Daily review 26/07/2022
Written By:
- Date published:
5:30 pm, July 26th, 2022 - 16 comments
Categories: Daily review -
Tags:
Daily review is also your post.
This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day.
The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).
Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Recent Comments
- Conspiracies Against The Truth.
18 hours ago - We need a windfall tax
New Zealand companies are using their oligopolistic market power to gouge mega profits, driving up inflation. Overseas, such actions have resulted in windfall taxes, which have been used both to drive down inflation, and ameliorate its impacts (while driving down emissions). With New Zealand petrol companies pocketing record margins and ...21 hours ago - The Greens’ Minority Rules.Poll Axed: What happened to James Shaw on Saturday, 23 July 2022 exposed the Greens’ minoritarian political culture for all to see. Once voters grasp the enormity of 30 percent of Green delegates to the Green AGM being constitutionally empowered to overrule the wishes of the 70 percent of delegates ...1 day ago
- Covering Tolkien’s Greatest Hits: Musings on the Other Rings of Power Trailer
Now, that was strange. That was very strange. Having dropped an initial July teaser for The Rings of Power, Amazon put out a full two-minute trailer in the middle of the month. That one, I liked. Now, however, we have an additional three-minute trailer, released a couple of days ...1 day ago - Legal Beagle: Draft submission on the Māori Electoral Option bill
I have prepared the following (draft) submission on the Electoral (Māori Electoral Option) Legislation Bill, which you all have until Saturday to submit on. Happy to consider comments, or to fix typos: have I used the word whakapapa incorrectly, etc? Please let me know :-)======The Justice CommitteeElectoral (Māori Electoral Option) ...2 days ago - The Greens, the media, and democracyThe big news over the weekend was that Green party delegates at their AGM voted to re-open nominations for James Shaw's co-leadership position, effectively toppling him as co-leader. I'm not a member of the Greens, so its not really my place to have an opinion on who should lead them ...2 days ago
- Bryce Edwards: Why James Shaw needs to go
James Shaw has lost his co-leadership position in the Green Party, and there’s a good chance he won’t be able to get it back. And he shouldn’t – it won’t be good for either him or his party. When delegates at the Green Party AGM voted on his position as ...2 days ago - Gordon Campbell on the Greens, and on free market myopia
Climate change has gone from being one of those allegedly wacky Green ideas to wide mainstream acceptance. In their own ways, leaders like Jeanette Fitzsimons, Russel Norman and James Shaw each added to the increased credibility the Greens’ now have among the voting public. The decision not to re-endorse Shaw ...2 days ago - 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29
Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, July 17, 2022 through Sat, July 23, 2022. The following articles sparked above average interest during the week (bolded articles are from SkS authors): Cranky Uncle Cartoon 14/20 - Hitting the Ground, Cranky Uncle ...3 days ago - The Choice
So, now we know for sure. The “protesters” who defiled the grounds of parliament and who (according to their own account) intended to create in three of our major cities “maximum disruption and inconvenience” to other citizens, are not interested in democracy – indeed, quite the contrary. Their objective, quite ...3 days ago - The last of the Ford car plant series
Don Franks was interviewed by Dr Toby Boraman in December 2013 about his time working in the militant Ford car plant in the 1970s. This is the fifth and final installment of that interview. The first installment is here, the second installment here, the third here and fourth installment here. (The interview has ...3 days ago - Winston Peters – Arsehole of the Week
4 days ago - Bryce Edwards: Green Party divisions over their futureImagine being a Green Party activist at the moment. You joined the party because climate change is an existential threat and truly radical change needs to be undertaken immediately. You’re deeply upset by inequality. You think that conventional politicians are part of the problem. However, you begin to realise that ...4 days ago
- In Defence of Modern Students: A Reply to Chris Trotter
Chris Trotter has put out a piece, lamenting the myopic focus of modern student activism on, well, students, and the tendency of university-educated policy-makers to take care of their own: https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2022/07/poverty-is-indivisible-ms-swarbrick.html I think he raises some fair points, at least in the sense that assisting New Zealand’s university ...5 days ago - Trade Deals Are a-Changin'
Are We Keeping Up With the Changing Global Trade Patterns?Much of the response to the recent New Zealand-European Union Free Trade Agreement was disheartening, especially the complaints about the limited gains for our meat and dairy products. Yes, the gains were small, but significant in the circumstances.About a decade ago ...5 days ago - Taking the Temperature: a dispatch from the UKWell, it has happened. Forty degrees Celsius. It was bound to happen eventually, given the lack of determined action to halt our rising temperatures worldwide. Those who insisted such a temperature was impossible here in the UK have been left with egg on their faces. It was not a case ...5 days ago
- Corroboration: The key January 6 moment where Trump is exposed
Today’s January 6 committee hearings from Washington DC captured a series of remarkable, damning moments that make it clear Donald Trump is not fit for any role in public office, let alone the highest in the land. A series of moments, but one above all that leaves us in no ...5 days ago - Bryce Edwards: If the NZ First Foundation accused are not guilty, then who is?It’s shocking that the accused in the NZ First Foundation trial were declared “not guilty” in the High Court today. But it’s not actually surprising. There was always a strong chance that the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) was not going to get a conviction over the machinations used to keep ...5 days ago
- So its worse thenWhen news about the New Zealand First Foundation broke, electoral law expert Andrew Geddis put it succinctly: [T]he alternative conclusion is, if anything, even more worrying. If it turns out that the foundation and the party somehow are operating lawfully, as we should note Winston Peters maintains, then that ...5 days ago
- Poverty Is Indivisible, Ms Swarbrick.5 days ago
- Hard News: 60Tomorrow, I will be 60 years old. It’s the impossibly distant age at which people used to retire with a pension and a mortgage-free house. It's okay. I've been thinking of myself as basically there for a while now – and the same thing appears to be happening to some ...5 days ago
- Understanding wokeness as a make-work strategy for the privileged class
Quillette podcast host Jonathan Kay speaks with Swedish Marxist Malcom Kyeyune, who argues that nominally progressive theories of race and gender are actually aimed at securing influence, employment, and prestige for underemployed university graduates. https://quillette.com/2022/07/19/understanding-wokeness-as-a-make-work-strategy-for-privileged-white-collar-workers/ ...6 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2022How does the IPCC know? With the passage of time our scientific understanding improves. Thanks to the fundamental purpose and scale of the effort, our arc of progress is especially swift and brightly visible in the shape of our (unfortunately) growing collection of IPCC Assessment Reports. With better vision comes more clarity, ...6 days ago
- Climate Change: A quarter-billion dollar delayBack in 2020, the government realised that the industrial allocations in the ETS - supposed to protect large polluters from unfair competition from countries who didn't pay for their carbon - was overallocated. They were giving away too many free credits, resulting in windfall gains to polluters. Having noticed this, ...6 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on the Covid surge, and re-infectionHate to sound “fearful” and “inward”in my thinking, but it seems Covid can’t be beaten simply by a dose of positive thinking and a “can do” Kiwi attitude. The virus doesn’t seem to respect our mindset. The Omicron BA. 4 and BA.5 variants also don’t seem to respect the mRNA ...6 days ago
- Mainstream media defends poor journalism by smearing good journalism
One of the results of the current partisanship and ideological motivation of the mainstream media is that the old journalistic skills of objective research and basing articles on evidence have largely disappeared. In many cases, journalists have just become stenographers faithfully parroting and quoting think tanks and anonymous political ...6 days ago - Bryce Edwards: Public submissions on political donation reform releasedIs it ironic that the Government is reforming rules around secret political donations in a very secretive way? There has been overwhelming public demand for more openness about how politicians raise their money, but the Government and officials have been less than transparent and very restrictive over the whole submission ...6 days ago
- Ministry of Justice OIA release of information on political donationsThe Ministry of Justice has released a copy of the public submissions on the Government’s proposed political donation law reforms – see here: OIA 96540 – Edwards 1 July 2022. This information was requested in early April under the Official Information Act, and was finally provided this month. Note the ...6 days ago
- A conspiracy against the publicEarlier this year the government held a public consultation on proposed changes to the election donations regime. Naturally, political parties - who have a strong interest in the rules around donations and what they have to disclose - submitted to it. But the Ministry of Justice cooked up a crooked ...7 days ago
