Daily review 22/12/2020
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5:30 pm, December 22nd, 2020 - 2 comments
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- Serves them right
Back in December, the government purchased Ihumatāo. Officially the purchase was for a housing project, but whether any houses actually get built (and who will own them) is subject to negotiation. And now, the Auditor-General has ruled the purchase unlawful: The deal struck by the government and Fletcher Building ...15 mins ago - Bryce Edwards: Political Roundup – National has bigger problems than its leadership
Speculation about the National Party’s leadership has died down, after a fortnight of rumours and overt positioning by supposed challengers to Judith Collins. She lives on as leader for a bit longer, and Christopher Luxon and Simon Bridges have been put in their place. National now desperately needs to focus ...2 hours ago - An inappropriate gagThe government is planning to reform the health system. But in the leadup, they've issued new guidance for DHB members, gagging them from criticising the government: A new code of conduct banning health board members from making “political comment” may have been timed to dull criticism of imminent changes ...3 hours ago
- Presentation: The housing crisis, taxation policy and restoring equity
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- Taniwha New Zealand shows its foreign policy teeth to the world. But what does it mean?
As New Zealand and Australia celebrated its close ties with the opening of the Trans-Tasman Covid-19 bubble, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta today was looking a little further north. Shortly after those first flights had taken off, reminding us all of the world beyond our shores, Mahuta gave just her second ...16 hours ago - sam bailey on isolating viruses, and why she is wrong
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For once, I have written my submission on a bill with enough time to spare to both enocurage any of you who wants to make a submission to do so as well, and to give you time to spot the typos in mine.Louisa Wall's Harmful Digital Communications (Unauthorised Posting of Intimate ...1 week ago - there’s a word for this sort of misinformation about vaccinesA friend found a concerning FB post (see below – this is a public post & so I have not redacted the name) & – as you do – immediately queried it with Southern Cross Life & Health Insurance as well as sending the screenshot to me¹. We both read ...1 week ago
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- Labour's record: Creating better health outcomes for all
We’re committed to improving healthcare in New Zealand. And we have the record to prove it. ...55 mins ago - Tinkering around the edges won’t cut it for families struggling to survive
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- Green Party plans significant rewrite of social security legislationThe Green Party is putting a Member’s Bill into the ballot today which will be a significant step towards overhauling the Social Security Act. ...5 days ago
- Service providers and communities call on Government to treat drugs as a health issueThe Green Party supports the open letter released today by a cross-sector coalition calling for the Government to treat all drug use as a health issue, to repeal and replace the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975. ...1 week ago
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- Young Pasifika Leaders call for climate action: GreensGreen Party spokesperson for Pacific Peoples Teanau Tuiono MP, supports the demand from Pasifika communities fighting for climate action as their homelands are more at risk in the Pacific region. ...2 weeks ago
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- Systemic racism rooted in Māori victimisation reportThe Ministry of Justice Māori victimisation report, released today, reinforces what we already know about the impact of systemic racism in Aotearoa and that urgent action is needed. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens legacy bill to ensure a more inclusive and accessible Aotearoa to be debated in ParliamentRicardo Menéndez March’s Members Bill to ensure that disabled New Zealanders do not face discrimination for having a disability assist dog was today pulled from the biscuit tin to be debated in Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
- More businesses switching to clean energyMore businesses are making the switch to cleaner, more sustainable energy, with support from our Government. ...2 weeks ago
- More families better off, thanks to LabourMore than one million people will be better off from today, thanks to our Government’s changes to the minimum wage, main benefits and superannuation. ...3 weeks ago
