More from Sean Plunket, the man hired by TOP to do their communications, who got into a spat on twitter when in reference to someone who already had kids he said that poor people shouldn’t have babies.
You don’t know me Robert, so please don’t speak on behalf of me. Stick to what you know, growing things and wasting ratepayers money at environment southland.
Oh that’s a reveal “wasting ratepayers money at Environment Southland”.
No waste with Robert, he is against that sort of thing, and at supporting politicians who don’t take their job seriously and their supporters, concern trolls etc. It’s nice that The Standard gives people an opportunity to play at discussing politics isn’t it.
Simmons says “He is part time contractor with his own career. Doesn’t speak for TOP. U really want to dissect the words of every contractor to a party?”
Stuart Munro
I love those graphs going off in all directions – so sexy. Almost as much as the curvy Beyonce wearing sparkles and spangles in suitable places at the end on her end.
As for the unemployment stats, they are specially concocted bedtime stories for pollies and their madvisors. And don’t look at them twice you will turn to stone, or a pillar of salt, they are curs-ed, and no good will come of them.
Looked at your link this morning Stuart, thanks. Disturbing here too. No wonder wages remain static and some with full time jobs cannot manage. The Government MPs gloss over the part time workers who even with 5 hours a week are classed as employed. Wonder what the true unemployment is for NZ?
According to Indian officials, about 300 soldiers from either side face each other about 150 metres apart on the Doklam plateau, an area also claimed by India’s ally Bhutan.
India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the border road has serious security implications.
“If China unilaterally changes the status quo of the tri-junction, it becomes a matter of security concern for India,” Swaraj said in parliament last week.
Wu, however, reiterated that the withdrawal of Indian border guards was a precondition to resolving the situation.
China is very, very pushy and demanding of things that aren’t theirs.
The Chinese are on a roll, they are on a high plateau, which they built using special Chinese skill and nous and just to show they could. If they could come back to earth and get alongside their suffering peasants and have a spring roll, instead of pie in the sky which is so western and indigestible, they could settle down and run the Chinese economy that would save the world.
But no, they are planning to be a super race, and I have read, want to play around with genetics. What next, one sighs with a gasp.
Welcome to the world of the Han Chinese as they still remember the Mongol’s the Japs, half of South East Asia, the Indian’s, the Russians and us Westerners when we give them a flogging.
China had one of their Spook Ships in Australia’s EZZ during Ex TS17. The last time something like this happen was when a Russian Navy Task Group turned up during a APEC meeting in Brisbane some years back.
Unless someone needs a launchpad to the Antarctic.
We can raise the cost of invading us, maybe even as much as the actual getting here might cost, but really our main defence will be sitting between the superpowers and trying to stand away from the eventual bar fight.
Look’s like I’ve got to teach how use a ugly stick then? I think the old man still has my 2 SLR’s, couple of old 303’s, the L4 Bren and the M-14 take your pick? If we get real hard up we always draft old Lyn up as well and I know few Vietnam gunners who still own and operate a couple of 25 pounders.
Oh, I can use the ugly stick. And if it’s within 40 ft I can probably take me glasses off to do it. I’m just shite at hiding said stick behind my back.
But I’m not bad with reasonably precise mechanisms and a needle file, so I might be able to be useful.
Meh, the A-4’s were pretty much out of date when we retired them. The Aermacchi’s weren’t much better.
Better getting something new. Developing it ourselves would be better but buying to start with. We could do what the Chinese did and buy a few Russian 5th gen fighters and reverse engineer them.
And I’m not totally convinced that we need an air-strike wing. If we can see them then missiles will work.
If we were going that way we should develop drones – cost effectiveness is good, and the home advantage is that they don’t need amazing range. Drones are still relatively early at this point and a local variant might well be competitive. It would never happen politically though – major parties are not futurist.
You could plan for that – lots of other navigation options.
Planes wouldn’t be a goer unless we were invaded by someone with an equally antediluvian airforce – only fairly new stuff is competitive. Draco’s missiles would be better but anti ship is a lot easier to create than anti-aircraft.
The drone advantage is in cost of development and training – much more flexible that way than single use rocket motor development – and civil uses like search and rescue could provide some value other than the catastrophic invasion scenario.
My only experience with UAV’s is the and IAI Heron and Scan Eagle. I know the Heron has a ground base station and you can use another Heron to retrans to another Heron, but it’s leaves a rather big electronic foot print hence why most UAV’S use satellites as there primary Comms.
UAVs are really only useful out of visual range which means that the signal needs bouncing somehow. There are several technologies that may achieve this for short ranges around the NZ EEZ.
Helios – When I first heard about it the idea was to, maybe, have it fly over a single spot giving an effective geosynchronous unit that could over seas several million square kilometres. Doesn’t appear to have been developed past the crash though.
High Frequency Radio – been known for years but has some draw backs such as limited bandwidth.
Project loon – High altitude balloons used for receiving, amplifying and retransmitting comms signals.
As far as I know the only one available ATM is the HF radio.
Radio transmission always leaves a rather big footprint. The only way to reduce that is to minimise radio transmissions and keep the UAV in autonomous mode most of the time.
The airframes were ok just another rebuild like they were under the 1st Kahu, it was the black boxes, engines that need replacing and fitting of a proper anti ship missile on the centre ordnance position (whatever it was called) instead of the maverick ASM.
Don’t like a Italian then? You don’t know what you are missing out on!
Actually our former ACF were bloody good at Maritime Strike and even taught the Royal Navy a thing or too on the 5 Power Defence Ex’s after the Kahu update. As my Uncle said me yrs ago “it was a shame that we never had a proper anti ship missile and the stupid National government didn’t allow us to upgrade the black Boxes to have a real proper data link to the the P3’s and the to Frigates then we would’ve a world class maritime strike force.”
You want to pop over to the Wings over the New Zealand Forum site and listen to a couple of podcasts in the ACF. A lot of RAAF pilots who flew fast jets that I’ve meet have said the Kiwi A4’s were a real handful after their Kahu upgrade, especially if they stayed low and said they knew their stuff in low level attack and at low level air to air combat.
Actually our former ACF were bloody good at Maritime Strike and even taught the Royal Navy a thing or too on the 5 Power Defence Ex’s after the Kahu update.
I’m sure they were and did but were they good enough to bridge the technology gap that would exist today?
There’s more to the plane than just avionics. Specifically, there’s the stealth capabilities of the 5th gen fighters. The A-4s and the Aermacchi’s didn’t have those at all and so would have been easily detected at long range meaning that they could be effectively engaged and destroyed far beyond the range that they could detect and engage the hostile craft.
A jet’s radar cross section can be decreased with a coat of paint (the Indians have done it), and there’s still the matter of low-level attack and other tactics.
Besides, IR search & track is passive and apparently has an effective range of 50 miles, and that’s a black box. Alongside ECM, which is another black box.
