Hi lprent / sysadmin person, I can't submit comments from an iPad, for some reason the cursor never goes into the comment box. Workaround is to tap the "emoji" button and insert an emoji, then I can type a comment.
I still have that problem at times from Samsung x4 . Hitting reply repeatedly sometimes works or touch screen in just the right way occasionally gets it firing.
Two university students looking for something to do for the day stumbled upon an egg throwing competition. On a whim, they entered and before they knew it they won, then finished second in the national finals later that day.
Next minute, they were representing NZ in the world champs in England as the winners of the final were unable to travel over. Lo and behold, they won the World Egg Throwing Championship.
Yes, those terrible rappers need to be censured. But surely there are worse characters who need to be unmasked and put on trial before them. Like politicians, for a start…
We have a case of a woman being raped and badly injured in other parts of her body by someone who went to A&E or emergency services, and waited for 2 hours. wandered off and found his way into her house and raped her. She went to DHB for admittance of fault and compensation for which they have dragged their heels. Her case is that they failed to respond to this guy, and in so doing enabled him to carry out the violent attack. She is overcome by her feelings of damage, fear of invasion and lack of respect for the person which is paramount in a free, civilised, law-abiding society, hurt that the DHB won't admit responsibility, and is declining the belated assistance she has been offered as appropriate in the eyes of the DHB, and having a psychotic episode herself just about.
It's very sad. I thought our DHB was better than that. I guess it is an example of the bad state that all our mental health services are in, bit by bit society is falling apart as people rub up against the reality of hard times that exist behind the fog of positive, shining financial statistics that tell a false story of a house of cards that is an economists' dream.
Neo lib economists and our Treasury and all the acolytes of the RW are externalities to reality, and one day may suffer some reality that they haven't got a handy model to explain away.
I watched Prof. Richard Wolff on youtube as one of the commenters recommended him, and he is definitely a thinking economist and must be treasured, listened to, questioned, understood, and has the ability to lead us out of the ‘valley of death’, which is where we are headed if we don’t find a better pathway. Nothing we do is going to make everything right, there are too many looming problems, but we can improve things and find principled and likeable people we can trust and work alongside them doing out bit; doing good stuff while we are being.
This is his prognostications on likely extreme poverty in the USA. Find others he has put up on youtube if you think it will be too depressing!
The high cost of housing is hurting many. It's having a big impact on poverty and the ability of workplaces to secure workers such as teachers and schools.
Therefore, is it wise for the Government to add more costs onto local Government resulting ratepayers paying more? With the flow on effect seeing more cost put on to tenants.
Rates are not the most progressive from of taxation, whereas income tax is, thus funding should come from that.
A number of local councils (Kapiti being one with a number of citizens on a fixed income) are becoming concerned about ratepayers ability to continue to pay more.
1: because when supply is low landlords decide to not extract as much as possible from their tenants out of charity? How lovely of them. Never seen that in Dunedin, though.
2: The conclusion, such as it might have been, was (as you say) lines down from your "therefore". Between the two was a question. Yoda syntax, at best you have.
3: Oh, one of four cost pressures identified in the draft report. Funny how you focused on that aspect of it. Especially as things like drinking water standards should be being met by councils already.
Councils are usually the authors of their own misfortune, just as they love to claim credit for their successes.
Landlords decide to not extract as much as possible from their tenants due to their reliability. Landlords don't like to lose good reliable tenants, but when faced with extra costs, they will only wear so much before those cost will be passed on. And the current market settings (low supply & high demand) gives scope for this.
The aspect I focused on is a direct result of central Government. Drinking water standards are being met by local Government and by and large rather well. Although, there is room for improvement, which is what the Government want and which is going to add costs. And combined with the other costs councils face, they risk becoming unsustainable under the current rates regime.
This is why the Government really needs to consider funding councils via the more progressive income tax system. Coming up with new ways to extract money from ratepayers (targeted rates etc…) isn't going to deal with the non progressiveness of their taxing. Surely this Government doesn't want to be responsible for rate refugees, or maybe they do? Cause this is where they seem to be heading.
Maybe instead of "passing costs on" (ie. abusing their power) landlords should be regulated and fined and have their substandard rentals forfeited to Housing NZ. The aim should be to provide decent accommodation for all Kiwis not endless profit streams to the landlord class
Why not just avoid putting more costs on ratepayers (which includes landlords) to begin with and just utilise the more progressive income tax system thereby people will be more able to afford what they are required to pay.
