It’s been repeated many times here before – and obviously it still needs repeating. whataboutism is not a valid form of argument
Saying Obama “this”, and neoliberalism “that” does not make the atrocity that is currently happening on the US border with Mexico any less evil.
So whataboutism is now an excuses to give Obama a free pass. Joy.
It’s bad what happening on the Mexico border, but it’s the extension of previous policies. This is not a radical departure from previous policy of Obama, nor Bush. It’s implementation has a whole callous aspect to it, but that the thing with liberalism, it has a callousness to it which many on the left just chose to ignore.
It is NOT and extension of previous policy, and you saying it is doesn’t make that true.
You might like to read a little around this matter before you go making such slanderous and untruthful statements.
What about the children and families adam – when are you going to talk about them? I think it is shocking and Trump and his lowly supporters should be ashamed. I also think that those who want to talk about other shit should start a thread – geddit now? Or do you want to fixate on some thing other than the suffering children and families forcibly being seperated.
Maybe you missed it, what is happening at the Mexico border is bad. And yes, children being seperated from parents is pure evil, I didn’t say I supported it, like you want to say I did. Your ‘making shit up’ argument rolls into town again.
What I did say, is Obama, and Bush were running with some bloody anti-human being immigration policy, and this is just more of the same, with a callous face. Funny none of that does miss the point, indeed it helps inform people how we got here.
But if you wanna go down the road, Oh it’s bad now trump did it, I can’t be bothered, either you face up to the fact the ruling elites hate working people and the poor, or not. Personally I want to see more humanity all round. But probably asking to much from liberalisms sycophants though.
The US and many so called democracies have been turning into right nasty buggers when it comes to immigration. But if you want to bury your head in the sand about this issue and not want to have a look at the bigger picture, then feel free to run with what even line it is you think is better. It seems to me, you have your mind already made up, and lies and bs accusations is all you have.
Yeah anything to NOT talk about the children and families – just Obama bashing – spose it’s better than the Clinton litany. I think you are just a bully. Fundamentally a bully you are imo.
You got nothing, so it’s name calling and personal attacks.
Calling this attack on children callous is not enough for you. Trying to find out how we got here to this evil situation, is bullying
So unless I’m goose stepping to your take on issue, I’m fundamentally a bully. If i’m not worshipping the right leader, I’m fundamentally a bully. If I think we need to look at issue in contect, I’m fundamentally a bully.
Let me know when your not channeling your inner 2 year old, and we will have a discussion about this heinous situation, how we got here as a society, and how we can get out of it.
There comes a point when the excuses made by the alt.left for the alt.right become effectively identical to the excuses used by the alt.right for themselves and serve the same result.
One of the reasons why I can’t be arsed with The Standard much these days. That and the persistent misogyny – see A’s use of feminine identity as an insult, as per his usual habit.
it really saddens me to see the infiltration of bogus bullshitters but I spose that is the way it works – and we can chose to participate or not – for me I’ve taken 6 months off and really see hardly any point in making the effort anymore especially with weka gone.
but there are some good, even great, people here and I really cannot tolerate bullys so we’ll see how it all goes.
Adam. Trying to wash reason over the shores of faith? It’s not a happening thing.
Trump and his policies came and come from nowhere. They are not based on anything or built from anything.
And looking beyond the borders of the US, dead people washing up on the shores of Europe, or refugee camps being burned to the ground in western Europe…these things, though they happen, don’t and didn’t really happen (oh, there was some acceptably fashionable wringing of hands for a few weeks after photographs of Alan Kurdi were circulated) but no-one really gives a toss beyond a head shake and a tut for what happens to “them” in general.
But give us a Trump – provide permission and a figure to hate. Then the victims become visible, if but for a moment in the peripheries of that lens.
Obama, like Kennedy, will be somewhat mythologised by latter day liberal zealots, and Trump’s role in that (Trump the aberration, Trump the non-continuity) is merely as the foil to contrast the mythological goodness of what came before.
Before this Trump policy, those who were deemed to have credible fear would be put on a track to see an immigration judge, who would determine whether to grant asylum.
Some families were released and told to come back for a court date. Others were kept waiting in detention for up to 20 days and, if they hadn’t seen a judge by then, were released and told to return for a court date at some point in the future.
Up to you , … just my thoughts on some of the inconsistencies around. And we also do not want an echo chamber /one way train of thought either.
True , the situation needs to be handled a lot better , but I wonder if there is a disconnect by those on the ground and those implementing policy , which tragically , translates to a not so very nice situation such as the one mentioned.
The situation is that people escaping from violence in countries such as Guatemala, Nicaragua, and elsewhere are seeking asylum in the US which is one of the main signatories of the UNHCR.
Growing numbers of families in Central America have been forced in recent years to flee extraordinary, unchecked violence including murder, rape, abduction and forced recruitment of children into gangs. These families have been seeking protection in countries throughout the region.
