“Our concern with that is the likelihood it would reduce the amount of time that baby has to bond with their primary caregiver,” said Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Iain Lees-Galloway.”
Yeah I’d be advising Labour to tread very carefully here because its starting to get a bit of traction
Well, in the interests of reciprocal advice, it really looks like National could gain traction on this. Labour look weak, caring about babies and suchlike.
National have a strong track record in this regard to build on, but maybe they could suggest sending babies into Pike River mine as gas canaries, or just get one or two front-benchers photographed using babies as bowling pins?
The question is though what do parents want or think is best for their kids? I personally have no skin in the game so it’ll be interesting to see how this plays out
Of course Labour could surprise everyone by batting this away effortlessly but even you would have to admit Labours start hasn’t exactly been a raging success
“The question is though what do parents want or think is best for their kids? I personally have no skin in the game so I’ll desist from offering my opinion”.
fify
I’ll offer mine then. When my partner and I had our youngest daughter our first-born was 3. The rare times (weekends) that we could all spend together in those wonderful first few weeks were hugely rewarding for all of us as a family. Nats initiative is great, it allows choice for parents to make on what works best for them. Hardly surprising then that Labour is against it.
Bondy – isn’t spending time with young sons and daughters (grandsons and granddaughters too!) wonderful!
Do you have any ideas as to why National didn’t bring this in when they were in Government? It seems as though they are just talking big at this point when they have no power to enact the needed legislation.
Cheers.
Yes it is wonderful. Said youngest turns 11 today and happily her & sister are coming to visit for the weekend for birthday celebrations.
We know the Nats did increase parental leave, no doubt they would have further and it would have been well considered as to how it would work and give choice. As we know they were also considering the fairness of the duration to other interested parties not the least of whom were taxpayers and non/parents.
Yes that’s National, delivering babies for New Zealanders since 2015 and beyond:
“I’m naturally disappointed that after battling for three years to extend paid parental leave, my Member’s Bill was defeated,” Ms Moroney says.
“It’s disappointing for these New Zealand families that they will have to wait longer for extended paid parental leave just because National won’t vote for a Labour Bill.
Well, it’s paid by the IRD. I assume that the paperwork to verify a child exists would involve mother and delivery date, but the intricacies are not really my field…
Its not concern trolling I happen to think this is one of those emotive issues that people, especially parents, care quite deeply about and as such its important (imho) that Labour get this right
It’s not really what they talk about, so much as the blatant hypocrisy with which they do it.
I suspect that for the next couple of years any good ideas national suddenly have will be met with the response “well, you should have done it when you were in government. And you might have bothered building the bridges and hospitals you promised, too”.
Oh it won’t bring them down but what may, or may not, be the second cut to be inflicted and like the previous two governments its the amount of cuts that finally ends it
I was going to suggest Hipkins dropping the ball with the speakers vote but lets be honest most people will forget about in a few years time (if not already) so its easily Labour going great guns over the TPPA
When you have Labour needing Nationals support to pass something that Labour protested about I’m going to guess theres going to be a few people slightly ticked off
You and they are ignoring the fact the the fast unraveling TPPA has gone back to negotiation. Negotiation where all manner of modifications might be secured to which the Greens will have input, I’m sure.
Anyone else confused as hell that National’s opposition tactics are to try and show up Labour by being even further left, and placing themselves as the party of the people? I wonder if this National Party knows the National Party of the last 9 yeasts?
Still, if their opposition plan is go hard left, the next 3 years will be awesome 🙂
Looking at that URL, I see Stuff still think that point scoring and the political battle is more important than, you know, actual governing and getting good legislation from the parliamentary process.
I do admit that what fascinates me about politics is what it makes people do in that I’d hazard a guess that most every new mp wants to help, make the country a better place, be honest and truthful etc etc yet somewhere along the way changes happen, in every party
I like the reactions of supporters and while said supporters are very keen to point out errors in the opposition seem blind to the faults of their own party (no I’m not missing the irony)
I like the point scoring, I like (love) the drama, the tit-for-tat, how politicians can all say one thing then another (I couldn’t be a politician) the sheer chutzpah of what it takes
Yet somehow it all seems to combine to make NZ a pretty decent place to live
I think this is so wrong. The court has made a mistake. Māori is an official language. As the mother says if the shoe was on the other foot the outcry would be huge. Shame on the court and the father – disgraceful.
