McConnell is now talking about expelling Moore if he wins. Last count-up I saw had 13 Repug senators saying expel him if he wins, so they would still need 6 more. Unless Dems decide to “respect the will of Alabama voters” and vote to keep Moore in the Senate to keep tainting Repugs with his stench.
Expulsion wouldn’t actually be that bad an option for Repugs. Presumably the Repug Alabama governor just appoints a new temporary Repug senator, then there might be another special election next year which another Repug will win. Or maybe the appointed replacement just serves out the remainder of Sessions’ term until 2020.
That would still be better for the Repugs than a Democrat winning the seat and holding it until 2020
Zimbabwe’s military has seized state TV and blocked off access to government offices.
In a televised address early on Wednesday morning a military spokesperson said the army was seeking to “pacify a degenerating, social, and economic situation” in the country.
The spokesperson denied that the army was carrying out a coup against President Robert Mugabe’s government and said the leader was safe..
More soon…
So, if a coup is going on how is Western MSM and leaders going present it?
They all got rather upset when the Fijian coup happened (although they seem to have got over that now).
Parliment will be clown college for the next three years, fuck these people are idiots, I’m suspecting there’s some serious buyers remorse at the moment.
Be interesting to see the next political poll, I reckon the veneer has come off the golden girl and the cheap MDF is starting to show, the voters are feeling a bit duped.
Oh yes BM, all these people having buyer remorse!!! Who is celebrating??
people looking for a pay rise, parents looking for time with their baby, buyers looking for affordable homes, those wanting light rail, those wanting climate change action, those wanting a say in protecting DOC areas from mining, those wanting fairer welfare rules, those wanting trade agreements, and jobs, those looking for reparations after calamities, and those seeking warnings of danger……… I know I have missed a few…… Oh those wanting decent Public broadcasting.
A prime minister telling us what is happening “in her own words”.
Kermadec is complex. I am really relaxed. TPPA? It is a lot better. And at least Jacinda is doing something about Manus. When you are in power every day is a series of decisions and potential compromises …
How do you feel about National’s compromises? There is a whole lot of stuff there to digest …
It was inevitable he was going to speak out of turn sooner or later. It’s no surprise its sooner rather them later. Some people don’t know when to keep their gobs shut.
It’s not a case of whether he was telling the truth or not. It’s about keeping his gob shut until a decision has been made. Normal govt. practice no matter who is in power.
I think that there was also reports saying the the cost of collecting it all would cost more than what was brought in.
Of course, the proper way to address this is to drop GST but that would require going back to proper progressive taxation and properly taxing businesses that are presently rorting us.
Collins needs to explain just what these tariffs are on goods under $400.00 and how that makes an impact on Customs’ ability to do their job. She seems to be suggesting that Customs can only operate because of tariff protection?
Nash is right. The Nats did nothing on this and the law is the same as it was before internet shopping became a thing.
Every purchase in NZ should have a GST or equivalent levy if the goods come from overseas. Easy to administer – the courier collects the money at the time of delivery or in the case of Netflix and co it’s added to their fee and they must remunerate the NZ government.
Judith Collins needs to do no such thing, shes in the opposition, its her job to oppose. Labour need to make it difficult for National to oppose by doing what they said they’d do.
One thing I’ve noticed about RWNJs is their hatred of Kiwi workers. Being cheapskates by definition they want everything for cheap regardless of the conditions it places NZ workers under. A loss-making Uber they’ll take. Tax-free shopping they’ll take.
A courier left a package at the door for me today. It was a USD55 item not manufactured in NZ which I’d ordered from the States. Couriers should have eft-pos like the local curry place does and I’d quite happily have paid the GST amount at the point of delivery.
It’s not hard but the Nats, and their media, and their cat-kicking hangers on seem to think it is.
The report underscores the growing need for workers of all types to gain digital skills and explains why many employers say they struggle to fill jobs, including many that in the past required few digital skills. There is anxiety about automation displacing workers and in many cases, new digital tools allow one worker to do work previously done by several.
