After all the Crown Prince is their guy in the Arab world, and he behaves in just the way they do, rendition and or murder around the world. Imitation just means he admires them, so why should he be judged for being just like them?
Well, to be fair, the Russians are probably well chuffed that another country has buggered up a simple murder plot and taken the spotlight off their killing of Dawn Sturgess.
Still, I did get a chuckle out of Galloway dissing Saudi Arabia for paying for positive media coverage. He earns over 100,000 pounds a year spruiking for Putin on RT.
Analysis of the Commons register of interests for the last two years show at least 10 have been paid handsomely for appearing on the channel, which is now coming under acute scrutiny after both the US and UK governments accused Russia of meddling in elections and pushing fake news.
[…]
The biggest earner was the former Respect MP George Galloway, who, between November 2013 and February 2015, was paid more than £100,000 to front his own show on RT. It is unclear how much the former first minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, now hosting a talkshow on the channel, will earn.
The time period you point out he was paid to host his own show, was over a year. So mmmhhh.
The spruiking for putin part is the bit I want him to prove. Because quite frankly it’s all getting a bit silly this anti-Russian stuff. because if you think your corporate overlords are any better than the Russian ones, then you’re deluding yourself – they all thugs and bully boys.
I’m curious, do you define anyone who gets paid by the BBC as ‘spruiking’ for the British government? Or anyone who gets paid for an article in,say, The Washington Post, as ‘spruiking’ for Jeff Bezos, etc etc? Or is it just people who work for media owned by your favorite ‘baddies’.
…”spruiking for Putin on RT.” come on, really? are you fucking kidding? I for the life of me just can’t understand how someone who is obviously is pretty smart like yourself, can come out with such lowbrow statements like that?
Show us one link where he is ‘spruiking for Putin’ please.
Him being more credible and straight-forward than the current leader of the National Party on some of this, is the most interesting thing about it and why Bridges poll rating will not be increasing any time soon …
Slater is the only source on this – so that’s what the discussion gravitates to. The rest of the media have done what the Nats wanted which, is to shut up. Ross safely tucked away for a few weeks so they can figure out their next attack move.
Whether Slater’s testimony is reliable and truthful remains to be seen.
Reliability and truth?
I seem to read qualifiers on anything attributed to him…but he’s a mate of JLR so what would he know.
Bridges is lying like a flatfish….Paula must be in seclusion too as she too has been talking too much and an female Mp from the South island has been lying to her husband.
The best analysis I’ve seen yet on the disappearance of Lee-Ross.
I think that the attacks on Bridges, aided by Lusk and Slater, are about making Collins the leader of the National Party.
New Zealand politics badly needs some people willing to address the issue of growing Chinese Government influence in New Zealand. This isn’t about being racist or picking on China (there is a superpower on the other side of the Pacific that can undermine our sovereignty as well). But right now the allure of Chinese business ties and Chinese political donations is undermining an independent New Zealand. We need leaders willing to address this before it grows into a more serious problem.
The other issue brought to prominence last week is secret election donations. Currently most of the money used to fight and try to win elections in New Zealand comes from secret donors. Some parties get far more money to fight elections from these secret donations than others. This is a crazy state of affairs, inviting a form of low-level corruption. Given current concerns about foreign political influence, secret political donations are also a national security issue. Secret things are always hard to address. But Jami-Lee Ross’ allegation about a secret $100,000 donation to National should help to persuade the government to clean up the election donation laws.
The WTO isn’t the be all and end all of good, fair trade deals with lashings of decency.
Unless of course you believe in so called ‘Free Trade’.
WTO is absolutely a great tool for the rich and powerful and those that believe in the need to force feed the world GE foods grown by corporations.
“Polls show that Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right former army captain has 78% support in Rondônia, leaving his leftist rival Fernando Haddad in the dust.
In the Amazon, Bolsonaro has promised progress instead of protection.
And his radical proposals – to withdraw Brazil from the Paris Climate Deal, neuter federal environment agencies, green-light destructive hydro-electric dams, freeze the demarcation of new indigenous reserves and open up existing ones to mining – chime with voters here, including those breaking environmental laws.”
“If I had it my way, the anthem would not be sung, they’d play Yothu Yindi’s Treaty, give us something, what are you going to give our people?” Mundine told The Daily Telegraph.
“You want to play a white supremacist song, but you’re not going to play something for us. And you condition us to think that it’s our song, our way – that ain’t our way, that’s your way to separate and say you’re superior.