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- “He Taniwha He Tipua, He Tipua He Taniwha – The Dragon and the Taniwha”Hon Nanaia Mahuta, Foreign Minister 8.30am, 19 April 2021 [CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY] Speech to the NZCC Korihi Pō, Korihi Ao E rongo e turia no Matahau Nō Tū te winiwini, Nō Tū te wanawana Tū Hikitia rā, Tū Hapainga mai Ki te Whai Ao, Ki te Ao Mārama Tihei Mauri ...1 day ago
- Backing sustainable wool carpets to create a compelling yarn for New Zealand’s strong wool sectorThe Government is supporting a new project with all-wool New Zealand carpet company, Bremworth, which has its sights on developing more sustainable all-wool carpets and rugs, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced. The Ministry for Primary Industries is contributing $1.9 million towards Bremworth’s $4.9 million sustainability project through its Sustainable Food ...1 day ago
- New Zealand provides support to Timor-Leste for flooding and COVID-19 surgeNew Zealand is providing further support to Timor-Leste following severe flooding and the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “Our thoughts are with the people of Timor-Leste who have been impacted by the severe flooding and landslides at a time when the country is ...2 days ago
- WHANAU OF MĀORI BATTALION SOLDIERS REUNITED WITH MEDALSA ceremony has been held today in Gisborne where the unclaimed medals of 28 (Māori) Battalion C Company soldiers were presented to their families. After the Second World War, returning service personnel needed to apply for their medals and then they would be posted out to them. While most medals ...3 days ago
- SolarWinds compromise attributed to Russian state actorNew Zealand has today added its voice to the international condemnation of the malicious compromise and exploitation of the SolarWinds Orion platform. The Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau, Andrew Little, says that New Zealand's international partners have analysed the compromise of the SolarWinds Orion platform and attributed ...4 days ago
- Queenstown roading project given fast track approvalAn expert consenting panel has approved the Queenstown Arterials Project, which will significantly improve transport links and reduce congestion for locals and visitors in the tourism hotspot. Environment Minister David Parker welcomed the approval for the project that will construct, operate and maintain a new urban road around Queenstown’s town ...4 days ago
- Screen industry secures landmark projectEconomic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash says a landmark deal has been agreed with Amazon for The Lord of the Rings TV series, currently being filmed in New Zealand. Mr Nash says the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) secures multi-year economic and tourism benefits to New Zealand, outside the screen ...4 days ago
- Report into review of health response to lead contamination releasedThe Government welcomes the findings from a rapid review into the health system response to lead contamination in Waikouaiti’s drinking water supply. Sample results from the town’s drinking-water supply showed intermittent spikes in lead levels above the maximum acceptable value. The source of the contamination is still under investigation by ...4 days ago
- NZ Upgrade Programme revs up economic recoveryTransport Minister Michael Wood today marked the start of construction on the New Zealand Upgrade Programme’s Papakura to Drury South project on Auckland’s Southern Motorway, which will create hundreds of jobs and support Auckland’s economic recovery. The SH1 Papakura to Drury South project will give more transport choices by providing ...4 days ago
- Speech releasing the Digital Council's report 'Towards Trustworthy and Trusted Automated D...CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karanga maha o te wa, tēnā koutou, tēna koutou, tēna tātou katoa. Ki ngā mana whenua, ko Ngāi Tahu, ko Waitaha, ko Kāti Māmoe anō nei aku mihi ki a koutou. Nōku te hōnore kia haere mai ki te ...4 days ago
- Green light for 10 minute e-bus to Auckland AirportTransport Minister Michael Wood today marked the completion of upgrades to State Highway 20B which will give Aucklanders quick electric bus trips to and from the airport. The State Highway 20B Early Improvements project has added new lanes in each direction between Pukaki Creek Bridge and SH20 for buses and ...4 days ago
- Review into greyhound racing announcedThe Government is putting in place a review of the work being done on animal welfare and safety in the greyhound racing industry, Grant Robertson announced today. “While Greyhound Racing NZ has reported some progress in implementing the recommendations of the Hansen Report, recent incidents show the industry still has ...4 days ago
