Sorry to sound all lawnordery, but I'm not sure what the fuss about the Police taking pictures of you is all about.
Most people especially the young have faces and names all over the interweb already in Tiktok/Facebook/Snapchat/Google/Tinder/Grindr/Bumble/Findsomeone/Cupid,
and this is well supplemented by ones' image in drivers licenses, passports, jail, MSD card, MYID, your local liquor card, library card, school i.d., university i.d., HOP and Oyster Card, and all the rest …
… along with all the face recognition every time you step into public transport, an Uber or Ola or taxi, every speeding camera, every central government building camera and public street corner smile while you’re at it …
… all of which were given freely. The Privacy Commissioner is concerning identifiable portraits a bit of a dork.
The point of the Police is not to arrest people. It's to keep law and order.
… along with all the face recognition every time you step into public transport, an Uber or Ola or taxi, every speeding camera, every central government building camera and public street corner smile while you’re at it …
If the police are taking snaps of masked men then I'm in trouble – "Hi-yo, Silver…"
Thousands of photographs of members of the public have been kept on officers' phones or transferred to the police computer system which legally should been destroyed.
And officers have systematically photographed and fingerprinted minors in custody who have yet to be charged, with the joint inquiry contending that in many cases the information was unlawfully kept when it should have be deleted.
Of the tens of thousands of photos held in just one police database, half are of Māori.
That’s because it is unmitigated bullshit. What defines sneering academic more than kaftan-wearing Bryce Edwards himself? And what on earth is the PMC? It's not Franco's Spain but then Ehrenreich, Trotter, Mclauchlan, and Edwards do see themselves as modern day Orwells warning us about a fictional and dark "Establishment".
Truth is the white, conservative working class have always been there. Now upset their position as most marginalised has been usurped, they are punching down as well as up, fighting an angry, intolerant war on two fronts; against the brown and black and the misgendered, and against those they blame for helping them too much with grand visions of cultural transformation.
These people hid amongst the left for decades but are now being exposed for the deeply entrenched issues they hold against single elements of progress. Emboldened by Trump's coarse, self interested populism they, obsessed with identity, now feel free to attack equality itself and any attempts to achieve it.
When it came to advocating for a CGT Trotter sided with the government doing nothing … lest those of his generation remove them from office.
Rising rents diminished the impact of their first income bump effort to reduce child poverty. They have held off their second go for a time lest the money go into landlords profits and hold up property values (and for Orr to undo his mistake).
Hopefully when they act they have a rent freeze for a year as well.
The moves on industry awards …
Don’t cry if the merchant class demonstrate that there is a difference.
“When it came to advocating for a CGT Trotter sided with the government doing nothing … lest those of his generation remove them from office.”
Though I consider myself a 'leftie', I also was opposed to the CGT option, favouring, instead, the imposition of land taxes. However, I also believe the income tax system should be rational (and fair), which is why I applauded Robertson's making rental interest non deductible, though I thought he should have gone further and made all business interest non deductible. Still, I guess that would have been a bit too much to expect. I certainly don't favour the ten year bright line test.
I would have to add that my views had nothing to do with saving Labour from losing office.
Nothing wrong with the focus on the removal of the interest deductability on existing residential property (incentivises investment in new builds).
Given the lack of CGT over the decades – there is the Green wealth tax (catchup). I would add an estate tax to that – the level phased down based on the number of years the wealth tax was paid.
Thanks Anker, the article articulates what I see but not how it came to be.
Here we are, having korero under a red standard and so often the vibe is against what is good for the working class, or those at the bottom of the heap. The 'war porn', barely a whimper about the locked out workers at Essity's plant, the defence of Dr Doolittle's behaviour during the nurses pay round, gender wars…
Now that there is a politically energised section of the population leading into local body elections, this PMC mob insist we must make sure they have nothing to do with the eftpostle, VFF, FARC etc. Heaven forbid we may elect some who will effect real change. This energising has come about, partly, because they don't see anyone speaking for them in society.
…this PMC mob insist we must make sure they have nothing to do with the eftpostle, VFF, FARC etc.
