I am a nomad…I live/travel around in the tiniest of tiny homes..a small vintage (mid-fifties) caravan…
in this I have all I need/want…and I hafta say..I can wax eloquent on how much I love this life I am living..
as an indicator of the delights I experience on a daily/ongoing basis..since Xmas I have worn shoes/socks about 10 times..that's 'cos I stay in places where I don't need to wear shoes…beautiful places..a rolling roster of nz nature beauty..Tonite I have 270 degree seaviews..
but I am here to comment on this proposed crackdown on freedom campers..
and I would like to note that in the last few years I have been living this life here on the frontline I have seen not one freedom camper..foreign or local..abuse/pollute where they/we stay..all of them respecting…I have seen no toilet paper etc.
and as for those locals…many/most of them are homeless/low-paid workers..living in tents/vans/station wagons/cars…unable to afford rents in this poverty-blighted country..
I have never seen any of these homeless locals abusing/polluting our environment..
from what I see/experience this whole freedom camping moral panic is built on the back of anecdotal/historical evidence..nothing more..and the screams of the privileged..moaning that the very presence of freedom campers spoils their view/world..(and/well..fuck them..I say..)
and is nothing more than a punch down on those doing it the hardest..from this tory in labour drag..nash..and this 'kind/caring' labour government..
maybe these homeless..if barred from their only refuges by this poxy proposed legislation..maybe they should go and camp outside parliament..eh..?
and if nash success in this exercise in poor-bashing..I will put my hand up to help make that occupation happen…and I will be there with them..
the unthinking cruelty of this proposed crackdown ..to the weakest/poorest…makes my fucken blood boil…
And the filthy fuckers who climb the fence to unleash their bowels in my yard and the first I know of it is when the damn dogs roll in their excrement and tramp it through the house?
Some days I can't take the dogs to the beach because of the piles of reeking excrement in the dunes and the shitty bog paper flying like a flag from the lupins, FFS.
Some days I can't take the kids to the beach because of all the pile of reeking dog excrement in the dunes and shoreline. And the off-leash beasts snarling and barking at children and wildlife FFS.
Yeah, nah, it's real enough, the problems. A lot less now that the van tourists aren't dominating. Councils are useless from what I can tell, they just don't know what to do, mostly because of the $ signs in their eyes. I agree there's a whole layer of classism involved too. How many years into the housing crisis and they still haven't figured out how to support low income people living in mobile homes.
Glad you are out there having fun Phil. If you're still in barefeet, I'm guessing you're not down south, frosty toes now.
Okato surfer Chris Wilkes said Paora Road, a well-known South Taranaki break, was overrun and the new freedom camping bylaw was not being policed.
The bylaw allows three self-contained vehicles there a night.
"Basically we have a carpark being used as a campground and we had about 28 vehicles here last night," he said.
"I tell them there's a campground just five minutes down the road. They can go down there and, for $5 a night, there's showers and toilets available so it's a much better option."
Mr Wilkes said most of the campers had been understanding and left, but others refused to budge. He took the registration numbers of those who stayed and later chained up the toilet.
"You've got a small toilet here that's not actually designed for the capacity … It's actually overflowing at the moment."
I would like to note that in the last few years I have been living this life here on the frontline I have seen not one freedom camper..foreign or local..abuse/pollute where they/we stay..all of them respecting…I have seen no toilet paper etc.
I'm a regular visitor to the Cape and the meagre facilities the local community can afford to supply are remain under pressure – no water, plastic everywhere and shit all over the shop. Also, the desecration, defilement and disrespect of local Iwi's sacred places and property continues and public access to several of the west coast's premier surf spots, Kumera patch, Arawhata, Puniho, Mangahume and Raglan's Indicators to name a few, has been lost.
that is indeed one of the delights of this life..the many cool people you meet..
I also have a large very friendly dog..
he spurs many positive interactions..
and yep..I am warm..this caravan is brilliant..so well built..thick insulation..all varnished wood and yellow formica..and the body is raw aluminium…I effing luv it..
Yes Phillip and I bet you pick up rubbish and plant natives, as we did.
Can't beat the aluminium.