“That song was a theme song for the White Australia policy, which was that no one was allowed into the country except white fellas.
“They brought Asians and Polynesians here to work, but they governed them, but black fellas were considered fauna, not even considered human beings, but animals.”
Mundine said Advance Australia Fair refers to ethnic cleansing of the indigenous people.
“Advance Australia Fair means ‘Advance Australia white’, that’s the fair, but they make it out like it means a fair go,” Mundine said.”
Waiting for my flight in Bismarck, so it's story time. I've spent the past three days in North Dakota reporting on the voter ID law here, which requires residential addresses. Many Native Americans, especially those living on reservations, don't have residential addresses. 1/— Maggie Astor (@MaggieAstor) October 24, 2018
2024 was a tough year for working Kiwis. But together we’ve been able to fight back for a just and fair New Zealand and in 2025 we need to keep standing up for what’s right and having our voices heard. That starts with our Mood of the Workforce Survey. It’s your ...
Time is never time at allYou can never ever leaveWithout leaving a piece of youthAnd our lives are forever changedWe will never be the sameThe more you change, the less you feelSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan.Babinden - Baba’s DayToday, January 8th, 2025, is Babinden, “The Day of the baba” or “The ...
..I/We wish to make the following comments:I oppose the Treaty Principles Bill."5. Act binds the CrownThis Act binds the Crown."How does this Act "bind the Crown" when Te Tiriti o Waitangi, which the Act refers to, has been violated by the Crown on numerous occassions, resulting in massive loss of ...
Everything is good and brownI'm here againWith a sunshine smile upon my faceMy friends are close at handAnd all my inhibitions have disappeared without a traceI'm glad, oh, that I found oohSomebody who I can rely onSongwriter: Jay KayGood morning, all you lovely people. Today, I’ve got nothing except a ...
Welcome to 2025. After wrapping up 2024, here’s a look at some of the things we can expect to see this year along with a few predictions. Council and Elections Elections One of the biggest things this year will be local body elections in October. Will Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Canadians can take a while to get angry – but when they finally do, watch out. Canada has been falling out of love with Justin Trudeau for years, and his exit has to be the least surprising news event of the New Year. On recent polling, Trudeau’s Liberal party has ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Much like 2023, many climate and energy records were broken in 2024. It was Earth’s hottest year on record by a wide margin, breaking the previous record that was set just last year by an even larger margin. Human-caused climate-warming pollution and ...
Submissions on National's racist, white supremacist Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill are due tomorrow! So today, after a good long holiday from all that bullshit, I finally got my shit together to submit on it. As I noted here, people should write their own submissions in their own ...
Ooh, baby (ooh, baby)It's making me crazy (it's making me crazy)Every time I look around (look around)Every time I look around (every time I look around)Every time I look aroundIt's in my faceSongwriters: Alan Leo Jansson / Paul Lawrence L. Fuemana.Today, I’ll be talking about rich, middle-aged men who’ve made ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 29, 2024 thru Sat, January 4, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
Hi,The thing that stood out at me while shopping for Christmas presents in New Zealand was how hard it was to avoid Zuru products. Toy manufacturer Zuru is a bit like Netflix, in that it has so much data on what people want they can flood the market with so ...
And when a child is born into this worldIt has no conceptOf the tone of skin it's living inAnd there's a million voicesAnd there's a million voicesTo tell you what you should be thinkingSong by Neneh Cherry and Youssou N'Dour.The moment you see that face, you can hear her voice; ...
While we may not always have quality political leadership, a couple of recently published autobiographies indicate sometimes we strike it lucky. When ranking our prime ministers, retired professor of history Erik Olssen commented that ‘neither Holland nor Nash was especially effective as prime minister – even his private secretary thought ...
Baby, be the class clownI'll be the beauty queen in tearsIt's a new art form, showin' people how little we care (yeah)We're so happy, even when we're smilin' out of fearLet's go down to the tennis court and talk it up like, yeah (yeah)Songwriters: Joel Little / Ella Yelich O ...
Open access notables Why Misinformation Must Not Be Ignored, Ecker et al., American Psychologist:Recent academic debate has seen the emergence of the claim that misinformation is not a significant societal problem. We argue that the arguments used to support this minimizing position are flawed, particularly if interpreted (e.g., by policymakers or the public) as suggesting ...