- Playing the World’s Smallest Violin: A Rant About New Zealand’s Supposed Labour Shortage
Inflation is Back, in New Zealand as much as in anywhere else. Fuel costs and supply-chain issues and all that – and, yes, the loose monetary policy in 2020 has had an impact too, though it was the right thing to do at the time. 7% inflation in ...1 week ago - People, protests and politics at the Ford car plant in the 1970sDon Franks was interviewed by Dr Toby Boraman in December 2013 about his time working in the militant Ford car plant in the 1970s. In this installment Don talks about speedup, antiapartheid protests, the Maori land march and different views on Norm Kirk (The interview has been lightly edited. For ...1 week ago
- Bryce Edwards: How much of our cost-of-living crisis is due to incompetence?It’s ordinary people who are suffering the most from the current cost of living crisis. In other words, working people and the poor are paying the price of higher prices. Rising living costs have greater consequences for those in the bottom half of the wealth hierarchy, who are pushed into ...1 week ago
- Climate Change: A case to watchBack in 2019 our parliament passed the Zero Carbon Act. The Act was modelled on the UK's Climate Change Act, and has a similar scheme of five-yearly budgets, with detailed government plans to meet them. But after initial success, its no longer working out so well in the UK - ...1 week ago
- The Danish Solution: How Repudiating Co-Governance Could Be the Saving Of Labour.Copenhagen Was Worth A Mass* The Danish Social-Democratic Party leader, Mette Frederiksen, greeted by supporters during her successful 2019 general election campaign.THINK OF DENMARK – go on, think of Denmark. What springs to mind? Lego? The Little Mermaid? Squishy little segments of surprisingly tasty cheese? Bacon? Slaughtered Minks? How many of ...1 week ago
- Ukraine war – a shocking failure of our mainstream mediaThe well-known, and well-respected, international journalist John Pilger describes the war between Ukraine and Russia as “above all, a war of propaganda.” He says that nothing in the western press about this war can be trusted implicitly. That the reader or viewer must ...1 week ago
- 104°F? A Continental heat wave heads for EnglandThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob Henson with contributions from Jeff Masters Relentless heat that’s been plaguing much of Europe this summer is now making a run for the United Kingdom, which appears likely to experience the hottest temperatures in its long history of record keeping on or ...1 week ago
- Corrupt cops should be named, shamed, and firedOn Thursday the Independent Police Conduct Authority found that a senior Northland police officer had improperly involved himself in a prosecution to protect a mate's son from an assault charge. As usual for the IPCA, they refused to name the officer, despite a finding that fundamentally called into question their ...1 week ago
- An Unvarnished, Straight-Talking Working-Class Man?Unrepentant Scrapper: Any normal candidate would have run a mile from Guy Williams – rightly fearing the humiliation the comedian would be straining every muscle to inflict upon his hapless victim. But, Leo Molloy is not a normal candidate. The former jockey, qualified veterinarian, highly successful businessman, restauranteur and philanthropist ...1 week ago
- Gordon Campbell on the US attempt to regain lost groundThe brief fist bump between Joe Biden and Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader Mohammad bin Salman was the most memorable image from the US President’s journey last week to the Middle East. To many, it was a humiliating sign of American impotence. Fist bump the hand of the Crown Prince ...1 week ago
- Geoffrey Miller: Joe Biden’s controversial trip to Saudi Arabia could help New Zealand reset its o...Joe Biden’s controversial fist-bump with Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), the Saudi crown prince, may help New Zealand to forge its own new direction in the Middle East. The US president’s trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia showed that despite real concerns over human rights, the Middle East’s strategic importance in ...1 week ago
- 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #28Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, July 10, 2022 through Sat, July 16, 2022. The following articles sparked above average interest during the week (bolded articles are from SkS authors): Cranky Uncle Cartoon 5/20 - Dark Night, Cranky Uncle Cartoon 7/20 ...1 week ago
- Enough Is EnoughEnough is enough! Ian Foster must go – and if he doesn’t do so of his own accord (as he should do), he must be pushed. That became apparent in the first minute of the match, when it became clear that neither the coach nor the team had learned any ...1 week ago
- Human rights campaign for solidarity with supporters of banned Tamil groupA human rights groups in Germany is calling for international solidarity for two Tamils who have been on trial for collecting funds for the Tamil Tigers (the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) a decade ago. The defendants Nathan Thambi and Anandarajah position is that the LTTE were not terrorists, rather a legitimate ...2 weeks ago
- The relevance of Piketty’s 'A Brief History of Equality' to New Zealand.
The ongoing decline in market income inequality stopped in the 1980s. Since then it has been stable, while 1990 public policy actively increased disposable income inequality.Thomas Piketty has a reputation for (literally and figuratively) weighty tomes. His 2013 best seller – 2.5 million copies – Le Capital au XXIe Siècle ...2 weeks ago - “Well, I’m back”: The July Rings of Power Trailer
It’s July in Dunedin – grey winter skies, plague-carrying pedestrians, and omnipresent, soul-destroying damp. Which means it’s time for my review of the freshly released two-and-a-half minute trailer for The Rings of Power. (Technically released at 12:30 a.m. on 15th July here, but I decided to sleep on it ...2 weeks ago - Bryce Edwards: Labour wants to be tough on crime – and tough on the causes of crimeThe Labour Government has managed to get one major issue right this week, at least in an electoral sense. The Government has been under pressure to deal with escalating public concerns about crime and gang activity. On Wednesday the newly appointed law and order duo of Chris Hipkins and Kiri ...2 weeks ago
- Rumours of [Civil] War.2 weeks ago
- Performative Caring.Political Sledging: On Sky News Australia, conservative columnist and commentator, Rita Panahi, coined the not-so-kind "Performative Caring" alternative to Jacinda Ardern's trade-mark promotion of "Kindness". There will be plenty on this side of the Tasman happy to pick up the Australian Right's all-too-accurate political sledge.SKY NEWS AUSTRALIA has reformulated Jacinda ...2 weeks ago
- Straight-up police corruptionAnother report from the Independent Police Conduct Authority today, on a senior police officer who improperly involved himself in a prosecution to protect a mate's son from an assault charge. The IPCA finds that this was improper and a conflict of interest (well, duh), but they fail to call it ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell on Labour’s bunker mentalityIt seems very odd that RNZ thought it was worth breaking into its normal programming yesterday in order to provide Christopher Luxon with a platform from which to try and explain away his latest outbreaks of foot-in-mouth disease. Can we now assume that any time that National wants a media ...2 weeks ago
- The nexus between the climate change and democracy crisesThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Roger Karapin The crises the U.S. is facing regarding global warming and representative democracy are similar in some ways. Both have been serious problems for several decades, but have taken on new urgency in the past five years. In both, the Republican Party ...2 weeks ago
- More British war crimesBack in 2017, the ABC revealed that Australia's SAS committed war crimes in Afghanistan, murdering prisoners and civilians, and taking body-parts as trophies. Now, the BBC has exposed the same behaviour in the British SAS: SAS operatives in Afghanistan repeatedly killed detainees and unarmed men in suspicious circumstances, according ...2 weeks ago
- The Strange Case Of The De-Selected Professor.Insufficiently Woke? It is difficult to read the leaked review which sank Professor Richard Jackson's bid to become a co-director of the Centre for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism as anything other than evidence of the ongoing and destructive conflict between the Professor and the Tiriti-centred, iwi-directed, bi-culturally-driven commissars of ...2 weeks ago
- NZ Rugby’s ProblemYesterday’s match between the Maori All Blacks and Ireland confirmed the sad state of New Zealand rugby. The contrast (and skills gap) between the two teams was at times painfully obvious and reinforced the conclusions which had to be drawn from last week’s test match. In both matches, the locals ...2 weeks ago
- What’s next after Supreme Court’s climate ruling?This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The Supreme Court’s June 30 ruling in the West Virginia v. EPA, as detailed by Lexi Smith on this site, substantially curtailed the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate climate pollutants. Though the language of the decision itself appears to be narrow – limiting the extent of ...2 weeks ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #28 2022Innocent until...? "Loss" in the dollars and cents sense of the insurance industry stemming from our accidental, too-rapid instigation of climate change are already a feature of our present. We can look to multiple attribution studies of hydrometeorological anomalies (aka "destructve floods") to confirm this. Multiple projections conducted by a ...2 weeks ago
- Tour of Duty: Ardern out on the world-stage and gets things done, Luxon goes off the rails. Again.
