Preparing the way for their Home Secretary to look at their law (some people were allowed to identify as transgender woman while with a penis under their manged process).
In an interview with the website Conservative Home Sunak said that while the government needed to have "compassion, understanding and tolerance for those who are thinking about their gender" this could not interfere with the rights of biological women.
He also hinted that the government was likely to amend the Equality Act, introducing explicit legal protections for biological women in same-sex spaces such as changing rooms and hospital wards.
"As a general operating principle for me, biological sex is vitally fundamentally important in these questions," Sunak said. "And that's why we need to make sure, particularly when it comes to women's health, women's sports or indeed spaces, that we're protecting those rights and those places."
One wonders if those born female and who identify as transgender men will face the same biological sex determinants – and if so whether they use women's spaces (they won't be able to compete in women's sports because of their male hormone use).
I doubt it is bravery, more likely politics. The opposition was/is sleepwalking to victory and this policy is a disruption factor. It also is within conservative tradition, so his own base will support this course, while it will sustain dissent/division within the opposition.
If you are to scared to define women and you don't have a 'preformulated' answer, what else might scare you too much so that you need that preformulted answer. Who 'formulate' the anwsers to -pre asked- questions?
And if he were to say 'anyone who identifies as' he would be seen as someone who is fast and lose with his female voter base but kind and affirming to his trans base.
And if he were to say that women do indeed have penises, or that males have cervixes, or that lesbian have dicks – any of these answers would be a lie in the eyes of everyone based in reality but the queer community which is based in self id and fantasy.
So really the question is what is the end game of this 'can't define women, won't define women, and to scared to define woman. And why is that? Why is it that every western country is so busy pretending that females/males, woman/man are interchanging terms without any meaning to it. Why is that.
Ya gotta feel sorry for the PM's spin doctors, comms team and strategists. All those photo ops and column inches, all that work portraying Hipkins as the good old steak and cheese pie eating Hutt boy. All that effort undone by the awkward, cringe worthy silence when asked "What is a woman?".
Every pie consumer at my local bakery could answer that question in a cholestrol laden heartbeat.
Personally i am happy the question was asked. It showed who these people are. They could have answered 'the previous PM identifies as one, my birthing person identifies as one / is one" anything would have been better then admitting that no one has send this question to the Comms team and thus it was/is not 'pre-answered by your Comms team' and if you get questions that are not vetted you don't have answers. Or worse even, non of these highly paid people have been paying attention to what is happening in th UK/US/Canada and thus was ill prepared.
And it also diminishes the idea that '50% of our team are women'. as that is now a meaningless statement, leading to the questions, All it is is meaningless drivel of can we have both sides, we are not gonna say what a woman is, but we pretend that we have 50% of them in our team.
Transmen do sports at a high level, you will however not find them in the 'mens' teams as they would not stand a chance. They play on female teams and compete against other females.
That is the irony in it all, that female sport becomes the dumping ground for all queer people as it is easier then creating a new division. If this is unfair towards women – human females, oh well, those who should care don't and if the women – human females have issues with that they can always quit, right?
Presumably Paparoa are certain these are actual Nazis. If not certain then they may have affected their ability to make a living in what are quite low paid jobs such as music and the visual arts. The transactivists have already got it wrong once already going after the people who were waiting to speak in Albert Park on 25/3.
Of course people are right to be cautious if not to avoid being targetted by Nazis as well as transactivists.
I have not found where in Wellington they are meeting but if the trans mob are staying away I might go to watch, being very careful.
It should be realised that his has no connection to #LetWomenSpeak, other than using that event and its media exposure as something that they can benefit from.
Women attending will most likely be props for the real intent #LetMenPosture.
This takeover of women's rights is avoided at #LetWomenSpeak events by the deliberate decision to have women-only wardens, although anyone can attend.
The police advised the NZ wardens on 25 March to face inwards, which is a ridiculous strategy, and which I think increased the risk of security and crowd management failure.
I still have a hard time seeing neo nazis in tokoroa, i doubt they would live a good life there. And fwiw, no proof has been offered by anyone, even Ani is quite clear that it 'appears' to be a case of 'we are not sure'. She makes it quite clear that their values don't align, which is in my book a better reason to not go then 'ohmgoshtheremightbenazis'.
But then, womens rights are totalitarian suppressive rights, and they are inherently transphobic which makes them akin to National Sozialismus.
But I can see the Hanna Tamaki Party and spouses rock up and gather votes.
In the meantime women – the human female ones, still don't dare to gather and speak about the things taht are being done to them in the name of kindness.
In the meantime women – the human female ones, still don't dare to gather and speak about the things taht are being done to them in the name of kindness.
My values don't align whether this event is run by fundamentalist churches or neo nazis.
There were neo nazis at the parliamentary protest. I am not sure if they are increasing in numbers or not. I had thought much of the nazi 'stuff' had been proscribed and I think many Australians thought that it had been until the Let Women Speak event in Melbourne.