Are you a member of the NZMCA? We found the pops (park over properties) great and the parking properties they provided helpful for “Buzzing Along” Guess there are not too many free ones any more, and things have certainly changed after the outcry by some councils and MPs. Travel safely. Regards Trish and Norm
Philip Ure – I agree with you about the crackdown on freedom camping, it's just nimbyism. 20 odd years travelling around NZ and I too haven't seen any freedom campers polluting our country, rivers or beaches. It's bullshit targeting low hanging fruit. There is human waste and toilet paper out there on the beaches and in the bushes that I reckon is coming from the locals, day trippers including children. I've seen a lot of nappies in the bush too. Freedom campers responsible? I don't think so.
Local users here are residents of one of the most troubled and deprived provincial communities in the country. Most can only dream of spending 20 odd years travelling around NZ.
joe90 – The Taranaki coast is my backyard and I'm an old surfer as well. Your comments don't ring true. Rocky Lefts/Graveyards (Paroa Rd) is always busy with surfers some who stay over. There is no campground within 5 mins of there. Is 90 how old you are?
My experience with living out of a vehicle for most of a year (a while back now) was that; with such a tiny home, you really planned what you had with you. I was more homeless than freedom camping (though I did once get a ticket for parking-up without a blue sticker, and managed to get the council to waive it on the basis of homelessness – which prompted WINZ to finally acknowledge my housing needs, because it made them look bad). Still, I always managed to find room for a sealable (old paint) bucket with me and some cleaning stuff which was an adequate toilet when necessary, though not often used.
Anyway, other vehicle-dwellers I talked to, usually had some backup plan (including spades – though I didn't ask everyone what they used). Because you can't always trust a place with toilets to be open (/functional) – even when a map says they exist. So, I would agree with GreenBus; that it is most likely to be unprepared daytrippers, especially those with children (who aren't the best at anticipating their bodies' needs), who are responsible for the fouling.
Cheers Forget now. I've lost count of popular places that don't have toilets and the bushes are messed up with human filth. They usually have many Motor Homes parked up. They all have toilets on board, why on earth would they squat behind a bush? Answer, they don't. It will be all the car loads of people many with children that gotta go somewhere. Seems logical to me. But the campers are blamed. I use a porta potti which is truly portable for any vehicle and can be emptied easily at any ordinary toilet as well as dump stations. I've never had to use my spade yet.
I do not know quite where to put this comment. As it was not far from the beehive.
I was in Wellington on Lambton Quay at 9 am this morning after having been up during the night chucking with a migraine. I had to get home as quick as I was able to on inter city. I attended a relatives graduation yesterday where Hipkins spoke.
The weather was cold and wet. I saw a number of people with cups out to take a donation, but it was the two people who appeared asleep in a shop door front, they were covered up and had a sign out saying they were refused emergency accommodation.
I was cold, sleep deprived and unwell but on my way home to a shower and warm bed to sleep. How the people in the doorway are going to get through the winter went through my mind. As well were there a night shelter a bed would have been a human right.
There is something seriously wrong that people cannot have a bed provided.
I thought that there had been a plan for a hostel for Wellington's homeless last year? Though not a wet one – but I thought at least it's a start. Any idea anyone what became of this practical and worthy plan?
The WCC are too engrossed in their own dysfunction to have provided a hostel.
Down the road at the Beehive no one there has taken leadership to ensure that people can access a night shelter.
I would have homes with a respectful coordinator for the homeless with complex needs. The coordinator would need to be fair and available to be a listening ear to build a trusting relationship and have first aid training.
I have spoken to homeless people and have been told living in one place reminds them of being in prison. People become stuck for many reasons.
I agree Treetop. And as life becomes more complex it drives us all nuts. I think that we are all becoming warped by the hegemony of the drivers in society. Which is part of that Wellington problem you mention.
The PTB are unable to concentrate on outcomes that are needed, because of so many different matters put forward that are basically window dressing or having to fit embedded systems to meet requirements that are not proving practical – like having no choice but to deal with businesses to carry out services to the public like buses. Having to talk up your city or town so that it can be called up to 'world class' defined by whom, one should ask, and also why?
The reason for the night shelter going in Wellington is because long term accommodation is what the WCC are trying to do. If you have dimentia independent housing is probably not going to end well. Being able to go to a night shelter or a hostel (as a walk in) instead of being on the street at night is dignifying and able to be done.