And then we get into the cost per kill issue – why spend hundreds of millions developing an aircraft we can’t afford to lose?
As an aside, there’s an interesting model being floated in the US of having more stealthy drones/snaFu35 as sensor pickets forward of a more conventional airframe converted to a C&C-arsenal aircraft. Because the picket aircraft have limited armaments, a converted B52 or similar could carry a battery of long-range missiles to engage aircraft or surface targets identified by the pickets.
A jet’s radar cross section can be decreased with a coat of paint (the Indians have done it), and there’s still the matter of low-level attack and other tactics.
Besides, IR search & track is passive and apparently has an effective range of 50 miles, and that’s a black box. Alongside ECM, which is another black box.
And then we get into the cost per kill issue – why spend hundreds of millions developing an aircraft we can’t afford to lose?
Heh, that’s what effectively killed off the battleships. Please note where I said that I’m not enthused about having an air strike wing.
As an aside, there’s an interesting model being floated in the US of having more stealthy drones/snaFu35 as sensor pickets forward of a more conventional airframe converted to a C&C-arsenal aircraft.
Low level flight still applies, it just has limitations as your article pointed out.
Basically, even in your pessimistic model the stealthy opposition aircraft will be forced to launch their limited munitions at longe range, leaving plenty of time to figure out an evasion plan (because missiles are not stealthy, they’re hot). And then they’re out of ammo.
Whereas some small aircraft with long range anti-radiation missiles can play over-the-horizon peek-a-boo with any opposition radar emitters, if their black boxes are good enough to see them.
If you want to destroy the opposition before they get to our shores, you’ll need aircraft. Long range missiles are all well and good, but you can’t launch ’em until you need them. Land launchers are limited to land, and sea platforms don’t have the response time to fill in gaps that aircraft do.
leaving plenty of time to figure out an evasion plan (because missiles are not stealthy, they’re hot).
If you can generate a miss which itself is becoming less and less likely as missiles and detection systems become better. Which is the problem with the A-4s and the Aermacchi in that they’re very easy to detect and track.
Whereas some small aircraft with long range anti-radiation missiles can play over-the-horizon peek-a-boo with any opposition radar emitters, if their black boxes are good enough to see them.
That’s another if. The f35 and other stealth aircraft can use radar from other sources (Such as the C&C aircraft you mentioned) which themselves can be out of radar and missile range.
If you want to destroy the opposition before they get to our shores, you’ll need aircraft.
Not necessarily. Satellites for long range detection and guidance. Over the Horizon Radar for medium range detection and guidance and finally local radar (passive and active) on the missiles themselves. Best option would be to combine them.
Long range missiles are all well and good, but you can’t launch ’em until you need them.
Well, obviously you wouldn’t be launching them if you didn’t need them. You seem to be implying that we need aircraft for the initial detection which is wrong.
Aircraft may play a role but it wouldn’t be fighter aircraft but AWACs.
Land launchers are limited to land, and sea platforms don’t have the response time to fill in gaps that aircraft do.
Land launchers are limited to striking anywhere in the world. Sea launchers are a little shorter ranged.
This link show’s what Kahu 2 should’ve looked like if Labour decided to dump the F-16 and kept the ACF going as the then Maccih’s also due a mid life upgrade as well. This for everyone’s info the Maccih’s won’t the first choice for the Airforce btw.
There was some talk of using Radar Absorbent Material (RAM) and some short of RAM paint for the Kahu 2 upgrade to further reduce the A4’s radar signature. In the book called Black Box Canberras pg168 talks about the Brits conduct trails using a Canberra and most of that research project is still classified today.
There was a small team within ACF wing HQ that develop a lot if its tactics and this small team casted a rather large net that resulted talking to such Nations as RAF, Luftwaffe, Norway, Israeli, Swiss Airforces and of course the Argies to help re write its Training, Tactics and Procedures (TTP’s or SOP’s in old money) for ACF. This study also had a profound a effect in the way the RNZAF trained its pilots and its technical personal after the Kahu upgrade. The end result was that RNZAF ended up with a world class Pilot training syllabus and Technical training syllabus that the rest of world look on with envy and only be thrown out on a whim by then Labour government which turn took the RNZAF as a whole about 10yrs to recover from.
Low level attack and Low level Air to Air Combat is still quite valid in todays modern world and in fact both skill sets its become a dying art in most Airforces as they becoming more risk adverse in their training management policies as both subjects are very hard master. The ACF knew the only way for them to survive was to make the big boys come to them not the other way round which suited the A4 strengths and when you throw in atmospheric, environmental, terrain considerations, the law of physics etc and the high standard of training of RNZAF pilots made the A4 a very nasty aircraft to go up against.
This link show’s what Kahu 2 should’ve looked like if Labour decided to dump the F-16 and kept the ACF going as the then Maccih’s also due a mid life upgrade as well.
The Aermacchis may have been mid-life but the A4s were end of life and needed to be replaced. That’s what the f16s were for after all. The problems I had with the f16s is a) that we were being over charged for them and b) because they were second hand we were going to need to replace them in short order.
only be thrown out on a whim by then Labour government
It wasn’t really a whim you know. We really don’t have use for an air-strike wing.
I really would go for a land based missile shield with satellite and ground based detection and guidance. A high reliance upon the army with multiple fixed and mobile sites. I’d turn the airforce/navy into a coastguard with more of a policing and rescue role.
The so called Second Hand F-16’s some had no more than 10 hrs flying time and lowest had about 3hrs. Yes they were a block 15 model and the governments idea of getting the F-16’s was to save some money by not doing the Kahu 2 upgrade which would’ve push Skyhawk replacement out to possibly 2025-2030 and transfer that money to upgrading the F-16’s instead.
The Governemt of the day said that only 75SQN and 2SQN were going to get the chop and 14SQN would stay as its a vital part of the pilot training syllabus during the advance phase of basic wings cse and it could provide support to the other 2 services. Then there was a sudden about turn and 14SQN went as well, hence “ACF was only be thrown out on a whim by then Labour government”.
The end result was flying and safety standards suddenly drop to a point where RNZAF almost couldn’t do its mandated tasks because the experience personal had left and the Government against Airforce advice to keep 14SQN going or buy a new training aircraft until National government came power and brought the T-6’s at cost of $250millon NZD or there about.
Clearly, there is no significant prioritisation process in place in the NZDF, which determines whether one particular project should be approved before another. Projects are ticked off, or not – as the case may be – when they have come to the top of the tendering process list, or are needed for an urgent deployment (to say East Timor or Bosnia); or are the subject of a special paper
to Cabinet because they are deemed to be an attractive opportunity buy”. The fifth maritime helicopter and the F-16 project are examples of the latter.
A paper prepared for the Treasury by Dr Arthur Grimes and Dr James Rolfe, completed late in 1999, titled Defence Objectives and Funding, notes that what this approach continually fails to do, is look at the desired outcomes of defence policy and expenditure from the perspective of questions like:
* What does national security mean?