Not a ‘PMC mob member’ here – imho it's common sense to look very carefully before leaping into bed with the (mad or bad) "eftpostle, VFF [make NZ “ungovernable”], FARC etc."
And rounding out the Top Five is “Eftpostle”, a brilliant coinage which feels like it must have appeared in 2021, when the Apostle Brian Tamaki has been more annoying than ever before – but which actually dates back to 2019. The earliest that I can find is by Twitter user @rosalea_w on April 15 of that year. It was still about Brian Tamaki though.
‘…masks are a simple tool that gives the government immense control, which is why they’re spending vast amounts of your tax dollars to keep them around.
They know that without them, their whole narrative could come crashing down.’
The organiser of the 'FARC off Brian' counter-protest says the demonstration will display messages of inclusion and diversity and show support for public health measures against COVID-19.
A couple of observations, while you may not be a member of the PMC, I humbly suggest that your aims or thinking are aligned.
The focus on Tamaki is missing the wider point. The few folk I know who were at Wellys don't have much truck with the eftpostle but it is another shoulder at the wheel.
Your emphasis on Bishop/mask/freedom is also a touch misguided. As I have pointed out there are other issues at play too. The crisis at FENZ, and Marsden Point for two. You didn't know about FENZ and that kinda speaks to a lot of the rabble's distrust of MSM.
As I have mentioned in the past I want to know, of those standing, who adheres to the neo-liberal status quo? Coz for more and more of us, it ain't working.
A couple of observations, while you may not be a member of the PMC, I humbly suggest that your aims or thinking are aligned.
Good observation. You may be right, but in order for me to be certain, I would have to know what the apparent aims and thinking of the PMC are/is. If you can enlighten me, then I can confirm, deny, or attempt to adopt a non-binary position [aligned/neutral/against in parts, as appropriate]. The managers I worked under were a mixed bag: one excellent (memorably so) and given the boot early; one pretty good and supportive; a couple average, and a couple dire.
The focus on Tamaki is missing the wider point.
Please observe that you introduced "the eftpostle" (@3.4.1.1) into this thread; if I'm guilty of focusing on whatever self-bestowed grandiosity Brian goes by now, then it's only by way of responding to your comment . As you note, he's only one of many 'signals', albeit a relatively long-standing in Aotearoa.
Your emphasis on Bishop/mask/freedom is also a touch misguided.
Would much prefer to emphasise the Health Dept's position on mask wearing during the current pandemic, rather than VFF'sstance as per the flyer in my letterbox earlier this week. It's one thing to point out Govt inconsistencies and errors (they're human), but what’s implied by "mask-winked" is not for me.
As I have mentioned in the past I want to know, of those standing, who adheres to the neo-liberal status quo?
I think the Green's wealth tax is an excellent idea, and was very disappointed the PM ruled out the CGT recommended by Cullen's Tax Working Group. Gross inequality is a true blight on NZ, and I could support all efforts focused on helping disadvantaged groups and individuals to get a fairer deal, short of overthrowing an elected Govt. and/or otherwise making NZ ungovernable.
Appreciate the "nothing personal" (genuinely), and likewise.
As to enlightening you to the PMC, I can only suggest reading Anker's link. Maybe dropping the PMC title and try Brahmin left.
I suppose what I see is a conservatism, in that there is a reluctance to change, to let go of power, privilege or status. Tinkering, incrementalism and window dressing is what they deal in.
With what we are facing with poverty (Labour's early election bribe cost of living payment), inequality and CC, I sense a lack of political will to make the changes needed.
Democracy as it is practiced here will not suffice.
From Bryce Edwards' Democracy Project article that Anker linked to:
The PMC… is prone to see the majority of ordinary people as reactionary and culturally backward, racist, sexist and homophobic.
I definitely don't see the majority of 'ordinary people' as "reactionary and culturally backward, racist, sexist and homophobic." Having said that, some of those positions and views are held by some Kiwis. "Detached"? Maybe – UFC/Boxing/WrestleMania entertainment doesn't appeal to me.
They [the PMC] often regard change as something to achieve through individual actions – e.g. how we behave or policing how other people behave.
