Daily Review 15/12/2016
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5:30 pm, December 15th, 2016 - 93 comments
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- National is falling apart
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Jesse Whitehead, University of Waikato; Kate C. Prickett, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington, and Polly Atatoa Carr, University of Waikato Reports of potentially higher rates of vaccine hesitancy among Māori and Pacific populations have seen the government target COVID-19 vaccine and information campaigns at those communities. ...2 weeks ago- This is what institutional racism looks like
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- EU and UK FTAs top of list for first ministerial trip since COVID-19Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor today announced details of his planned visit to the United Kingdom and European Union next week, where he will hold trade and agriculture discussions to further New Zealand’s economic recovery from COVID-19. The visit will add political weight to ongoing negotiations with both the EU ...2 days ago
- Arihia Bennett to chair Royal Commission Ministerial Advisory GroupTe Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu chief executive Arihia Bennett MNZM has been appointed chair of the newly appointed Ministerial Advisory Group on the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch mosques. “Twenty-eight people from diverse backgrounds across Aotearoa have been selected for the ...2 days ago
- Speech to the New Zealand Medical Association General Practitioners' Conference, RotoruaKi ngā pou maha o te whare hauora o Aotearoa, kei te mihiTo the pillars of our health system I acknowledge/thank you Ki te ope hapai hauora o roto o tēnei rūma, kei te mihi To our health force here in the room today, I acknowledge/thank you He taura tangata, ...3 days ago
- Karangahape Road upgrades are streets aheadThe upgrades to Karangahape Road makes the iconic street more pedestrian and cycle-friendly, attractive and environmentally sustainable, Transport Minister Michael Wood and Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said at the formal celebration of the completion of the Karangahape Road Enhancements project. The project included widening footpaths supporting a better outdoor dining ...3 days ago
- Speech to APEC business eventE ngā tumu herenga waka, ākina ā ngaru, ākina ā tai ka whakatere ngā waka ki te whakapapa pounamu, otirā, ki Tamaki o ngā waka Tena koutou katoa… To the great leaders assembled, who guided your waka through turbulent times, challenging waters and you continue to navigate your respective waka ...4 days ago
- Pause on Quarantine Free Travel with Victoria extendedFollowing an assessment of the COVID-19 outbreak in greater Melbourne, New Zealand’s Quarantine Free Travel pause with Victoria will continue for a further seven days, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says. There are now 93 cases associated with the outbreak in greater Melbourne, spread over four clusters. Contact tracing efforts ...4 days ago
- Supplier Diversity Aotearoa Summit: Navigate 2021*** Check with delivery *** A mihi to all who have contributed to making today a success – starting with you! As you have explored and navigated government procurement today you will hopefully have reflected on the journey of our people so far – and how you can make a ...4 days ago
- Pukemiro School to closePukemiro Primary School near Huntly will close following years of declining roll numbers, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. “I’ve consulted with the School Commissioner, and this decision acknowledges the fact that the few remaining students from last term are now settled at other nearby schools. “I want to thank ...4 days ago
- Govt acts to protect NZers from harmful contentNew Zealanders will be better protected from harmful or illegal content as a result of work to design a modern, flexible and coherent regulatory framework, Minister of Internal Affairs Jan Tinetti announced today. New Zealand currently has a content regulatory system that is comprised of six different arrangements covering some ...4 days ago
- Consultation on exemption of new builds from proposed tax rulesThe Government has today confirmed new builds will be exempt from planned changes to the tax treatment of residential investment property. Public consultation is now open on details of the proposals, which stop interest deductions being claimed for residential investment properties other than new builds. “The Government’s goal is to ...4 days ago
- Speech for Predator Free 2050 ConferenceIntroduction E ngā mana E ngā reo E ngā iwi Tēnā koutou katoa Ka huri ki ngā mana whenua o te rohe nei. Tēnā koutou He mihi hoki ki a tatou kua tau mai nei i raro i te kaupapa o te rā Ko Ayesha Verrall toku ingoa No ...4 days ago
- New stock exchange to help grow small businessesA new share trading market, designed as a gateway to the NZX for small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), has been granted a licence by the Government. Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister, David Clark said Catalist Markets Ltd will provide a simpler and more affordable ‘stepping stone’ for SMEs to raise capital. “This ...4 days ago
- Visa extensions provide certainty to employers and 10,000 visa holdersChanges to onshore visas will provide employers and visa holders with more certainty, Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi has announced. Around 10,000 Working Holiday visas and Supplementary Seasonal Employment (SSE) work visas due to expire between 21 June 2021 and 31 December 2021 will be extended for another six months to ...4 days ago
- Border class exceptions approved for more farm workers and vetsThe Government has approved border class exceptions for an additional 200 dairy workers and 50 veterinarians to enter New Zealand, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced today. “It is clear from conversations with the dairy and veterinarian sectors that they are facing workforce pressures. These border exceptions will go a long ...4 days ago
- More freezers and South Island hub to support vaccine roll-outA South Island hub and 17 new ultra-low temperature freezers will help further prepare New Zealand for the ramp up of the vaccination programme in the second half of this year, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says. The new freezers arrived in New Zealand on 27 May. They’re currently being ...5 days ago
- Speech at the release of Climate Change Commission's final adviceGood morning – and thank you Prime Minister. Over the last three and half years we have been putting in place the foundations for a low-carbon Aotearoa that will be a catalyst for job creation, innovation, and prosperity for decades to come. In that future, many of our everyday tasks ...5 days ago
- Achievable blueprint for addressing climate change releasedReport says Government making good progress on emissions reduction, but more action required Meeting climate targets achievable and affordable with existing technology Economic cost of delaying action higher than taking action now Benefits from climate action include health improvements and lower energy bills All Ministers to help meet climate targets ...5 days ago
- Speech to release of Climate Commission final reportA few years ago in a speech in Auckland, I compared climate change to the nuclear free movement of roughly four decades ago. And I did so for a few reasons. Firstly, because the movement of the 1980s represented a life or death situation for the Pacific, and so does ...5 days ago
- Appointment of Judge of the High CourtAuckland Barrister Michael Robinson has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today. Justice Robinson graduated with a BA and an LLB (Hons) from the University of Auckland in 1996, and commenced practice as a solicitor with Brookfields in Auckland. In 1998 he travelled to London ...5 days ago
- Government takes action to improve protections for subcontractorsThe Construction Contracts (Retention Money) Amendment Bill – which provides greater financial protection for subcontractors, has passed its first reading today. The Bill amends the retention provisions in the Construction Contracts Act 2002 (CCA) to provide increased confidence and transparency for subcontractors that retention money they are owed is safe. ...6 days ago
