Key’s reason for the low emergency intake is that NZ lacks the infrastructure and services required to accomodate more in a way which provides decent outcomes for both refugees and for the country.
This is a frank admission that infrastructure and services have have not been updated sufficiently under his watch.
The new buildings at the Mangere centre are coming on line. Makes you think the Government could keep the old resources running for a while and that way they could really increase the number of refugees they could deal with.
Or Murray McCully the master builder who built a fantastic fancy sheep farm in Saudi Arabia somewhere in the centre of the Sahara desert for only $11.5 million to house about 900 sheep, many of which sadly or happily entered their sheep heaven before even reaching their destination. I suspect none have survived now and have probably been long turned into ‘Dum Biryani’ gracing many a dining table of Sheiks and sultanas under sunset and al kuhool. Salaam!…good luck with that.
In John Campbell’s first piece of journalism since being sacked by TV3 a few months back, this morning on National Radio he interviewed people at the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre.
There were two interesting pieces of new information in his piece:
1. NZ is the only country in the world that has a single centre that all refugees go to when they first enter the country. They stay for 6 weeks before being moved on to one of a few cities in NZ (Christchurch was notably absent; only Nelson from the South Island was included).
2. They can currently accommodate 150 refugees at a time, but a $5M upgrade that is already underway will take this capacity to 190 mid next year. This upgrade was included in National’s 2014 budget.
Yes, I agree. The government should have supported, allowed and passed the two proposed motions by Labour and the Greens (immediate extra 750 emergency intake, and permanent increase to at least1,000 per year instead of the current 750).
We do have a vacuous and crap of a government here.
————
On a related matter, I read two articles today giving a different perspective on this refugee/immigrant issue in Europe where Germany is taking in over 800,0000 and the super wealthy/sparsely populated Gulf countries where the intake is practically zero:
The golf region countries and the US are heavily involved of creating the situation in the first place. If such an undertaking is planed, there is also collateral damage calculated.
These states don’t really care about people, people are expendable. I mean -really truly.
Saudi Arabia is the cradle of the Wahhabism, developed into an extreme form of Islam. The European parliament has identified this faith as the main source of terrorism. Perhaps this is not explained in the Anglo Saxon world.
For a refugee to settle in Saudi Arabia or Qatar would be akin to going into a lions den.
As for the US, I don’t have much respect for their dictatorship by the rich. So far 1500 refugees were allowed into the US. That says it all.
Latest Colmar Brunton once again places combined Oppo support ahead of Govt support.
So much for the Key/National “defying gravity”/”as popular as ever”/”far more popular than the Third Term Clark Govt” meme being pushed by the Herald on Sunday and dutifully regurgitated by Jane Clifton in this week’s Listener.
Quite a bit of angst was expressed on the Left-leaning blogosphere when the latest Roy Morgan and Herald-DigiPolls came out, suggesting the Nats were up on 50-51%. Like I said at the time, wait for the 2 TV polls.
Tragically, though (and all-too-predictably) One News Pol Editor Corin Dann’s analysis is woefully misplaced: “National is continuing to ride high in the polls…the result will be a big confidence boost to National and John Key……..National doesn’t appear to be suffering in the polls……..on these numbers, National would appear to be as strong as ever……..Key’s personal approval ratings also continue to ride high……..”
Ahhh, Corin, please understand that almost the entire Government/Right Bloc vote now coalesces tightly around National. 47% just aint enough. The Oppo Bloc is on 51%……….
….you know……..a majority.
The Oppo Bloc is up about 7 points on the 2014 Election, the Right Bloc down about 5 points.
The Nat vote is “holding up” because of that collapsed support for their Little Helpers on the Right.
(Note to Mr Pete George and one or two Tories on KiwiBlog………Yes, I’m well aware that NZF support for a Labour Govt isn’t guaranteed. We’ll take that as read. Is more likely than not however)
How about you send this comment to Corin Dann for his edification and education swordfish. He will be so grateful to you for putting him on the right track. 🙂
Seriously why don’t you. Give the little p***k a sharp poke in the eye. To be fair, he’s not as bad as Gower – or maybe he is but more subtle about it.
If these two truly believe the shit they sometimes talk then their knowledge and comprehension of political polls in particular falls woefully short of acceptable and they should be kicked out of their respective positions.
A number of our journalists/political commentators are not at all intelligent, learned or objective, and more importantly not fair or objective. Some of them, like Hosking and Henry are permanently attached to Key’s bottom jowls, while some others seem to be longing to join those two sucklers.
Here is the thing:
National at the last election had a party support of 1,131,501 votes=47.04%
Labour/Greens then had a party support of
LABOUR=604,534 votes, 25.13%
Greens =257,356 votes, 10.70%
A combined vote of 861,890=35.83%
A poor result with a lag from National of 269,611 votes or 11.24%
Now today’s poll shows that Nats are at 47%
And Labour and Greens have 32%+12%=44% Labour has improved by 7% and the Greens by over 1%.
Compared to the election result, National have “improved” by 0% on their own, while Labour and the Greens have actually IMPROVED by 44%-36%=8%!
And get this:
The gap between National Vs Lab/green which was at 11% at last election just 11 months ago, is now ONLY 3% ! That is quite a big improvement actually. Isn’t it?
So what the bloody hell is wrong with the NZH and Corin Dann! Did they not check the figures, have made an inadvertent error or are they playing dirty politics?