Those 545 occupations reflect 90 percent of all jobs in the economy. The report found that jobs with greater digital content tend to pay more and are increasingly concentrated in traditional high-tech centers like Silicon Valley, Seattle and Austin, Texas.
This highlights two points:
1. That we need the training available so that people can be retrained and/or upskilled. Considering how NZ businesses are responding to ‘lack of skills’ in NZ we can be assured they’re not going to do anything about it.
2. Productivity is already so high that there isn’t enough work for everyone and that this trend will continue.
At the other extreme are jobs like those done by Steve Engle, a 53-year-old factory worker at Cummins Inc’s (CMI.N) engine plant in Seymour, Indiana.
One of his tasks is to insert 56 bolts on the flywheel housing of each engine as it moves down the line and tighten the bolts in a certain sequence. He now uses a tool that is connected to a computer screen, which guides him to the right bolt and will not allow him to tighten the wrong one. It also knows exactly when the bolt is tight enough and then stops.
“This tool won’t let me do it wrong,” he said.
I’m actually amazed that they’ve still got him there.
“I’m actually amazed that they’ve still got him there.”
Ditto – and they probably won’t for much longer. They’re just making sure it all hangs together before waving him goodbye and thanking him for his 20+ years of ‘passion’ and ‘commitment’.
TVNZ has pulled a story about Kmart from its site after The Spinoff obtained emails showing two online ‘influencers’ received undisclosed payments to appear. The revelations raise fresh questions about the murky and unregulated world of the influencer economy.
The headline is bad as it implies that 1Newz paid but they didn’t. 1News didn’t actually know that they’d been paid.
This article shows that regulation and transparency is needed. Further, it shows again that before any product that goes on sale it needs to be regulated first. The market cannot operate as a free-for-all.
Interesting and both those bloggers lied about being paid when directly asked – what nice people not. This is the legacy of keyster and billshitter – they are directly responsible for liars like this who think they can get away with it.. Sad.
As I said over at the open mike thread, If Mugabe still has support of the his infamous North Korean trained 5th Brigade and his Presidential Guard then things will get very interesting and if he hasn’t then it’s all over red rover unless he can talk his way out of it so he can in exile.
The other two questions are:
What’s China’s position on the coup as they have been propping up the regime so have a lot to lose and the other is,
What the position of the Commonwealth whatever way this goes?
I’ve a few other comments over at the open mike and a few links to further reading from Ian Smith’s UDI to the current events atm.
Now’s that very interesting indeed, doesn’t like other countries sticking it noses into China’s internal affairs, but is more than happy to stick it nose into Zimbabwe’s internal affairs and into other countries affairs. The Red Dragon is learning fast from the Western powers.
China’s been taking lessons from the US. Get powerful both militarily and economically and then you can do whatever the fuck you want.
We should be taking lessons from that as well and building up our own military and economy. That’s going to mean developing and producing our own weapons of war and diversifying our economy so that we’re no longer dependent upon imports.
It is not viable for us to maintain the belief that the world is all nice and that no one would attack us:
But we must continue our efforts to develop understanding and compassion in the world. Hopefully, this article will assist in doing that by addressing the question “How many September 11ths has the United States caused in other nations since WWII?” This theme is developed in this report which contains an estimated numbers of such deaths in 37 nations as well as brief explanations of why the U.S. is considered culpable.
But the victims are not just from big nations or one part of the world. The remaining deaths were in smaller ones which constitute over half the total number of nations. Virtually all parts of the world have been the target of U.S. intervention.
The overall conclusion reached is that the United States most likely has been responsible since WWII for the deaths of between 20 and 30 million people in wars and conflicts scattered over the world.
Yes Millsy, it appears that way for the time being atm, but how long before it last and spills over into some sort of civil war? And there is no doubt that will be some old scores to settle if goes the way of civil war.
