Daily review 18/09/2020
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5:30 pm, September 18th, 2020 - 22 comments
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- Australia surveys volatile and unpredictable geoeconomics
The international economics of Australia’s budget are pervaded by a Voldemort-like figure. The He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is Donald Trump, firing up trade wars, churning global finance and smashing the rules-based order. The closest the budget papers come ...9 hours ago - The five-domains update
Sea state Australian assembly of the first Multi Ammunition Softkill System (MASS) shipsets for the Royal Australian Navy began this month at Rheinmetall’s Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence in Redbank, Queensland. The ship protection system, ...11 hours ago
- The five-domains update
Sea state Australian assembly of the first Multi Ammunition Softkill System (MASS) shipsets for the Royal Australian Navy began this month at Rheinmetall’s Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence in Redbank, Queensland. The ship protection system, ...11 hours ago
- Signalling Deliberate Reckless Disregard.
Some thoughts on the Signal Houthi Principal’s Committee chat group conversation reported by Jeff Goldberg at The Atlantic. It is obviously a major security breach. But there are several dimensions to it worth examining. 1) Signal is an unsecured open source platform that although encrypted can easily be hacked by ...11 hours ago - Economic security and geostrategic competition: fostering resilience and innovation
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 ...16 hours ago
- Wednesday 26 March
Machines will take over more jobs at Immigration New Zealand under a multi-million-dollar upgrade that will mean decisions to approve visas will be automated – decisions to reject applications will continue to be taken by staff. Health New Zealand’s commitment to boosting specialist palliative care for dying children is under ...17 hours ago - She Works Hard For The Money
She works hard for the moneySo hard for it, honeyShe works hard for the moneySo you better treat her rightSongwriters: Michael Omartian / Donna A. SummerMorena, I’m pleased to bring you a guest newsletter today by long-time unionist and community activist Lyndy McIntyre. Lyndy has been active in the Living ...18 hours ago - The dangerous collapse of US strategic sealift capacity
The US Transportation Command’s Military Sealift Command (MSC), the subordinate organisation responsible for strategic sealift, is unprepared for the high intensity fighting of a war over Taiwan. In the event of such a war, combat ...19 hours ago
- Stadium Unfeasibility
Tomorrow Auckland’s Councillors will decide on the next steps in the city’s ongoing stadium debate, and it appears one option is technically feasible but isn’t financially feasible while the other one might be financially feasible but not be technically feasible. As a quick reminder, the mMayor started this process as ...19 hours ago - Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes on Wednesday, March 26
In short in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on March 26:Three Kāinga Ora plots zoned for 17 homes and 900m from Ellerslie rail station are being offered to land-bankers and luxury home builders by agent Rawdon Christie.Chris Bishop’s new RMA bills don’t include treaty principles, even though ...19 hours ago - James (Jim) Grenon & Sinead Boucher’s Worlds Affect Us All
Stuff’s Sinead Boucher and NZME Takeover Leader James (Jim) GrenoonStuff Promotes Brooke Van VeldenYesterday, I came across an incredulous article by Stuff’s Kelly Dennett.It was a piece basically promoting David Seymour’s confidante and political ally, ACT’s #2, Brooke Van Velden. I admit I read the whole piece, incredulous at its ...21 hours ago - Gordon Campbell On The Americanising Of NZ’s Public Health System
One of the odd aspects of the government’s plan to Americanise the public health system – i.e by making healthcare access more reliant on user pay charges and private health insurance – is that it is happening in plain sight. Earlier this year, the official briefing papers to incoming Heath ...1 day ago - Defence budget doesn’t match the threat Australia faces
When Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers stood at the dispatch box this evening to announce the 2025–26 Budget, he confirmed our worst fears about the government’s commitment to resourcing the Defence budget commensurate with the dangers ...1 day ago
- It’s time for the ADF to train in Asia-Pacific languages
The proposed negotiation of an Australia–Papua New Guinea defence treaty will falter unless the Australian Defence Force embraces cultural intelligence and starts being more strategic with teaching languages—starting with Tok Pisin, the most widely spoken language in ...1 day ago
- Here is the news at 4.30
Bishop ignores pawnPoor old Tama Potaka says he didn't know the new RMA legislation would be tossing out the Treaty clause.However, RMA Minister Bishop says it's all good and no worries because the new RMA will still recognise Māori rights; it's just that the government prefers specific role descriptions over ...1 day ago - China’s shadow fleet threatens Indo-Pacific communications