What I’ve Been Doing: I buried a close family member.What I’ve Been Watching: Andor, Jack Reacher, Xmas movies.What I’ve Been Reflecting On: The Usefulness of Writing and the Worthiness of Doing So — especially as things become more transparent on their own.I also hate competing on any day, and if ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by John Wihbey. A version of this article first appeared on Yale Climate Connections on Nov. 11, 2008. (Image credits: The White House, Jonathan Cutrer / CC BY 2.0; President Jimmy Carter, Trikosko/Library of Congress; Solar dedication, Bill Fitz-Patrick / Jimmy Carter Library; Solar ...
Morena folks,We’re having a good break, recharging the batteries. Hope you’re enjoying the holiday period. I’m not feeling terribly inspired by much at the moment, I’m afraid—not from a writing point of view, anyway.So, today, we’re travelling back in time. You’ll have to imagine the wavy lines and sci-fi sound ...
Completed reads for 2024: Oration on the Dignity of Man, by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola A Platonic Discourse Upon Love, by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola Of Being and Unity, by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola The Life of Pico della Mirandola, by Giovanni Francesco Pico Three Letters Written by Pico ...
Welcome to 2025, Aotearoa. Well… what can one really say? 2024 was a story of a bad beginning, an infernal middle and an indescribably farcical end. But to chart a course for a real future, it does pay to know where we’ve been… so we know where we need ...
Welcome to the official half-way point of the 2020s. Anyway, as per my New Years tradition, here’s where A Phuulish Fellow’s blog traffic came from in 2024: United States United Kingdom New Zealand Canada Sweden Australia Germany Spain Brazil Finland The top four are the same as 2023, ...
Completed reads for December: Be A Wolf!, by Brian Strickland The Magic Flute [libretto], by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Emanuel Schikaneder The Invisible Eye, by Erckmann-Chatrian The Owl’s Ear, by Erckmann-Chatrian The Waters of Death, by Erckmann-Chatrian The Spider, by Hanns Heinz Ewers Who Knows?, by Guy de Maupassant ...
Well, it’s the last day of the year, so it’s time for a quick wrap-up of the most important things that happened in 2024 for urbanism and transport in our city. A huge thank you to everyone who has visited the blog and supported us in our mission to make ...
Leave your office, run past your funeralLeave your home, car, leave your pulpitJoin us in the streets where weJoin us in the streets where weDon't belong, don't belongHere under the starsThrowing light…Song: Jeffery BuckleyToday, I’ll discuss the standout politicians of the last 12 months. Each party will receive three awards, ...
Hi,A lot’s happened this year in the world of Webworm, and as 2024 comes to an end I thought I’d look back at a few of the things that popped. Maybe you missed them, or you might want to revisit some of these essay and podcast episodes over your break ...
Hi,I wanted to share this piece by film editor Dan Kircher about what cinema has been up to in 2024.Dan edited my documentary Mister Organ, as well as this year’s excellent crowd-pleasing Bookworm.Dan adores movies. He gets the language of cinema, he knows what he loves, and writes accordingly. And ...
Without delving into personal details but in order to give readers a sense of the year that was, I thought I would offer the study in contrasts that are Xmas 2023 and Xmas 2024: Xmas 2023 in Starship Children’s Hospital (after third of four surgeries). Even opening presents was an ...
Heavy disclaimer: Alpha/beta/omega dynamics is a popular trope that’s used in a wide range of stories and my thoughts on it do not apply to all cases. I’m most familiar with it through the lens of male-focused fanfic, typically m/m but sometimes also featuring m/f and that’s the situation I’m ...
Hi,Webworm has been pretty heavy this year — mainly because the world is pretty heavy. But as we sprint (or limp, you choose) through the final days of 2024, I wanted to keep Webworm a little lighter.So today I wanted to look at one of the biggest and weirdest elements ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 22, 2024 thru Sat, December 28, 2024. This week's roundup is the second one published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, ...
We’ll have a climate change ChristmasFrom now until foreverWarming our hearts and mindsAnd planet all togetherSpirits high and oceans higherChestnuts roast on wildfiresIf coal is on your wishlistMerry Climate Change ChristmasSong by Ian McConnellReindeer emissions are not something I’d thought about in terms of climate change. I guess some significant ...
KP continues to putt-putt along as a tiny niche blog that offers a NZ perspective on international affairs with a few observations about NZ domestic politics thrown in. In 2024 there was also some personal posts given that my son was in the last four months of a nine month ...