For a Government and Prime Minister apparently “with no substance apart from a talent for photo ops” it seems as if an awful lot of substance has, in fact, been achieved abroad. Multiple Prime Ministers have failed to get a reasonable deal for New Zealanders on pathways to ...2 weeks ago - Today’s radicals are proud to make a black woman shut her trapBrendon O’Neil on Spiked looks at the poison of cancel culture and the attack on Macy Gray When today’s radicals were fresh-faced youths, reading their Gramsci and putting up their Malcolm X posters, I wonder if they could ever have imagined that their proudest achievement in the year 2022 would ...2 weeks ago
- Bryce Edwards: Are we spending too little – or too much – on the military?New Zealand has once again been ranked the second-most peaceful nation in the world. When it comes to the Asia-Pacific region and the Southern Hemisphere, New Zealand is at the top of the peace rankings. This is according to the Institute for Economics and Peace, which recently released its annual ...2 weeks ago
- Limiting rights needs justificationIf the government wants to violate the Bill of Rights Act, does it need to actually justify it, and what happens if it doesn't? That's basicly the issue in question today in the Supreme Court, where activists of the Make it 16 campaign are challenging the voting age. The ...2 weeks ago
- The sin of cheapnessOn Monday, RNZ reported on the results of testing CO2 levels in various places, which showed that Auckland buses had CO2 levels of 5737ppm, making them effectively covid-filled sewers (CO2 is a proxy for exhaled air, which in the current situation is a proxy for covid). As with school classrooms, ...2 weeks ago
- David Seymour Enlists History In Act’s Struggle For Power.History Man: Does David Seymour have a case? Does history confirm that National campaigns from the right when it’s in opposition, only to govern from the left when it’s in government? The answer to this question is ….. complicated.DAVID SEYMOUR is on to something with History. Shrewd use of the past can ...2 weeks ago
- Supreme Court sharply limits EPA power plant authorityThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Lexi Smith The Supreme Court’s closely watched decision in West Virginia v. EPA held that the EPA exceeded its statutory authority in attempting to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act through the Obama-era Clean Power Plan. The six conservative justices ruled against EPA, the ...2 weeks ago
- Ford car plant in the 1970s: The first strike against sexual harassment in a factory in NZDon Franks was interviewed by Dr Toby Boraman in December 2013 about his time working in the militant Ford car plant in the 1970s. In this third installment Don tells of a fight against sexual harassment of women. (The interview has been lightly edited. For citations please acknowledge the interviewer ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell on the Pacific Island Forum gatheringIn recent months, China has been widely portrayed as a major strategic threat to the Pacific region, yet the Pacific states themselves beg to differ. Pacific leaders insist that climate change is a far more pressing existential threat. A month ago, Fiji’s defence minister Inia Seruiratu made that point very ...2 weeks ago
- 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #27Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, July 3, 2022 through Sat, July 9, 2022. The following articles sparked above average interest during the week (bolded articles are from SkS authors): Cranky Uncle Cartoon 2/20 - Boiling Frogs, Ocean Time Lag, ...2 weeks ago
- All Black DebacleWatching the All Black debacle against Ireland yesterday was a painful experience. And Silver Lake must be having second thoughts about their investment. The obvious reaction from All Black supporters is that something has to change. How could such good players perform so badly as a team? But how do ...2 weeks ago
- How is the war going?The war in Ukraine is dragging on and many people have lost interest in it. But those who want to follow the progress of the war, and possibly speculate on how it will finish, must find it hard to find objective information. Like all wars, there is so much fake ...2 weeks ago
- Things We Already Knew – Jonathan Freedland is a Pillock
Jonathan Freedland uses the fall of Boris Johnson to continue to fight two wars that any sane, non-obsessed man would have put behind him. In an article titled Everything Tainted By Johnson's Lies Needs To Be Undone, he first decides 2022 is CLEARLY the most opportune time to have another ...3 weeks ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #27 2022Stuck at 68% The Policy Institute of King's College, London this week provides us a report from our government/NGO section, Public perceptions on climate change (pdf). The authors survey citizens of six European Union countries. A key finding is a bit disturbing: despite the scientific consensus on anthropogenic (human caused) climate ...3 weeks ago
- The Boris StrategyStand by! If I read Boris correctly, we might expect to see the following scenario unfold. Boris will declare that he is himself a candidate for the leadership. He will argue that the fact that he is the incumbent, at least pro tem, is an advantage, not a disqualification. He ...3 weeks ago
- Are We Facing Secular Stagnation?
We cannot be sure, but the answer matters even in the short term.If you think you know what is happening to the economy, you have not been following it closely enough. Clearly the tenor of the economy is changing – I think – but who can be sure following the ...3 weeks ago - Countering coercive politics
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s two week foreign mission to Europe and Australia was by all accounts a success. She met with business and government leaders, signed and co-signed several commercial and diplomatic agreements including a EU-NZ trade pact, conferred with NATO officials as an invited participant of this year’s NATO’s ...3 weeks ago - 13,000There's a lot going on today - the political circus in Westminster, an apparent political assassination in Japan, the ongoing war in Ukraine - but the only story that matters is this one: there were 13,344 new community cases of Covid-19 reported in Aotearoa today, and a further 23 deaths. ...3 weeks ago
- The Void.3 weeks ago
.JPG){kind=link}
- “A real game-changer” – how we’re supporting Kiwis
Supporting New Zealanders is at the heart of our approach as a Government, and we’re working hard to tackle the big issues Kiwis are facing. While long term challenges like child poverty won’t be solved overnight, we’re putting in place policies that make a real difference for New Zealanders. Here ...22 hours ago - Making housing more affordableEvery New Zealander deserves a healthy, affordable place to call home. We have a comprehensive plan to make it happen, and we’re making good progress. Here's the latest on how we're supporting Kiwis into homes: ...6 days ago
- Greens call for overhaul of ‘double standards’ in investor category visa
The Government is allowing wealthy individuals to ‘purchase’ residency while entrenching a system that keeps low-waged workers on a precarious and temporary status, the Green Party says. ...7 days ago - Accessible elections a step closer, thanks to the GreensThe Election Access Fund established by a Green Party members’ bill opened for submissions this week, showing positive progress towards more accessible elections. ...7 days ago
- New evidence boosts case for urgent pay transparency reformThe Green Party is calling on the Government to pass legislation to increase pay transparency, saying it is an urgent step that needs to be taken in response to shocking new evidence that most of the pay gap for Pacific, Māori, and other ethnic minorities cannot be explained. ...1 week ago
- Green Party AGM to move onlineThe Green Party has made the decision to move its 2022 AGM online. Members of the party will not be gathering in Christchurch this weekend. ...1 week ago
- Bold solutions needed to ease inflation pressuresAction is needed to address the inequality crisis and support New Zealanders on the lowest incomes, the Green Party says. ...1 week ago
- Inquiry reveals thousands of students living in povertyThe Government must lift student incomes now, says the Green Party, as new evidence shows thousands of students are living in poverty, with many struggling to pay rent and put food on the table. ...1 week ago
- Free public transport better for climate and inequalityThe Green Party is on board with the extension of half-price public transport, but once again calls on the Government to go further and make public transport free - for good. ...1 week ago
- Alcohol action is suicide prevention – MPs must actEvidence published today showing that acute alcohol use is a factor in more than a quarter of suicides in New Zealand is a shocking wakeup call and politicians must respond, the Green Party says. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens demand answers as Crown agency backs deep sea miningBanning deep-sea mining is more urgent than ever following the news that a New Zealand Crown Research Institute, NIWA is set to support what could easily become a damaging mining project in the Pacific Ocean. ...2 weeks ago
- Free masks a Green winFollowing pressure from the Green Party, the Government has announced that medical masks will be available free for everyone, with N95 masks free for those most at-risk. ...2 weeks ago
- More tools to tackle gangs and keep our communities saferWe’ve announced the next steps in our work to tackle crime and gangs – because all New Zealanders deserve to live in communities that are safe. These new practical tools build on our strong law and order record, which includes delivering New Zealand’s largest ever Police service, targeting illegal firearms, ...2 weeks ago