Pretty much the latter in that they grasp at anything which shows National and Key in a good light because they are tribal National. Simple as that. They choose to ignore the well known fact that prime ministers always get a much larger vote over the opposition leader because they are the prime minister and therefore better known. It’s hard for us political addicts to comprehend, but there’s a mass of people out there of all ages who only know the name of the prime minister. So, when they are confronted with the question “who would you like as PM” they say the only name they know which is currently John Key. They’re not going to own up to the fact they don’t know who the other leaders are.
That’s why the gap always narrows in the three months leading up to an election because for the first time some of those people discover the names of the other leaders in contention.
Clemgeopin, I think that is a very big call you announced there?
You stated what Dann’s characteristics – you have not said what he has done. I am not convinced, that your opinion on Dann is fair, do you have any sources that can back up what you said?
In this respect, if you think Dann is not so competent, what about the agenda of New Zealand’s media?
Why do you think the media or specifically TVNZ, has broadcasted this news story in this manner. It has convinced me that TVNZ is playing a game of bias, yes I have read and watch the link that you shared with me. Thank you.
Thinking about the headlines you provided, yes I can see your version of your truth. I strongly believe that this does extend my questioning of TVNZ’s agenda. You really think it’s Dirty Politics? Clemgeopin, maybe you are thinking a bit too much, with all due respect.
But is political journalist, fair though?
Honestly – I do appreciate your statistics and mathematics. I am sure TVNZ and Dann do not.
Golden question – why haven’t they done what you did?
Political journalism – it’s not fair isn’t it?
Now you have mentioned the New Zealand Herald, what’s that all about?
If it is not dirty politics, then the report at least shows that these journalists do not seem to take Key or National to task/in depth questioning for even very serious scandals such as Saudi sheep, Pony tail pulling, Asset sales, Airport gate jumping, Misuse of money and Government Porkies etc).
In other words the journos seem to be afraid or prejudiced in favour of the RW.
They paint National in a positive way and Labour in a negative way. That is wrong/dishonest for any objective journalist with integrity to do.
Strongly agree. I think its prejudice rather than fear. Yes, I can agree with your ideas on this press’s favour for the right wing. It was on the back of my mind.
It is a wrong and dishonest for any objective journalist without integrity.
So journalism is not fair. News is not fair.
I think the example that you provided does explain it all and what you said about “What rough patch? National and Key riding high in ONE News Colmar Brunton Poll”.
What about pro-Labour, or pro left wing news press? Would they paint National in a negative way and Labour in a positive way.
Would that lack in integrity in political journalism? I think so.
Like I said earlier, I do think its prejudice rather than fear that shapes news and journalism’s agenda.
It is obvious that Dirty politics has and will play a major roll in retaining Key and National as the governing body in NZ.
Broadcasters, whether on radio or TV are on the whole biased in favour of right-wing parties. They in effect are scared to lose their jobs, eg John Campbell, if they are seen to be rocking the boat. We in NZ do not have an effective Fourth Estate, to stave-off political corruption.
Colmar Brunton also finds Pessimism on the economy unusually high at 45%, optimism has plunged to 33%. Until the July poll, optimism had massively outstripped pessimism throughout 2014 and 2015.
As for Dann’s assertion that “Key’s personal approval ratings also continue to ride high”
Key’s on 40% Preferred PM in this Colmar Brunton poll, his post-2014 Election average in the TV polls is 41% and his average over the last 4 TV polls is just a smidgen above 39%.
Compare that to his average Preferred PM ratings in the Colmar Brunton and Reid Research Polls over recent years: 52% in 2011, 51% in 2009, 48% in 2010, 45% last year.
He’s currently receiving very similar ratings to Helen Clark at the same point in her third term.
Far too often this steady fall in support for Key is overlooked or downplayed by journalists placing all the analytical focus on the gap between Key and Little.
The detailed Reid Research ratings on a whole lot of diverse measurements surrounding leadership attributes reinforce this evidence of a slow but relatively steady fall from grace for our hyperactive PM.
That must have fooled generations of criminal lawyers in NZ. But I really suspect that you are just some kind of delusional dickhead who is inadequate at explaining their ‘logic”. In other words some kind of a nutter.
I’d point out that it usually isn’t wise to be noticed by me as either when I am moderating. I find that they equate to “troll” and I like seeing how low they can be crushed. Read the policy.
You are less likely to have such problems if you explain your ideas clearly. While the other commentators may ridicule your ideas and demonstrate their flaws, they can’t really humiliate you and then ban you the way that I can.
An alternative medicine conference has ended with dozens of delegates being hospitalised after taking hallucinogenic drugs.
The patients, aged between 24 and 56, were found suffering from delusions, breathing problems, increased heart rates, and cramps, with some in a serious condition, Deutsche Welle reported.
Broadcaster NDR described the patients as “staggering around, rolling in a meadow, talking gibberish and suffering severe cramps”. ”
😆 suffering from delusions..staggering around, rolling in a meadow, talking gibberish and suffering severe cramps 😆
This doesn’t sound like regular homeopaths to me, nor naturopaths but more probably the description “alternative medicine practitioners” would be right. I wonder if correct meaning has been lost in translation.
From stuff report. The Association of German Healing Practitioners (VDH), which represents homeopaths as well as other naturopaths, quickly distanced itself from the incident.
In a statement, it said none of its representatives were at the conference.