Yep. It’s a concern as to how we handle ever increasing automation but the automation itself should be seen as a positive. Automating a job out of existence or just increasing productivity so that fewer people are required to do the same job should be seen as a success as it allows the economy to develop in other ways if the support is there for it to do so. like that article says:
The Commission noted that unemployment was largely the result of inadequate total spending and that the Government had the tools at its disposal to eliminate it. They considered that there would be workers (low-skill etc) who would suffer more displacement from technology than those with more skill etc, but that ultimately even those workers would be able to get jobs if the public deficit was large enough. Instead, they recommended (among other things) the introduction of a Job Guarantee (Public Service Employment) financed by the Federal government but administered at all levels of government. It would pay the Federal minimum wage and be available on demand.
Doing that, though, does require removing the ability of the private banks to create money. It also needs the acceptance that it is government spending that is the driver of the economy.
“Doing that, though, does require removing the ability of the private banks to create money”
Not at all, it didn’t require this in the 60’s when this issue was largely sensibly addressed and it doesn’t today (in fact its even easier since the end of the Bretton Woods agreement). All that is needed is for the government to get a grip on its economic ideology and stop believing unemployment is unavoidable and necessary.
It would help to achieve this if commentary frequently pointed out that the unemployment rate is always able to be reduced by the government, as long as it wants that outcome.
Not at all, it didn’t require this in the 60’s when this issue was largely sensibly addressed
And which came to an end in the 1970s because of massive amounts of stagflation seemingly caused by too much money being created but then put only into shares rather than productive use. Same as today’s housing bubble in fact.
in fact its even easier since the end of the Bretton Woods agreement
It would be nice if the governments of the world realised that the Bretton Woods Agreement had come to an end when the US unilaterally dropped the Gold Standard in 1971. And that with them doing so the world no longer had a Reserve Currency.
The inflation in the 1970’s came about because of OPEC’s politically motivated Oil price hikes. Your explanation is basically an extension of monetarism, but this theory was entirely bankrupt at its inception. Inflation is simply not correlated with the money supply in the way implied there.
The inflation in the 1970’s came about because of OPEC’s politically motivated Oil price hikes.
That was certainly part of it but the problems started back in the 1960s.
Your explanation is basically an extension of monetarism, but this theory was entirely bankrupt at its inception. Inflation is simply not correlated with the money supply in the way implied there.
There’s some logic behind it. If we paid everyone a million per week we wouldn’t all suddenly be able to afford new yachts and houses – the prices would adjust for the new normal.
We don’t see the printing of money having a correlation in general prices. But what we do see is price bubbles in sharemarkets and housing as those who can, and do, grab all the new money for themselves. Those people are few and don’t spend any more per week on their groceries as everyone else and so we see general price stability while the poor are priced out of housing and become poorer and poorer as the house owners put the rental up to get higher returns from people who aren’t getting any of that new money.
“There’s some logic behind it.”
No matter how much logic is behind it you still need to demonstrate this is how the world actually functions for any scientific theory to be acceptable. That is totally missing from this example, though you did provide a little contrary evidence “We don’t see the printing of money having a correlation in general prices”.
There is also a significant problem with the direction of causation which you could get out, because if (for whatever reason) prices are raised on purchased goods then we know for certain that the money supply will have adjusted already to make those purchases.
No matter how much logic is behind it you still need to demonstrate this is how the world actually functions for any scientific theory to be acceptable.
There is strong evidence that excessive money printing has inflationary effects but it’s mostly in house and share prices. The reason why we’re not seeing general price increases from all the massive creation of money is because the money isn’t going to the majority of people.
But that massive increase in small areas of the market (market bubbles) is most definitely increasing poverty for those that don’t have access to that massive money increase.
There is also a significant problem with the direction of causation which you could get out, because if (for whatever reason) prices are raised on purchased goods then we know for certain that the money supply will have adjusted already to make those purchases.
If all else remains the same then the amount of money would make no difference as the price would be relative.
The problem is that the way the system is only a few people have access to the massive printing machines. And only a few more have direct access to the money created. These few can push high inflation in a couple of small areas and say that things are going well while the majority of people, glad that general inflation is low, become poorer as housing is pushed out of their reach and the ability to innovate is removed from them as they no longer have access to the resources necessary because a few people are very very rich from controlling the money supply.
