Daily Review 18/09/2015
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6:00 pm, September 18th, 2015 - 43 comments
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- Dance Magic
Well, I've been there, sitting in that same chairWhispering that same prayer half a million timesIt's a lie, though buried in disciplesOne page of the Bible isn't worth a lifeThere's nothing wrong with youIt's true, it's trueThere's something wrong with the villageWith the villageSomething wrong with the villageSongwriters: Andrew Jackson ...4 hours ago - Government Forces Universities to Enforce “Free Speech” While Limiting Universities̵...
ACT would like to dictate what universities can and can’t say. We knew it was coming. It was outlined in the coalition agreement and has become part of Seymour’s strategy of “emphasising public funding” to prevent people from opposing him and his views—something he also uses to try and de-platform ...5 hours ago - Fact brief – Are we heading into an ‘ice age’?
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The Natural Choice: As a starter for ten percent of the Party Vote, “saving the planet” is a very respectable objective. Young voters, in particular, raised on the dire (if unheeded) warnings of climate scientists, and the irrefutable evidence of devastating weather events linked to global warming, vote Green. After ...1 day ago - Bernard’s last Saturday Soliloquy for 2024
The Government cancelled 60% of Kāinga Ora’s new builds next year, even though the land for them was already bought, the consents were consented and there are builders unemployed all over the place. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political ...1 day ago - Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Saturday, December 21
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AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...5 days ago - Minimum wage ‘increase’ is an effective cut
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Iain Rennie, CNZMSecretary and Chief Executive to the TreasuryDear Secretary, Undue restrictions on restricted briefings This week, the Treasury barred representatives from four organisations, including the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi, from attending the restricted briefing for the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update. We had been ...6 days ago
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- Thank You
Hi all,I'm pretty overwhelmed by all your messages and emails today; thank you so very much.As much as my newsletter this morning was about money, and we all need to earn money, it was mostly about world domination if I'm honest. 😉I really hate what’s happening to our country, and ...7 days ago - 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #50
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Hi,“What I love about New Zealanders is that sometimes you use these expressions that as Americans we have no idea what those things mean!"I am watching a 30-something year old American ramble on about how different New Zealanders are to Americans. It’s his podcast, and this man is doing a ...1 week ago - Chris Penk’s Hate Parade
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Returning to the model that was failing for most polytechnics and Institutes of Technology is not the answer. ...2 days ago
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The economy shrank 1% this quarter and New Zealand has tumbled into the depths of a recession of Nicola Willis’ making. ...3 days ago
- Release: Hikes for company directors but not ordinary Kiwis
Working people are going backwards while company directors are being given huge pay hikes. ...4 days ago
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- Release: Strengthening Justice Services for New Zealanders
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...4 days ago
- Release: Labour will continue fight against destructive projects
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...5 days ago
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The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...5 days ago
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The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...5 days ago
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- Release: Nightmare before Christmas for Nicola Willis
With more debt and a larger deficit, Nicola Willis’ reputation is in tatters after her failure to return the Government’s books to surplus. ...5 days ago
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- Release: Govt cuts wages for lowest paid NZers… again
For the second year running, the government has effectively cut wages for the lowest paid workers in New Zealand. ...5 days ago
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The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...5 days ago
- Release: Govt shirking responsibility for rate hikes
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...5 days ago
- Luxon’s ‘localism’ strikes again
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...6 days ago
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The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...6 days ago
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The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...6 days ago
- Govt child poverty targets allow for increase in poverty
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...1 week ago
- Release: Four weeks annual leave under threat
The Government’s attack on workers continues with news it is scrapping work on the Holidays Act. ...1 week ago
- Govt’s emissions plan for measly 1% reduction
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...1 week ago
- Greens stand in solidarity with Whakaata Māori on sad day
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...1 week ago
- Sanctions regime to create more hardship for families
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...1 week ago
- Govt gifts renters housing anxiety for Christmas
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...1 week ago
- Release: National Party urged to support modern slavery legislation
Labour is urging the Prime Minister to walk the talk and support legislation combating modern slavery. ...1 week ago
- Release: Labour has lost confidence in the Speaker
The Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament made an unprecedented decision on the government amendment to the Fast Track Approvals Bill last night. ...1 week ago
- One year on, still no progress on new ferries
Today’s announcement from the Government on its plan for new ferries throws more uncertainty on the future of the country’s rail network. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Nicola Willis’ smaller ferries will cost more
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...2 weeks ago
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Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
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David Farrar claimed this afternoon that Trump “speaks truth to power”;
But Michele A’Court didn’t acknowledge the exquisite nuttiness of that statement.
Friday 18 September 2015
There are undoubtedly some smart, well informed comedians, such as Frankie Boyle, Steve Coogan, Jon Stewart, John Oliver and John Clarke. Because of the success of The Daily Show, it has often been asserted, with some justification, that the best political commentators are now the comedians. In Australia, Clarke and Dawe are far more honest and incisive than any “serious” commentator on the ABC or SBS. In this country, Jono and Ben (and Guy) are the most credible and intelligent political commentators left on our television screens.