UNHCR continues to call on governments to work together to address the root causes in Central America and at the same time ensure safe haven for families fleeing life-threatening violence and persecution.
And the situation has the potential to get much worse: The Washington Examiner reported on Monday that the Trump administration could wind up holding some 30,000 illegal immigrant children by the end of the summer, citing a senior administration official with the Department of Health and Human Services. The HHS official told the publication 11,500 children were already being held.
Growing numbers of families in Central America have been forced in recent years to flee extraordinary, unchecked violence including murder, rape, abduction and forced recruitment of children into gangs. These families have been seeking protection in countries throughout the region.
And I happen to think that those people should stand up for themselves rather than expect other people to give them a good life. If they banded together it really wouldn’t take much to stop the shit happening.
You forgot the sarc tag Draco.
Persons from Honduras make up the majority of those seeking asylum (ie Refugees) in the US.
Impunity for human rights abuses remain the norm in Honduras. Despite a downward trend in recent years, the country’s murder rate is among the highest in the world. Efforts to reform the institutions responsible for providing public security have made little progress. Marred by corruption and abuse, the judiciary and police remain largely ineffective. Journalists, peasant activists, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals are among those most vulnerable to violence. Government efforts to investigate and prosecute violence against members of these groups have generally made little progress. Gang-related violence is an important factor prompting people, including unaccompanied youth, to leave the country.
No I didn’t. If those people want a better life then they should stand up for themselves, band together and make it happen where they are and not give in to the corrupt.
That sounds like a RWN and “taking personal responsibility” type of argument to me. Do you not think that some have already tried that?
It’s heart breaking to hear the stories of those who flee.
Here is the story of a nurse who was forced to flee from Honduras There are thousands of stories like this, and they are heard by immigration and refugee authorities daily around the world. My daughter worked at the Mangere Refugee centre and in Immigration assessing the stories of Asylum seekers who arrived in NZ. It was a traumatising job. But each one of these stories is carefully checked for accuracy before any decision is made on granting Refugee status.
It’s even more heartbreaking to hear that those travelling with children are being separated from them on entering the US because Trump wants to build a stupid wall. As a deterrent this inhumane policy has had no effect whatsoever. The number of arrivals has increased by 5% since its implementation. https://edition.cnn.com/2018/06/18/politics/family-separation-deterrence-dhs/index.html
You really do sound like Hosking or Trump, Draco. Next you’ll be suggesting refugees be trained, armed and returned from whence they came.
People flee to preserve their lives and the lives of their families. “Not give in to the corrupt” is easy to type when you’re not in the clutches of the corrupt. Not so much when you have a child to feed and a gun to your head.
There’s a reason people resisting the nazis or other gangsters are called heroes. It’s because many of them are dead.
I’m sorry One Two but it seems you wouldn’t know what a valid argument was if you fell over one.
There are such things as logical fallacies. You might like to read about them sometime.
Failing to argue in a logical manner can often lead to an unsound conclusion. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallacy
“Whataboutism” is a type of logical fallacy that falls under the category of Tu quoque, or the appeal to hypocrisy. It is an informal fallacy in that it intends to discredit a position or circumstance by asserting the opponent’s failure to act consistently in accordance with its conclusion(s).
I majored in logic, philosophy, and mathematics, and have taught logic for baccalaureate.
I think Katipo’s point is that this has been happening in various shapes and forms going back over the last 300 years or so, in the USA. This reallty, truly is par for the course.
Whilst the US is hardly a bastion of humanitarian rights – It’s history of near annihilation of native americans, slavery, antagonistic laws wrt to workers rights, slowness in introducing women’s suffrage, poor public health, constant bias against LGBT, abortion, and underlying racial bias, to name just a few social ills – this is a new low in inhumanity and has caused outrage across all sectors of US society. All 4 living past First ladies have condemned the practice. Melania Trump, meanwhile, placed the blame on “both sides,” saying that she “hates to see children separated from their families and hopes both sides of the aisle can finally come together. Hardly a ringing endorsement of her husbands policy. “The churches including those who supported in the past Trump have expressed their concern that this policy is evil; and the both sides of the house disapprove. 56% of Americans oppose the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy of separating undocumented children from their parents. 27% of respondents, meanwhile, said they agreed with the policy.
In one email the SIS staffer says: “I have had an inquiry from an agency that I deal with, wanting to know if I can put them onto someone who has the capability to tech sweep an area of their business”.
In reply, Thompson Clark emails back: “Yes mate that’s bread and butter for us” and refers to properties in Auckland and Christchurch.
“We send our technician in overnight accompanied by one of our Christchurch based personnel to assist with the physical search aspect”.
The email adds: “I’m in Christchurch next Wed, Thurs so can pop in and discuss the process with them or if they want to action this asap can discuss with them over the phone today to get things happening early next week.”
In reply, the SIS staffer says: “Excellent. I am glad you guys can do it too as I often get asked for that type of service.