- 1 million more Pfizer doses to arrive in JulyPfizer has scheduled delivery of an estimated 1 million doses of vaccine to New Zealand during July, COVID1-9 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “These consignments will double the total number of Pfizer doses we have received this year to more than 1,900,000 – enough to fully vaccinate almost 1 ...6 days ago
- Long-term home of the Independent Children’s Monitor identifiedThe Independent Children’s Monitor (Te Mana Whakamaru Tamariki Motuhake), which is currently located within the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), will become its own departmental agency within Government. “Following the recommendations of several reviews, Cabinet agreed in 2019 to build a significantly expanded independent monitor for children in care,” Carmel ...6 days ago
- Racing Integrity Board members announcedThe new Racing Integrity Board will be up and running from July 1 to ensure high standards of animal welfare, integrity and professionalism in the racing industry. Racing Minister Grant Robertson today announced the appointments to the new Board: Sir Bruce Robertson KNZM – Chair Kristy McDonald ONZM QC Penelope ...6 days ago
- Govt crackdown on organised crime continuesA major operation against multiple organised crime groups with international links will make a significant dent in drug harm and violent offending linked to organised crime networks, Police Minister Poto Williams says. “I want to take an opportunity to congratulate the Police for their role in Operation Trojan Shield. This ...6 days ago
- Farm planning framework supports farmers into the futureA new framework, agreed between Government and industry, will make it easier for farmers and growers to integrate future greenhouse gas emissions and freshwater regulatory requirements into their farm planning, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said. “The Good Farm Planning Principles Guide out today, provides guidance for how farmers can organise ...6 days ago
- Enhanced Task Force Green Approved for CanterburyThe Government has activated Enhanced Taskforce Green (ETFG) in response to the Canterbury floods. The Minister of Social Development and Employment, Hon Carmel Sepuloni says $500,000 will be made available to help with the clean-up. The flooding in Canterbury has been a significant and adverse event damaging farmland, homes, roads ...6 days ago
- Connecting rangatahi to the soilA Jobs for Nature project to raise 480,000 native plants in nurseries across South Auckland will provide work for communities disproportionately affected by the economic impacts of COVID-19, Acting Conservation Minister Ayesha Verrall says. The Mana in Kaimahi project is being run by Te Whāngai Trust Board and will establish ...6 days ago
- Roll out of high-resolution elevation mapping beginsThe first tranche of mapping data from the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF)-LiDAR project is now available to the public from Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand. LiDAR data, which creates 3D baseline elevation information, will deliver multiple uses over the coming decades to councils and regional industries. “This mapping ...7 days ago
- Champions of Pacific education rewarded in Queen’s Birthday HonoursMinister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio said the Queen’s Birthday 2021 Honours list show that across Aotearoa New Zealand there were many champions of Pacific education. “Education is so vital to the success of Pacific people that it’s truly fitting that a number of educators have been honoured this ...1 week ago
- PM congratulates Queen’s Birthday Honours recipientsPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern has added her congratulations to the New Zealanders recognised for their contributions to their communities and the country in the Queen’s Birthday 2021 Honours List. “This group represents decades of services across many areas, and those honoured highlight how many New Zealanders are going above and ...1 week ago
- Change of status for Rangiriri kuraA change of status for Te Kura o Rangiriri sees it become a designated character school within the Māori-medium network, Associate Minister of Education Kelvin Davis announced today. “This kura has been providing Māori immersion learning since 2003 in the historic town of Rangiriri, so I’m delighted that it is ...1 week ago
- APEC trade ministers’ unite on COVID-19 vaccine steps and rejuvenating the WTOAPEC trade ministers today committed to speeding up the cross-border flow of vaccines and related goods to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. This followed the completion of the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting chaired by Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor early this morning. “As we face the ...1 week ago
- Further consultation for Melville schoolsFormal consultation is set to begin on specific options for the future of schooling in South West Hamilton, Education Minister Chris Hipkins says. “Recent engagement has shown that the schools and community want a change to Year 7-13 schooling for the area. “I am now asking the Boards of Melville ...1 week ago
- Primary schoolkids dig trees for Arbor DayA new Arbor Day initiative announced by Forestry Minister Stuart Nash will see thousands of primary school children get the chance to plant native trees in their communities. The initiative is open to more than 2,400 primary schools. It is a partnership between Te Uru Rākau/NZ Forest Service and the ...1 week ago
- NZ Upgrade Programme kept on trackThe Government is increasing its investment in the New Zealand Upgrade Programme (NZUP) to support New Zealand’s economic recovery. Over two thirds of the projects will proceed as announced despite increased costs due to COVID, with modifications being made to others. “NZUP is already supporting over 1,000 jobs with 13 ...1 week ago
- International Migration: April 2021 – Infoshare Tables
International migration statistics give the latest outcomes-based measure of migration, which includes estimates of migrants entering or leaving New Zealand. Key facts The comparisons between the April 2021 and 2020 months and years use the latest provisional ...38 mins ago - A glossary of New Zealand gossip
Gossip Week: Need a refresher on the who, what and why of local gossip? We’re here to help. All week The Spinoff is taking a look at the role of gossip in Aotearoa’s past, present and future – read our Gossip Week content here. Ali Mau In the late 2000s, broadcaster Ali ...52 mins ago - Housing tax rules: Govt urged to delay bringing in new legislation
A tax expert says the law should come into force at the start of April next year - six months later than it is due to come into effect. ...2 hours ago - More, faster: How NZ Post is learning, growing and evolvingAfter a year like no other, NZ Post is preparing to move its brand firmly into the future. Russell Brown met a few of the organisation’s key decision makers to find out how and why.This content was created in paid partnership with NZ Post. It might seem like stating the ...2 hours ago
- New Zealand Walking Summit – 25 – 25 June 2021We are pleased to let you know that the programme for our third New Zealand Walking Summit to be held in Wellington on 24 – 25 June 2021 is online. The Summit will focus on some of the key issues for 2021 and beyond, including the Climate Change ...3 hours ago
- Do aliens exist? We asked five experts
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Noor Gillani, Deputy Editor, Science and Technology Shutterstock Speculation has been rife about the contents of an unclassified report set to be released later this month from the Pentagon’s Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) task force. The document, expected to ...3 hours ago - Forget Charles — an Australian republic hinges on the model we adopt, not the monarchSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin T. Jones, Lecturer in History, CQUniversity Australia Mark Marlow/ EPA/AAP Today, many Australians are enjoying a public holiday. For republicans, days off are great, but celebrating the queen’s birthday rather than an Australian achievement is bizarre. Without constitutional change, ...3 hours ago
