Daily review 14/09/2021
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5:30 pm, September 14th, 2021 - 29 comments
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- Love, happiness, blur
The last few days have been a bit too much of a whirl for me to manage a fresh edition each day. It's been that kind of year. Hope you don't mind.I’ve been coming around to thinking that it doesn't really matter if you don't have something to say every ...11 hours ago - All I Want For Christmas
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This morning’s six standouts for me at 6.30am include:Rachel Helyer Donaldson’s scoop via RNZ last night of cuts to maternity jobs in the health system;Maddy Croad’s scoop via The Press-$ this morning on funding cuts for Christchurch’s biggest food rescue charity;Benedict Collins’ scoop last night via 1News on a last-minute ...22 hours ago - 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #51
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Well, I've been there, sitting in that same chairWhispering that same prayer half a million timesIt's a lie, though buried in disciplesOne page of the Bible isn't worth a lifeThere's nothing wrong with youIt's true, it's trueThere's something wrong with the villageWith the villageSomething wrong with the villageSongwriters: Andrew Jackson ...2 days ago - Government Forces Universities to Enforce “Free Speech” While Limiting Universities̵...
ACT would like to dictate what universities can and can’t say. We knew it was coming. It was outlined in the coalition agreement and has become part of Seymour’s strategy of “emphasising public funding” to prevent people from opposing him and his views—something he also uses to try and de-platform ...2 days ago - Fact brief – Are we heading into an ‘ice age’?
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The Natural Choice: As a starter for ten percent of the Party Vote, “saving the planet” is a very respectable objective. Young voters, in particular, raised on the dire (if unheeded) warnings of climate scientists, and the irrefutable evidence of devastating weather events linked to global warming, vote Green. After ...3 days ago - Bernard’s last Saturday Soliloquy for 2024
The Government cancelled 60% of Kāinga Ora’s new builds next year, even though the land for them was already bought, the consents were consented and there are builders unemployed all over the place. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political ...3 days ago - Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Saturday, December 21
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- Economic Bulletin December 2024
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Open access notables An intensification of surface Earth’s energy imbalance since the late 20th century, Li et al., Communications Earth & Environment: Tracking the energy balance of the Earth system is a key method for studying the contribution of human activities to climate change. However, accurately estimating the surface energy balance ...4 days ago
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AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...7 days ago - Minimum wage ‘increase’ is an effective cut
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The Prime Minister yesterday engaged in what looked like a pre-emptive strike designed to counter what is likely to be a series of depressing economic statistics expected before the end of the week. He opened his weekly post-Cabinet press conference with a recitation of the Government’s achievements. “It certainly has ...7 days ago
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And if there is a GodI know he likes to rockHe likes his loud guitarsHis spiders from MarsAnd if there is a GodI know he's watching meHe likes what he seesBut there's trouble on the breezeSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan Read more ...1 week ago - A Lipstick Government
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Iain Rennie, CNZMSecretary and Chief Executive to the TreasuryDear Secretary, Undue restrictions on restricted briefings This week, the Treasury barred representatives from four organisations, including the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi, from attending the restricted briefing for the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update. We had been ...1 week ago
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- Thank You
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Returning to the model that was failing for most polytechnics and Institutes of Technology is not the answer. ...4 days ago
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It’s been revealed that National has cancelled 60 percent of its housing projects planned before mid-2025 amidst housing woes. ...4 days ago
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The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...5 days ago - Release: Nicola Willis spirals country deeper into recession
The economy shrank 1% this quarter and New Zealand has tumbled into the depths of a recession of Nicola Willis’ making. ...5 days ago
- Release: Hikes for company directors but not ordinary Kiwis
Working people are going backwards while company directors are being given huge pay hikes. ...6 days ago
- ECE no place to cut corners
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...6 days ago
- Release: Strengthening Justice Services for New Zealanders
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...6 days ago
- Release: Labour will continue fight against destructive projects
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...6 days ago
- Green Government will revoke dodgy fast-track projects
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...6 days ago
- Government for the wealthy keeps pushing austerity
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...7 days ago
- Release: Visa changes let migrant workers be paid less
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...7 days ago
- Release: Nightmare before Christmas for Nicola Willis
With more debt and a larger deficit, Nicola Willis’ reputation is in tatters after her failure to return the Government’s books to surplus. ...7 days ago
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Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...7 days ago