* How best can it be achieved?
* What is the best balance between diplomatic and military means to achieve
* security?
* What trade-offs are there?
* What are appropriate roles for the armed forces?
We may not like it but it seems that prior to the 5th Labour government defence spending was on a whim.
Firstly I’ll thank you for the link and would have a look at it later.
My advice comes from my uncle (was once a Labour supporter) who was on the Project team for Strikemaster replacement, he also was involved with introducing the 339C macchi in service, number of former A4 drivers and technicians, The book called Skyhawks “The history of the RNZAF Skyhawk” by Don Simms and Nick Lee Frampton and the podcasts on Wings over the New Zealand forum sites.
I was serving in the Army in mid to late 90’s in a Recce SQN as part of 3 Land Force Group and we were ineffect asset strip to keep units that made up 2 Land Force Group operational. Hence why I finally punched out and that goose mallard told me to fuck off during the Labour Party Conference in Christchurch in late 97 when I standing as the Labour youth rep for the National Council and what he said to me was some nasty stuff about us work class should know our place etc. Informed my backers and to my grandmother and promptly went on the TF Ex that was begin held on that weekend. The rest is history.
One last thing, do you know the if the Quigley review ordered by the then Labour government is that available for public view? The reason I’m asking this, is it’s findings and the 2001 Review into options for a Air Combat Capability were not available for public because it went against the then government view that 75 and 2SQN’s should be disbanded with 14SQN to be retrained at reduced level. When the last review was presented to cabinet that the Alliance party went ape shit at the report and they demanded that 14SQN to disbanded as well at the last minute. That’s what I was told from Labour MP who was member of cabinet and certain faction threatened to walk out hence why it’s kept under wraps and it seems to be the view of a few other people associated with the last review.
There’s a couple of NATO Ex’s going on as well in the Baltic region according to Janes Defence ATM and surprise they aren’t collisions as it must be a little bit crowded in the Baltic Sea ATM.
That’s just it. I don’t know any more. It used to public but that I read said that private security guards were moving people out of it for being scruffy/noisy which they shouldn’t be able to do. I can’t recall clearly if it said that the place was now privately owned and I can’t find the article either.
unless they were perhaps employed by the council and they were enforcing some bylaw (maybe for noise, can’t imagine one for scruffy though nothing would surprise completely ) but i can see the similar issues existing here as we follow the same privatisation model as the UK, perhaps even more so.
Oh what a lovely war.
This is out of date clip but all discussions about war seem to be other-worldly. Always a bit different and always rather unsatisfactory an end.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr5ksOyxZRU
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At the 2023 election, National basically ran on a platform of being better economic managers. So how'd that turn out for us? In just one year, they've fucked us for two full political terms: The government's books are set to remain deeply in the red for the near term ...
AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi are saying that the Government should do the right thing and deliver minimum wage increases that don’t see workers fall further behind, in response to today’s announcement that the minimum wage will only be increased by 1.5%, well short of forecast inflation. “With inflation forecast ...
Oh, I weptFor daysFilled my eyesWith silly tearsOh, yeaBut I don'tCare no moreI don't care ifMy eyes get soreSongwriters: Paul Rodgers / Paul Kossoff. Read more ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob HensonIn this aerial view, fingers of meltwater flow from the melting Isunnguata Sermia glacier descending from the Greenland Ice Sheet on July 11, 2024, near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. According to the Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet (PROMICE), the ...
In August, I wrote an article about David Seymour1 with a video of his testimony, to warn that there were grave dangers to his Ministry of Regulation:David Seymour's Ministry of Slush Hides Far Greater RisksWhy Seymour's exorbitant waste of taxpayers' money could be the least of concernThe money for Seymour ...
Willis is expected to have to reveal the bitter fiscal fruits of her austerity strategy in the HYEFU later today. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/TheKakaMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, December 17 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast ...
On Friday the government announced it would double the number of toll roads in New Zealand as well as make a few other changes to how toll roads are used in the country. The real issue though is not that tolling is being used but the suggestion it will make ...
The Prime Minister yesterday engaged in what looked like a pre-emptive strike designed to counter what is likely to be a series of depressing economic statistics expected before the end of the week. He opened his weekly post-Cabinet press conference with a recitation of the Government’s achievements. “It certainly has ...
This whooping cough story from south Auckland is a good example of the coalition government’s approach to social need – spend money on urging people to get vaccinated but only after you’ve cut the funding to where they could get vaccinated. This has been the case all year with public ...
And if there is a GodI know he likes to rockHe likes his loud guitarsHis spiders from MarsAnd if there is a GodI know he's watching meHe likes what he seesBut there's trouble on the breezeSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan Read more ...
Here’s a quick round up of today’s political news:1. MORE FOOD BANKS, CHARITIES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS AND YOUTH SOCIAL SERVICES SET TO CLOSE OR SCALE BACK AROUND THE COUNTRY AS GOVT CUTS FUNDINGSome of Auckland's largest foodbanks are warning they may need to close or significantly reduce food parcels after ...
Iain Rennie, CNZMSecretary and Chief Executive to the TreasuryDear Secretary, Undue restrictions on restricted briefings This week, the Treasury barred representatives from four organisations, including the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi, from attending the restricted briefing for the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update. We had been ...
This is a guest post by Tim Adriaansen, a community, climate, and accessibility advocate.I won’t shut up about climate breakdown, and whenever possible I try to shift the focus of a climate conversation towards solutions. But you’ll almost never hear me give more than a passing nod to ...
A grassroots backlash has forced a backdown from Brown, but he is still eyeing up plenty of tolls for other new roads. And the pressure is on Willis to ramp up the Government’s austerity strategy. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
Hi all,I'm pretty overwhelmed by all your messages and emails today; thank you so very much.As much as my newsletter this morning was about money, and we all need to earn money, it was mostly about world domination if I'm honest. 😉I really hate what’s happening to our country, and ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 8, 2024 thru Sat, December 14, 2024. Listing by Category Like last week's summary this one contains the list of articles twice: based on categories and based on ...
I started writing this morning about Hobson’s Pledge, examining the claims they and their supporters make, basically ripping into them. But I kept getting notifications coming through, and not good ones.Each time I looked up, there was another un-subscription message, and I felt a bit sicker at the thought of ...
Once, long before there was Harry and Meghan and Dodi and all those episodes of The Crown, they came to spend some time with us, Charles and Diana. Was there anyone in the world more glamorous than the Princess of Wales?Dazzled as everyone was by their company, the leader of ...
The collective right have a problem.The entire foundation for their world view is antiscientific. Their preferred economic strategies have been disproven. Their whole neoliberal model faces accusations of corporate corruption and worsening inequality. Climate change not only definitely exists, its rapid progression demands an immediate and expensive response in order ...
