Daily Review 17/10/2016
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5:30 pm, October 17th, 2016 - 22 comments
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Australia and other democracies have once again turned to China to solve their economic problems, while the reliability of the United States as an alliance partner is, erroneously, being called into question. We risk forgetting ...4 hours ago - Wednesday 26 March
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Hundreds more Palestinians have died in recent days as Israel’s assault on Gaza continues and humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, is blocked. ...5 days ago
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National is looking to cut hundreds of jobs at New Zealand’s Defence Force, while at the same time it talks up plans to increase focus and spending in Defence. ...6 days ago
- Release: National standards returning by stealth
It’s been revealed that the Government is secretly trying to bring back a ‘one-size fits all’ standardised test – a decision that has shocked school principals. ...6 days ago
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Kiwis aren’t feeling any better off despite figures showing a very slight growth in GDP in the December quarter. ...6 days ago
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The Green Party is calling for the compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe, a 77-year-old kaumātua on hunger strike at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, after visiting him at the prison. ...1 week ago
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The ETS auction’s failure today is yet another clear sign that the Government is failing us all on climate action. ...1 week ago
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Christopher Luxon seems to have thrown New Zealand’s principled anti-nuclear advocacy under a bus. ...1 week ago
- NZ must act on Israel’s slaughter of children
The Green Party is calling on Government MPs to support Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence and illegal actions in Palestine, following another day of appalling violence against civilians in Gaza. ...1 week ago
- Release: Still no certainty for disability communities
One year on from the Government’s abrupt and callous changes to disability funding, the community still has no idea what the future holds. ...1 week ago
- Green Party backs volunteer firefighters in their call for ACC recognition
The Green Party stands in support of volunteer firefighters petitioning the Government to step up and change legislation to provide volunteers the same ACC coverage and benefits as their paid counterparts. ...1 week ago
- Stand Up for Palestine: A Call to Action Against Israels Treacherous Attack
At 2.30am local time, Israel launched a treacherous attack on Gaza killing more than 300 defenceless civilians while they slept. Many of them were children. This followed a more than 2 week-long blockade by Israel on the entry of all goods and aid into Gaza. Israel deliberately targeted densely populated ...1 week ago
- MP Views: Living Strong, The Economy, Servicing Our Nation, The Golden Egg, and 4 Year Terms
Living Strong, Aging Well There is much discussion around the health of our older New Zealanders and how we can age well. In reality, the delivery of health services accounts for only a relatively small percentage of health outcomes as we age. Significantly, dry warm housing, nutrition, exercise, social connection, ...1 week ago
- Shane Jones has no shame
Shane Jones’ display on Q&A showed how out of touch he and this Government are with our communities and how in sync they are with companies with little concern for people and planet. ...1 week ago
- Release: National botches health funding numbers
Health Minister Simeon Brown’s claim that the Government has put $16.68 billion into the health system over three years is wrong. ...2 weeks ago
- Government tramples on the rights of disabled migrant children
The Green Party is condemning the Government’s move to tighten access to visas for disabled children. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Auckland needs second harbour crossing
Labour supports Minister Chris Bishop’s call for input on the second Waitematā Harbour crossing. ...2 weeks ago
- Speech: Barbara Edmonds’ speech to NZ Investment Summit 2025
I am grateful to have the opportunity to speak to you today about how we make overseas investment work for all New Zealanders. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour does not support PPPs for prisons
Labour does not support the private ownership of core infrastructure like schools, hospitals and prisons, which will only see worse outcomes for Kiwis. ...2 weeks ago
- Dunedin Futures report should be a wake-up call
The newly released report on the South Dunedin Future Programme must be a wake-up call for our Government. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Members’ Bill makes wage theft a crime
Workers will now be able to go to the Police and report their employer if they are not being paid wages they’re owed. ...2 weeks ago
- Missed opportunity to stop the stealing of Māori land
The Green Party is disappointed the Government voted down Hūhana Lyndon’s member’s Bill, which would have prevented further alienation of Māori land through the Public Works Act. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour supports sanctions against Israel’s illegal occupation
The Labour Party will support Chloe Swarbrick’s member’s bill which would allow sanctions against Israel for its illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territories. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt procurement plan cuts wages and trashes the environment
The Government’s new procurement rules are a blatant attack on workers and the environment, showing once again that National’s priorities are completely out of touch with everyday Kiwis. ...2 weeks ago
- Procurement proposals pose risk to people and planet
The Green Party is concerned by the impact the Government’s proposed changes to procurement processes could have on people and planet. ...2 weeks ago
- Just six Government MPs needed to pass Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill
With Labour and Te Pāti Māori’s official support, Opposition parties are officially aligned to progress Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in Palestine. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour’s approach to Māori economy benefits all
Under Labour, the Māori economy went from strength to strength according to the latest report released by MBIE. ...2 weeks ago
- 20 Years of Success Down the Drain: Govt Gut Whānau Ora
Te Pāti Māori extends our deepest aroha to the 500 plus Whānau Ora workers who have been advised today that the govt will be dismantling their contracts. For twenty years , Whānau Ora has been helping families, delivering life-changing support through a kaupapa Māori approach. It has built trust where ...3 weeks ago
- Green Party launches petition to allow Pacific whānau visa-free access
The Green Party is launching a petition calling on the Government to extend visa-free travel to visitors from Pacific Island nations. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Labour welcomes reinstatement of Heath NZ board
Labour welcomes Simeon Brown’s move to reinstate a board at Health New Zealand, bringing the destructive and secretive tenure of commissioner Lester Levy to an end. ...3 weeks ago
- NZ’s Public Health system dealt yet another blow
This morning’s announcement by the Health Minister regarding a major overhaul of the public health sector levels yet another blow to the country’s essential services. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Chris Hipkins’ State of the Nation address
Ngā mihi ki a koutou katoa It is a great pleasure to be here with you this morning. ...3 weeks ago
- NZ First Introduces Bill to Remove Woke ‘DEI’ Regulations from Public Service
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Here’s a couple more to add to the “Wanted” list ..for a Hang’n Party!