- Is it worth selling my house if I’m going into aged care?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Colin Zhang, Lecturer, Department of Actuarial Studies and Business Analytics, Macquarie University Shutterstock For senior Australians who cannot live independently at home, residential aged care can provide accommodation, personal care and general health care. People usually think this is expensive. ...3 hours ago
- Even without new fossil fuel projects, global warming will still exceed 1.5℃. But renewables might...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sven Teske, Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney Shutterstock The International Energy Agency (IEA) last month made global headlines when it declared there is no room for new fossil fuel investment if we’re to avoid catastrophic ...3 hours ago
- From 13 unis to 1: why Australia needs to reverse the loss of South Asian studiesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Craig Jeffrey, Professor of Geography, The University of Melbourne Wikipedia South Asia is crucial to the future of Australia. But Australia has just one (small) program focused on South Asian studies across its many universities. This has not always been ...3 hours ago
- Can Bitcoin become a real currency? Here’s what’s wrong with El Salvador’s crypto planSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society and NATSEM, University of Canberra Salvador Melendez/AP Nayib Bukele, president of El Salvador, has got himself a pair of laser eyes – on his Twitter profile at least. ...3 hours ago
- Book review: Farmers or Hunter-gatherers? The Dark Emu Debate rigorously critiques Bruce Pascoe’s ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christine Judith Nicholls, Honorary Senior Lecturer, ANU, Australian National University Reconstruction of traditional dwelling, Lake Condah, 2020. Photo: Peter Sutton Eminent Australian anthropologist Peter Sutton and respected field archaeologist Keryn Walshe have co-authored a meticulously researched new book, Farmers or Hunter-gatherers? ...3 hours ago
- Live updates, June 14: ‘Very soon’ – PM not involved in mosque attack movie, but won’t sign ...Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for June 14, bringing you the latest news updated throughout the day. Get in touch at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz 7.55am: ‘Very soon’ – PM not involved in mosque attack movie, but won’t sign petition ...3 hours ago
- The Bulletin: Emissions levy or new tax by stealth?Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: A rebate scheme for electric vehicles has been labelled a ‘new tax’ by the Opposition, the backlash to a film about the Christchurch mosque attack continues, and concern Melbourne’s Covid outbreak could still get worse. ...4 hours ago
- Ban Live Exports International Awareness Day Marred As Live Export Ships Make Their Way To AotearoaToday for Ban Live Exports International Awareness Day, people around the world are pressuring their governments to end the live export trade. While the export of livestock by sea is ending in Aotearoa, the Government has yet to announce the date ...5 hours ago
- Inflation fears stall markets worldwide
Business & Investing: Investors' nerves over inflation risks hold many markets flat, Plus NZ GDP figures out this week ...5 hours ago - Millions mount up in public media revamp
Close to six million dollars is being spent this year on designing the future of Radio NZ and TVNZ and the culture ministry is staffing up with contractors to advance the project ...5 hours ago - Rehoming greyhounds no sure bet for animal welfare issues
Greyhound ‘rehoming’ has become a critical component of the racing industry’s social licence, but what we don't know is how poorly equipped many ex-racing greyhounds are to cope with the expectations placed on them as pets Negative reports of greyhound racing in New Zealand have prompted Sport and Racing Minister Grant Robertson to launch a review into ...6 hours ago - Newsroom daily crossword, Monday 14 June
...6 hours ago - Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 14 June
Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. ...6 hours ago - A brief history of Lorde, Tayi and Dylan (Thomas)
A definitive and sometimes desperate top 10 listicle of New Zealand authors who have in some which way crossed over into popular music 1. Tayi Tibble. The world woke up on Friday morning to the freshly dropped music video Solar Power, the first new song from Lorde in three years ...6 hours ago - Kamo Black Sticks factory turns out a bright new star
Just 19, Katie Doar has grabbed the attention of the hockey world with her silky skills, and is on her way to her first Olympics in Tokyo alongside her childhood idol, Stacey Michelsen. The latest Olympian to come out of Kamo’s Black Sticks factory, Katie Doar is already a bit of a legend. To ...6 hours ago - Newsroom's daily sudoku, Monday 14 June
...6 hours ago - NZ on track for predator-free targets
A new report is giving hope to conservationists hoping to stem New Zealand's biodiversity crisis It’s been five years since the Government launched its ambitious goal of ridding the country of rats, possums, and mustelids by 2050. The programme aimed to move from piecemeal local projects to a strategic nationwide ...6 hours ago - Sir Russell Coutts’ water take goes to hearing
An English aristocrat, worth more than $1 billion, is among the opponents of a high-profile water consent. David Williams reports The battle over a water-take consent involving yachting great Sir Russell Coutts enters a critical phase this week. An Otago Regional Council hearing starts tomorrow in Queenstown to consider whether ...6 hours ago - Stop Labour’s Car Tax: New Campaign Launching 14 JuneThe Taxpayers’ Union is set to launch a new campaign to stop Labour’s unfair, uneconomic, and unenvironmental tax scheme on family cars and utes to fund electric vehicles and the wealthy elite for zero environmental benefit. The campaign’s petition, ...6 hours ago
- Why we’re talking about gossip all week on The SpinoffFeatures editor Alex Casey introduces Gossip Week, a week-long content series exploring the role of gossip in Aotearoa’s past, present and future. “Gossip is a plague worse than Covid. Worse. Let’s make a big effort: no gossiping!” – Pope Francis, 2020A thousand apologies to this Pope, but all week long The ...6 hours ago
- Police alcohol advice amounts to victim blaming, say criticsWhile women push back against victim-blaming narratives, NZ Police promote outdated and harmful alcohol messaging. New Zealand has come a long way since a university suggested women wear running shoes and carry whistles to evade rapists in 2014. It’s been more than a decade since the Louise Nicholas case, which sparked a ...6 hours ago
- The cycling debate is not about lycra. It’s about powerLabelling cyclists as ‘rats’ and ‘cockroaches’ is giving environmental sociologist and cycleway user Kirsty Wild deja vu.When white men start using a bike, I often think they experience a sort of status shock. They see what marginalisation feels like: the dehumanisation, the fear, the threat of violence. If you ride ...6 hours ago
- The green move that cuts deep
Moves to protect New Zealand's biodiversity have West Coast farmers feeling under attack as they're dictated to over what they can do with their land. Are they carrying the can for the rest of us? Katie Milne looks over eight hectares of precious native forest from her lounge room on ...6 hours ago - Slow medicinal cannabis growth dims investor excitement
After bullish enthusiasm for medicinal cannabis stocks, expectations lower for the sunrise industry. ...6 hours ago - Government lagging on review of proactive releases
Transparency assessment and one-stop-shop are more than 18 months behind schedule. ...6 hours ago - Govt imposes a bugger of a levy on new diesel and petrol utes
