Paranoia? Well those of us who have had personal experience of the twilight world of intrigue and spying (no matter where it might have come from) would say they are right to be concerned.
It’s probably too late to expect fair and balanced reportage from the fourth estate observer. What they want is conflict and drama and they know that an easy win for Ardern and Labour won’t provide that. So they are working overtime at the moment to even up the playing field.
One good thing though, while Collins might have been able spread the muck around successfully and distract attention away from the dreadful behaviour of her MP, she’s unlikely to have garnered any extra votes out of this. It’s most likely her net negative rating will still be quite a bit larger than her net positive rating.
And another scandal raising its head ? Nice for some
When can those of us that appreciate the environment get an invite? You always know when someone is under pressure and losing the argument, as you get something like "Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has defended sending two friends on a taxpayer-funded trip to Antarctica, calling it an "appalling, racist attack".
"The women, who are dual Malaysian-New Zealand citizens, are connected to one of South East Asia's richest families." and from wikipedia "Any person holding Malaysian citizenship is also disallowed to hold any other country's citizenship. Malaysia does not allow dual citizenship." Is Winny playing us, AGAIN. I hope our PM doesn't just accept this under her watch.
And does our Minister of Finance not know where Waitangi day falls? At least we can have a laugh at that 🤣
Finance Minister Grant Robertson was initially meant to go on the February 7-10 trip at the start of February but had to pull out due to the timing of Waitangi Day and the first sitting week of Parliament.
Has she asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs whether he made it clear to Bee Lin Chew and Su Arn Kwek that he was facilitating their passage to Antarctica on the basis that sponsorship was being sought for the redevelopment of Scott Base; if so, have they provided sponsorship?
Because it's a Thursday, the Deputies stand in for the Leaders, so gerry is asking Winnie the question.
He did prove that there is a long history of MPs and fiends getting trips to Antarctica. Remember Key and 14 journalists getting a trip there about 2013.
fiend. 1. A perversely bad, cruel, or wicked person: archfiend, beast, devil, ghoul, monster, ogre, tiger, vampire.
Problem is that Peters is reported as expecting $$ in return in the form of a donation.
to himself or "hat he was facilitating their passage to Antarctica on the basis that sponsorship was being sought for the redevelopment of Scott Base; if so, have they provided sponsorship?" (from the post at 3.2)
today he had an answer – he was hoping his friends might help contribute towards the $50 million of private money the government wants to help redevelop Scott Base.
"That's what it is about, I've asked countless people from around the world to join this programme. Swiss ambassdor, other people as well, it's only part of that and I despise this racist attack on innocent people," Peters said.
Despite that – the pair have not been asked for money.
"They have not given any money at this point of time, no-one's asked for any money," Peters said.
Why does the government want private money to help develop Scott Base?
Surely it'd be simpler, and better, just to develop it with government funding and then charge the private sector for use of the knowledge that comes out of it through a licensing system.
And the private sector should be fully in support of it as it would be user pays.
Totally agree draco. I was merely replying to the query by Sabine above as to whether the junket flight to Antarctica had produced the underlying purpose of private sponsorship.
'Problem is that Peters is reported as expecting $$ in return in the form of a donation.'
is he expecting the dollars for himself or a form of sponsorship for the base? Cause the way its posted it lets one to believe that he asked for money to himself. What is the answer to that? or are we on the 'left' now just flinging about shit and see what lands? Seriously?
on the other side, never mind. 🙂 its all just a load of bullshit anyways, on the left, on the right and in the middle, ain't no one clean, and no one good.
And here was me thinking that Peter's took the ladies to Antarctica to ask their opinion if they thought that Scott Base would be suitable for isolation were there a need for it.
Nice and quiet, spacious for social distancing and as for escaping you would need an aeroplane and a pilot.
Two USA 1 South African, no-one in NZ? No women? It looks like a version of neolib which came from the USA via other countries. Let's make up our own fairy tales of how we want to run our country and when everyone gets their day in Parliament eh!
"No dirty tricks in our Party," declares Judith as she climbs into the car. "But I hope you notice that Jacinda is checking that Iain has not been spending Taxpayers money for his disgusting liason. Of course she must know something to be worth looking."
( She did say that as she got in the car in the Wairarapa today but not exactly those words.)
Will journalists write an article analysing themselves and the deviant way, they are now more dishonest than pollies ? That journalists are eroding society and democracy by deliberately engineering a false, narrow and skewed view? An article perhaps that exposes their dirty ways of having ' conflicts of interest ', being two faced with their false mock horror 1 minute trite gossip, in the pockets of pollies, or about journalists being self- serving (not acting impartially for public good and deliberately censoring or blocking a 'real' view), increasingly pushing their own or their organisations agenda for self fame and to line their own pockets.
The gall to then ask for public funding or donations !
Today the news began and was dominated by which political party had the dirtiest dick! …
Meanwhile 125 Community Connectors across New Zealand to support recovery were launched for multiple sources of help to suffering NZers.
There was a "Clean energy boost as Ara Ake launched to support Taranaki economy"
Parliament passed a Bill to reform public service.
Legislation to transform our urban areas was also passed today.
Lowest ever Public Service Gender Pay Gap reported today under the recent legislation's impacts.
Grand plans were finally funded for Yarrow Stadium as Govt invests in Taranaki infrastructure
Trade for All and the state of international trade reports and Joint Ministerial Statement: New Zealand-Australia trade talks also released.
Toi Māori legacy preserved for Aotearoa passed in legislation today providing some long awaited protection for future Iwi needs.
Along with the the biggest unheard news of yesterday because it was overshadowed by some dicks, ‘Biggest education changes in decades’ returns to Parliament.
reading through the list of non dick measuring, maybe dick measuring is more fun.
1. community connectors were launched? Where were they launched and were did they land ?
2 a bill to reform public service…..Lol
3. transform urban areas? denser housing with lower ceilings and no carparks?
4. celebrating the lowest gender pay gap in public service? so even the government can't pay its women workers the same wage as it pays its male workers for the same job? Nothing to celebrate then.
5. Another stadium, this time in Taranaki. How many stadiums does NZ need? also is it for rugby?
i guess why some over educated but emotionally dumb as fuck journalists would rather talk about dick measuring is simply that non of the above is anything to really crow about or be proud about. Dirty dicks sell.
Mind, dick picks would be more fun then the signs of the Bishops wife, the New Conservatives , the todd who signs, and the photoshopped labour dudes/ettes with Jacinda. All so very uninspired in uninspired times. Lets keep moving, somewhere, to nowhere who knows, we don't even know who is still standing come election times.
yeah, dick picks with measurements seem more fun and informative. Also, no links needed to help people understand what one is about. .
Stated was the source. Posted were some examples of other " news" that could have met the needs of a diverse public wanting to be informed perhaps around issues that may affect their lives or their voting choices.
Your rights to the menu of information you'd prefer is not impinged by me posting my voice.
If demeaning and censoring other people's choices and voices is your style, you go for it. Kudos to you Sabine , you at least gave your opinion on the news of the day.
Why didn't you use that ability in your initial comment? And rather than referencing a full website, if you want people to know what you're referring to, linking to the actual page your preferred content appears on is nice.
For instance, with your "Parliament passed a Bill to reform public service", would you recommend one reads the entire bill (from the legislation website), a summary or hansard (from the parliament website), or a media relase or speech from the beehive website (I never even thought of looking at the last one)? And each of those websites might have a variety of versions and updates on the variety of content types they hold.