I prefer working alone (no distractions for a one-track mind), despite knowing (from experience) that most significant progress comes from cooperation/teamwork. Far too timid (cowardly) to police behaviour anywhere except this blog, although I do occasionally push back (gently) against what I believe (rightly or wrongly) to be regressive viewpoints.
Instead, such critics characterise this middle class political [PMC] agenda as being one of self-interest.
I'm in favour of my own (quite modest, imho) financial security; there's enough wealth in Aotearoa now for all Kiwis to have that level of security.
They rise to the top of institutions, whether in business or government agencies, by proving how progressive they are. Much of it amounts to grift – posturing for career advancement.
My own career advancement was negligible, likely due to lack of talent, although I prefer to blame a lack of ambition.
Some critics even argue that these middle class professionals consciously attempt to elevate members of historically oppressed communities – especially in terms of ethnicity, sexuality, and gender – into this more elite group, in the name of “diversity”.
Did encourage and assist a few colleagues to apply for promotion – unlike me they belonged to oppressed communities that had to work at least twice as hard to get half the recognition they deserved. "Diversity" never crossed my mind; really not that difficult to spot creativity and talent.
There’s no reason why we can’t have a new politics that focuses on fixing things for ordinary people, and genuinely speaking truth to power. The current state of inequality, housing, education, and healthcare demands this.
No arguement from me there – anything (short of overthrowing an elected Government) for bold progressive change on these fronts. Mind you, 'progressive' might soon be joining 'woke' in the divisive dogbox.
Democracy as it is practiced here will not suffice. [@3.4.1.1.1.1]
And no argument there either. The problem is getting enough voters to really feel the misery, confusion and fear that is the daily lot of many Kiwis. Maybe those leading anti-government movements have a role to play, but some of their actions lead me to wonder about their genuine aims and thinking. For example, VFF seems more focused on freedom from vaccines and masks (and possibly the virus itself), rather than freedom from poverty.
Yeah, a mass movement protesting poverty – now that I could get behind.
Not sure how accurate this tweet may be….Europe currently dont have the capacity to accept larger volumes of LNG….Id suggest any capacity is well and truly filled without de facto Russian gas via China….smells like propaganda.
Its US gas,redirected (onsold) instead of going to China (long term forward contract) it goes to Europe.China receives LNG from up the road in Sakhalin.
Whilst there are capacity constraints in Europe at present for LNG,the UK has 20% of the reconversion capacity in Europe,where by the interconnection lines it gets reexported to Europe,Ireland .
"China’s state energy majors have stepped up the sales of liquefied natural gas to struggling Europe, Bloomberg has reported, citing an unnamed source from the gas market.
Several cargos of U.S. LNG originally destined for China have been re-sold to Europe since the start of the year, the report noted, and right now China’s CNOOC is offering an LNG cargo from Australia’s North West Shelf for delivery in November."
The Hosk……back on the turps big time in the Herald….
Out-of-touch Govt scheming and inept in equal measure…
Their credibility is shot……
“I said in the last column that they are toast…….I know cos I have toast every day…..as various disasters unfolded, I wondered whether they were inept or Machiavellian. Turns out the answer was both…………”
Sci Fi Week: The Alien Slugs and Porn Warriors of New Zealand’s TV Sci Fi
[28 November 2014]
There’s more TV I could mention – the pure insanity of 1985’s The Dominant Species, a documentary about how humans use cars told from the point of view of two sub-titled aliens; the convoluted clone thriller Typhon’s People written by the late Margaret Mahy (and starring Alfred Molina!) or even Mike Hosking’s end of show monologues on Seven Sharp, otherwise known as New Zealand’s finest two minutes of speculative fiction.
The Hosk may not be 'woke', but he's narcissistic to the bone – from way back.
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The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tom Baker, Associate Professor in Human Geography, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images As local and regional councils struggle with inadequate infrastructure and unsustainable costs, New Zealand will be hearing a lot more about the potential solution offered by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gary Sacks, Professor of Public Health Policy, Deakin University Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock In recent years, there’s been increasinghype about the potential health risks associated with so-called “ultra-processed” foods. But new evidence published this week found not all “ultra-processed” foods are linked ...