- Road safety boosted by increased penalty for mobile use while drivingThe infringement fee for using a mobile phone while driving will increase from $80 to $150 from 30 April 2021 to encourage safer driving, Transport Minister Michael Wood announced today. Michael Wood said too many people are still picking up the phone while driving. “Police issued over 40,000 infringement notices ...4 days ago
- Pacific mental wellbeing supported across Auckland and WellingtonPacific people in New Zealand will be better supported with new mental health and addiction services rolling out across the Auckland and Wellington regions, says Aupito William Sio. “One size does not fit all when it comes to supporting the mental wellbeing of our Pacific peoples. We need a by ...5 days ago
- Fresh approach proposed to Smokefree 2025New measures are being proposed to accelerate progress towards becoming a smokefree nation by 2025, Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced. “Smoking or exposure to second-hand smoke kills around 12 people a day in New Zealand. Recent data tells us New Zealand’s smoking rates continue to decrease, but ...5 days ago
- Govt expands Mana Ake to provide more school-based mental wellbeing supportMore children will be able to access mental wellbeing support with the Government expansion of Mana Ake services to five new District Health Board areas, Health Minister Andrew Little says. The Health Minister made the announcement while visiting Homai School in Counties Manukau alongside Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Associate ...5 days ago
- Record Number of People Move Into WorkThe Government’s COVID-19 response has meant a record number of people moved off a Benefit and into employment in the March Quarter, with 32,880 moving into work in the first three months of 2021. “More people moved into work last quarter than any time since the Ministry of Social Development ...5 days ago
- Significant global progress made under Christchurch CallA stocktake undertaken by France and New Zealand shows significant global progress under the Christchurch Call towards its goal to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. The findings of the report released today reinforce the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach, with countries, companies and civil society working together to ...6 days ago
- New chair of interim TAB NZ Board appointedRacing Minister Grant Robertson has announced he is appointing Elizabeth Dawson (Liz) as the Chair of the interim TAB NZ Board. Liz Dawson is an existing Board Director of the interim TAB NZ Board and Chair of the TAB NZ Board Selection Panel and will continue in her role as ...6 days ago
- Government to phase out live exports by seaThe Government has announced that the export of livestock by sea will cease following a transition period of up to two years, said Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “At the heart of our decision is upholding New Zealand’s reputation for high standards of animal welfare. We must stay ahead of the ...6 days ago
- Workshop on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems – opening remarksWORKSHOP ON LETHAL AUTONOMOUS WEAPONS SYSTEMS Wednesday 14 April 2021 MINISTER FOR DISARMAMENT AND ARMS CONTROL OPENING REMARKS Good morning, I am so pleased to be able to join you for part of this workshop, which I’m confident will help us along the path to developing New Zealand’s national policy on ...6 days ago
- Inter-prison kapa haka competition launchedFor the first time, all 18 prisons in New Zealand will be invited to participate in an inter-prison kapa haka competition, Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. The 2021 Hōkai Rangi Whakataetae Kapa Haka will see groups prepare and perform kapa haka for experienced judges who visit each prison and ...6 days ago
- Government takes step forward on counter terrorism lawsThe Government has introduced the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Bill, designed to boost New Zealand's ability to respond to a wider range of terrorist activities. The Bill strengthens New Zealand’s counter-terrorism legislation and ensures that the right legislative tools are available to intervene early and prevent harm. “This is the Government’s first ...1 week ago
- Carbon neutral government a step closerCoal boiler replacements at a further ten schools, saving an estimated 7,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the next ten years Fossil fuel boiler replacements at Southern Institute of Technology and Taranaki DHB, saving nearly 14,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the next ten years Projects to achieve a total ...1 week ago
- Appointment of Chief Parliamentary CounselAttorney-General David Parker today announced the appointment of Cassie Nicholson as Chief Parliamentary Counsel for a term of five years. The Chief Parliamentary Counsel is the principal advisor and Chief Executive of the Parliamentary Counsel Office (PCO). She is responsible for ensuring PCO, which drafts most of New Zealand’s legislation, provides ...1 week ago
