Daily review 15/12/2023
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5:30 pm, December 15th, 2023 - 26 comments
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A listing of 25 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 15, 2024 thru Sat, December 21, 2024. Based on feedback we received, this week's roundup is the first one published soleley by category. We are still interested in ...1 hour ago - Dance Magic
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 ...13 hours ago - Government Forces Universities to Enforce “Free Speech” While Limiting Universities̵...
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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 ...1 day 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 ...2 days ago - Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Saturday, December 21
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The Government can head off to the holidays, entitled to assure itself that it has done more or less what it said it would do. The campaign last year promised to “get New Zealand back on track.” When you look at the basic promises—to trim back Government expenditure, toughen up ...3 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #51 2024
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One last thing before I quitI never wanted any moreThan I could fit into my headI still remember every single word you saidAnd all the shit that somehow came along with itStill, there's one thing that comforts meSince I was always caged and now I'm freeSongwriters: David Grohl / Georg ...3 days ago - MSD rejecting 220 pleas for food grants each day
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In 1998, in the wake of the Paremoremo Prison riot, the Department of Corrections established the "Behaviour Management Regime". Prisoners were locked in their cells for 22 or 23 hours a day, with no fresh air, no exercise, no social contact, no entertainment, and in some cases no clothes and ...5 days ago
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At the 2023 election, National basically ran on a platform of being better economic managers. So how'd that turn out for us? In just one year, they've fucked us for two full political terms: The government's books are set to remain deeply in the red for the near term ...5 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 ...5 days ago - Minimum wage ‘increase’ is an effective cut
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi are saying that the Government should do the right thing and deliver minimum wage increases that don’t see workers fall further behind, in response to today’s announcement that the minimum wage will only be increased by 1.5%, well short of forecast inflation. “With inflation forecast ...5 days ago
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This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob Henson In this aerial view, fingers of meltwater flow from the melting Isunnguata Sermia glacier descending from the Greenland Ice Sheet on July 11, 2024, near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. According to the Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet (PROMICE), the ...6 days ago
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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 ...6 days ago
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- Thank You
Hi all,I'm pretty overwhelmed by all your messages and emails today; thank you so very much.As much as my newsletter this morning was about money, and we all need to earn money, it was mostly about world domination if I'm honest. 😉I really hate what’s happening to our country, and ...7 days ago - 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #50
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Hi,“What I love about New Zealanders is that sometimes you use these expressions that as Americans we have no idea what those things mean!"I am watching a 30-something year old American ramble on about how different New Zealanders are to Americans. It’s his podcast, and this man is doing a ...1 week ago - Chris Penk’s Hate Parade
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All those tears on your cheeksJust like deja vu flow nowWhen grandmother speaksSo tell me a story (I'll tell you a story)Spell it out, I can't hear (What do you want to hear?)Why you wear black in the morning?Why there's smoke in the air? Songwriter: Greg Johnson.Mōrena all ☀️Something a ...1 week ago
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National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...2 days ago - Release: Minister’s plan for tertiary sector a backwards step
Returning to the model that was failing for most polytechnics and Institutes of Technology is not the answer. ...2 days ago
- Release: National buries 1019 planned homes
It’s been revealed that National has cancelled 60 percent of its housing projects planned before mid-2025 amidst housing woes. ...3 days ago
- Release: Rule-Czar bill a right-wing power grab
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...3 days ago
- Release: Why not both? Luxon shuns Waitangi celebrations
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is running away from problems of his own creation, with his decision not to go to Waitangi. ...3 days ago
- Govt’s ‘free speech’ legislation stokes fear, not freedom
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. ...3 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. ...3 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. ...4 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. ...4 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. ...4 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. ...5 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. ...5 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. ...5 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. ...5 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. ...5 days ago
- Warning to Fast-Track Applicants – ‘Exploit the Whenua, Face the Consequences’
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 ...5 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. ...6 days ago
- Govt’s miserly 1.5% minimum wage will take workers backwards
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. ...6 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. ...6 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. ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt breaks promise on EV chargers
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. ...6 days ago
- Greens call for end to subsidies for Methanex
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. ...6 days 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. ...1 week 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. ...1 week ago
- Govt’s emissions plan for measly 1% reduction
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. ...1 week 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. ...1 week 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. ...1 week 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. ...1 week 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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Just watched luxon on tv1 news pretty much claiming the new bridge in coramandal!!
Had to laugh he said this is how we want things done , followed by the superb site management saying it was unsustainable to expect people tp go at this pace all the time.
Sure, it was done at that pace to restore an essential connection. For a purpose.
CLuxon tried to claim it was the sort of speed that could be realised by having private sectors partners. The government would have to pay for a private sector partner and its workforce to operate at that workload on a particular project.
It was done at that incredible speed because lots of well off (establishment) Aucklanders have batches in and around Tairua that they wanted to use at Xmas and New Year. And while the 43 million cost is claimed to be under budget it sounds like a lot of money to me.