I can see very wellThere's a boat on the reef with a broken backAnd I can see it very wellThere's a joke and I know it very wellIt's one of those that I told you long agoTake my word I'm a madman, don't you knowSongwriters: Bernie Taupin / Elton JohnIt ...
.Acknowledgement: Tim PrebbleThanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work..With each passing day of bad headlines, squandering tax revenue to enrich the rich, deep cuts to our social services and a government struggling to keep the lipstick on its neo-liberal pig ...
This is from the 36th Parallel social media account (as brief food for thought). We know that Trump is ahistorical at best but he seems to think that he is Teddy Roosevelt and can use the threat of invoking the Monroe Doctrine and “Big Stick” gunboat diplomacy against Panama and ...
Don't you cry tonightI still love you, babyAnd don't you cry tonightDon't you cry tonightThere's a heaven above you, babyAnd don't you cry tonightSong: Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin“Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so”, said possibly the greatest philosopher ever to walk this earth, Douglas Adams.We have entered the ...
Because you're magicYou're magic people to meSong: Dave Para/Molly Para.Morena all, I hope you had a good day yesterday, however you spent it. Today, a few words about our celebration and a look at the various messages from our politicians.A Rockel XmasChristmas morning was spent with the five of us ...
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). 2024 has been a series of bad news for climate change. From scorching global temperatures leading to devastating ...
Ríu Ríu ChíuRíu Ríu Chíu is a Spanish Christmas song from the 16th Century. The traditional carol would likely have passed unnoticed by the English-speaking world had the made-for-television American band The Monkees not performed the song as part of their special Christmas show back in 1967. The show's ...
Dunedin’s summer thus far has been warm and humid… and it looks like we’re in for a grey Christmas. But it is now officially Christmas Day in this time zone, so never mind. This year, I’ve stumbled across an Old English version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen: It has a population of just under 3.5 million inhabitants, produces nearly 550,000 tons of beef per year, and boasts a glorious soccer reputation with two World ...
Morena all,In my paywalled newsletter yesterday, I signed off for Christmas and wished readers well, but I thought I’d send everyone a quick note this morning.This hasn’t been a good year for our small country. The divisions caused by the Treaty Principles Bill, the cuts to our public sector, increased ...
This morning’s six standouts for me at 6.30 am include:Kāinga Ora is quietly planning to sell over $1 billion worth of state-owned land under 300 state homes in Auckland’s wealthiest suburbs, including around Bastion Point, to give the Government more fiscal room to pay for tax cuts and reduce borrowing.A ...
Hi,It’s my birthday on Christmas Day, and I have a favour to ask.A birthday wish.I would love you to share one Webworm story you’ve liked this year.The simple fact is: apart from paying for a Webworm membership (thank you!), sharing and telling others about this place is the most important ...
The last few days have been a bit too much of a whirl for me to manage a fresh edition each day. It's been that kind of year. Hope you don't mind.I’ve been coming around to thinking that it doesn't really matter if you don't have something to say every ...
The worms will live in every hostIt's hard to pick which one they eat the mostThe horrible people, the horrible peopleIt's as anatomic as the size of your steepleCapitalism has made it this wayOld-fashioned fascism will take it awaySongwriter: Twiggy Ramirez Read more ...
Hi,It’s almost Christmas Day which means it is almost my birthday, where you will find me whimpering in the corner clutching a warm bottle of Baileys.If you’re out of ideas for presents (and truly desperate) then it is possible to gift a full Webworm subscription to a friend (or enemy) ...
This morning’s six standouts for me at 6.30am include:Rachel Helyer Donaldson’s scoop via RNZ last night of cuts to maternity jobs in the health system;Maddy Croad’s scoop via The Press-$ this morning on funding cuts for Christchurch’s biggest food rescue charity;Benedict Collins’ scoop last night via 1News on a last-minute ...
A listing of 25 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 15, 2024 thru Sat, December 21, 2024. Based on feedback we received, this week's roundup is the first one published soleley by category. We are still interested in ...
Well, I've been there, sitting in that same chairWhispering that same prayer half a million timesIt's a lie, though buried in disciplesOne page of the Bible isn't worth a lifeThere's nothing wrong with youIt's true, it's trueThere's something wrong with the villageWith the villageSomething wrong with the villageSongwriters: Andrew Jackson ...
ACT would like to dictate what universities can and can’t say. We knew it was coming. It was outlined in the coalition agreement and has become part of Seymour’s strategy of “emphasising public funding” to prevent people from opposing him and his views—something he also uses to try and de-platform ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Are we heading ...