- Government must focus on the underlying causes of crime to combat gang violenceWe need action to address the underlying causes of crime, not more of the same simplistic solutions that we know do not work and risk harming communities, the Green Party says. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens say fuel tax cut could have saved regional passenger rail, reduce fossil fuel relianceFor the cost of cutting taxes to petrol for three months, the Government could have ensured the future of a transformational increase to passenger rail services between Wellington, the Wairarapa and Manawatū, says the Green Party. ...2 weeks ago
- Easing the pressure on New ZealandersSince taking office in 2017, our Government has worked hard to lift wages and make life more affordable for New Zealanders, as we move forward with our plan to grow a secure economy for all. ...2 weeks ago
- Taxing drug revenue would mean drug reformIf ACT is serious about taxing illicit drug revenue then let’s talk about drug reform, the Green Party says. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party calls on PM to stop deep sea miningThe Green Party has written to the Prime Minister on the eve of the Pacific Islands Forum calling on the Government to support a moratorium on deep sea mining. ...2 weeks ago
- 106 years of supporting KiwisIt’s our birthday this week! For more than a century, we’ve remained committed to supporting New Zealanders and securing a better future for all. As we mark 106 years of the New Zealand Labour Party, here’s a look at how our work has made a difference for New Zealanders and ...3 weeks ago
- Make N95 masks free for everyoneThe Green Party is once again calling on the Government to supply free masks to everyone. ...3 weeks ago
- Rent controls and income boost essential for kids’ wellbeingThe Green Party is calling on the Government to immediately introduce rent controls and expand the cost of living payment to those most in need. ...3 weeks ago
- Work to eliminate family violence and sexual violence making significant progress
Significant progress is being made towards the Government’s goal of eliminating family violence and sexual violence, Minister Davidson confirmed today at the first ever annual hui to take stock of the work underway to ensure all children, families and whānau can thrive in safe homes and communities. Speaking to more ...57 mins ago - Westport Accommodation Village underwayConstruction of relief homes is underway for Westport residents affected by flooding with the first houses expected to be delivered to site next month and families moving in from October, Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods has announced. Buller District Council has granted land-use consent for the Temporary Accommodation Village to ...2 hours ago
- New ETS advice will help keep a fair price on climate pollutionClimate Change Minister James Shaw has welcomed recommendations from He Pou a Rangi – Climate Change Commission (the Commission) on Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) settings. “For the ETS to do its job and drive real emissions cuts, it’s vital we have the right settings in place to ensure a fair ...3 hours ago
- New Zealand marks key step toward ratification of the UK FTAFree trade with the United Kingdom is a step closer with the United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement Legislation Bill having its first reading in Parliament today, Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor announced. “We’re continuing steady progress toward ratifying this historic free trade agreement (FTA) and having its benefits ...15 hours ago
- New legislation puts New Zealand on a path to a Smokefree futureOur goal of becoming free of the devastating harm caused by tobacco has today moved a step closer as the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Bill passed its first reading. “We have more regulations in this country on the safety of a sandwich than a cigarette, this ...17 hours ago
- Public media entity Bill gets first reading in the HouseThe Bill to create a new public media entity, Aotearoa New Zealand Public Media, had its first reading in Parliament today. “The Bill brings in the changes needed to make sure that our public media will keep delivering for future generations. “With increasing levels of misinformation around the world, a ...18 hours ago
- Minister to travel to Europe and UK for finance engagements and Commonwealth GamesGrant Robertson departs tomorrow for engagements in his finance portfolios and to support New Zealand’s athletes at the Commonwealth Games in the United Kingdom. He will attend the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham from the evening of August 2. Before that he will travel to Paris for meetings with political, sport ...22 hours ago
- Local government processes improved for 2025Improvements to processes for electing councils at the next local government elections in 2025 have been introduced to Parliament. Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta says the legislation covers decisions about Māori wards, the number of councillors at Auckland Council, more consistent rules for a coin toss if an election result ...22 hours ago
- Kei te whanake anō te Kāwanatanga i mahi tautoko i te tiakanga o te mātauranga MāoriKei te whanake tonu te Kāwanatanga i ngā mahi tautoko i te iwi Māori ki te tiaki i ngā mātauranga Māori e noho mōrearea nei, kia whakahaumarutia ngā mātauranga taketake i ngā pānga o te mate korona. “Kei te whakatakotoria haerehia te tūāpapa tiaki i te mātauranga Māori me tōna ...1 day ago
- Government takes further action to protect Mātauranga MāoriThe Government is continuing to take action to support Māori to safeguard at-risk mātauranga from the ongoing threat of COVID-19, through the extension of the Mātauranga Māori Te Awe Kōtuku programme. “We’re continuing to lay the foundations for a better future by prioritising the protection of mātauranga Māori and its ...1 day ago
- New Zealand condemns Myanmar executionsForeign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta has condemned the executions of four people, including pro-democracy activists and opposition leaders, in Myanmar. “Aotearoa New Zealand has a strong and long standing opposition to the death penalty in all cases and under all circumstances,” said Nanaia Mahuta. “This was a barbaric act by ...1 day ago
- Defence Force to support Pacific on maritime securityThe New Zealand Defence Force will support Pacific Island partners through a range of maritime security and other support in the next three months, Minister of Defence Peeni Henare announced today. “The Pacific is who we are as well as where we are. The challenges our region faces are New ...5 days ago
- Speech to Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners conferenceTēnā koutou katoa Tenei te mihi ki a koutou Kua tae mai i runga i te kaupapa o te ra Ara ko Te Royal New Zealand College of GPs hui Tēnā tatou katoa Thank you for the opportunity to address you today. I acknowledge Samantha Murton, President of the Royal ...5 days ago
- Congratulations for Niuean COVID-19 vaccination programmeAssociate Health Minister and Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs Aupito William Sio has congratulated the Premier of Niue, Dalton Tagelagi who is visiting Aotearoa New Zealand this week, for the tremendous success of Niue’s COVID-19 vaccination programme. Niue has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, with 99 percent ...5 days ago
- Joint Statement – Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Niue Premier Dalton TagelagiPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Premier Dalton Tagelagi signed a new Statement of Partnership between Aotearoa New Zealand and Niue during talks in Wellington, today. The leaders reaffirmed the close friendship, forged through shared people and constitutional ties. The new Statement of Partnership reflects our long-term cooperation on priority areas ...6 days ago
- Reforming the resource management system – governance and decision making in the new systemSpeech to Local Government New Zealand, 21 July 2022 Tēnā koutou katoa. I am pleased to be here today to discuss the reform of the resource management system with you and in particular to update you on governance and decision making in the new system. This speech is one ...6 days ago
- Benefit numbers continue to fallJune Quarter Benefit statistics released today show the number of people receiving a Main Benefit continues to fall. “There are 3,717 fewer people on a Main Benefit compared to March 2022,” Carmel Sepuloni said. “However, while we are still seeing a good number of people move off benefit and into ...6 days ago
- Infrastructure funding unlocks 8000 new homesSeven centres first to get Government housing infrastructure funding, enabling over 8,000 more new homes to be built New homes to be enabled in Rotorua, Ōmokoroa, Kaikōura, Ōtaki, Napier, Gisborne and New Plymouth 28 further projects undergoing due diligence and negotiations for allocation from $1 billion Infrastructure Acceleration Fund ...6 days ago
- Big emitters will have to do more to cut emissionsThe biggest polluters will have to do more to help meet climate targets because of changes the Government is making to decade-old settings that have allocated far too many free climate pollution credits to New Zealand’s largest emitters, Climate Change Minister James Shaw announced today. “Tackling climate change is a ...6 days ago
- Govt launches first nationwide tsunami evacuation mapThe Government has taken a further important step in improving Kiwis’ preparedness in the event of a tsunami with the launch of Aotearoa’s first nationwide tsunami evacuation map, says Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty. “All of New Zealand’s coastline is at risk of tsunami which means most of us ...6 days ago
- Speech to LGNZ conferenceKia ora koutou katoa and thank you for the invitation to speak to you all today. I would like to acknowledge Local Government New Zealand President Stuart Crosby, and Chief Executive Susan Freeman-Greene, and our host, Mayor Grant Smith of Palmerston North City Council. I also acknowledge all elected members ...7 days ago
- Poroporoaki: Ricky HoughtonE mara a Riki, ko koe tērā i tu mai i mua ra, hei pou matakana mo mātou te hunga noho taone, arā ko Tamaki Makaurau. Nāu ano i mātua mai te haumarutanga o ta tātou whānau, hapori, hapū me ngā iwi, arā ko te mauria mai o ngā whare ...7 days ago