Just ten days ago, South Korea's president attempted a self-coup, declaring martial law and attempting to have opposition MPs murdered or arrested in an effort to seize unconstrained power. The attempt was rapidly defeated by the national assembly voting it down and the people flooding the streets to defend democracy. ...
Hi,“What I love about New Zealanders is that sometimes you use these expressions that as Americans we have no idea what those things mean!"I am watching a 30-something year old American ramble on about how different New Zealanders are to Americans. It’s his podcast, and this man is doing a ...
National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...
After years of advocacy, the Green Party is very happy to hear the Government has listened to our collective voices and announced the closure of the greyhound racing industry, by 1 August 2026. ...
In response to a new report from ERO, the Government has acknowledged the urgent need for consistency across the curriculum for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. ...
The Green Party is appalled at the Government introducing legislation that will make it easier to penalise workers fighting for better pay and conditions. ...
Thank you for the invitation to speak with you tonight on behalf of the political party I belong to - which is New Zealand First. As we have heard before this evening the Kinleith Mill is proposing to reduce operations by focusing on pulp and discontinuing “lossmaking paper production”. They say that they are currently consulting on the plan to permanently shut ...
Auckland Central MP, Chlöe Swarbrick, has written to Mayor Wayne Brown requesting he stop the unnecessary delays on St James Theatre’s restoration. ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand will move swiftly to support dozens of internationally-trained doctors already in New Zealand on their journey to employment here, after a tripling of sought-after examination places. “The Medical Council has delivered great news for hardworking overseas doctors who want to contribute ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced four appointments to New Zealand’s intelligence oversight functions. The Honourable Robert Dobson KC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, and the Honourable Brendan Brown KC has been appointed as a Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants. The appointments of Hon Robert Dobson and Hon ...
Improvements in the average time it takes to process survey and title applications means housing developments can progress more quickly, Minister for Land Information Chris Penk says. “The government is resolutely focused on improving the building and construction pipeline,” Mr Penk says. “Applications to issue titles and subdivide land are ...
The Government’s measures to reduce airport wait times, and better transparency around flight disruptions is delivering encouraging early results for passengers ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Improving the efficiency of air travel is a priority for the Government to give passengers a smoother, more reliable ...
The Government today announced the intended closure of the Apollo Hotel as Contracted Emergency Housing (CEH) in Rotorua, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. This follows a 30 per cent reduction in the number of households in CEH in Rotorua since National came into Government. “Our focus is on ending CEH in the Whakarewarewa area starting ...
The Government will reshape vocational education and training to return decision making to regions and enable greater industry input into work-based learning Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds says. “The redesigned system will better meet the needs of learners, industry, and the economy. It includes re-establishing regional polytechnics that ...
The Government is taking action to better manage synthetic refrigerants and reduce emissions caused by greenhouse gases found in heating and cooling products, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Regulations will be drafted to support a product stewardship scheme for synthetic refrigerants, Ms. Simmonds says. “Synthetic refrigerants are found in a ...
People travelling on State Highway 1 north of Hamilton will be relieved that remedial works and safety improvements on the Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway were finished today, with all lanes now open to traffic, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“I would like to acknowledge the patience of road users ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds, has announced a new appointment to the board of Education New Zealand (ENZ). Dr Erik Lithander has been appointed as a new member of the ENZ board for a three-year term until 30 January 2028. “I would like to welcome Dr Erik Lithander to the ...
The Government will have senior representatives at Waitangi Day events around the country, including at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, but next year Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has chosen to take part in celebrations elsewhere. “It has always been my intention to celebrate Waitangi Day around the country with different ...
Two more criminal gangs will be subject to the raft of laws passed by the Coalition Government that give Police more powers to disrupt gang activity, and the intimidation they impose in our communities, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. Following an Order passed by Cabinet, from 3 February 2025 the ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Justice Christian Whata as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Whata’s appointment as a Judge of the Court of Appeal will take effect on 1 August 2025 and fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Hon Justice David Goddard on ...
The latest economic figures highlight the importance of the steps the Government has taken to restore respect for taxpayers’ money and drive economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Data released today by Stats NZ shows Gross Domestic Product fell 1 per cent in the September quarter. “Treasury and most ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Minister of Education David Seymour today announced legislation changes to strengthen freedom of speech obligations on universities. “Freedom of speech is fundamental to the concept of academic freedom and there is concern that universities seem to be taking a more risk-averse ...
Police Minister, Mark Mitchell, and Internal Affairs Minister, Brooke van Velden, today launched a further Public Safety Network cellular service that alongside last year’s Cellular Roaming roll-out, puts globally-leading cellular communications capability into the hands of our emergency responders. The Public Safety Network’s new Cellular Priority service means Police, Wellington ...
State Highway 1 through the Mangamuka Gorge has officially reopened today, providing a critical link for Northlanders and offering much-needed relief ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Mangamuka Gorge is a vital route for Northland, carrying around 1,300 vehicles per day and connecting the Far ...
The Government has welcomed decisions by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) and Ashburton District Council confirming funding to boost resilience in the Canterbury region, with construction on a second Ashburton Bridge expected to begin in 2026, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering a second Ashburton Bridge to improve resilience and ...
The Government is backing the response into high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Otago, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says. “Cabinet has approved new funding of $20 million to enable MPI to meet unbudgeted ongoing expenses associated with the H7N6 response including rigorous scientific testing of samples at the enhanced PC3 ...
Legislation that will repeal all advertising restrictions for broadcasters on Sundays and public holidays has passed through first reading in Parliament today, Media Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “As a growing share of audiences get their news and entertainment from streaming services, these restrictions have become increasingly redundant. New Zealand on ...
Today the House agreed to Brendan Horsley being appointed Inspector-General of Defence, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Mr Horsley’s experience will be invaluable in overseeing the establishment of the new office and its support networks. “He is currently Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, having held that role since June 2020. ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the final regulations for the levy on insurance contracts that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand from July 2026. “Earlier this year the Government agreed to a 2.2 percent increase to the rate of levy. Fire ...
The Government is delivering regulatory relief for New Zealand businesses through changes to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act. “The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill, which was introduced today, is the second Bill – the other being the Statutes Amendment Bill - that ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed further progress on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS), with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board approving funding for the detailed design of Stage 1, paving the way for main works construction to begin in late 2025.“The Government is moving at ...
The Government today released a request for information (RFI) to seeking interest in partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned land with low farming and conservation value (excluding National Parks) Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced. “Planting trees on Crown-owned land will drive economic growth by creating more forestry jobs in our regions, providing more wood ...
Court timeliness, access to justice, and improving the quality of existing regulation are the focus of a series of law changes introduced to Parliament today by Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee. The three Bills in the Regulatory Systems (Justice) Amendment Bill package each improve a different part of the ...
