Daily Review 19/12/2016
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5:37 pm, December 19th, 2016 - 43 comments
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Returning to the model that was failing for most polytechnics and Institutes of Technology is not the answer. ...3 days ago
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It’s been revealed that National has cancelled 60 percent of its housing projects planned before mid-2025 amidst housing woes. ...3 days ago
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The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...3 days ago
- Release: Why not both? Luxon shuns Waitangi celebrations
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The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...3 days ago - Release: Nicola Willis spirals country deeper into recession
The economy shrank 1% this quarter and New Zealand has tumbled into the depths of a recession of Nicola Willis’ making. ...4 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
- ECE no place to cut corners
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...5 days ago
- 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. ...5 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
- Green Government will revoke dodgy fast-track projects
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
- Government for the wealthy keeps pushing austerity
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
- Release: Visa changes let migrant workers be paid less
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...5 days ago
- 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. ...6 days ago
- Warning to Fast-Track Applicants – ‘Exploit the Whenua, Face the Consequences’
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...6 days ago
- 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. ...6 days ago
- Govt’s miserly 1.5% minimum wage will take workers backwards
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. ...6 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. ...6 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
- Release: Govt breaks promise on EV chargers
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
- Greens call for end to subsidies for Methanex
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. ...7 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. ...2 weeks 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. ...2 weeks 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
- Bill to sanction unlawful occupation of Palestine
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
- Release: Labour fully supports greyhound racing ban
The Government has done the right thing in moving to ban greyhound racing. ...2 weeks ago
- Greyhound racing industry ban marks new era for animal welfare
After years of advocacy, the Green Party is very happy to hear the Government has listened to our collective voices and announced the closure of the greyhound racing industry, by 1 August 2026. ...2 weeks ago
- Rangatahi voices must be centred in Government’s Relationship and Sexuality Education refresh
In response to a new report from ERO, the Government has acknowledged the urgent need for consistency across the curriculum for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt introduces archaic anti-worker legislation
The Green Party is appalled at the Government introducing legislation that will make it easier to penalise workers fighting for better pay and conditions. ...2 weeks ago
- Winston Peters – Kinleith Mill Speech
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- Internationally-trained doctors jump at chance to boost health workforce
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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...3 days ago
- New intelligence oversight appointments
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- New housing developments able to progress more quickly
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- Actions to speed up air travel delivering results
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- Ending contracted emergency housing in Rotorua
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- Vocational education and training decisions support return to regions
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- Reducing the environmental impact of synthetic refrigerants
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- Ngāruawāhia section of Waikato Expressway back to 4 lanes for Christmas
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- Appointments to the ENZ board
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- Government to celebrate Waitangi Day around NZ
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- More gangs added to Gangs Act list
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- Strengthening Free Speech in Universities
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- Funding confirmed for second Ashburton Bridge
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- Fire and Emergency New Zealand final levy rates confirmed
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- More AML relief on the way for Kiwi businesses
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- Hawke’s Bay Expressway moving at pace
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- Government seeks partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned-land
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- Wide ranging legislation to make justice system more efficient
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- Diverse skills in community trust appointments
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- Torture redress for survivors of the Lake Alice Unit
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- A busy year in the House
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- Consultation opens on working with engineered stone
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- Greater reporting on Treaty settlement commitments
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- New appointments to the Charities Registration Board
Mr Roger Holmes Miller and Ms Tarita Hutchinson have been appointed to the Charities Registration Board, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston says. “I would like to welcome the new members joining the Charities Registration Board. “The appointment of Ms Hutchinson and Mr Miller will strengthen the Board’s capacity ...5 days ago
- Building consent processing times improve
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- Faster access to support through Innovation Fund
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- New Zealand to assist Vanuatu on earthquake response
New Zealand is providing Vanuatu assistance following yesterday's devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. "Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need," Mr Peters says. "Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be ...5 days ago
- Government takes steps to reduce card fees for Kiwis
The Government welcomes the Commerce Commission’s plan to reduce card fees for Kiwis by an estimated $260 million a year, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.“The Government is relentlessly focused on reducing the cost of living, so Kiwis can keep more of their hard-earned income and live a ...5 days ago