“The organisers of this obscure conference are unknown to us and such events will not be tolerated by our Association,” a spokesperson said.
The drug is classed as relatively new and not widely available. In New Zealand it is a Class C controlled substance, meaning it is banned.
Just as well the drug they were poisoned with caused heart and breathing irregularities and severe cramps as no one would have guessed there was anything wrong with them if the only symptoms were delusions, talking gibberish and rolling around in a meadow.
You wanted to slur homeopathy and homeopaths and presumably people who go to them. You picked something off the internet that is obviously hugely problematic in terms of both information and reliability and you posted it on a political blog.
Or maybe you just lack the critical thinking skills when it comes to things you have large bias against.
Or maybe you thought it was funny, ha ha those idiotic homeopaths being poisoned.
Seriously, it’s hard to know what you were thinking when you posted that, but I’d guess prejudice underlies all of it.
Ah!!!! but at the end of the Stuff article that you posted it says :-
“The Association of German Healing Practitioners (VDH), which represents homeopaths as well as other naturopaths, quickly distanced itself from the incident.
In a statement, it said none of its representatives were at the conference.
“The organisers of this obscure conference are unknown to us and such events will not be tolerated by our Association,” a spokesperson said.”
So not actually a Homeopathic Conference at all and the cause
was 2C-E a drug banned in NZ and in Germany.
Are you trying to be scaremonger? Try a bit more water in your
favourite tipple, it might help or is it the Electric Puha, whatever.
On the other hand perhaps Specsavers might be the answer.
This is a hit by Big Pharma on alt. medicine cos alt. medicine threatens the capitalistic status quo! Just look at the TPPA!!! People could have died! There are even RWNJs making jokes about how the patients overdosed because they forgot to take their medicine. Not funny!
My guess a wet bus ticket and a strongly worded, tusk tusk.
Yeah, pretty much. What needs to happen is that these exploiters have everything taken from them, they get jailed for several years and they’re never allowed to own a business or be in a management position ever again.
Indian bosses are noted to be one of the worse to exploit their workers. Just examine what happens in their, so-called democratic homeland. Money is their god without doubt.
Robert Reich article plus trailer for his film titled “Inequality for all”
“A Crisis of Public Morality, Not Private Morality
America’s problems have nothing to do with what happens bedrooms, or whether women are allowed to end their pregnancies.
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As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
Te Rangi e tu nei (The sky above us) Te Papa e takoto nei (The land beneath us) Tatou katoa te hunga ora (To us all the living) Tena koutou katoa (Greetings) ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum. While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation. “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan. “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests. Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone. Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
Last summer when Matairangi burned, Ginny and Tom stood at the window of their lounge, watching kākā shoot skyward from the burning trees. From the distance, they looked to Ginny like pages torn from books and thrown into a bonfire. It was Tom, voice tight, who told her it was ...
Opinion: The Canadian short story writer Alice Munro – winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 – died in May at the age of 92. Her work was about “the damage people inflict on one another in the name of love”, Deborah Treisman wrote in the New Yorker. ...
This month marks two years since the most powerful telescope ever built sent its first pictures back to earth. From its lofty vantage point, beyond the moon in orbit around the sun, the James Webb Space Telescope was tuned to observe the first stars and galaxies being born soon after ...
Comment: After Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ preview several weeks ago, I had some optimism about the Government’s emissions reduction plan. Now I’ve read the discussion document, that hope has been dashed. How can the Government propose a plan that wants to take New Zealand taxpayers’ hard-earned money, and spend ...
Christopher Luxon: hurdles The little man from National jumps hurdles in his sleep. He’s quite good at it in his dreams and even though the reality doesn’t quite match up you have to give him credit for getting up every morning and crashing into the very first hurdle of the ...
Comment: It was a good two hours into the conversation when Tyrone Marks raised the most basic of questions when I first spoke to him in 2017. “They didn’t explain the things they did to me. They never told me why. And they still haven’t. There’s no explanation for it. ...
Madeleine Chapman rounds out Death Week on The Spinoff with a final recommendation. You can read all of our Death Week coverage here. Nothing forces you to reflect on your life and relationships quite like proximity to death. For those whose nearest and dearest have died, there are reasonably obvious ...
Whitney Greene takes us through her life in television, including the TV character she’d like to plan a funeral for and her cow lung catastrophe on The Traitors NZ. “If the phone rings, I have to answer it,” Whitney Greene from The Traitors NZ warns as we begin our My ...
Maddie Ballard reviews the debut essay collection of Pōneke writer Flora Feltham.In ‘The Raw Material’, the longest essay in Flora Feltham’s dazzling debut collection, the author heads out for a run after hours of weaving and sees the world turn to textile. “Pounding along the Parade, I saw the ...
Andy Christiansen, one half of the experimental rock-pop duo TRiPS, shares the tunes inspiring the band’s perfect weekend and new release. “Good speakers, good food, good music, no distractions”: that’s all you need to enjoy the psychedelic stylings of TRiPS, a new band formed by Fly My Pretties’ Barnaby Weir ...
Celebrating our quadrennial opportunity to become experts in a bunch of sports we never normally watch.The games of the XXXIII Olympiad are upon us. Paris will host this year’s showcase of sporting and athletic prowess, which means some late-night and early-morning viewing for us in Aotearoa.But what sports ...