“If all else remains the same then the amount of money would make no difference as the price would be relative.”
Clearly when I said that for some reason there was an increase in prices we are no longer discussing a situation where all else remains the same. and relative to what?
There is a much better correlation between inflation and capacity utilization rates rather than looking at the money supply changes.
Last week The Times reported that during the past three months alone, baby boomers converted £850 million of housing wealth into cash using equity release products – the highest number since records began. A third used the money to buy cars, while more than a quarter used it to fund holidays. Others are choosing to buy more property: the Chartered Institute of Housing has describedhow the buy-to-let market is being fuelled by older households using their housing wealth to buy more property, renting it out to those who are unable to get a foot on the property ladder. And it is here that we find the dark side of the housing boom.
That money was created by the private banks. Do you think that such a huge increase in prices would have been viable without that?
There’s two points:
1. An increase in the amount of money available will prices up
2. Because the distribution of the new money is constrained to only a few you see specific inflation (i.e, house price increases) rather than general inflation (an increase in the CPI).
We are seeing inflation from an excess of money creation and that money creation is from the private banks, ergo, we need to stop the private banks from creating money.
And I’ve been saying for a long time that the assumptions that underlie modern economics are bunk.
“An increase in the amount of money available will prices up”
Of course when prices go up there is (typically) an increase in the amount of money available. The same goes for incomes when they go up too. Unless you have a good argument for the causality going both directions this doesn’t explain anything causally.
On the other hand I think if some banks had been failing to make various payments that would be called a financial crisis. Probably won’t see the RBNZ causing any of those.
Its the one you just quoted, definitely. Thats what banks create money on demand means.
I’m not saying both I’m saying an increase in money can’t be demonstrated to *cause* an increase in prices. But causality definitely happens in the other direction.
I’m not saying both I’m saying an increase in money can’t be demonstrated to *cause* an increase in prices.
Except that I’ve linked to a couple of pieces that shows that it does cause increases in house and share prices. This limited range of those price increases seems to be because of the limited number of people the new money is going to.
Your links make no arguments about the *cause* of the house price increases.
You also said,
“And I’ve been saying for a long time that the assumptions that underlie modern economics are bunk.”
but you continue to defend one of the most central assumptions of mainstream economics. You need to produce evidence (or at least an argument) that changes in M are causing changes in P for this to be anything more than an assumption.
On the other hand we can see every time somebody makes purchases on their credit card (or based on other forms of lending) how changes in P are causing changes in M.
The key distinction between your claim and mine being if P will increase as M increases *even in the absence of changes in demand*, which would be consistent with changes in M causing changes in P. I don’t think that can be demonstrated. On the other hand some of the more recent changes in the economy have seen higher demand for houses and shares and that appears to have driven those prices up.
The key distinction between your claim and mine being if P will increase as M increases *even in the absence of changes in demand*, which would be consistent with changes in M causing changes in P. I don’t think that can be demonstrated.
I think what can be demonstrated is that some special prices are rising greater than the rise in demand and that those special prices are rising because of the banks ability to create money. The rise in prices also allows the banks to create more money as speculators bank on the unearned income available from house and price shares increasing.
Effectively, we have an inflationary spiral fuelled by the banks ability to create money.
The key distinction between your claim and mine being if P will increase as M increases *even in the absence of changes in demand*, which would be consistent with changes in M causing changes in P. I don’t think that can be demonstrated.
Will the rent increases that come about because of National’s increase in Accommodation Supplement be because of increased demand or because of the expectation of more money being available?
“Will the rent increases that come about because of National’s increase in Accommodation Supplement be because of increased demand or because of the expectation of more money being available?”
If the government buys accomodation supplement that is an anticipated increase in demand, obviously.