Fears that New Zealand is relying too heavily on low-cost forests to absorb its carbon dioxide emissions have been reignited by a report from the OECD. ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed the total dollar savings target from public sector cuts has been met, but the reductions have not been felt evenly across public agencies. Government departments were told to make savings set at 6.5 percent or 7.5 percent where headcount had grown by more than ...
She doesn’t have a single kind word for me and it’s getting under my skin.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,I have two amazing friends that I absolutely adore. Grace (all names have been changed) and I lived together across 2023 and Olivia moved in with us this ...
Can Western science and Māori science work together to support our well-being? The Te Ohu Mō Papatūānuku (TOMP) Trials Project was a landmark case for healing the land and people with the guidance of Māori science and leadership. This is what happened when Papatūānuku (Earth) was contaminated by toxic discharge, ...
The District Plan is a blueprint for a bigger, better Wellington, through tens of thousands of new apartments and townhouses and a new approach to urban growth. Joel MacManus lays out the vision. The process of putting together Wellington’s new District Plan has been long and excruciating. As a city, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Williams Veazey, ARC DECRA Research Fellow, University of Sydney DavideAngelini/Shutterstock In the 2007 film The Bucket List Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman play two main characters who respond to their terminal cancer diagnoses by rejecting experimental treatment. Instead, they go ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mohan Singh, Professor of Agri-Food Biotechnology, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences at the University of Melbourne., The University of Melbourne Tanja Esser/Shutterstock Australia’s vital agriculture sector will be hit hard by steadily rising global temperatures. Our climate is already ...
The Acumen Edelman Trust barometer reported that New Zealand’s political trust score now sits below the global average, a topic explored in a recent discussion paper by Maxim Institute. ...
Greenpeace Aotearoa executive director Russel Norman says, "The Fast-Track Bill is the most damaging piece of environmental legislation any Government has introduced in living memory. People are angry, and it’s time to march." ...
The school lunches programme has been retained – and will be extended to some preschoolers. So how is it going to cost $107 million less? To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. The minister with many hats David Seymour wears a number of hats, but this week ...
“Show us the bird,” I found myself muttering at times while reading Hard by the Cloud House by Peter Walker, a deeply thoughtful, often hilarious, at times rambling – but somehow delightfully so – search for the story of a big bird. But not just any bird: the bird. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Marley, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition DPVUE .images/Shutterstock Your home was probably designed for a climate that no longer exists. As long as humanity continues to burn fossil fuel, padding the heat-trapping blanket of gases in Earth’s atmosphere, the ...
A senior lawyer has filed a complaint about tikanga becoming a required law school module. Law lecturer Carwyn Jones explains what he’s getting wrong. “…the first law of Aotearoa, a law that served the needs of tangata whenua for a thousand years before the arrival of tauiwi.”– Ani Mikaere ...
In 2019, an Auckland woman woke up from surgery to find that she had undergone a treatment she didn’t consent to. She tells Alex Casey about her experience. From her very first period at the age of 14, Laura experienced “debilitating” levels of pain that forced her to withdraw from ...
Opinion: What if we got rid of our existing drug laws and replaced them with a new law that legalised and carefully regulated all psychoactive substances, from cannabis to MDMA, methamphetamine and LSD to magic mushrooms? And which also included legal drugs such as alcohol and nicotine. “Wow,” you might ...
In the gloom following director-general Al Morrison’s job cuts in 2013, the Department of Conservation restructured its operations arm. Eleven conservancy districts were whittled into six new “conservation delivery” regions, under which the Rēkohu/Wharekauri/Chatham Islands area, comprising 40 scattered islands more than 800km east of Christchurch, was tethered to the ...
One of th e country’s top litigation lawyers says New Zealand is seeing a lift in court action between companies. Chapman Tripp partner Justin Graham, who oversees a team of around 80 litigation specialists, says the courts are now so log-jammed that it’s taking over two years to get cases ...
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Comment: Concerns about the state of the economy are creeping up to the top of firms’ list of challenges. That’s evident in both surveys and the tone of our recent client discussions. Skimming the past few weeks of eco-news, it’s not hard to see why. – Retail card spending fell ...