The photograph is striking and beautiful, but also disturbing – a reminder that my love for John was often entangled in shame.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.In the spring of 1980, in Dunedin, shortly before his death, someone took a photograph ...
Get to know Babushka, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Babu’s humans, Jo and Isabel, for their support. Dog name: Babushka (Babu for short) Age: 2Breed: Border Collie X poodleIf rescued, ...
Pacific Media Watch A Lebanese photojournalist who was severely wounded during an Israeli air strike in south Lebanon carried the Olympic torch in Paris this week in honour of her peers who have been wounded and killed in the field — especially in Gaza and Lebanon. Christina Assi of Agence ...
The first report in a five-part web series focused on the 15th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women taking place in the Marshall Islands this week.SPECIAL REPORT:By Netani Rika in Majuro Women continue to fight for justice 70 years after the first nuclear tests by the United States caused ...
Christopher Luxon has joined with Australia and Canada's leaders in voicing support for US President Joe Biden's ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The 2022 election brought the “teal wave” into parliament. The next election will test whether teals, who occupy what were Liberal seats, and other independents can maintain their momentum. Joining us on the Podcast ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide Pixavri/Shutterstock A major Federal Court class action has been dismissed this week after Justice Michael Lee ruled there was not enough evidence to prove the weedkiller Roundup causes cancer. Plaintiff Kelvin ...
In The Week in Politics: politicians have to decide what to do about child abuse, Health NZ is booked in for major surgery and Darleen Tana returns. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Corbould, Associate Professor, Contemporary Histories Research Group, Deakin University Mainstream media are surprisingly muted at the prospect of the world’s most powerful nation being led for the first time by a woman – specifically a woman of colour, Vice President Kamala ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Bennett, PhD Student, Associate Research Fellow, Deakin University Last week, a drone delivery company called Wing (owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet) started operating in Melbourne. Some 250,000 residents in parts of the city’s eastern suburbs can now order food from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Foo, Lecturer, Physiotherapy, Monash University pikselstock/Shutterstock In the next 40 years in Australia, it’s predicted the number of Australians aged 65 and over will more than double, while the number of people aged 85 and over will more than triple. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina Grant, Research Associate, Power Institute for Arts and Visual Culture, University of Sydney Jonas Åkerström’s 1790 work, Session of the Accademia dell’Arcadia on August 17 1788.Nationalmuseum/Cecilia Heisser Ever wondered whether you’d have a better chance at winning an Olympic gold ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Jones, Program Lead, Food Governance, George Institute for Global Health wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock On Thursday, Australian and New Zealand food ministers at state, federal and national levels met to thrash out what’s next for health star ratings on packaged foods. Now, after ...
The Abuse in Care report found many Pacific survivors lost their connections to their culture and language, resulting in trauma that has been carried from generation to generation. ...
In the regulatory review, ECC intends to suggest that ERO focus on curriculum delivery reviews rather than the Ministry, because it’s not efficient or effective to have two agencies with radically different approaches climbing over each other. ...
Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori invites the current government to work in partnership with them to develop a pathway forward, including the development of a parallel pathway and meaningful policy and strategy for Kura Kaupapa Māori ...
If you haven’t started watching yet, Tara Ward begs you to reconsider. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. In the world of New Zealand reality television, we have many gems in our crown. There’s the delicious second season of the Celebrity Treasure ...
A new poem by Fiona Kidman. The clothes of the dead I did not keep my mother’s furry red beret for long nor the stringy scarves that adorned the necks of my aunts, although I have kept tag ends of gold, the rings and trinkets they wore, the brooches no ...
The government’s announcement that it will re-open the foreshore and seabed controversy by changing the rules on recognising centuries-old Māori customary title for a third time goes against the rule of law and New Zealand values,” Mr Tipa says. ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Lioness by Emily Perkins (Bloomsbury, $25) Roarrrr! Perkins’ brilliant, award-winning, Marian-Keyes anointed, darkly funny, long ...
The 2004 Act vested ownership of the foreshore and seabed in the Crown, extinguishing any Māori claims to ownership and causing widespread outrage and protests among Māori communities. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Antje Deckert, Associate Professor (Criminology), Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Despite the connection between institutional harm and gang membership made clear in this week’s mammoth royal commission abuse-in care report, the government seems unlikely to soften its “get tough on ...
From Lewis Clareburt in the swimming to the start of the rowing – the first seven days of Paris 2024 promise to be big for New Zealand. There are few events that bring the country together quite like an Olympic Games. Nothing quite matches the excitement of getting up in ...
Groundbreaking local science just showed up in the most surprising of places: the season finale of The Kardashians. In the season five finale of The Kardashians last night, several members of the family gathered together in one of their signature empty, cream-coloured rooms to hear test results that had been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University The Middle East is on the brink of a possibly devastating regional war, with hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah reaching an extremely dangerous level. Washington has engaged in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Elizabeth Eades, Rheumatologist, Monash University Lupus is an inflammatory autoimmune illness, where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks itself. Lupus can affect virtually any part of the body, although it most commonly affects the skin, joints and kidneys. The symptoms ...
A law firm that specialises in working with survivors of abuse in State care is disappointed that the Government fails to recognise that its boot camps can be directly compared to previous boot camps from the 1990s and 2000s. ...