So, an unscrupulous manager decided he wanted to spy on an employee or group of employees, so he calls upon an unscrupulous SIS operative who jacks up the equally unscrupulous Thompson and Clark to do the job?
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The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced that the Government will make it easier for lines firms to take action to remove vegetation from obstructing local powerlines. The change will ensure greater security of electricity supply in local communities, particularly during severe weather events. “Trees or parts of trees falling on ...
Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani were the top winners at this year’s Ahuwhenua Trophy awards recognising the best in Māori dairy farming. Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka announced the winners and congratulated runners-up, Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board, at an awards celebration also attended by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister ...
"On the 27th of March, I sought assurances from the Chief Executive, Department of Internal Affairs, that the Department’s correct processes and policies had been followed in regards to a passport application which received media attention,” says Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden. “I raised my concerns after being ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins has announced the appointment of three new District Court Judges, to replace Judges who have recently retired. Peter James Davey of Auckland has been appointed a District Court Judge with a jury jurisdiction to be based at Whangarei. Mr Davey initially started work as a law clerk/solicitor with ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour is calling on the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) to put ideology to the side and focus on students’ learning, in reaction to the union holding paid teacher meetings across New Zealand about charter schools. “The PPTA is disrupting schools up and down the ...
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly today announced the appointment of Craig Stobo as the new chair of the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). Mr Stobo takes over from Mark Todd, whose term expired at the end of April. Mr Stobo’s appointment is for a five-year term. “The FMA plays ...
Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Coastguard New Zealand will continue to be able to keep people safe in, on, and around the water following a funding boost of $63.644 million over four years, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “Heading to the beach for ...
New Zealand and Tuvalu have reaffirmed their close relationship, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand is committed to working with Tuvalu on a shared vision of resilience, prosperity and security, in close concert with Australia,” says Mr Peters, who last visited Tuvalu in 2019. “It is my pleasure ...
New Zealand is gravely concerned about the situation in New Caledonia, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The escalating situation and violent protests in Nouméa are of serious concern across the Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “The immediate priority must be for all sides to take steps to de-escalate the ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met today with Samoa’s O le Ao o le Malo, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, who is making a State Visit to New Zealand. “His Highness and I reflected on our two countries’ extensive community links, with Samoan–New Zealanders contributing to all areas of our national ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has announced that he has approved Waiheke Island ferry operator Island Direct to be eligible for SuperGold Card funding, paving the way for a commercial agreement to bring the operator into the scheme. “Island Direct started operating in November 2023, offering an additional option for people ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters today announced further sanctions on 28 individuals and 14 entities providing military and strategic support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Russia is directly supported by its military-industrial complex in its illegal aggression against Ukraine, attacking its sovereignty and territorial integrity. New Zealand condemns all entities and ...
A year on from the tragedy at Loafers Lodge, the Government is working hard to improve building fire safety, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I want to share my sincere condolences with the families and friends of the victims on the anniversary of the tragic fire at Loafers ...
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for having me here in the lead up to my Government’s first Budget. Before I get started can I acknowledge: Simon Bridges – Auckland Business Chamber CEO. Steve Jurkovich – Kiwibank CEO. Kids born ...
New Zealand and Vanuatu will enhance collaboration on issues of mutual interest, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “It is important to return to Port Vila this week with a broad, high-level political delegation which demonstrates our deep commitment to New Zealand’s relationship with Vanuatu,” Mr Peters says. “This ...
Minister for Land Information, Chris Penk will travel to Peru this week to represent New Zealand at a meeting of trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific region on behalf of Trade Minister Todd McClay. The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting will be held on 17-18 May ...
Minister of Education Erica Stanford will head to the United Kingdom this week to participate in the 22nd Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) and the 2024 Education World Forum (EWF). “I am looking forward to sharing this Government’s education priorities, such as introducing a knowledge-rich curriculum, implementing an evidence-based ...
Minister of Education Erica Stanford has today thanked outgoing New Zealand Qualifications Authority Chair, Hon Tracey Martin. “Tracey Martin tendered her resignation late last month in order to take up a new role,” Ms Stanford says. Ms Martin will relinquish the role of Chair on 10 May and current Deputy ...
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and President Emmanuel Macron of France today announced a new non-governmental organisation, the Christchurch Call Foundation, to coordinate the Christchurch Call’s work to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. This change gives effect to the outcomes of the November 2023 Call Leaders’ Summit, ...
Distinguished public servant and former diplomat Sir Maarten Wevers will lead the independent review into the disability support services administered by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. The review was announced by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston a fortnight ago to examine what could be done to strengthen the ...
Today’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster of a National Gang Unit and district Gang Disruption Units will help deliver on the coalition Government’s pledge to restore law and order and crack down on criminal gangs, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. “The National Gang Unit and Gang Disruption Units will ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today expressed regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric towards New Zealand and its international partners. “New Zealand proudly stands with the international community in upholding the rules-based order through its monitoring and surveillance deployments, which it has been regularly doing alongside partners since 2018,” Mr ...
Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is the new Chief of Defence Force, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. The Chief of Defence Force commands the Navy, Army and Air Force and is the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister and other Ministers with relevant portfolio responsibilities in the defence ...
Legislation to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has been introduced to Parliament. The Bill’s introduction reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the safety of children in care, says Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “While section 7AA was introduced with good intentions, it creates a conflict for Oranga ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week travel to the UK and Italy to meet with her defence counterparts, and to attend Battles of Cassino commemorations. “I am humbled to be able to represent the New Zealand Government in Italy at the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of what was ...
The upcoming Budget will include funding for up to 50 charter schools to help lift declining educational performance, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. $153 million in new funding will be provided over four years to establish and operate up to 15 new charter schools and convert 35 state ...
“The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues Ladies and Gentlemen, Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office. “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist and Kelvin Anthony, RNZ Pacific digital journalist Police have used tear gas and stun grenades on rioters at an airport near Nouméa as the chaos in New Caledonia stretched into its sixth day. Five people, including two police officers, have died and hundreds of ...
Asia Pacific ReportThe global human rights watchdog Amnesty International has called on France to not “misuse” a crackdown in the ongoing unrest in the non-self-governing French Pacific territory of Kanaky New Caledonia in the wake of a controversial vote by the French Parliament to adopt a bill changing the territory’s ...
A major provider of school lunches fears the government's new $3 limit for most students will see them eating more pre-packaged and processed food. ...
The star of Dark City: The Cleaner takes us through his life in TV, including the VHS revolution and the John Campbell impression that started it all. Best known for his comedic roles, Cohen Holloway says he struggled at times to maintain the stone cold facade of serial killer on ...
David Hill remembers an old friend, who you’ve probably never heard of. My friend Doug never travelled; he had little interest in the world beyond his own tiny rural town. I’ve rarely known anyone who radiated such contentment. Doug (I’ll call him that) died in March. You won’t know him. ...
Some of the earliest photos of life in Aotearoa are on display at Auckland Museum right now – but the identities of some of the people in them are a mystery.What was it like to be one of the first people in New Zealand to have their photo taken? ...
Since its founding almost a decade ago, Featherston Booktown has grown into one of the country’s most interesting and idiosyncratic literary events. Erin Banks reports from the audience. “Come in, have you had lunch? I’m about to make a cheese toastie.” Mary Biggs, operations manager of Featherston Booktown Karukatea Festival, ...
After 33 years abroad, Loveni Enari recently returned to Aotearoa and Samoa in what a friend joked was an “existential crisis”. He learnt and re-learnt so much about his family, friends and both countries. Almost as an afterthought, he got a Samoan tatau. This is his story. (Accompanying it are ...
Nearly 30 years ago, two people told me they’d killed a woman they knew. I thought the truth would come out, that others would tell it. In the end, I had to. The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Fact: in 1995, Angela Blackmoore ...
Editor Madeleine Chapman looks back at the week and shines a light on some increasingly rare longform journalism. Mōrena and welcome to The Weekend where there will sadly be no aurora to see. After a busy week last week of short, sharp pieces, this week we swung the other way, ...
ANALYSIS:By David Robie, editor of Asia Pacific Report Jean-Marie Tjibaou, a revered Kanak visionary, was inspirational to indigenous Pacific political activists across Oceania, just like Tongan anthropologist and writer Epeli Hao’ofa was to cultural advocates. Tragically, he was assassinated in 1989 by an opponent within the independence movement during ...
Forget thin is in, apparently now bigger is better … or is it? After over a decade of body positivity, girls, teens and women are even more confused about what body positivity actually is. The movement began with women confronting unrealistic expectations of how their bodies should look. But sub-strands ...
Grace always sat at the bar at the back of The Cambridge, where she could watch who came in. A huge mirror ran the length of the pub, so you could sometimes watch people without them knowing. The mirror made the place seem a lot bigger than it really was. ...
MONDAY Sheriff Mark Mitchell rose at dawn. He had a long day’s ride ahead of him. He was headed for Waikeria. Waikeria! Even the name itself stirred his blood, and set root in his imagination. There was nothing and no one in Waikeria. But he would bend it to his ...
The first phase of the inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones finished this week, turning up plenty of revelations and few answers. But through all the confusion, heartbreak and antipathy on display, the simple fact at the heart of this case remains: if little Lachie’s body had ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roger Benjamin, Professor in Art History, University of Sydney “She’s no oil painting”. Those were the unkind words of a colleague commenting on the subject of Vincent Namatjira’s acrylic painting, Gina. Every one of the prominent Australians and cultural heroes in Namatjira’s ...