China is using increasingly sophisticated grey-zone tactics against subsea cables in the waters around Taiwan, using a shadow-fleet playbook that could be expanded across the Indo-Pacific. On 25 February, Taiwan’s coast guard detained the Hong Tai ...1 day ago
- Improving OIA enforcement
Yesterday The Post had a long exit interview with outgoing Ombudsman Peter Boshier, in which he complains about delinquent agencies which "haven't changed and haven't taken our moral authority on board". He talks about the limits of the Ombudsman's power of persuasion - its only power - and the need ...2 days ago - A Fist, an American Flag, and Fire
Hi,Two stories have been playing over and over in my mind today, and I wanted to send you this Webworm as an excuse to get your thoughts in the comments.Because I adore the community here, and I want your sanity to weigh in.A safe space to chat, pull our hair ...2 days ago - Tuesday 25 March
A new employment survey shows that labour market pessimism has deepened as workers worry about holding to their job, the difficulty in finding jobs, and slowing wage growth. Nurses working in primary care will get an 8 percent pay increase this year, but it still leaves them lagging behind their ...2 days ago
- Big Gun
Big gunBig gun number oneBig gunBig gun kick the hell out of youSongwriters: Ascencio / Marrow.On Sunday, I wrote about the Prime Minister’s interview in India with Maiki Sherman and certainly didn’t think I’d be writing about another of his interviews two days later.I’d been thinking of writing about something ...2 days ago - Economic security and geostrategic competition: tariffs don’t equal coercion
The Trump administration’s decision to impose tariffs on Australian aluminium and steel has surprised the country. This has caused some to question the logic of the Australia-United States alliance and risks legitimising China’s economic coercion. ...2 days ago
- NZ Government, an Atlas Network puppet, intent on ruining public healthcare
OPINION & ANALYSIS:At the heart of everything we see in this government is simplicity. Things are simpler than they appear. Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Behind all the public relations, marketing spin, corporate overlay e.g. ...2 days ago - China will need 10,000GW of wind and solar by 2060
This is a re-post from Carbon Brief by Wang Zhongying, chief national expert, China Energy Transformation Programme of the Energy Research Institute, and Kaare Sandholt, chief international expert, China Energy Transformation Programme of the Energy Research Institute China will need to install around 10,000 gigawatts (GW) of wind and solar capacity ...2 days ago - Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Tuesday, March 26
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, Washington Post/$, Wired/$, ...2 days ago - Most people want a people-friendly city
With many of Auckland’s political and bureaucratic leaders bowing down to vocal minorities and consistently failing to reallocate space to people in our city, recent news overseas has prompted me to point out something important. It is extremely popular to make car-dominated cities nicer, by freeing up space for people. ...2 days ago
- Indonesia wants an aircraft carrier. No one knows why
When it comes to fleet modernisation programme, the Indonesian navy seems to be biting off more than it can chew. It is not even clear why the navy is taking the bite. The news that ...2 days ago
- tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-2287094456929079731
Chris Trotter is now on Substack visit him at christrotter418256.substack.com ...2 days ago - Australia should work with South Korea to secure undersea cables
South Korea and Australia should enhance their cooperation to secure submarine cables, which carry more than 95 percent of global data traffic. As tensions in the Indo-Pacific intensify, these vital connections face risks from cyber ...2 days ago
- Parliament says “no” to transparency
The Parliament Bill Committee has reported back on the Parliament Bill. As usual, they recommend no substantive changes, all decisions having been made in advance and in secret before the bill was introduced - but there are some minor tweaks around oversight of the new parliamentary security powers, which will ...2 days ago
- Bolt from the blue: what we know (and don’t know) about the US’s powerful F-47 fighter
When the F-47 enters service, at a date to be disclosed, it will be a new factor in US air warfare. A decision to proceed with development, deferred since July, was unexpectedly announced on 21 ...2 days ago
- Yesterday Once More
All my best memoriesCome back clearly to meSome can even make me cry.Just like beforeIt's yesterday once more.Songwriters: Richard Lynn Carpenter / John BettisYesterday, Winston Peters gave a State of the Nation speech in which he declared War on the Woke, described peaceful protesters as fascists, said he’d take our ...3 days ago - Can we now find out who the real Vladimir Putin is?