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This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
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 ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
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Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
McConnell is now talking about expelling Moore if he wins. Last count-up I saw had 13 Repug senators saying expel him if he wins, so they would still need 6 more. Unless Dems decide to “respect the will of Alabama voters” and vote to keep Moore in the Senate to keep tainting Repugs with his stench.
https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/14/moore-senate-republicans-expulsion-244907
Expulsion wouldn’t actually be that bad an option for Repugs. Presumably the Repug Alabama governor just appoints a new temporary Repug senator, then there might be another special election next year which another Repug will win. Or maybe the appointed replacement just serves out the remainder of Sessions’ term until 2020.
That would still be better for the Repugs than a Democrat winning the seat and holding it until 2020
Zimbabwe army seizes state TV but denies coup ongoing
So, if a coup is going on how is Western MSM and leaders going present it?
They all got rather upset when the Fijian coup happened (although they seem to have got over that now).
I replied over at the daily comment thread to a couple of comments
A labour minister says they will absolutely do something – just wait for the afternoon and another will backpedal on it.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11944434
Parliment will be clown college for the next three years, fuck these people are idiots, I’m suspecting there’s some serious buyers remorse at the moment.
Be interesting to see the next political poll, I reckon the veneer has come off the golden girl and the cheap MDF is starting to show, the voters are feeling a bit duped.
The main thing for you to remember is to keep being bitter and angry. Voters respond to that.
BM’s cat has gone missing.
Again.
Yes loser bm opposition is hell lol
Oh yes BM, all these people having buyer remorse!!! Who is celebrating??
people looking for a pay rise, parents looking for time with their baby, buyers looking for affordable homes, those wanting light rail, those wanting climate change action, those wanting a say in protecting DOC areas from mining, those wanting fairer welfare rules, those wanting trade agreements, and jobs, those looking for reparations after calamities, and those seeking warnings of danger……… I know I have missed a few…… Oh those wanting decent Public broadcasting.
A prime minister telling us what is happening “in her own words”.
How about those that protested the TPPA, are they celebrating? How about the Kermadec sanctuary, any people celebrating that?
No Chris, but neither is finalised yet, or in the 100 days.
Kermadec is complex. I am really relaxed. TPPA? It is a lot better. And at least Jacinda is doing something about Manus. When you are in power every day is a series of decisions and potential compromises …
How do you feel about National’s compromises? There is a whole lot of stuff there to digest …
Pretty sure that wasn’t even Labour policy but National’s. Which just makes me think, again, that Nash is in the wrong bloody party.
It was inevitable he was going to speak out of turn sooner or later. It’s no surprise its sooner rather them later. Some people don’t know when to keep their gobs shut.
Yeah, How dare he actually tell the truth and be honest, 🙄
Was he telling the truth?
About the closest that Labour got was saying that they’d take a look at it and maybe to continue National’s policy.
He said they would absolutely do it – that sounds pretty definitive to me.
I don’t mind people making mistakes, it’s how they deal with them that determines whether they’re fit for government or not.
Weird seeing the righties arguing this about Labour when the leader of National is a liar and cheat.
“Weird seeing the righties arguing this about Labour when the leader of National is a liar and cheat”
Cindy and co have told more than their fair share of lies in the last few weeks.
[citation needed]
Lucky I’m not a moderator.
Do tell. I reckon 5 examples should be more than their fair share.
And it appears that he was talking out his arse and not elucidating actual Labour policy.
It’s not a case of whether he was telling the truth or not. It’s about keeping his gob shut until a decision has been made. Normal govt. practice no matter who is in power.
Yep, that too.
He’s the minister of revenue- he must know the decision already.
A decision had not been made. Nash jumped the gun. He’s done it before so one would think he’d learnt a lesson.
If it was National policy they would have done something about it, wouldn’t they?
They didn’t.
They said it was too hard.
I think that there was also reports saying the the cost of collecting it all would cost more than what was brought in.
Of course, the proper way to address this is to drop GST but that would require going back to proper progressive taxation and properly taxing businesses that are presently rorting us.