- New investor migrant visa will bring growth opportunities to Kiwi companiesA new Active Investor Plus visa category is created to attract high-value investors. The new visa will replace the existing Investor 1 and Investor 2 visa categories. Eligibility criteria includes a minimum $5 million investment and encourages greater economic benefit to New Zealand companies by capping passive investment in ...7 days ago
- Government steps up protections against foot-and-mouth diseaseMeasures to further protect New Zealand’s economy from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) continue as the Government focuses on strengthening biosecurity settings, Biosecurity and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said today. “Biosecurity New Zealand will this week begin using foot mats with disinfecting chemicals for arrivals from Indonesia to step onto in a ...7 days ago
- Niuean Premier visits New ZealandNiuean Premier Hon. Dalton Tagelagi will visit Aotearoa New Zealand this week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. Premier Tagelagi will be officially welcomed to New Zealand on Thursday 21 July. During his visit to Wellington he will undertake a number of official engagements, including meetings with the Prime Minister, ...7 days ago
- Speech to Electricity Networks AssociationGood morning. It’s great to be here again and speak with you. The past few months have been momentous for climate policy in New Zealand. As you know, the Government has now set New Zealand’s emissions budgets for the first three budget periods, and have released our ambitious package of ...1 week ago
- More measures to build more affordable homesFirst home buyers and renters are set to benefit from measures getting underway to support more new affordable homes for people and their whānau, says Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “Since we came into Government, we have been hitting the housing crisis we inherited with initiatives to get new housing ...1 week ago
- Government provides Three Waters support for councilsEvery Council in New Zealand will receive at least $350,000 of additional funding to ensure they have the resourcing necessary to implement the Three Waters reforms, Associate Minister of Local Government Kieran McAnulty announced today. The Government has set aside a $44 million fund to assist Councils with the costs ...1 week ago
- Consumer Advocacy Council members appointedFour appointments have been made to the Consumer Advocacy Council, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs announced today. The four appointees are: Desiree Mahy (Tūhoe); currently the Manukura (Chair) of Te Hou Ora Whanau Services, a Director of Thankyou Payroll Limited, a Director of Pāmu and a Trustee of the ...1 week ago
- New Porirua Mental Health and disability facility openedHealth Minister Andrew Little has opened a new purpose-built mental health and intellectual disability facility in Porirua today, marking another milestone in the Government’s billion dollar investment in mental health services and facilities. Manawai, the National Individualised Service Unit (ISU), was built to support a small number of people with ...1 week ago
- Trucking toward lower emissions heavy transportThe Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods is celebrating today’s launch of two firsts for energy decarbonisation in the transport sector in New Zealand; an electric milk tanker and a hydrogen truck, made possible with the help of Government funding. New Zealand’s (and possibly the world’s) first electric milk ...1 week ago
- New Zealand’s 10th Youth Parliament event beginsYoung people from across Aotearoa New Zealand will take centre stage in the capital as Youth members of Parliament (MPs), Youth Press Gallery members, and the Youth Clerk at the two-day Youth Parliament event in Wellington. Youth Parliament is an opportunity for young people from across Aotearoa New Zealand to ...1 week ago
- CPI figures highlight challenges amid volatile global environmentThe latest inflation figures reflects the volatile and uncertain global environment though New Zealand is well positioned to respond and help households and businesses through this difficult time. The Consumer Price Index released by Stats NZ today showed a 1.7 percent increase in prices over the June quarter, taking the ...1 week ago
- Govt provides more cost of living supportPetrol excise duty cut by 25 cents a litre for more than five months until 31 January 2023 Road User Charges reduced by the equivalent until 31 January 2023 Half price public transport fares ...1 week ago
- Local Government commissioners appointedLocal Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta today announced the appointment of three commissioners to Mana Kāwanatanga ā Rohe | Local Government Commission. The appointed commissioners are: Brendan Duffy, Chair Bonita Bigham Sue Bidrose The Local Government Commission was initially established in 1947 to consider proposals for local government reorganisation. Over time, ...2 weeks ago
- Five lay members of the High Court appointedAttorney-General David Parker announced today the appointment of five lay members of the High Court under the Commerce Act 1986. Lay members assist the Court in cases involving appeals from decisions of the Commerce Commission and in other matters under the Commerce Act, and play a key role in ensuring ...2 weeks ago
- Fish Passage remediation in Tasman District to boost fish numbers and employmentA joint Government and Tasman District Council project is investing to bring more freshwater fish to the Tasman region, protect local waterways and employ local people. Environment Minister David Parker said the five-year $2 million Tasman Fish Passage project will see more than 4,000 in-stream structures assessed, with around 1,500 ...2 weeks ago
- New measures to tackle COVID-19 and fluExpanded eligibility for antivirals Making COVID-19 medicines available in pharmacies to help ease pressure on GPs Significantly expanding access to free RATs and masks Schools provided with mask supplies and more support for ventilation and winter heating costs Second COVID-19 booster available to those over 50 Extra measures for ...2 weeks ago
- Empowering Pacific Aotearoa to achieve home ownershipPacific peoples in Aotearoa are now on the road to achieving their ultimate goal of home ownership, one year after the launch of the Pacific Financial Capability Development programme, said the Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio. “We successfully secured funding of up to $41.315 million over four years ...2 weeks ago
- More tools for Police to tackle gangs and intimidating behaviourNew targeted warrant and additional search powers to find and seize weapons from gang members during a gang conflict Expanding the range of offences where police can seize and impound cars, motorbikes and other vehicles Up to five years prison for a new offence of discharging a gun with ...2 weeks ago
- New Funding For Water Fluoridation
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield has made directions under the Health Act to 14 local authorities to add fluoride to some or all of their water supplies. It is the first time this power has been used since the relevant legislation was ...37 mins ago - One Million People Aged 65+ By 2028The number of people aged 65 years or older (65+) living in New Zealand is likely to hit 1 million by 2028, Stats NZ said today. Population projections show that while there are currently about 842,000 people aged 65+, this number will continue to increase ...55 mins ago
- Drowning Report Places 175,000 Kids At RiskWater Safety New Zealand’s shocking Drowning Report 2021 released this week places 175,000 kids at risk of drowning says one of New Zealand’s leading swim schools. “While the Report shows adults most at risk, if the country is to turn around these ...1 hour ago
- Failure To Consult With Children On Changes To Children’s Commissioner Could Breach Child RightsSave the Children says the Government has an opportunity to consult with children and young people on proposed changes to the Office of the Children’s Commissioner and Oranga Tamariki oversight system, but failure to do so could breach their rights ...2 hours ago
- Maori Data Experts Challenge Government Moves To Offshore New Zealand DataData Iwi Leaders Group have challenged Government as it increasingly offshores New Zealand data, saying there are long-term benefits to investing in local data infrastructure instead. Offshoring data refers to the replacement of Government agencies backing ...2 hours ago
- NZ has bigger problems than a social media post – Christopher Luxon
Christopher Luxon says there are more important issues facing the country than the controversy over a National Party social media post. ...2 hours ago - New Advice On NZ ETS Unit Limits And Price Control SettingsThe New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme needs to be as effective as possible to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the global effort to reduce the impact of climate change, Climate Change Commission Chair Rod Carr ...2 hours ago
- Dunne Speaks: “Only The Impotent Are Pure”The Greens’ current co-leadership wrangle reminds me of former Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam’s famous comment “Only the impotent are pure.” Whitlam was talking to an angry State Labor Party conference in Victoria in 1967, shortly ...3 hours ago
- Govt seeks advice on changing party donation lawsThe government is seeking urgent advice on immediate changes to the electoral law on donations to political parties. ...3 hours ago
- We are working from home (again). 7 tips to boost wellbeing and productivity