Nick “Quick, I’ll make something up” Smith, Pullah Benefit “as many times as I can” ,Tuku “Underpants”, “Dildo “Joyce, Simon”Dodgy Steel ” Bridges,Michael “I don’t Know Fuckall” Woodhouse & Hekia “NomorePay- Scool” Pariah … that’s a start.
Before you go and do some action – can I recommend this song to put you in the mood. You know like spray painting, stopping a petrol station, anything non-violent — that is direct action.
God Bless and fight the good fight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmbmeOgWsqE
“shrug”
What happens when you convert basic services to a charity case:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/315861/ambulance-staff-to-protest-'dangerous'-workload
They were always a charity……duh….
government should step up and fund them…but …
Natzi’s …good luck with that
John Key this morning used his own family for political purposes.
This is a tactic designed to position himself away from statistics showing crime rising across all categories nationwide, and to place himself and his family alongside the rest of us worried New Cylinders.
He painted some very dramatic imagery of his son getting king-hit and his daughter getting raped. A selfish and desperate use of his own children for political ends, imo.
Oink of a man.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/crime/news/article.cfm?c_id=30&objectid=11730346
It would have been cool if he spoke about how changing the culture of drinking and reducing behaviours that objectify women as important factors in reducing violence in social settings that his children participate in.
However that would take a degree of self-awareness, and that he does not have.
Sadly the US situation has now deteriorated with what is being called an “act of political terrorism” after an arsonist bombed the Republican Headquarters. The graffiti (leave town or else!!!) is somewhat childish and reminds me of the KKK.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3841896/amp/Republican-party-headquarters-firebombed-daubed-Nazi-graffiti-North-Carolina.html
Investigating the use of seclusion rooms in NZ schools is now top priority for the Chief Ombudsman.
Will the chief find that the use of these areas is because the current government has underfunded special education and is due to remove even more funding.
Anecdotal, but I heard of an incident at my kids’ school concerning a year 1 or 2 child who was disruptive. Instead of removing the child from the class for a while they removed the whole class and left the child with the teacher for a bit of one on one. You can imagine what parents might think of that strategy!
This move is yet another in a long line of blaming schools and teachers rather the the government whose responsibility it is to ensure there is the proper funding and training in place for all NZ kids.
I think it was Sam C somewhere around here saying Paula Bennett is trying to fix a broken system. That might be the case but what he fails to recognise is that across many ministries the National government is the one what broke the system.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/315875/'we-won't-let-this-just-gather-dust‘
I would say that the use of seclusion rooms stems from Tomorrow’s Schools, and the ’empowered’ principals slavish following of ‘zero tolerance’ policies that are in vogue in the USA ie expelling students for writing on their desks, talking too loud, etc and so on.
Expect more seclusion rooms when more charter school come online here.
They were brought in after corporal punishment was banned.
Basically, at my school, to counter those of us who had previously been on detention at least monthly and for whom the strap was the most extreme deterrent. Suddenly the worst thing they could do to us was something we could handle easily 🙂
How does this work? The headline says $15 million seized from criminals is to be used fighting meth.
If this is cash and assets seized from criminals by the Police then I assume that goes into the Police budget as it always has to be use by Police in operational matters, i.e. fighting meth.
Or is this new spending? In which case it’s not monies seized from criminals, it’s monies seized from working New Cylinders.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/315862/govt-pledges-extra-$15m-to-fight-drugs
Anyone?
Needs more research, but I think you’ll find that monies is set aside, and theirs way more than that piddly amount. This has been on hold for about five years, I’ll try and find my papers.
edit:I think you will find donkey has holding on till close to an election, look We care, even though we caused the closure of drug rehab units.
I thought that too – I think the news said something like $130mil had been seized from the proceeds of crime – I thought immediately what a piddling amount too. Why has this not all been allocated to Police, Customs, rehabilitation – everywhere where the crime proceeds have resulted from.
I can see where Double Dip has put most of it aside for – his Business mates, dodgy deals, unwanted tax breaks and certainly not into areas where it is most needed. I can understand why the Government do not want a Regional fuel tax for Auckland, they wouldn’t be able to get their grubby fingers on it.
Yea, The sad thing WK is they know we know, and don’t care. 👿
Looks like Theresa Gattung stole all the food out of my food bag and ate it.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11730609
‘Fatism’ and body-shaming are not really on. It’s possible (even necessary) to dislike Gattung and an absurd economic system that over-rewarded her so lavishly from the pockets of struggling Kiwis without resorting to commenting on her physical appearance. Difficult certainly, but possible.
AB do you approve of gluttony and the inevitable health consequences?
Diabetes is an epidemic in this country now and we all pay for it in many ways…. soaring health costs, decreasing access to health services because of that, premature death and many other related health problems such as cancer and heart disease.
Our health, as a population, is a disgrace.
No excuse to be like some 4chan-using MRA going round and being nasty towards women who arent size zero.
I would rather have Gattung than Kate Moss anyday. Even if she is a Tory.
Yeah, a bit clumsy, sorry. Attempted double meaning is my feeble excuse. The food thing and the general interests Gattung represents in the form of a private equity firm fattening up on the success of my food bag, presumably before stripping it of cash and running it into the ground.
It will be interesting if food bag can and will offer the same service.
Test 4