Dying is a natural part of life, like updating your Wof or seeing your hairdresser, but without the word-of-mouth recs that help guarantee a good service. What if we changed that? Dying Reviews received by The Spinoff have had the names of organisations redacted while Hospice NZ collects further data. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Mike Lewinski/Flickr, CC BY On any clear night, if you gaze skywards long enough, chances are you’ll see a meteor streaking through the sky. Some nights, however, are better than others. At ...
Despite having no bars or other designated spaces for lesbians, Auckland boasts a small but mighty lesbian museum. So how did it get here? The past 18 months has brought increasing hostility towards the queer community across Aotearoa. Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull’s anti-trans rally in Tamaki Makaurau last March led to a ...
Poneke Antifascist Coalition has invited Wellingtonians to stand in solidarity with the Kanak people at 12pm today outside the French Embassy in Wellington. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University Drones are the signature technology of the Ukraine war. A few miniature aircraft designs were used in the war’s early days, but an incredible array of drones have now evolved. There are different types, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Slee, Associate Professor, Clinical Academic Neurologist, Flinders University Francisco Gonzelez/Unsplash Migraine is many things, but one thing it’s not is “just a headache”. “Migraine” comes from the Greek word “hemicrania”, referring to the common experience of migraine being predominantly ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lee White, Senior Lecturer and Horizon Fellow, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Sydney Australia was slow to introduce minimum building standards for energy efficiency. The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) only came into force in 2003. Older homes ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Sherwood, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney The past century of human-induced warming has increased rainfall variability over 75% of the Earth’s land area – particularly over Australia, Europe and eastern North America, new research shows. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Heynen, Program Coordinator, Sustainable Energy, The University of Queensland A temporary stadium in the Champ-de-Mars, ParisEkaterina Pokrovsky/Shutterstock As Paris prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the sustainability of the event is coming under scrutiny. The organisers have promoted ...
A night of karaoke and community in a pub that feels like a memory. You’d barely even notice it, unless you knew to look. Tucked away behind a liquor store on busy Constable Street is the capital’s last great pub. Newtown Sports Bar is an emblem of the pub culture ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Wright, Professor in Marine Geology, University of Canterbury Louise Corcoran/Getty Images The decline in the number of doctoral candidates at New Zealand universities is a worrying sign for the country’s effort to build a knowledge-based economy. Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laurie Berg, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney defotoberg/Shutterstock Migrant worker exploitation is entrenched in workplaces across Australia. Tragically, a deep fear of immigration consequences means most unlawful employer conduct goes unreported. On Wednesday, however, the government officially launched a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vaughan Cruickshank, Senior Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, University of Tasmania Paris is about to host its third summer Olympics. While we don’t yet know what the legacy of this year’s games will be, let’s take the opportunity to reflect on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hugh Breakey, Deputy Director, Institute for Ethics, Governance & Law, Griffith University In the wake of the assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump, there were calls from bothsides of US politics, as well as internationally, to reduce the brutal, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keith Rathbone, Senior Lecturer, Modern European History and Sports History, Macquarie University Two high-profile assaults on Australians in Paris have raised concerns about security ahead of the Olympic Games. On Saturday evening, a young woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by a ...
Dying is inevitable and, so it seems, is it costing a lot, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.The cost of dying ...
The government took Joyce Harris's first baby and sent her off to a girls' home. Half a century on - and out of oceans of hurt - it asked her to be a mother figure. ...
It’s the deadliest fictional town in the country, but which death has been the most bonkers? Alex Casey looks back at 10 seasons of The Brokenwood Mysteries to find out. Warning: The following ranking story contains famous New Zealand actors appearing to be dead (not alive). The Spinoff has been ...
Water cremation is the biggest thing to happen to the death industry in the last 100 years. Alex Casey meets the people trying to bring it to Aotearoa. Through a set of mirrored doors down the industrial end of Christchurch’s St Asaph Street, death is getting a new lease on ...
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The fact that Tony Abbott’s racist government has taken 12 000 refugees while we can make only 600 is shameful for Key.
Key’s reason for the low emergency intake is that NZ lacks the infrastructure and services required to accomodate more in a way which provides decent outcomes for both refugees and for the country.
This is a frank admission that infrastructure and services have have not been updated sufficiently under his watch.
That is simply an excuse.
The infrastructure could be built.
Easily.
Indeed, but social services have been gutted by his ideology and to reverse that would be an admission the ideology is wrong.
The new buildings at the Mangere centre are coming on line. Makes you think the Government could keep the old resources running for a while and that way they could really increase the number of refugees they could deal with.
“That is simply an excuse.
The infrastructure could be built.
Easily.”
They should put Gerry Brownlee in charge of that.
Or Murray McCully the master builder who built a fantastic fancy sheep farm in Saudi Arabia somewhere in the centre of the Sahara desert for only $11.5 million to house about 900 sheep, many of which sadly or happily entered their sheep heaven before even reaching their destination. I suspect none have survived now and have probably been long turned into ‘Dum Biryani’ gracing many a dining table of Sheiks and sultanas under sunset and al kuhool. Salaam!…good luck with that.
Recipe:
http://sharmilazkitchen.com/hyderabadi-dum-biryani/
Thanks Clem I like the look of that recipe. With al kuhool.
In John Campbell’s first piece of journalism since being sacked by TV3 a few months back, this morning on National Radio he interviewed people at the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre.
