I am sure that there would be any number of New Zealand Prime Ministers who would be jealous of Howard's display. He was in the job for 11 years, second only to Menzies 18. I'm sure Helen Clark would have loved to have lasted that long instead of being kicked out after a mere 9 years. Key of course never lost. He won every election he contested as Party Leader.
Oh well I suppose you are like all of us. Memory going in your old age I suppose.
That is a sensible question although I think a zero is a little harsh. Just a little though.
On the other hand I think I would prefer a low charisma PM than the fool we have at the moment. Charisma coming out her ears but no knowledge of the world to go with it.
why dont you finish the story alwyn. when aussies finally woke up, howard lost very badly. even lost his own seat, something that had never happened in aus, so yes, his last parliamentary act was a massive loss.
Love how this radical far right wing economic experiment keeps rolling on, and the deaths just don't matter. Or how the centre left just do nothing but platitudes, and keep running with this destructive economic theory.
I'm afraid that after almost 2 years in office the current Government is simply going to have to cop any flak that is coming, whether it is fair or, as I think, rather unfair. Can't try the standard line about it all being National's fault though.
The government has already put a lot of effort into mental health services, but it all takes time to become effective; some areas of help were persistently underfunded for the previous 9 years. Poverty can be important, but youth services seem to be quite important too – high youth unemployment, some of it not helped by using immigration to fill employment shortages in some not very skilled areas didn't help either.
Increasing expenditure on mental health services largely overlooks the issues that initially trigger mental health problems, thus is not the solution in itself. So while it may help comfort some currently having problems, it's clear the Government will have to do far more to help prevent more from initially becoming mentally stressed/ill.
And an area where the Government can do a lot more to have an almost instant impact is better addressing poverty. Which, of course, despite the rhetoric, thus minimal input to date, has largely been deferred. With no date for significant change announced. Which, in itself, is depressing.
I expected far better understanding from you, Rosemary.
Poverty is totally related to people feeling worthless. And in today's consumer based society where people are largely judged upon what they do and how much they earn their feeling of worthlessness and shame is further compounded by the scorn and venom dished upon them by many in the community.
Your (and others) lack of understanding of this highlights their feeling of abandonment.
Shame on you.
[I will try to respond to your other comment(s) in due course but this is the second time you’re pulling this emotional string on another commenter for not agreeing with you (on being anti-Labour) – the first one was Cinny yesterday who, according to you, “seem[ed] easily pleased”. In fact, you tried it with me too today. This is not a good way to debate and argue your case as it changes it from playing the ball to playing the (wo)man – Incognito]
It's but one aspect. The Chair is trying to force his blunt view on those who know what nuance is. He's doing that so that he can ride his, "Labour's failing the poor" hobby-horse.
Maybe everyone consider that suicide is a sensitive topic, and there will be people reading and commenting with histories that we don’t know about so extra care is called for.
If poverty caused such deep feelings of worthlessness in an individual that suicide was the only the sole relief, then the numbers would be much, much higher.
Think about it for a second or two…
Your lack of willingness to even consider this does indeed add to a sense of abandonment…in those of us 'survivors' who will spend the rest of our lives asking 'why?' How neat and tidy it would be to blame 'poverty', and simply move on.
Highlighting emotional realities felt by people is nothing like playing the man, Incog.
[So, Rosemary should feel ashamed and Cinny should not feel pleased? That’s a rhetorical question, BTW. You have no right to tell others how or what they should or shouldn’t feel. It makes for a poor argument and it makes it personal. It is the same as putting words in people’s mouths. Please don’t do it again and please stop arguing about moderation – Incognito]
Howard: "Well you know I wrote that character reference for Cardinal Pell after he'd been convicted of child sexual abuse John. It'd be no trouble at all for me to whip something up that exonerates you from the corruption that's been happening at ANZ lately!"
Why did no one speak up, and despite a "written" apology James Hardie will not respond to the Herald – I don't care how "high" his "position" is this is sickening. Thankfully it seems the restaurant is standing by their employee, no young hard working and studying NZer shuld have been subject to this.
