Daily review 14/02/2019

Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, February 14th, 2019 - 35 comments
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Daily review is also your post.

This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Don’t forget to be kind to each other …

35 comments on “Daily review 14/02/2019 ”

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  1. mosa 1
    14 February 2019 at 5:46 pm

    Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern receives giant Valentine card
    Thursday, 14 February 2019, 3:03 pm
    Press Release: SAFE For Animals
    Three of Jacinda Ardern’s constituents and SAFE delivered a giant Valentine’s card to the Prime Minister’s Mt Albert electorate office this morning. Inside were hundreds of messages and signatures from caring Kiwis, all calling for Ms Ardern to have a heart for mother pigs this Valentine’s Day.

    In New Zealand, thousands of mother pigs are confined in metal cages called farrowing crates for up to five weeks, from just before they give birth until their babies are weaned. This is repeated two to three times a year.

    SAFE Head of Campaigns Marianne Macdonald says these Valentine’s messages reflect how strongly New Zealanders feel about this important animal welfare issue.

    “A mother pig trapped in a farrowing crate is stripped of her ability to care for her piglets. At her most vulnerable time of motherhood, she desperately wants to protect and nurture her babies. Instead, she is trapped behind bars. She can’t build a nest for her piglets or even turn around,” says Ms Macdonald.

    “This is no way to treat a mother. A mother pig wants to love her piglets and keep them safe. It’s only right that we show pigs love in return and free them from cruel farrowing crates.”

    “Hundreds of Kiwis have signed this card asking Jacinda to show compassion for mother pigs and end their suffering in farrowing crates.”

    Last year SAFE delivered a petition containing 122,844 signatures to Parliament demanding a ban on farrowing crates, which the Primary Production Select Committee has since taken submissions on. Ms Ardern has remained silent on the subject since being elected.

    Yesterday SAFE and the New Zealand Animal Law Association announced they had filed legal proceedings against the Government for their failure to ban farrowing crates.

    “The Prime Minister stated when she was sworn in that she wants to transcend politics and bring kindness back to Government. It’s time that kindness was extended to mother pigs,” says Ms Macdonald.

    Source Scoop news.

  2. mosa 2
    14 February 2019 at 5:53 pm

    Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) welcomes the The Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report “Are You Well? Are We Safe?” released today, which provides an overview of how New Zealand is doing for the wellbeing of its citizens. The report has a particular focus on children, including comments on child poverty, care and protection as well as educational achievement.

    The latest report shows incremental policy changes over the past few years have done little toward providing the substantial improvements which current and future generations of children need, to have equitable opportunities and to sustain good outcomes. In particular there are still large gaps for Māori children who are disproportionately represented across multiple statistics, including youth offending, education, and those in state care, compared to non-Māori.

    CPAG Co-Convenor Janfrie Wakim says, “It seems clear that there have been no real successes in ameliorating the social inequities and associated health issues that are experienced by families and whānau, and it is critical that a more radical approach is needed to address reform of welfare and justice systems as well as education in Aotearoa.

    “Changes need to be robust enough to have longevity, or they risk fragility and failure.”
    CPAG says it is vastly concerning to see there been little in the way of change over the past four years in the nature and extent of adult violence toward children, while the number of children in state care has reached the highest ever recorded.

    The increased number of children in care is only partially explained by the extension of the age of care from 17 to 18 years.

    “It’s critical that we hear from Oranga Tamariki why there should be such an increase,” says Wakim.

    “Is it due to changing operational priorities or increased levels of neglect and abuse of children, and are there sufficient resources within the service providers to meet the need?”

    The Salvation Army report highlights consistently wide gaps between Maori and non-Maori in terms of social outcomes, a concern highlighted by the United Nations in the recent Universal Periodic Review of how New Zealand is performing on human rights issues. The UN draft outcomes report included a recommendation that New Zealand should “continue to work to enhance the rights of Māori and other indigenous minority groups in New Zealand, and provide increased rehabilitative support for Māori prisoners”.

    CPAG says that as a Nation, Aotearoa should be working hard to close these gaps completely over the next 10 years.

    New minimum wage legislation, the Winter Energy Payment and the Families Package have been helpful to many who have low incomes, and the report notes a slight reduction in income inequality. However, the picture is uneven, as the reduced food bank demand outcome reported is for the Salvation Army alone while other charities, such as the Auckland City Mission, report figures that show demand increasing.