New clean car scheme will raise more in levies from New Zealanders who buy petrol and diesel cars than it will pay out in subsidies for electric vehicles. Bugger! Kiwis who buy a Toyota Hilux or Ford Ranger or other petrol and diesel vehicles next year are projected to pay $125 to ...6 hours ago - The future is 15-minute neighbourhoods not $150m ghost airports
Fifteen-minute neighbourhoods can be great places to live, testing our will to solve the housing crisis ahead of developing transport infrastructure for the wealthy. ...6 hours ago - The Masked Singer NZ finale: Give it a hoon, broWas it Sheep, Tuatara or Medusa who was unmasked as the winner of tonight’s grand final? Tara Ward recaps the action. All good things must come to an end, including the most bonkers show on television. After six weeks of astonishing costumes and surprising celebrities, tonight the final three masked ...15 hours ago
- Rebate scheme announced for buyers of new and used electric and hybrid vehiclesBuyers of new electric and hybrid vehicles will be eligible for government rebates of up to $8625, in a scheme announced today. ...1 day ago
- Mobility scooter seizure, verdicts of insanity and waka jumping before ParliamentThe House: Non-government bills changing laws around mobility device seizures, the wording of verdicts for insane offenders, and waka-jumping MPs have been worked on at Parliament. ...1 day ago
- A farewell to Brokenwood detective Sam Breen, from the man who plays himNic Sampson has played beloved detective constable Sam Breen on The Brokenwood Mysteries for seven seasons, but it’s time to say goodbye.Due to a little incident called the global pandemic, I had to leave The Brokenwood Mysteries this season for the green pastures of my new home in the UK. ...1 day ago
- An ode for .. Paul Goldsmith
New Zealand's demi-official poet laureate Victor Billot composes an ode for National's colonial affairs spokesman Paul Goldsmith The Best of All Possible Worlds When I was quite young and small for my size I met this strange fellow who gave me a surprise. He popped up ...1 day ago - The 'grandfather' of Wellington's homeless
*Content warning: this article discusses themes of sexual assault* Koro is one of the hundreds of homeless people living on the street of Wellington. What can the populace learn from his story? Federico Magrin spends some time with him. It’s dusk of an autumnal day in Wellington. The harbour ...1 day ago - Newsroom daily quiz, Sunday 13 June
Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. ...1 day ago - Newsroom's daily sudoku, Sunday 13 June
...1 day ago - Newsroom daily crossword, Sunday 13 June
...1 day ago - The Sunday Essay: What it means to miss Hong KongOn leaving one home for another, and lamenting a loss. By Sharon Lam. The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New ZealandOriginal illustrations by Renée Jacobi.I have left Hong Kong many times. The day of departure was always the same, arriving at the check-in counter praying ...1 day ago
- Drag Race Down Under power rankings: Welcome to the talent-free talent showThis week’s episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under yanks a challenge from All Stars, with middling results.It may not always have been clear from my recaps, but I’ve generally enjoyed this season of Drag Race. Putting aside the issues with casting, this has been a refreshing set of queens ...2 days ago
- Not enough GPs: Our Health Minister is on the case but we will have to wait to hear what he intends...
The latest Beehive news of most interest to business people is the detail of Trade Minister Damien O’Connor’s trip to London, Paris and Brussels to try to hasten progress on free trade negotiations. But the matter of concern to everybody – at least, it’s a matter that is likely to ...2 days ago - The story of March 15 needs to be told on the big screen. But not like thisA film on the Christchurch mosque attacks that has Jacinda at its centre is not the film the moment demands. The director and producers have the skills to make the right movie. The question is whether or not they have the courage to do it, writes Anjum Rahman.The director and ...2 days ago
- Review: Netflix’s Sweet Tooth is a slower, gentler sort of apocalypse thrillerThe New Zealand-shot show about a hybrid-human child journeying through a post-pandemic world hits some familiar plot beats – but its optimistic sweetness is all its own, writes Casey Lucas.The first responses to the trailer for new Netflix series Sweet Tooth often tended to include a dubious note: Do we ...2 days ago
- Hey Boba, Hi tea: A comic explainer on the joy of bubble teaDon’t know your 50% sugar hazelnut milk teas from your double Oreo cake cream with cheese foam? Liliana Mañetto Quick takes us on a tour of the wonderful world of bubble tea with a love letter to Wellington’s Hi Tea. ...2 days ago
- Learning to live by the maramataka: Pipiri – Māori New YearNau mai haere ki ngā whetū o te tau hou, kia Matariki me Pūanga. Click here to learn how to set the maramataka dial, and you’re on your way to setting the New Year dates!The bright tohu stars Matariki (Pleiades) and Pūanga (Rigel) will soon rise to indicate the New ...2 days ago
- Short story: The flying rats, by Michaela Keeble
"This must be how it feels to play professional sport": a story of colonialism and netball by Wellington writer Michaela Keeble We play netball every Wednesday in the lower grades of Wellington’s lunchtime league. We have a name but no team uniform, unless you count saggy leggings and stained t-shirts ...2 days ago - Newsroom's daily sudoku, Saturday 12 June
...2 days ago - Newsroom daily quiz, Saturday 12 June
Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. ...2 days ago - Universities must 'indigenise' to meet Māori agendas
The University of Auckland's Te Kawehau Hoskins writes on the challenge faced by universities to ‘indigenise’ in order to be relevant for contemporary Māori agendas Our people have always valued higher learning and operated sophisticated systems of formal learning prior to, and beyond contact with the outside world. Māori were keenly ...2 days ago - Newsroom daily crossword, Saturday 12 June
...2 days ago - How Heath Franklin became ChopperThe Australian comedy character has been a mainstay of New Zealand screens and stages for more than a decade – but who is the man under the mo’? Alex Casey meets him. We haven’t even started the interview and he’s already said he will throw my phone in a nearby cup ...2 days ago
- Mr O'Connor goes to London (and Brussels)
Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O'Connor is about to make the first overseas trip by a minister since the Covid-19 pandemic - will his effort be justified by gains in free trade talks with the UK and EU? Let it not be said that Damien O’Connor is unwilling to ...2 days ago - 51 new covid cases confirmed in Fiji with fast-growing Nadi clusterRNZ Pacific Fifty-one cases of covid-19 have been confirmed in Fiji tonight, with 35 of them from the fastest-growing cluster at Nadi. This takes the total number of infections since the outbreak started in April to 900, with 684 active cases currently in isolation. The Health Ministry said two cases ...3 days ago
- Former USP academic and author of Fiji coup books Robbie Robertson diesPacific Media Watch newsdesk Retired politics professor and historian Robert “Robbie” Robertson, 69, co-author of the book Shattered Coups about the 1987 coups led by then Lieutenant-Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka, has died in Melbourne, his family has confirmed. Dr Robertson wrote the book with his partner Akosita Tamanisau, then a Fiji ...3 days ago
- ‘It gives us nightmares,’ says PNG police officer dealing with domestic violenceAsia Pacific Report newsdesk “We take the pain and problems of victims home and it gives us nightmares many times.” A police woman serving at the Family Sexual Violence Unit (FSVU) of the Papua New Guinea’s Waigani police station in the capital Port Moresby has shared her experience of how ...3 days ago
- Five police officers among 39 new covid cases in Fiji as strategy unveiledBy Lice Movono, RNZ Pacific correspondent in Suva Five police officers are among 39 new cases of covid-19 in Fiji while the government announced late last night that 32 of the latest cases are from existing clusters. Another 11 cases were reported from the country’s main hospital in the capital ...3 days ago