With links, we have a digest of things that happened today, some of which a simple click shows to be interesting.
Without links, we just have a list of stuff that I can't be bothered hunting down.
There might actually be a place for the former on TS, as long as it doesn't just become an advertorial on what party supporters want everyone to know. But if it's reasonably evenhanded, it might be an interesting public service digest.
Thanks for the lecture, the peasantsplaining detail, McFlock. Yes, I do understand the rules. Before you are further condescending towards me, I actually DID copy the hyperlinks from direct source when pasting each item. They had obviously failed to become hotlinks when submitting the whole post.
The link then provided at your insistence to then validate my view is now your issue to dismiss me?
So big ups to you , we've now made a massive step forward in a high functioning and equitable democracy.
Sorry forgot to reference my stance, try the second chapter
" Information Equality versus Information Equity"
From.
Imagining Fairness: Equality and Equity of Access in Search of Democracy ", By Jorge Reina Schement . American Library Association
No , thats the reference for the immediate post to you re- "high functioning and equitable democracy" so that you don't dismiss another person's voice.
Sorry, I'll be more clear. This is what you could have written at (for example) 7.1.1.1.1:
I actually DID copy the hyperlinks from direct source when pasting each item. They had obviously failed to become hotlinks when submitting the whole post.
Would have saved some typing on the importance of links, and maybe we might have bothered helping you figure out what the malfunction was betwixt pasting and posting.
FYI, there appears to be a strange text string at the bottom of PaddyOT’s comment @ 7 that looks like an incomplete link to an SDOC file extension. It is still there in the Editor but not converted to readable text in the comment.
China’s rise is a blunt counterpoint. From 2009 onward, Chinese power in domestic and international realms has become synonymous with brute strength, bribery and browbeating — and the Communist Party’s empire is getting stronger.
As the first Western nation to sign an FTA with China, what do we do now that their mask is slipping?
This " hard power" of China's parallels with your " Ted" video, one is overt brutal enforcement of power to elicit obedience by silencing others, the other system is spreading covertly the pseudo bs# science of neoliberalism to have the masses behave. Both systems are 'evil' per say and have the same end result of misery for the majority.
Workers Now is a new slate of candidates contesting this year’s general election. James Robb and Don Franks are the people behind this initiative and they are hoping to put the spotlight on working people’s interests. Both are seasoned activists who have campaigned for workers’ rights over many decades. Here is ...
Buzz from the Beehive Politicians keen to curry favour with Māori tribal leaders have headed north for Waitangi weekend. More than a few million dollars of public funding are headed north, too. Not all of this money is being trumpeted on the Beehive website, the Government’s official website. ...
Insurers face claims of over $500 million for cars, homes and property damaged in the floods. They are already putting up premiums and pulling insurance from properties deemed at high risk of flooding. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: This week in the podcast of our weekly hoon webinar for paying subscribers, ...
Our Cranky Uncle Game can already be played in eight languages: English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish. About 15 more languages are in the works at various stages of completion or have been offered to be done. To kick off the new year, we checked with how ...
The (new) Prime Minister said nobody understands what co-governance means, later modified to that there were so many varying interpretations that there was no common understanding.Co-governance cannot be derived from the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It does not use the word. It refers to ‘government’ on ...
It’s that time of the week again when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kaka. Jump on this link for our chat about the week’s news with special guests Auckland Central MP Chloe Swarbrick and Auckland City Councillor Julie Fairey, including:Auckland’s catastrophic floods, which ...
In March last year, in a panic over rising petrol prices caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the government made a poor decision, "temporarily" cutting fuel excise tax by 25 cents a litre. Of course, it turned out not to be temporary at all, having been extended in May, July, ...
This month’s open thread for climate related topics. Please be constructive, polite, and succinct. The post Unforced variations: Feb 2023 first appeared on RealClimate. ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two fresh press releases had been posted when we checked the Beehive website at noon, both of them posted yesterday. In one statement, in the runup to Waitangi Day, Maori Crown Relations Minister Kelvin Davis drew attention to happenings on a Northland battle site in 1845. ...
It’s that time of the week again when I’m on the site for an hour for a chat in an Ask Me Anything with paying subscribers to The Kaka. Jump in for a chat on anything, including:Auckland’s catastrophic floods, which are set to cost insurers and the Government well over ...
Australia’s Treasurer Jim Chalmers (left) has published a 6,000 word manifesto called ‘Capitalism after the Crises’ arguing for ‘values-based capitalism’. Yet here in NZ we hear the same stale old rhetoric unchanged from the 1990s and early 2000s. Photo: Getty ImagesTLDR: The rest of the world is talking about inflation ...
A couple of weeks ago, after NCEA results came out, my son’s enrolment at Auckland Uni for this year was confirmed - he is doing a BSc majoring in Statistics. Well that is the plan now, who knows what will take his interest once he starts.I spent a bit of ...
Kia ora. What a week! We hope you’ve all come through last weekend’s extreme weather event relatively dry and safe. Header image: stormwater ponds at Hobsonville Point. Image via Twitter. The week in Greater Auckland There’s been a storm of information and debate since the worst of the flooding ...
Hi,At 4.43pm yesterday it arrived — a cease and desist letter from the guy I mentioned in my last newsletter. I’d written an article about “WEWE”, a global multi-level marketing scam making in-roads into New Zealand. MLMs are terrible for many of the same reasons megachurches are terrible, and I ...
Time To Call A Halt: Chris Hipkins knows that iwi leaders possess the means to make life very difficult for his government. Notwithstanding their objections, however, the Prime Minister’s direction of travel – already clearly signalled by his very public demotion of Nanaia Mahuta – must be confirmed by an emphatic ...
Open access notables Via PNAS, Ceylan, Anderson & Wood present a paper squarely in the center of the Skeptical Science wheelhouse: Sharing of misinformation is habitual, not just lazy or biased. The signficance statement is obvious catnip: Misinformation is a worldwide concern carrying socioeconomic and political consequences. What drives ...
Mark White from the Left free speech organisation Plebity looks at the disturbing trend of ‘book burning’ on US campuses In the abstract, people mostly agree that book banning is a bad thing. The Nazis did us the favor of being very clear about it and literally burning books, but ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has undergone a stern baptisim of fire in his first week in his new job, but it doesn’t get any easier. Next week, he has a vital meeting in Canberra with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, where he has to establish ...
As PM Chris Hipkins says, it’s a “no brainer” to extend the fuel tax cut, half price public subsidy and the cut to the road user levy until mid-year. A no braoner if the prime purpose is to ease the burden on people struggling to cope with the cost of ...
Buzz from the Beehive Cost-of-living pressures loomed large in Beehive announcements over the past 24 hours. The PM was obviously keen to announce further measures to keep those costs in check and demonstrate he means business when he talks of focusing his government on bread-and-butter issues. His statement was headed ...
Poor Mike Hosking. He has revealed himself in his most recent diatribe to be one of those public figures who is defined, not by who he is, but by who he isn’t, or at least not by what he is for, but by what he is against. Jacinda’s departure has ...
New Zealand is the second least corrupt country on earth according to the latest Corruption Perception Index published yesterday by Transparency International. But how much does this reflect reality? The problem with being continually feted for world-leading political integrity – which the Beehive and government departments love to boast about ...
TLDR: Including my pick of the news and other links in my checks around the news sites since 4am. Paying subscribers can see them all below the fold.In Aotearoa’s political economyBrown vs Fish Read more ...