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Libby (Elizabeth) Sander, Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour, Bond Business School, Bond University Shutterstock Telstra and Westpac are the latest companies to encourage staff to work from home, just a few months after some of them returned to the office. ...3 hours ago - Saving burned or injured animals draws our sympathy. But some don’t survive after release. Here’...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Holly Cope, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Sydney Associate Professor Catherine Herbert, Author provided Every year, Australia’s wildlife volunteers devote time, effort and their own money to rescue, rehabilitate and release tens of thousands of native animals. Their efforts get ...3 hours ago
- Nature’s deteriorating health is threatening the wellbeing of Australians, the State of the Enviro...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Turnbull, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Sydney John Turnbull, Author provided For the first time, the new State of the Environment report explicitly assessed the dependency of humans on nature. We, as report authors, evaluated trends and changes in ...3 hours ago
- Why is Peter Dutton trying to start another political fight over the school curriculum?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stewart Riddle, Associate Professor, School of Education, University of Southern Queensland Mick Tsikas/AAP In a move that surprised political watchers, Liberal leader Peter Dutton says the school curriculum and education reform will be some of his key priorities in opposition. ...3 hours ago
- From Charlene the mechanic to Australian TV’s first gay marriage: was Neighbours feminist?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Casey, Program Coordinator: Bachelor of Communication, University of the Sunshine Coast Sam Tabone/Getty Images From its early days, Neighbours reinforced stereotypes of white Australian heteronormative suburbia. But it also evolved to push boundaries around representations of gender, sexuality and ...3 hours ago
- Power Play: Luxon's gaffe, Shaw dumped as co-leader, economic woes evidentPower Play - It was quite the tableau in Parliament: National leader smarting after a social media gaffe, the Greens front bench putting on a brave face and a government feeling the weight of economic woes, writes Jane Patterson. ...4 hours ago
- Power Play: Luxon's gaffe, Shaw unpopular with party members, economic woes evidentPower Play - It was quite the tableau in Parliament: National leader smarting after a social media gaffe, the Greens front bench putting on a brave face and a government feeling the weight of economic woes, writes Jane Patterson. ...5 hours ago
- Prasad criticises NZ, Australia over not addressing ‘democratic deficit’ in Pacific regionRNZ Pacific A Fiji political leader is calling out the Australian and New Zealand governments on their “deafening silence” over human rights issues in the region. The leader of the opposition National Federation Party, Professor Biman Prasad, has called out the two countries for not acknowledging what he described as ...13 hours ago
- PNG extends election returns date by two weeks to avoid ‘failed vote’Inside PNG News Papua New Guinea’s Governor-General, Sir Bob Dadae, today accepted Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai’s recommendation to extend the date for the 2022 general election Return of Writs by two weeks. The new date is August 12. With three days remaining before the initial gazetted date of July 29, ...14 hours ago
- Moresby police chief rejects call for capital curfew after election violenceBy Gynnie Kero in Port Moresby National Capital District Metropolitan Police Superintendent Gideon Ikumu has ruled out a proposal to impose a curfew in the capital city Port Moresby in the wake of the recent spate of violence. He said the situation was expected to return to normal after soldiers ...14 hours ago
- Word from The Hill: Is Morrison’s absence from parliament disrespectful to his voters?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. Politics editor Amanda Dunn and ...15 hours ago
- Ex-National MP Maurice Williamson seeks Auckland Council seatA former National MP who resigned as a minister due to a "serious error of judgement" is now seeking an Auckland Council seat. ...17 hours ago
- Yes, wash your shoes at the airport – but we can do more to stop foot-and-mouth disease ravaging A...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Hester, Associate Professor, University of New England Shutterstock Passengers arriving in Australia from Indonesia will be directed to wash their shoes after the federal government ramped up efforts to prevent foot-and-mouth disease entering the country. But effective biosecurity ...17 hours ago
- Why the Govt is on course to be given a “fail” mark for its work in our schools and polytechnics
Covid-19 was never going to be kind to the country’s education sector, especially when our school children were already sliding down the OECD rankings for literacy, maths and science and there was a lack of equity in terms of at-home and online learning. But it’s hard to look at the ...17 hours ago - Watch: Jenny Marcroft joins Party PeopleParty People is joined by former New Zealand First MP Jenny Marcroft to discuss the passing of Ricky Houghton, the Greens' leadership challenge, the Auckland mayoralty race and the big news in New Zealand First. ...17 hours ago
- Will the Myanmar executions force Australia to act decisively at last?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Renshaw, Professor, School of Law, Western Sydney University “We Will Never Be Frightened”: Young demonstrators holding a banner during a protest in Yangon yesterday. STR/NurPhoto via Getty Images The execution of four political prisoners in Myanmar is further confirmation of what was ...17 hours ago
- New state broadcasting entity passes first hurdle in ParliamentThe bill that combines RNZ and TVNZ into a new media entity has passed its first reading in Parliament this afternoon. ...18 hours ago
- New Zealand is introducing law to create a smokefree generation. Here are 6 reasons to support this ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janet Hoek, Professor of Public Health, University of Otago Shutterstock/Pisit Koolplukpol Imagine a society where tobacco does not kill nearly 5000 people every year in New Zealand, and more than eight million worldwide. The New Zealand government’s new legislation, ...18 hours ago
- New Zealand’s ‘tobacco endgame’ law will be a world first for health – here’s what the mod...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Blakely, Professor of Epidemiology, Population Interventions Unit, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne Getty Images With the first reading of a new bill in parliament today, Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...18 hours ago
- Who’s liable if you’re injured or killed riding an e-scooter?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Giancaspro, Lecturer in Law, University of Adelaide The rental e-scooter craze is sweeping the globe, with millions of the vehicles dotting pavements in more than 600 cities. Studies predict there will be 4.6 million shared e-scooters in operation worldwide by 2024. ...18 hours ago
- Labor is winding back reforms meant to hold super funds accountable to their membersSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Who could even question a requirement that super funds act in the best financial interests of their members? Labor’s new assistant treasurer Stephen Jones, that’s who. While the ...18 hours ago
- I spent a year squeezing leaves to measure their water content. Here’s what I learnedSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tomás I. Fuenzalida, Postdoctoral Fellow, Research School of Biology, Australian National University Tomás I. Fuenzalida, Author provided How do you tell if your plants need water? Recently, I asked this question of a group of about 40 biologists at the ...19 hours ago
- What the NDIS needs to do to rebuild trust, in the words of the people who use itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate D’Cruz, Senior research fellow, La Trobe University Shutterstock It is nearing ten years since the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was legislated in the dying days of the Gillard government. Not only was there bipartisan support for the NDIS, ...19 hours ago
- Vaginas, pheromones and TikTok: what is the strange new trend of ‘vabbing’?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrea Waling, ARC DECRA Senior Research Fellow in Sex & Sexuality, La Trobe University Shutterstock “Vabbing”, while not a new trend, is taking social media sites like TikTok by storm. Vabbing is the act of taking one’s vaginal secretions and ...20 hours ago
- Monetary Policy ReviewA report released today, How Central Bank Mistakes after 2019 led to Inflation, has been received by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua and will be considered as part of our public Monetary Policy Remit review process underway. ...20 hours ago
- Crown opens case over donations to Labour, NationalThe High Court trial on charges over political donations to both Labour and National has begun in Auckland. ...21 hours ago
- Record 85.7% of Greens preferenced Labor at federal election; electoral reform proposalsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist), The Conversation AAP/AP/Kydpl Kyodo Under compulsory preferential voting, all formal votes must eventually preference one of the major parties over the other. The electoral commission has released preference flow information for all minor parties, This ...21 hours ago
- Batting For Work And Income Clients, Fielding For The Blindcaps Cricket TeamMSD employment coordinator Jody Cruickshank is using his own experience of dealing with vision loss to help others overcome challenges in their lives through finding jobs. He is going into bat for job seekers, and along the way has become a top-performing ...21 hours ago
- Proposed Smoking Law Is Payday For The GangsParliament is yet again playing into the hands of gangs, and boosting their place as the third player in the cigarette market with new legislation targeting smokers and dairy owners. The first reading of Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products ...21 hours ago
- Munificence for Mātauranga Māori – how the Ardern Govt is dishing out millions for projects from...