The drug and alcohol act could be required to assess a person to avoid being beaten up, sexually assaulted, robbed or exposed to hypothermia.
Keeping in the line with the theme aimed against China, must mean that the Israelis are practicing Genocide against Palestinians, or does that brand you antisemitic.
Asked if she believed that inquiry was necessary, Collins said it was not, adding that public trust and confidence in police was at "astronomical levels" when she was minister.
"I think that for people to say there is systemic racism, completely denigrates the hard-working men and women of New Zealand police
Police Minister Judith Collins says police officers should have more discretion on using the Taser in volatile situations, even if a threat has not presented itself.
The minister is backing new Police Commissioner Peter Marshall, who yesterday revealed he intended to grant frontline police greater access to tasers and firearms, as well as relaxing the restrictions on when officers can use tasers.
Despite the increase in TASER use, there is a limited amount of literature available that examines its use and effectiveness. The New Zealand Police introduced the TASER in 2009 following a successful trial of the device. This research examines the use and effectiveness of the TASER by the New Zealand Police for the period 2010 to 2017 and shows that the use of the device has increased year-on-year. The analysis also found that while use of the device has increased at violent events, the form of that use has changed. Over the period of analysis, use of the discharge mode has increased compared with the show mode and as the use of the TASER increased, injuries sustained by subjects and officers also increased.
Though for the last link, I'd be interested in reading more than the abstract – if someone here has a spare 29 pounds sterling equivalent to post some quotes?
As an epileptic, putting those electric-whips in the hands of uniformed bullies, simply terrified me then. Still does, a decade later.
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
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Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
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On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
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Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
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Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
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Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
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Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
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You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
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Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
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Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
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Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
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It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
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Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
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It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
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Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
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Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
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 ...
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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. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
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 ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
Average ordinary time hourly earnings, as measured by the Quarterly Employment Survey (QES), increased 5.2 percent in the year to the March 2024 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. Annual wage cost inflation, as measured by the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dimitrios Salampasis, FinTech Capability Lead | Senior Lecturer, Emerging Technologies and FinTech, Swinburne University of Technology Clem Onojeghuo/Unsplash In the digital era, the job market is increasingly becoming a minefield – demanding and difficult to navigate. According to the Australian Bureau ...
As of the March 2024 quarter, we can now look back on 20 years of data related to youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET), as collected by the Household Labour Force Survey (HLFS), according to figures released by Stats NZ today. "The ...
Thousands of workers attended public events in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch today to celebrate International Workers’ Day (May Day), but union representatives are urging caution and vigilance over the Government’s blatantly "anti-worker" ...
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in the March 2024 quarter, compared with 4.0 percent in the previous quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. ...
The PSA is warning the Government that the sensitive information of New Zealanders held by various agencies will fall into the wrong hands if the latest round of proposed cuts goes ahead. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Talitha Best, Professor of Psychology, CQUniversity Australia Victoria Rodriguez/Unsplash How do sugar rushes work? – W.H, age nine, from Canberra What a terrific question W.H! Let’s explore this, starting with some of the basics. What is sugar? ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karinna Saxby, Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne MART PRODUCTION/Pexels Increasing income support could help keep women and children safe according to new work demonstrating strong links between financial insecurity and domestic violence. ...
ANALYSIS:By Olli Hellmann, University of Waikato When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day today on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also to mark a defining event for national identity. The battle of Gallipoli against ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark A Gregory, Associate Professor, School of Engineering, RMIT University The telecommunications industry faces a major shakeup following the release of the post-incident report on last November’s 12-hour Optus outage. Telecommunications companies will have to share more information with customers during future ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Bookseller Confessional, in which we get to know Aotearoa’s booksellers. This week: Eden Denyer, bookseller at Unity Books Auckland.Weirdest question/request you’ve had on the shop floorA mother came in looking for anything we might have on Alaskan bison as that was her little boy’s ...
NZCTU Economist Craig Renney said new data released by Statistics New Zealand shows the need for Government to act now, with unemployment rising from 3.4% to 4.3%. ...