So the Solstice has arrived – Summer in this part of the world, Winter for the Northern Hemisphere. And with it, the publication my new Norse dark-fantasy piece, As Our Power Lessens at Eternal Haunted Summer: https://eternalhauntedsummer.com/issues/winter-solstice-2024/as-our-power-lessens/ As previously noted, this one is very ‘wyrd’, and Northern Theory of Courage. ...
The Natural Choice: As a starter for ten percent of the Party Vote, “saving the planet” is a very respectable objective. Young voters, in particular, raised on the dire (if unheeded) warnings of climate scientists, and the irrefutable evidence of devastating weather events linked to global warming, vote Green. After ...
The Government cancelled 60% of Kāinga Ora’s new builds next year, even though the land for them was already bought, the consents were consented and there are builders unemployed all over the place. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political ...
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on UnsplashEvery morning I get up at 3am to go around the traps of news sites in Aotearoa and globally. I pick out the top ones from my point of view and have been putting them into my Dawn Chorus email, which goes out with a podcast. ...
Over on Kikorangi Newsroom's Marc Daalder has published his annual OIA stats. So I thought I'd do mine: 82 OIA requests sent in 2024 7 posts based on those requests 20 average working days to receive a response Ministry of Justice was my most-requested entity, ...
Welcome to the December 2024 Economic Bulletin. We have two monthly features in this edition. In the first, we discuss what the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update from Treasury and the Budget Policy Statement from the Minister of Finance tell us about the fiscal position and what to ...
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi have submitted against the controversial Treaty Principles Bill, slamming the Bill as a breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and an attack on tino rangatiratanga and the collective rights of Tangata Whenua. “This Bill seeks to legislate for Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles that are ...
I don't knowHow to say what's got to be saidI don't know if it's black or whiteThere's others see it redI don't get the answers rightI'll leave that to youIs this love out of fashionOr is it the time of yearAre these words distraction?To the words you want to hearSongwriters: ...
Our economy has experienced its worst recession since 1991. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, December 20 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above and the daily Pick ‘n’ Mix below ...
Twas the Friday before Christmas and all through the week we’ve been collecting stories for our final roundup of the year. As we start to wind down for the year we hope you all have a safe and happy Christmas and new year. If you’re travelling please be safe on ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the year’s news with: on climate. Her book of the year was Tim Winton’s cli-fi novel Juice and she also mentioned Mike Joy’s memoir The Fight for Fresh Water. ...
The Government can head off to the holidays, entitled to assure itself that it has done more or less what it said it would do. The campaign last year promised to “get New Zealand back on track.” When you look at the basic promises—to trim back Government expenditure, toughen up ...
Open access notables An intensification of surface Earth’s energy imbalance since the late 20th century, Li et al., Communications Earth & Environment:Tracking the energy balance of the Earth system is a key method for studying the contribution of human activities to climate change. However, accurately estimating the surface energy balance ...
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 time it takes to process building determinations has improved significantly over the last year which means fewer delays in homes being built, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “New Zealand has a persistent shortage of houses. Making it easier and quicker for new homes to be built will ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden is pleased to announce the annual list of New Zealand’s most popular baby names for 2024. “For the second consecutive year, Noah has claimed the top spot for boys with 250 babies sharing the name, while Isla has returned to the most popular ...
Work is set to get underway on a new bus station at Westgate this week. A contract has been awarded to HEB Construction to start a package of enabling works to get the site ready in advance of main construction beginning in mid-2025, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“A new Westgate ...
Minister for Children and for Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour is encouraging people to use the resources available to them to get help, and to report instances of family and sexual violence amongst their friends, families, and loved ones who are in need. “The death of a ...
Uia te pō, rangahaua te pō, whakamāramatia mai he aha tō tango, he aha tō kāwhaki? Whitirere ki te ao, tirotiro kau au, kei hea taku rātā whakamarumaru i te au o te pakanga mo te mana motuhake? Au te pō, ngū te pō, ue hā! E te kahurangi māreikura, ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says people with diabetes and other painful conditions will benefit from a significant new qualification to boost training in foot care. “It sounds simple, but quality and regular foot and nail care is vital in preventing potentially serious complications from diabetes, like blisters or sores, which can take a long time to heal ...
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour is pleased to see Pharmac continue to increase availability of medicines for Kiwis with the government’s largest ever investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the government,” says Mr Seymour. “When this government assumed ...
Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora e mua - Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead. Māori recipients in the New Year 2025 Honours list show comprehensive dedication to improving communities across the motu that ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden is wishing all New Zealanders a great holiday season as Kiwis prepare for gatherings with friends and families to see in the New Year. It is a great time of year to remind everyone to stay fire safe over the summer. “I know ...
From 1 January 2025, first-time tertiary learners will have access to a new Fees Free entitlement of up to $12,000 for their final year of provider-based study or final two years of work-based learning, Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Targeting funding to the final year of study ...
“As we head into one of the busiest times of the year for Police, and family violence and sexual violence response services, it’s a good time to remind everyone what to do if they experience violence or are worried about others,” Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence ...
Kiwis planning a swim or heading out on a boat this summer should remember to stop and think about water safety, Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop and ACC and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “New Zealand’s beaches, lakes and rivers are some of the most beautiful in the ...
The Government is urging Kiwis to drive safely this summer and reminding motorists that Police will be out in force to enforce the road rules, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“This time of year can be stressful and result in poor decision-making on our roads. Whether you are travelling to see ...
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 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rossana Ruggeri, Lecturer and ARC DECRA Fellow, The University of Queensland An illustration of the death of a massive star.NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center/Dana Berry By looking at light from distant exploding stars called supernovas, in 1998 astronomers discovered the universe isn’t ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Clark, Professor in Public History, University of Technology Sydney Shutterstock/Nils Versemann From the Torres Strait to Tasmania, and from the east coast to the west, beach shacks are an iconic part of Australian coastal history. Beach shacks have a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Davis, Industry Professor of Emerging Technology and Co-Director, Human Technology Institute, University of Technology Sydney Oselote/Shutterstock In November 2023, the estates of two now-deceased policyholders sued the US health insurer, United Healthcare, for deploying what they allege is a flawed ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caroline Spry, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University Earth ring on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country, near Sunbury, Victoria.David Mullins On the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia, there is a series of large rings which rise mysteriously out ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kylie Message, Professor of Public Humanities and Director of the ANU Humanities Research Centre, Australian National University National Museum of Australia Pompeii: Inside a Lost City at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra depicts life in the flourishing Roman city ...
Complaints have poured in from people who say they couldn't get their submission in because of problems with the website, and parties are weighing in. ...
The chorus of praise for Turia underscores the fact that TPM does not represent any real alternative to the political establishment. It is a right-wing party that for the past two decades has represented the interests of indigenous capitalists, who ...
“This is a massive project,” says Stephen Horn, of a plan to eradicate introduced pests from Auckland Island/Maukahuka. The manager of the Department of Conservation’s national eradication team says that’s something a feasibility project, published in 2021, unearthed – “that the scale is enormous, and it’s complex”.The scale and complexity ...
Opinion: Let’s face it. Sitting on a beach or by the lake with a dry text on economic theory is hardly what you would describe as compelling summer reading, perhaps except if you happen to be the Reserve Bank governor!For the rest of us, economics is probably off our holiday ...
Analysis: According to three vital global metrics for ocean temperatures, 2024 was the warmest year on record. The coincidence of all three global metrics being highest on record is unusual. The last time was 2016. The three metrics are the global mean surface temperature (GMST), the global sea surface temperatures (SST), ...
Summer reissue: Simon Palenski journeys home to fossick through Ōtautahi’s secondhand bookshops offerings. 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.After finishing undergraduate studies and ...
Summer reissue: Checkered Flag director Natalie Wilson on her lifelong love of motorsport, and the allure of Pukekohe Park Raceway. 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: Alex Casey returns to a New Zealand classic on its 30th birthday. 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 October 14, ...
Summer reissue: As her family home goes on the market, Lucy Black reflects on a childhood full of books, libraries and reading.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 ...
Summer reissue: The CEOs of two major New Zealand banks say Facebook is rife with fraud – and that Meta is too busy making money from scam ads to try and stop them. Duncan Greive reports. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Allen Cheng, Professor of Infectious Diseases, Monash University Five years on from the first news of COVID, recent reports of an obscure respiratory virus in China may understandably raise concerns. Chinese authorities first issued warnings about human metapneumovirus (hMPV) in 2023, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrea Jean Baker, Senior Lecturer in Journalism, Monash University Nominations galore, but no wins for Aussiewood at the 82nd Golden Globes on Sunday. Formerly, the Golden Globes were voted on by the nonprofit Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which consisted of about ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dirk Matten, Professor of Sustainability, Hewlett-Packard Chair in Corporate Social Responsibility, Schulich School of Business, York University, Canada The second season of Squid Game, Netflix’s most-watched show of all time, has been eagerly awaited by many. The first season featured players participating ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University The Oxford English Dictionary defines a gaffe as a “blunder, an instance of clumsy stupidity, a ‘faux pas’.” It evokes a sense of triviality rather than high ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew King, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, ARC Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather, The University of Melbourne It’s the height of summer and many Australians have already experienced heatwaves, heavy rains and even significant bushfires over the Christmas and New ...