Government plans to require local councils hold a referendum on whether to have Māori wards breaches the Treaty of Waitangi, a Waitangi Tribunal report has found. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney This year the National Rugby League (NRL) opened its season in Las Vegas. It was an audacious move by the league’s ambitious head honcho Peter V’Landys to showcase the game in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Strong, Associate Professor, Music Industry, RMIT University Leading music organisations have praised the federal budget for its investment in the live music sector. The budget includes A$8.6 million for a program called Revive Live: to provide essential support to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marnee Shay, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, The University of Queensland The 2024 federal budget contains A$110 million for Indigenous education. This includes funding for various different organisations to represent and help Indigenous people as well as scholarships in a bid to ...
Air New Zealand has confirmed Nouméa’s Tontouta International airport in New Caledonia is closed until Tuesday. The airline earlier told RNZ it would update customers as soon as it could. Earlier today, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters told RNZ Morning Report government officials had been working on an “hourly basis” ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grant Linley, PhD Candidate in Ecology, Charles Sturt University Grant Linley Australia’s unprecedented Black Summer bushfires in 2019–20 created ideal conditions for misinformation to spread, from the insidious to the absurd. It was within this context that a bizarre story ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marcel Scharth, Lecturer in Business Analytics, University of Sydney OpenAI executive Mira Murati launching GPT-4o.OpenAI Earlier this week OpenAI launched GPT-4o (“o” for “omni”), a new version of the artificial intelligence (AI) system powering the popular ChatGPT chatbot. GPT-4o is promoted ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Treasure McGuire, Assistant Director of Pharmacy, Mater Health SEQ in conjoint appointment as Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Bond University and as Associate Professor (Clinical), The University of Queensland Speedkingz/Shutterstock Menopause is a natural biological process that marks the end of a ...
A new poem by Hannah Patterson. Xiāng There’s a pear tree in our backyard And Xiāng tells me She can’t eat them anymore Not after some things that have happened in her life. She tells me, in Mandarin The word for pear sounds the same as the word for disassociation ...
‘Cycling Works’ aims to show business support for citywide cycle infrastructure. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, supermarket giant Foodstuffs lost its attempt to block the construction of a cycle lane outside Thorndon New World in Wellington. The Spinoff’s Wellington editor ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Slow Productivity by Cal Newport (Penguin, $40)Taking out the top spot in Auckland this ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Lowe, Emeritus Professor, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University For decades, Australia has exported uranium – but not used it, other than in the Lucas Heights research reactor. But change is coming. We now face a rapidly deepening commitment to ...
"In future I should walk away," Green MP Julie Anne Genter says after complaints over an exchange in Parliament and from two members of the public. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Graffam, PhD Candidate in Theatre, Monash University Gianna Rizzo/Malthouse Music pumps; lights pulsate; two sweaty bodies sway together, touching, breathing in each other’s scent. A male body framed by downlight restlessly shifts between stances and gestures. He undresses. The intensity ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sandra van der Laan, Professor of Accounting, University of Sydney Mtaya/Shutterstock At some point, you or someone else will need to make a decision about your “send-off”. Most Australians die in an institution, such as a hospital or aged care facility. ...
Asia Pacific Report Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai — who is also Chairman of the Melanesian Spearhead Group — has reaffirmed MSG’s support of the pro-independence umbrella group Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS) stance opposing the French government’s constitutional bill “unfreezing” the New Caledonia Electoral Roll. It is ...
Producer Susan Leonard remembers her father Ernie, a pioneer of Māori television, and how his legacy lives on in Pathfinders.My father was a fabulous man. His name was Ernie Leonard and he started in TV in the 1970s when it was still glamorous – when TVNZ made behind the ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk, and Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist The suspected ringleaders of the unrest in New Caledonia have been placed in home detention and the social network TikTok has been banned as French security forces struggle to restore law and order. The French ...
Multi-year appropriations - which give the government authority to spend money without reapplying annually - are loosening Parliament's control of the public purse, auditor-general says. ...
Dr. Eric Chuah who stood for a centrist NZ political party in the October 2023 NZ Elections for Maungakiekie Auckland will stand as a candidate for Tauranga City Council Ward of Matua-=Otumoetai and Mayor of Tauranga. ...
If you can’t get to the comedy fest, let us bring the comedy fest to you. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. The New Zealand International Comedy Festival is in full swing at the moment, with a veritable smorgasboard of comedy treats ...
A new poll commissioned by Unions Wellington shows an overwhelming majority of Wellingtonians oppose the Council’s plan to sell the 34% public stake in Wellington Airport. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aruna Sathanapally, Chief Executive, Grattan Institute, Grattan Institute A central focus of this week’s budget is the treasury’s forecast for inflation. By this time next year, inflation is projected to be back within the Reserve Bank’s 2-3% target range. Inflation has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yolanda van Heezik, Professor of Ecology, University of Otago Getty Images Cities across Aotearoa New Zealand are trying to solve a housing crisis, with increasing residential density a key solution. But not everyone is happy about the resulting loss of natural ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Reeve, Deputy Program Director, Energy and Climate Change, Grattan Institute WDG Photo/Shutterstock For years, the electricity sector has been the poster child for emissions cuts in Australia. The sector achieved a stunning 26% drop in emissions over the past 15 ...