- Emissions report shows urgent action neededEvery part of Government will need to take urgent action to bring down emissions, the Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw said today in response to the recent rise in New Zealand’s greenhouse emissions. The latest annual inventory of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions shows that both gross and net ...1 week ago
- NZ becomes first in world for climate reportingCommerce and Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark says Aotearoa New Zealand has become the first country in the world to introduce a law that requires the financial sector to disclose the impacts of climate change on their business and explain how they will manage climate-related risks and opportunities. The Financial ...1 week ago
- Awards celebrate the food and fibre sector employer excellenceExceptional employment practices in the primary industries have been celebrated at the Good Employer Awards, held this evening at Parliament. “Tonight’s awards provided the opportunity to celebrate and thank those employers in the food and fibres sector who have gone beyond business-as-usual in creating productive, safe, supportive, and healthy work ...1 week ago
- Tourism Infrastructure Fund now openApplications are now invited from all councils for a slice of government funding aimed at improving tourism infrastructure, especially in areas under pressure given the size of their rating bases. Tourism Minister Stuart Nash has already signalled that five South Island regions will be given priority to reflect that jobs ...1 week ago
- Electricity Networks Association (ENA) Annual Cocktail Speech 2021Tēnā koutou e ngā maata waka Tenā koutou te hau kāinga ngā iwi o Te Whanganui ā TaraTēnā koutou i runga i te kaupapa o te Rā. No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tatou katoa. It is a pleasure to be here tonight. Thank you Graeme (Peters, ENA Chief ...1 week ago
- Construction Skills Action Plan delivering early on targetsThe Construction Skills Action Plan has delivered early on its overall target of supporting an additional 4,000 people into construction-related education and employment, says Minister for Building and Construction Poto Williams. Since the Plan was launched in 2018, more than 9,300 people have taken up education or employment opportunities in ...1 week ago
- Youth Justice residence offers new pathwayAn innovative new Youth Justice residence designed in partnership with Māori will provide prevention, healing, and rehabilitation services for both young people and their whānau, Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. Whakatakapokai is located in South Auckland and will provide care and support for up to 15 rangatahi remanded or ...1 week ago
- The Duke of EdinburghPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern today expressed New Zealand’s sorrow at the death of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. “Our thoughts are with Her Majesty The Queen at this profoundly sad time. On behalf of the New Zealand people and the Government, I would like to express ...2 weeks ago
- Five Country Ministerial CommuniquéWe, the Home Affairs, Interior, Security and Immigration Ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America (the ‘Five Countries’) met via video conference on 7/8 April 2021, just over a year after the outbreak of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Guided by our shared ...2 weeks ago
- Inspiring creativity through cultural installations and eventsArts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni has today announced the opening of the first round of Ngā Puninga Toi ā-Ahurea me ngā Kaupapa Cultural Installations and Events. “Creating jobs and helping the arts sector rebuild and recover continues to be a key part of the Government’s COVID-19 response,” Carmel ...2 weeks ago
- Review: Mare of Easttown is Kate Winslet at her best
Kate Winslet descends on television once again to deliver a career-best performance in a cop drama that doesn’t quite deserve it, writes Sam Brooks.Let’s be up front about this: Kate Winslet is one of the greatest actors of her generation, and the reason you’re interested in Mare of Easttown at ...19 mins ago - Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: National has bigger problems than its leadership
Analysis by Bryce Edwards Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Speculation about the National Party’s leadership has died down, after a fortnight of rumours and overt positioning by supposed challengers to Judith Collins. She lives on as leader for a bit longer, and Christopher Luxon and Simon Bridges have been put ...23 mins ago - Yes, we impose sanctions (when the UN says we should) and will despatch an Orion to ensure they aren...
Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta has had a busy two days. Hard on the heels of echoing the title of a book edited by academic writer Manying Ip to headline an important policy speech, she was announcing the visit here this week of Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne for ministerial ...26 mins ago - Not criminals or passive victims: Reframing the media’s representation of Aboriginal deaths in cus...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amanda Porter, Senior Fellow (Indigenous Programs), The University of Melbourne Cultural warning: This article contains names and images of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This article also contains links to graphic footage of police violence. This month marks 30 years ...1 hour ago
- Hamilton City Council Shouldn’t Throw $10 Million Into A Pond
"Hamilton City Council cannot justify contributing $10 million to an inland lagoon resort while it’s increasing rates by 8.9 percent," says New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke. “If the proposal makes good business ...3 hours ago - The Single Object: The embroidery with a story to tellIt’s embroidery, but not as you know it. Lema Shamamba’s intricate stitchwork features machine guns, severed limbs, people crying – and the logos of the global tech giants she holds responsible.CW: Violence, sexual assaultLema Shamamba fled the Democratic Republic of the Congo when armed militia started killing people in her ...4 hours ago
- ‘You’re Not Actually Living Life’: Benefit Recipients Suffer Increased Hardship During CovidCovid-19 exacerbated existing levels of material and emotional hardship for people on low core benefit rates, a new study has found. Dr Louise Humpage, a sociologist at the University of Auckland who conducted the study in collaboration with Child ...4 hours ago
- Away with the fairies? A poke in the eye for four NZ allies (and a likely review of the White House...With consummate timing, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has stirred up another controversy days ahead of the first visit of her Australian counterpart, Marise Payne. New Zealand, she says, doesn’t want to use Five Eyes as the first point of contact on a range of issues that existed outside of its ...4 hours ago
- How New Zealand TV celebrated the trans-Tasman bubbleAustralia Week: The first day of the travel bubble was big news, so Tara Ward stayed home and watched it happen on the television. To mark the opening of the trans-Tasman bubble, The Spinoff is casting an eye across the ditch all week – read our Australia Week content here. The trans-Tasman ...5 hours ago
- ‘Gruelling’ Silver Collar Greyhound Race Must Be Cancelled In 2021This year will be the 50th anniversary of the Melbourne Cup of greyhound racing. The Silver Collar is described by the Auckland Greyhound Racing Club as a ‘gruelling’ and ‘stamina-sapping affair,’ raced over an ‘extreme’ 779 meters, which is ...5 hours ago
- NZ’s next large Alpine Fault quake is likely coming sooner than we thought, study showsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jamie Howarth, Senior lecturer, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington The Alpine Fault marks the boundary between the Pacific and Australian plates in the South Island of New Zealand. Author provided The chances of New Zealand’s Alpine Fault rupturing in ...5 hours ago
- New Zealand 'concerned' about China asserting itself in the region, foreign minister says
The government is concerned about the way China is asserting itself in the region, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta says. ...5 hours ago - It’s not ‘stealthing’ – it’s rapeLast week in Wellington, a man was convicted of rape for removing his condom during sex without consent. For Frankie Bennett, who was subjected to a similar assault, it’s validating – but now we must stop using euphemisms to describe sex crimes. In 2018 I was “stealthed”; a man I was ...6 hours ago
- Greenpeace Launches Petition To “slam Door In Face” Of Seabed MinersTuesday, 20 April 2021: Greenpeace has today launched a new petition calling on the New Zealand Government to ban seabed mining from the waters of Aotearoa. The petition calls on Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to give New Zealand another world ...6 hours ago
- Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – April 20 2021Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. Click here to subscribe to Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup and New Zealand Politics Daily. Today’s content NZ-China relations: Mahuta Speech Tim Watkin (Pundit): Taniwha New Zealand shows its foreign policy ...7 hours ago
- NZ Seafarers Are EssentialKiwi Seafarers working internationally have been forgotten by the New Zealand government, their request for support keeps being ignored and their status as essential workers continues to be overlooked. Many Kiwi Seafarers are stuck outside of New Zealand ...7 hours ago
- Covid-19 vaccines and blood clots: everything you need to knowA small number of people have developed blood clots after receiving two types of the Covid-19 vaccine. Mirjam Guesgen explains what’s going on and how different countries are responding.What’s this I hear about blood clots and Covid-19 vaccines?Some people who received the AstraZeneca and Janssen vaccines are developing severe, in ...7 hours ago
- Bridges, highways, scaffolds: how the amazing engineering of army ants can make us smarter creatorsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Reid, DECRA Research Fellow, Macquarie University Army ants (Eciton burchellii) are known for their vast foraging raids. Hundreds of thousands of ants flow like a river from their nest site, scouring the jungle as they prey on anything unable to escape ...8 hours ago