Why should a tenant that maybe more well off than a landlord not contribute fairly. Do you oppose the notion of progressive taxes? Do you think the poor should pay more?
As for substandard homes, as of July 1 it's only Housing NZ that is allowed to rent out substandard homes. They have an extension to comply. So much for the state leading by example. But I guess Labour thought oh well it's only the poor that live in Housing NZ homes so they can wait.
In 3 years Singapaore can build 50,000 HDB flats. In 3 years this government will struggle to filfull 10,000 of the promised 100,000 kiwi build challenge. Making sure the next generation of New Zealanders have an opportunity to build there own nest eggs for retirement is not a lofty goal. It is the purpose of any government to care for its people from the cradle to the grave. Every one from state house tenants to middle class should have a government subsidised pathway into retirement. That is the least that can be done.
Wealth is usually accumulated through income that has already been taxed, apart for most income derived via capital gain. I have no problem taxing that when it is realised.
So some of them choose to not meet decent standards, and those are the ones who will face additional costs due to their own mismanagement.
And the aspect you focused on was one of four cost pressures facing local authorities, but the only on that can go back to central government. So it looks like your concern isn't for the poverty of local government, but just another excuse to throw wet bogroll at the government.
It's generally the smaller ones (that don't have a large rate base) that are more under financial pressure.
The aspect I focused on is the cost pressures as a direct result of central Government, but I also highlighted that it was the combination of costs making it unsustainable under the rates regime.
The taxation requires to be more progressive to be sustainable, thus to avoid negative impacts on the poor. Alternative non progressive tax solutions are not the answer.
And again, this concern (ratepayers ability to pay) is shared by a number of Mayors as I highlighted above.
So if water quality isn't too much of a problem to meet, it's not too much of a cost pressure because the local body already meets the standards.
The mayors of the towns not meeting those standards should need a bloody good reason to get central govt assistance to do what they should already be doing. Not just because it's an election year and they don't want to be the one to tell ratepayers the council hasn't done its job properly since the changes of 1989.
Therefore the councils that can't afford to deliver clean water to their residents should be taken over by govt-appointed managers. I bet the, "by and large", they suddenly find the money for clean water if that were on the table.
I wish I could be there when pence turns up at his pearly gates and no one answers the doorbell…
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Today, Te Pāti Māori join the motu in celebration as the Treaty Principles Bill is voted down at its second reading. “From the beginning, this Bill was never welcome in this House,” said Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader, Rawiri Waititi. “Our response to the first reading was one of protest: protesting ...
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Nicola Willis continues to sit on her hands amid a global economic crisis, leaving the Reserve Bank to act for New Zealanders who are worried about their jobs, mortgages, and KiwiSaver. ...
Today, the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill has passed its third and final reading, but there is one more stage before it becomes law. The Governor-General must give their ‘Royal assent’ for any bill to become legally enforceable. This means that, even if a bill gets voted ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University Just as voting has begun in this year’s federal election, the Coalition has released its long-awaited defence policy platform. The main focus, as expected, is a boost in defence spending to 3% of Australia’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liz Hicks, Lecturer in Law, The University of Melbourne Roberto La Rosa/Shutterstock Snipers in helicopters have shot more than 700 koalas in the Budj Bim National Park in western Victoria in recent weeks. It’s believed to be the first time koalas ...
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A recent survey, carried out by PPTA Te Wehengarua, of establishing and overseas trained secondary teachers found that 90% of respondents agreed that mentoring had helped their development. ...
Other Honours recipients include country singer Suzanne Prentice, most capped All Black Samuel Whitelock, and Māori language educator and academic Professor Rawinia Higgins. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Intifar Chowdhury, Lecturer in Government, Flinders University The centre of gravity of Australian politics has shifted. Millennials and Gen Z voters, now comprising 47% of the electorate, have taken over as the dominant voting bloc. But this generational shift isn’t just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Dunley, Senior Lecturer in History and Maritime Strategy, UNSW Sydney National security issues have been a constant feature of this federal election campaign. Both major parties have spruiked their national security credentials by promising additional defence spending. The Coalition has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne In Canada, the governing centre-left Liberals had trailed the Conservatives by more than 20 points in January, but now lead by five ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Narelle Miragliotta, Associate Professor in Politics, Murdoch University Election talk is inevitably focused on Labor and the Coalition because they are the parties that customarily form government. But a minor party like the Greens is consequential, regardless of whether the election ...