- Release: Govt cuts wages for lowest paid NZers… again
For the second year running, the government has effectively cut wages for the lowest paid workers in New Zealand. ...7 days ago
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The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...7 days ago
- Release: Govt shirking responsibility for rate hikes
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...7 days ago
- Luxon’s ‘localism’ strikes again
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...1 week ago
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The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...1 week ago
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The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...1 week ago
- Govt child poverty targets allow for increase in poverty
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Four weeks annual leave under threat
The Government’s attack on workers continues with news it is scrapping work on the Holidays Act. ...2 weeks ago
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New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens stand in solidarity with Whakaata Māori on sad day
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...2 weeks ago
- Sanctions regime to create more hardship for families
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt gifts renters housing anxiety for Christmas
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National Party urged to support modern slavery legislation
Labour is urging the Prime Minister to walk the talk and support legislation combating modern slavery. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour has lost confidence in the Speaker
The Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament made an unprecedented decision on the government amendment to the Fast Track Approvals Bill last night. ...2 weeks ago
- One year on, still no progress on new ferries
Today’s announcement from the Government on its plan for new ferries throws more uncertainty on the future of the country’s rail network. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Nicola Willis’ smaller ferries will cost more
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...2 weeks ago
- Bill to sanction unlawful occupation of Palestine
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
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The Government has done the right thing in moving to ban greyhound racing. ...2 weeks ago
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Wow the Streisand effect is in full force now the recent lockdown escapees names autofill on facebook and google…
Speaking of class compare the mother of of the MIQ escapee and how the rich protect themselves… class indeed.
Name suppression lifted
Ah. Thanks. Came back into my lounge from the kitchen &, distracted, siddenly realised towards the end of what she was saying that Wendy Petrie was reporting the apology of somebody involved.
Very awkward situation. These two will be copping a lot of flak from all directions.
Tbh I think they came to the realization they had made things worse seeking suppression.
Seems likely.
Wonder what employment ramifications there might be for Ms Rawnsley. Not a good look for a lawyer.
From the Stuff article Cricklewood linked to
"Rawnsley is a family court and criminal lawyer who works for barrister Roddie Sim in Pukekohe, and was admitted to the bar in 2018. Sim’s website was taken down on Tuesday amid a backlash on social media.
Under Covid restrictions, lawyers are classed as essential workers.
New Zealand Law Society president Tiana Epati told Stuff all registered lawyers were sent a letter at the start of lockdown that said travel across Covid borders was allowed but only for “priority court proceedings”.
“If any lawyer was proved to have misused this letter that would be a disciplinary matter. There is no other acceptable use of this letter,” she said."
Thanks. I saw that, but didn’t know if she’d used that letter. In my haste to who they were I completely missed this, right near the start of the article:
“they crossed the Auckland border unlawfully, using essential worker exemptions, on Thursday.”
Sloppy reading on my part.
oh, I had missed that, that the border crossing is considered unlawful by the police. Were they saying that yesterday or is that new information today?
I don't know. All I was going on was this, in the linked Stuff article:
Lawyers are not class that way.Matiri
Yes, her employer's website seems to be inactive/deleted this evening. If it's one thing that lawyers hate it's bad publicity…
Depends what sort of lawyer she is
I think their QC lawyer had a little chat with them today.
[link deleted; no naming here when there’s name suppression, thanks]
Edit: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/deeply-sorry-william-willis-and-hannah-rawnsley-named-as-wanaka-holidaymakers/ZA5PGIXBXXAVJZT7W5CIWGL3XA/
[link restored after checking that name suppression had been lifted; one cannot be careful enough in legal matters such as name suppression]
Name suppression has been lifted.
Herald link if anyone wants to read it.
I've been following it on Reddit there was a very professional scrub on the net Social media etc even a change of shareholder of the horse stud to hide the judges name.
Think they just came to the realization it had made it worse.
Shareholding was changed to remove the Judges name at 7 30 this morning so pretty adamant the Striesland effect forced their hamd this evening.
To moderator. Fair enough.
This is rather strange …
… … …
“Questions in Kabul as two top Taliban leaders ‘missing from public view’
Two senior Taliban leaders have gone missing from public view, leading some Afghans to question whether the group’s supreme leader and new deputy prime minister are alive.
The top Taliban leader, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, has not been seen in public a month after the militants seized control of Afghanistan. A spokesperson has gone on the record to deny rumours of his death.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, one of the Taliban’s most recognised faces, has also gone missing. Questions about the wellbeing of the head of the political office and key figure in peace talks began mounting after he was not seen in public for several days.