Collins needs to explain just what these tariffs are on goods under $400.00 and how that makes an impact on Customs’ ability to do their job. She seems to be suggesting that Customs can only operate because of tariff protection?
Nash is right. The Nats did nothing on this and the law is the same as it was before internet shopping became a thing.
Every purchase in NZ should have a GST or equivalent levy if the goods come from overseas. Easy to administer – the courier collects the money at the time of delivery or in the case of Netflix and co it’s added to their fee and they must remunerate the NZ government.
Judith Collins needs to do no such thing, shes in the opposition, its her job to oppose. Labour need to make it difficult for National to oppose by doing what they said they’d do.
So true, poor old lefties haven’t worked that one out yet, they’re all standing around holding their willies and looking completely lost.
One thing I’ve noticed about RWNJs is their hatred of Kiwi workers. Being cheapskates by definition they want everything for cheap regardless of the conditions it places NZ workers under. A loss-making Uber they’ll take. Tax-free shopping they’ll take.
A courier left a package at the door for me today. It was a USD55 item not manufactured in NZ which I’d ordered from the States. Couriers should have eft-pos like the local curry place does and I’d quite happily have paid the GST amount at the point of delivery.
It’s not hard but the Nats, and their media, and their cat-kicking hangers on seem to think it is.
You’re mention cat kicking a lot, dude we all know you’ve got anger issues, don’t take your weakness out on the family pet, get help.
You are the angry one, son. I’d hate to know what your home life is like.
She’s irrelevant and won’t see government again. Her past will catch up with her.
+ 1 yep that is truth
No purchases in NZ should have GST whatsoever, because we should get rid of GST.
And let me guess “tax the rich” to make up for the shortfall
Typical leftie.
No need. Just eliminate GST, the end. At least on non luxury goods.
Technology invading nearly all U.S. jobs, even lower skilled: study
This highlights two points:
1. That we need the training available so that people can be retrained and/or upskilled. Considering how NZ businesses are responding to ‘lack of skills’ in NZ we can be assured they’re not going to do anything about it.
2. Productivity is already so high that there isn’t enough work for everyone and that this trend will continue.
I’m actually amazed that they’ve still got him there.
“I’m actually amazed that they’ve still got him there.”
Ditto – and they probably won’t for much longer. They’re just making sure it all hangs together before waving him goodbye and thanking him for his 20+ years of ‘passion’ and ‘commitment’.
‘Mum’s the word’: The online influencers secretly paid to go on 1News
The headline is bad as it implies that 1Newz paid but they didn’t. 1News didn’t actually know that they’d been paid.
This article shows that regulation and transparency is needed. Further, it shows again that before any product that goes on sale it needs to be regulated first. The market cannot operate as a free-for-all.
Interesting and both those bloggers lied about being paid when directly asked – what nice people not. This is the legacy of keyster and billshitter – they are directly responsible for liars like this who think they can get away with it.. Sad.
Nah, fb and google enabled these dishonest mooks and the rest of us are responsible for noticing them.
The fault is our own.
Well for me I’m less worried about influencers but I do worry about direct liars and people that deliberately deceive the public.
The bit that got me is that both bloggers had previously said that they needed to be open about being paid – and then lied about being paid.
They’re off.
https://zimnews.net/coup-reality-zimbabwe-army-ready-picture-chiwenga-deploys-army-tanks-fight/
edit: and we have a wiki page
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Zimbabwean_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat
As I said over at the open mike thread, If Mugabe still has support of the his infamous North Korean trained 5th Brigade and his Presidential Guard then things will get very interesting and if he hasn’t then it’s all over red rover unless he can talk his way out of it so he can in exile.
The other two questions are:
What’s China’s position on the coup as they have been propping up the regime so have a lot to lose and the other is,
What the position of the Commonwealth whatever way this goes?
I’ve a few other comments over at the open mike and a few links to further reading from Ian Smith’s UDI to the current events atm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRr69z-dujE&feature=youtu.be
What I found strange is the Zimbabwe Army are using the same camouflage pattern uniform of the old Rhodesian Military Forces.