TLDR: Including my pick of the news and other links in my checks around the news sites since 4am. Paying subscribers can see them all below the fold.In Aotearoa’s political economyBrown vs Fish Read more ...
In other countries, the target-rich cohorts of swinging voters are given labels such as ‘Mondeo Man’, ‘White Van Man,’ ‘Soccer Moms’ and ‘Little Aussie Battlers.’ Here, the easiest shorthand is ‘Ford Ranger Man’ – as seen here parked outside a Herne Bay restaurant, inbetween two SUVs. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / ...
In other countries, the target-rich cohorts of swinging voters are given labels such as ‘Mondeo Man’, ‘White Van Man,’ ‘Soccer Moms’ and ‘Little Aussie Battlers.’ Here, the easiest shorthand is ‘Ford Ranger Man’ – as seen here parked outside a Herne Bay restaurant, inbetween two SUVs. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / ...
Transport Minister and now also Minister for Auckland, Michael Wood has confirmed that the light rail project is part of the government’s policy refocus. Wood said the light rail project was under review as part of a ministerial refocus on key Government projects. “We are undertaking a stocktake about how ...
Sometime before the new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced that this year would be about “bread and butter issues”, National’s finance spokesperson Nicola Willis decided to move from Wellington Central and stand for Ohariu, which spreads across north Wellington from the central city to Johnsonville and Tawa. It’s an ...
They say a week is a long time in politics. For Mayor Wayne Brown, turns out 24 hours was long enough for many of us to see, quite obviously, “something isn’t right here…”. That in fact, a lot was going wrong. Very wrong indeed.Mainly because it turns ...
One of the most effective, and successful, graphics developed by Skeptical Science is the escalator. The escalator shows how global surface temperature anomalies vary with time, and illustrates how "contrarians" tend to cherry-pick short time intervals so as to argue that there has been no recent warming, while "realists" recognise ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTLDR: Here’s a quick roundup of the news today for paying subscribers on a slightly frantic, very wet, and then very warm day. In Aotearoa’s political economy today Read more ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTLDR: Here’s a quick roundup of the news today for paying subscribers on a slightly frantic, very wet, and then very warm day. In Aotearoa’s political economy today Read more ...
Tomorrow we have a funeral, and thank you all of you for your very kind words and thoughts — flowers, even.Our friend Michèle messaged: we never get to feel one thing at a time, us grownups, and oh boy is that ever the truth. Tomorrow we have the funeral, and ...
Lynn and I have just returned from a news conference where Hipkins, fresh from visiting a relief centre in Mangere, was repeatedly challenged to justify the extension of subsidies to create more climate emissions when the effects of climate change had just proved so disastrous. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The ...
Lynn and I have just returned from a news conference where Hipkins, fresh from visiting a relief centre in Mangere, was repeatedly challenged to justify the extension of subsidies to create more climate emissions when the effects of climate change had just proved so disastrous. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The ...
A new Prime Minister, a revitalised Cabinet, and possibly revised priorities – but is the political and, importantly, economic landscape much different? Certainly some within the news media were excited by the changes which Chris Hipkins announced yesterday or – before the announcement – by the prospect of changes in ...
Currently the government's strategy for reducing transport emissions hinges on boosting vehicle fuel-efficiency, via the clean car standard and clean car discount, and some improvements to public transport. The former has been hugely successful, and has clearly set us on the right path, but its also not enough, and will ...
Buzz from the Beehive Before he announced his Cabinet yesterday, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced he would be flying to Australia next week to meet that country’s Prime Minister. And before Kieran McAnulty had time to say “Three Waters” after his promotion to the Local Government portfolio, he was dishing ...
The quarterly labour market statistics were released this morning, showing that unemployment has risen slightly to 3.4%. There are now 99,000 people unemployed - 24,000 fewer than when Labour took office. So, I guess the Reserve Bank's plan to throw people out of work to stop wage rises "inflation", and ...
Another night of heavy rain, flooding, damage to homes, and people worried about where the hell all this water is going to go as we enter day twenty two of rain this year.Honestly if the government can’t sell Three Waters on the back of what has happened with storm water ...
* Dr Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Chris Hipkins continues to be the new broom in Government, re-setting his Government away from its problem areas in his Cabinet reshuffle yesterday, and trying to convince voters that Labour is focused on “bread and butter” issues. The ministers responsible for unpopular ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins continues to be the new broom in Government, re-setting his Government away from its problem areas in his Cabinet reshuffle yesterday, and trying to convince voters that Labour is focused on “bread and butter” issues. The ministers responsible for unpopular reforms in water and DHB centralisation ...
Hi,It’s weird to me that in 2023 we still have people falling for multi-level marketing schemes (MLMs for short). There are Netflix documentaries about them, countless articles, and last year we did an Armchaired and Dangerous episode on them.Then you check a ticketing website like EventBrite and see this shit ...
Nanaia Mahuta fell the furthest in the Cabinet reshuffle. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: PM Chris Hipkins unveiled a Cabinet this afternoon he hopes will show wavering voters that a refreshed Labour Government is focused on ‘bread and butter cost of living’ issues, rather than the unpopular, unwieldy and massively centralising ...
Nanaia Mahuta fell the furthest in the Cabinet reshuffle. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: PM Chris Hipkins unveiled a Cabinet this afternoon he hopes will show wavering voters that a refreshed Labour Government is focused on ‘bread and butter cost of living’ issues, rather than the unpopular, unwieldy and massively centralising ...
Shortly, the absolute state of Wayne Brown. But before that, something I wrote four years ago for the council’s own media machine. It was a day-in-the-life profile of their many and varied and quite possibly unnoticed vital services. We went all over Auckland in 48 hours for the story, the ...
Completed reads for January Lilith, by George MacDonald The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (poem), by Samuel Taylor Coleridge Christabel (poem), by Samuel Taylor Coleridge The Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok, by Anonymous The Lay of Kraka (poem), by Anonymous 1066 and All That, by W.C. Sellar and R.J. ...
Pity the poor Brits. They just can’t catch a break. After years of reporting of lying Boris Johnson, a change to a less colourful PM in Rishi Sunak has resulted in a smooth media pivot to an end-of-empire narrative. The New York Times, no less, amplifies suggestions that Blighty ...
On that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And rain fell on the earth.Genesis 6:11-12THE TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS that dumped a record-breaking amount of rain on Auckland this anniversary weekend will reoccur with ever-increasing frequency. The planet’s atmosphere is ...
Buzz from the Beehive There has been plenty to keep the relevant Ministers busy in flood-stricken Auckland over the past day or two. But New Zealand, last time we looked, extends north of Auckland into Northland and south of the Bombay Hills all the way to the bottom of the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters When early settlers came to the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers before the California Gold Rush, Indigenous people warned them that the Sacramento Valley could become an inland sea when great winter rains came. The storytellers described water filling the ...
Wayne Brown managed a smile when meeting with Remuera residents, but he was grumpy about having to deal with “media drongos”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: In my pick of the news links found in my rounds since 4am for paying subscribers below the paywall:Wayne Brown moans about the media and ...
Wayne Brown managed a smile when meeting with Remuera residents, but he was grumpy about having to deal with “media drongos”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: In my pick of the news links found in my rounds since 4am for paying subscribers below the paywall:Wayne Brown moans about the media and ...
Dr Bryce Edwards writes – Last night’s opinion polls answered the big question of whether a switch of prime minister would really be a gamechanger for election year. The 1News and Newshub polls released at 6pm gave the same response: the shift from Jacinda Ardern to Chris Hipkins ...