A total of 41 appointments and reappointments have been made to the 12 community trusts around New Zealand that serve their regions, Associate Finance Minister Shane Jones says. “These trusts, and the communities they serve from the Far North to the deep south, will benefit from the rich experience, knowledge, ...
The Government has confirmed how it will provide redress to survivors who were tortured at the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit (the Lake Alice Unit). “The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care found that many of the 362 children who went through the Lake Alice Unit between 1972 and ...
It has been a busy, productive year in the House as the coalition Government works hard to get New Zealand back on track, Leader of the House Chris Bishop says. “This Government promised to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and reduce the cost of living. Our record this ...
“Accelerated silicosis is an emerging occupational disease caused by unsafe work such as engineered stone benchtops. I am running a standalone consultation on engineered stone to understand what the industry is currently doing to manage the risks, and whether further regulatory intervention is needed,” says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister ...
Mehemea he pai mō te tangata, mahia – if it’s good for the people, get on with it. Enhanced reporting on the public sector’s delivery of Treaty settlement commitments will help improve outcomes for Māori and all New Zealanders, Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka says. Compiled together for the ...
Mr Roger Holmes Miller and Ms Tarita Hutchinson have been appointed to the Charities Registration Board, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston says. “I would like to welcome the new members joining the Charities Registration Board. “The appointment of Ms Hutchinson and Mr Miller will strengthen the Board’s capacity ...
More building consent and code compliance applications are being processed within the statutory timeframe since the Government required councils to submit quarterly data, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “In the midst of a housing shortage we need to look at every step of the build process for efficiencies ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey is proud to announce the first three recipients of the Government’s $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund which will enable more Kiwis faster access to mental health and addiction support. “This fund is part of the Government’s commitment to investing in ...
New Zealand is providing Vanuatu assistance following yesterday's devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. "Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need," Mr Peters says. "Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be ...
The Government welcomes the Commerce Commission’s plan to reduce card fees for Kiwis by an estimated $260 million a year, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.“The Government is relentlessly focused on reducing the cost of living, so Kiwis can keep more of their hard-earned income and live a ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour has welcomed the Early Childhood Education (ECE) regulatory review report, the first major report from the Ministry for Regulation. The report makes 15 recommendations to modernise and simplify regulations across ECE so services can get on with what they do best – providing safe, high-quality care ...
The Government‘s Offshore Renewable Energy Bill to create a new regulatory regime that will enable firms to construct offshore wind generation has passed its first reading in Parliament, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says.“New Zealand currently does not have a regulatory regime for offshore renewable energy as the previous government failed ...
Legislation to enable new water service delivery models that will drive critical investment in infrastructure has passed its first reading in Parliament, marking a significant step towards the delivery of Local Water Done Well, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly say.“Councils and voters ...
New Zealand is one step closer to reaping the benefits of gene technology with the passing of the first reading of the Gene Technology Bill, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins says. "This legislation will end New Zealand's near 30-year ban on gene technology outside the lab and is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kasey Symons, Lecturer of Communication, Sports Media, Deakin University We are well and truly in cricket season. The Australian men’s cricket team is taking centre stage against India in the Border Gavaskar Trophy series while the Big Bash League is underway, as ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Woods, Lecturer, Nursing, Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University FTiare/Shutterstock Summer is here and for many that means going to the beach. You grab your swimmers, beach towel and sunscreen then maybe check the weather forecast. Did you think to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Saman Khalesi, Senior Lecturer and Discipline Lead in Nutrition, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity Australia Dean Clarke/Shutterstock The holiday season can be a time of joy, celebration, and indulgence in delicious foods and meals. However, for many, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ari Mattes, Lecturer in Communications and Media, University of Notre Dame Australia Late Night With The Devil. Maslow Entertainment Marketing is critical to the success of commercial films, and companies will often spend half as much again on top of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Francisco Jose Testa, Lecturer in Earth Sciences (Mineralogy, Petrology & Geochemistry), University of Tasmania The Conversation As a kid, it was tough for me to grasp the massive time scale of Earth’s history. Now, with nearly two decades of experience as ...
Te Pāti Māori has had to adopt a new way of debating, operating and even thinking in Parliament in response to the Government’s “onslaught” against te ao Māori, co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says.In an end-of-year interview with Newsroom, the Te Tai Hauauru MP reflected on how 2024 has differed from her ...
Opinion: The latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science report was announced earlier this month, yet it didn’t get the flurry of media attention and political hand-wringing that typically accompanies these announcements. This might be because it presented good news, or you could argue, no news; the results paint a ...
NewsroomBy Dr Lisa Darragh, Dr Raewyn Eden and Dr David Pomeroy
At long last, The Spinoff shells out for a nut ranking. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today.It recently came to The Spinoff’s attention ...
I was one of hundreds of people who lost my government job this week. Here’s exactly how it played out. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a ...
Summer reissue: One anxiously attentive passenger pays attention to an in-flight safety video, and wonders ‘Why can’t I pick up my own phone?’ The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up ...
Summer reissue: Why do those Lange-Douglas years cast such a long shadow 40 years on? The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today. First published June ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 23 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...
The Government’s social housing agency has backed out of a billion-dollar infrastructure alliance that would have built about 6000 new homes in Auckland – less than 18 months after signing a five-year extension.Labour says the decision to rip up the contract and sell off existing state houses could lead to ...
ByKoroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor New Zealand’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) says impending bad weather for Port Vila is now the most significant post-quake hazard. A tropical low in the Coral Sea is expected to move into Vanuatu waters, bringing heavy rainfall. Authorities have issued warnings to people ...
Cosmic CatastropheThe year draws to a close.King Luxon has grown tired of the long eveningsListening to the dreary squabbling of his Triumvirate.He strolls up to the top floor of the PalaceTo consult with his Astronomer Royal.The Royal Telescope scans the skies,And King Luxon stares up into the heavensFrom the terrestrial ...
Spinoff editor Mad Chapman and books editor Claire Mabey debate Carl Shuker’s new novel about… an editor. Claire: Hello Mad, you just finished The Royal Free – overall impressions? Mad: Hi Claire, I literally just put the book down and I would have to say my immediate impression is ...
Christmas and its buildup are often lonely, hard and full of unreasonable expectations. Here’s how to make it to Jesus’s birthday and find the little bit of joy we all deserve. Have you found this year relentless? Has the latest Apple update “fucked up your life”? Have you lost two ...
Despite overwhelming public and corporate support, the government has stalled progress on a modern day slavery law. That puts us behind other countries – and makes Christmas a time of tragedy rather than joy, argues Shanti Mathias. Picture the scene on Christmas Day. Everyone replete with nice things to eat, ...
Asia Pacific Report “It looks like Hiroshima. It looks like Germany at the end of World War Two,” says an Israeli-American historian and professor of holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University about the horrifying reality of Gaza. Professor Omer Bartov, has described Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza as an ...