One of the 'nazis' of Melbourne is the son of a police officers. Again, do i believe that there are Neo Nazis, yes, i am German, i whakapapa to Germany, and i have had ancestors that were in the Hitler Youth, in the Wehrmacht, and who got medals for brithing lots of children. So really, i have opinions on that.
But this is not what is happening here. This here is a rally planned for men by men, they might be on the right spectrum of politics – act, national, democracy now, blablablbah, they might be religious, Tamaki church or any other of the evangelic small home churches, but chances are they are not National Sozialisten, nor even just a white supremacist.
Don't go there if your values don't align, that works well for me, or go there to see what the fuss is about from a distance, but unless someone brings concrete proof that these people are Neo Nazis, no one should label them that.
Unless of course anyone who speaks up for women and their rights to dignity, safety and respect, and of course political representation is now a Nazi/white supremacist, even if they are not white. Then you start having some issues, cause what next? Cause there is always a next.
I still have a hard time seeing neo nazis in tokoroa, i doubt they would live a good life there.
they don't have to be in Tokoroa, the events are organised nationally online. The more visibility they get, the neo-Nazis and the far right talking trad values can recruit disenfranchised men. Any disenfranchised men in Tokoroa?
And fwiw, no proof has been offered by anyone, even Ani is quite clear that it 'appears' to be a case of 'we are not sure'.
Forget about proof (that will probably come after the event, and consider the evidence. There are now multiple screenshots of the Telegram with actual Nazis in them. Yes, it might be them co-opting, but consider this. If actual Nazis turn up at one of the events, and look like they involved in organising or protecting women, rather than having their own protest over there, do you think that will help women's rights activists in NZ or make things harder for them?
I've seen screenshots taken by someone I know and trust who was in the SBYW Telegram, and that includes the conversation asking if Arps would be there, and other comments about known Nazis.
Add that to Counterspin, and it's reasonable to think that in the absence of the organisers distancing themselves from Nazis, they are in fact ok with the Nazis, or are Nazis themselves. The onus is on them to sort this out.
Anyone who thinks there are no neo Nazi/white nationalist/far right set of movements building in NZ really hasn't been paying attention for the past few years, nor the longer years of the rise of fascism in the English speaking liberal countries.
And Kellie Jay Keen was / is also a Neo Nazi, and Mana Wahine Korero is also Nazi, and all the women that showed up were also Nazi, and the old women who had her head bashed in was a Nazi who got what she deserved, and we are just lucky that the frenzied mob of nice kind and lefty progressive people protesting 'let women speak' in NZ did not stomp anyone to death, cause literally we might would have to ask if the good and kind and progressive people of NZ – media, politics, academia and their blind followers are the baddies.
Weka, if Neo Nazis were to show up at Tokoroa – one of the places these poeple want to show up, they would not have much fun.
Again, my money is on Hanna Tamaki – the party, Tamaki the Church, and some other similar groups. And unless anyone, you or Ani or anyone, actually points to a solid proof that indeed these rallies are held by neo nazis people should not promote that idea.
Cause the last time, NZ almost killed women for the audacity of a. knowing what a women is, and b. insisting that they are human beings with rights. Something that not a single person on the left currently feels like they could say, lest they get the "Nazi" treatment. And NZ got lucky they did not kill the old women that got bashed, the old dude that got ellbowed by a Drag Queen, or Kellie Jay Keen on her way out. Cause clearly, that would have been some bad bad advertising for this country.
But keep yelling Nazi Nazi in a crowded theatre and then wonder why witches are burning at the stake.
Those who promulgated the word association of "TERF" + "Nazi", knowing clear connections are unevidenced, contributed to an environment where women were silenced on 25 March.
I have little patience for this type of 'support' for women.
The void left by "progressive" men supporting #LetWomenSpeak will either remain empty or be filled by others who consider women speaking to be a concept worth defending.
I'm just not interested because it is an event run by men, for men. Although, it may give insight into the concerns men have. There is unlikely to be violence because the joyous celebrators of #DoNotLetWomenSpeak are taking a well earned rest on their laurels:
Run by men for men, or by the fundamentalist church which is a play space for mysogyny.
I should clarify my point about proscribed. I had thought that salutes and dressing like Nazis had been proscribed, from the little reading about the Vic State govt response I understand that it thought this too. Apparently it is not.
I know that the sale of Nazi memorabilia is forbidden here in NZ as Dunbar Sloane had to with draw items from sale in a recent auction.
I'm wrong, Kyle isn't organizer, he's just going Different Nazis are organizers
bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Honestly someone should DM these guys and tell them to go with 'Terfs', Nazi in NZ has no more meaning then Woman. Neither one can be defined unless it is the progressive left that does the defining, and then anyone can be one, unless they are not.
They got it wrong so feel free to hold your wrong line for all its worth.
This now sounds like the disinformation project that thinks that 1.8 million are 'captured' by something without explaining whom these people are and by what they are captured.