The outpouring of anger over Maiki Sherman’s hyperbolic presentation of this week’s ‘nightmare’ poll is itself an overreaction, argues Stewart Sowman-Lund. Politicians love nothing more than to pretend they don’t care about polls. This week, deputy prime minister Winston Peters said he didn’t give a “rat’s derriere” about a TVNZ ...
Asia Pacific Report Ngāti Kahungunu in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Hawkes Bay region has become the first indigenous Māori iwi (tribe) to sign a resolution calling for a “ceasefire in Palestine”, reports Te Ao Māori News. Reporter Te Aniwaniwa Paterson talked to Te Otāne Huata, who has been organising peace rallies ...
By Dale Luma in Port Moresby “We want grants and not concessional loans,” is the crisp message from Papua New Guinea businesses directly affected by the Black Wednesday looting four months ago. The businesses, which lost millions after the January 10 rioting and looting, say they need grants as part ...
Happy May Day. Join a union. Q: What’s worse than a staff break room where the only place to sit and have a cup of tea is on a teetering stack of old pornography magazines? A: Your boss replacing the magazine stacks with chairs that are “heartily encrusted with ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor Former opposition leader Matthew Wale has been announced as the second prime ministerial candidate ahead of the election in Solomon Islands tomorrow. He will face off against former foreign affairs minister Jeremiah Manele, who was announced by the Coalition for National Unity and Transformation ...
We get but one birthday a year – why not make it last as long as possible by scheduling as many meals with friends and family as you can? This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. How do you celebrate your birthday? Do you celebrate at ...
A Koi Tū discussion paper released today proposes sweeping changes to New Zealand’s media industry. The principal’s key author, Gavin Ellis, explains how journalists have a key role to play in making others value their role in society. This is an abridged version of a piece first published on knightlyviews.com ...
The Government’s spending cuts are again targeting support for Māori with proposed reform of the agency charged with advising on Māori wellbeing and development. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Douglas, Honorary Senior Lecturer, UNSW Aviation., UNSW Sydney The history of budget jet airlines in Australia is a long road littered with broken dreams. New entrants have consistently struggled to get a foothold. Low-cost carrier Bonza has just become the industry’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rosalind Dixon, Director, Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law, UNSW Sydney Australia is finally having a sustained conversation about violence against women and what we can do about it. It is more than time. Australian women and girls continue to experience ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne stockfour/Shutterstock Preliminary bulk billing data released this week shows a 2.1% rise in bulk billing up to March. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Schulz, Senior Lecturer, University of Adelaide Australia is once again grappling with how we can stop gendered violence in our country. Protests over the weekend show there is enormous community anger over the number of women who are dying and National ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University AnastasiaDudka/Shutterstock What if the government was doing everything it could to stop thieves making off with our money, except the one thing that could really work? That’s how it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Harrington, Senior Lecturer in English and Cultural Studies, University of Canterbury The Conversation It seems to be a time of old favourites. This month our experts have recommended two new seasons – the second season of Alone Australia (although ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland A bright Eta Aquariid meteor photobombed this photo of comet C/2020 F8 (SWAN) in May 2020.Jonti Horner Meteors – commonly known as shooting stars – can be seen on any night of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Flannery, Honorary fellow, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Current concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in Earth’s atmosphere are unprecedented in human history. But CO₂ levels today, and those that might occur in coming decades, did occur millions of years ago. ...
Winston Peters has been keen to dismiss speculation on our involvement in Aukus but will give a speech tonight on the direction of our foreign policy, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Usmar, Lecturer in Critical Media Literacies, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images With the coalition government’s ban of student mobile phones in New Zealand schools coming into effect this week, reaction has ranged from the sceptical (kids will just get ...
Hospitals around the country are not allowed to make a single hiring decision without the approval of Te Whatu Ora's head office, including for cleaners and administration staff. ...
A new report on protecting journalism and democracy in New Zealand recommends a levy be charged on global platforms like Facebook and Google to fund media firms undertaking public interest reporting. It also calls for the reinstatement of a powerful Broadcasting Commission to distribute public funding for journalism and other ...
On International Workers' Day, also known as May Day, the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi and the wider union movement are celebrating the proud history of the labour movement during a tough time for working people. ...