The New Zealand government coalition is tweaking university regulations to curb what it says is an increasingly “risk-averse approach” to free speech. The proposed changes will set clear expectations on how universities should approach freedom of speech issues. Each university will then have to adopt a “freedom of speech statement” ...
Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – COMMENTARY: By Caitlin Johnstone New York prosecutors have charged Luigi Mangione with “murder as an act of terrorism” in his alleged shooting of health insurance CEO Brian Thompson earlier this month. This news comes out at the same time as ...
Pacific Media Watch The union for Australian journalists has welcomed the delivery by the federal government of more than $150 million to support the sustainability of public interest journalism over the next four years. Combined with the announcement of the revamped News Bargaining Initiative, this could result in up to ...
MONDAY“Merry Xmas, and praise the Lord,” said Sheriff Luxon, and smiled for the camera. There was a flash of smoke when the shutter pressed down on the magnesium powder. The sheriff had arranged for a photographer from the Dodge Gazette to attend a ceremony where he handed out food parcels to ...
It’s a little under two months since the White Ferns shocked the cricketing world, deservedly taking home the T20 World Cup. Since then the trophy has had a tour around the country, five of the squad have played in the WBBL in Australia while most others have returned to domestic ...
Comment: If we say the word ‘dementia’, many will picture an older person struggling to remember the names of their loved ones, maybe a grandparent living out their final years in an aged care facility. Dementia can also occur in people younger than 65, but it can take time before ...
Piracy is a reality of modern life – but copyright law has struggled to play catch-up for as long as the entertainment industry has existed. As far back as 1988, the House of Lords criticised copyright law’s conflict with the reality of human behaviour in the context of burning cassette ...
As he makes a surprise return to Shortland Street, actor Craig Parker takes us through his life in television. Craig Parker has been a fixture on television in Aotearoa for nearly four decades. He had starring roles in iconic local series like Gloss, Mercy Peak and Diplomatic Immunity, featured in ...
The Ōtautahi musician shares the 10 tracks he loves to spin, including the folk classic that cured him of a ‘case of the give-ups’. When singer-songwriter Adam McGrath returns to Kumeu’s Auckland Folk Festival from January 24-27, he’s not planning on simply idling his way through – he wants the late ...
Alex Casey spends an afternoon on the job with River, the rescue dog on a mission to spread joy to Ōtautahi rest homes.Almost everyone says it is never enough time. But River the rescue dog, a jet black huntaway border collie cross, has to keep a tight pace to ...
Asia Pacific Report Fiji activists have recreated the nativity scene at a solidarity for Palestine gathering in Fiji’s capital Suva just days before Christmas. The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and Fijians for Palestine Solidarity Network recreated the scene at the FWCC compound — a baby Jesus figurine lies amidst the ...
By 1News Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver and 1News reporters A number of Kiwis have been successfully evacuated from Vanuatu after a devastating earthquake shook the Pacific island nation earlier this week. The death toll was still unclear, though at least 14 people were killed according to an earlier statement from ...
https://twitter.com/Kopapacafe/status/889046978985951232
Amen to that.
More from Sean Plunket, the man hired by TOP to do their communications, who got into a spat on twitter when in reference to someone who already had kids he said that poor people shouldn’t have babies.
https://twitter.com/publicaddress/status/889267031811293184
https://twitter.com/FrankMcRae/status/889336105836855296
“Man” is an excessively charitable description of Plunket.
Plunkett is a tosser and always has been.
Sara trying hard to sound like she is on our side. She must have so much time to spare…
Sarah’s not on our side (not in our tribe, not in our camp, not kin), it’s plain.
Careful – she will get upset if you say that, and deliver a crushing defence of her stance. Or maybe not.
I don’t get upset In Vino, but I’m delighted that you think I would, have a pleasant day.
You don’t know me Robert, so please don’t speak on behalf of me. Stick to what you know, growing things and wasting ratepayers money at environment southland.
Oh that’s a reveal “wasting ratepayers money at Environment Southland”.
No waste with Robert, he is against that sort of thing, and at supporting politicians who don’t take their job seriously and their supporters, concern trolls etc. It’s nice that The Standard gives people an opportunity to play at discussing politics isn’t it.
Simmons says “He is part time contractor with his own career. Doesn’t speak for TOP. U really want to dissect the words of every contractor to a party?”
https://twitter.com/drivethrupod/status/889399631381020673
I don’t think I could name the communications bod for any other political party. Maybe they keep their heads down.
Was that Pam Corkery’s job for IP?
Losing votes…
Interesting walkthrough of the falsity of employment stats
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/unemployment-in-the-uk-is-now-so-low-its-in-danger-of-exposing-the-lie-used-to-create-the-numbers-2017-7?r=UK&IR=T
Stuart Munro
I love those graphs going off in all directions – so sexy. Almost as much as the curvy Beyonce wearing sparkles and spangles in suitable places at the end on her end.
As for the unemployment stats, they are specially concocted bedtime stories for pollies and their madvisors. And don’t look at them twice you will turn to stone, or a pillar of salt, they are curs-ed, and no good will come of them.
Looked at your link this morning Stuart, thanks. Disturbing here too. No wonder wages remain static and some with full time jobs cannot manage. The Government MPs gloss over the part time workers who even with 5 hours a week are classed as employed. Wonder what the true unemployment is for NZ?
China making another land grab:
China is very, very pushy and demanding of things that aren’t theirs.
Indeed! Apparently there have already been ‘incursions’.
It’s a bit like the land based equivalent of their Sth China Sea activities.
The Chinese are on a roll, they are on a high plateau, which they built using special Chinese skill and nous and just to show they could. If they could come back to earth and get alongside their suffering peasants and have a spring roll, instead of pie in the sky which is so western and indigestible, they could settle down and run the Chinese economy that would save the world.
But no, they are planning to be a super race, and I have read, want to play around with genetics. What next, one sighs with a gasp.
Welcome to the world of the Han Chinese as they still remember the Mongol’s the Japs, half of South East Asia, the Indian’s, the Russians and us Westerners when we give them a flogging.
This from the Australian ABC website
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-24/china-state-media-warns-more-warship-deployment-to-western-water/8738328
China had one of their Spook Ships in Australia’s EZZ during Ex TS17. The last time something like this happen was when a Russian Navy Task Group turned up during a APEC meeting in Brisbane some years back.
And it’s things like that that tells me we need to be able to defend ourselves.
Against China? Or Russia? Or the US?
Trick is to make attacking unpalatable – logistics go a long way in that direction already.
Unless someone needs a launchpad to the Antarctic.
We can raise the cost of invading us, maybe even as much as the actual getting here might cost, but really our main defence will be sitting between the superpowers and trying to stand away from the eventual bar fight.
How good are you at poker? Because I’m shit at it unless it’s the nags (trots)
lol I’m abysmal.
Is that poker or the nags or both?
If I walk into a room that contains games of chance and decide to play them to completion, I’d be lucky to walk out of there with a pair of pants on.