There have been rumours in Kabul that he had been killed or badly injured in a fight with another senior Taliban figure during an argument about how to divide Afghanistan’s ministries.
Official efforts on Monday to dispel the rumours appeared to deepen the mystery.
The Taliban released photos of a handwritten note from one of Baradar’s deputies saying he was in Kandahar, then shared an audio message purporting to be from Baradar, set against old photos. The absence of a video raised more questions with Afghans as the Taliban are no longer an insurgent group in hiding, and Baradar’s face is well known due to his international role.
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More:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/14/questions-in-kabul-as-two-top-taliban-leaders-missing-from-public-view
Spokesman Suhail Shaheen spelled out the rumours in English when he denied them on Twitter.
“Mullah Bradar, deputy PM, Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, in a voice message rejected all those claims that he was injured or killed in a clash. He says it is lies and totally baseless,” he wrote, using an alternative spelling of the leader’s name.
Videos and a photo also shared online, purporting to show Baradar in Kandahar, did not feature anything that could confirm when they were taken.
The group’s record may have fuelled the theories. The death of founding leader Mullah Mohammad Omar was concealed for two years and, during that time, the Taliban continued to issue statements in his name.
Baradar was already considered to have lost out in the internal Taliban disputes over the formation of the new government, according to the Afghanistan Analysts Network.”
After reading about Scotlands Whisky here last night, I was taken back by this from James Shaw "Among them will be a reluctant Shaw, co-leader of the Greens. "Glasgow in winter, who needs that?" he says. " 31 Oct-12 Nov is Autumn not Winter. And there are many out there that would take an opportunity if presented to go and visit Glasgow at that time of the year. Lovely place, great people and delivers much more than you could expect and IMO the science centre and museums are must sees. So James please don't be so ignorant towards other countries.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/09/jacinda-ardern-pours-cold-water-on-james-shaw-self-isolating-upon-return-from-international-climate-conference.html
https://thestandard.org.nz/daily-review-13-09-2021/
This evening sitting in a garden I listened to the joyful voice and laughter of a woman playing a ball game down the road with a few others and remembered my few times with people dying and how peaceful it was and that tonight or tomorrow I too will die.
Say what now? You being literal or waxing philosophic?
Just when you thought it was safe…
https://twitter.com/Owl__Kitty/status/1411626249001127939
It's a trap!
I've enjoyed spending the better part of lockdown ferreting around in youtube/tiktok rabbit holes.
There's some gems amongst all the garbage, fer sure.
🙂 Great find there!
Special rules for special people.
/
Mark Zuckerberg has publicly said Facebook Inc. allows its more than three billion users to speak on equal footing with the elites of politics, culture and journalism, and that its standards of behavior apply to everyone, no matter their status or fame.
In private, the company has built a system that has exempted high-profile users from some or all of its rules, according to company documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.
[…]
At times, the documents show, XCheck has protected public figures whose posts contain harassment or incitement to violence, violations that would typically lead to sanctions for regular users. In 2019, it allowed international soccer star Neymar to show nude photos of a woman, who had accused him of rape, to tens of millions of his fans before the content was removed by Facebook. Whitelisted accounts shared inflammatory claims that Facebook’s fact checkers deemed false, including that vaccines are deadly, that Hillary Clinton had covered up “pedophile rings,” and that then-President Donald Trump had called all refugees seeking asylum “animals,” according to the documents.
https://archive.li/30nhw (wsj)
Finally Zuckerberg says what Stalin, Beria, Khruschev et al operated as standard procedure (and Orwell critiqued against the hard left) over 7 decades ago on behalf of communism.
I wonder where lockdown flouter William John Lawrence Willis of Wanaka infamy gets his entitlement from?
Chartered accountant father Robert John Willis owns a company called Wire Works, family owned for three generations. A profile on the net gives us a good idea. The profile by RSM, a grouping of three accounting firms, say Robert Willis specialises in “innovative ideas” to preserve client’s wealth including “tax effective structures, debt leverage, [and] wealth protection”.
“He has dealt with foreign tax issues, ably assisted by the worldwide network of RSM firms. In particular, he has considerable experience with trans-Tasman issues involving cross border tax, business structures, and managing businesses in New Zealand whilst growing in Australian markets….