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Once upon a time, the United States saw the contest between democracy and authoritarianism as a singularly defining issue. It was this outlook, forged in the crucible of World War II, that created such strong ...3 days ago
- 30% of doctors leave NZ after graduation
A pre-Covid protest about medical staffing shortages outside the Beehive. Since then the situation has only worsened, with 30% of doctors trained here now migrating within a decade. File Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories shortest: The news this morning is dominated by the crises cascading through our health system after ...3 days ago - Monday 24 March
Bargaining between the PSA and Oranga Tamariki over the collective agreement is intensifying – with more strike action likely, while the Employment Relations Authority has ordered facilitation. More than 850 laboratory staff are walking off their jobs in a week of rolling strike action. Union coverage CTU: Confidence in ...3 days ago
- The permanent Australia-China contest in the South Pacific
Foreign Minister Penny Wong in 2024 said that ‘we’re in a state of permanent contest in the Pacific—that’s the reality.’ China’s arrogance hurts it in the South Pacific. Mark that as a strong Australian card ...3 days ago
- Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes on Monday, March 24
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, Washington Post/$, Wired/$, ...3 days ago - Gordon Campbell on Israel’s murderous relapse, and Peters’ sad decline
In the past week, Israel has reverted to slaughtering civilians, starving children and welshing on the terms of the peace deal negotiated earlier this year. The IDF’s current offensive seems to be intended to render Gaza unlivable, preparatory (perhaps) to re-occupation by Israeli settlers. The short term demands for the ...3 days ago
- 2025 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #12
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 16, 2025 thru Sat, March 22, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. We are still interested ...3 days ago
- Bullying a Chess Bot: More Martinian Shenanigans
In recent months, I have garnered copious amusement playing Martin, chess.com’s infamously terrible Chess AI. Alas, it is not how it once was, when he would cheerfully ignore freely offered material. Martin has grown better since I first stumbled upon him. I still remain frustrated at his capture-happy determination to ...3 days ago - Indian Summer
Every time that I see ya,A lightning bolt fills the room,The underbelly of Paris,She sings her favourite tune,She'll drink you under the table,She'll show you a trick or two,But every time that I left her,I missed the things she would doSongwriters: Kelly JonesThis morning, I posted - Are you excited ...4 days ago - Bernard’s Soliloquy for the week to March 23
Long stories shortest this week in our political economy: Standard & Poor’s judged the Government’s council finance reforms a failure. Professional investors showed the Government they want it to borrow more, not less. GDP bounced out of recession by more than forecast in the December quarter, but data for the ...4 days ago - Making sense of it all
Each day at 4:30 my brother calls in at the rest home to see Dad. My visits can be months apart. Five minutes after you've left, he’ll have forgotten you were there, but every time, his face lights up and it’s a warm happy visit.Tim takes care of almost everything ...4 days ago - A Response to ACT’s MRA-Style Rant
On the 19th of March, ACT announced they would be running candidates in this year’s local government elections. Accompanying that call for “common-sense kiwis” was an anti-woke essay typifying the views they expect their candidates to hold. I have included that part of their mailer, Free Press, in its entirety. ...4 days ago - Spread a Little Happiness
Even when the darkest clouds are in the skyYou mustn't sigh and you mustn't crySpread a little happiness as you go byPlease tryWhat's the use of worrying and feeling blue?When days are long keep on smiling throughSpread a little happiness 'til dreams come trueSongwriters: Vivian Ellis / Clifford Grey / ...4 days ago - Pick ‘n’ Mix at 6am on Saturday, March 22
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, Washington Post/$, Wired/$, ...5 days ago - Siding with the Right Of the Right
ACT up the game on division politicsEmmerson’s take on David Seymour’s claim Jesus would have supported ACTACT’s announcement it is moving into local politics is a logical next step for a party that is waging its battle on picking up the aggrieved.It’s a numbers game, and as long as the ...5 days ago - Jam tomorrow, butter next week
1. What will be the slogan of the next butter ad campaign?a. You’re worth itb. Once it hits $20, we can do something about the riversc. I can’t believe it’s the price of butter d. None of the above Read more ...5 days ago - Why Do Cryptocurrencies Appear to Be So Valuable?