Opinion: Could former co-leader James Shaw still make a difference to working with National? The post How the Greens could be contenders appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government is talking up the crucial role of gas as a transition fuel “through to 2050 and beyond”. In a gas strategy to be released on Thursday, the government envisages the fuel’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Next week the government will again next try to get its legislation through to deal with non-citizens who won’t cooperate with efforts to deport them. The bill, which the opposition and crossbench refused to rush ...
A long-term project that will set out an alternative vision for Aotearoa that looks beyond the narrow confines of the policy straight jacket adopted by successive governments. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bree Hurst, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Law, QUT, Queensland University of Technology TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock A much-awaited report into Coles and Woolworths has found what many customers have long believed – Australia’s big supermarkets engage in price gouging. What started ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Ghezelbash, Associate Professor and Deputy Director, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney The Albanese government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its migration amendment bill. The report, handed down yesterday by a senate committee that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joo-Cheong Tham, Professor, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Lobbying is at the heart of government. Who has access to and influence over key government officials shapes the decisions governments make – and how they make them. The ability to influence ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Myfany Turpin, Associate Professor, Ethnomusicology, Linguistics and Ethnobiology, University of Sydney The act representing Australia at this year’s Eurovision contest has sadly not qualified for the grand final. Yet for Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross, the duo that makes up Electric Fields, ...
In announcing changes to the school lunches programme, David Seymour said kids would no longer be served ‘woke’ foods. To clear up any confusion, The Spinoff has compiled a guide to the wokeness levels of some common food items. Apple = NOT WOKE Avocado = WOKE Avocado, smashed = EVEN ...
The Minister Responsible for GCSB and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security have been notified of this review, and have been provided a finalised Terms of Reference. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Minglu Chen, Senior Lecturer, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney Robert Way/Shutterstock As the past few years have illustrated so clearly, the Australia-China relationship is complicated. As such, it is crucial for Australians to develop a more nuanced understanding of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mariana Campbell, Research Lecturer, Conservation, Charles Darwin University Marilyn Connell Australian freshwater turtles are facing an alarming trend. Almost half of these species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is one of Australia’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Debbie Passey, Digital Health Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Algorithms have become integral to our lives. From social media apps to Netflix, algorithms learn your preferences and prioritise the content you are shown. Google Maps and artificial intelligence are nothing without ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Josephine Barbaro, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, Psychologist, La Trobe University Unsplash We’ve come a long way in terms of understanding that everyone thinks, interacts and experiences the world differently. In the past, autistic people, people with attention deficit hyperactive disorder ...
PNG Post-Courier Papua New Guinea’s deputy opposition leader James Nomane has accused the government of “reckless economic management” that has forced devaluation to manage loan repayments in foreign currency and placate the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Prime Minister James Marape “must stop lying to the people of Papua New Guinea”, ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Bookseller Confessional, in which we get to know Aotearoa’s booksellers. This week: Jane Arthur, author of Brown Bird, and former bookseller at Good Books.The book I wish I’d writtenI have been working on not comparing myself to others. On accepting that what I can ...
The final decision on the Wellington District Plan makes it official: High-density housing is legal across most of Wellington. Housing minister Chris Bishop has announced his decision on the Wellington District Plan, approving a series of amendments to radically upzone most of Wellington, allowing tens of thousands of new townhouses ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to ...
RNZ News As Israel presses ahead with strikes in Rafah and seizing the Rafah crossing from Egypt, aid agencies are sounding the alarm of a “catastrophic humanitarian situation”. Rafah was “significant” because it was the only part in Gaza that had not been terribly damaged by the conflict, United Nations ...
With funding set to be scrapped for the Hamilton-Auckland commuter train, Te Huia enthusiast Georgie Dansey argues for it to be thrown a lifeline. It’s 5.45am and the chain of my crappy old bike falls off slugging up the one hill in Hamilton. I contemplate yeeting the bike into the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Cooke, Honorary Fellow, School of the Environment, The University of Queensland We feel ecological grief when we lose places, species or ecosystems we value and love. These losses are a growing threat to mental health and wellbeing globally. We all see ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shauna Brail, Associate Professor, Institute for Management & Innovation, University of Toronto A shift to hybrid and remote work continues to affect worker presence in Toronto’s downtown.(Shutterstock) Downtown Toronto, the core of Canada’s largest city, continues to reel from the lingering ...