That was bizarre and a classic example of just how much mainstream NZ expects Māori to be assimilated. I hope it gets appealed further.
It’s possible the father has some legitimate issues around involvement, but I think there are far better ways of solving that. I would have thought the family court could have helped with that. (Hard to tell at the distance though).
Sure James – good you’re a mens rights activist now lol but you’re not are you? You’re fake from start to finish – and thick as congealed 3 day old salty porridge.
It took three High Court judges to preside over the case. After 10 weeks of deliberations, the third judge noted, “It is perhaps surprising in 2017, especially given the Māori Language Act, that it is not yet Government policy that all primary schools teach te reo as a compulsory subject.”
The judge effectively overturned the Family Court ruling and enabled the girl to resume her Māori education at a new, bilingual school.
And, yes, it is surprising that Te Reo (sp?) isn’t compulsory in school.
Hey I’m more than willing to give Labour a chance, I mean they really want to sign the TPPA and I want the TPPA signed but that doesn’t mean we should ignore whats happening unless you mean Labour should have a grace period?
Who blocked extending paid parental leave last year chris? Your concerns would have more legitimacy if you weren’t backing a bunch of power-mongering hypocrites who are still blatantly power mongering rather than trying to help NZ.
Thats true however they did campaign at the election for an extension to 22 weeks, which included the ability for parents to choose whether they took that leave at the same time.
“Hey I’m more than willing to give Labour a chance”, says chris73.
He also says,
“you would have to admit Labours start hasn’t exactly been a raging success…”
and
“…the amount of mistakes Labours already made so far isn’t exactly heartening
…”
Showing, to those of us with radar tuned to concern trolling, that you are not “willing to give Labour a chance”, but instead are determined to magnify and broadcast every bump in the road, not because you wish them bon chance but because you wish them ill. Aye.
Wonder if the published commentary from the failed English Government is greater than the published commentary from the present Government by more than 80%.
I reckon that this is an all time record given that Opposition traditionally complains that they cannot get air time.
Ardern is probably the least of Malcolm’s problems right now.
Shorten has pulled a swifty and put up Kristina Keneally, the former Labor Premier of NSW to contest the seat of Bennelong in the upcoming by-election caused when the sitting Liberal MP Alexander was forced to resign because of dual citizenship issues.
Bennelong is a wealthy metro seat on Sydney’s North Shore whose voters have a habit of voting Labor when they’re pissed off with Liberal governments.
Keneally is an American who renounced her US citizenship to become a State MP and then Premier. The contrast with the citizenship omnishambles engulfing the government in Canberra is stark.
If Keneally wins then Turnbull’s government is almost certainly gone… http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-14/kristina-keneally-to-run-in-bennelong-by-election/9147640
I’ve been away for the last month or so.
Can anyone inform me of the progress that the Government has made on the Pike River mine re-entry?
I presume that Little, Andrew has got it well underway although Google didn’t tell me anything about what he must have organised by now.
Just what has he been up to on the matter? Or is this something we are not allowed to ask about?
That is about what I tried.
The most promising statement I could find was at the end of October when Little said
“I would be surprised if we can’t make an entry, provided everything else lines up, by sometime in the early part of next year… March, April I say would be realistic,” he said.”
That hardly seemed to be very certain that it would go ahead though.
The PM seemed to be ticking it off her 100 day list because the Minister in charge had been named. That really didn’t seem very much like the promises from before the election though. At that time we were told
“Jacinda Ardern says a Labour Government would reenter the Pike River Mine.
The leaders of Labour, United Future, the Maori Party and the Green Party signed a commitment in Wellington on Tuesday to reenter the West Coast mine”
This now seems to have become
“She said the incoming government had already ticked off one of its commitments for the first 100 days, with the appointment of Andrew Little as the Minister responsible for Pike River Re-Entry”
A bit rich putting Little in charge. Didn’t he state on more than 1 occasion that he was entirely happy with the H&S & operations at the mine, after the explosion?
Anyhow, I hope any reentry personnel are accompanied by independent observers. Stories I heard from coasters who had worked there suggest that not all evidence of the cause of explosion will be what the families want made public. I hope that’s not the case.
Bondy I’m no friend of the labour party – so I’ll politely ask you to back up that statement you made about Andrew Little. As for the second part you might want to get that sorted as well – as it stands all your doing is ‘making shit up’.
