with pickets, none of this apartment or renting bull shit.
The Left is suffering from a serious case of ideological cognitive dissonance which stems from being utterly stuck in the 1950s to 1970s using a 19th century based historical foundation.
Basically, they’re no longer fit for the 21st century.
Mind you the Right has become just as historically irrelevant and ideologically corrupt, but they can hide it a bit better with the massive expertise, big money and big levers of power that they control.
The left (every community person in the country) is suffering from some of us using phrases such as “ideological cognitive dissonance” …
It is not rocket science. We are better working together.
No, we are better taking out all actual, nascent and potential opposition Parliamentary parties and proving that all their seats belong to us.
Um I am one of the strongest Green Party supporters within the ranks of the Labour Party that I know of. If I lived in the UK I am pretty sure that I would not be allowed to vote for Corbyn for leader.
All parties are good but NZF is meh because Peters always goes for the party that will further his interests.
Yeah, there’s a real opportunity for a new party to step in and fill that void.
The Greens may be that party but they need to purge all the zealots first.
🙄 That worn out old line again………
The Greens can’t fill any void, they’ve long sold out and joined the mainstream pretending that there is such a thing as ‘green growth’ and maintenance of the upper middle class way of life with solar panels and Prius’s.
OK CV you’ve got me puzzled here . If the Left isn’t fit for the 21st century and the Right has become just as historically irrelevant and ideologically corrupt, then ……?( And don’t say NZF! ).
None of the current Parliamentary Parties are facing up to the 30 year realities this country is facing or even the current realities we are facing. And why should they? There is no electoral or Parliamentary Services salary pay off from doing so.
So they all piss about, happily paying lip service to this or that (whatever their party is traditionally supposed to be concerned about) while the carriage runs further and further off the rails.
So who should we support?
The party you think best represents the values you believe in, and is also the party most likely to make decisions in accordance with those values.
I’m not supporting any of these guys, and I have completely checked out of the ‘voting for the least evil’ paradigm that others push so keenly for but has led this civilisation to near disaster for 75% of the people in this world (and climbing).
So who do we (the collective left) support? No one is not an option.
There’s certainly no party at the moment which if it became the government would mean much of change for people who’re living shitty lives because they’re poor or sick or disabled, that’s for sure.
But your question was to someone who’s probably decided that there’s no party that reflects their values enough to vote for, and certainly no party that’s likely to make decisions in accordance with those values therefore has chosen not to vote.
So your question, then, is does CV believe that nobody on the left (whatever that means, but it doesn’t matter for now) should vote? Is that what you’re asking? Some question. Perhaps even a non-question, I don’t know.
Who is the “collective left”? I don’t count myself as a member of whatever that amorphous undefinable collective is, let alone act as if I might be in a position to make any kind of recommendation as to which part of the political status quo the “collective left” should support.
Over one million adult Kiwis thought it was a fine option in 2014.
Voting for no one means Key wins again.
Happy for even more misery?
I probably will end up voting for someone on the day; but I support none of em.
As for Key winning again, if that’s the will of the people and the Opposition can’t get their shit together, that’s democracy.
“None of the current Parliamentary Parties are facing up to the 30 year realities this country is facing or even the current realities we are facing.”
Ok, so I’m guessing you CV, are counting yourself amongst those who are facing up to the realities facing us. So, what exactly do you think people should do? And, other than commenting on TS, what do you plan to do?
It seems cv is just a knocker.
I never hear solutions.
Just gripes.
Which plays into the 1%’s game plan.
Slash NZ herd sizes by 75%, reduce international air travel to ten 747 arrivals a week and ten 747 departures a week, add a $5/L levy to all liquid fuels and put all the funds into sustainable low carbon public transport and freight, pursue a policy of massively onshoring technological, engineering, scientific and manufacturing capabilities, double the size and reach of the NZDF and reorientate it for a relevant future.
Put the retail banks under clear central control and take back the authority for the government to issue funds that it requires.
Make moving to Auckland a highly restricted activity requiring a quota limited permit, and give 200,000 people clear ways to move out of that city.
Give every adult NZer a UBI of $60/week on top of whatever other income they currently have.
Enforce penalty rates for anything over 37.5 hours/week work, as well as any work on Sunday.
You guys want anything else? Just ask.
“Slash”, Colonial Viper?
The Great Cull?
You’re easy meat for the likes of Farrar and his pack. They perk up at opportunities like those you’re offering.
“Ban, ban, ban, that’s all they ever do…”
I’m not canvassing for votes from Farrar et al or their readers so what do I care?
Try using imagination for a starter. Imagine life without centralization because if it remains there is no limit to the downside consequence
Try not to give energy to the false idols or status quo because that is the fuel
Those who support (vote) the existing frameworks are responsible for the continuation of misery ‘the left’ purport to stand against
Turn your backs like the other million have and walk away because it isn’t going to change direction by voting for its continuation
Voting literally ensures the only option on the table will be the one that nobody is wishing for…
You could find a minor party to support or start your own movement or run as an independent.
Doing nothing condemns more children to sleeping in cars and more families to wretched subsistence.
You’re under the misconception that voting for any of these other 6 figure suits in Koru will change any of that.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/07/why-auckland-is-leading-the-worlds-housing-market-boom
an outsiders view
Worth a thread in its own right.
There are so many threads …
Amazing how a UK article is more informative than the NZ media about the crisis.
91 comments
below atm.
My favourite.
‘New Zealand is an increasingly dysfunctional and bizarre country, which seems to think it’s going to get rich building houses for immigrants. John Key, our PM, is an appalling man; a self-made multimillionaire from his arch skill at gambling with other people’s money in one of the most useless jobs invented by mankind, that of currency speculator, who treats his job as PM like the sort of insouciant hobby a man who needs nothing more in his life might take on as a pleasant interlude before retiring. He suffers from a pathological intellectual rigidity that straight-jackets his and his government’s actions; perish the thought that this man might stoop to intellectual enquiry and rational action.’
Quite true; yet the Opposition hasn’t been able to do much more than lay a scratch on the guy’s political career after nearly a decade as PM.
Scratch? The guy’s covered in pox but he has great make-up artists.
Hate to think where his pox erupts if it can’t be seen on TV 😛
Is one of those pox a housing bubble about to pop?
probably not as long as no impediment is imposed….in the short term
A vox pop on the PM’s pox!
“The source sent over an initial sample of documents and the government reviewed them. After concluding they were genuine, it secretly negotiated support for the controversial deal from political parties in parliament, the minister said.”
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/sep/07/panama-papers-denmark-becomes-first-country-to-buy-leaked-data
can we imagine a Key led gov acting similarly?