Looks like China knew all about it before hand.
” The transition came just days after Zimbabwean military chief General Constantino Chiwenga visited Beijing.”
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2120091/bloodless-takeover-wont-dampen-chinese-investment
Now’s that very interesting indeed, doesn’t like other countries sticking it noses into China’s internal affairs, but is more than happy to stick it nose into Zimbabwe’s internal affairs and into other countries affairs. The Red Dragon is learning fast from the Western powers.
China’s been taking lessons from the US. Get powerful both militarily and economically and then you can do whatever the fuck you want.
We should be taking lessons from that as well and building up our own military and economy. That’s going to mean developing and producing our own weapons of war and diversifying our economy so that we’re no longer dependent upon imports.
It is not viable for us to maintain the belief that the world is all nice and that no one would attack us:
Seems like this is more of a struggle between factions in the ruling party than an attempt to overthrow Mugabe.
It also seems like that Mugabe is closer to death than we think.
We shall see anyway.
Yes Millsy, it appears that way for the time being atm, but how long before it last and spills over into some sort of civil war? And there is no doubt that will be some old scores to settle if goes the way of civil war.
The robots are coming to take all the jobs, the robots are coming to take all the jobs!
Turns out this narrative started already more than 50 years ago in 1960.
http://bilbo.economicoutlook.net/blog/?p=37361
I see I might have replied this to comment #4.
Yep. It’s a concern as to how we handle ever increasing automation but the automation itself should be seen as a positive. Automating a job out of existence or just increasing productivity so that fewer people are required to do the same job should be seen as a success as it allows the economy to develop in other ways if the support is there for it to do so. like that article says:
Doing that, though, does require removing the ability of the private banks to create money. It also needs the acceptance that it is government spending that is the driver of the economy.
“Doing that, though, does require removing the ability of the private banks to create money”
Not at all, it didn’t require this in the 60’s when this issue was largely sensibly addressed and it doesn’t today (in fact its even easier since the end of the Bretton Woods agreement). All that is needed is for the government to get a grip on its economic ideology and stop believing unemployment is unavoidable and necessary.
It would help to achieve this if commentary frequently pointed out that the unemployment rate is always able to be reduced by the government, as long as it wants that outcome.
And which came to an end in the 1970s because of massive amounts of stagflation seemingly caused by too much money being created but then put only into shares rather than productive use. Same as today’s housing bubble in fact.
It would be nice if the governments of the world realised that the Bretton Woods Agreement had come to an end when the US unilaterally dropped the Gold Standard in 1971. And that with them doing so the world no longer had a Reserve Currency.
The inflation in the 1970’s came about because of OPEC’s politically motivated Oil price hikes. Your explanation is basically an extension of monetarism, but this theory was entirely bankrupt at its inception. Inflation is simply not correlated with the money supply in the way implied there.
That was certainly part of it but the problems started back in the 1960s.
There’s some logic behind it. If we paid everyone a million per week we wouldn’t all suddenly be able to afford new yachts and houses – the prices would adjust for the new normal.
We don’t see the printing of money having a correlation in general prices. But what we do see is price bubbles in sharemarkets and housing as those who can, and do, grab all the new money for themselves. Those people are few and don’t spend any more per week on their groceries as everyone else and so we see general price stability while the poor are priced out of housing and become poorer and poorer as the house owners put the rental up to get higher returns from people who aren’t getting any of that new money.
“There’s some logic behind it.”
No matter how much logic is behind it you still need to demonstrate this is how the world actually functions for any scientific theory to be acceptable. That is totally missing from this example, though you did provide a little contrary evidence “We don’t see the printing of money having a correlation in general prices”.
There is also a significant problem with the direction of causation which you could get out, because if (for whatever reason) prices are raised on purchased goods then we know for certain that the money supply will have adjusted already to make those purchases.
There is strong evidence that excessive money printing has inflationary effects but it’s mostly in house and share prices. The reason why we’re not seeing general price increases from all the massive creation of money is because the money isn’t going to the majority of people.