- Media Council condemns ‘mob rule’ to intimidate female students, media at UPNGPacific Media Watch newsdesk The Media Council of Papua New Guinea has condemned an attack by male students at the University of Papua New Guinea on a media team covering a protest staged by female students on Tuesday, reports the PNG Post-Courier. The council said that the actions of these ...3 days ago
- Protect women accused of ‘sorcery’ and punish attackers, watchdog tells PNGAsia Pacific Report newsdesk The Papua New Guinean government should protect women accused of practicing “sorcery” from violence and hold the attackers to account, says the advocacy group Human Rights Watch. At least five women have been attacked in the past three months since March 2021 — one of whom ...3 days ago
- 97% of Indigenous people report seeing negative social media content weekly. Here’s how platforms ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Kennedy, Senior Lecturer In Indigenous Studies, Macquarie University Bullying and harassment are having devastating effects on young Indigenous people and their communities. Getty images Social media offers many benefits to Indigenous peoples, such as ways to establish and navigate identity, build ...3 days ago
- Do vegan diets make kids shorter and weaker?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Evangeline Mantzioris, Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of South Australia Shutterstock Research Checks interrogate newly published studies and how they’re reported in the media. The analysis is undertaken by one or more academics not involved with the ...3 days ago
- Bryce Edwards: Reforming the Official Information Act is a democratic test for LabourOpinion - Labour has stalled on its promise to rewrite the Official Information Act, a vital piece of machinery for democracy that is in terrible disrepair, Bryce Edwards writes. ...3 days ago
- 97% of Indigenous people report seeing negative content weekly. Here’s how platforms can helpSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Kennedy, Senior Lecturer In Indigenous Studies, Macquarie University Bullying and harassment are having devastating effects on young Indigenous people and their communities. Getty images Social media offers many benefits to Indigenous peoples, such as ways to establish and navigate identity, build ...3 days ago
- Don't worry, NZ won't run out of vaccines next week
The saga of Matthew Hooton's latest NZ Herald column shows the trouble caused by poor fact-checking in Government and media alike, Marc Daalder writes On Thursday morning, the New Zealand Herald published a bombshell claim that Government data indicated the country was on the verge of running out of Covid-19 vaccines. No one was ...3 days ago - VIDEO: Michelle Grattan on the G7 summit and the Biloela Tamil familySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra University of Canberra Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan and University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Paddy Nixon discuss the week in politics. This week Michelle and Paddy discuss the G7 summit which is set to ...3 days ago
- Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is the most fun PS5 game yetGaming’s favourite furry-and-robot duo roars back into action with one of the best looking video games of all time, writes Sam Brooks.One of the saddest pivots in the last generation of gaming has been the slow move from gorgeous, family-friendly platformers towards action-oriented shoot-em-ups. There is pure joy to the ...3 days ago
- Matt Canavan suggested the cold snap means global warming isn’t real. We bust this and 2 other cli...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nerilie Abram, Professor; ARC Future Fellow; Chief Investigator for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes; Deputy Director for the Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, Australian National University Steven Saphore/AAP Senator Matt Canavan sent many eyeballs rolling yesterday ...3 days ago
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Great news – we are all going to get some of our tax $$ back.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11767791
Did you get a free education?
Pull the ladder up after you?
Ever take a loan, then tell the lender to **** off?
How do you think that works out?
Bloody good job – I hope they go after them all as hard as possible.
All they have to do is make their loan payments like everybody else. Now – just like the real world – they are seeing there are consequences for their (lack of) action and dishonesty.
Yep.
Fine. It’s why we have laws for defaulting.
Except for the fact that they can’t afford to. That’s the real point here. The government is demanding that these people do something that they can’t afford.
Would these kiwis be living in Oz if they didn’t have a job? bludging fuckers need to pay back the money they stole from the taxpayer.
I hope they nail their arses to the wall.
You Tories are so angry.
Paul, these people have stolen from the collective, if you’re any sort of socialist you’d be appalled at their flagrant dishonesty and be demanding they pay the money back.
So what is this?…. a new found respect for socialism / the collective ?
Very impressed with the use of the word collective. Very impressed.
So building on that idea I say we should now be released to take the former Business Roundtable (now the New Zealand Institute ) to court for charges of social malfeasance , obtaining pecuniary advantage ,and treason.
Additionally , we can also charge the neo liberal leaders of the last 32 years retrospectively with the same criminal charges with the added charges of collusion and being complicit in a crime.
There.
That would solve the issue of those stealing from the collective.
Well done , BM , thank you very much for your input.
“So building on that idea I say we should now be released to take the former Business Roundtable (now the New Zealand Institute ) to court for charges of social malfeasance , obtaining pecuniary advantage ,and treason.”
Yeah – thats a rational response to asking someone to pay their student loan.
Oh Jamsey wamsey… we dont want to be seen as having a case of ‘whats good for the goose is NOT good for the gander ‘ , do we now , dearie?
Actually – not angry at all – this makes me happy.
I hope they arrest 100’s of them at the airport after xmas holidays.
Yeah I agree…
Like Whittall who set up a company in Wellington during the Royal Commission of Inquiry called ‘ Whittall and Associates ‘ which specialized in among other things ‘ mining safety ‘….
Didnt work for a few years after that because no one would seek his services the lazy bludging bastard – and we paid for that !.
So off he went and packed his bags back to Australia without so much as a buy you or leave to budge off the Aussie’s Centrelink..
“Fine. It’s why we have laws for defaulting.”
Yep – but you guys seem to have an issue with the laws for defaulting on student loans.
“Except for the fact that they can’t afford to. That’s the real point here. The government is demanding that these people do something that they can’t afford.”
citation please?
There are plently that are just trying to get away with it – unfortunately they cause more issues for the ones with genuine problems.
So some yes – all nope.
” There are plently that are just trying to get away with it – unfortunately they cause more issues for the ones with genuine problems.”
I heartily agree !
And so to add to that and following along that line of logic,…. these govt depts that are in collusion with the National party and particularly with ex PM John Key ,…. and also the Pike River Coal Mining company who said they didn’t have any funds left to stand trial….should be taking responsibilities for their actions, reentering Pike River and being manned up enough to accept the consequences of any evidence found and of a renewed High Court trial by which a significant number would be convicted…
Stop em at the airport if they try to get away and throw the book at em , eh James? –
That’s the spirit !!!