Hipkins’ aim this year will be to present a ‘low target’ for those seeking to attack Labour’s policies and spending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: Anyone dealing with Government departments and councils who wants some sort of big or long-term decision out of officials or politicians this year should brace for ...
Hipkins’ aim this year will be to present a ‘low target’ for those seeking to attack Labour’s policies and spending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: Anyone dealing with Government departments and councils who wants some sort of big or long-term decision out of officials or politicians this year should brace for ...
Last night’s opinion polls answered the big question of whether a switch of prime minister would really be a gamechanger for election year. The 1News and Newshub polls released at 6pm gave the same response: the shift from Jacinda Ardern to Chris Hipkins has changed everything, and Labour is back ...
Over the last few years, it’s seemed like city after city around the world has become subject to extreme flooding events that have been made worse by impacts from climate change. We’ve highlighted many of them in our Weekly Roundup series. Sadly, over the last few days it’s been Auckland’s ...
And so the first month of the year draws to a close. It rained in Auckland on 21 out of the 31 days in January. Feels like summer never really happened this year. It’s actually hard to believe there were 10 days that it didn’t rain. Was it any better where ...
A ‘small target’ strategy is not going to cut it anymore if National want to win the upcoming election. The game has changed and the game plan needs to change as well. Jacinda Ardern’s abrupt departure from the 9th floor has the potential to derail what looked to be an ...
When Grant Robertson talks about how the economy might change post-covid, one of the things he talks about is what he calls an unsung but interesting white paper on science. “It’s really important,” he says. The Minister in charge of the White Paper — Te Ara Paerangi, Future Pathways ...
The clean up has begun but more rain is on the way. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: Auckland’s floods over the last three days are turning into a macroeconomic event, with losses from Aotearoa’s biggest-ever climate event estimated at around $500 million and Auckland’s schools all closed for a week until ...
The clean up has begun but more rain is on the way. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: Auckland’s floods over the last three days are turning into a macroeconomic event, with losses from Aotearoa’s biggest-ever climate event estimated at around $500 million and Auckland’s schools all closed for a week until ...
The news media were at one ceremony by the looks of things. The Governor-General, the Prime Minister and his deputy were at another. The news media were at a swearing-in ceremony. The country’s leaders were at an appointment ceremony. The New Zealand Gazette record of what transpired says: Appointment of ...
I n some alternative universe, Auckland mayor Efeso Collins readily grasped the scale of Friday’s deluge, and quickly made the emergency declaration that enabled central government to immediately throw its resources behind the rescue and remediation effort. As Friday evening became night, Mayor Collins seemed to be everywhere: talking with ...
They called it an “atmospheric river”, the weather bombardment which hit NZ’s northern region at the weekend. It exacted a terrible toll on metropolitan Auckland and the rest of the region. Few living there may have noted a statement from electricity generator Mercury Energy labelled “WET, WET, WET!” This was ...
I know, that is a pretty corny title but given the circumstances here in the Auckland region, I just had to say it. The more oblique reference embedded in the title is to the leadership failures exhibited by Mayor Wayne Brown and his so-called leadership team when confronted by the ...
How much confidence should the public have in authorities managing natural disasters? Not much, judging by the farcical way in which the civil defence emergence in Auckland has played out. The way authorities dealt with Auckland’s extreme weather on Friday illustrated how hit-and-miss our civil defence emergency system is. In ...
TLDR: Here’s the key news links and useful longer reads I’ve spotted since 4 am this morning, including:calls for a more ‘spongey’ urban infrastructure after Auckland’s floods;demands for an inquiry into Auckland Council’s communications failure;the latest on Chris Hipkins’ plans for Three Waters; inside the PR trainwreck that is Wayne ...
TLDR: Here’s the key news links and useful longer reads I’ve spotted since 4 am this morning, including:calls for a more ‘spongey’ urban infrastructure after Auckland’s floods;demands for an inquiry into Auckland Council’s communications failure;the latest on Chris Hipkins’ plans for Three Waters; inside the PR trainwreck that is Wayne ...
Mayor Wayne Brown, under fire for his communication failures, quietly visited the scene of the fatal Remuera slip on Sunday, with his staff taking photos for social media updates. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: The cleanup and the post-mortem have begun, even though the rain just keeps falling in Auckland after ...
We’ve just announced a massive infrastructure investment to kick-start new housing developments across New Zealand. Through our Infrastructure Acceleration Fund, we’re making sure that critical infrastructure - like pipes, roads and wastewater connections - is in place, so thousands more homes can be built. ...
The Green Party is joining more than 20 community organisations to call for an immediate rent freeze in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, after reports of landlords intending to hike rents after flooding. ...
When Chris Hipkins took on the job of Prime Minister, he said bread and butter issues like the cost of living would be the Government’s top priority – and this week, we’ve set out extra support for families and businesses. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to provide direct support to low-income households and to stop subsidising fossil fuels during a climate crisis. ...
The tools exist to help families with surging costs – and as costs continue to rise it is more urgent than ever that we use them, the Green Party says. ...
Over $10 million infrastructure funding to unlock housing in Whangārei The purchase of a 3.279 hectare site in Kerikeri to enable 56 new homes Northland becomes eligible for $100 million scheme for affordable rentals Multiple Northland communities will benefit from multiple Government housing investments, delivering thousands of new homes for ...
A memorial event at a key battle site in the New Zealand land wars is an important event to mark the progress in relations between Māori and the Crown as we head towards Waitangi Day, Minister for Te Arawhiti Kelvin Davis said. The Battle of Ohaeawai in June 1845 saw ...
More Police officers are being deployed to the frontline with the graduation of 54 new constables from the Royal New Zealand Police College today. The graduation ceremony for Recruit Wing 362 at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua was the first official event for Stuart Nash since his reappointment as Police ...
The Government is unlocking an additional $700,000 in support for regions that have been badly hit by the recent flooding and storm damage in the upper North Island. “We’re supporting the response and recovery of Auckland, Waikato, Coromandel, Northland, and Bay of Plenty regions, through activating Enhanced Taskforce Green to ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has welcomed the announcement that Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, will visit New Zealand this month. “Princess Anne is travelling to Aotearoa at the request of the NZ Army’s Royal New Zealand Corps of Signals, of which she is Colonel in Chief, to ...
A new Government and industry strategy launched today has its sights on growing the value of New Zealand’s horticultural production to $12 billion by 2035, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said. “Our food and fibre exports are vital to New Zealand’s economic security. We’re focussed on long-term strategies that build on ...
25 cents per litre petrol excise duty cut extended to 30 June 2023 – reducing an average 60 litre tank of petrol by $17.25 Road User Charge discount will be re-introduced and continue through until 30 June Half price public transport fares extended to the end of June 2023 saving ...
The strong economy has attracted more people into the workforce, with a record number of New Zealanders in paid work and wages rising to help with cost of living pressures. “The Government’s economic plan is delivering on more better-paid jobs, growing wages and creating more opportunities for more New Zealanders,” ...
The Government is providing a further $1 million to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Auckland following flooding, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced today. “Cabinet today agreed that, given the severity of the event, a further $1 million contribution be made. Cabinet wishes to be proactive ...
The new Cabinet will be focused on core bread and butter issues like the cost of living, education, health, housing and keeping communities and businesses safe, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has announced. “We need a greater focus on what’s in front of New Zealanders right now. The new Cabinet line ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins will travel to Canberra next week for an in person meeting with Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. “The trans-Tasman relationship is New Zealand’s closest and most important, and it was crucial to me that my first overseas trip as Prime Minister was to Australia,” Chris Hipkins ...