“Following the disaster, Little defended the company’s safety record. He told the New Zealand Herald on November 21, 2010, that the company had an “active health and safety committee” and that there was “nothing unusual about Pike River or this mine that we’ve been particularly concerned about.” (see video) He repeated his comments to Radio NZ the following day, saying the company had taken “great care” with safety.” https://m.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1701/S00183/opposition-parties-feign-support-for-pike-river-families.htm
there’s a difference between not having anything out of the ordinary and someone being “entirely happy” with it and “defending” it.
All Little did was state two facts about the union’s dealings with the mine, a day or two after the first explosion.
“Defending” it would be more like saying their safety record was second to none and they were exceptionally diligent about safety. He didn’t do that: just said the company wasn’t out of the ordinary.
A bit like how the cops saying someone isn’t convicted of or wanted in relation to any serious offences is not a defense of the individual’s character.
Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) national secretary Andrew Little said he had never heard of any Pike mineworker becoming sick from the gas.
“I was told there was a pretty active health and safety committee there. They were meeting on a regular basis,” he said.
“In January 2009, an advisory notice was given to Pike staff after cigarette butts were found in the mine. Two months later, another notice stated the mine had “very strict rules of the taking of contraband items underground that could cause a spark or fire”.
“Everyone’s lives are at stake with the breach of these rules,” the notice stated, which Shortall read.
“Stories I heard from coasters who had worked there suggest that not all evidence of the cause of explosion will be what the families want made public. I hope that’s not the case.”
So a planning meeting is no longer concret action?
A meeting to actually do the reentry happened on the 6th of November. Which included the families to keep them informed of progress, is way more than the previous government did.
You did realise the families did not go out to the media after the meeting and complain about no action. Which was the families did after almost every meeting with the previous government.
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Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Changes to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
Zoë Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
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The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
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The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
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Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...
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“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
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https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/98871168/national-sets-the-nanny-trap-labour-walks-right-in-over-paid-parental-leave
“Our concern with that is the likelihood it would reduce the amount of time that baby has to bond with their primary caregiver,” said Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Iain Lees-Galloway.”
Yeah I’d be advising Labour to tread very carefully here because its starting to get a bit of traction
https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/parenting/baby/breastfeeding/98877615/labours-parental-leave-policy-puts-babies-health-first–midwives
“Traction”
Oh noes! Wingnuts are repeating it to one another.
Well Labour were warned National won’t make it easy for Labour and nor should they
Go full Tea Party. It’s the right move. You know you want to.
No not at all, I’m center right at best but the amount of mistakes Labours already made so far isn’t exactly heartening
Although knowing they want to sign the TPPA means they’re not all bad
I think you mean centre right at worst 🙂 (or maybe not).
Well, in the interests of reciprocal advice, it really looks like National could gain traction on this. Labour look weak, caring about babies and suchlike.
National have a strong track record in this regard to build on, but maybe they could suggest sending babies into Pike River mine as gas canaries, or just get one or two front-benchers photographed using babies as bowling pins?
The question is though what do parents want or think is best for their kids? I personally have no skin in the game so it’ll be interesting to see how this plays out
Of course Labour could surprise everyone by batting this away effortlessly but even you would have to admit Labours start hasn’t exactly been a raging success
“The question is though what do parents want or think is best for their kids? I personally have no skin in the game so I’ll desist from offering my opinion”.
fify
I’ll offer mine then. When my partner and I had our youngest daughter our first-born was 3. The rare times (weekends) that we could all spend together in those wonderful first few weeks were hugely rewarding for all of us as a family. Nats initiative is great, it allows choice for parents to make on what works best for them. Hardly surprising then that Labour is against it.
Bondy – isn’t spending time with young sons and daughters (grandsons and granddaughters too!) wonderful!
Do you have any ideas as to why National didn’t bring this in when they were in Government? It seems as though they are just talking big at this point when they have no power to enact the needed legislation.
Cheers.
Yes it is wonderful. Said youngest turns 11 today and happily her & sister are coming to visit for the weekend for birthday celebrations.
We know the Nats did increase parental leave, no doubt they would have further and it would have been well considered as to how it would work and give choice. As we know they were also considering the fairness of the duration to other interested parties not the least of whom were taxpayers and non/parents.
Yes that’s National, delivering babies for New Zealanders since 2015 and beyond:
“I’m naturally disappointed that after battling for three years to extend paid parental leave, my Member’s Bill was defeated,” Ms Moroney says.