I like what I’m hearing so far.
Keep it up.
Your logic is flawed and hysterical.
Its a pretty basic item – people who take loans need to pay them back or suffer consequences.
Nothing to do with Pike River FFS.
Ooooooooo , yes but dear Jamsey Wamsey ,… but it does…
especially in a liberal social democracy where we are all supposed to be equal under the law… or are you now changing your tune and resorting back to selectivity ?
Oh Jamsey …. Im so disappointed in you…. and here I really thought you’d started to develop a small sliver of humanity and common sense…
Oh well…. never mind…
Nope – I have been pretty consistent about accountability for actions.
Its just your argument is stupid.
Oh dearest Jamsey,… not the little philosopher , are we , dearie?
Never mind snookums,… one bright sunny day when the cognitive processes switch on past puberty , you’ll understand the correlation.
Oh sorry , dearest … correlation is a rather large word… lest say…
‘ things that look quite the same even though not quite the same circumstances’…
Oh darn ,… done it again.
Did you get a free education?
Do you pay your debts?
I benefited from a free tertiary education. I think following generations should too.
Did you? You appear reluctant to answer. I wonder why?
It is because you are only to happy to pull the ladder up after you, like Key, Hosking and Bennett ?
Actually – no I have no uni education.
My kids went to private school – which cost me a blimmin arm and a leg.
So I answered you – how about you teling me – do you pay your debts?
Of course.
Of course – yet here you are arguing that others should not.
So why not expect others to do so?
They entered into an agreement right?
They knew the terms right?
So why let them off?
See Draco’s comments about their ability to pay back. I agree with him/her on that.
I also believe in justice above the law. It was unjust that the generation after us paid for education when we did not.
Your right wing ‘consumer’ view of education I guess is exemplified by your use of private education.
You have much to learn of the benefits of a civil society, I sense.
Here’s a clue.
It’s not all about you.
Don’t be an ass, when you went to Uni in the 1950’s probably about 5% of the population went onto higher education, the rest entered the workforce.
The country could easily afford that and anyway higher educated people paid their “free” education back in spades when the top tax rate was around 60%.
I received a free education. I have always thought I should pay it back somehow. I also think that my kids and my nephews and nieces should get a free education as well. Things work better when we educate all of our kids, no matter how poor they are.
Would you be happy to see a top tax rate of 60% ms?.
Because that’s the only way we could afford free tertiary education.
Yep and we could do the same if we raised the top tax rate back up to 60%+
Thank you for your support for social inclusiveness.
“I benefited from a free tertiary education”.
Really? You disguise it very well. I would never have guessed that you had got that far.
What an unpleasant and unnecessary comment.
Diddums.
alwyn maintains his form as a highly eloquent egg.
Spaghetti and meatballs for dinner , Jamsey – go wash up now and sit up straight at the table like a good boy.
Ah, National going the punitive route rather than making things better.
It would be much better, easier and cheaper just to forgive all student debt, drop the fees, give proper Student Allowance and develop our economy so that when students are ready there’s jobs for them.
Yes, and that requires compassion and empathy, something James appear to lack.
compassion and empathy does not come into it – they took a loan, entered a contract and bolted and didnt pay it.
Thieves – and they deserve anything they get.
You see – entering an agreement and taking all the “good stuff” and not paying money for it is theft. There are consequences – its a basic concept that you seem to be lacking Paul
You RWNJs really get off when people get attacked and threatened …
Jamsey Diddums !!!
Stop that language this instance !!!
Now look , I’ve already told you about that principle… and that I agree with it. And you also know that nasty Mr Douglas and all his naughty little friends need to be hauled up before the class and given a jolly good talking to..
And yes I agree… taking money that doesn’t belong to you IS theft.
Now wipe that spaghetti from the side of your mouth , please.
And of course James you are so bloody perfect, people like you are a constant irritant – what was so wrong with a public education for your kids that you had to lose an arm and a leg to send them to a private school. Just because you didn’t avail yourself of a tertiary education after your school years doesn’t mean to say it would fail your kids. Your kids might have more sense than you. What an angry man you are. What a waste of money paying out for a private school. Kids can come back and kick you in the bum no matter what you do for then, I hope they do not disappoint you after all that investment. Happy days.
Thanks Kate for your concern. Again not angry – quite happy in life all in all.
As for the private education- it was a choice – and we are happy with it. I’m happy with the education they received. They enjoyed their school years and to me that’s worth it.
amyway – kids are happy, well rounded and contributing members of society. I’m proud of them.
It would be far better for us all if you acted to make yourself proud of our state education system as well. But I suspect you are devoid of such altruism.
“It would be much better, easier and cheaper just to forgive all student debt, drop the fees, give proper Student Allowance and develop our economy so that when students are ready there’s jobs for them.”
Hear hear!
This would apply to ALL fees…including trade training, Class 2+ driving licences etc.
As an aside…how hard would it have been to have some kind of CET arrangement with Australia so NZ student loan repayments could have been collected through the Aussie tax system? If Aus has the capacity to identify and then exclude Kiwis paying tax in Aussie from entitlement to benefits and disability supports….surely their tax computer can perform a NZ student loan repayment function.
Rosemary
You should have added as part of your plan of free tertiary education for everyone and for all course, plus forgiving all existing debt that you have just increased govt spending by about 4% of GDP, since around 70% of the population get some form of tertiary ed.
All you have to do is increase taxes. It will require personal rates to go up by 25% across the board. However presumably you don’t want bottom tax rates to increase so the top rate will need to go to 66% as it was prior to 1984..
Good luck with selling that idea.
“the top rate will need to go to 66% as it was prior to 1984..
Good luck with selling that idea.”
Don’t worry Rosemary.
I’ll buy that. After all, how much is enough?
“All you have to do is increase taxes. It will require personal rates to go up by 25% across the board. However presumably you don’t want bottom tax rates to increase so the top rate will need to go to 66% as it was prior to 1984..
Good luck with selling that idea.’
absolute bollocks…..what was the rate of GST prior to 1984 Wayne? …it might however require the enforcement of existing tax law and /or closing of a few of those convenient loopholes….IRD funding will likely need increasing as well while we are at it.
Parmjeet, is that you?
Wayne
How much did you pay to enroll for your first degree?
How much did you have to pay for accommodation and living expenses.
How much did you have to borrow from the government to pay for your university education?
You may just have known someone who trained for a trade while you were studying…law, was it? Anyway…how much did apprentices have to pay to train during the time you were studying?
Funny. don’t you think, that the loudest voices demanding today’s youth mortgage potentially their entire future to pay for their education are the privileged who got their education for free.