The Government is providing establishment funding of $100,000 to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Auckland following flooding, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced. “We moved quickly to make available this funding to support Aucklanders while the full extent of the damage is being assessed,” Kieran McAnulty ...
As the Mayor of Auckland has announced a state of emergency, the Government, through NEMA, is able to step up support for those affected by flooding in Auckland. “I’d urge people to follow the advice of authorities and check Auckland Emergency Management for the latest information. As always, the Government ...
Ka papā te whatitiri, Hikohiko ana te uira, wāhi rua mai ana rā runga mai o Huruiki maunga Kua hinga te māreikura o te Nota, a Titewhai Harawira Nā reira, e te kahurangi, takoto, e moe Ka mōwai koa a Whakapara, kua uhia te Tai Tokerau e te kapua pōuri ...
Carmel Sepuloni, Minister for Social Development and Employment, has activated Enhanced Taskforce Green (ETFG) in response to flooding and damaged caused by Cyclone Hale in the Tairāwhiti region. Up to $500,000 will be made available to employ job seekers to support the clean-up. We are still investigating whether other parts ...
The 2023 General Election will be held on Saturday 14 October 2023, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. “Announcing the election date early in the year provides New Zealanders with certainty and has become the practice of this Government and the previous one, and I believe is best practice,” Jacinda ...
Jacinda Ardern has announced she will step down as Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party. Her resignation will take effect on the appointment of a new Prime Minister. A caucus vote to elect a new Party Leader will occur in 3 days’ time on Sunday the 22nd of ...
The Government is maintaining its strong trade focus in 2023 with Trade and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor visiting Europe this week to discuss the role of agricultural trade in climate change and food security, WTO reform and New Zealand agricultural innovation. Damien O’Connor will travel tomorrow to Switzerland to attend the ...
The Government has extended its medium-scale classification of Cyclone Hale to the Wairarapa after assessing storm damage to the eastern coastline of the region. “We’re making up to $80,000 available to the East Coast Rural Support Trust to help farmers and growers recover from the significant damage in the region,” ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Enshrining a constitutional Voice to parliament will bring better practical outcomes and give the best chance for Closing the Gap, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will say in a major address on the referendum on Sunday. ...
By Jamie Tahana, RNZ News Te Ao Māori journalist at Waitangi, and Russell Palmer, digital political journalist Iwi leaders in Aotearoa New Zealand have accused opposition parties National and ACT of “fanning the flames of racism”, urging the prime minister to be brave and not walk away from partnership on Three ...
By Phoebe Gwangilo in Port Moresby Higher Education Minister Don Polye has condemned a decision by the administration of the University of Papua New Guinea to treat a PNG-born and bred grade 12 school leaver as an “international” student. Roselyn Alog, 19, whose parents are Filipinos, was born and raised ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s former Elections Supervisor Mohammed Saneem is under investigation by the country’s anti-corruption agency for alleged abuse of office and has been stopped from fleeing the country. The Fijian Elections Office (FEO) said Saneem was alleged to have “on numerous occasions . . . unlawfully authorised payments of ...
Labour's position has alternated over the past few days: first Prime Minister Chris Hipkins would speak, then he wouldn't, and then he would again. ...
Te Pāti Māori Co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer are announcing a transformative defence and foreign affairs policy which asserts the Mana Māori Motuhake and Tino Rangatiratanga of tangata whenua in Aotearoa at their Party’s ...
The Prime Minister will no longer speak at Waitangi commemorations after the organising trust moved the political leaders to a panel away from the main event The Waitangi National Trust wrote to political parties last month saying they didn’t want political leaders to speak at the pōwhiri held on the eve ...
The Prime Minister once again has a speaking slot at the pōwhiri in Waitangi after earlier on Saturday saying he would respect the wishes of the trust organisers by not doing so The Waitangi National Trust has given the green light for Chris Hipkins and other political leaders to speak ...
It’s been exactly a decade since Seven Sharp first appeared on our screens. Remember the first episode? We’ve unearthed the tapes. On this day in 2013, a bombshell was thrown into the New Zealand television landscape. “Time for us to make way, because you’re here to see what everyone’s talking ...
MetService meteorologist Lewis Ferris has fronted endless media requests and live crosses this week. Is he getting it right? Lewis Ferris is trying to find his weather map. “This week’s been so insane” he mutters as he closes multiple tabs on the three screens across his Wellington desk. He’s ...
After four years, executive director Max Tweedie has stepped down from Auckland Pride. He tells Sam Brooks about shepherding the festival through a tumultuous few years, and where he’s going from here.This year’s Auckland Pride Festival is set to be the biggest one yet. Over the course of more ...
A flailing mayor was only the public face of a multifaceted flooding communications failure. Duncan Greive examines the mess, and asks what can be done to improve it.It’s a chilling timeline. Stuff’s Kelly Dennett catalogued, beat-by-beat, the 12 hours in which Auckland was pummelled by a catastrophic deluge, interspersing ...
The Dunedin branch of the Green Party has selected Francisco Hernandez as its candidate for the Dunedin electorate in this year’s general election. Francisco Hernandez was the Otago University Students Association President in 2013. He has held a number ...
Waitangi organisers are trying to push political leaders to the side at Sunday's pōwhiri, but Labour's deputy leader says it's not for them to decide who speaks. Te Tai Tokerau MP and Labour’s deputy leader, Kelvin Davis, says the Prime Minister will speak at Sunday’s pōwhiri at Waitangi, in defiance of local ...
Every weekday, The Detail makes sense of the big news stories. This week, we spoke to an aid worker who had made the trip to the war zone in Ukraine, looked at why Carmel Sepuloni was picked to be the new deputy prime minister, visited the flood-torn streets of Titirangi in West ...
Schools play an integral but often unrecognised and unacknowledged role in helping communities respond to and recover from disastersOpinion: Schools in Auckland and other flood-affected areas are about to re-open after a delayed start to the new school year. Students will return to school having experienced wide-ranging impacts. While some ...
A very short story for Waitangi weekend The pā is a lonely place nowadays. Gorse has marched on it like the British troops of old, consuming the hills and leaving the marae looking a bald patch on the head of the earth mother herself. Even the roads have worn thin, ...
This is The Detail's Long Read - one in-depth story read by us every weekend. This week, it's The School Away From School written by Bill Morris and published in NZ Geographic's January/February 2023 issue. You can find the entire article, with photos from Lottie Hedley, on the NZ Geographic website. One hundred years since its ...
COMMENTARY:By Kayt Davies in Perth I wasn’t good at French in my final year of high school. My classmates had five years of language studies behind them. I had three. As a result of my woeful grip on the language, I wrote a terribly bad essay in my final ...
RNZ Pacific Journalist Victor Mambor, who is the chief editor of the West Papuan newspaper and websiteJubi, has received the Oktovianus Pogau Award from the Indonesian-based Pantau Foundation for courage in journalism. The foundation’s Andreas Harsono said Mambor’s decision to return to his father’s homeland and defend the rights ...
RNZ News Green Party MP Chlöe Swarbrick is brushing off concerns a temporary rent freeze in flood-hit Auckland would just see landlords hike rents even more when the controls were lifted — arguing they should stay permanently. More than 20 organisations have signed a letter urging Minister for Auckland Michael ...