Responding to an Auditor-General's report slamming failures in the administration of the 2023 General Election, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: ...
Productivity apps now make up a big chunk of the software market. But do they work? And why do they all have AI integrations?Despite being firmly on the record as a physical planner fan, I sometimes dream of something better than my pretty diary and its scrawled, ugly, interior ...
The Taxpayers’ Union says the Beehive need to lead by example, following reports of more than $50,000 spent upgrading video conferencing equipment and furniture in the Prime Minister’s office. Taxpayers’ Union Campaign Manager, Connor Molloy, ...
An objective list of the 50 most powerful people in New Zealand, as judged by the Spinoff Editorial Board. It’s power list season, baby, and we want in on the action. Sure, there’s the rich list and the powerful “c-suite” list and the young people with power (hmmm) but here, ...
Getting rid of the FBI, might not be a bad idea.
https://couragenews.substack.com/p/news-foiad-fbi-files-on-aretha-franklin?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2
Sorry to sound all lawnordery, but I'm not sure what the fuss about the Police taking pictures of you is all about.
Most people especially the young have faces and names all over the interweb already in Tiktok/Facebook/Snapchat/Google/Tinder/Grindr/Bumble/Findsomeone/Cupid,
and this is well supplemented by ones' image in drivers licenses, passports, jail, MSD card, MYID, your local liquor card, library card, school i.d., university i.d., HOP and Oyster Card, and all the rest …
… along with all the face recognition every time you step into public transport, an Uber or Ola or taxi, every speeding camera, every central government building camera and public street corner smile while you’re at it …
… all of which were given freely. The Privacy Commissioner is concerning identifiable portraits a bit of a dork.
The point of the Police is not to arrest people. It's to keep law and order.
So go do law and order. One photo at a time.
If the police are taking snaps of masked men then I'm in trouble – "Hi-yo, Silver…"
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/474366/police-illegally-photographing-youth-maori-a-widespread-practice-investigation-finds
"Law an ordery".
But the police blatently breaking the law, is fine?
https://democracyproject.nz/2022/09/08/bryce-edwards-how-politics-got-captured-by-the-middle-class-and-why-its-a-problem/
Bryce Edwards writing about the professional managerial class. Nails it
.
The class at the very heart of narcissistic, authoritarian Wokedom.
A good piece by Edwards….that will be dismissed by many here.
Yes many on this site will dismiss the dominance of the PCM. But glad there are a few of us who see what is going on.
I am pretty sick of seeing ads for the new health reforms. How much is that costing?
That’s because it is unmitigated bullshit. What defines sneering academic more than kaftan-wearing Bryce Edwards himself? And what on earth is the PMC? It's not Franco's Spain but then Ehrenreich, Trotter, Mclauchlan, and Edwards do see themselves as modern day Orwells warning us about a fictional and dark "Establishment".
Truth is the white, conservative working class have always been there. Now upset their position as most marginalised has been usurped, they are punching down as well as up, fighting an angry, intolerant war on two fronts; against the brown and black and the misgendered, and against those they blame for helping them too much with grand visions of cultural transformation.
These people hid amongst the left for decades but are now being exposed for the deeply entrenched issues they hold against single elements of progress. Emboldened by Trump's coarse, self interested populism they, obsessed with identity, now feel free to attack equality itself and any attempts to achieve it.
I am surprised they are so many here…
That's brilliant, Muttonbird!
And your explanation for the lack of meaningful change is?
So are you saying that a PMC does not exist and we should all ignore the concerns of the "conservative" working class?
Wokedom indeed
When it came to advocating for a CGT Trotter sided with the government doing nothing … lest those of his generation remove them from office.
Rising rents diminished the impact of their first income bump effort to reduce child poverty. They have held off their second go for a time lest the money go into landlords profits and hold up property values (and for Orr to undo his mistake).
Hopefully when they act they have a rent freeze for a year as well.
The moves on industry awards …
Don’t cry if the merchant class demonstrate that there is a difference.
“When it came to advocating for a CGT Trotter sided with the government doing nothing … lest those of his generation remove them from office.”