I firmly hope there is an especially hot zone in hell for those New Zealanders over fifty years old who do not hang their heads in shame at this betrayal of today’s youth.
You live in a fixed wee world with your own fixed wee parameters. That’s how the right present their facts. The right’s position assumes so much is unchangeable. Was Labour’s introduction of user pays in education inevitable? That’s what you’re saying and it’s not true. How about we start with the unnecessary increases in defence spend? And no doubt, true to form, you won’t say a word. That’s because what you all too often do is spray and walk away. You are a coward.
Most – if not all- of Ministry of Ed goals is to get people to leave school with Level 2 NCEA which will allow them entry into basic tertiary education.
School students are told that tertiary qualifications are the goal for success, and many of them have made that choice under that belief. Of course, others have chosen it because entry level job remuneration does not provide them with independence, it often is not enough for covering basic living costs (unless they have support – financial or otherwise).
Our universities have now become oriented around collecting student fees (domestic and international) rather than being sufficiently funded by government. Both policy changes and tax cuts have contributed to this, and let’s stay aware of the debacle of international students that is finally being told in the media.
Along with failure to support local business and local workers, our graduates find that despite following all the rules it was all a big lie. There is no work for graduates. There are limited jobs for young people at all. Housing costs and high immigration alongside an atrophy of workers rights and pay, have resulted in a work environment that will sink them further in the financial mire, at the beginning of their working life. So they head to Australia.
Their home government, despite being able to provide that loan interest free – because let’s face it – they could create that money and tax it out – instead charges an interest rate higher than some retail banks.
Let’s list it in sequence about what has happened in the last couple of decades:
1. Government has Increased student fees and removed access for many to student allowances.
2. Funding has been reduced significantly and this shortfall has been covered by the increased domestic fees charged and the large influx of international students.
3. Ministry of Education continues to lie about the security offered by tertiary education all the way through the schooling years, then issues loans under that fallacy to many students that have no other method of meeting the increased financial costs,
4. Meanwhile, workers rights and housing access continues to worsen, while the economy is reduced to disaster payments and inflated housing and polluting industries,
5. Graduates discover that tertiary qualifications and entry level positions in NZ, do not provide enough to meeting living costs, let alone pay an extra 10% in repayments to their loan.
6. They travel to our nearest neighbour to try and get some kind of life while they are still young, and find they can do so, but sometimes not enough to pay back the required amounts that is requested.
7. They resign themselves to being student loan exiles from their own country. And the debt piles up.
James, our education system should be free.
We have coerced a large demographic of our young people into getting out loans that provide them with a major financial burden at the beginning of their independent lives.
Yes, they did take on that debt. But we ensured that the most financially strapped students had to do so in order to get a tertiary education. Others are lucky enough to have support (financial or otherwise) from friends and family.
In NZ, we are creating an education system where if you are not able to be assisted financially by friends and family, you will be financially penalised for many years to come for getting that degree.
So low paid professions will be disregarded – although they may be in high need.
I personally consider the student loan system to be a big marketing lie, and because of that – I really don’t care if it is collected.
And for that reason would forgive any interest, and the loan itself if the graduates return to NZ to utilise that learning for the benefit of NZ for at least five years.
Go after the avoided tax (on profits) that is avoided by many multi-nationals.
Go after the avoided tax in our immoral tax havens.
Don’t go after those investments in society that an educated repatriated graduate demographic would bring.
Yep. Agree totally – and I am an oldie who had some free tertiary education (mostly part time) and some I did in later years with a student loan I have since paid back. Happy for a student loan write-off, and return to free tertiary education.
Education (vocational or for personal/social/scientific,etc understanding and knowledge) is an investment for the whole of society. Helps serve democracy.
Molly.
I agree that govt should be making everyone pay a fair share of tax. Google etc included.
But.
Why should an accountancy practice be able to hire a recent graduate for $20/hr?
Why should a librarian with a masters degree get $45,000/yr
Why is a worker on $15/hr paying tax for these people to get trained ?
Salaries need to rise thru demand for staf and this will only happen when graduate numbers in some skill areas drop.
Over training is just wasting precious resources.
Neo liberal translation :
‘Lets keep em all thick and controllable ‘
Education includes not only degrees, but community education and apprenticeship training.
Was replying to James in respect of student loans – also accessible to apprentices as far as I know.
“”And $430 million of that is in default. Inland Revenue will now start chasing up these borrowers and taking action to get their student loan repayments back on track.””
Not asking that much is it Paul – they just need to get their repayments back on track.
And I jolly well hope they chase up all those naughty little brats who put all their stolen lollies from overseas into that precocious little Johnnie Keys piggy banks as well , Jamsey Wamsey…
You know how we all feel about this , Jamsey Wamsey ,… we do our best to look after you children but we cant feed all the neighborhoods children lollies as well…
Angry Kaikoura coast locals vent their quake frustrations at PM Bill English, Gerry Brownlee
English landed in a Defence Force chopper on the lawn of Kekerengu café The Store this afternoon, to be met with around 40 furious and frustrated locals.
One local Clarence farmer, John Murray, told English: “We had a meeting here three weeks ago and Gerry was here, and we left full of hope that something was going to happen … we have sat down there for three weeks and nothing has bloody well happened and its shocking, it is the absolute pits.”
He said progress on opening roads was too slow.
“No-one has attacked this northern end, the road’s been open from Blenheim, no one’s started tidying this road up at all, they’ve made patch-up repairs all the way through and the roads from Ward and Waipapa Bay should have been upgraded and ready to go so we could just go into the next stage.
“Nothing has been done except patch up and I reckon it’s p*** poor and if that’s what our Government feels about us and how they deal with emergencies then I’m afraid you have lost a lot of votes and a lot of confidence in this area.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11767842
Also on TVNZ – Gerry Brownlie displaying his usual bullying asshole personality.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/gerry-brownlee-visits-kaikoura-and-tells-fed-up-local-im-pissed-off-you-took-attitude-after-being-confronted
Great they are showing their born to rule arrogance so publicly.
Wouldn’t have happened with Key.
Are the wheels coming off?
Hopefully. And yes, you are right to recognize the public display of arrogance. Hopefully it will be seared on the minds of the locals cometh election day.
Swearing at a voter – not a good look
only thing new about this is it is now being reported…..maybe I wasn’t imagining things after all
“We had a meeting here three weeks ago and Gerry was here, and we left full of hope that something was going to happen … we have sat down there for three weeks and nothing has bloody well happened and its shocking, it is the absolute pits.”
…
“Nothing has been done except patch up and I reckon it’s p*** poor and if that’s what our Government feels about us and how they deal with emergencies then I’m afraid you have lost a lot of votes and a lot of confidence in this area.”