From bills to beards, a walk through the former Green co-leader’s time in politics. After close to a decade in politics, James Shaw is preparing to bid farewell to parliament. Tonight will see the former minister deliver his valedictory address, certain to be a speech filled with Shaw’s trademark wit ...
Two months ago, MPs unanimously voted to give themselves a week off in Efeso Collins’ honour. On Tuesday, most were too busy to give even an hour of their time. The day Fa’anānā Efeso Collins died, parliament felt different. In a building that operates at a breakneck pace, everyone stopped ...
India’s election involves hundreds of millions of people and is a months-long affair. Here’s how voting works and what’s at stake.The biggest-ever election in world history started on April 19, with more than 10% of the world’s population eligible to vote. Elections in India, the world’s most populous country ...
Opinion: The impression from the carpark is very inviting. The area is well fenced but barred so there is easy visibility of loved ones. Inside, the spaces are welcoming and clean and staff are friendly and clearly comfortable. I am greeted by ‘Kim’. She has worked here for three years, ...
After the Christchurch earthquake, the then-national civil defence boss compared his experience to “putting a team on the rugby field who have never ever played together before”. Now, eight years later – and following a damning inquiry into the emergency response of cyclones Gabrielle, Hale and the Auckland anniversary weekend floods – ...
“I had just come off the end of a major robbery case which I had been working on for six months when I got a call on the afternoon of September 1, 1992, that some remains had been found at a building site in Devonport, so I drove over with ...
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Comment: Journalists are very good at telling other people’s stories, but they fall well short when writing about their own profession. Perhaps that is why it is so undervalued. Every successive poll on the public’s attitude toward journalism is more alarming than the last. In the last month we have ...
Opinion: A young Māori woman and her Pacific partner arrive at their local hospital by ambulance. She has gone into labour at just under 24 weeks, but the couple haven’t recognised the symptoms – and don’t know the risks of premature birth for their baby. By the time they arrive, ...
Behind closed doors, NZ First will be arguing fiercely against any watering down of the ministerial decision-making powers in the Bill The post Bishop backtracks after fast-track backlash appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Emotional scenes played out in the Invercargill courthouse on the first two days of the coronial inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones, in which the boy’s mother was accused of disposing of her son’s body. The second season of Newsroom’s award-nominated podcast The Boy in the Water ...
Asia Pacific Report A Pacific civil society alliance has condemned French neocolonial policies in Kanaky New Caledonia, saying Paris is set on “maintaining the status quo” and denying the indigenous Kanak people their inalienable right to self-determination. The Pacific Regional Non-Governmental Organisations (PRNGOs) Alliance, representing some 15 groups, said in ...
Koi Tū New Zealand cannot sit back and see the collapse of its Fourth Estate, the director of Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures, Sir Peter Gluckman, says in the foreword of a paper published today. The paper, “If not journalists, then who?” paints a picture of an industry ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Foreign investment proposals with implications for Australia’s strategic or economic security will face tougher scrutiny, under a policy overhaul to be announced by Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Wednesday. At the same time, the government ...
A Waitangi Tribunal inquiry report has warned government that a repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act could cause harm to children in care. ...
The Treasury has published today three new papers covering government consumption multipliers, automatic stabilisers and the impacts of global shocks on New Zealand’s economy. ...
Asia Pacific Report The Pacific state of Hawai’i’s House of Representatives has joined the state’s Senate in calling for a ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza, becoming the first state to pass such a resolution, reports Hawaii News Now. In March, the Senate passed a ceasefire resolution with a 24–1 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Ferrie, A/Prof, UTS Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research and ARC DECRA Fellow, University of Technology Sydney PsiQuantum The Australian government has announced a pledge of approximately A$940 million (US$617 million) to PsiQuantum, a quantum computing start-up company based in Silicon Valley. Half ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hunter Bennett, Lecturer in Exercise Science, University of South Australia Cameron Prins/Shutterstock If you spend a lot of time exploring fitness content online, you might have come across the concept of heart rate zones. Heart rate zone training has become more ...