Iwi leaders have accused National and ACT of "fanning the flames of racism", urging the prime minister to be brave and not walk away from partnership on three waters. ...
About this time last week it had become apparent that Auckland was in for a bit more than just a wet Friday. While the state of emergency remains in place for another seven days, it appears the worst should now be behind us. Last night, Niwa shared a fascinating thread ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra ShutterstockIndigenous Australians are respectfully advised that the following includes the names and images of some people who are now deceased. The Reserve Bank of Australia ...
The government has confirmed the money will be spent in Northland, including unlocking greenfields land and transport upgrades like a new bridge in Kamo. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gabrielle Appleby, Professor, UNSW Law School, UNSW Sydney Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed that sometime between August and November this year, the Australian people will go to a referendum for the first time since 1999. We’ll be asked whether we support ...
They can be environmentally unsound and are a symbol used to shame millennials, but everyone still loves an avo. I love avocados, always have, always will. The buttery golden-green flesh from a perfectly ripe avocado is a culinary blessing. Today I’d love to simply wax poetic about twisting open a ...
Viewers across the United States were today shown a slice of New Zealand, with a reporter for Good Morning America broadcasting live from Rotorua. Robin Roberts, a co-anchor for the popular morning TV show, has been touring the country this week. During her visit to Rotorua’s Te Puia centre, she ...
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.AUCKLAND1The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin (Penguin Press, $50) The beautiful ...
A new poem by Robin Peace. To the kahikatea I see from my bed Thinking inside the square, the ellipse, the round of what life is, I only see the trees. Not only as if that were the only thing I see, but only as if the tree matters more. ...
A week ago, Elton John’s first Auckland show was called off at the last minute. What was it like getting there, being there, and trying to return home afterwards?Elton John has long been a blessing for our ears, but in recent years his Auckland shows have been cursed. His ...
For Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, sorry seems to be the hardest word to say The mayoral chains must have been heavy this week for Auckland’s Wayne Brown, as his response to last week’s flood garnered its own veritable torrent of scandals and media scrutiny. Almost exactly one week on from ...
For Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, sorry seems to be the hardest word to say The mayoral chains must have been heavy this week for Auckland’s Wayne Brown, as his response to last week’s flood garnered its own veritable torrent of scandals and media scrutiny. Almost exactly one week on from ...
Ours Not Mines is cautiously excited about reporting that the Government is drafting legislation to ban new mines on conservation land. The anti-mining group's spokesperson, Morgan Donoghue says: "The Government has been promising us some action for ...
People who enjoy the outdoors for recreation, fishing and hunting will lose rights under the Natural and Built Environments Bill. Fish & Game New Zealand chief executive Corina Jordan says the proposed replacement for the Resource Management ...
Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has conceded he “dropped the ball” during last Friday’s major flooding event. The state of emergency in the super city has today been extended for a further seven days, though Brown said he expects it will be lifted early. After a week of defensiveness over his ...
As the reality TV juggernaut returns for a new season, Tara Ward steps into the minds of the show’s relationship experts to assess the compatibility of this year’s brides and grooms. Married at First Sight: Australia returns on Monday night, and by season ten, you’d think the show’s relationship experts ...
Auckland’s state of emergency is expected to be extended for another seven days, according to the Herald. It was due to expire overnight after being declared a week ago, the day of the worst flooding in the super city. While weather conditions have improved, the city is continuing to experience ...
Proposed pay equity claim settlements for school librarians and science technicians have been reached between the Ministry of Education and NZEI Te Riu Roa, Secretary for Education, Iona Holsted and NZEI Te Riu Roa president, Mark Potter, announced ...
Members of NZEI Te Riu Roa negotiating on behalf of school librarians, library assistants and science technicians are excited to announce that proposed pay equity settlements are ready to be voted on by their colleagues. They include pay increases of up to ...
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) is calling for Michael Wood, the Minister of Transport, and now Auckland, to cancel the light rail project immediately. Auckland Light Rail was never going to happen, as our group has repeatedly said dozens of ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has been asked to intervene following confirmation today that the Government plans to implement a ban on all extractive sector activities on the conservation estate. Wayne Scott, CEO of the Aggregate and Quarry Association, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato Getty Images The heated (and often confused) debate about “co-governance” in Aotearoa New Zealand inevitably leads back to its source, Te Tiriti o Waitangi. But, as its long-contested meanings demonstrate, very little ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Hunter, Lecturer in Art and Performance, Deakin University Jodie Hutchinson/Red StitchReview: Wittenoom, directed by Susie Dee, Red Stitch Deep in the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia, the town of Wittenoom lies empty, desolate … and contaminated. Wittenoom ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Oliver Bown, Postdoctoral fellow, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock The past few years have seen an explosion in applications of artificial intelligence to creative fields. A new generation of image and text generators is delivering impressiveresults. Now AI has also found ...
Now demolished, the First Church of Christ Scientist was a masterclass of architectural imagination. Kate Linzey visits the site on which it once stood, to learn more. The object is delicate and small. Small enough to sit in the palm of my hand and weighing less than 300 grams. It ...
New Zealand’s egg shortage is hitting cruise ships too – forcing the crew of one vessel to hatch a poaching plan. This story was first published on Stuff. On the hunt for eggs, a crew from a luxury cruise ship got cracking and hatched a cunning plan. Earlier this week, Stuff ...
When your food parcel arrives before the emergency alert, you know something’s not working properly.This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. I’ve spent the last week desperately and at times fruitlessly attempting to drain and then sweep my whānau home of knee-deep water, pull up ...
Drongo-gate continues for another day with the Herald reporting that Auckland’s mayor has been caught out using the slang term for a second time. It comes this time from a former minor mayoral candidate, Mike Kampkes, who said he received a message from Brown in response to a media release ...
How does Aotearoa stop relying so heavily on agriculture to prop up our economy? Online tax and accounting service Hnry just raised $35m to grow its software on-demand service across the globe. Bernard Hickey talks with AirTree partner Jackie Vullinghs about how venture capitalists are funding Aotearoa’s fastest growing, least-polluting ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Guastella, Professor and Clinical Psychologist, Michael Crouch Chair in Child and Youth Mental Health, University of Sydney Shutterstock With childcare and schools starting the new year, parents might be anxiously wondering how their child will adapt in a new ...
I am delighted to announce the appointment of John Price ONZM as the new Director Civil Defence Emergency Management and Deputy Chief Executive Emergency Management for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). John has been a member of the ...
Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki are calling on the new Prime Minister and new Minister of Conservation Willow Jean Prime to immediately implement the 2017 promise to ban new mining activity on conservation lands. “ The mining industry group Straterra ...
How does Aotearoa stop relying so heavily on agriculture to prop up our economy? Online tax and accounting service Hnry just raised $35m to grow its software on-demand service across the globe. In the latest episode of When the Facts Change, Bernard Hickey talks with AirTree partner Jackie Vullinghs about how ...
There’s a fear that highlighting menopause will undermine women, especially at work. But what have centuries of secrecy achieved for us? Are you sick of hearing about menopause? Kim Hill is. The living legend of Aotearoa broadcasting told actor Robyn Malcolm (also a legend) on her Saturday Morning show on RNZ ...
Dunedin city council has reached an agreement to save Foulden Maar from commercial mining. The maar is the site of a crater lake from 23 million years ago with the diatomite of the lake preserving fossils and a climate record covering 100,000 years from that period. It is fantastic news for Otago University ...