It’s often the last thing people want to do, but asking someone if they’re having suicidal thoughts is a critical first step to helping them. Content warning: this story discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. For a list of resources that can help if you or someone you know is feeling ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy J. Ralph, Associate Professor, Macquarie University The pyramids at Giza, like dozens of others, are located several kilometres west of the current path of the Nile.Alex Cimbal / Shutterstock The largest field of pyramids in Egypt – consisting of 31 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Diepstraten, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute ABO PHOTOGRAPHY/Shutterstock Receiving a cancer diagnosis is life-changing and can cause a range of concerns about ongoing health. Fear of cancer returning is one ...
Winston Peters has been on tour around the Pacific while two unrelated crises unfolded, explains Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Two separate ...
This is the Mount Everest of artificial meatcraft.Ah, bacon. Pig’s gold. Toast’s consolation. Dawn’s savoury embrace. If meat was a currency, bacon would be the Benjamin Franklin. Or if you’re feeling patriotic, the Lord Rutherford. When it comes to fake bacon, the obvious question is: why bother? In the ...
From illegal milk to sprinkler bans and airplane ticket scams, Tyrone Barugh is on a one-man mission through New Zealand’s most obscure legal loopholes. I’m deep undercover, investigating Wellington’s criminal underworld. Inside this store, I’ve been told there is a million-dollar trade in illicit substances. A man dressed in black ...
NONFICTION 1 The Last Secret Agent by Pippa Latour & Jude Dobson (Allen & Unwin, $37.99) A free copy of this amazing story of a woman who operated behind enemy lines in Nazi-occupied France was up for grabs this past fortnight. Readers were asked to share a story of wartime bravery, ...
It’s been a recess week at Parliament, which might indicate slim pickings for conversation topics for the Raw Politics team. But things are never dull in politics, especially with a new Government keen to follow through on its law and order promises, and a NZ First minister who wants to ...
Dear Hon Judith Collins, Minister of Defence, and Hon Christopher Penk, Associate Minister of Defence I have written to you, to attempt to give you an insight into the incredible hardship of being an NZDF family. Whilst I cannot speak on behalf of serving personnel, I can speak from my ...
Analysis: What a difference a year makes. In mid 2023, Wayne Brown the Auckland Mayor was a politician diminished by a calamitous response to the region’s Anniversary Weekend storm emergency and later forced against his preference into a half sale only of the city’s airport shares. His demeanour among his ...
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New Zealand’s drug legislation hasn’t been overhauled in nearly 50 years, in spite of a recommendation from the Law Commission in 2011 to do so. Our Misuse of Drugs Act was passed in 1975 and is based on a United Nations framework set in 1961. Now a new organisation, Harm ...
Asia Pacific Report An open letter to The New Zealand Herald has challenged a full page Zionist advertisement this week for failing to acknowledge the “terrible injustices” suffered by the Palestinian people in Israel’s seven-month genocidal war on Gaza. In the latest of several international reports that have condemned genocide ...
Evil, I think, is the absence of empathy.” Captain G. M. Gilbert, the Army psychologist , Nuremberg trails
Trump lacks empathy.
So did Obama’s drones and this country’s far right wing extremists when it comes to child poverty and homelessness.
yes dear.
No yes dear about it.
It’s been repeated many times here before – and obviously it still needs repeating. whataboutism is not a valid form of argument
Saying Obama “this”, and neoliberalism “that” does not make the atrocity that is currently happening on the US border with Mexico any less evil.
Thank you.
So whataboutism is now an excuses to give Obama a free pass. Joy.
It’s bad what happening on the Mexico border, but it’s the extension of previous policies. This is not a radical departure from previous policy of Obama, nor Bush. It’s implementation has a whole callous aspect to it, but that the thing with liberalism, it has a callousness to it which many on the left just chose to ignore.
It is NOT and extension of previous policy, and you saying it is doesn’t make that true.
You might like to read a little around this matter before you go making such slanderous and untruthful statements.
+ 1 yep it seems any goduseless reason to not concentrate on the children suffering now is good enough for some. Sad.
Who is doing what you saying marty mars, or is this more of your just making up shit, approach to a topic?
So aggressive you are – better watch your blood pressure their bub. Figure it out Einstein.
All I’ve been able to figure out is you making up shit again. I see you going to avoid the issue, how very Gosman of you.
What about the children and families adam – when are you going to talk about them? I think it is shocking and Trump and his lowly supporters should be ashamed. I also think that those who want to talk about other shit should start a thread – geddit now? Or do you want to fixate on some thing other than the suffering children and families forcibly being seperated.
Maybe you missed it, what is happening at the Mexico border is bad. And yes, children being seperated from parents is pure evil, I didn’t say I supported it, like you want to say I did. Your ‘making shit up’ argument rolls into town again.
What I did say, is Obama, and Bush were running with some bloody anti-human being immigration policy, and this is just more of the same, with a callous face. Funny none of that does miss the point, indeed it helps inform people how we got here.