- Looking at the stars, or falling by the wayside? How astronomy is failing female scientistsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Kewley, Director, ARC Centre for Excellence in All-Sky Astrophysics in 3D, Australian National University It will take until at least 2080 before women make up just one-third of Australia’s professional astronomers, unless there is a significant boost to how we nurture ...8 hours ago
- Forget JobKeeper — what the government and the country need now is a JabMaker planSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Kenny, Professor, Australian Studies Institute, Australian National University Forget last week’s healthy 5.6% unemployment rate. It might be “comfortably below” the Coalition’s 6% threshold for commencing “fiscal repair” (another term for unpopular spending cuts), but the government is under unforeseen political ...8 hours ago
- 3 doses, then 1 each year: why Pfizer, not AstraZeneca, is the best bet for the long haulSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nathan Bartlett, Associate Professor, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle Last week, the chief executive of Pfizer said anyone who receives its COVID-19 vaccine will probably need to have a third dose within 6-12 months after being fully immunised, ...8 hours ago
- Rainforest giants with rare autumn displays: there’s a lot more to Australia’s red cedar than ti...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Doctor of Botany, The University of Melbourne Native deciduous trees are rare in Australia, which means many of the red, yellow and brown leaves we associate with autumn come from introduced species, such as maples, oaks and elms. One native ...8 hours ago
- Not only are some of the government’s consent videos bizarre and confusing, many reinforce harmful...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amanda Keddie, Professor, Education, Deakin University Education academics, women’s rights campaigners and many in between have criticised some of the material in the government’s new respectful relationships resource for schools. Particularly controversial in the Good Society resource is a video of a ...8 hours ago
- COVID-19 cost more in 2020 than the world’s combined natural disasters in any of the past 20 yearsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ilan Noy, Chair in the Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington What have we lost because of the pandemic? According to our calculations, a lot — and many of the worst hit countries and ...8 hours ago
- Financial stress in 3 graphs: there’s fewer of us in it, but for those who are, it’s worseSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Phillips, Associate Professor, Centre for Social Research and Methods, Director, Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), Australian National University The good news from new research conducted by the Australian National University for Social Ventures Australia and the Brotherhood of St Laurence ...8 hours ago
- If I could go anywhere: I’d revisit Maman, Louise Bourgeois’ 9-metre spider at London’s Tate M...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Webb, Dean, Graduate Research, University of Canberra In this series we pay tribute to the art we wish could visit — and hope to see once travel restrictions are lifted. She’s called Maman, and she emerged into the world in 1999, ...8 hours ago
- Live updates, April 20: Euthanasia patients may suffer prolonged, distressing deaths – reportWelcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for April 20, bringing you the latest news updated throughout the day. Get in touch at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz8.00am: Concerns euthanasia patients may take unapproved drugs, suffer prolonged deathAn investigation into how prepared New Zealand is to introduce euthanasia, following last year’s referendum, has uncovered concerns ...8 hours ago
- Bar talks are back in town
The global movement to take leading academics out of lecture theatres and into pubs to present their latest research is returning to Auckland. Tonight, 20 University of Auckland lecturers will host talks in 10 local bars. The topics range from the search for alien life to the risks of vaping ...8 hours ago - The Bulletin: Mahuta moves away from Five Eyes in major speechGood morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Mahuta moves away from Five Eyes in major speech, new research shows raised risk of Alpine fault quake, and trans-Tasman bubble opens on emotional day.Foreign minister Nanaia Mahuta has sought to continue a ‘best of both worlds’ approach to the ...8 hours ago
- Auckland Airport shares bubble higher
Business & Investing: The opening of the Tasman for tourists pushes Auckland Airport shares up, with Air NZ also benefiting; Plus Tilt Renewables wins bigger Mercury-PowAR deal ...9 hours ago - Reducing reliance on China, the world's fastest-growing economy
As Nanaia Mahuta highlights the need for NZ to diversify its trade beyond China, the Chinese people are spending a third more on consumer goods. ...10 hours ago - Building a case for 'build-to-rent' developments
A look at the pros and cons of longer-term, professionalised rental complexes. ...10 hours ago - 'IIMBYism' and our abysmal climate failure
New Zealand is focusing purely on its own adaptations challenges - 'Impacts in My Backyard' - rather than the brutal climate impacts already being felt elsewhere. It's a gaping hole in our strategy, writes Dr Luke Harrington. We Kiwis are more concerned than ever about the significant and growing challenges of a ...10 hours ago - Covid and suicide, is there a link?