I’m sorry, but Kaikoura isn’t that far from Chch. What on earth made them think that what came out of Brownlee’s mouth was going to be real? And great if they’re not going to vote National now, but what about the last election when this shit was already playing out for several years in Canterbury?
Some people only get it when it happens to them.
“Are the wheels coming off?”
Nope.
I’d be more interested in what the people of Kaikoura think.
Exactly, and often media are a little too selective on the locals they ask, hence the Nat supporter at the end of the herald article praising them, pushing the echo. Meanwhile the majority of public there are not so happy and I can’t say i blame them, very proud of them for making it known. Well done, speak your mind and tell us all like it really is.
Far out, the arrogance of Brownlee, and the locals won’t forget today and they will be talking about it for sometime afterwards.
I’m sure locals will be thrilled about them stopping at a vineyard aka class b drug manufacturing plantation to inspect their ‘cracked tanks’ on the way back home. Ho fucken ho ho ho.
Dearest Opposition parties, maybe some of your MP’s or people could spend a couple of days here and there in Kaikoura just helping out over the summer holidays, an awesome opportunity to really get to know the locals there, support their community and walk the talk, show you care. Some of us have not the means to go there. Now it’s summer and a great place for a holiday, maybe go help them out. No need to make a media frenzy about it, that would be shallow. Just boots on the ground, no announcement, just stop in and help a bit.
Key was a phenomenon. You really think the nats can win without him? Just look at Bennett. Pure shit comes out of her mouth every time she opens it. And poor old Bill’s just a plodder. The nats need to stay in the late 40% til the next election. Slipping just a bit and it’s curtains. You really think English and Bennett can keep things where Key had them? They made the nats look hopeless at their first press conference. It can only get worse. They’re history.
they are appalling and Key certainly held many in a trance (MSM included) but the opposition parties cannot sleep walk to an election win….they need to up their own game at the same time as the Nats crash
Yes, that’s the trouble. My guess, though, is that Labour’s lack of depth or oomph (or whatever you want to call it), together with the “Key’s gone” factor will mean the nats will lose next year rather than Labour winning. The margins over the last three elections have been slim and MMP at the moment gives the left, as well as Labour, the advantage in that regard. The difference will be whether Labour starts doing stupid things like it’s done over the last couple of elections. They just need to stay boringly steady and let the nats’ cringe factor, led by Bennett, do the work for them.
Labour would benefit for continuing to (re)introduce more candidates like Michael Wood and Laila Harre.
Fucking Askimet, what a piece of fucking shit it is, whoever coded this, needs to be fucked up the arse repeatedly with the sharp end of a pineapple.
Choice set of vocabulary from an advocate of the far right wing neo liberals.
Well done , cherub.
how about $30 Million for a flag referendum / flight of fancy by an ex-PMp – Shonkey should pay that back
Why?
Why did he have the compulsive need to waste 30 million of the commons money on HIS personal vanity project ?
When the little fucker knew damn well after consulting with his little mate David Farrar no one wanted it and that 30 million could have been better put to 41000 homeless or the poor bastards having to sleep in their cars?
What sort of idiot are you buddy?
You’ve just negated your whole argument about student loans and personal responsibility in deference to those who hold a position of political privilege yet still squander the public purse without any personal responsibility or accountability.
Moron.
I think a boycott of James is in order.
James should also pay back his Standard loans (everyone here has spent a lot on his education) too much actually
Ha! – the neo liberal is only ever any good when their using someone else’s money – in the classic case above of Jame’s hero John Key spending the commons wealth on his own ego gratification projects – that in itself negates the whole notion of ‘ personal responsibility ‘ they like to crap on about.
Sickening.
What a pathetic two faced hypocritical dogma neo liberalism really and truly is.
Exactly….shonkey knew the Flag was something no-one even thought about, but his Ego said FUCK NZ I AM THE MAN (he fund out he wasnt, but too late, the money was burned)…..and while were at it MCScummy can pay back his Multi million $$ bribe gone wrong Saudi farm….eh James…..the Natz list just goes on and on……
” HIS personal vanity project ?”.
Really?
Actually he was simply being kind to the benighted Labour Party.
Knowing that they were never going to become the Government he very kindly gave the Public a chance to accept or reject one of the core items in Labour’s 2014 manifesto.
There policy was not merely to give the public a chance to change the flag. It was to change it, regardless of what the public thought.
Key very kindly gave the public a chance to give their view on the matter.
They didn’t think very highly of the Labour Party policy, did they?
Nat’s love to pinch policy karma on them if that’s the case.
Keys choice of flag was the vanity
i saw Keys flag the other day, up a pole, looking tatty and torn just like the outgoing government, and thought to myself that’s Keys flag, and Key has gone, must say it was a good feeling.
Yeah and your another idiot alwyn . Along with about 4 or 5 other morons who post here that just cant accept neo liberalism is dying its cancerous death.
Go back to your knitting.
“” HIS personal vanity project ?”.
Really?”
yes – really. There has never been a popular, public based push for changing the flag. (people have tried but its always been a fizzer)
then from day one he proceeded to put his own view into the debate at every oppourtunity
its pathetic to try and blame labour for the choices key made – grow up
What was labours policy on the flag – scarily similar to keys – just a chance in execution- so hardly HIS vanity project.
Yes , and conveniently for you far right wing neo liberals you like to have a bob each way.
As the ‘change the flag ‘ debacle only pertains to those types of agitators- who have their people in both party’s – and to those who wish to rewrite NZ history.
You’ll never win using that line of attack, bud.
Back to the knitting you go.
Kekerengu is Tory heartland, how stupid is Brownlie.
As you say , they are just getting a taste of what everybody else has been putting up with from these bastards.
BTW, the vineyard they visited is Yealands now owned collectively by everyone in Marlborough through the local lines trust. Please don’t bag it too much.
Wtf is a lines trust doing buying a vineyard…..sounds very dodgy to me given the inherent risk profile in the wine business.
Why is it ok to bomb Mosul but not Aleppo?
http://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/11/youre-not-hearing-the-whole-story-about-aleppo/
‘For the past few weeks, British news-papers have been informing their readers about two contrasting battles in the killing grounds of the Middle East. One is Mosul, in northern Iraq, where western reporters are accompanying an army of liberation as it frees a joyful population from terrorist control. The other concerns Aleppo, just a few hundred miles to the west. This, apparently, is the exact opposite. Here, a murderous dictator, hellbent on destruction, is waging war on his own people.’
Paul,
Possibly because the reporting accurately reflects the fact that the two situations are different. As indeed the quote you used illustrates that point (although I do realise it is a Fisk quote meant as irony).
The situations are the same
Iraq and Syria have both suffered destruction directly and indirectly by western forces. Others are in ruins and others still being reduced to rubble…
Semantics are for the weak, cowardly and dishonest!
It’s only different if you are a US lackey, like you Wayne