I understand that you are a self identified lefty and thus think you are on the right side of history, so let me make this clear, on this issue the far right and the far left go hand in hand together, and both will leave you a women without words to describe yourself and your reality, will leave you without places to congregate and discuss your political reality, and will see you abused if you even just try to raise issues that impact on you.
the ones will call you faschist, nazi, terf, the other will call you chattel and property. the end result is the same.
And just as a reminder, i know Nazis, we invented them.
1. the people organising SBYW were naive and didn't deal with the neo Nazis in the Telegram group
2. some known neo Nazis organised the Chch event.
I don't think women will retain our rights if we don't make clear lines between gender critical positions and the far right, gender conformity groups co-opting LWS etc.
no. I have left wing politics. It's not an identity.
and thus think you are on the right side of history
no, I don't. Stop making up shit about me. If you do that again I will moderate. What you just did there was take a GC meme about anti-terfers and applied it to me even though it as nothing to do with me. This is the second time this week someone has done this and it has to stop. You cannot put people in the box you want them to be in so you can run your argument, because it just destroys debate.
so let me make this clear, on this issue the far right and the far left go hand in hand together
So make the argument Sabine. Point to the far left fascists. I already have my own analysis of left wing authoritarianism, I just don't see the people I think you are talking about as being left wing so much as neoliberal. Atm you are just throwing out generic stereotypes. Put some effort into your analysis and improve the debate.
and both will leave you a women without words to describe yourself and your reality, will leave you without places to congregate and discuss your political reality, and will see you abused if you even just try to raise issues that impact on you.
And? I already know this about the anti-terfers, so why are you lecturing me?
the ones will call you faschist, nazi, terf, the other will call you chattel and property. the end result is the same.
Here's the difference though. If what you call the far left can be tempered, that brings us back to progressive norms and socialist politics. The far right being moderated leaves us with NACT.
However anyone who is alt right (and I must admit, I am not entirely sure what that means and/or the likes of Tamaki will not do us any favours. The tras and the msm will use this against us.
As a movement, I have no idea what we do about this. We have no control over others organising rallies or turning up to ours.
Both authoritarians, but not both fascists. Fascists describes the far-right version. If you compare the fascist states (Spain, Italy, Germany) with their left-wing equivalents (USSR, PRC, DPRNK), they have in common murderous totalitarianism but little else.
The people that got killed by Stalin, Franco, Mussolini, and Hitler are all equally dead.
Left and right is just something some people hold on to in order to pretend to be 'other' and thus 'better'.
My totalitarian regime is totes better and kinder then yours. Now shut up lest we call you Nazi. Or Transphobe. Or bigot. Or hold a sign that says 'suck my dick' or 'suck my transcock' or 'shut up bitch'.
No difference between the both. And deadly to minorities of all kinds, and generally really shitty for women – human females. Either they be private property or they be public property, but they be undefinable and thus undefendable and not worthy of respect in a democracy cause …..property/chattel/an idendity that anyone can be.
So go on hold on to your academic distinctions and understand that neither the right nor the left will come to the aide of human females.
Which far right? I've frequently seen ACT referred to as 'far right' on TS – and I certainly don't see them fitting into the following definition
A fascist is someone who supports or promotes fascism—a system of government led by a dictator who typically rules by forcefully and often violently suppressing opposition and criticism, controlling all industry and commerce, and promoting nationalism and often racism.
The part that seems to set fascism aside from other forms of dictatorship is the 'controlling all industry and commerce' (violent suppression of opposition, nationalism and racism are dime-a-dozen among dictatorships)
Even then I'd think that Stalin (for example) with his state control of industry and commerce – would fall under this definition. Perhaps it's that fascism was (initially) more effective in managing the economy than communism ever was.
And possibly the charismatic leader (although, I can't think of a single current example of a party or group which is described as fascist, which actually has a charismatic leader).
More in-depth discussion here – but it's still not clear exactly how fascism differs in form from other violent, repressive dictatorships – one commentator even says trying to describe fascism is like nailing jelly to the wall!
fair point about ACT. I said something to non-NZ people that other day about ACT being far right, and then realised it made no sense outside of NZ pol. ACT aren't fascists, they're RW libertarians.
(in the US) a right-wing ideological movement characterized by a rejection of mainstream politics and by the use of online media to disseminate provocative content, often expressing opposition to racial, religious, or gender equality.
Southern Poverty Law Centre
The Alternative Right, commonly known as the "alt-right," is a set of far-right ideologies, groups and individuals whose core belief is that “white identity” is under attack by multicultural forces using “political correctness” and “social justice” to undermine white people and “their” civilization.
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Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
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 ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
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 ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
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. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
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 ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
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 Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
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 ...
Council members voted 21 to 4 in favour of Ahluwalia returning to the Laucala campus following a much-awaited meeting in Vanuatu this week. It comes as USP and its two unions — the Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff (AUSPS) and the Administration and Support Staff Union ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicola Henry, Professor & Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Social and Global Studies Centre, RMIT University Shutterstock Following an emergency meeting of the National Cabinet this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a raft of measures to tackle the problem ...