Those few honorable exceptions aside, however, most comedians are in fact no brighter or better informed than the average commentator. To be fair, only a few of them are as depraved as Sacha Baron Cohen or Jerry Seinfeld, or as crude (not to mention unfunny) as Andrew “Dice” Clay. We have already looked at the embarrassingly stupid comments of Andrew “Dire” Clay when he has tried to be serious.[1] Clay, along with fellow comedians Mike King and Jeremy Elwood, has been to Afghanistan ostensibly to “entertain the troops”, but unkind observers noted that sending them over there amounted to three very cost-effective public relations stunts by the army. Ever since, all three of these embedded comedians have been shills for the “great work” that they claim Kiwi troops do over there. U.S. authorities pulled the same trick to co-opt and thereby silence criticism by David Letterman, Louis C.K. and Lewis Black.
This morning another Kiwi comic showed he really doesn’t know much about anything at all. On Kathryn Ryan’s show, Te Radar unwisely decided to try and make a serious comment about the Donald Trump phenomenon….
TE RADAR: He’s Corbyn-esque! I mean he’s a joke candidate who’s getting amazing cut-through!
Damningly for her credibility, the supposedly brilliant Gemma Gracewood failed to react to that foolish statement, as (unsurprisingly) did Kathryn Ryan.
A few hours later, on Jim Mora’s light chat show The Panel, one guest used his “Soapbox” segment to make what he obviously imagined was a witty comment on the “instability” of recent politics….
DAVID FARRAR: Bernie Sanders is a proud socialist and socialism is a dirty word in the United States. He makes Keith Locke look like a neoconservative by comparison.
MICHELE A’COURT: [dutifully but anxiously] Ha ha ha!
A few minutes later came this classic.…
DAVID FARRAR: They like Trump because he speaks his mind, he speaks truth to power. There are five or six plausible Republican candidates, Marco Rubio for instance….
Michele A’Court (another professional comedian) failed to pick up on the absurdity of those two consecutive statements—Trump speaking truth to power, and Marco Rubio being “plausible”—but she did spring to the defense of Madame Mao….
MICHELE A’COURT: I don’t think that Hillary Clinton’s only card to play is that she is not a man….
[1] http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-03122013-2/#comment-738469
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-06122014/#comment-936221
I heard and was very disappointed at Te Radar’s comment.
Te radar is way beyond his use by date, overexposed and outta ideas.
David Farrar says:
Crosby/Textor subliminal bullshit speak when trying to pull wool over eyes.
I’m pretty sure I heard Jim Mora call him “David FarrIEr” shortly before those comments, too (wouldn’t be the first NZer to make that mistake). I was genuinely puzzled as to why they would be seeking his input on the Panel.
Then again, I’m equally surprised as to why David Farrar’s input is sought…
Cut through is the new top of mind.
Latest Roy Morgan is out.
National down 6% to 44.5%. Labour up 4% to 31%. Greens up to 15% (fecking good) and NZ First support is down.
Pretty damn good although no doubt the next result will bounce back. But if Labour and the Greens can form a government without NZ first support …
http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/6456-roy-morgan-new-zealand-voting-intention-september-2015-201509180721
Wow! These polls are bouncing around all over the place.
RM does seem to have become quite volatile in contrast to the telly and newspaper polls which never seem to change. I do wonder though, if infused still maintains that Key was on the side of the ‘silent majority’ with his (and Cameron, Harper and Abbott’s) flatfooted response to the Syrian refugee crisis.
Yep and the sudden change by him, Abbott and Cameron. Initially they were going to accept no more refugees then within a matter of days they had all changed their minds.
The problem is the left has a rough idea of trends in polls whereas the right has a day to day snapshot of what is happening. Seems very unfair …
Also, in spite of what Trevett (and the Herald’s editorial board) and Gower et al have said I think Key’s pretty shameless politicking over the flag has not washed with most NZers. In fact, if anything the whole schemozzle of the flag referendum is starting to weigh heavily on Key.
Yep pushing it while a hemisphere away we are witnessing the biggest refugee crisis the world has seen for many decades makes him look cheap and totally uncaring. Not what Crosby Textor would consider to be an ideal result …
No need for Winston !! Living the dream baby living the dream
Yep that is the baseline for success. If Lab+Green need NZ First then it will be messy. If they can do it by themselves then they can achieve great things. But I am reasonably sure the next poll will bounce back. Makes you really wonder how accurate they are.
I know they bounce around but of all the shitty things keys done I think the flag debacle will be looked back on as the beginning of the end for this government.
Agree b waghorn. He has upset quite a few of his own supporters over this flag debacle and he knows it. Hence the game playing with Labour. He’s hoping by attacking Labour and blaming them for the mess, he will get out of the hole he largely dug himself. It succeeded over ‘Dirty Politics’ so he’s hoping it will do so again.