Asia Pacific Report The US District Court for the District of Columbia has granted a preliminary injunction in Widakuswara v Lake, affirming the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) was unlawfully shuttered by the Trump administration, Acting Director Victor Morales and Special Adviser Kari Lake. The decision enshrines that USAGM ...
As the PM talks trade with Keir Starmer, his deputy is busy, busy, busy. A prime ministerial speech and free-trade phone tree with like-minded leaders in response to Trump’s tarrif binge impressed many commentators, but not all of them: leading pundit and deputy prime minister Winston Peters was indignant ...
The settlement relates to proposed restructures of the Data and Digital and Pacific Health teams at Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora which were subject to litigation before the Employment Relations Authority set down for 22 April 2025. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Campbell Rider, PhD Candidate in Philosophy – Philosophy of Biology, University of Sydney Artist’s impression of the exoplanet K2-18bA. Smith/N. Madhusudhan (University of Cambridge) Whether or not we’re alone in the universe is one of the biggest questions in science. A ...
A free and democratic society must allow citizens to question — especially when it involves influential figures with platforms that reach into education and public life. Dismissing every objection as bigotry is not progress; it’s intimidation. ...
Glen Kyne joins Anna Rawhiti-Connell to discuss the enormity of the task ahead for TVNZ’s new chief news and content officer, analyse the case laid out by Philip Crump on Monday for a Jim Grenon-led board at NZME and reflect on the recent anti-trust rulings against Google in the US. ...
The booksellers of Unity Books Auckland and Wellington review a handful of children’s books sure to delight and inspire readers of all ages.AUCKLANDReviews by Elka Aitchison and Roger Christensen, booksellers at Unity Books AucklandThe Sad Ghost Club: Find Your Kindred Spirits by Liz Meddings (Age 12+) This ...
Conflating editorial endeavour that seeks accurate reporting and proper context in news stories with subjective support for foreign enemies is a smear, creates a chill factor within newsrooms and stifles open and informed public discourse over foreign ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Kirkland, Research Fellow in Psychology, The University of Queensland LOOKSLIKEPHOTO/Shutterstock Australia just sweltered through one of its hottest summers on record, and heat has pushed well into autumn. Once-in-a-generation floods are now striking with alarming regularity. As disasters escalate, insurers ...
Te Pāti Māori MPs have again declined to turn up to a hearing over their haka protest, but this time they have lodged a written submission in their absence. ...
A replacement for State Highway 1 over Northland's notorious Brynderwyn Hills will be built just to the east of the current road - a major change from the original plan. ...
Mass die-offs of our freshwater guardians expose a failing, fragmented management system. Iwi and hapū are calling for a unified, indigenous-led recovery plan.Although it’s a delicacy for many around the country, you won’t find any smoked tuna on the menu at my marae. Where I come from in the ...
The conclave explained, a cinematic knowledge shortcut and very scientific musings about a possible curse. Gather round atheists, agnostics, apathetes, anyone who hasn’t seen Conclave and all who have successfully rinsed their religious education from their memories.Pope Francis, the first pope from Latin America, the first from the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Knight, Associate Professor, Transdisciplinary School, University of Technology Sydney A low relief sculpture depicting Plato and Aristotle arguing adorning the external wall of Florence Cathedral.Krikkiat/Shutterstock Disagreement and uncertainty are common features of everyday life. They’re also common and expected features ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Pearce, Associate Professor, Health Economics, University of Sydney Okrasiuk/Shutterstock Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly relevant in many aspects of society, including health care. For example, it’s already used for robotic surgery and to provide virtual mental health support. In ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alfie Chadwick, PhD Candidate, Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub, Monash University Australia’s climate and energy wars are at the forefront of the federal election campaign as the major parties outline vastly different plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and tackle soaring ...
Two widespread communications failures in the Northland storm and Otago within two days last week have again exposed the vulnerability of the country's critical infrastructure. ...
Cheers, nga mihi
I still have that problem at times from Samsung x4 . Hitting reply repeatedly sometimes works or touch screen in just the right way occasionally gets it firing.
On my iPhone tapping near the top of the white text area will enable cursor focus.
Two university students looking for something to do for the day stumbled upon an egg throwing competition. On a whim, they entered and before they knew it they won, then finished second in the national finals later that day.