- Review recommends ECE regulation shakeup
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- Offshore Renewable Energy Bill passes first reading
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- Local Government (Water Services) Bill passes first reading
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- Gene Technology Bill passes first reading
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- Vanuatu quake: Warnings as bad weather threat looms for Port Vila
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The placards seen at the Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti conveyed "huge kōrero with immediacy", expert says: "People know the power of the word." ...13 hours ago - A final Ode to .. King Luxon
Cosmic CatastropheThe year draws to a close.King Luxon has grown tired of the long eveningsListening to the dreary squabbling of his Triumvirate.He strolls up to the top floor of the PalaceTo consult with his Astronomer Royal.The Royal Telescope scans the skies,And King Luxon stares up into the heavensFrom the terrestrial ...20 hours ago - A hater and an enthusiast review The Royal Free by Carl Shuker
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- Israeli-American historian describes attacks on Gaza as ‘war of annihilation’
Asia Pacific Report “It looks like Hiroshima. It looks like Germany at the end of World War Two,” says an Israeli-American historian and professor of holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University about the horrifying reality of Gaza. Professor Omer Bartov, has described Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza as an ...1 day ago
- NZ govt plans to make ‘heavy handed’ change to free speech rules for universities
The New Zealand government coalition is tweaking university regulations to curb what it says is an increasingly “risk-averse approach” to free speech. The proposed changes will set clear expectations on how universities should approach freedom of speech issues. Each university will then have to adopt a “freedom of speech statement” ...1 day ago
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- OECD Report Highlights That More Is Needed
This report reflects that gap in our dealings overseas, and it shows that legislators, the public sector and businesses need to walk the talk. ...1 day ago - Government quietly scraps waste minimisation policies
The government has quietly cancelled plans to improve recycling and roll out a kerbside food scraps composting scheme. ...2 days ago
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The roads partnership unravelled under a confidential settlement this week, meaning NZTA will now finish off what it had said was incomplete work. ...2 days ago
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The number of people seeking help from Lifeline is expected to increase by 10 to 20 percent over Christmas. ...2 days ago
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Piracy is a reality of modern life – but copyright law has struggled to play catch-up for as long as the entertainment industry has existed. As far back as 1988, the House of Lords criticised copyright law’s conflict with the reality of human behaviour in the context of burning cassette ...2 days ago
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George Galloway interviews Peter Oborne on battle of Aleppo
My opinion of Oborne went down drastically when he listened to Galloway describing Aleppo as being “liberated” (liberated from Al Qaeda, at that) and doesn’t call him on it. Dictators don’t “liberate” anywhere under their control.
https://southfront.org/new-data-more-than-100-us-uk-israeli-french-turkish-advisers-were-allowed-to-leave-aleppo/
Pm will attack you for that
George Galloway hammers Kristyan Benedict during interview on Syrian Civil War
Galloway has been an enthusiast for dictators since you were in short pants, Paul. Of course he’s keen to put in a good word for Bashar.
Psycho Milt….You make a point of denigrating others for paying heed to propaganda, something of which you yourself are guilty. The pot calls the kettle black – it gets a bit tedious when it is done ad infinitum.
Paul could always stop posting it then. It certainly does get tedious.
Re. evacuation from Aleppo
“The only bad thing about burning your bridges behind you is that the world is round”.
http://syrianperspective.com/2016/12/obamas-psychopaths-attack-bus-for-sick-people-near-fawah-the-third-intifaadha-is-coming-thanks-to-trump-foreign-mercenaries-still-stuck-in-aleppo.html#33XCHgOO6PlGkxfA.99
Uh, yeah, totally convincing and objective analysis you link to there.
From memory, my first post today was a response to Jenny’s daily pro Jihadi tirade.
Are you trying to shut down debate?
First we have the tin foil smears, now this.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11769812
“Paula Bennett says her appointment as Minister of Women ‘sends a message’
Paula Bennett says she asked to be Minister for Women because it would show the Government was taking women’s rights seriously.
Bennett, who was sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister last week, was given the Women portfolio yesterday in Prime Minister Bill English’s first caucus reshuffle.
“I like that it will be going to the most senior woman in Government and I think that sends a message that we do take it seriously,” she told the Herald.
“I think that we’ve made incredible progress and I think that women are doing really well in most areas, there’s just still some others that we need to work on.””
Paula needs to push the down button on her ego elevator, (“most senior woman in Government”…Hah! I may have just wet my pants laughing) breathe a bit of air that is less rarefied, take a big bite of reality and start again.
Just on one issue close to my heart Paula, sweetie…Most family carers of adult disabled New Zealanders are WOMEN.
Some of us (like myself) are on duty 24/7 and perform care tasks on a daily basis that the Providers won’t do and we are not paid a cent. We are beneficiaries, who are looking forward to a fucking miserable retirement as we have no savings.
Other family carers are paid, but while on duty 24/7 are paid a maximum of 40 hours per week at the minimum wage and…are not allowed to do any other paid work.
Come a long way? From a woman who voted for the PHDAct amendment in 2013 that even the United Nations has condemned as a breach of Human Rights.
What are you on, Paula?
So why are some paid and others aren’t, what’s the criteria?
Being related. Seriously, it’s nutty from anywhere on the political spectrum. Govt will pay equitably for family carers via ACC but not MoH. Even changed the law under urgency so no further legal claims could be made.
Thanks, Sacha…I ranted and ran. I don’t know why this sorry issue flew so far under the radar. Still having to explain, after all this time.
What Sacha said….plus, BM, the Ministry of Health deliberately exaggerated how much it would cost to pay family carers. The ‘estimate’ the Misery took to the Human Rights Review Tribunal when this case was heard in 2008 to pay family carers of adult disabled family members was between $17 m and $590 m.