Same goes with any room that has an open bar, but for very different reasons 🙂
Basically, even playing for matchsticks I end up being the very early loser watching everyone else play for the rest of the night.
Look’s like I’ve got to teach how use a ugly stick then? I think the old man still has my 2 SLR’s, couple of old 303’s, the L4 Bren and the M-14 take your pick? If we get real hard up we always draft old Lyn up as well and I know few Vietnam gunners who still own and operate a couple of 25 pounders.
Oh, I can use the ugly stick. And if it’s within 40 ft I can probably take me glasses off to do it. I’m just shite at hiding said stick behind my back.
But I’m not bad with reasonably precise mechanisms and a needle file, so I might be able to be useful.
You better ring up Draken and ask if can have our A-4’s and macchi’s back.
Meh, the A-4’s were pretty much out of date when we retired them. The Aermacchi’s weren’t much better.
Better getting something new. Developing it ourselves would be better but buying to start with. We could do what the Chinese did and buy a few Russian 5th gen fighters and reverse engineer them.
And I’m not totally convinced that we need an air-strike wing. If we can see them then missiles will work.
Of course, that is a big if these days.
If we were going that way we should develop drones – cost effectiveness is good, and the home advantage is that they don’t need amazing range. Drones are still relatively early at this point and a local variant might well be competitive. It would never happen politically though – major parties are not futurist.
They will take out the GPS satellites and then we will be up shit creek with a fancy bit of kit on ground with no where to go.
You could plan for that – lots of other navigation options.
Planes wouldn’t be a goer unless we were invaded by someone with an equally antediluvian airforce – only fairly new stuff is competitive. Draco’s missiles would be better but anti ship is a lot easier to create than anti-aircraft.
The drone advantage is in cost of development and training – much more flexible that way than single use rocket motor development – and civil uses like search and rescue could provide some value other than the catastrophic invasion scenario.
My only experience with UAV’s is the and IAI Heron and Scan Eagle. I know the Heron has a ground base station and you can use another Heron to retrans to another Heron, but it’s leaves a rather big electronic foot print hence why most UAV’S use satellites as there primary Comms.
UAVs are really only useful out of visual range which means that the signal needs bouncing somehow. There are several technologies that may achieve this for short ranges around the NZ EEZ.
Helios – When I first heard about it the idea was to, maybe, have it fly over a single spot giving an effective geosynchronous unit that could over seas several million square kilometres. Doesn’t appear to have been developed past the crash though.
High Frequency Radio – been known for years but has some draw backs such as limited bandwidth.
Project loon – High altitude balloons used for receiving, amplifying and retransmitting comms signals.
As far as I know the only one available ATM is the HF radio.
Radio transmission always leaves a rather big footprint. The only way to reduce that is to minimise radio transmissions and keep the UAV in autonomous mode most of the time.
Yes the drones being used for useful stuff by responsible agencies sounds a good idea.
There’s solutions to that as well.
The airframes were ok just another rebuild like they were under the 1st Kahu, it was the black boxes, engines that need replacing and fitting of a proper anti ship missile on the centre ordnance position (whatever it was called) instead of the maverick ASM.
Don’t like a Italian then? You don’t know what you are missing out on!
It’s more a question of matching 2nd/3rd gen tech up against 5th gen that I don’t like.
Actually our former ACF were bloody good at Maritime Strike and even taught the Royal Navy a thing or too on the 5 Power Defence Ex’s after the Kahu update. As my Uncle said me yrs ago “it was a shame that we never had a proper anti ship missile and the stupid National government didn’t allow us to upgrade the black Boxes to have a real proper data link to the the P3’s and the to Frigates then we would’ve a world class maritime strike force.”
You want to pop over to the Wings over the New Zealand Forum site and listen to a couple of podcasts in the ACF. A lot of RAAF pilots who flew fast jets that I’ve meet have said the Kiwi A4’s were a real handful after their Kahu upgrade, especially if they stayed low and said they knew their stuff in low level attack and at low level air to air combat.
I’m sure they were and did but were they good enough to bridge the technology gap that would exist today?
without a further update after 30 years? seriously?
There’s more to the plane than just avionics. Specifically, there’s the stealth capabilities of the 5th gen fighters. The A-4s and the Aermacchi’s didn’t have those at all and so would have been easily detected at long range meaning that they could be effectively engaged and destroyed far beyond the range that they could detect and engage the hostile craft.
A jet’s radar cross section can be decreased with a coat of paint (the Indians have done it), and there’s still the matter of low-level attack and other tactics.
Besides, IR search & track is passive and apparently has an effective range of 50 miles, and that’s a black box. Alongside ECM, which is another black box.
And then we get into the cost per kill issue – why spend hundreds of millions developing an aircraft we can’t afford to lose?
As an aside, there’s an interesting model being floated in the US of having more stealthy drones/snaFu35 as sensor pickets forward of a more conventional airframe converted to a C&C-arsenal aircraft. Because the picket aircraft have limited armaments, a converted B52 or similar could carry a battery of long-range missiles to engage aircraft or surface targets identified by the pickets.
Quite aware of the paint. Even the B2’s have radar absorbing paint. And low level attack no longer applies. This is quite an informative on that.
Yep, they are – but it’s 50km rather than 50 miles and radar does 200km+ and the missiles can do 100km. That means that those non-stealth aircraft are dead before they even see the target. This is my point.
Heh, that’s what effectively killed off the battleships. Please note where I said that I’m not enthused about having an air strike wing.
Yep, saw that in a documentary but the arsenal aircraft is only needed to project power. If we’re only talking defence then we have the picket aircraft or other long range communications/detection systems and land and/or sea based missile carriers.
Low level flight still applies, it just has limitations as your article pointed out.
Basically, even in your pessimistic model the stealthy opposition aircraft will be forced to launch their limited munitions at longe range, leaving plenty of time to figure out an evasion plan (because missiles are not stealthy, they’re hot). And then they’re out of ammo.
Whereas some small aircraft with long range anti-radiation missiles can play over-the-horizon peek-a-boo with any opposition radar emitters, if their black boxes are good enough to see them.
If you want to destroy the opposition before they get to our shores, you’ll need aircraft. Long range missiles are all well and good, but you can’t launch ’em until you need them. Land launchers are limited to land, and sea platforms don’t have the response time to fill in gaps that aircraft do.
If you can generate a miss which itself is becoming less and less likely as missiles and detection systems become better. Which is the problem with the A-4s and the Aermacchi in that they’re very easy to detect and track.
That’s another if. The f35 and other stealth aircraft can use radar from other sources (Such as the C&C aircraft you mentioned) which themselves can be out of radar and missile range.
Not necessarily. Satellites for long range detection and guidance. Over the Horizon Radar for medium range detection and guidance and finally local radar (passive and active) on the missiles themselves. Best option would be to combine them.