SPECIAL REPORT:By Eugene Doyle He is the most popular Palestinian leader alive today — and yet few people in the West even know his name. Absolutely no one in Gaza or the West Bank does not know him. That difference speaks volumes about who dominates the media narrative that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Will McCallum, PhD Candidate – School of Communication and Creative Arts, Deakin University Earlier this year, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of not supporting Operation Sovereign Borders – the military-led border security operation that has “closed Australia’s borders ...
By Melyne Baroi in Port Moresby A Papua New Guinea MP, Peter Isoaimo, who had been ousted by the National Court in an alleged bribery case, has been reinstated by the Supreme Court on appeal. A three-member Supreme Court bench found that the National Court had erred in finding that ...
Publisher Chris Holdaway reflects on the unique project of collecting the work of the late, terrific poet Schaeffer Lemalu. One of the nice things you can do as a truly independent publisher is to make the books that writers want to make, whatever they happen to be. That’s how I’ve ...
I am a nomad…I live/travel around in the tiniest of tiny homes..a small vintage (mid-fifties) caravan…
in this I have all I need/want…and I hafta say..I can wax eloquent on how much I love this life I am living..
as an indicator of the delights I experience on a daily/ongoing basis..since Xmas I have worn shoes/socks about 10 times..that's 'cos I stay in places where I don't need to wear shoes…beautiful places..a rolling roster of nz nature beauty..Tonite I have 270 degree seaviews..
but I am here to comment on this proposed crackdown on freedom campers..
and I would like to note that in the last few years I have been living this life here on the frontline I have seen not one freedom camper..foreign or local..abuse/pollute where they/we stay..all of them respecting…I have seen no toilet paper etc.
and as for those locals…many/most of them are homeless/low-paid workers..living in tents/vans/station wagons/cars…unable to afford rents in this poverty-blighted country..
I have never seen any of these homeless locals abusing/polluting our environment..
from what I see/experience this whole freedom camping moral panic is built on the back of anecdotal/historical evidence..nothing more..and the screams of the privileged..moaning that the very presence of freedom campers spoils their view/world..(and/well..fuck them..I say..)
and is nothing more than a punch down on those doing it the hardest..from this tory in labour drag..nash..and this 'kind/caring' labour government..
maybe these homeless..if barred from their only refuges by this poxy proposed legislation..maybe they should go and camp outside parliament..eh..?
and if nash success in this exercise in poor-bashing..I will put my hand up to help make that occupation happen…and I will be there with them..
the unthinking cruelty of this proposed crackdown ..to the weakest/poorest…makes my fucken blood boil…
and it must be stopped..
And the filthy fuckers who climb the fence to unleash their bowels in my yard and the first I know of it is when the damn dogs roll in their excrement and tramp it through the house?
Some days I can't take the dogs to the beach because of the piles of reeking excrement in the dunes and the shitty bog paper flying like a flag from the lupins, FFS.
Fuck 'em.
who's doing that Joe? Down south it used to mostly be the tourists travelling cheap in vans. I'm still seeing it a bit but not nearly as much.
So called freedom campers.
@ joe 90..
how do you know that..?
did you see them..?
how do you know it wasn't a drunken local..?
and you have been parroting that one for some time now..eh..?
c.f…'anecdotal/historical'..
q.e.d..
"'cos the 1960s had…"
Some days I can't take the kids to the beach because of all the pile of reeking dog excrement in the dunes and shoreline. And the off-leash beasts snarling and barking at children and wildlife FFS.
Fuck 'em.
Fuck 'em all, them come back alone !
Yeah, nah, it's real enough, the problems. A lot less now that the van tourists aren't dominating. Councils are useless from what I can tell, they just don't know what to do, mostly because of the $ signs in their eyes. I agree there's a whole layer of classism involved too. How many years into the housing crisis and they still haven't figured out how to support low income people living in mobile homes.
Glad you are out there having fun Phil. If you're still in barefeet, I'm guessing you're not down south, frosty toes now.
"Councils are useless from what I can tell, they just don't know what to do,"
Build more public toilets?
Wot forget now said..
the most obvious solution…
no need to further bash the poor…
Tried that.
Okato surfer Chris Wilkes said Paora Road, a well-known South Taranaki break, was overrun and the new freedom camping bylaw was not being policed.
The bylaw allows three self-contained vehicles there a night.