It is said that economists know the price of everything and the value of nothing. That may be an exaggeration but an even better response is to point out economists do know the difference. They did not at first. Classical economics thought that the price of something reflected the objective ...5 days ago - Awful optics: political fighting in Taiwan stalls part of defence budget rise
Political fighting in Taiwan is delaying some of an increase in defence spending and creating an appearance of lack of national resolve that can only damage the island’s relationship with the Trump administration. The main ...5 days ago
- The Independent Intelligence Review is finally out, and it’s a worthy sequel
The unclassified version of the 2024 Independent Intelligence Review (IIR) was released today. It’s a welcome and worthy sequel to its 2017 predecessor, with an ambitious set of recommendations for enhancements to Australia’s national intelligence ...5 days ago
- Law, culture, and the OIA
Yesterday outgoing Ombudsman Peter Boshier published a report, Reflections on the Official Information Act, on his way out the door. The report repeated his favoured mantra that the Act was "fundamentally sound", all problems were issues of culture, and that no legislative change was needed (and especially no changes to ...5 days ago
- A new US humanitarian agency must operate without political blinders
The United States government is considering replacing USAID with a new agency, the US Agency for International Humanitarian Assistance (USIHA), according to documents published by POLITICO. Under the proposed design, the agency will fail its ...5 days ago
- Worming Through Dangerous Times
6 days ago - Why is the Govt so afraid of borrowing?
Mōrena. Long stories shortest: Professional investors who are paid a lot of money to be careful about lending to the New Zealand Government think it is wonderful place to put their money. Yet the Government itself is so afraid of borrowing more that it is happy to kill its own ...6 days ago - The future of the Combined Space Operations initiative
As space becomes more contested, Australia should play a key role with its partners in the Combined Space Operations (CSpO) initiative to safeguard the space domain. Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States signed the ...6 days ago
- Dave’s Cats
Ooh you're a cool catComing on strong with all the chit chatOoh you're alrightHanging out and stealing all the limelightOoh messing with the beat of my heart yeah!Songwriters: Freddie Mercury / John Deacon.It would be a tad ironic; I can see it now. “Yeah, I didn’t unsubscribe when he said ...6 days ago - Friday 21 March
The PSA are calling the Prime Minister a hypocrite for committing to increase defence spending while hundreds of more civilian New Zealand Defence Force jobs are set to be cut as part of a major restructure. The number of companies being investigated for people trafficking in New Zealand has skyrocketed ...6 days ago
- Weekly Roundup 21-March-2025
Another Friday, hope everyone’s enjoyed their week as we head toward the autumn equinox. Here’s another roundup of stories that caught our eye on the subject of cities and what makes them even better. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Connor took a look at how Auckland ...6 days ago
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- The ADF reserve system is obsolete. We need a dramatically expanded force
Australia needs to radically reorganise its reserves system to create a latent military force that is much larger, better trained and equipped and deployable within days—not decades. Our current reserve system is not fit for ...6 days ago
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Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, Washington Post/$, Wired/$, ...6 days ago - Against All Reason: William Blake and the Private Fantasy Mythology
I have argued before that one ought to be careful in retrospectively allocating texts into genres. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) only looks like science-fiction because a science-fiction genre subsequently developed. Without H.G. Wells, would Frankenstein be considered science-fiction? No, it probably wouldn’t. Viewed in the context of its time, Frankenstein ...6 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #12 2025
Open access notables The severe 2020 coral bleaching event in the tropical Atlantic linked to marine heatwaves, Rodrigues et al., Communications Earth & Environment: Marine heatwaves can amplify the vulnerabilities of regional marine ecosystems and jeopardise local economies and food resources. Here, we show that marine heatwaves in the tropical ...6 days ago
- Elbridge Colby’s vision: blocking China
Elbridge Colby’s senate confirmation hearing in early March holds more important implications for US partners than most observers in Canberra, Wellington or Suva realise. As President Donald Trump’s nominee for under secretary of defence for ...6 days ago
- China’s military spending rises should prompt regional budget responses
China’s defence budget is rising heftily yet again. The 2025 rise will be 7.2 percent, the same as in 2024, the government said on 5 March. But the allocation, officially US$245 billion, is just the ...6 days ago
- Pressure grows for commonsense correction on safe local speeds
Concern is growing about wide-ranging local repercussions of the new Setting of Speed Limits rule, rewritten in 2024 by former transport minister Simeon Brown. In particular, there’s growing fears about what this means for children in particular. A key paradox of the new rule is that NZTA-controlled roads have the ...6 days ago
- Luxon’s Guests.
Speilmeister: Christopher Luxon’s prime-ministerial pitches notwithstanding, are institutions with billions of dollars at their disposal really going to invest them in a country so obviously in a deep funk?HAVING WOOED THE WORLD’s investors, what, if anything, has New Zealand won? Did Christopher Luxon’s guests board their private jets fizzing with enthusiasm for ...6 days ago
- S&P downgrades 18 councils, blaming Govt
Christchurch City Council is one of 18 councils and three council-controlled organisations (CCOs) downgraded by ratings agency S&P. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories shortest: Standard & Poor’s has cut the credit ratings of 18 councils, blaming the new Government’s abrupt reversal of 3 Waters, cuts to capital ...7 days ago - Recession ends – Economic challenges remain
Figures released by Statistics New Zealand today showed that the economy grew by 0.7% ending the very deep recession seen over the past year, said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “Even though GDP grew in the three months to December, our economy is still 1.1% smaller than it ...7 days ago
- Maybe there’s a connection?