But that massive increase in small areas of the market (market bubbles) is most definitely increasing poverty for those that don’t have access to that massive money increase.
If all else remains the same then the amount of money would make no difference as the price would be relative.
The problem is that the way the system is only a few people have access to the massive printing machines. And only a few more have direct access to the money created. These few can push high inflation in a couple of small areas and say that things are going well while the majority of people, glad that general inflation is low, become poorer as housing is pushed out of their reach and the ability to innovate is removed from them as they no longer have access to the resources necessary because a few people are very very rich from controlling the money supply.
“If all else remains the same then the amount of money would make no difference as the price would be relative.”
Clearly when I said that for some reason there was an increase in prices we are no longer discussing a situation where all else remains the same. and relative to what?
There is a much better correlation between inflation and capacity utilization rates rather than looking at the money supply changes.
http://neweconomicperspectives.org/2016/04/money-banking-part-11-inflation.html
“One may doubt that the causality goes from M to P given the strong assumptions required for that to be the case.”
e.g Do you actually believe in these rational economic units ?
Most ‘Wealth’ Isn’t the Result of Hard Work. It Has Been Accumulated by Being Idle and Unproductive.
That money was created by the private banks. Do you think that such a huge increase in prices would have been viable without that?
There’s two points:
1. An increase in the amount of money available will prices up
2. Because the distribution of the new money is constrained to only a few you see specific inflation (i.e, house price increases) rather than general inflation (an increase in the CPI).
We are seeing inflation from an excess of money creation and that money creation is from the private banks, ergo, we need to stop the private banks from creating money.
And I’ve been saying for a long time that the assumptions that underlie modern economics are bunk.
“An increase in the amount of money available will prices up”
Of course when prices go up there is (typically) an increase in the amount of money available. The same goes for incomes when they go up too. Unless you have a good argument for the causality going both directions this doesn’t explain anything causally.
On the other hand I think if some banks had been failing to make various payments that would be called a financial crisis. Probably won’t see the RBNZ causing any of those.
So which is it?
Does an increase in money result in higher prices or not? I’m saying it does and seem to be saying both.
Its the one you just quoted, definitely. Thats what banks create money on demand means.
I’m not saying both I’m saying an increase in money can’t be demonstrated to *cause* an increase in prices. But causality definitely happens in the other direction.
Except that I’ve linked to a couple of pieces that shows that it does cause increases in house and share prices. This limited range of those price increases seems to be because of the limited number of people the new money is going to.
Your links make no arguments about the *cause* of the house price increases.
You also said,
“And I’ve been saying for a long time that the assumptions that underlie modern economics are bunk.”
but you continue to defend one of the most central assumptions of mainstream economics. You need to produce evidence (or at least an argument) that changes in M are causing changes in P for this to be anything more than an assumption.
On the other hand we can see every time somebody makes purchases on their credit card (or based on other forms of lending) how changes in P are causing changes in M.
The key distinction between your claim and mine being if P will increase as M increases *even in the absence of changes in demand*, which would be consistent with changes in M causing changes in P. I don’t think that can be demonstrated. On the other hand some of the more recent changes in the economy have seen higher demand for houses and shares and that appears to have driven those prices up.
The key distinction between your claim and mine being if P will increase as M increases *even in the absence of changes in demand*, which would be consistent with changes in M causing changes in P. I don’t think that can be demonstrated.
I think what can be demonstrated is that some special prices are rising greater than the rise in demand and that those special prices are rising because of the banks ability to create money. The rise in prices also allows the banks to create more money as speculators bank on the unearned income available from house and price shares increasing.
Effectively, we have an inflationary spiral fuelled by the banks ability to create money.
Will the rent increases that come about because of National’s increase in Accommodation Supplement be because of increased demand or because of the expectation of more money being available?
“Will the rent increases that come about because of National’s increase in Accommodation Supplement be because of increased demand or because of the expectation of more money being available?”
If the government buys accomodation supplement that is an anticipated increase in demand, obviously.