“It’s disappointing for these New Zealand families that they will have to wait longer for extended paid parental leave just because National won’t vote for a Labour Bill.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/sue-moroney-disappointed-paid-parental-bill-voted-down-6242224
Actually, the question is whether you lot will walk over babies to try to get back into government.
Apparently the answer is “yes”.
As to the administrative issue of consecutive vs concurrency in leave allocation… good luck with that.
Yeah, I was wondering about. Hadn’t realised that it was even a thing. How do they manage that?
What, create media mountains out of dust motes?
Tories are just lucky I guess, lol
Lol, not I meant how do they know if two people take PPL at the same time for the same child.
Well, it’s paid by the IRD. I assume that the paperwork to verify a child exists would involve mother and delivery date, but the intricacies are not really my field…
It’s been better than the Nat’s start to opposition. They are so miserable and negative!
chris73
FFS STFU Don’t start all the concern trolling. It doesn’t look nice.
Its not concern trolling I happen to think this is one of those emotive issues that people, especially parents, care quite deeply about and as such its important (imho) that Labour get this right
No, what’s important is that they are an improvement in every respect over the National Party.
Not the self-serving hypocrite hoops you just made up.
You are – your gnat mates are trying to point score as are you and you’re using babies to do it. Concern troll and creep – well done you.
Right so National isn’t allowed to talk about this subject, any others they’re not allowed to talk about?
Yes concern troll your concern for your gnat masters is noted.
It’s not really what they talk about, so much as the blatant hypocrisy with which they do it.
I suspect that for the next couple of years any good ideas national suddenly have will be met with the response “well, you should have done it when you were in government. And you might have bothered building the bridges and hospitals you promised, too”.
I can’t see this being the issue that brings the government down no matter how much Stacey Kirk wants it to be.
It won’t stop baby-hating Nats like her and Amy Adams though. 🙂
Oh it won’t bring them down but what may, or may not, be the second cut to be inflicted and like the previous two governments its the amount of cuts that finally ends it
Oh yes, and what was the first cut?
I was going to suggest Hipkins dropping the ball with the speakers vote but lets be honest most people will forget about in a few years time (if not already) so its easily Labour going great guns over the TPPA
When you have Labour needing Nationals support to pass something that Labour protested about I’m going to guess theres going to be a few people slightly ticked off
Do Labour really need National’s support on this or is that something you’ve read in the RW press?
Well if this is correct: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/98830660/greens-wont-support-new-tpp-legislation-as-changes-dont-go-far-enough
then Labour need National
but this is interesting: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/98865950/winston-peters-will-get-in-line-and-support-tpp–according-to-national
NZFirst is being very quiet about all this
You and they are ignoring the fact the the fast unraveling TPPA has gone back to negotiation. Negotiation where all manner of modifications might be secured to which the Greens will have input, I’m sure.
Anyone else confused as hell that National’s opposition tactics are to try and show up Labour by being even further left, and placing themselves as the party of the people? I wonder if this National Party knows the National Party of the last 9 yeasts?
Still, if their opposition plan is go hard left, the next 3 years will be awesome 🙂
National going hard left, Labour hard selling the TPPA… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA1SxZoFmOU
Troll
Looking at that URL, I see Stuff still think that point scoring and the political battle is more important than, you know, actual governing and getting good legislation from the parliamentary process.
I’m going to guess you think the same.
I do admit that what fascinates me about politics is what it makes people do in that I’d hazard a guess that most every new mp wants to help, make the country a better place, be honest and truthful etc etc yet somewhere along the way changes happen, in every party
I like the reactions of supporters and while said supporters are very keen to point out errors in the opposition seem blind to the faults of their own party (no I’m not missing the irony)
I like the point scoring, I like (love) the drama, the tit-for-tat, how politicians can all say one thing then another (I couldn’t be a politician) the sheer chutzpah of what it takes
Yet somehow it all seems to combine to make NZ a pretty decent place to live
…unless you’re one of the people the National Party sponsors human rights abuses against, that is.
If National really think this is so important why didn’t they pass it years ago when they were in govt?
methinks they doth protest too much
I think this is so wrong. The court has made a mistake. Māori is an official language. As the mother says if the shoe was on the other foot the outcry would be huge. Shame on the court and the father – disgraceful.
http://www.maoritelevision.com/news/national/court-rules-no-maori-immersion-school-child
That was bizarre and a classic example of just how much mainstream NZ expects Māori to be assimilated. I hope it gets appealed further.