Buzz from the Beehive The Point of Order Munificence for Mātauranga Māori Monitor picked up the announcement from the Beehive this morning of more money being heaped into a trough unabashedly reserved for people from just one of the country’s many ethnic groups. The ...21 hours ago - Cost Of Living Crisis Nothing New For Low-income HouseholdsLow-income households continue to be the most affected by the cost-of-living crisis, according to recent data. Today Stats NZ released the latest Household Living Price Index, which shows a decade-long trend of low-income groups bearing the brunt of ...21 hours ago
- Keith Rankin Chart Analysis – Covid Waves in Europe, Lesson for New ZealandAnalysis by Keith Rankin. Chart by Keith Rankin. Chart by Keith Rankin. Chart by Keith Rankin. West Europe The first three charts (above) show three of the larger Western European countries: Germany, France, Spain. (Italy shows a similar picture.) The most important data item is ‘excess deaths’. (In the case ...21 hours ago
- Full Firearm Registration – A Colossal Central Government Waste Of Taxpayers’ Money Which Can Ne...Recent claims made to the effect that the implementation of a firearm registration system will contribute to a reduction in violence with firearms is nonsense. Comparison with motor vehicle registration reminds us of the 20,000 motor vehicles reportedly ...21 hours ago
- Luxon's Hawaii holiday belies Te Puke social media postNational's leader Christopher Luxon has admitted he was holidaying in Hawaii last week, despite social media posts suggesting he was visiting provincial New Zealand. ...22 hours ago
- New Zealand condemns Myanmar coup and executionsNew Zealand's government has condemned the execution of four political activists by Myanmar's military regime as a "barbaric act". ...22 hours ago
- Straterra Supports Ngāi Tahu Panel On DOC Land UseStraterra supports the Ngāi Tahu Mana Whenua Panel’s recommendation that there be no reclassification of stewardship land as national parks on Te Tai Poutini (the West Coast), says Straterra CEO Josie Vidal. In its submission on the Western South ...22 hours ago
- Academic Activist To Give Final LectureOne of the country's leading critical legal intellectuals, University of Auckland Professor Emeritus Jane Kelsey is giving her valedictory lecture this Thursday 28 July. The lecture, titled Truth to Power: the Legal Academic as Licensed Subversive, ...23 hours ago
- Labelling ‘fake art’ isn’t enough. Australia needs to recognise and protect First Nations cult...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicola St John, Lecturer, Communication Design, RMIT University The latest draft report from the Productivity Commission on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visual arts and crafts confirms what First Nations artists have known for decades: fake art harms culture. Released last week, ...23 hours ago
- BSA Research Highlights Public Concerns Over Spread Of MisinformationNew Zealanders are worried a shift to online platforms is fuelling misinformation and making it harder to identify ‘the truth’, according to new research from the Broadcasting Standards Authority. The finding comes as social media overtakes ...23 hours ago
- 77th Anniversary Of The Atomic Bombings Of Hiroshima And NagasakiHiroshima and Nagasaki Memorial on Sunday 7th August at the World Peace Bell, Ōtautahi Botanic Gardens at 11am. This year marks the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Across the globe, events and commemorations are taking ...23 hours ago
- Commonwealth observers call for ‘urgent review’ of PNG electoral processRNZ Pacific The Commonwealth group that has been observing the Papua New Guinea national elections has called for an urgent review of the electoral process. The leader, former Nauru president, Baron Waqa, said he was gravely concerned at the daily incidents of violence and tragic loss of life that were ...23 hours ago
- Covid and reality: Do we care enough about the common good?ANALYSIS: By Frank Bongiorno, Australian National University The covid-19 pandemic has already generated its own mythology. In Britain, they talk of the “myth of the blitz” – the idea of a society that pulled together in the Second World War to withstand the bombs dropped by the Luftwaffe with pluck, ...23 hours ago
- Rising Housing And Petrol Costs Lead To Higher Inflation Across All Household GroupsIncreasing prices were widely felt across all household groups in the June 2022 quarter compared with the June 2021 quarter, Stats NZ said today. The cost of living for the average household, as measured by the household living-costs price indexes, ...24 hours ago
- Elizabeth Kerekere not running for Greens co-leadershipGreen MP Elizabeth Kerekere has ruled herself out of the running for the party's co-leadership. ...1 day ago
- PNG police arrest 18 suspects following election attacks in Port MoresbyInside PNG News National Capital Dictrict (NCD) police have arrested 18 suspects following the slasher attacks on civilians yesterday outside Papua New Guinea’s national elections counting centre at Port Moresby’s Sir John Guise stadium. NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Gideon Ikumu said the men were “persons of interest” and police would continue ...1 day ago
- Pasifika wāhine launching new Waikato Pan Pacific health hub“It’s exciting to know that I am involved in making history and that my contribution will leave a legacy for my tupuna and mokopuna to be proud of.” The words of Waikato Pasifika health advocate Mareta Matenga, who is helping lead a new Pan Pacific Community Hub in Hamilton. “I ...1 day ago
- Pro-independence Kanaks sign pact with West Papuan movementRNZ Pacific New Caledonia’s pro-independence FLNKS (Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), which wants independence from Indonesia. The Kanak-Papuan deal was signed by Roch Wamytan, President of New Caledonia’s Congress, and the visiting ULMWP leader ...1 day ago
- Information Professionals Want Changes To The Data And Statistics BillLibrary and information professionals are calling on the government to make changes to the Data and Statistics Bill , currently with parliament. “As information professionals we are interested in how information is gathered and used,” says Paddy Plunket, ...1 day ago
- National MPs Ian McKelvie, David Bennett to stand down at 2023 electionNational Party MPs Ian McKelvie and David Bennett have announced they will retire at the next election. ...1 day ago
- This Australian experiment is on the hunt for an elusive particle that could help unlock the mystery...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben McAllister, Research Fellow, Department of Physics, The University of Western Australia Shutterstock Australian scientists are making strides towards solving one of the greatest mysteries of the universe: the nature of invisible “dark matter”. The ORGAN Experiment, Australia’s first major ...1 day ago
- Do we care enough about COVID?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University The COVID-19 pandemic has already generated its own mythology. In Britain, they talk of the “myth of the blitz” – the idea of a society that pulled ...1 day ago
- What to expect when coming off the pill, and 5 things to do before you doSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phoebe Holdenson Kimura, Lecturer and GP, University of Sydney Unsplash/Drew Dizzy Graham “The pill” (the combined oral contraceptive pill) has been giving Australian women control over their reproductive health since the 1960s and remains the most commonly used method of ...1 day ago
- ‘Building too close to the water. It’s ridiculous!’: talk of buyouts after floods shows need ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tayanah O’Donnell, Honorary Associate Professor, Australian National University Australians are reeling from climate change impacts including more frequent and severe disasters – floods, droughts, searing heat and fires. These complex disasters are fuelling calls for managed retreats and debates about buying out ...1 day ago