Analysis - A poll showing the opposition is more popular than the government raises questions, politicians go through their 'trial by pay rise' and a Green MP loses her cool in the debating chamber. ...
The entire stretch of Tokomaru Bay on the East Coast will be subject to a joint customary marine title for two hapū, and extending up to four miles out to sea. A High Court judge has found the two groups, who during the case settled a dispute over boundaries for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Hall, Lecturer, Media & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University A longstanding feud between TikTok and Universal Music Group seems to have finally reached an end, with both parties signing a deal that will see Universal-backed music returned to the social media ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Siobhan O’Dean, Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney After several highly publicised alleged murders of women in Australia, the Albanese government this week pledged more than A$925 million over five years ...
Political parties have now fully disclosed the donations they received last year - with National getting more than double the cash of any other party. ...
A Pacific regionalism expert has called out New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters for withholding information from the public on AUKUS military pact. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard de Grijs, Professor of Astrophysics, Macquarie University Bruno Scramgnon/Pexels All systems are “go” for tonight’s launch of China’s next step in a carefully planned lunar exploration program. Placed on top of a powerful Long March 5 rocket, the Chang’e 6 ...
National returned a massive donation the day after a Newsroom story linked the donors to a property being investigated for operating unlawfully as a migrant workers’ hostel. The party’s 2023 donation filings, released on Friday, show it returned a $200,000 donation from Buen Holdings on August 23. That was the ...
Pacific Media Watch New Zealand has slumped to an unprecedented 19th place in the annual Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index survey released today on World Press Freedom Day — May 3. This was a drop of six places from 13th last year when it slipped out of its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Black, Political Historian and Administrator Officer, Australian Historical Association, Australian National University Australia has had its fair share of public record-keeping controversies in recent years. Some have been mere farce, as in the case of two formerly government-owned filing cabinets (containing ...
Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), a United Nations-affiliated organization dedicated to fostering peace through civilian-led initiatives, has issued a statement in response to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. ...
A poem by Tessa Keenan, from AUP New Poets 10. Mātou These days we are a photograph; one of a farm strewn with cows that used to be bright harakeke or swamp. The kids point at it and say the sun sits behind a smudge (left by someone at Christmas); ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Faber & Faber, $25)The masterful Irish writer ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. Key facts Marriages and civil unions In ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lennon Y.C. Chang, Associate Professor of Cyber Risk and Policy, Deakin University Taiwan stands out as a beacon of democracy, innovation and resilience in an increasingly autocratic region. But this is under growing threat. In recent years, China has used a variety ...
In this excerpt from her new memoir, Dame Susan Devoy remembers her turn as star contestant on the 2022 season of Celebrity Treasure Island. The most anxious time of every day was pre-elimination, when you knew this could be your final day on the show. I felt such contradictory emotions, ...
A week that began in triumph ended in an all-too-familiar disaster for the Green Party. Duncan Greive asks if there’s something in the mission that breaks its best and brightest. A long, strange week for the Green party began with a fantastic poll result. On one level this is hardly ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Vanuatu’s former prime minister and opposition MP Ishmael Kalsakau has stepped down — just two days after he confirmed he was the rightful opposition leader. Kalsakau, MP for Port Vila, confirmed to ABC’s Pacific Beat, and the Vanuatu Daily Post on Thursday that he ...
What’s to blame for the coalition’s choppy start? Six months in, and the mojo meter is in the doldrums. A new poll would put National out of power and sees its leader, Chris Luxon, sliding in popularity. How much is it about policy, how much coalition management and a perception ...
The striking report goes far beyond the proposed repeal of the Oranga Tamariki Act’s Treaty of Waitangi provision, and its impact should be felt far beyond the unique circumstances of the claim it addresses. Earlier this week, the Waitangi Tribunal released an interim report on the government’s proposed repeal of ...
The world has been experiencing a productivity slowdown, from which New Zealand has not been exempt. COVID-19 temporarily boosted labour productivity, but more recently, productivity has retreated. The overall trend since 2007 has been one of slow productivity ...