Statisics are not good, some young NZers might not have this young woman's sound self awareness and confidence in a situation that she handled property but did severely upset her understandably. Other young NZers are no doubt subject to similar and adversely affected, no wonder the stats for the young are so awful.
She's only 17 but she's already running rings around her philistine detractors. Look at the photo. A lovely, intelligent young Maori woman who wants to become a medical practitioner.
Rumours (unvalidated obv) that Jacindas dropped to 35% (which I could easily believe). Her trends are really going in the wrong direction.
Of course it’s not what makes a government- but with NZF gone, greens very close to gone, and National out polling labour – I wouldn’t be so confident about 2020 if I was a labour fan
Looking for some public polls – esp the first one putting Jacinda in the 20’s. Might have to wait a couple for that however.
I can see the headlines now “NZ’s PMs support halves”
You got very excited by a rumour issuing forth from Matthew Hooton and decided it was so hot you had to drop it into The Standard as some sort of public service, James?
He (Hooten) was his usual pathetic self. Overall the programme was an interesting watch, I was impressed with the interview with Meng Foon – he will (in my humble impression) make a great ambassador for his position.
Just goes to show, a sympathetic journalist can give activists a propaganda platform that industry money just can't buy. Personally, I'm glad the liquor and hospitality industries have a financial stake in standing up to the campaigns of anti-drug activists, because there's no way ordinary citizens have the resources to do it.
This government's soft on drugs, huh? It's not cracking down hard enough on the people peddling this poison to our kids! Any other conservative talking points while you're at it?
Arse about face. You're the one promoting a tough-on-drugs approach, not me. If I ever do start hand-wringing about the government not cracking down hard enough on recreational drug use the way you are on this thread, feel free to call me a hypocrite.
Don't be another detractor, Incog. Unite with me and help pressure them to up their game. That, is of course, if you want them too.
Lets see if we (all of us united together) can make better use of this site. Let’s see if we can make this a site actually work to produce change for the better.
Now that would be something to behold, would it not?
Alternatively, we can continue on to squabble amongst ourselves.
I've seen so much damage and death as a result of alcohol
Ditto. Which is why I'm not thrilled about their piss poor effort.
And now that Little has appeased you by merely announcing a review (and in his mind hopefully others) his job is done knowing he's got your (and others) vote. Meanwhile, the carnage continues on unabated.
Akshully the medical professionals have come out saying that the 2012 review has done bugger all to help and the Minister is listening and is taking action.
TC, how do you feel the 2012 review has worked out?
Thanks for that hopeful news Cinny – review/reform looong overdue if the research and advocacy of these "anti-drug activists" is anything to go by. You can lead the National party towards alcohol law reform, but you cannot make them drink.
Aim
The study examined the impact of alcohol use on lifestyle and wellbeing among adults accessing New Zealand community alcohol and other drug (AOD) services, and practice implications.
Results
In total, 598 people reported alcohol as their main substance of concern. The largest improvements in lifestyle and wellbeing were observed for mental health, social relationships and physical health. Change in days of alcohol use significantly contributed to the prediction of change in lifestyle and wellbeing issues experienced (model R2=20%, adjusted R2=19%, p<.001). Results were similar for amount and total volume.
Conclusion
Reduced alcohol use positively impacts on people’s lifestyle and wellbeing. Findings have implications for increasing awareness of the benefits for people’s lives, even small reductions in alcohol use. The need to strengthen routine ADOM collection in AOD services is highlighted, as well as the availability of vocational rehabilitation to support people’s wellbeing.
Tamihere's camp at the start of his campaign talked of his prowess as a chief executive, yet the budget-busting policy appears to have no business basis.
…
Tamihere's campaign strategy so far makes sense in the classic political way, if you're focussed on making a splash, getting noticed, and trying to make over-simplistic slogans look like carefully-crafted policy. Tamihere hates his style being compared with that of US President Donald Trump, but the campaign parallels are hard to ignore.