Though I consider myself a 'leftie', I also was opposed to the CGT option, favouring, instead, the imposition of land taxes. However, I also believe the income tax system should be rational (and fair), which is why I applauded Robertson's making rental interest non deductible, though I thought he should have gone further and made all business interest non deductible. Still, I guess that would have been a bit too much to expect. I certainly don't favour the ten year bright line test.
I would have to add that my views had nothing to do with saving Labour from losing office.
Nothing wrong with the focus on the removal of the interest deductability on existing residential property (incentivises investment in new builds).
Given the lack of CGT over the decades – there is the Green wealth tax (catchup). I would add an estate tax to that – the level phased down based on the number of years the wealth tax was paid.
Thanks Anker, the article articulates what I see but not how it came to be.
Here we are, having korero under a red standard and so often the vibe is against what is good for the working class, or those at the bottom of the heap. The 'war porn', barely a whimper about the locked out workers at Essity's plant, the defence of Dr Doolittle's behaviour during the nurses pay round, gender wars…
Now that there is a politically energised section of the population leading into local body elections, this PMC mob insist we must make sure they have nothing to do with the eftpostle, VFF, FARC etc. Heaven forbid we may elect some who will effect real change. This energising has come about, partly, because they don't see anyone speaking for them in society.
Not a ‘PMC mob member’ here – imho it's common sense to look very carefully before leaping into bed with the (mad or bad) "eftpostle, VFF [make NZ “ungovernable”], FARC etc."
A couple of observations, while you may not be a member of the PMC, I humbly suggest that your aims or thinking are aligned.
The focus on Tamaki is missing the wider point. The few folk I know who were at Wellys don't have much truck with the eftpostle but it is another shoulder at the wheel.
Your emphasis on Bishop/mask/freedom is also a touch misguided. As I have pointed out there are other issues at play too. The crisis at FENZ, and Marsden Point for two. You didn't know about FENZ and that kinda speaks to a lot of the rabble's distrust of MSM.
As I have mentioned in the past I want to know, of those standing, who adheres to the neo-liberal status quo? Coz for more and more of us, it ain't working.
PS nothing personal in any of that.
Good observation. You may be right, but in order for me to be certain, I would have to know what the apparent aims and thinking of the PMC are/is. If you can enlighten me, then I can confirm, deny, or attempt to adopt a non-binary position [aligned/neutral/against in parts, as appropriate]. The managers I worked under were a mixed bag: one excellent (memorably so) and given the boot early; one pretty good and supportive; a couple average, and a couple dire.
Please observe that you introduced "the eftpostle" (@3.4.1.1) into this thread; if I'm guilty of focusing on whatever self-bestowed grandiosity Brian goes by now, then it's only by way of responding to your comment . As you note, he's only one of many 'signals', albeit a relatively long-standing in Aotearoa.
Would much prefer to emphasise the Health Dept's position on mask wearing during the current pandemic, rather than VFF's stance as per the flyer in my letterbox earlier this week. It's one thing to point out Govt inconsistencies and errors (they're human), but what’s implied by "mask-winked" is not for me.
I think the Green's wealth tax is an excellent idea, and was very disappointed the PM ruled out the CGT recommended by Cullen's Tax Working Group. Gross inequality is a true blight on NZ, and I could support all efforts focused on helping disadvantaged groups and individuals to get a fairer deal, short of overthrowing an elected Govt. and/or otherwise making NZ ungovernable.
Appreciate the "nothing personal" (genuinely), and likewise.
As to enlightening you to the PMC, I can only suggest reading Anker's link. Maybe dropping the PMC title and try Brahmin left.
I suppose what I see is a conservatism, in that there is a reluctance to change, to let go of power, privilege or status. Tinkering, incrementalism and window dressing is what they deal in.
With what we are facing with poverty (Labour's
early election bribecost of living payment), inequality and CC, I sense a lack of political will to make the changes needed.Democracy as it is practiced here will not suffice.
From Bryce Edwards' Democracy Project article that Anker linked to:
I definitely don't see the majority of 'ordinary people' as "reactionary and culturally backward, racist, sexist and homophobic." Having said that, some of those positions and views are held by some Kiwis. "Detached"? Maybe – UFC/Boxing/WrestleMania entertainment doesn't appeal to me.