What’s more wasteful than spending $315k on syrup and machine maintenance? Trying to drum up a controversy about it.Cast your mind back to the pre-pandemic idylls of 2019. A “rat” was a disgusting rodent and not a self-administered plague test; the sixth Labour government was in power; and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Professor of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Monash University Ken stocker/Shutterstock In the wake of numerous killings of women allegedly by men’s violence in 2024, thousands of Australians have joined rallies across the country to demand action ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Cutler, Professor and Director, Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy, Macquarie University Oleg Ivanov IL/Shutterstock Waiting times for public hospital elective surgery have been in the news ahead of this year’s federal budget. That’s the type of non-emergency surgery ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow, Historical and Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne Amna Artist/Shutterstock One of the earliest descriptions of someone with cancer comes from the fourth century BC. Satyrus, tyrant of the city of Heracleia on the Black Sea, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Rose, Professor of Sustainable Future Transport, University of Sydney LanaElcova/Shutterstock Electric vehicles are often seen as the panacea to cutting emissions – and air pollution – from transport. Is this view correct? Yes – but only once uptake accelerates. Despite the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giselle Natassia Woodley, Researcher and Phd Candidate, Edith Cowan University There is widespread agreement Australia needs to do better when it comes to gender-based violence. Anger and frustration at the numbers of women being killed saw national rallies over the weekend and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Graham, Lecturer in Economics, University of Sydney Mark and Anna Photography/Shutterstock As home ownership moves further out of reach for many Australians, “rentvesting” is being touted as a lifesaver. Rentvesting is the practice of renting one property to live ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sukhmani Khorana, Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, UNSW Sydney Netflix The new season of Heartbreak High is garnering mixed reviews. Critics are writing about the racy story lines, comparing it to other coming-of-age series about teenage relationships and ...
Bob Carr intends to launch legal action against Winston Peters and Julie Anne Genter is facing a second allegation of bullying. Both sucked the air out of an announcement on education, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in ...
In 1995, Sally Clark went out on her own in a bold and unorthodox attempt to join an illustrious group of equestrian riders conquering the world. In the days of glovebox road maps, brick cell phones, and the hit song How Bizarre, Clark refused to follow Sir Mark Todd, Blyth ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Beaglehole, Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago niphon/Getty Images The number of people accessing medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Aotearoa New Zealand increased significantly between 2006 and 2022. But the disorder is still under-diagnosed and ...
To celebrate the start of New Zealand music month, we look back at the best local tuneage that managed to weasel its way into Hollywood productions. There’s nothing quite like the thrilling zap of recognition when New Zealand weasels its way into a glamorous Hollywood production. Crack open a Tui ...
People trust other people more than institutions. So how can the media gain that trust through journalists without losing what’s important about the institution? Anna Rawhiti-Connell reflects on two years of curating the news for The Bulletin.Amonth ago, armed cops descended on my neighbourhood as calls to “lock your ...
Essay: If the Crown harms children, how do you hold it accountable? Analysis by Aaron Smale in light of the Waitangi Tribunal court decision. The post The Crown versus Māori Children appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – are a class of thousands of man-made chemicals used widely in everyday consumer items such as textiles, packaging, and cookware, popular for their water, grease and stain-repellent properties. However, the very properties that make PFAS so attractive to manufacturers are also what ...
NONFICTION 1 The Last Secret Agent by Pippa Latour & Jude Dobson (Allen & Unwin, $37.99)’ This is the hottest book in New Zealand, number one with a bullet in its first week, selling more than any overseas title, and demand is so huge that it’s already been reprinted. A ...
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A warning – suicide is discussed in this podcast New Zealand’s own long-running soap Shortland Street doesn’t hesitate to kill off its much-loved characters. But would TVNZ dare to kill off our favourite soap? That’s the fear as times get tough in television – even though it’s been pointed out ...
Asia Pacific Report A West Papuan resistance leader has condemned the United Nations role in allowing Indonesia to “integrate” the Melanesian Pacific region in what is claimed to be an “egregious act of inhumanity” on 1 May 1963. In an open letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Organisasi Papua Merdeka-OPM ...
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the right – 100% of women do not have a penis
the left – 99.9% of women do not have a penis
Preparing the way for their Home Secretary to look at their law (some people were allowed to identify as transgender woman while with a penis under their manged process).
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/uk/300853806/uk-prime-minister-rishi-sunak-says-that-no-one-with-a-penis-could-be-considered-a-woman
One wonders if those born female and who identify as transgender men will face the same biological sex determinants – and if so whether they use women's spaces (they won't be able to compete in women's sports because of their male hormone use).
Yip very embarrassing for our pm ,when a toff tory proves to be braver and or more honest
I doubt it is bravery, more likely politics. The opposition was/is sleepwalking to victory and this policy is a disruption factor. It also is within conservative tradition, so his own base will support this course, while it will sustain dissent/division within the opposition.
Well if you don't know what a woman is ,are you intelligent enough to be in government???🥲
Wrong question.
If you are to scared to define women and you don't have a 'preformulated' answer, what else might scare you too much so that you need that preformulted answer. Who 'formulate' the anwsers to -pre asked- questions?
And if he were to say 'anyone who identifies as' he would be seen as someone who is fast and lose with his female voter base but kind and affirming to his trans base.
And if he were to say that women do indeed have penises, or that males have cervixes, or that lesbian have dicks – any of these answers would be a lie in the eyes of everyone based in reality but the queer community which is based in self id and fantasy.
So really the question is what is the end game of this 'can't define women, won't define women, and to scared to define woman. And why is that? Why is it that every western country is so busy pretending that females/males, woman/man are interchanging terms without any meaning to it. Why is that.