Next minute, they were representing NZ in the world champs in England as the winners of the final were unable to travel over. Lo and behold, they won the World Egg Throwing Championship.
Go the Yolk Ferns!
Great to see R.Kelly arrested on sex charges.
Hopefully the deep vile misogyny of US rap gets its unmasking at trial.
Yes, those terrible rappers need to be censured. But surely there are worse characters who need to be unmasked and put on trial before them. Like politicians, for a start…
https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/who-is-more-violent-and-despicable.html
US rap has contributed to rape culture and this culture needs dismantling in front of judges.
Entire industry exists because there is an endless supply of human beings comfortable to compromise themselves for a chance at fame and coin…
Actors, actresses and various performers…
Rap is not the problem.
easy fruit for a christian but no awareness of that religion's contribution to hate and rape culture – same as it ever was
We have a case of a woman being raped and badly injured in other parts of her body by someone who went to A&E or emergency services, and waited for 2 hours. wandered off and found his way into her house and raped her. She went to DHB for admittance of fault and compensation for which they have dragged their heels. Her case is that they failed to respond to this guy, and in so doing enabled him to carry out the violent attack. She is overcome by her feelings of damage, fear of invasion and lack of respect for the person which is paramount in a free, civilised, law-abiding society, hurt that the DHB won't admit responsibility, and is declining the belated assistance she has been offered as appropriate in the eyes of the DHB, and having a psychotic episode herself just about.
It's very sad. I thought our DHB was better than that. I guess it is an example of the bad state that all our mental health services are in, bit by bit society is falling apart as people rub up against the reality of hard times that exist behind the fog of positive, shining financial statistics that tell a false story of a house of cards that is an economists' dream.
Neo lib economists and our Treasury and all the acolytes of the RW are externalities to reality, and one day may suffer some reality that they haven't got a handy model to explain away.
I watched Prof. Richard Wolff on youtube as one of the commenters recommended him, and he is definitely a thinking economist and must be treasured, listened to, questioned, understood, and has the ability to lead us out of the ‘valley of death’, which is where we are headed if we don’t find a better pathway. Nothing we do is going to make everything right, there are too many looming problems, but we can improve things and find principled and likeable people we can trust and work alongside them doing out bit; doing good stuff while we are being.
This is his prognostications on likely extreme poverty in the USA. Find others he has put up on youtube if you think it will be too depressing!
https://www.democracyatwork.info/ Also.
So do other musical genres. You going to ban rock and jazz as well?
TIP: If you are trying to figure out what you may be eligible for from Work and Income check out this easy to use website http://forgood.co.nz/
Notice that MSD did not provide this. Figures.
Good on you if you had a hand in this.
Perhaps that's because MSD are referring people to loan sharks when seeking assistance?
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/fundamentally-wrong-ministry-referring-beneficiaries-loan-sharks-activists-claim
I can submit a comment but I can’t reply to any comments with my iPad. Cursor just won’t show in the box?
Happens to me, too. It sometimes works if you refresh the page after failing at the first attempt.
me too samsung tab3 chrome browser
Carrying on the cricket tragic theme this is a lovely view of the men's cricket captain: https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/cricket-world-cup/114169417/cricket-world-cup-2019-its-kane-williamsons-year-to-shine
But he hardly knows him..
https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1149309874448285696
Climate change, corruption, and a rapacious west.
https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1149460902887993344
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/central-america-drying-farmers-face-choice-pray-rain-or-leave-n1027346
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jun/19/guatemalans-pay-price-west-need-nickel
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-middle-east-23777176/yemen-facing-water-shortage-crisis
The high cost of housing is hurting many. It's having a big impact on poverty and the ability of workplaces to secure workers such as teachers and schools.
Therefore, is it wise for the Government to add more costs onto local Government resulting ratepayers paying more? With the flow on effect seeing more cost put on to tenants.
Rates are not the most progressive from of taxation, whereas income tax is, thus funding should come from that.
A number of local councils (Kapiti being one with a number of citizens on a fixed income) are becoming concerned about ratepayers ability to continue to pay more.
1: rent costs are not passed on to tenants. Rents are set by supply vs demand.
2: "therefore" is usually followed by a conclusion in the form of a statement, not a soggy question.
3: which costs are you concern-trolling about now?
1:When supply is low and demand high (as it currently is and will be for some time) you can be sure all costs are generally passed on to tenants.