There were two interesting pieces of new information in his piece:
1. NZ is the only country in the world that has a single centre that all refugees go to when they first enter the country. They stay for 6 weeks before being moved on to one of a few cities in NZ (Christchurch was notably absent; only Nelson from the South Island was included).
2. They can currently accommodate 150 refugees at a time, but a $5M upgrade that is already underway will take this capacity to 190 mid next year. This upgrade was included in National’s 2014 budget.
thanks, that’s useful.
Yes, I agree. The government should have supported, allowed and passed the two proposed motions by Labour and the Greens (immediate extra 750 emergency intake, and permanent increase to at least1,000 per year instead of the current 750).
We do have a vacuous and crap of a government here.
————
On a related matter, I read two articles today giving a different perspective on this refugee/immigrant issue in Europe where Germany is taking in over 800,0000 and the super wealthy/sparsely populated Gulf countries where the intake is practically zero:
[1] Migrant crisis: Why the Gulf states are not letting Syrians in
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34173139?ocid=socialflow_twitter
[2] Germany: Moral leader or misguided?
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34185970
————
The golf region countries and the US are heavily involved of creating the situation in the first place. If such an undertaking is planed, there is also collateral damage calculated.
These states don’t really care about people, people are expendable. I mean -really truly.
Saudi Arabia is the cradle of the Wahhabism, developed into an extreme form of Islam. The European parliament has identified this faith as the main source of terrorism. Perhaps this is not explained in the Anglo Saxon world.
For a refugee to settle in Saudi Arabia or Qatar would be akin to going into a lions den.
As for the US, I don’t have much respect for their dictatorship by the rich. So far 1500 refugees were allowed into the US. That says it all.
“The golf region countries”
Why would anyone reject such regions? Unless one doesn’t have a bag, may be.
Key, Obama and Trump would jump at the chance.
there’s a ranch in Texas that should be housing more than a few…
suspect they may confuse that for one in Cuba
A Quiz for you:
Adam has posted earlier today, that today, 9 September, is Bernie Sander’s birthday.
http://thestandard.org.nz/sanders-leads-clinton/#comment-1068642
Name the following people who were also born on 9 Sept:
[A] A celebrated writer, a recognized moralist and a distinguished social reformer born in Yasnaya Polyana and is regarded as a great literary giant.
[B] A kiwi model turned actor, born in Glenfield, and who starred in a film with Daryl Hannah.
[C] American businessman and entrepreneur born in Indiana and who sold his business for $2 million dollars in 1964, i.e, 51 years ago.
Latest Colmar Brunton once again places combined Oppo support ahead of Govt support.
So much for the Key/National “defying gravity”/”as popular as ever”/”far more popular than the Third Term Clark Govt” meme being pushed by the Herald on Sunday and dutifully regurgitated by Jane Clifton in this week’s Listener.
(See my scrutiny of their claims here …….. http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-06092015/#comment-1067612 )
Quite a bit of angst was expressed on the Left-leaning blogosphere when the latest Roy Morgan and Herald-DigiPolls came out, suggesting the Nats were up on 50-51%. Like I said at the time, wait for the 2 TV polls.
Tragically, though (and all-too-predictably) One News Pol Editor Corin Dann’s analysis is woefully misplaced: “National is continuing to ride high in the polls…the result will be a big confidence boost to National and John Key……..National doesn’t appear to be suffering in the polls……..on these numbers, National would appear to be as strong as ever……..Key’s personal approval ratings also continue to ride high……..”
Ahhh, Corin, please understand that almost the entire Government/Right Bloc vote now coalesces tightly around National. 47% just aint enough. The Oppo Bloc is on 51%……….
….you know……..a majority.
The Oppo Bloc is up about 7 points on the 2014 Election, the Right Bloc down about 5 points.
The Nat vote is “holding up” because of that collapsed support for their Little Helpers on the Right.
(Note to Mr Pete George and one or two Tories on KiwiBlog………Yes, I’m well aware that NZF support for a Labour Govt isn’t guaranteed. We’ll take that as read. Is more likely than not however)
How about you send this comment to Corin Dann for his edification and education swordfish. He will be so grateful to you for putting him on the right track. 🙂
Seriously why don’t you. Give the little p***k a sharp poke in the eye. To be fair, he’s not as bad as Gower – or maybe he is but more subtle about it.
If these two truly believe the shit they sometimes talk then their knowledge and comprehension of political polls in particular falls woefully short of acceptable and they should be kicked out of their respective positions.
A number of our journalists/political commentators are not at all intelligent, learned or objective, and more importantly not fair or objective. Some of them, like Hosking and Henry are permanently attached to Key’s bottom jowls, while some others seem to be longing to join those two sucklers.
Here is the thing:
National at the last election had a party support of 1,131,501 votes=47.04%
Labour/Greens then had a party support of
LABOUR=604,534 votes, 25.13%
Greens =257,356 votes, 10.70%
A combined vote of 861,890=35.83%
A poor result with a lag from National of 269,611 votes or 11.24%
Now today’s poll shows that Nats are at 47%
And Labour and Greens have 32%+12%=44%
Labour has improved by 7% and the Greens by over 1%.
Compared to the election result, National have “improved” by 0% on their own, while Labour and the Greens have actually IMPROVED by 44%-36%=8%!
And get this:
The gap between National Vs Lab/green which was at 11% at last election just 11 months ago, is now ONLY 3% ! That is quite a big improvement actually. Isn’t it?