Some are speculating whether the Auckland Mayor's leadership is circling the drain. James Elliott hopes they're right. There’s never been a week quite like it. It was the week when the rains came. All of them. Even the rain from Spain that was supposed to fall mainly on the plain, came. ...
The Bus and Coach Association supports the Government’s decision to continue half-price fares on public transport services. The fare reduction was set to expire on 31 March 2023, but will now continue to 30 June 2023. “Half-price fares have cost ten-times ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: Hipkins’ bread and butter reshufflePolitical scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins continues to be the new broom in Government, re-setting his Government away from its problem areas in his Cabinet reshuffle yesterday, and trying to convince voters that Labour is focused ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: Chris Hipkins hires a lobbyist to run the BeehiveNew Zealand Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins, speaking when Minister of Education, at NZEI Te Riu Roa strike rally on the steps of the New Zealand Parliament, 15th August 2018. Image; Wiki Commons. New Zealand is ...
New Zealand Politics Daily is a collation of the most prominent issues being discussed in New Zealand. It is edited by Dr Bryce Edwards of The Democracy Project. Items of interest and importance todayCO-GOVERNANCE, WAITANGI, THREE WATERS Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Blowing Off The Froth: Why Chris Hipkins Must Ditch ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brian Tweed, Senior lecturer, Massey University Shutterstock/Renata Apanaviciene As we approach another Waitangi Day, we should be thinking again about what Te Tiriti o Waitangi means. As the late Moana Jackson commented, the meaning of Te Tiriti will be ...
Even prime ministers get caught in bad weather. It’s a week on from the devastating flooding that hit Auckland and Northland and Chris Hipkins has been forced to drive north for the start of Waitangi weekend commemorations after his plan was turned away from Kerikeri airport (twice). Today will see ...
Less than a year ago, co-governance had a future, at least as potentially accepted terminology. Now some iwi leaders want the label removed and replaced, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
“The decision by the Reserve Bank of Australia to not replace the late Queen with Charles on the Aussie $5 note should indicate to our Reserve Bank that it’s time to change the NZ $20 note” said Lewis Holden, campaign chair of New ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Wolf, Associate Professor, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Australian National University Somchat Parkaythong/Shutterstock Black holes are bizarre things, even by the standards of astronomers. Their mass is so great, it bends space around them so tightly that nothing can escape, even ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Revell, Associate Professor in Environmental Physics, University of Canterbury Getty Images The ozone layer is on track to heal within four decades, according to a recent UN report, but this progress could be undone by an upsurge in rocket ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Clune, Honorary Associate, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney At the New South Wales election on March 25 a 12-year-old Coalition government will be seeking re-election. Hoping to return as premier is Liberal leader Dominic Perrottet – a political conservative ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Trauer, Associate Professor, Monash University Anastelfy/Shutterstock The XBB.1.5 subvariant, known informally as “Kraken”, is the latest in a menagerie of Omicron subvariants to dominate the headlines, following increasing detection in the United States and United Kingdom. But there ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madeline Combe, Doctoral student, University of Technology Sydney Shutterstock As the economist Herman Daly pithily said, the economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment – not the reverse. Nature makes our lives possible through what scientists call ecosystem ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Jefferson, Lecturer in Education, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock Grit. Don’t quit. That’s the mantra many parents may have in mind when they, like me, spend what feels like years ferrying children to a seemingly endless variety of sports and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Humphery-Jenner, Associate Professor of Finance, UNSW Sydney Sam Shere/Wikimedia Commons A few weeks ago, Gautam Adani was indisputably India’s richest man. Now his fortune is slipping away as the stocks of his many companies crash, thanks to the ...
Two news stories which caught my attention:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12350468
Well what did they expect choosing to go for a ‘recreational jaunt’ in the South China seas?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12350414
Paranoia? Well those of us who have had personal experience of the twilight world of intrigue and spying (no matter where it might have come from) would say they are right to be concerned.
If the ABC reports are accurate about where the ships were then China shouldn't be bothered, regardless of the purpose of the exercise.
China is claiming all of the SCS. 12nm means nothing – sooner or later there will be shots fired.
Well, if the third one dies then I suggest we'd have circumstantial evidence that the paranoia was correct.
TV1 lead story was the classic "both sides" cop-out on dirty politics, with vox pops.
I'm still hopeful that the NZ public see through this. But it's a constant barrage of false equivalence, and eventually that takes its toll on truth.
It’s probably too late to expect fair and balanced reportage from the fourth estate observer. What they want is conflict and drama and they know that an easy win for Ardern and Labour won’t provide that. So they are working overtime at the moment to even up the playing field.
One good thing though, while Collins might have been able spread the muck around successfully and distract attention away from the dreadful behaviour of her MP, she’s unlikely to have garnered any extra votes out of this. It’s most likely her net negative rating will still be quite a bit larger than her net positive rating.
And another scandal raising its head ? Nice for some
When can those of us that appreciate the environment get an invite? You always know when someone is under pressure and losing the argument, as you get something like "Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has defended sending two friends on a taxpayer-funded trip to Antarctica, calling it an "appalling, racist attack".
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=12350106
"The women, who are dual Malaysian-New Zealand citizens, are connected to one of South East Asia's richest families." and from wikipedia "Any person holding Malaysian citizenship is also disallowed to hold any other country's citizenship. Malaysia does not allow dual citizenship." Is Winny playing us, AGAIN. I hope our PM doesn't just accept this under her watch.
And does our Minister of Finance not know where Waitangi day falls? At least we can have a laugh at that 🤣
Finance Minister Grant Robertson was initially meant to go on the February 7-10 trip at the start of February but had to pull out due to the timing of Waitangi Day and the first sitting week of Parliament.
What is Peter's trying to get exported to Malaysia snow and ice?
Land? Fishing quota?
Quota…. LMFAO!!!
The cynic in me says imports… by way of deposits to the Nz First foundation.
Did you watch Question Time today? Q3 contained more info about said subject than yesterdays herald article.
Because it's a Thursday, the Deputies stand in for the Leaders, so gerry is asking Winnie the question.
https://ondemand.parliament.nz/parliament-tv-on-demand/?itemId=214378
He did prove that there is a long history of MPs and fiends getting trips to Antarctica. Remember Key and 14 journalists getting a trip there about 2013.
Who made an issue about that?
fiends ???
fiend. 1. A perversely bad, cruel, or wicked person: archfiend, beast, devil, ghoul, monster, ogre, tiger, vampire.
Problem is that Peters is reported as expecting $$ in return in the form of a donation.
Typographic determinism
to himself or "hat he was facilitating their passage to Antarctica on the basis that sponsorship was being sought for the redevelopment of Scott Base; if so, have they provided sponsorship?" (from the post at 3.2)
The short answer is "No".
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/winston-peters-says-taxpayer-funded-antarctica-trip-friends-aimed-raise-funds-scott-base
Serious question:
Why does the government want private money to help develop Scott Base?
Surely it'd be simpler, and better, just to develop it with government funding and then charge the private sector for use of the knowledge that comes out of it through a licensing system.
And the private sector should be fully in support of it as it would be user pays.
Totally agree draco. I was merely replying to the query by Sabine above as to whether the junket flight to Antarctica had produced the underlying purpose of private sponsorship.
i raised the question in regards to this comment
'Problem is that Peters is reported as expecting $$ in return in the form of a donation.'
is he expecting the dollars for himself or a form of sponsorship for the base? Cause the way its posted it lets one to believe that he asked for money to himself. What is the answer to that? or are we on the 'left' now just flinging about shit and see what lands? Seriously?
on the other side, never mind. 🙂 its all just a load of bullshit anyways, on the left, on the right and in the middle, ain't no one clean, and no one good.