Israelis were frustrated that captives remained in Gaza and surprised that, in recent weeks, Israeli military activity there had intensified, Liel said. ‘Surprised’ over military intensity“Generally speaking, Israelis are quite surprised that the intensity of the military activity is growing. I think the general feeling here was a month or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University The Oxford English Dictionary defines a gaffe as a “blunder, an instance of clumsy stupidity, a ‘faux pas’.” It evokes a sense of triviality rather than high ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent, French Pacific desk New Caledonia’s territorial government has been toppled on Christmas Eve, due to a mass resignation within its ranks. Environment and Sustainable Development Minister Jérémie Katidjo-Monnier said he was resigning from the cabinet, with immediate effect. Katidjo-Monnier was the sole representative from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clive Phillips, Former Foundation Professor of Animal Welfare, University of Queensland, Curtin University sw_photo/Shutterstock You might think dairy farmers would be enjoying boom times. The dairy industry has been expanding worldwide in response to increasing demand, mainly in the emerging markets ...
RNZ Pacific Honolulu police have announced the death of a fourth person due to the New Year’s Eve fireworks explosion in Aliamanu, Hawai’i — a 3-year-old boy who has died in hospital. Six people with severe burn injuries from the explosion were flown to Arizona on the US mainland for ...
Commenting on this, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: “ACC is funded by levies. Taxpayers shouldn’t be picking up the bill for hardened criminals who get themselves hurt whilst out committing crimes." ...
Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: “Taxpayers don’t pay bureaucrats to sit watching adult videos, so why does it keep happening?” ...
Most prolific American serial killer. He killed hundreds, perhaps thousands of mainly females, many of colour.
http://financialsurvivalnetwork.com/2018/10/phelim-mcaleer-the-gosnell-movie/
https://youtu.be/ttwkr8MM9Rk
The biggest scumbag in US politics is getting exposed.
Zionists cannot handle the truth about the murder in Turkey being exposed.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12148587
After all the Crown Prince is their guy in the Arab world, and he behaves in just the way they do, rendition and or murder around the world. Imitation just means he admires them, so why should he be judged for being just like them?
The best analysis I’ve seen yet on the Khashoggi murder and its implications for MBS and Trump.
You heard it here first.
Well, to be fair, the Russians are probably well chuffed that another country has buggered up a simple murder plot and taken the spotlight off their killing of Dawn Sturgess.
Still, I did get a chuckle out of Galloway dissing Saudi Arabia for paying for positive media coverage. He earns over 100,000 pounds a year spruiking for Putin on RT.
“He earns over 100,000 pounds a year spruiking for Putin on RT.”
Can you prove that? Because it sounds like B.S. to me.
His own financial declaration.
Analysis of the Commons register of interests for the last two years show at least 10 have been paid handsomely for appearing on the channel, which is now coming under acute scrutiny after both the US and UK governments accused Russia of meddling in elections and pushing fake news.
[…]
The biggest earner was the former Respect MP George Galloway, who, between November 2013 and February 2015, was paid more than £100,000 to front his own show on RT. It is unclear how much the former first minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, now hosting a talkshow on the channel, will earn.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/18/mps-kremlin-propaganda-channel-rt
The time period you point out he was paid to host his own show, was over a year. So mmmhhh.
The spruiking for putin part is the bit I want him to prove. Because quite frankly it’s all getting a bit silly this anti-Russian stuff. because if you think your corporate overlords are any better than the Russian ones, then you’re deluding yourself – they all thugs and bully boys.
I’m curious, do you define anyone who gets paid by the BBC as ‘spruiking’ for the British government? Or anyone who gets paid for an article in,say, The Washington Post, as ‘spruiking’ for Jeff Bezos, etc etc? Or is it just people who work for media owned by your favorite ‘baddies’.
…”spruiking for Putin on RT.” come on, really? are you fucking kidding? I for the life of me just can’t understand how someone who is obviously is pretty smart like yourself, can come out with such lowbrow statements like that?