So what the bloody hell is wrong with the NZH and Corin Dann! Did they not check the figures, have made an inadvertent error or are they playing dirty politics?
…are they playing dirty politics?
Pretty much the latter in that they grasp at anything which shows National and Key in a good light because they are tribal National. Simple as that. They choose to ignore the well known fact that prime ministers always get a much larger vote over the opposition leader because they are the prime minister and therefore better known. It’s hard for us political addicts to comprehend, but there’s a mass of people out there of all ages who only know the name of the prime minister. So, when they are confronted with the question “who would you like as PM” they say the only name they know which is currently John Key. They’re not going to own up to the fact they don’t know who the other leaders are.
That’s why the gap always narrows in the three months leading up to an election because for the first time some of those people discover the names of the other leaders in contention.
+1
Clemgeopin, I think that is a very big call you announced there?
You stated what Dann’s characteristics – you have not said what he has done. I am not convinced, that your opinion on Dann is fair, do you have any sources that can back up what you said?
In this respect, if you think Dann is not so competent, what about the agenda of New Zealand’s media?
Yes, I accept that I was rather too severe in my criticism of Corin Dann which was prompted by his headline in the transcript, which said,
” What rough patch? National and Key riding high in ONE News Colmar Brunton Poll”
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/what-rough-patch-national-and-key-riding-high-in-one-news-colmar-brunton-poll-q09860.html
To me, a more objective and fairer headline would be something like:
“National has made zero progress from its election result”
“Labour and the Greens have steadily increased their party vote by 8%”
or,
“Labour and the Greens narrow a 11% gap from National to just 3% in under eleven months”
Why do you think the media or specifically TVNZ, has broadcasted this news story in this manner. It has convinced me that TVNZ is playing a game of bias, yes I have read and watch the link that you shared with me. Thank you.
Thinking about the headlines you provided, yes I can see your version of your truth. I strongly believe that this does extend my questioning of TVNZ’s agenda. You really think it’s Dirty Politics? Clemgeopin, maybe you are thinking a bit too much, with all due respect.
But is political journalist, fair though?
Honestly – I do appreciate your statistics and mathematics. I am sure TVNZ and Dann do not.
Golden question – why haven’t they done what you did?
Political journalism – it’s not fair isn’t it?
Now you have mentioned the New Zealand Herald, what’s that all about?
If it is not dirty politics, then the report at least shows that these journalists do not seem to take Key or National to task/in depth questioning for even very serious scandals such as Saudi sheep, Pony tail pulling, Asset sales, Airport gate jumping, Misuse of money and Government Porkies etc).
In other words the journos seem to be afraid or prejudiced in favour of the RW.
They paint National in a positive way and Labour in a negative way. That is wrong/dishonest for any objective journalist with integrity to do.
Strongly agree. I think its prejudice rather than fear. Yes, I can agree with your ideas on this press’s favour for the right wing. It was on the back of my mind.
It is a wrong and dishonest for any objective journalist without integrity.
So journalism is not fair. News is not fair.
I think the example that you provided does explain it all and what you said about “What rough patch? National and Key riding high in ONE News Colmar Brunton Poll”.
What about pro-Labour, or pro left wing news press? Would they paint National in a negative way and Labour in a positive way.
Would that lack in integrity in political journalism? I think so.
Like I said earlier, I do think its prejudice rather than fear that shapes news and journalism’s agenda.
It is obvious that Dirty politics has and will play a major roll in retaining Key and National as the governing body in NZ.
Broadcasters, whether on radio or TV are on the whole biased in favour of right-wing parties. They in effect are scared to lose their jobs, eg John Campbell, if they are seen to be rocking the boat. We in NZ do not have an effective Fourth Estate, to stave-off political corruption.
Dreadful reporting by Dann.
Just another paid puppet.
Another contemptible sell out.
Cheers, Paul and Anne.
Colmar Brunton also finds Pessimism on the economy unusually high at 45%, optimism has plunged to 33%. Until the July poll, optimism had massively outstripped pessimism throughout 2014 and 2015.
As for Dann’s assertion that “Key’s personal approval ratings also continue to ride high”
Key’s on 40% Preferred PM in this Colmar Brunton poll, his post-2014 Election average in the TV polls is 41% and his average over the last 4 TV polls is just a smidgen above 39%.
Compare that to his average Preferred PM ratings in the Colmar Brunton and Reid Research Polls over recent years:
52% in 2011, 51% in 2009, 48% in 2010, 45% last year.
He’s currently receiving very similar ratings to Helen Clark at the same point in her third term.
Far too often this steady fall in support for Key is overlooked or downplayed by journalists placing all the analytical focus on the gap between Key and Little.
The detailed Reid Research ratings on a whole lot of diverse measurements surrounding leadership attributes reinforce this evidence of a slow but relatively steady fall from grace for our hyperactive PM.
Dann is lying for his corporate masters.
And whom would the corporate masters be? A certain media domain? government organization?
Grammar police here. It’s which not whom.
That’s today’s University education for you.
Comma after ‘which’. Grammar Armed Defenders Squad here
Yes, possibly, but the omitted comma is a Summary Offences matter, whereas the which / whom error falls under the Crimes Act.
There is no such thing as the Summary Offences and there is no such thing as the Crimes Act.
That must have fooled generations of criminal lawyers in NZ. But I really suspect that you are just some kind of delusional dickhead who is inadequate at explaining their ‘logic”. In other words some kind of a nutter.