Meanwhile the East Cape work goes at normal repair speed.
I bet Klutz has never shovelled anything in his life.!! All mouth and little brain.
Those guys , the site Manager and the suppliers put in extra hours to help those stranded locals. Notice Klutz never mentioned them, just expected that should always happen. Oh right now they may not get over time having lost the Fair Pay agreements.
Further Klutz said it was the RMA holding things up??? Further propaganda and truth stretching.
He gets away with his lying because he talks himself into believing he's telling the truth. I knew someone like that once. People believe them because they come across as genuine. But eventually it catches up with them and sooner or later it will catch up with Luxon.
Later could well mean 9 years
We can only live in hope it won't take that long. 🙂
he shovels shit like a pro
Do you have some evidence for this statement?
I've not seen anything in the policy or media referencing removing overtime payments.
And, even if this was the case (which I find very difficult to believe) – it would certainly not affect payment for overtime already completed.
The future jobs requiring overtime being "done at speed" may not have overtime payments. This happened under Key. Contracting Tenders spiralling down to the lowest tender again, high unemployment, leading to “Take it or leave it”.
From the attached article, it seems as though it was more '3 shifts of 8 hours' – rather than people working actual overtime.
Which makes sense both from a health and safety (exhausted people make mistakes) and a productivity perspective.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018919753/coromandel-s-lifeline-road-almost-ready-to-reopen
point taken
I do not disagree with the conclusions of posts 1, 1.1 and 1.2, but I have noted the tendency in a number of posts to stray from personal names to more descriptive variations. The name luxon may not have deliberately missed a capital; CLuxon quite reasonably defines which Luxon is being referred to; again leaving out a space or fullstop is not really a problem, but going further to Klutz, may be seen as detracting from the substance of particular comments. I suggest a real name is preferable to names that may distract, and gives due respect to an elected politician. The government has been referred to by many names – and the coalition seems to give friendlier connotations than the reality of the temporary liaisons forced on the parties; while National is seen as dominating and therefore more to be blamed than the other parties, the name "NActFirst" appears to be an attempt to most effectively express the coalition by a single name, as well as to be interpreted in different ways without in itself offending the three parties. I am sure a standard name will develop for both the PM or the elected coalition, but let us avoid any suggestion of the sort of vicious attacks that the right used against Jacinda Ardern or Chris Hipkins.
One has to be worthy of a capital letter to get it from me!
Ed1sorry if it offends you, but the guy is a klutz.
Anyone speedily doing the mindless destructive things which reek of bile, while shutting down the systems of checks and balances after being in the House for 3 years has a huge ego and no regard for ordinary folk.
Anyone needing a limo to go 200m deserves scorn. Attaining high office through the cash from his mates, and failing to show respect for others, as he did crouched glaring at Jacinda Ardern from the Opposition benches and seeming to enjoy provoking Maori is suspect in my book. The office is only as good as the person in it.
Klutz means foolish person, and he is a fool. A dangerous fool who is allowing the worst elements of the right to ride roughshod over those least able to respond. Why would I give him dignity? He does not truly get the damage he is causing to our social fabric.
CLuxon is a word play on the tale of the need to distinguish between the two Christophers and the origin of the name CHippie (CHip'kins).
If I seek to denigrate, I might mention the three headed hydra confabulation. Speaking truth to power is a democratic society practice.
"…but let us avoid any suggestion of the sort of vicious attacks that the right used against Jacinda Ardern or Chris Hipkins."
So the end of hypocrisy.?…think you may be somewhat disappointed there Ed.
Still standing above the fray throwing stones Pat?
Do you not recall the opprobrium towards those who used the nomenclature 'Jacinta' Patricia?
I have excellent recall, and some 'phones spell checked the name. Hypocrisy? By that what did you mean? To call him out on stupid cruel actions and saying what he is is not name calling.
And that is precisely the logic that the right commentators used in calling Ardern "Taxcinda" or the "PriNZcess"
I don't support it, or engage in it, in relation to either side.
Exhibit A Ed.
https://thestandard.org.nz/daily-review-15-12-2023/#comment-1981349
Now this is an obituary.
.
Good Riddance
Henry Kissinger, War Criminal Beloved by America’s Ruling Class, Finally Dies
The infamy of Nixon's foreign-policy architect sits, eternally, beside that of history's worst mass murderers. A deeper shame attaches to the country that celebrates him
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/henry-kissinger-war-criminal-dead-1234804748/ ( https://archive.li/beVtk )
How the xtian-right regard women seeking medically-necessary abortions:
Troublesome schoolgirls trying to score a classroom pass.
“The Texas Legislature did not intend for courts to become revolving doors of permission slips to obtain abortions,” Paxton's office wrote in a filing to the state Supreme Court.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/pregnant-texas-woman-asked-court-permission-abortion-despite-105522411