Robert spends his spare time with his family at their country home, sailing on the Hauraki Gulf, or in the Central Otago mountains hiking, skiing and relaxing.
Nice for some people.
Robert John WILLIS is from NEW ZEALAND and is, or was, associated with 86 or more companies including: NEXIA AUCKLAND LIMITED, CHRISCO GROUP LIMITED, BRADLEY TRUST LIMITED, PIAGGIO TRUST LIMITED, TILDA HOLDINGS LIMITED, BETTER BATHROOMS NORTH SHORE LIMITED, TKJA LIMITED, WAIRAU CARS LIMITED, WILLIS ACCOUNTING TRUSTEE LIMITED, CST NEXIA LIMITED, OAKRIDGE SERVICES LIMITED, STUDIO WEST LIMITED, PERIGIAN 8 LIMITED, URSUS TRUSTEE COMPANY (NO.2) LIMITED, CHINA DIRECT CONSULTANCY LIMITED, NEXIA TRUSTEES WOOD LIMITED, LP MANAGEMENT NO 10 LIMITED, CST TRUSTEES (2007) LIMITED, SHED 23 APARTMENT 59 LIMITED, TAKANINI CARE (2013) LIMITED, SYRACUSE LIMITED, WIRE WORKS NEW ZEALAND LIMITED, CINEART PRODUCTIONS LIMITED, VOUCHERS DIRECT LIMITED, O'CONNOR TRUSTEES LIMITED, CST PROPERTIES LIMITED, KOTINGA CATTLE STUD LIMITED, CONE PEAK STATION LIMITED, BENISON TRADING LIMITED, ENDEAVOUR FOODS TAUPO LIMITED, M D TOOMER TRUSTEES LIMITED, CST TRUSTEES PALING LIMITED, GREEN 28 LIMITED, BARBICAN PUBLISHING LIMITED, CST TRUSTEES (2010) LIMITED, EXPLORE NZ TRAVEL LIMITED, HATS HOLDINGS LIMITED, NEXIA TRUSTEES (JADASH) LIMITED, CST TRUSTEES QA LIMITED, MATAWHIO LIMITED, COLLEEN THURSTON TRUSTEES LIMITED, HIGHBROOK TRUST HOLDINGS LIMITED, HARMONIC 4 LIMITED, MUSTILL TRUSTEE COMPANY LIMITED, TINX LIMITED, STAPWAY NOMINEES LIMITED, CUSTOMS MANAGEMENT LIMITED, DOMINION MANAGEMENT LIMITED, SUPA INVESTMENTS LIMITED, WAINGAROMIA LIMITED, HANNAH TRUST COMPANY LIMITED, BOTANY TRUSTEES (WONS 2017) LIMITED, DICKEY TRUSTEE COMPANY LIMITED, MURRAYFIELD TRUSTEES LIMITED, POHLEN KEAN SUPPORT LIMITED, SNOWDON PEAK INVESTMENTS LIMITED, MOBILE SHORE LIMITED, KAIAUA TRUSTEE LIMITED, SAMCHAT LIMITED, O'REILLY TRUSTEE LIMITED, BRAINWAVE TRUST PROPERTIES LIMITED, MATAWHIO SPORTS HORSES LIMITED, RUDI TRUSTEES LIMITED, BOWDEN TRUSTEES LIMITED, LOUDON TRUSTEES LIMITED, SC TRUST COMPANY LIMITED, CST TRUSTEES (OTWAY) LIMITED, BRADLEY PROPERTIES LIMITED, MEDIA PROTECTIVE TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED, WORKSAFE TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED, CST TRUSTEES (DAS) LIMITED, CST TRUSTEES (REFSPECS) LIMITED, CST TRUSTEES (CGC) LIMITED, FORTY-FIVE DEVELOPMENTS LIMITED, CST TRUSTEES (2005) LIMITED, NR2016 TRUSTEE LIMITED, M WALES TRUSTEE COMPANY LIMITED, MULLIGAN INVESTMENTS LIMITED, BRANAGAN LIMITED, BRADLEY SECOND HOLDINGS LIMITED, CST TRUSTEES LIMITED, RELIANCEACSN NZ LIMITED, SPENCER MILLIKEN & HYNDS TRUSTEE COMPANY LIMITED, MANUREWA TRUSTEE COMPANY LIMITED, BRAMCO LAND DEVELOPMENTS LIMITED, MLB HOLDINGS LIMITED.