But if you wanna go down the road, Oh it’s bad now trump did it, I can’t be bothered, either you face up to the fact the ruling elites hate working people and the poor, or not. Personally I want to see more humanity all round. But probably asking to much from liberalisms sycophants though.
Yeah well your ‘continuation’ line has as much cred as right wing claims, re ‘child crisis actor’s lines, to me – as in none.
Well maybe you might want to get your head out of the sand, and do some reading on US immigration policy for the last 20-50 years.
Try here for a start, it gets worse when you look at the amendments to the core act.
https://www.diazshafer.com/how-immigration-has-change-last-20-years
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/immigration-reform-obama-reagan-mccain-rubio-2013-2?r=US&IR=T
The US and many so called democracies have been turning into right nasty buggers when it comes to immigration. But if you want to bury your head in the sand about this issue and not want to have a look at the bigger picture, then feel free to run with what even line it is you think is better. It seems to me, you have your mind already made up, and lies and bs accusations is all you have.
Yeah anything to NOT talk about the children and families – just Obama bashing – spose it’s better than the Clinton litany. I think you are just a bully. Fundamentally a bully you are imo.
You got nothing, so it’s name calling and personal attacks.
Calling this attack on children callous is not enough for you. Trying to find out how we got here to this evil situation, is bullying
So unless I’m goose stepping to your take on issue, I’m fundamentally a bully. If i’m not worshipping the right leader, I’m fundamentally a bully. If I think we need to look at issue in contect, I’m fundamentally a bully.
Let me know when your not channeling your inner 2 year old, and we will have a discussion about this heinous situation, how we got here as a society, and how we can get out of it.
In the meantime, see you next tuesday.
Cheers – thanks for proving my point adam.
cheers – thanks for proving my point adam.
There comes a point when the excuses made by the alt.left for the alt.right become effectively identical to the excuses used by the alt.right for themselves and serve the same result.
One of the reasons why I can’t be arsed with The Standard much these days. That and the persistent misogyny – see A’s use of feminine identity as an insult, as per his usual habit.
yep rhino I agree
it really saddens me to see the infiltration of bogus bullshitters but I spose that is the way it works – and we can chose to participate or not – for me I’ve taken 6 months off and really see hardly any point in making the effort anymore especially with weka gone.
but there are some good, even great, people here and I really cannot tolerate bullys so we’ll see how it all goes.
Adam. Trying to wash reason over the shores of faith? It’s not a happening thing.
Trump and his policies came and come from nowhere. They are not based on anything or built from anything.
And looking beyond the borders of the US, dead people washing up on the shores of Europe, or refugee camps being burned to the ground in western Europe…these things, though they happen, don’t and didn’t really happen (oh, there was some acceptably fashionable wringing of hands for a few weeks after photographs of Alan Kurdi were circulated) but no-one really gives a toss beyond a head shake and a tut for what happens to “them” in general.
But give us a Trump – provide permission and a figure to hate. Then the victims become visible, if but for a moment in the peripheries of that lens.
Obama, like Kennedy, will be somewhat mythologised by latter day liberal zealots, and Trump’s role in that (Trump the aberration, Trump the non-continuity) is merely as the foil to contrast the mythological goodness of what came before.
0
Really, me thinks you should read the policy under Bush and Co. Did you miss the 2006 Secure Fence Act?
Yeah Trump is the problem, not liberalism as a fubar ideology.
Macro, it is an extension of previous policy
https://twitter.com/ImmCivilRights/status/1008902662828511232
and you saying it is not doesn’t make that true.
You might like to read a little around this matter etc etc etc
Do you still have your notes from when you were a student of logic and philosophy and all the things?
I’d go back and read them.
No it is not!
Here is a simple explanation for you:
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/6/19/17475326/family-separation-border-patrol-visual-explainer
No where in the previous policy were children separated from their parents.
Railing against Obama helps now how exactly addy?
Because these things don’t happen in a vacuum, no matter how much people spin.
Also I don’t worship leaders, even if the nominally on the left.
But it may demonstrate selectivity.
Up to you , … just my thoughts on some of the inconsistencies around. And we also do not want an echo chamber /one way train of thought either.
True , the situation needs to be handled a lot better , but I wonder if there is a disconnect by those on the ground and those implementing policy , which tragically , translates to a not so very nice situation such as the one mentioned.
And that really is my point.
The situation is that people escaping from violence in countries such as Guatemala, Nicaragua, and elsewhere are seeking asylum in the US which is one of the main signatories of the UNHCR.
http://www.unhcr.org/en-au/news/press/2018/6/5b27fea84/unhcr-urges-family-unity-southern-border.html
At present there are reports that up to 11,500 children have been separated in recent times from their parents in an unconscionable manner.
https://www.vox.com/2018/6/18/17475292/family-separation-border-immigration-policy-trump
This is purely the result of a deliberate policy by Trump and his cohorts to to for the Democrats into giving financial consent to build his stupid border wall.