What is going on with the price of butter?, RNZ, 19 march 2025: If you have bought butter recently you might have noticed something - it is a lot more expensive. Stats NZ said last week that the price of butter was up 60 percent in February compared to ...7 days ago
- I, too, got a few things wrong
I agree with Will Leben, who wrote in The Strategist about his mistakes, that an important element of being a commentator is being accountable and taking responsibility for things you got wrong. In that spirit, ...7 days ago
- Commandments & Cures
You’d beDrunk by noon, no one would knowJust like the pandemicWithout the sourdoughIf I were there, I’d find a wayTo get treated for hysteriaEvery dayLyrics Riki Lindhome.A varied selection today in Nick’s Kōrero:Thou shalt have no other gods - with Christopher Luxon.Doctors should be seen and not heard - with ...7 days ago - Australia needs greater defence self-reliance, and extra funding
Two recent foreign challenges suggest that Australia needs urgently to increase its level of defence self-reliance and to ensure that the increased funding that this would require is available. First, the circumnavigation of our continent ...7 days ago
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Confidence in the job market has continued to drop to its lowest level in five years as more New Zealanders feel uncertain about finding work, keeping their jobs, and getting decent pay, according to the latest Westpac-McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index. ...18 hours ago - Greens question Govt commitment to environmental protection with RMA reform
The Greens are calling on the Government to follow through on their vague promises of environmental protection in their Resource Management Act (RMA) reform. ...2 days ago - Release: Govt must tackle meth use crisis
New data shows methamphetamine use is spiralling out of control while the Government sits on its hands. ...3 days ago
- “Make New Zealand First Again”
“Make New Zealand First Again” Ladies and gentlemen, First of all, thank you for being here today. We know your lives are busy and you are working harder and longer than you ever have, and there are many calls on your time, so thank you for the chance to speak ...4 days ago - Release: Govt’s continued lack of action on Gaza condemned
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
- Release: National at sea over Defence jobs
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. ...7 days ago
- Release: Kiwis still struggling as economy stumbles along
Kiwis aren’t feeling any better off despite figures showing a very slight growth in GDP in the December quarter. ...7 days ago
- Greens call for compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe
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
- Another failed ETS auction, another indictment on the Govt’s climate credibility
The ETS auction’s failure today is yet another clear sign that the Government is failing us all on climate action. ...1 week ago
- Release: Luxon quick to give away principled position on nukes
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. ...2 weeks 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
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that will ensure employment decisions in the public service are based on merit and not on forced woke ‘Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’ targets. “This Bill would put an end to the woke left-wing social engineering and diversity targets in the public sector. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Labour outlines priorities of next Govt
The next Labour Government will prioritise jobs, health and homes so Kiwis and Kiwi businesses have the opportunity to thrive. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Refreshed team to drive Labour’s 2026 priorities
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Same old, same old. Tax cuts for the greedy, fuck-all for the needy. Any tax cut benefit for the needy will be nullified by the cut in Gvt. Spending. Not often one would agree with Peters, but he called Nat tax cuts a bribe.
The needy keep getting what they're getting now and the greedy feel good that National and Act are on their side so will be more motivated to stay in NZ and produce the wealth needed to provide for the needy.
Not when the Nastis cut Gvt. spending.
Personally, I'd prefer it if the greedy just fucked off, handed in their NZ citizenship and that the government would have enough chutzpah to renationalise their NZ holdings.
The rest of NZ would be far better off without them.
Judith Collins is doing a Muldoon – promising a massive bribe that greedy people (the majority of voters) will fall for without giving a tinker’s cuss what the consequences will be further down the track. For Muldoon it was his so-called superannuation scheme promising 80% of the average wage for everyone over 60 years of age in 1975. It came within a whisker of bankrupting the country by 1984, and gave Roger Douglas the opening to introduce neoliberalism. [Interesting that when you consider which country started that particular ball rolling but I will say no more.]
Collins is trying the same tactic which would end up having the same consequences – bankrupting the nation.
Desperate situations spawn desperate measures but I don't think it will work this time.