Ya gotta feel sorry for the PM's spin doctors, comms team and strategists. All those photo ops and column inches, all that work portraying Hipkins as the good old steak and cheese pie eating Hutt boy. All that effort undone by the awkward, cringe worthy silence when asked "What is a woman?".
Every pie consumer at my local bakery could answer that question in a cholestrol laden heartbeat.
Personally i am happy the question was asked. It showed who these people are. They could have answered 'the previous PM identifies as one, my birthing person identifies as one / is one" anything would have been better then admitting that no one has send this question to the Comms team and thus it was/is not 'pre-answered by your Comms team' and if you get questions that are not vetted you don't have answers. Or worse even, non of these highly paid people have been paying attention to what is happening in th UK/US/Canada and thus was ill prepared.
And it also diminishes the idea that '50% of our team are women'. as that is now a meaningless statement, leading to the questions, All it is is meaningless drivel of can we have both sides, we are not gonna say what a woman is, but we pretend that we have 50% of them in our team.
Surprised he's got kids I'd he can't identify what makes a woman a woman. 😉
Transmen do sports at a high level, you will however not find them in the 'mens' teams as they would not stand a chance. They play on female teams and compete against other females.
That is the irony in it all, that female sport becomes the dumping ground for all queer people as it is easier then creating a new division. If this is unfair towards women – human females, oh well, those who should care don't and if the women – human females have issues with that they can always quit, right?
https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/25-transgender-athletes-you-should-know/14/
Bookmarking. Unconfirmed, but thread on the actual Nazis organising the Stand By Your Woman events this weekend
https://twitter.com/paparoa3/status/1646662634396323841
The messaging:
'Real women can procreate
women=biology
MEN supporting WOMANS Identity'
Doesn't seem very hateful to me.
Presumably Paparoa are certain these are actual Nazis. If not certain then they may have affected their ability to make a living in what are quite low paid jobs such as music and the visual arts. The transactivists have already got it wrong once already going after the people who were waiting to speak in Albert Park on 25/3.
Of course people are right to be cautious if not to avoid being targetted by Nazis as well as transactivists.
I have not found where in Wellington they are meeting but if the trans mob are staying away I might go to watch, being very careful.
there's plenty of evidence for concern
https://twitter.com/aniobrien/status/1646649676396130304
Thread,
https://twitter.com/wekatweets/status/1646641033969823744
Might drive by and have a look at the Neo Nazis.
It should be realised that his has no connection to #LetWomenSpeak, other than using that event and its media exposure as something that they can benefit from.
Women attending will most likely be props for the real intent #LetMenPosture.
This takeover of women's rights is avoided at #LetWomenSpeak events by the deliberate decision to have women-only wardens, although anyone can attend.
The police advised the NZ wardens on 25 March to face inwards, which is a ridiculous strategy, and which I think increased the risk of security and crowd management failure.
I still have a hard time seeing neo nazis in tokoroa, i doubt they would live a good life there. And fwiw, no proof has been offered by anyone, even Ani is quite clear that it 'appears' to be a case of 'we are not sure'. She makes it quite clear that their values don't align, which is in my book a better reason to not go then 'ohmgoshtheremightbenazis'.
But then, womens rights are totalitarian suppressive rights, and they are inherently transphobic which makes them akin to National Sozialismus.
But I can see the Hanna Tamaki Party and spouses rock up and gather votes.
In the meantime women – the human female ones, still don't dare to gather and speak about the things taht are being done to them in the name of kindness.
Good points Sabine.
My values don't align whether this event is run by fundamentalist churches or neo nazis.
There were neo nazis at the parliamentary protest. I am not sure if they are increasing in numbers or not. I had thought much of the nazi 'stuff' had been proscribed and I think many Australians thought that it had been until the Let Women Speak event in Melbourne.
One of the 'nazis' of Melbourne is the son of a police officers. Again, do i believe that there are Neo Nazis, yes, i am German, i whakapapa to Germany, and i have had ancestors that were in the Hitler Youth, in the Wehrmacht, and who got medals for brithing lots of children. So really, i have opinions on that.
But this is not what is happening here. This here is a rally planned for men by men, they might be on the right spectrum of politics – act, national, democracy now, blablablbah, they might be religious, Tamaki church or any other of the evangelic small home churches, but chances are they are not National Sozialisten, nor even just a white supremacist.
Don't go there if your values don't align, that works well for me, or go there to see what the fuss is about from a distance, but unless someone brings concrete proof that these people are Neo Nazis, no one should label them that.
Unless of course anyone who speaks up for women and their rights to dignity, safety and respect, and of course political representation is now a Nazi/white supremacist, even if they are not white. Then you start having some issues, cause what next? Cause there is always a next.
they don't have to be in Tokoroa, the events are organised nationally online. The more visibility they get, the neo-Nazis and the far right talking trad values can recruit disenfranchised men. Any disenfranchised men in Tokoroa?