It’s possible the father has some legitimate issues around involvement, but I think there are far better ways of solving that. I would have thought the family court could have helped with that. (Hard to tell at the distance though).
“But the father submitted to the family court his daughter was enrolled without his consent and had concerns about her academic progress”
That’s a really valid issue and seems that the court has taken it into account.
There seems to be more at play – and being a family matter I doubt we will know all the story.
There are other ways to solve those issues though.
Play a mindgame James and turn the situation the other way round. You’d be bleating like a paddock full of lonely lambs.
What ? if the mother didn’t give her permission and that she was concerned about the child’s academic performance.
No my view would be the same.
Intentionally obtuse.
Deliberately dickheadish too
No dickheadish is to assume What it is all about and to discount the father’s views and concerns in the matter.
Sure James – good you’re a mens rights activist now lol but you’re not are you? You’re fake from start to finish – and thick as congealed 3 day old salty porridge.
I think deliberately misinterpreting someone’s comment is pretty dickheadish.
It would be if he could actually show reason for those concerns. But then there’s this bit from him:
All he had to do is learn – and he refused.
Seems to me that he’s just being a control freak.
Yep EVERYONE is welcomed to learn the language and culture. Yes it can be scarey but what an opportunity this father missed.
Seems the high court has over turned the family court ruling:
And, yes, it is surprising that Te Reo (sp?) isn’t compulsory in school.
Chris73 – Give us a break from your attempts to erode our feelings of delight around the new Government. You’re coming across as a petty spoiler.
Hey I’m more than willing to give Labour a chance, I mean they really want to sign the TPPA and I want the TPPA signed but that doesn’t mean we should ignore whats happening unless you mean Labour should have a grace period?
Who blocked extending paid parental leave last year chris? Your concerns would have more legitimacy if you weren’t backing a bunch of power-mongering hypocrites who are still blatantly power mongering rather than trying to help NZ.
Here you go, you can refresh your memory.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/81138922/Government-has-used-the-financial-veto-to-stop-an-extension-to-paid-parental-leave
Thats true however they did campaign at the election for an extension to 22 weeks, which included the ability for parents to choose whether they took that leave at the same time.
sure, they threw in some liberal/left wing policy when they realised they were at risk of losing the election (August I think).
“Hey I’m more than willing to give Labour a chance”, says chris73.
He also says,
“you would have to admit Labours start hasn’t exactly been a raging success…”
and
“…the amount of mistakes Labours already made so far isn’t exactly heartening
…”
Showing, to those of us with radar tuned to concern trolling, that you are not “willing to give Labour a chance”, but instead are determined to magnify and broadcast every bump in the road, not because you wish them bon chance but because you wish them ill. Aye.
You really are quite a dishonest person .
“I want the tpp signed”….
this Govts biggest screw up is going on about Manus Is refugees,even if its a distraction tactic it could blow up,bigtime.
She’s not a happy camper.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/assets/news/132319/eight_col_000_U810F.jpg?1510632656
what does one say to a mass murderer ?
I know. She doesn’t want to have to meet this man, but did according to her sense of duty.
opinions are like arsehole , every one has one, but unlike your arsehole you should examine your opinion regularly .
stolen from some bloke on fb
Wonder if the published commentary from the failed English Government is greater than the published commentary from the present Government by more than 80%.
I reckon that this is an all time record given that Opposition traditionally complains that they cannot get air time.
Ardern is probably the least of Malcolm’s problems right now.
Shorten has pulled a swifty and put up Kristina Keneally, the former Labor Premier of NSW to contest the seat of Bennelong in the upcoming by-election caused when the sitting Liberal MP Alexander was forced to resign because of dual citizenship issues.
Bennelong is a wealthy metro seat on Sydney’s North Shore whose voters have a habit of voting Labor when they’re pissed off with Liberal governments.
Keneally is an American who renounced her US citizenship to become a State MP and then Premier. The contrast with the citizenship omnishambles engulfing the government in Canberra is stark.
If Keneally wins then Turnbull’s government is almost certainly gone…
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-14/kristina-keneally-to-run-in-bennelong-by-election/9147640
She does have some baggage from the Eddie Obeid corrupting saga when she was the NSW State Labor Leader, anyway good luck to her if she pull’s it off.