I know all the maths say that they’re accurate but they seem to always randomly either get a RWNJ over-abundance of people willing to answer to the poll. I suspect that there’s a group of people more willing to answer than any other that the statistics just doesn’t take into account.
“No need for Winston !! Living the dream baby living the dream”
😀
(and let’s not forget that Peters is still capable of forming govt with National in that scenario, which is a message for all left wing voters).
I can’t see how Peters can go with the sale it all party , and while I’m not totally against him in a left block party the thought of “gunner” Marks or
“How great I am” Jones taking over gives me the chills.
Peters will do whatever suits him, that’s what he has always done. The left has made the mistake before of underestimating this.
Key can defer asset sales for a term if it means getting another term.
Winston is king-maker.
National + NZFirst > Labour + Greens.
So it needs to be Labour + Greens + NZFirst > National.
What deal would National do with Winston to stay in power? Could Labour + Greens offer a better deal?
we might get really lucky and NZF drops below 5%. Which would be a shame, but Peters is such a bad influence on NZ politics and it looks like NZF is getting set to follow in his footsteps.
Minister of racing outside of government
23 Polls since the Sep 2014 Election.
First 16 Polls = Govt ahead of the Opposition Bloc in all but 2
Last 7 Polls = Oppo ahead of the Govt in all but 2
Have we reached a tipping point without realising ?
what was it like in the 23 polls after 20ll election
First 23 Polls following 2011 Election:
14 = won by Govt
7 = won by Oppo
2 = Tied on same %
So, in both cases (post-11 and post-14), the Oppo Bloc were ahead of Govt in
7 of the 23 Polls.
But the Oppo wins were very evenly dispersed throughout the 23 following 2011 election – not a clear chronological pattern / apparent turning-point like post-2014.
You certainly didn’t have a whole cluster of Oppo wins like you do at the moment.
Bearing in mind, of course, that the Oppo led the Govt in polls throughout much of 2013, yet still lost the following election. So, you know, I wouldn’t want to get too excited at this stage. Maybe just permit ourselves an enigmatic smile now and then.
What do you mean by Opposition in those figures Swordfish? You’re counting NZF right?
Da
ROY MORGAN NEW ZEALAND POLL
National Party-led Govt* VS Parliamentary Opposition Parties#
2015
August 31 – September 13, 2015— 47 Vs 51.5 [Latest]
August 3-16, 2015 ———————-52.5 Vs 46
June 29 – July 12, 2015—————–45 Vs 52
June 8-21, 2015————————–51.5 Vs 45.5
May 4-17, 2015————————– 56Vs Vs 42
April 6-19, 2015————————- 48 Vs 49.5
March 2-15, 2015———————– 49.5 Vs 48
February 2-15, 2015——————– 50 Vs 48
January 5-18, 2015———————- 54.5 Vs 43
2014
November 24-December 7, 2014—–49.5 Vs 46
October 27-November 9, 2014——–51 Vs 45
September 29-October 12, 2014——46.5 Vs 47
*National-led Government: [Nats Party, Maori Party, ACT and United Future]
#Opposition Parties: [Labour Party, Green Party and New Zealand First]
ACT’s Rimmer and UFUT’s Dunner are probably quite pleased with their party support, each with 0.5%, rather than at 0%! (On dear, ‘half a person’ supports them out of every 100! Ha, ha! Cool bananas, with completely undeserving power of office!)
The good thing about this poll is that both Labour AND the Greens are up. Labour is clearly getting votes off National/NZF, and there isn’t just a redistribution of votes on the left happening.
Radio NZ news is leading with this poll.
The last bastion of independent news reporting …
http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/72182332/Labours-number-crunch-Hamilton-home-ownership-falling
I’d love to know how stuff thinks Hamilton house ownership and last years election results are related.
DHB told ‘pull head in’ over efforts to discipline doctor for TPPA protest
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/72147480/dhb-told-pull-head-in-over-efforts-to-discipline-doctor-for-tppa-protest
Yep this deserves a post and a whole lot of opprobrium.
The DHB wrote to Creswell expressing concern at his “recent views” which, it said, “could damage the reputation of the Whanganui District Health Board”
Unbelievable lack of insight and irony.
Indeed, Micky.
The forestry industry has unveiled a robotic tree logger to cut deaths and injuries and boost production.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/agribusiness/72179932/remote-tree-logger-aims-to-cut-forestry-deaths
These machines are good if they save lives, we just need a government that’s looking for ways to employ the people who will lose there jobs to them as opposed to a government who will see it as a way to increase profit for forestry’s foreign owners.
Indeed, preventing loss of life or injury is good. Productivity gains are also good. But it wasn’t too clear whether it would cost jobs at this stage. Operators are required.
So the serious political commentators in the land are to be Michele A’Court, Te Radar, Mike Hosking and David Farrar. Two of those are comedians whose talents are limited to limited comedy, one is a political operator whose talents and interests are limited and who is definitely not a comedian, and the other is Mike Hosking.
It’s good that comedians are involved in the scenario, as the acceptance of any of them as serious commentators is a fucking joke. A bad one.