    “While things may have improved for those on low incomes in paid work, little has changed for people who have need of a benefit, or for their children,” says Wakim.

    “The Government has placed a commendable focus on the interests of low-income working families, through recent increases to the Working for Families maximum payment threshold and the minimum wage. But many of our very worst-off children – those in families whose income is primarily from benefits, remain in severe hardship.”

    CPAG believes a meaningful reduction in child poverty rates is not attainable unless the harmful inadequacy of benefit levels is addressed, and the application of harmful sanctions is abolished.

    “Budget 2019 should prioritise at least a 20 per cent increase in all core benefits, and a removal of the paid work criteria from the portion of Working for Families that children supported by benefits are currently denied,” says Wakim.

    Posted on T.D.B

    • james 2.1
      14 February 2019 at 8:13 pm

      if it was posted there – why not trying using a link like a normal person.

      • mosa 2.1.1
        14 February 2019 at 8:28 pm

        Take some time and broaden your horizons.
        At least the T.D.B is available to give us the facts we don’t get with our MSM.
        I know it is hard reading these reports and where i can i will provide a link so you are better informed.

  3. Tiger Mountain 3
    14 February 2019 at 6:16 pm

    show us the sausage Simon! your glorious ex leader Mr Key certainly knew what to do with a good sausage…

    issues of the day; Nats threatening to sabotage the Representation Committee on Electorate Boundaries quoting the dodgy census…
    https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2019/02/national_calls_for_existing_boundaries_to_remain_for_next_years_election.html

    and Tenure Review aka “the great land grab” is being scrapped…
    https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/110557002/the-multimillion-dollar-public-land-sales-scheme-tenure-review-will-be-stopped

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/105162657/the-case-for-an-inquiry-into-tenure-review

    now if those resorts, gated developments and golf courses could just be vested with HNZ as stock…

  4. Kat 4
    14 February 2019 at 6:27 pm

    Great picture of Key and the sausage, pity there wasn’t a shot of his face at that time………oh, hang on will try turning the screen upside down…..crikey he’s legless!!

    • greywarshark 4.1
      14 February 2019 at 6:39 pm

      Gosh he eats a sausage like any ordinary person. I feel he has lost some of his charisma now I’ve seen that. It’s like he has taken his mask off – the one with the pleasant. smiling face that makes you feel warm and trusting.
      /sarc

    • bwaghorn 4.2
      14 February 2019 at 7:37 pm

      Fucked if I know why the king derp still gets space her at all .# key who

  5. SHG 5
    14 February 2019 at 7:04 pm

    Key Derangement Syndrome alive and well on the left

  6. joe90 6
    14 February 2019 at 7:41 pm

    I guess a promo for a short film about the perils of populism might upset some very fine people.

    Fox News has rejected a national advertising buy for a 30-second spot that warns viewers about the potential dangers of American fascism after an ad sales representative said network leadership deemed it inappropriate, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

    The spot was to double as a promotion of this year’s Oscar-nominated documentary short A Night at the Garden, which recounts a 1939 Nazi rally in New York City, and a warning — “It Can Happen Here” — to Sean Hannity’s largely conservative viewers about the potential dangers of President Donald Trump’s brand of populism.

    […]

    “The film shines a light on a time when thousands of Americans fell under the spell of a demagogue who attacked the press and scapegoated minorities using the symbols of American patriotism,” Night at the Garden director Marshall Curry said in a statement to THR.Very fine people” might get upset about airing an anti-Nazi movie.

    https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fox-news-rejects-national-ad-oscar-nominated-anti-nazi-documentary-1186379

    edit:

  7. marty mars 7
    14 February 2019 at 7:58 pm

    Jeez these guys have a real shit disaster over there with this. Kia kaha.

    In northern Queensland, record rain has created an instant “mega river” so immense it can be clearly seen on satellite imagery.

    In parts, the Flinders River is now so swollen with floodwater it’s expanded to a width of 60 kilometres from bank to sodden bank, news.com.au reports.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12203900

    • greywarshark 7.1
      14 February 2019 at 8:13 pm

      I put some links up about the flood and looked at what the Mulloon Institute might do about it over on Open Mike 25.

      Can’t give you the comment link – it just goes to the post link.
      But the No. will help.