- Research shows it’s harmful to smack your child, so what should parents do instead?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Higgins, Professor & Director, Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University www.shutterstock.com Today, if a parent smacks a child mid-tantrum in the supermarket, they are likely to get looks of disapproval from other shoppers. Smacking is not as ...1 day ago
- How did Sri Lanka run out of money? 5 graphs that explain its economic crisisSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thilak Mallawaarachchi, Honorary Associate Professor, Risk and Sustainable Management Group, The University of Queensland Eranga Jayawardena/AP Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis in modern history. Its 22 million strong population is struggling with huge price increases for food, ...1 day ago
- The loss of Neighbours is a loss of career pathways for Australia’s emerging screen professionalsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Damien O’Meara, PhD Candidate, Media and Communications, Swinburne University of Technology Neighbours Australia’s longest-running television drama, Neighbours, is the latest casualty in the global flux of television cultures. The death of this iconic show warrants a health-check for the Australian ...1 day ago
- Call to change political donation law after NZ First Foundation caseThe government is being told to urgently close a loophole in political donation rules that legal experts say make this country ripe for overseas exploitation. ...1 day ago
- New Conservative Announces Revised Covid-19 Response PolicyThe policy is summed up in 12 words: "Respect freedom of choice, don't discriminate, look after everybody, trust people." The full policy reads: NEW CONSERVATIVE COVID-19 RESPONSE POLICY (July 2022) VALUES Respect Freedom of Choice New Conservative ...1 day ago
- Climate bill makes clear 43% target is ‘minimum commitment’: BowenSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The public would be kept up to date on progress towards meeting Australia’s 43% emissions reduction target with an annual ministerial statement and oversight by the Climate Change Authority, under the government’s climate legislation to ...1 day ago
- Is there really such a thing as an ‘addictive personality’?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole Lee, Professor at the National Drug Research Institute (Melbourne), Curtin University Shutterstock We’ve all heard of someone referred to as having an “addictive personality”. Some even say it about themselves. But you may be surprised to know there is ...2 days ago
- Opinion: Failing To GovernThe current Labour government is a government that doesn’t know how to govern. Today on the TV3 morning show we heard the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern talking about the wearing of masks for school children. Jacinda said that we want children ...2 days ago
- Chloe Swarbrick rules out bid to be Greens co-leaderGreen MP Chlöe Swarbrick has ruled herself out of running for the Green Party co-leadership. ...2 days ago
- Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Why James Shaw needs to go2 days ago
- Jacinda Ardern, Damien O'Connor talk foot and mouth disease at post-Cabinet briefingAs foot and mouth disease spreads in Indonesia, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says New Zealand has never had an outbreak - and wants it to stay that way. Watch live. ...2 days ago
- Live: Post-Cabinet briefing with PM Jacinda Ardern, MP Damien O'ConnorPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor are speaking to media after this week's Cabinet meeting. Watch live. ...2 days ago
- ‘Narco-drones’ are the newest form of drug trafficking. Our laws aren’t yet ready to combat th...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natalie Klein, Professor, UNSW Sydney Chris Jackson/Getty Images This month, Spanish police authorities seized autonomous underwater vehicles, each capable of transporting around 200 kilograms of drugs. It’s not the first time police authorities have caught an uncrewed vessel carrying illicit ...2 days ago
All power to the utility and Police and FEMA crews and volunteers in Canterbury North Otago and Dunedin.
Going to be a long night.
Ol' Nick!~
"Long-time former National MP Dr Nick Smith is running for the Nelson mayoralty.
Smith in late June said he was “seriously considering” running for mayor in this year’s local elections, and on Tuesday,, with an experienced campaign team at his side, he confirmed it.
“I love Nelson and I worry that our council has lost its way,” Smith said. “I’m offering my governance experience and my energy to provide the city with positive new direction.”"
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/129385196/nick-smith-to-vie-for-nelson-mayoralty-standing-as-an-independent
Lucky lucky us!
My move South has been prescient.
well there goes all/any water quality Nelson has left.
Surprise.
/
Not a surprise at all, it confirms that those microchips do control us.
Dear Mr Luxon
I vote left but have bills to pay so I offer you my services as Communications Consultant (very reasonable rates). If you had any grasp of Politics For Beginners you wouldn't need this advice, but amazingly, it turns out you do:
1. Don't blame the help (in this case, your social media team). Looks bad.
2. When you finally apologise, don't congratulate yourself for apologising. Looks worse.
3. Don't ever say …
"I think when you work as hard as we do, that to get some personal leave with your family for five days is actually really important.” Looks worst of all.
Quoted in Stuff link here.
Also don't say, "I tend to go to Hawaii in July". That is meme bait right there.
or Fiji or the Cook Islands, all really nice at this time of the year
Indeed. I can't embed this image but here's John Key visiting the Cook Islands, in a style befitting a great chief like Key or Luxon:
https://www.gettyimages.ae/detail/news-photo/new-zealand-prime-minister-john-key-rides-on-a-paat-held-up-news-photo/150903142
Gazprom confirms Nordstream will reduce to 20% of flow from Wednesday morning.There is an emergency meeting today for EC energy ministers to see if the 15% voluntary gas cut should become mandatory.
Southern europe is not happy with the German problem and the narrative has changed to the german energy crisis,and internal calls (german) for energy subsidies to go and constraints (minimum heating levels) to be removed from rental housing estates.Demand destruction (and substitution) being the new buzzwords in an economy,dependent on industry fro their high standard of welfare.
And looking to history for high tech solutions in a low carbon economy.
https://i.imgflip.com/3mprdv.jpg
Could you expand more on 'demand destruction'.
Will I still be able to get my Wusthof Steel knives and saucepans?
Demand destruction suggests that higher prices will see changes in the object or services demand,say higher cost of financing will see a lesser demand for a loan or mortgage.
High cost of diesel in Europe has seen both demand drop (from 6mbbl) by around 15 %, and prices fall on both volume decreases and recession bells.
Steel knives will be available from the Guangdong skyscraper and shopping mall company ( reconfigured fabrication plant #3) or alternatively hand polished (non ferrous ) implements from the Neander valley in Germany.
From 11.20minutes a look at the New Zealand death rate and questions about hospital practice.
EU politicians come to an agreement for a voluntary reduction in gas of 15% for building inventory.
Energy markets respond with pricing stimulus for demand destruction.French electricity hits record.
Oil prices will also move upward as substitution for gas includes fuel oil into generation.
Making life more interesting is that demand for LNG is global and Asia will compete for winter contracts,and a substantive amount of LNG production is in maintenance
Collateral damage will be economy's that cannot afford high gas price imports (the sri lanka effect) Pakistan had not offers for its tender,Bangladesh has formally asked for IMF intervention as FX is gone,Argentina is negotiating 44 b IMF bailout,