Well, obviously you wouldn’t be launching them if you didn’t need them. You seem to be implying that we need aircraft for the initial detection which is wrong.
Aircraft may play a role but it wouldn’t be fighter aircraft but AWACs.
Land launchers are limited to striking anywhere in the world. Sea launchers are a little shorter ranged.
What gaps?
This link show’s what Kahu 2 should’ve looked like if Labour decided to dump the F-16 and kept the ACF going as the then Maccih’s also due a mid life upgrade as well. This for everyone’s info the Maccih’s won’t the first choice for the Airforce btw.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_A-4AR_Fightinghawk#Specifications_.28A-4AR_Fightinghawk.29
Compare with the original Kahu upgrade,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Kahu
There was some talk of using Radar Absorbent Material (RAM) and some short of RAM paint for the Kahu 2 upgrade to further reduce the A4’s radar signature. In the book called Black Box Canberras pg168 talks about the Brits conduct trails using a Canberra and most of that research project is still classified today.
There was a small team within ACF wing HQ that develop a lot if its tactics and this small team casted a rather large net that resulted talking to such Nations as RAF, Luftwaffe, Norway, Israeli, Swiss Airforces and of course the Argies to help re write its Training, Tactics and Procedures (TTP’s or SOP’s in old money) for ACF. This study also had a profound a effect in the way the RNZAF trained its pilots and its technical personal after the Kahu upgrade. The end result was that RNZAF ended up with a world class Pilot training syllabus and Technical training syllabus that the rest of world look on with envy and only be thrown out on a whim by then Labour government which turn took the RNZAF as a whole about 10yrs to recover from.
Low level attack and Low level Air to Air Combat is still quite valid in todays modern world and in fact both skill sets its become a dying art in most Airforces as they becoming more risk adverse in their training management policies as both subjects are very hard master. The ACF knew the only way for them to survive was to make the big boys come to them not the other way round which suited the A4 strengths and when you throw in atmospheric, environmental, terrain considerations, the law of physics etc and the high standard of training of RNZAF pilots made the A4 a very nasty aircraft to go up against.
The Aermacchis may have been mid-life but the A4s were end of life and needed to be replaced. That’s what the f16s were for after all. The problems I had with the f16s is a) that we were being over charged for them and b) because they were second hand we were going to need to replace them in short order.
It wasn’t really a whim you know. We really don’t have use for an air-strike wing.
I really would go for a land based missile shield with satellite and ground based detection and guidance. A high reliance upon the army with multiple fixed and mobile sites. I’d turn the airforce/navy into a coastguard with more of a policing and rescue role.
The so called Second Hand F-16’s some had no more than 10 hrs flying time and lowest had about 3hrs. Yes they were a block 15 model and the governments idea of getting the F-16’s was to save some money by not doing the Kahu 2 upgrade which would’ve push Skyhawk replacement out to possibly 2025-2030 and transfer that money to upgrading the F-16’s instead.
The Governemt of the day said that only 75SQN and 2SQN were going to get the chop and 14SQN would stay as its a vital part of the pilot training syllabus during the advance phase of basic wings cse and it could provide support to the other 2 services. Then there was a sudden about turn and 14SQN went as well, hence “ACF was only be thrown out on a whim by then Labour government”.
The end result was flying and safety standards suddenly drop to a point where RNZAF almost couldn’t do its mandated tasks because the experience personal had left and the Government against Airforce advice to keep 14SQN going or buy a new training aircraft until National government came power and brought the T-6’s at cost of $250millon NZD or there about.
No, it wasn’t a whim:
We may not like it but it seems that prior to the 5th Labour government defence spending was on a whim.
Firstly I’ll thank you for the link and would have a look at it later.
My advice comes from my uncle (was once a Labour supporter) who was on the Project team for Strikemaster replacement, he also was involved with introducing the 339C macchi in service, number of former A4 drivers and technicians, The book called Skyhawks “The history of the RNZAF Skyhawk” by Don Simms and Nick Lee Frampton and the podcasts on Wings over the New Zealand forum sites.
I was serving in the Army in mid to late 90’s in a Recce SQN as part of 3 Land Force Group and we were ineffect asset strip to keep units that made up 2 Land Force Group operational. Hence why I finally punched out and that goose mallard told me to fuck off during the Labour Party Conference in Christchurch in late 97 when I standing as the Labour youth rep for the National Council and what he said to me was some nasty stuff about us work class should know our place etc. Informed my backers and to my grandmother and promptly went on the TF Ex that was begin held on that weekend. The rest is history.
One last thing, do you know the if the Quigley review ordered by the then Labour government is that available for public view? The reason I’m asking this, is it’s findings and the 2001 Review into options for a Air Combat Capability were not available for public because it went against the then government view that 75 and 2SQN’s should be disbanded with 14SQN to be retrained at reduced level. When the last review was presented to cabinet that the Alliance party went ape shit at the report and they demanded that 14SQN to disbanded as well at the last minute. That’s what I was told from Labour MP who was member of cabinet and certain faction threatened to walk out hence why it’s kept under wraps and it seems to be the view of a few other people associated with the last review.
I was meant to reply to DTB, sorry using my ipad atm and got more fat fingers than a fat kid in a candy shop.
They’re busy.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/21/us-closely-tracking-chinese-navy-baltics-war-games-russia/
There’s a couple of NATO Ex’s going on as well in the Baltic region according to Janes Defence ATM and surprise they aren’t collisions as it must be a little bit crowded in the Baltic Sea ATM.
A clear call to vote: Something is brewing in NZ politics.
Edit: link keeps changing!? http://www.voxy.co.nz/politics/something-brewing-nz-politics/268/288464
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/jul/24/revealed-pseudo-public-space-pops-london-investigation-map
truly disturbing (right down to the private policing of unknown rules)….is there a similar process emerging here i wonder?
Probably. I heard a awhile back of something similar happening to Catherine Street in Henderson.
is that a public/private space?
That’s just it. I don’t know any more. It used to public but that I read said that private security guards were moving people out of it for being scruffy/noisy which they shouldn’t be able to do. I can’t recall clearly if it said that the place was now privately owned and I can’t find the article either.
unless they were perhaps employed by the council and they were enforcing some bylaw (maybe for noise, can’t imagine one for scruffy though nothing would surprise completely ) but i can see the similar issues existing here as we follow the same privatisation model as the UK, perhaps even more so.
Yes. Have a look at Joel Cayford’s blog to see a few examples – particularly in downtown Auckland.
Don Brash insists that his Hobson’s Pledge organisation exists to promote racial equality. Why, then, has the group’s facebook page been promoting apartheid and neo-Nazis? http://readingthemaps.blogspot.co.nz/2017/07/brashs-ugly-facebook.html
Oh what a lovely war.
This is out of date clip but all discussions about war seem to be other-worldly. Always a bit different and always rather unsatisfactory an end.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr5ksOyxZRU