And I happen to think that those people should stand up for themselves rather than expect other people to give them a good life. If they banded together it really wouldn’t take much to stop the shit happening.
You forgot the sarc tag Draco.
Persons from Honduras make up the majority of those seeking asylum (ie Refugees) in the US.
https://www.hrw.org/americas/honduras
No I didn’t. If those people want a better life then they should stand up for themselves, band together and make it happen where they are and not give in to the corrupt.
That sounds like a RWN and “taking personal responsibility” type of argument to me. Do you not think that some have already tried that?
It’s heart breaking to hear the stories of those who flee.
Here is the story of a nurse who was forced to flee from Honduras There are thousands of stories like this, and they are heard by immigration and refugee authorities daily around the world. My daughter worked at the Mangere Refugee centre and in Immigration assessing the stories of Asylum seekers who arrived in NZ. It was a traumatising job. But each one of these stories is carefully checked for accuracy before any decision is made on granting Refugee status.
It’s even more heartbreaking to hear that those travelling with children are being separated from them on entering the US because Trump wants to build a stupid wall. As a deterrent this inhumane policy has had no effect whatsoever. The number of arrivals has increased by 5% since its implementation.
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/06/18/politics/family-separation-deterrence-dhs/index.html
You really do sound like Hosking or Trump, Draco. Next you’ll be suggesting refugees be trained, armed and returned from whence they came.
People flee to preserve their lives and the lives of their families. “Not give in to the corrupt” is easy to type when you’re not in the clutches of the corrupt. Not so much when you have a child to feed and a gun to your head.
There’s a reason people resisting the nazis or other gangsters are called heroes. It’s because many of them are dead.
Of course it’s a ‘valid form of argument’…
only to a fool.
A fool believes they decide what constitutes validity of ‘debate/argument’…
No matter how many senior managers parrot the ‘whataboutism’ line changes nothing…
ALL arguments are valid…that you don’t like it or disagree is nothing other than your inability to grasp a simple concept…
Senior Manager
Thank you for proving my case so convincingly
Macro, we’ve had these conversations before…
Again it seems you falter with elementary level understandings…
Just because you or anyone else disagrees with a tabled argument or debate angle….does not invalidate that argument or debate angle…
All are valid…think it through senior manager…
Edit: Example…Your arguments are lacking in basic logic for the most part…but your arguments are as valid as any other…
I’m sorry One Two but it seems you wouldn’t know what a valid argument was if you fell over one.
There are such things as logical fallacies. You might like to read about them sometime.
Failing to argue in a logical manner can often lead to an unsound conclusion.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallacy
“Whataboutism” is a type of logical fallacy that falls under the category of Tu quoque, or the appeal to hypocrisy. It is an informal fallacy in that it intends to discredit a position or circumstance by asserting the opponent’s failure to act consistently in accordance with its conclusion(s).
I majored in logic, philosophy, and mathematics, and have taught logic for baccalaureate.
To be clear, is this the same as the well-known Labour-did-it-too ‘argument’?
Yeah you’ve made the claim about your credentials previously, and again they don’t stack up against the comments you’re making here…
Claiming ‘whaboutism’ is a form of censorship and dismissive of the VALID argument Adam made…
Certainly there are topics in which you are strong on, however there are some gaping holes in your self proclaimed ‘areas of expertise’…
Spruiking yourself tells me you lack belief in your own position…appealing to ‘self authority’ is weak…
All arguments are valid, macro…the same way all human beings and their opinions are valid…
Nobody is above that!
I think Katipo’s point is that this has been happening in various shapes and forms going back over the last 300 years or so, in the USA. This reallty, truly is par for the course.
Whilst the US is hardly a bastion of humanitarian rights – It’s history of near annihilation of native americans, slavery, antagonistic laws wrt to workers rights, slowness in introducing women’s suffrage, poor public health, constant bias against LGBT, abortion, and underlying racial bias, to name just a few social ills – this is a new low in inhumanity and has caused outrage across all sectors of US society. All 4 living past First ladies have condemned the practice. Melania Trump, meanwhile, placed the blame on “both sides,” saying that she “hates to see children separated from their families and hopes both sides of the aisle can finally come together. Hardly a ringing endorsement of her husbands policy. “The churches including those who supported in the past Trump have expressed their concern that this policy is evil; and the both sides of the house disapprove. 56% of Americans oppose the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy of separating undocumented children from their parents. 27% of respondents, meanwhile, said they agreed with the policy.
If you need a laugh.
Brilliant.
Part 2 is also out.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=h9WbiRv80f8
Thompson and Clark used SIS contact to get contracts
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018650018/nicky-hager-sis-relationship-with-thompson-and-clark-shocking
From the link:
So, an unscrupulous manager decided he wanted to spy on an employee or group of employees, so he calls upon an unscrupulous SIS operative who jacks up the equally unscrupulous Thompson and Clark to do the job?
This smells of rotten fish to me.