Forget about proof (that will probably come after the event, and consider the evidence. There are now multiple screenshots of the Telegram with actual Nazis in them. Yes, it might be them co-opting, but consider this. If actual Nazis turn up at one of the events, and look like they involved in organising or protecting women, rather than having their own protest over there, do you think that will help women's rights activists in NZ or make things harder for them?
I've seen screenshots taken by someone I know and trust who was in the SBYW Telegram, and that includes the conversation asking if Arps would be there, and other comments about known Nazis.
Add that to Counterspin, and it's reasonable to think that in the absence of the organisers distancing themselves from Nazis, they are in fact ok with the Nazis, or are Nazis themselves. The onus is on them to sort this out.
Anyone who thinks there are no neo Nazi/white nationalist/far right set of movements building in NZ really hasn't been paying attention for the past few years, nor the longer years of the rise of fascism in the English speaking liberal countries.
And Kellie Jay Keen was / is also a Neo Nazi, and Mana Wahine Korero is also Nazi, and all the women that showed up were also Nazi, and the old women who had her head bashed in was a Nazi who got what she deserved, and we are just lucky that the frenzied mob of nice kind and lefty progressive people protesting 'let women speak' in NZ did not stomp anyone to death, cause literally we might would have to ask if the good and kind and progressive people of NZ – media, politics, academia and their blind followers are the baddies.
Weka, if Neo Nazis were to show up at Tokoroa – one of the places these poeple want to show up, they would not have much fun.
Again, my money is on Hanna Tamaki – the party, Tamaki the Church, and some other similar groups. And unless anyone, you or Ani or anyone, actually points to a solid proof that indeed these rallies are held by neo nazis people should not promote that idea.
Cause the last time, NZ almost killed women for the audacity of a. knowing what a women is, and b. insisting that they are human beings with rights. Something that not a single person on the left currently feels like they could say, lest they get the "Nazi" treatment. And NZ got lucky they did not kill the old women that got bashed, the old dude that got ellbowed by a Drag Queen, or Kellie Jay Keen on her way out. Cause clearly, that would have been some bad bad advertising for this country.
But keep yelling Nazi Nazi in a crowded theatre and then wonder why witches are burning at the stake.
If you can't tell the difference between calling terfs Nazis, and actual neo Nazis, I can't help you.
Women were called Nazis. Weka. Terfs are women.
Nazi is just a new form of insulting women and their allies who insist in material reality.
again, if you cannot tell the difference between TRAs saying terfs are Nazis, and left wing women pointing to the actual Nazis, I can't help you.
Denying the existence of actual Nazis continues to conflate actual Nazis and women in the minds of the public who are watching.
Those who promulgated the word association of "TERF" + "Nazi", knowing clear connections are unevidenced, contributed to an environment where women were silenced on 25 March.
I have little patience for this type of 'support' for women.
The void left by "progressive" men supporting #LetWomenSpeak will either remain empty or be filled by others who consider women speaking to be a concept worth defending.
I'm just not interested because it is an event run by men, for men. Although, it may give insight into the concerns men have. There is unlikely to be violence because the joyous celebrators of #DoNotLetWomenSpeak are taking a well earned rest on their laurels:
https://twitter.com/transliberated/status/1646682011283886081?s=20
that i can agree with.
that too is a good reason.
anything else is fearmongering, slurring and pushing a lable on people that might be worse then just far fetched, and all that without proof.
Good points Molly.
Run by men for men, or by the fundamentalist church which is a play space for mysogyny.
I should clarify my point about proscribed. I had thought that salutes and dressing like Nazis had been proscribed, from the little reading about the Vic State govt response I understand that it thought this too. Apparently it is not.
I know that the sale of Nazi memorabilia is forbidden here in NZ as Dunbar Sloane had to with draw items from sale in a recent auction.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/wellington/131715304/concerns-raised-at-sale-of-disturbing-nazi-military-memorabilia-and-replicas
I guess that's a big no to self-policing.
/
https://twitter.com/verge/status/1646588861529706497
https://www.theverge.com/23681875/substack-notes-twitter-elon-musk-content-moderation-free-speech
https://bigthink.com/the-learning-curve/gaining-power/
Read the room, minister.
https://twitter.com/seahorse4000/status/1646563802337378308
https://twitter.com/jrgmarwood/status/1646439138428878848
More tweets about #LetMenPosture and Stand By Your Woman.
https://twitter.com/wlaotearoa/status/1646975483060576263
bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Honestly someone should DM these guys and tell them to go with 'Terfs', Nazi in NZ has no more meaning then Woman. Neither one can be defined unless it is the progressive left that does the defining, and then anyone can be one, unless they are not.
https://twitter.com/wlaotearoa/status/1646975103098585088
we all have a line. I know where mine is.
They got it wrong so feel free to hold your wrong line for all its worth.
This now sounds like the disinformation project that thinks that 1.8 million are 'captured' by something without explaining whom these people are and by what they are captured.