    • greywarshark 7.2
      14 February 2019 at 9:16 pm

      Marty Mars
      I think that something could be done in NZ quite soon to promote that Mulloon Institute idea Marty. Are you interested in picking up the ball and thinking if something can happen as a result of all the talking and chewing over things that we have been doing? Okay if you can’t – just asking. Can you say yay or nay in the next day.

      I am pretty organised (in the Key sense) but if I wait till everything is perfect it will always be tomorrow to do something. Then I will work out how to exchange phone numbers emails etc so we stay private.

      I have wanted to contact WtB through the standard admin but getting nowhere and have thought up a way, but then I thought of you also. Maybe we could be a loose collection of distance neurons focussing on various possibilities? Could give it a try.

      • marty mars 7.2.1
        14 February 2019 at 10:06 pm

        Thanks but I feel over committed already and I really can’t take on more. I wish you success.

        • greywarshark 7.2.1.1
          15 February 2019 at 12:25 pm

          Okay thanks for reply. I am thinking of something for around Motueka – do you want to hear about it, and offer suggestions if I get something worked out myself?

  9. ianmac 9
    14 February 2019 at 8:19 pm

    The Opposition attack line is that China/NZ relationships are in trouble.
    Audrey Young:”Foreign Minister Winston Peters has rejected claims by National that New Zealand exporters are experiencing delays at Chinese ports.

    Peters challenged deputy National leader Paula Bennett to show some evidence after she made the suggestion in Parliament but none was forthcoming.

    “There are no delays on our ports or Chinese ports at this point in time,” Peters said. “In fact if you look at the growth in exports, the growth in inter-country travel, the growth in expenditure between China and New Zealand, it’s all gone up in the last year dramatically.”

    “Peters said suggestions that Chinese authorities had turned back an Air New Zealand plane at the weekend were wrong and there had been no communication with China before the decision was taken.

    Air New Zealand itself took the decision to return the plane to Auckland when it realised mid-flight it did not have proper permission to land the plane, rather than risk being turned back from Shanghai.”

    What is sad is that MSM have bee accepting the Opposition lies in spite of no supporting evidence.
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12204005

  10. James Thrace 10
    14 February 2019 at 8:24 pm

    Why is no-one making more noise about this.

    What a dodgy prime minister.

    Glad he’s no longer in charge.

    “Some of those who bought land that was formerly Crown leases include Peter Thiel, Graham Hart, and Sir John Key. Some of the most expensive properties advertised for sale in New Zealand are on former pastoral leases.”

    From

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/environment/110557002/the-multimillion-dollar-public-land-sales-scheme-tenure-review-will-be-stopped

    • Muttonbird 10.1
      14 February 2019 at 9:20 pm

      I’ve made a couple of comments on this sad story today and several over the last months.

      Charlie Mitchell is I think New Zealand’s most important journalist right now.

    • left_forward 10.2
      15 February 2019 at 7:26 am

      John f’ing Key profitted from buying and then selling cheap Government sell-off, high country land!!?
      WTF – do we know the details of this?

  11. Muttonbird 11
    14 February 2019 at 9:18 pm

    A very very sad obituary for the the death of that most hated of National Party creations; tenure review.

    Instead of ensuring sustainable farming could continue for the public benefit, the Crown allowed the value of that land to be appropriated by a select few, at the taxpayer’s considerable expense. Land that was owned by no-one, then owned by everyone, is now owned by the lucky few who can afford it. Some parts of the landscape have been all but destroyed.

    The creation of five conservation parks is significant, and public access to the high country has undoubtedly improved. Despite its flaws, the tenure review at Alphaburn allowed for the creation of the overwhelmingly popular Roys Peak trail overlooking Lake Wanaka.

    They are dwarfed, however, by what has been lost. The repercussions of this wave of privatisation, which the public paid for, are ongoing, and will continue long after tenure review is finally dead.

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/environment/110587602/the-slow-sorry-end-of-tenure-review

    At least this government has had the guts to shoot this cancerous monster in the head. Too late but at least it’s done.

    • Dukeofurl 11.1
      15 February 2019 at 11:32 am

      National government changed the rules barely 6 months after gaining power back in 2009 ….instead of concentrating on GFC… to allow 43 lakeside properties that had been banned from tenure review to go ahead.
      Funny that , these were the same properties where huge financial windfalls for the new ‘owners’ occurred.