"Basically we have a carpark being used as a campground and we had about 28 vehicles here last night," he said.
"I tell them there's a campground just five minutes down the road. They can go down there and, for $5 a night, there's showers and toilets available so it's a much better option."
Mr Wilkes said most of the campers had been understanding and left, but others refused to budge. He took the registration numbers of those who stayed and later chained up the toilet.
"You've got a small toilet here that's not actually designed for the capacity … It's actually overflowing at the moment."
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/319668/freedom-campers-overrun-surf-spot
@ j 90..
news report from 2016.
c.f…'historical/anecdotal'
q.e.d..
Oh dear, that's awkward. lol
I'm a regular visitor to the Cape and the meagre facilities the local community can afford to supply are remain under pressure – no water, plastic everywhere and shit all over the shop. Also, the desecration, defilement and disrespect of local Iwi's sacred places and property continues and public access to several of the west coast's premier surf spots, Kumera patch, Arawhata, Puniho, Mangahume and Raglan's Indicators to name a few, has been lost.
speaking of people shitting in nature since forever..
how about those surfers..?..eh..?
It's called a fucking spade, Phillip.
funny story…I have never ever seen a surfer carrying a spade..
go figure..!
Petroleum jelly, hank of sash cord, baby's bath, a Burgess mat etc, etc.
But hey, it's likely too that you've no fucking idea what's in the boot of anyone's car.
so..we can gather from your comment..that when surfing..you shit in nature..but use a spade..so that makes it ok..?
have you thought of handing out plastic spades..to those who so offend you..
maybe a bucket of them at yr beach-side gate..?
If those dirty fuckers shitting all over the place near freedom camp sites isn't a problem, why is building more toilets "the most obvious solution…"?
+1
@ weka..
Upper waikato at the moment….very mild..
Hello Phillip, hope you are warm tonight. We did the motorhome life for 5 years.
We loved every minute and met great Kiwis with great stories. 2002 till 2007.
I have always believed Nash is a complete pillock. Cheers.
hello Patricia..
that is indeed one of the delights of this life..the many cool people you meet..
I also have a large very friendly dog..
he spurs many positive interactions..
and yep..I am warm..this caravan is brilliant..so well built..thick insulation..all varnished wood and yellow formica..and the body is raw aluminium…I effing luv it..
Yes Phillip and I bet you pick up rubbish and plant natives, as we did.
Can't beat the aluminium.
Are you a member of the NZMCA? We found the pops (park over properties) great and the parking properties they provided helpful for “Buzzing Along” Guess there are not too many free ones any more, and things have certainly changed after the outcry by some councils and MPs. Travel safely. Regards Trish and Norm
Chrs..
I don't plant natives….but yes to the rubbish thing..
No mca..yet..thinking about it..
Philip Ure – I agree with you about the crackdown on freedom camping, it's just nimbyism. 20 odd years travelling around NZ and I too haven't seen any freedom campers polluting our country, rivers or beaches. It's bullshit targeting low hanging fruit. There is human waste and toilet paper out there on the beaches and in the bushes that I reckon is coming from the locals, day trippers including children. I've seen a lot of nappies in the bush too. Freedom campers responsible? I don't think so.
Local users here are residents of one of the most troubled and deprived provincial communities in the country. Most can only dream of spending 20 odd years travelling around NZ.
@ j90..
the point you are attempting to make..?..is..?
joe90 – The Taranaki coast is my backyard and I'm an old surfer as well. Your comments don't ring true. Rocky Lefts/Graveyards (Paroa Rd) is always busy with surfers some who stay over. There is no campground within 5 mins of there. Is 90 how old you are?
I'm a little younger than Arch.
@ green bus..
chrs for yr input..
and 20 yrs ..?..I'm impressed…
have you written the book yet..?
My experience with living out of a vehicle for most of a year (a while back now) was that; with such a tiny home, you really planned what you had with you. I was more homeless than freedom camping (though I did once get a ticket for parking-up without a blue sticker, and managed to get the council to waive it on the basis of homelessness – which prompted WINZ to finally acknowledge my housing needs, because it made them look bad). Still, I always managed to find room for a sealable (old paint) bucket with me and some cleaning stuff which was an adequate toilet when necessary, though not often used.