I understand that you are a self identified lefty and thus think you are on the right side of history, so let me make this clear, on this issue the far right and the far left go hand in hand together, and both will leave you a women without words to describe yourself and your reality, will leave you without places to congregate and discuss your political reality, and will see you abused if you even just try to raise issues that impact on you.
the ones will call you faschist, nazi, terf, the other will call you chattel and property. the end result is the same.
And just as a reminder, i know Nazis, we invented them.
https://twitter.com/KatrinaBiggs2/status/1647026123262529536
https://twitter.com/kelvin_morganNZ/status/1647112109778669573
That's actual, known neo Nazis.
Looks to me like a few things happened.
1. the people organising SBYW were naive and didn't deal with the neo Nazis in the Telegram group
2. some known neo Nazis organised the Chch event.
I don't think women will retain our rights if we don't make clear lines between gender critical positions and the far right, gender conformity groups co-opting LWS etc.
no. I have left wing politics. It's not an identity.
no, I don't. Stop making up shit about me. If you do that again I will moderate. What you just did there was take a GC meme about anti-terfers and applied it to me even though it as nothing to do with me. This is the second time this week someone has done this and it has to stop. You cannot put people in the box you want them to be in so you can run your argument, because it just destroys debate.
So make the argument Sabine. Point to the far left fascists. I already have my own analysis of left wing authoritarianism, I just don't see the people I think you are talking about as being left wing so much as neoliberal. Atm you are just throwing out generic stereotypes. Put some effort into your analysis and improve the debate.
And? I already know this about the anti-terfers, so why are you lecturing me?
Here's the difference though. If what you call the far left can be tempered, that brings us back to progressive norms and socialist politics. The far right being moderated leaves us with NACT.
As a movement, I have no idea what we do about this. We have no control over others organising rallies or turning up to ours.
The far right are fascists anker.
As are the far left. Two peas from the same authoritarian pod that has no fucks to give about children and women.
also please define faschismus: https://www.britannica.com/topic/fascism
who are some of the NZ left wing fascists that are akin to people like Kyle Chapman or Philip Arps?
Both authoritarians, but not both fascists. Fascists describes the far-right version. If you compare the fascist states (Spain, Italy, Germany) with their left-wing equivalents (USSR, PRC, DPRNK), they have in common murderous totalitarianism but little else.
excellent explanation
The people that got killed by Stalin, Franco, Mussolini, and Hitler are all equally dead.
Left and right is just something some people hold on to in order to pretend to be 'other' and thus 'better'.
My totalitarian regime is totes better and kinder then yours. Now shut up lest we call you Nazi. Or Transphobe. Or bigot. Or hold a sign that says 'suck my dick' or 'suck my transcock' or 'shut up bitch'.
No difference between the both. And deadly to minorities of all kinds, and generally really shitty for women – human females. Either they be private property or they be public property, but they be undefinable and thus undefendable and not worthy of respect in a democracy cause …..property/chattel/an idendity that anyone can be.
So go on hold on to your academic distinctions and understand that neither the right nor the left will come to the aide of human females.
Which far right? I've frequently seen ACT referred to as 'far right' on TS – and I certainly don't see them fitting into the following definition
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/fascist
The part that seems to set fascism aside from other forms of dictatorship is the 'controlling all industry and commerce' (violent suppression of opposition, nationalism and racism are dime-a-dozen among dictatorships)
Even then I'd think that Stalin (for example) with his state control of industry and commerce – would fall under this definition. Perhaps it's that fascism was (initially) more effective in managing the economy than communism ever was.
And possibly the charismatic leader (although, I can't think of a single current example of a party or group which is described as fascist, which actually has a charismatic leader).
More in-depth discussion here – but it's still not clear exactly how fascism differs in form from other violent, repressive dictatorships – one commentator even says trying to describe fascism is like nailing jelly to the wall!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascism
fair point about ACT. I said something to non-NZ people that other day about ACT being far right, and then realised it made no sense outside of NZ pol. ACT aren't fascists, they're RW libertarians.
didn’t know if the Act party were considered alt right. That’s why I said I wasn’t sure who was considered alt right
ACT party are not alt right!
In NZ, ACT is to the right of the centrist but right National Party.
National Party is to the right of the centrist but left Labour Party.
Alt Right from Oxford Languages https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/
(in the US) a right-wing ideological movement characterized by a rejection of mainstream politics and by the use of online media to disseminate provocative content, often expressing opposition to racial, religious, or gender equality.
Southern Poverty Law Centre
The Alternative Right, commonly known as the "alt-right," is a set of far-right ideologies, groups and individuals whose core belief is that “white identity” is under attack by multicultural forces using “political correctness” and “social justice” to undermine white people and “their” civilization.
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/ideology/alt-right
Good to have some clarity about Stand by your women events re Nazis.
The organisers well intentioned but Chch Nazis (real ones) slipped in and ran the event.
Hope the Stand by your women guys can sort this out.