    • Dukeofurl 12.1
      15 February 2019 at 11:29 am

      teachers have been offered pay rises …just not to make up for the deals they didnt get when national was in power

  13. Muttonbird 13
    14 February 2019 at 10:05 pm

    Fascinating to see the developments in Kiwibuild.

    From the beginning I thought the ballot idea was gross. There’s no place for random chance when housing young working families. And now it looks like the ballot system is being shelved in many if not most developments. I’d say this is less to do with outright non-interest as Jenna Lynch suggests and more to do with the fact that the people who are interested in these houses (and there are lots of them) are unable to go to the bank in these restrictive times for approval.

    So what happens when you remove the ballot? They get sold direct to whoever is eligible and can access the money – quite a small pool of people as I have always said, and that is now clearly apparent. I had a massive rant about this a couple of months back. You’ve basically got to have a household income of between about $120K and $160K. Anything outside those parameters and you can’t get in. People on those incomes probably have the time to pick and choose what is currently being offered at this very early stage so they’re in no hurry.

    So they get sold direct and this is where the equally gross incentives such as $5000 cash back for white-ware start popping up. This is how the private sector markets and sells things. It’s how they roll. Totally looks like a bribe, as Lynch says, and when it’s pegged to a government scene it looks doubly gross.

    This government should have looked, and should be looking, at ways to get that $80K – $120K band into these houses. By that I mean shared equity schemes which Twyford has mildly hinted at after being prompted by the media and the various trusts who do that already. But he is not driving those ideas in any way shape or form which is a real shame.

    Next step for the government is to admit the issues with the discrepancy between people who can afford them and how much they cost (you can’t really bring the cost down and keep the quality). Apologise and admit you’re not going to get the numbers originally stated in the conditions, then shave some of the original budget to throw at actually building some fucking communities by helping working people get into homes.

    They are going to have to attempt to regain the narrative somehow, and soon. It’s running away from them big time.

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/02/revealed-no-one-entered-kiwibuild-ballot-for-waikato-development.html

    • Graeme 13.1
      15 February 2019 at 7:39 am

      “But he is not driving those ideas in any way shape or form which is a real shame.”

      A possible explanation is to avoid attack on ideas that are not yet workable proposals. Kiwibuild is an all out challenge to the way the property and construction sectors work and will be attacked vigorously by those sectors, which they are. To the government’s credit they have bent over backwards to involve the existing industry, and some industry players are getting heavily involved.

      To regain the narrative these naysayers should be asked what their solution would be. Collins is all criticism of KB, but no alternative proposals. OK, it’s putting the narrative into her court but she won’t have anything that will do anything but further increase housing costs, which is the gnat objective

      To get the 80-120K lot, but really 60K, into home ownership an option that’s worked before is to capitalise an existing benefit. It was done in 70’s with the Family Benefit, a qualifying young family could convert their future benefit payments into a cash deposit on a qualifying new house. Worked well then and could work now with WFF. It’d just move the current WFF subsidy from employers to the property sector which should have greater economic benefit from actually producing something rather than increasing individual employer profits.

  14. Muttonbird 14
    14 February 2019 at 10:28 pm

    A farmer doesn’t like MPI and the eradication concept? Big deal! Shouldn’t have tried to dodge the tracking system.

    I bet they liked the previous MPI under Nathan Guy when dodging the tacking system was met with absolutely zero penalties.

    So a few businesses are going to fold. Welcome to the real world. A world with fewer dairy herds. That’s a win for New Zealand.

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/rural/2019/02/just-abysmal-farmers-furious-at-mpi-s-shambles-response-to-m-bovis.html

    • greywarshark 14.1
      15 February 2019 at 1:49 pm

      He understands why the cull was necessary, but is blunt when it comes to his assessment of the process: “Shambles.”

      “[It’s been] pretty chaotic really, and really lacking on the human front,” he said. “Their shortcomings on human welfare and farmer welfare is just abysmal.

      Farmer welfare – they have done themselves in, they needed no help; the behaviour of some of their own has been ‘abysmal’ and that is from – politicians off farms who haven’t learned how to be decent people apparently, and people who own farms and haven’t learned how to do the job as decent people. There are many who do farm and live the life themselves trying to be good and responsible, and are suffering because of the lack of respect that their fellows show for all around.

      And as for the rest of us, what do the farmers in prominent positions and leadership roles care about us. I think they have a herd mentality to everyone outside of their elite stud.