I prefer working alone (no distractions for a one-track mind), despite knowing (from experience) that most significant progress comes from cooperation/teamwork. Far too timid (cowardly) to police behaviour anywhere except this blog, although I do occasionally push back (gently) against what I believe (rightly or wrongly) to be regressive viewpoints.
I'm in favour of my own (quite modest, imho) financial security; there's enough wealth in Aotearoa now for all Kiwis to have that level of security.
My own career advancement was negligible, likely due to lack of talent, although I prefer to blame a lack of ambition.
Did encourage and assist a few colleagues to apply for promotion – unlike me they belonged to oppressed communities that had to work at least twice as hard to get half the recognition they deserved. "Diversity" never crossed my mind; really not that difficult to spot creativity and talent.
No arguement from me there – anything (short of overthrowing an elected Government) for bold progressive change on these fronts. Mind you, 'progressive' might soon be joining 'woke' in the divisive dogbox.
And no argument there either. The problem is getting enough voters to really feel the misery, confusion and fear that is the daily lot of many Kiwis. Maybe those leading anti-government movements have a role to play, but some of their actions lead me to wonder about their genuine aims and thinking. For example, VFF seems more focused on freedom from vaccines and masks (and possibly the virus itself), rather than freedom from poverty.
Yeah, a mass movement protesting poverty – now that I could get behind.
UK energy plan to be fully unveiled today ,the estimates are not nice (200 b pound) when expressed as revenue.
https://twitter.com/OilSheppard/status/1567417786816774144?cxt=HHwWgIC-3YWLy8ArAAAA
China makes substantive arbitrage trade,buying Russian LNG at half price,selling shipments from the US to Europe at spot price.
https://twitter.com/SStapczynski/status/1567720991547342851
Not sure how accurate this tweet may be….Europe currently dont have the capacity to accept larger volumes of LNG….Id suggest any capacity is well and truly filled without de facto Russian gas via China….smells like propaganda.
Its US gas,redirected (onsold) instead of going to China (long term forward contract) it goes to Europe.China receives LNG from up the road in Sakhalin.
Whilst there are capacity constraints in Europe at present for LNG,the UK has 20% of the reconversion capacity in Europe,where by the interconnection lines it gets reexported to Europe,Ireland .
https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/nationalaccounts/balanceofpayments/articles/trendsinukimportsandexportsoffuels/2022-06-29
"China’s state energy majors have stepped up the sales of liquefied natural gas to struggling Europe, Bloomberg has reported, citing an unnamed source from the gas market.
Several cargos of U.S. LNG originally destined for China have been re-sold to Europe since the start of the year, the report noted, and right now China’s CNOOC is offering an LNG cargo from Australia’s North West Shelf for delivery in November."
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/China-Steps-Up-LNG-Sales-To-Europe-As-Prices-Soar.html
Unnamed source….and Aus gas in the news again.
Concerning as China oil imports are down as well.
Timor asked Europe and developed countries for 100 billion to not develop gas field,not many takers.
Further irony,
https://twitter.com/JavierBlas/status/1567806941757378562?cxt=HHwWhMC4_euG_MErAAAA
Now we have the UK exporting electricity to Norway (made from lng and norwegian gas ) at 396 e mwh.
The Hosk……back on the turps big time in the Herald….
“I said in the last column that they are toast…….I know cos I have toast every day…..as various disasters unfolded, I wondered whether they were inept or Machiavellian. Turns out the answer was both…………”
Hoskins =Stupid or obnoxious person = a twat!!!
He could not do one tenth of what Jacinda Ardern does, but his ego is huge.
Kat and Patricia.
The Hosk may not be 'woke', but he's narcissistic to the bone – from way back.
Historian Tim Snyder has made his Yale course The Making of Modern Ukraine available on YT.
Class 1: Ukrainian Questions Posed by Russian Invasion
Class 2: The Genesis of Nations
https://www.timothysnyder.org/
Just walked through Sylvia Park shopping mall, late night shopping. Only about 1/3 of people now wearing masks.