Summary Offenses Act 1981
Crimes Act
I’d point out that it usually isn’t wise to be noticed by me as either when I am moderating. I find that they equate to “troll” and I like seeing how low they can be crushed. Read the policy.
You are less likely to have such problems if you explain your ideas clearly. While the other commentators may ridicule your ideas and demonstrate their flaws, they can’t really humiliate you and then ban you the way that I can.
Keys popularity “a figment of the imagination” stumped up with bullshit figures
Stuff reports that “Serco facing more than $1m in fines for Mt Eden prison failings”.
The so-called “fines” are in fact reductions in the potential performance bonuses it can earn under its contract.
Wouldn’t a fine be financial penalty it has to actually pay rather than simply a reduction in the bonuses it can earn as part of its service contract?
Interestingly I saw the same story first leading on the National Herald mobile app before it disappeared.
“Homeopathy conference ends in chaos
An alternative medicine conference has ended with dozens of delegates being hospitalised after taking hallucinogenic drugs.
The patients, aged between 24 and 56, were found suffering from delusions, breathing problems, increased heart rates, and cramps, with some in a serious condition, Deutsche Welle reported.
Broadcaster NDR described the patients as “staggering around, rolling in a meadow, talking gibberish and suffering severe cramps”. ”
😆 suffering from delusions..staggering around, rolling in a meadow, talking gibberish and suffering severe cramps 😆
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/71907286/homeopathy-conference-ends-in-chaos
This doesn’t sound like regular homeopaths to me, nor naturopaths but more probably the description “alternative medicine practitioners” would be right. I wonder if correct meaning has been lost in translation.
From stuff report.
The Association of German Healing Practitioners (VDH), which represents homeopaths as well as other naturopaths, quickly distanced itself from the incident.
In a statement, it said none of its representatives were at the conference.
“The organisers of this obscure conference are unknown to us and such events will not be tolerated by our Association,” a spokesperson said.
The drug is classed as relatively new and not widely available. In New Zealand it is a Class C controlled substance, meaning it is banned.
I’m guessing there are multiple translation and media reporting issues.
Interesting that nsd is so guillible.
@weka
Just as well the drug they were poisoned with caused heart and breathing irregularities and severe cramps as no one would have guessed there was anything wrong with them if the only symptoms were delusions, talking gibberish and rolling around in a meadow.
Ok, nasty and guillible.
You wanted to slur homeopathy and homeopaths and presumably people who go to them. You picked something off the internet that is obviously hugely problematic in terms of both information and reliability and you posted it on a political blog.
Or maybe you just lack the critical thinking skills when it comes to things you have large bias against.
Or maybe you thought it was funny, ha ha those idiotic homeopaths being poisoned.
Seriously, it’s hard to know what you were thinking when you posted that, but I’d guess prejudice underlies all of it.
@Weka… there, there diddums.
Go and have some herbal tea diluted 1:100,000,000.
and there we have the sum of your ability to debate. Get to the point of not being able to discuss the issues and your true nature is revealed.
“Get to the point of not being able to discuss the issues and your true nature is revealed.”
Oh the irony 😆
Ah!!!! but at the end of the Stuff article that you posted it says :-
“The Association of German Healing Practitioners (VDH), which represents homeopaths as well as other naturopaths, quickly distanced itself from the incident.
In a statement, it said none of its representatives were at the conference.
“The organisers of this obscure conference are unknown to us and such events will not be tolerated by our Association,” a spokesperson said.”
So not actually a Homeopathic Conference at all and the cause
was 2C-E a drug banned in NZ and in Germany.
Are you trying to be scaremonger? Try a bit more water in your
favourite tipple, it might help or is it the Electric Puha, whatever.
On the other hand perhaps Specsavers might be the answer.
This is a hit by Big Pharma on alt. medicine cos alt. medicine threatens the capitalistic status quo! Just look at the TPPA!!! People could have died! There are even RWNJs making jokes about how the patients overdosed because they forgot to take their medicine. Not funny!
John Skelton’s “Speke Parott”
If you ever thought you could go back in time and speak the lingo 😈
Did anyone else notice this burred in the business section of the Herald?
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/employment-relations/news/article.cfm?c_id=189&objectid=11509633
My guess a wet bus ticket and a strongly worded, tusk tusk.
The future people, as long as we have a Tory government hell bent of scaring the middle class out of existence.
Yeah, pretty much. What needs to happen is that these exploiters have everything taken from them, they get jailed for several years and they’re never allowed to own a business or be in a management position ever again.
@Adam thanks for reminding me I saw the headline but missed reading the article. Scumbags like that should be deported.
Indian bosses are noted to be one of the worse to exploit their workers. Just examine what happens in their, so-called democratic homeland. Money is their god without doubt.
Robert Reich article plus trailer for his film titled “Inequality for all”
“A Crisis of Public Morality, Not Private Morality
America’s problems have nothing to do with what happens bedrooms, or whether women are allowed to end their pregnancies.
Our problems have everything to do with what occurs in boardrooms, and whether corporations and wealthy individuals are allowed to undermine our democracy.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-reich/a-crisis-of-public-morali_b_8105366.html
And finally for some good news:
http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/sep/09/adelaide-joins-race-to-become-worlds-first-carbon-neutral-city
KEY “Hair today gone tomorrow” lets hope