If history is any indication, we would expect the Covid pandemic to increase suicide rates. Dr Dennis Wesselbaum explains how that could be the case. New Zealand is the ninth happiest country in the world as reported in the 2021 World Happiness Report. Yet at the same time, New Zealand has the ...10 hours ago - Dame Noels happy to check Gail Parata's Pulse
From Wellington to Glasgow and home again, netball coach Gail Parata is helming the national champion Pulse side, and can call on her old room-mate for help. Dame Noeline Taurua and Gail Parata have a long relationship, once built on deception. Now among the best netball coaches in the world, the ...10 hours ago - Pilots spent more than a quarter of last year locked in hotel rooms
Pilots and cabin crew can spend 20 days a month in isolation in order to link New Zealand to the rest of the world - but the hardest part is not feeling welcome when they come home. Matthew Scott reports. Touchdown in Hong Kong. In different times, pilots and ...10 hours ago - Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 20 April
Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. ...10 hours ago - Newsroom's daily sudoku, Tuesday 20 April
...10 hours ago - The race to vaccinate New Zealand in 36 weeks
New data released by the Ministry of Health shows the Government's intended path towards vaccinating the adult population, but is it realistic? ...10 hours ago - Newsroom daily crossword, Tuesday 20 April
...10 hours ago - What can old people do with all their books?
Graeme Lay on the problem of downsizing for the elderly Books, books, books: novels. short stories, poetry, anthologies, biographies, histories ... For many elderly people books are a treasured part of their households. Shelves and shelves of them; they're an integral part of our past. We remember when we bought ...10 hours ago - Earthquake forecast just in: the Alpine Fault is due a major quake – and soonNew research shows that the risk of the big one hitting the South Island’s spine is far higher than previously thought, write Ursula Cochran and lead researcher Jamie Howarth.Calculating the chance of an earthquake on a particular fault currently relies on the long geological earthquake record, which is both notoriously ...11 hours ago
- Vegas keeps the Māori warrior-gangster trope alive for another generationA new TVNZ drama tells the story of a fictitious gang trying to go straight. Despite being funded as part of a major initiative to get Māori stories to screen, Vegas reinforces some centuries-old stereotypes, writes Leonie Hayden. Episode one of the new drama Vegas aired last night on TVNZ. ...11 hours ago
- Trans-Tasman food face-off: A definitive ruling on who the bloody hell owns what Australia Week: Nothing tests our mateship with Australia like the disputed delicacies both countries claim as their own. In the interest of diplomatic relations, Alice Neville sets the record straight.To mark the opening of the trans-Tasman bubble, The Spinoff is casting an eye across the ditch all week – read ...11 hours ago
- A Marxist critique of the lifestyle left
An old-style Marxist's withering takedown on contemporary leftists - even likening today's left liberals with neoliberals - has lessons for our economic and political debate, writes Oliver Hartwich ...11 hours ago - Mahuta treads a careful but clear line on China
A carefully worded speech on NZ-China relations from Nanaia Mahuta nevertheless carried some telling notes about how the Government plans to navigate the Great Power divide, Sam Sachdeva writes Nanaia Mahuta may lack the bombast of Winston Peters, but her greater willingness to stick to the MFAT-approved script makes it ...11 hours ago - The bumps in our vaccination road
Trans-Tasman quarantine-free flights are back on - as New Zealand's vaccination rollout's been described as shambolic, and Australia's as a failure. On the week that our travel bubble opens up with Australia, both sides of the Tasman have been criticised for falling behind in their vaccine roll outs. New ...11 hours ago - Net zero won’t be achieved in inner city wine bars: MorrisonSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra As Scott Morrison gradually pivots his climate policy towards embracing a target of net zero emissions by 2050, he is seeking to distinguish the government from “inner city” types and political opponents who’ve been marching ...17 hours ago
- View from The Hill: Dutton humiliates defence force chief Angus Campbell over citationSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Peter Dutton has begun his tenure as defence minister by delivering a very public slap to his most senior military adviser, chief of the Australian Defence Force Angus Campbell. Dutton’s overriding of Campbell’s initial command ...19 hours ago
- What’s the risk if Australia opens its international borders? An epidemiologist explainsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Blakely, Professor of Epidemiology, Population Interventions Unit, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne Coinciding with the Trans-Tasman travel bubble starting today, over the past week there have been murmurings Australia could ...22 hours ago