Oops… that should be 60 years and over in 1975.
If only Muldoon had given Marilyn a bit of rope to advance her ideas. He could have said with a grimace something like 'The ladies think they are the backbone of the country so I'm giving them a chance to show how good they are'. It would have won him votes, and he could have manipulated his way through the next decade, but would have also enabled NZ to be on a better footing and encouraged people to support their democracy,
Instead smartie pants Roger and gang chose to virtually give it away for a bunch of beans. Jack in the story ran away with the giant's golden harp I think, we just got golden lyres.
It certainly gave Roger Douglass the opportunity needed to introduce neo-liberalism but, and you need to think about this next bit very carefully,
As long as the country still owns its own economy then it is impossible to bankrupt it.
Of course, since the neo-liberal reforms of the 1980s the NZ economy has had quite a lot of it sold off to foreign owners.
If Collins gets her way and pulls the same stunt as Muldoon then we can be assured that more of our economy will be sold off and we will become poorer and, perhaps, even made bankrupt.
Let them leave and take their chances, if New Zealand doesn't motivate them as it is.
Maybe Labour needs to announce a bribe for the needy.
I missed something. Did someone say a spending cut?
I dont think the tax cuts will be a game changer, except that the Chinese Act vote may go back to National and Act will be below the threshold.
spot on bydonz . expect to seemore of seymour . he still has to keep his seat( no sure thing) to keep act in the hunt. many act voters are flakey in more than one aspect.
Someone steal Seymour's pants, and he may lose his seat as well. Appearance is all to National, and they wouldn't like him if he rushed in, his breath coming in short pants. (Trying to bring unseemly levity to a serious matter, sorry.)
Well a rational take on National coming out with 'massive' tax cuts, after Judith saying that it wasn't on the agenda, is that ACT is dragging enough voter right to threaten Goldsmith's list seat.
Must be a sad place when the internal polling is that bad. Feel for some of the plonka candidates in 'safe' blue seats. Next move will be to throw some of these under the bus.
Judith Collins' electric car policy: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12364066&ref=recommendedv1
When it comes to bluegreen, what we always get from National is A Whiter Shade of Pale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb3iPP-tHdA
Still, creating an incentive structure to make the transition to fossil-fuel-free cars easier is a significant step that will incentivise Labour to seek parity, I guess.
That uptake graph the Herald features looks good. “There are currently 22,000 EVs in New Zealand, which represents 0.6 per cent of the light passenger fleet.” Way to go yet!
“In 2018, a year-long trial by the New Zealand Transport Agency was dropped because it found EV owners cared more about environmental concerns, lower running costs and the perception of being an early adopter than driving in bus lanes.”
Bet that came as a huge surprise to the bureaucrats. Imagine people who are not petty & selfish. No, too hard…
The Tesla subsidy….
Now how many votes (net) are in that.
"it found EV owners cared more about environmental concerns, lower running costs and the perception of being an early adopter than driving in bus lanes.”
Very true.
Also, no bloody bus lanes within the range of a full charge and a half for my EV!
Removing FBT on EV's simply allows business owners I assume to charge all their private running to the business. Anybody else still has to pay for their private running.
But these cars don't need taxpayer subsidies. Financially it's a complete no brainer. Over a 100k of motoring the fuel saving for just a hybrid is about $6000. So buy the new Toyota corolla hybrid at $28k. Uses 3.9 litres not 7 litres and over 100k that s your $6000 dollars. So you just bought a car for the equivalent of $22k.
Have a decent advertising campaign pointing out how big a present you are giving yourself by buying a new hybrid or electric- they are just coming down into the lower priced models now.
Put in some sinking lid emission controls so that second hand imports lean towards Nissan leafs not gas guzzlers. Work on the battery recycling schemes- virtually none have yet been expended but it needs to be ready
Lastly for some of the lowest priced models now coming on stream ( Citron Ami !!) would it be possible to have a sort of de facto loan scheme – where the price of the car is down but the annual rego is higher? to put them within reach of the lower paid lower deposit people rather than a second hand 10 year old 60k on the clock gas guzzler. Best I can think of. High priced – leave alone – buyers can take their savings as they happen.
Now we're talking. Rent caps.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/122808007/election-2020-green-party-and-the-opportunities-party-support-introduction-of-rent-caps
maybe the government could extend the currenty 'covid rent caps aka the 'rent freeze' and thus prevent the wholesale increases due in the next few weeks?
Sounds good! And automatic wage increase across all wages of at least the same amount.