Anyway, other vehicle-dwellers I talked to, usually had some backup plan (including spades – though I didn't ask everyone what they used). Because you can't always trust a place with toilets to be open (/functional) – even when a map says they exist. So, I would agree with GreenBus; that it is most likely to be unprepared daytrippers, especially those with children (who aren't the best at anticipating their bodies' needs), who are responsible for the fouling.
Cheers Forget now. I've lost count of popular places that don't have toilets and the bushes are messed up with human filth. They usually have many Motor Homes parked up. They all have toilets on board, why on earth would they squat behind a bush? Answer, they don't. It will be all the car loads of people many with children that gotta go somewhere. Seems logical to me. But the campers are blamed. I use a porta potti which is truly portable for any vehicle and can be emptied easily at any ordinary toilet as well as dump stations. I've never had to use my spade yet.
I do not know quite where to put this comment. As it was not far from the beehive.
I was in Wellington on Lambton Quay at 9 am this morning after having been up during the night chucking with a migraine. I had to get home as quick as I was able to on inter city. I attended a relatives graduation yesterday where Hipkins spoke.
The weather was cold and wet. I saw a number of people with cups out to take a donation, but it was the two people who appeared asleep in a shop door front, they were covered up and had a sign out saying they were refused emergency accommodation.
I was cold, sleep deprived and unwell but on my way home to a shower and warm bed to sleep. How the people in the doorway are going to get through the winter went through my mind. As well were there a night shelter a bed would have been a human right.
There is something seriously wrong that people cannot have a bed provided.
Wet hostels are required as well.
I thought that there had been a plan for a hostel for Wellington's homeless last year? Though not a wet one – but I thought at least it's a start. Any idea anyone what became of this practical and worthy plan?
The WCC are too engrossed in their own dysfunction to have provided a hostel.
Down the road at the Beehive no one there has taken leadership to ensure that people can access a night shelter.
I would have homes with a respectful coordinator for the homeless with complex needs. The coordinator would need to be fair and available to be a listening ear to build a trusting relationship and have first aid training.
I have spoken to homeless people and have been told living in one place reminds them of being in prison. People become stuck for many reasons.
I agree Treetop. And as life becomes more complex it drives us all nuts. I think that we are all becoming warped by the hegemony of the drivers in society. Which is part of that Wellington problem you mention.
The PTB are unable to concentrate on outcomes that are needed, because of so many different matters put forward that are basically window dressing or having to fit embedded systems to meet requirements that are not proving practical – like having no choice but to deal with businesses to carry out services to the public like buses. Having to talk up your city or town so that it can be called up to 'world class' defined by whom, one should ask, and also why?
This fits in with what you and Tiger Mountain have said on – https://thestandard.org.nz/guest-post-let-the-outrage-continue/#comment-1792664
Have you heard of korsakoff syndrome?
It is a dimentia due to alcoholism.
The reason for the night shelter going in Wellington is because long term accommodation is what the WCC are trying to do. If you have dimentia independent housing is probably not going to end well. Being able to go to a night shelter or a hostel (as a walk in) instead of being on the street at night is dignifying and able to be done.
The drug and alcohol act could be required to assess a person to avoid being beaten up, sexually assaulted, robbed or exposed to hypothermia.
Keeping in the line with the theme aimed against China, must mean that the Israelis are practicing Genocide against Palestinians, or does that brand you antisemitic.
Lip service only from the big Powers.
I guess a black hole is an astronomical object:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/442373/police-unconscious-bias-inquiry-not-necessary-says-national-party-s-judith-collins
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/collins-calls-for-police-discretion-in-taser-use/A4MAXNPKXOZ6UJU3XMDWMVZVE4/
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1461355720947779
Though for the last link, I'd be interested in reading more than the abstract – if someone here has a spare 29 pounds sterling equivalent to post some quotes?
As an epileptic, putting those electric-whips in the hands of uniformed bullies, simply terrified me then. Still does, a decade later.
Ugly victim blaming from Heather Duplicity Allan on the radio this afternoon. Says the race relations tensions are all Labour's fault, of course.
Imagine taking advice on such things from a South African!
A little history
https://michael-hudson.com/2021/04/the-honest-sector/