I’ve been away for the last month or so.
Can anyone inform me of the progress that the Government has made on the Pike River mine re-entry?
I presume that Little, Andrew has got it well underway although Google didn’t tell me anything about what he must have organised by now.
Just what has he been up to on the matter? Or is this something we are not allowed to ask about?
Try google.
https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=pike+river&source=lnt&tbs=qdr:m&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjziP_1zb3XAhXJfbwKHcuqAlMQpwUIIA&biw=1768&bih=1315
That is about what I tried.
The most promising statement I could find was at the end of October when Little said
“I would be surprised if we can’t make an entry, provided everything else lines up, by sometime in the early part of next year… March, April I say would be realistic,” he said.”
That hardly seemed to be very certain that it would go ahead though.
The PM seemed to be ticking it off her 100 day list because the Minister in charge had been named. That really didn’t seem very much like the promises from before the election though. At that time we were told
“Jacinda Ardern says a Labour Government would reenter the Pike River Mine.
The leaders of Labour, United Future, the Maori Party and the Green Party signed a commitment in Wellington on Tuesday to reenter the West Coast mine”
This now seems to have become
“She said the incoming government had already ticked off one of its commitments for the first 100 days, with the appointment of Andrew Little as the Minister responsible for Pike River Re-Entry”
A bit rich putting Little in charge. Didn’t he state on more than 1 occasion that he was entirely happy with the H&S & operations at the mine, after the explosion?
Anyhow, I hope any reentry personnel are accompanied by independent observers. Stories I heard from coasters who had worked there suggest that not all evidence of the cause of explosion will be what the families want made public. I hope that’s not the case.
Bondy I’m no friend of the labour party – so I’ll politely ask you to back up that statement you made about Andrew Little. As for the second part you might want to get that sorted as well – as it stands all your doing is ‘making shit up’.
“Following the disaster, Little defended the company’s safety record. He told the New Zealand Herald on November 21, 2010, that the company had an “active health and safety committee” and that there was “nothing unusual about Pike River or this mine that we’ve been particularly concerned about.” (see video) He repeated his comments to Radio NZ the following day, saying the company had taken “great care” with safety.”
https://m.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1701/S00183/opposition-parties-feign-support-for-pike-river-families.htm
I think that’s a bit of a slide.
there’s a difference between not having anything out of the ordinary and someone being “entirely happy” with it and “defending” it.
All Little did was state two facts about the union’s dealings with the mine, a day or two after the first explosion.
“Defending” it would be more like saying their safety record was second to none and they were exceptionally diligent about safety. He didn’t do that: just said the company wasn’t out of the ordinary.
A bit like how the cops saying someone isn’t convicted of or wanted in relation to any serious offences is not a defense of the individual’s character.
And the “active health and safety committee” line is significantly out of context:
“In January 2009, an advisory notice was given to Pike staff after cigarette butts were found in the mine. Two months later, another notice stated the mine had “very strict rules of the taking of contraband items underground that could cause a spark or fire”.
“Everyone’s lives are at stake with the breach of these rules,” the notice stated, which Shortall read.
In December 2009, a cigarette lighter was found underground.”
http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/pike-river-mine-disaster/6386869/Methane-lit-by-spark-likely-cause-of-Pike-blast
“Stories I heard from coasters who had worked there suggest that not all evidence of the cause of explosion will be what the families want made public. I hope that’s not the case.”
Why not – it’s about truth is it not ?
Concern trolls out in force.
A clear reminder of the dishonesty and heartlessness of the previous government.
Worst concern troll ever, caught out in your own lie.
Must be tough, not being a the trough at the moment.
Must be tough not being able to read
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2017/11/pike-river-re-entry-process-gets-underway.html
Nothing in that article gives any indication of concrete action. Must be tough to have such limited skills of comprehension & discernment.
So a planning meeting is no longer concret action?
A meeting to actually do the reentry happened on the 6th of November. Which included the families to keep them informed of progress, is way more than the previous government did.
You did realise the families did not go out to the media after the meeting and complain about no action. Which was the families did after almost every meeting with the previous government.
Yep has been better on the Standard for the last month or so alwyn.
Just wondering if anyone else was freaked out by this.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/poland-defends-weekend-rally-organized-far-right-1.4400147
yes 🙁