Can we lose NZ First and keep Tracy Martin please? I'd love that.
Agree 100% with you Cinny. She is a very good MP and about the only one from NZF who is worth keeping.
And here was me thinking that Peter's took the ladies to Antarctica to ask their opinion if they thought that Scott Base would be suitable for isolation were there a need for it.
Nice and quiet, spacious for social distancing and as for escaping you would need an aeroplane and a pilot.
Sking fishing and sky gazing is available.
ffs
https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/122070540/new-plymouth-councillor-chong-joins-new-conservative-for-election
Two USA 1 South African, no-one in NZ? No women? It looks like a version of neolib which came from the USA via other countries. Let's make up our own fairy tales of how we want to run our country and when everyone gets their day in Parliament eh!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300064628/national-would-need-to-cut-tens-of-billions-in-public-services-to-meet-debt-target
"No dirty tricks in our Party," declares Judith as she climbs into the car. "But I hope you notice that Jacinda is checking that Iain has not been spending Taxpayers money for his disgusting liason. Of course she must know something to be worth looking."
( She did say that as she got in the car in the Wairarapa today but not exactly those words.)
"Disgusting liaison" was she clutching her pearls as she said this? She's just looking silly now, puritanical, holier than thou, untruthful.
There'll be a few, maybe quite a few, National MP's shitting themselves right now waiting for the little secrets to fall out.
good, for the hypocrisy. And being hoisted on their own petard.
@ Graeme (6.1.1) … and when their little secrets are exposed and outed, it will be time to stock up on the popcorn.
Will journalists write an article analysing themselves and the deviant way, they are now more dishonest than pollies ? That journalists are eroding society and democracy by deliberately engineering a false, narrow and skewed view? An article perhaps that exposes their dirty ways of having ' conflicts of interest ', being two faced with their false mock horror 1 minute trite gossip, in the pockets of pollies, or about journalists being self- serving (not acting impartially for public good and deliberately censoring or blocking a 'real' view), increasingly pushing their own or their organisations agenda for self fame and to line their own pockets.
The gall to then ask for public funding or donations !
Today the news began and was dominated by which political party had the dirtiest dick! …
Meanwhile 125 Community Connectors across New Zealand to support recovery were launched for multiple sources of help to suffering NZers.
There was a "Clean energy boost as Ara Ake launched to support Taranaki economy"
Parliament passed a Bill to reform public service.
Legislation to transform our urban areas was also passed today.
Lowest ever Public Service Gender Pay Gap reported today under the recent legislation's impacts.
Grand plans were finally funded for Yarrow Stadium as Govt invests in Taranaki infrastructure
Trade for All and the state of international trade reports and Joint Ministerial Statement: New Zealand-Australia trade talks also released.
Toi Māori legacy preserved for Aotearoa passed in legislation today providing some long awaited protection for future Iwi needs.
Along with the the biggest unheard news of yesterday because it was overshadowed by some dicks, ‘Biggest education changes in decades’ returns to Parliament.
reading through the list of non dick measuring, maybe dick measuring is more fun.
1. community connectors were launched? Where were they launched and were did they land ?
2 a bill to reform public service…..Lol
3. transform urban areas? denser housing with lower ceilings and no carparks?
4. celebrating the lowest gender pay gap in public service? so even the government can't pay its women workers the same wage as it pays its male workers for the same job? Nothing to celebrate then.
5. Another stadium, this time in Taranaki. How many stadiums does NZ need? also is it for rugby?
6. NZ/OZ trade talks, blah blah blah Covid….Bla blah blah Covid …..
i guess why some over educated but emotionally dumb as fuck journalists would rather talk about dick measuring is simply that non of the above is anything to really crow about or be proud about. Dirty dicks sell.
Don’t let me stand in the way of your freedoms or how you source them.
For one, you could then answer your own questions direct from Parliamentary sources or scroll porn sites for your vote choices this year.
Or two, in your need for dick being more fun, let's save money and change all the Election 2020 billboards out there to dick pics.
Job done !
well you could have also linked to them.
Mind, dick picks would be more fun then the signs of the Bishops wife, the New Conservatives , the todd who signs, and the photoshopped labour dudes/ettes with Jacinda. All so very uninspired in uninspired times. Lets keep moving, somewhere, to nowhere who knows, we don't even know who is still standing come election times.
yeah, dick picks with measurements seem more fun and informative. Also, no links needed to help people understand what one is about. .
Stated was the source. Posted were some examples of other " news" that could have met the needs of a diverse public wanting to be informed perhaps around issues that may affect their lives or their voting choices.
Your rights to the menu of information you'd prefer is not impinged by me posting my voice.
If demeaning and censoring other people's choices and voices is your style, you go for it. Kudos to you Sabine , you at least gave your opinion on the news of the day.
Except we might find the parliamentary services link, when you were talking pornhub.
It's not difficult to put in a link, is it?
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/
You already knew it so is that a reason to demean and nullify a voice ?
Ok, so you do know how to link.
Why didn't you use that ability in your initial comment? And rather than referencing a full website, if you want people to know what you're referring to, linking to the actual page your preferred content appears on is nice.
For instance, with your "Parliament passed a Bill to reform public service", would you recommend one reads the entire bill (from the legislation website), a summary or hansard (from the parliament website), or a media relase or speech from the beehive website (I never even thought of looking at the last one)? And each of those websites might have a variety of versions and updates on the variety of content types they hold.
With links, we have a digest of things that happened today, some of which a simple click shows to be interesting.
Without links, we just have a list of stuff that I can't be bothered hunting down.
There might actually be a place for the former on TS, as long as it doesn't just become an advertorial on what party supporters want everyone to know. But if it's reasonably evenhanded, it might be an interesting public service digest.
Thanks for the lecture, the peasantsplaining detail, McFlock. Yes, I do understand the rules. Before you are further condescending towards me, I actually DID copy the hyperlinks from direct source when pasting each item. They had obviously failed to become hotlinks when submitting the whole post.
The link then provided at your insistence to then validate my view is now your issue to dismiss me?
So big ups to you , we've now made a massive step forward in a high functioning and equitable democracy.
Sorry forgot to reference my stance, try the second chapter
" Information Equality versus Information Equity"
From.
Imagining Fairness: Equality and Equity of Access in Search of Democracy ", By Jorge Reina Schement . American Library Association
You could have said that three hours ago.
No , thats the reference for the immediate post to you re- "high functioning and equitable democracy" so that you don't dismiss another person's voice.
Sorry, I'll be more clear. This is what you could have written at (for example) 7.1.1.1.1:
Would have saved some typing on the importance of links, and maybe we might have bothered helping you figure out what the malfunction was betwixt pasting and posting.
FYI, there appears to be a strange text string at the bottom of PaddyOT’s comment @ 7 that looks like an incomplete link to an SDOC file extension. It is still there in the Editor but not converted to readable text in the comment.
A Chinese Empire Reborn
As the first Western nation to sign an FTA with China, what do we do now that their mask is slipping?
This " hard power" of China's parallels with your " Ted" video, one is overt brutal enforcement of power to elicit obedience by silencing others, the other system is spreading covertly the pseudo bs# science of neoliberalism to have the masses behave. Both systems are 'evil' per say and have the same end result of misery for the majority.
Another shocker. Great work by the Lincoln Project