2:The conclusion followed (next line down) the question and the question wasn't "soggy"
3:The cost from the accumulation of new responsibilities continually being placed on local Government by central Government.
https://www.productivity.govt.nz/inquiry-content/3819?stage=3
1: because when supply is low landlords decide to not extract as much as possible from their tenants out of charity? How lovely of them. Never seen that in Dunedin, though.
2: The conclusion, such as it might have been, was (as you say) lines down from your "therefore". Between the two was a question. Yoda syntax, at best you have.
3: Oh, one of four cost pressures identified in the draft report. Funny how you focused on that aspect of it. Especially as things like drinking water standards should be being met by councils already.
Councils are usually the authors of their own misfortune, just as they love to claim credit for their successes.
Landlords decide to not extract as much as possible from their tenants due to their reliability. Landlords don't like to lose good reliable tenants, but when faced with extra costs, they will only wear so much before those cost will be passed on. And the current market settings (low supply & high demand) gives scope for this.
The aspect I focused on is a direct result of central Government. Drinking water standards are being met by local Government and by and large rather well. Although, there is room for improvement, which is what the Government want and which is going to add costs. And combined with the other costs councils face, they risk becoming unsustainable under the current rates regime.
This is why the Government really needs to consider funding councils via the more progressive income tax system. Coming up with new ways to extract money from ratepayers (targeted rates etc…) isn't going to deal with the non progressiveness of their taxing. Surely this Government doesn't want to be responsible for rate refugees, or maybe they do? Cause this is where they seem to be heading.
Maybe instead of "passing costs on" (ie. abusing their power) landlords should be regulated and fined and have their substandard rentals forfeited to Housing NZ. The aim should be to provide decent accommodation for all Kiwis not endless profit streams to the landlord class
Why not just avoid putting more costs on ratepayers (which includes landlords) to begin with and just utilise the more progressive income tax system thereby people will be more able to afford what they are required to pay.
Why should a tenant that maybe more well off than a landlord not contribute fairly. Do you oppose the notion of progressive taxes? Do you think the poor should pay more?
As for substandard homes, as of July 1 it's only Housing NZ that is allowed to rent out substandard homes. They have an extension to comply. So much for the state leading by example. But I guess Labour thought oh well it's only the poor that live in Housing NZ homes so they can wait.
In 3 years Singapaore can build 50,000 HDB flats. In 3 years this government will struggle to filfull 10,000 of the promised 100,000 kiwi build challenge. Making sure the next generation of New Zealanders have an opportunity to build there own nest eggs for retirement is not a lofty goal. It is the purpose of any government to care for its people from the cradle to the grave. Every one from state house tenants to middle class should have a government subsidised pathway into retirement. That is the least that can be done.
Perhaps if you only consider income and not wealth. How about progressively taxing wealth?
Wealth is usually accumulated through income that has already been taxed, apart for most income derived via capital gain. I have no problem taxing that when it is realised.
"by and large"
lol
So some of them choose to not meet decent standards, and those are the ones who will face additional costs due to their own mismanagement.
And the aspect you focused on was one of four cost pressures facing local authorities, but the only on that can go back to central government. So it looks like your concern isn't for the poverty of local government, but just another excuse to throw wet bogroll at the government.
Indeed by and large.
I'll let Guyon run you through the stats:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsct5AoOPkc
It's generally the smaller ones (that don't have a large rate base) that are more under financial pressure.
The aspect I focused on is the cost pressures as a direct result of central Government, but I also highlighted that it was the combination of costs making it unsustainable under the rates regime.
The taxation requires to be more progressive to be sustainable, thus to avoid negative impacts on the poor. Alternative non progressive tax solutions are not the answer.
And again, this concern (ratepayers ability to pay) is shared by a number of Mayors as I highlighted above.
So if water quality isn't too much of a problem to meet, it's not too much of a cost pressure because the local body already meets the standards.
The mayors of the towns not meeting those standards should need a bloody good reason to get central govt assistance to do what they should already be doing. Not just because it's an election year and they don't want to be the one to tell ratepayers the council hasn't done its job properly since the changes of 1989.
Therefore the councils that can't afford to deliver clean water to their residents should be taken over by govt-appointed managers. I bet the, "by and large", they suddenly find the money for clean water if that were on the table.
Of course it was a fire.
/
https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1149470555722043393
I wish I could be there when pence turns up at his pearly gates and no one answers the doorbell…