Show us one link where he is ‘spruiking for Putin’ please.
Thank you Ed, and only on RT!
I think for me the funniest thing that has come out of this JLR fiasco is Slater has suddenly become a source of reliability and truth on here.
You couldn’t make it up
it is a bit… odd.
[citation needed]
WO is less toxic to read but all the same let’s not link.
As one of the guilty party – albeit partial – it didn’t escape me either. 😕
Lol
Don’t beat yourself up about it. It happens.
Doesn’t help when there are accusations coming from about 6 different directions
Him being more credible and straight-forward than the current leader of the National Party on some of this, is the most interesting thing about it and why Bridges poll rating will not be increasing any time soon …
Kind of irrelevant. It’s the party numbers. Clarks personal numbers at one point were worse than even Bridges and Littles before she became PM
I would imagine National’s 2 point drop will just bounce back in a year. It is even within the margin of error.
Personally think Winston’s party numbers are more interesting
They were at 5% in the 1994-5 period. But Anderton and Peters were the established opposition leaders at the time, why are Bridges so low?
There is no way National can get over the line with a leader polling at this level.
A major reason NZF chose National in 1996 was that Clark then on 17% was without sufficient popular support to be PM (she was 30% in 1999).
Bridges is at best, a two term project, if he has the legs and retains caucus confidence that long.
Slater is the only source on this – so that’s what the discussion gravitates to. The rest of the media have done what the Nats wanted which, is to shut up. Ross safely tucked away for a few weeks so they can figure out their next attack move.
Whether Slater’s testimony is reliable and truthful remains to be seen.
It is embarrassing. Trusting what he says is sad. He has an agenda and his supporters here dont even realise.
Reliability and truth?
I seem to read qualifiers on anything attributed to him…but he’s a mate of JLR so what would he know.
Bridges is lying like a flatfish….Paula must be in seclusion too as she too has been talking too much and an female Mp from the South island has been lying to her husband.
The best analysis I’ve seen yet on the disappearance of Lee-Ross.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/unsponsored/25-10-2018/dirty-politics-2018-nicky-hager-assesses-the-jami-lee-ross-saga/
Yet the most immediate threat to us is Trump undermining decency in international relations and his attempt to undermine the WTO.
The WTO isn’t the be all and end all of good, fair trade deals with lashings of decency.
Unless of course you believe in so called ‘Free Trade’.
WTO is absolutely a great tool for the rich and powerful and those that believe in the need to force feed the world GE foods grown by corporations.
https://www.economicshelp.org/blog/4/trade/criticisms-of-wto/
Why then are there no GE foods grown by corporations here in New Zealand then …
Nek minute Ed that Gosman clone Selwyn will turn on you.!
Even says the same shit… I don’t support the national party like he did
Horrible.
“Polls show that Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right former army captain has 78% support in Rondônia, leaving his leftist rival Fernando Haddad in the dust.
In the Amazon, Bolsonaro has promised progress instead of protection.
And his radical proposals – to withdraw Brazil from the Paris Climate Deal, neuter federal environment agencies, green-light destructive hydro-electric dams, freeze the demarcation of new indigenous reserves and open up existing ones to mining – chime with voters here, including those breaking environmental laws.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/24/bolsonaro-backers-wage-war-on-the-rainforest
Onya
“If I had it my way, the anthem would not be sung, they’d play Yothu Yindi’s Treaty, give us something, what are you going to give our people?” Mundine told The Daily Telegraph.
“You want to play a white supremacist song, but you’re not going to play something for us. And you condition us to think that it’s our song, our way – that ain’t our way, that’s your way to separate and say you’re superior.
“That song was a theme song for the White Australia policy, which was that no one was allowed into the country except white fellas.
“They brought Asians and Polynesians here to work, but they governed them, but black fellas were considered fauna, not even considered human beings, but animals.”
Mundine said Advance Australia Fair refers to ethnic cleansing of the indigenous people.
“Advance Australia Fair means ‘Advance Australia white’, that’s the fair, but they make it out like it means a fair go,” Mundine said.”
https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/boxing-mma/anthony-mundine-i-wont-stand-for-white-supremacist-song/news-story/56d2bf4d08532203d95f23532d75f924
Thread on why the amoral, shameless, win at all costs right went out of their way to make what seemed to be a minor alteration to voter eligibility.
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1055138652618141697.html
Typhoon Yuta is a beast.
https://www.windy.com/?12.082,148.623,5