- A US ban on kangaroo leather would be an animal welfare disaster – and a missed farming opportunit...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By George Wilson, Honorary Professor, Australian National University The US Congress is considering a proposed law to ban the import and sale of kangaroo parts. Backed by a campaign called Kangaroos Are Not Shoes, the bill is aimed at stopping Nike, Adidas and ...22 hours ago
- Bainimarama blames ‘protocol breach’ for second Fiji community covid caseBy Praneeta Prakash in Suva Fiji Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says a breach in protocol in relation to the 53-year-old woman now testing positive of covid-19 should not have happened. The woman who was working as a maid in a border quarantine facility developed symptoms last Thursday, but continued working ...22 hours ago
- Beach body off Pacific LPG ship throws Vanuatu capital into covid lockdownThe Pacific Newsroom Vanuatu’s capital island of Efate has gone into covid-19 lockdown for three days after a body was found on a beach near Port Vila. The body, which tested positive for covid, was that of a Filipino crewman from the British-flagged liquified petroleum gas carrier Inge Kosan, a ...22 hours ago
- Trans-Tasman bubble opens – data key to other bubbles opening, says PMWhile the trans-Tasman bubble today is “a significant day” for New Zealanders, any moves to open the borders to other countries will need to be be based on hard evidence, the prime minister says. After months of discussions, the trans-Tasman bubble is officially open. The prime ministers of New Zealand ...22 hours ago
- West Papua action group raises human rights issues with Taieri MPAsia Pacific Report newsdesk The local West Papua action group in Dunedin has met Taieri MP Ingrid Leary and raised human rights and militarisation issues that members believe the New Zealand government should be pursuing with Indonesia. Leary has a strong track record on Pacific human rights issues having worked ...22 hours ago
- ACCC ‘world first’: Australia’s Federal Court found Google misled users about personal locatio...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katharine Kemp, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, UNSW, and Academic Lead, UNSW Grand Challenge on Trust, UNSW The Federal Court has found Google misled some users about personal location data collected through Android devices for two years, from January 2017 to December ...22 hours ago
- Privacy erosion by design: why the Federal Court should throw the book at Google over location data ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeannie Marie Paterson, Professor of Law, The University of Melbourne The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has had a significant win against Google. The Federal Court found Google misled some Android users about how to disable personal location tracking. Will this decision ...22 hours ago
- Keith Rankin Chart Analysis – Canada Overtakes USA in Covid-19 Cases Per MillionAnalysis by Keith Rankin – Covid-19: British Isles and Neo-European Countries Canada has overtaken the United States. Chart by Keith Rankin. Canada has overtaken the United States in the last week, with over 200 daily cases per million people, with the worst growth zones being Ontario, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. ...23 hours ago
- Minister calls to expand NZ international trade arrangementsNew Zealand's foreign affairs minister is urging the country to diversify its trade arrangements and not put all its eggs all one basket with China. ...23 hours ago
- Grand theft art world: Netflix probe into history’s biggest gallery heist is a rollicking story of...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ted Snell, Honorary Professor, Edith Cowan University Review: This is a Robbery: The World’s Biggest Art Heist, directed by Colin Barnicle. After dreaming for many years of visiting Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, I was surprised by its dour presence when I ...23 hours ago
- Poetry season: Introducing a series of original poems on filmTwo brand new poems to blow out the cobwebs, courtesy of the Going West festival. Going West has gone entirely online this year and while we mourn the (hopefully temporary) loss of the festival’s corduroy vibe and splendid lunchtime spreads, the move does mean they’ve been able to concentrate on the ...24 hours ago
- Aged Care Sector Welcomes Reunification VisaRest homes are welcoming Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi’s decision to allow families of critical healthcare workers in New Zealand on temporary visas to apply to join them here. Simon Wallace, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Aged Care Association ...24 hours ago
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So very pleased about this
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/433430/mediaworks-fined-3000-over-iwi-interview-about-roadblocks
They always had the mandate to do this just not the confidence that Govt would back them! It seems perhaps the BSA feels they might just be allowed to do their job now.
Yes and they (Mediaworks)are still in denial.