This total misrepresentation of the costs of rectifying what was found to be discrimination was still being ‘quoted’ as fact even after the law was passed making the discrimination (retrospectively) legal in 2013.
As a booby prize, The Miserly of Health invented the Funded Family Care scheme, paying parents only, and only for a maximum of 40 hours per week at minimum wage and no other paid work allowed. The arseholes budgeted for 1600 parent carers to be paid at any one time. The total uptake of FFC has been about 300…and many of those parent carers are not paid for 40 hours per week. Massive saving for the government.
And…it is not just National to blame. Labour could have sorted this…and I’d personally like to find out why they chose not to.
Neither Labour nor National ‘do’ disability at all well.
Perfect, ‘normal’ people who accidentally foobar themselves are worthy of rights and entitlements under the very generous ACC system, and although there have been periods of famine for ACC…once your claim is accepted and you have a permanent need for care…you’re in. These are the ‘worthy’ disabled, unlike those born with their impairments, those who have a medical condition that causes impairment, or those like my man who stupidly broke his neck before ACC came in in 1974.
Ironically, and not in a funny way, during the time the case was wending it’s way from the tribunal through to the Appeal Court (with our side winning all the way) it transpired that there had been numerous complaints made to the Misery of Health about seriously shitty care and abuse metered out to significantly disabled people in state funded residential care facilities…quite frequently the only other option on offer for those with high care needs. The Ministry of Health assiduously ignored most of these complaints until the media shone a bright spotlight on them.
She ( Paula) is a spinner in other words she is a spin doctor she don’t need anyone to advise her she now does it all herself.
To say she cares about women and Maori yet she has been kicking both groups in the guts with her policies her and her mate bill with his bullshert investment approach.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11769743
you know it’s bad for the nats when a stooge like soper is ripping into the new leader
I always thought Soper was a friend of the left.?
i hadn’t noticed , he seemed to be on the bash the opposition bandwagon from what i’ve read of his.
I just remember reading Kiwiblog and they all moaning about him been a lefty wanker, etc.
Maybe the press these days are a bit like the WWE, good guy one minute, heel the next? depending on what side of the fence you sit on,obviously.
Soper left? You have to be joking.
Honestly, the guy’s got to be a raging left winger, he wouldn’t have his current wife if he wasn’t.
Gawd BM – what’s your criteria from being from the left? Maybe that they once voted Labour?
He’s about as ‘left’ as Ralston, or Fran Wilde!
I don’t think politics enter into reasons for the relationship between Soper and Chukles.
I don’t think his wife cares too much about politics. She’s spent most of her life just looking for something to say, and be paid for it, of course.
In BM’s mind, the National Party is left wing.
Redbaiter and chums reckon everybody is a socialist, for your benchmarking. 🙂
”I just remember reading Kiwiblog and they all moaning about him been a lefty wanker, etc.”
They like collins and brash over there don’t they? it wouldn’t be hard to be left of those orrible fuckers
“I just remember reading Kiwiblog and they all moaning about him been a lefty wanker, etc”
well that seals it then.
You really (seriously) are deluded!
Yes and Newstalk is run by a communist collective.
“I always thought Soper was a friend of the left.?”
So completely wrong, BM and begs the question what else you “always thought” and how completely wrong that’s sure to be.
Soper is just in a big shitty because he feels he has been taken for a ride by the wee man who has cut and run. Soper thought the sun shone out of his behind. Now he is ripping into National as payback because he feels such a bloody fool. I think there may be many Nats who feel just plain silly and embarrassed at the degree of adoration they gave the wee man – and what did they get – a betrayal and abandonment – Soper is one of them.
Housing crisis in Auckland Worsens. PM Bill English abolishes position of Housing Minister as latest figures show growing housing disaster in Auckland with only two thirds of the homes required being consented
http://www.interest.co.nz/property/85308/pm-bill-english-abolishes-position-housing-minister-latest-figures-show-growing
30000 consents for new houses, 10,000 in Akl, prices stabilising, the market is responding
The “market” is constantly “responding”. So fucking what? Record low home ownership. People sleeping in cars. Charities run off their feet. Government continuing to pull out of core social service provision. But hey! The market is responding!
Come on Chris, don’t kick a far right ideology when he’s down. Hug him a little, and whilst you are patting him on his head – remind him even hard core libtards like ayn rand lived in public housing.
Too little, too late…
you got a link to those awesome stats?
haven’t you heard? there was a global financial crisis that debunked your blind faith in the “market”
Aging Is Reversible—at Least in Human Cells and Live Mice
It’s one of those things that I’m in two minds of.
1. Yes, I’d like to live longer
2. I’m absolutely terrified about what it could do to the human population growth
3. I can definitely see this as being a class thing where only the rich will get it
oh joy…..Trump may live for a thousand years
May be of use for those with progeria, but tend to agree with you on numbers 2. and 3.