Record fires are raging, with more than 2500 fires currently burning and collectively emitting huge amounts of carbon, with smoke plumes visible thousands of kilometres away."
If one stubbornly clings to the Elimination strategy (I don’t support it, but that will have to wait for another occasion) then try to get it right. You need secure borders. We have attempted this with a very large measure of success. It has not been perfect as the Covid-19 Response ...
Diaspora: perception departs from reality In this collection of articles are two papers currently captivating the attention of people following the science and emergence of climate change, especially the rapid variety we've accidentally unleashed and which is now unfolding around us. The synthesis and review article Earth's Ice Imbalance by Slater ...
The ultra-rich have done very, very well out of the pandemic. Globally, the wealth of the ten richest people rose by US$540 billion last year, enough money to pay for the pandemic in its entirity. And in New Zealand, local billionaire Graeme Hart saw his wealth increase by almost NZ$3.5 ...
Postmodernism has long been looked upon as an indecipherable ideology and a source of amusement. In 1996 Alan Sokal, a physics professor at New York University, had a hoax article published in ‘Social Text’ an academic journal of postmodern cultural studies. In ‘Transgressing the Boundaries: Towards a Transformative Hermeneutics of ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Anew study in Nature Sustainability incorporates the damages that climate change does to healthy ecosystems into standard climate-economics models. The key finding in the study by Bernardo Bastien-Olvera and Frances Moore from the University of California at Davis: The models have been underestimating the ...
In a recent interview with RNZ (14th of January), NZ Council of Civil Liberties Chair Thomas Beagle, in response to Simon Bridges condemnation of the post-Trump Twitter purge of local far Right and other accounts, said the following: “Cos the thing about freedom of expression is that it’s not just ...
Let’s be clear: if Trump is not politically killed off once and for all, he will become a MAGA Dracula, rising from the dead to haunt US politics for years to come and giving inspiration to his wretched family of grifters and thousands of deplorables well into the next decade. ...
Since its demise as an imperial power, and especially its deindustrialisation under Thatcher, the UK's primary economic engine has been its role as a money laundry, using its network of overseas territories as tax havens to enable rich people around the world to steal from the societies they live in. ...
Last month OMV quit the Great South Basin and surrendered its offshore exploration permits outside of Taranaki. This month, Australian-owned Beach Energy has done the same: Beach Energy Resources New Zealand has decided to abandon all of its oil and gas exploration permits off the South Island coast, including ...
The new Northland case has been linked to the South African strain of Covid-19, one of a number of new, more contagious Covid variants. Here’s how they emerge and why. Let’s start with the basics. The genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for Covid-19 is a strand of RNA ...
MARVIN HUBBARD, US citizen by birth, New Zealand citizen by choice, Quaker and left-wing activist, has been broadcasting his show, "Community or Chaos", on Otago Access Radio for the best part of 30 years. On 24 November last year, I spoke with him about the outcome of the 2020 General ...
This is a guest blog post by Daniel Tamberg, Potsdam, co-founder and director of SCIARA GmbH. The non-profit organisation SCIARA is developing and operating a flexible software platform for scientific simulation games that allows thousands of players to explore, design and understand possible climate futures together. Decision-makers in politics, business, ...
Yesterday's Gone: Cold shivers are running up and down the spines of conservatives everywhere. Donald Trump may have gone, but all the signs point to there being something much more momentous in the wind-shift than a simple return to the status quo ante. A change is gonna come. ONE COULD ...
Is it possible to live and let live in the post-Trump era? The online campaign to vilify Christopher Liddell, ex-White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Assistant to Trump, makes for an interesting case study. Liddell is a New Zealander whose illustrious career in corporate America once earned him plaudits ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 17, 2021 through Sat, Jan 23, 2021Editor's Choice12 new books explore fresh approaches to act on climate changeAuthors explore scientific, economic, and political avenues for climate action ...
This discussion is from a Twitter thread by Martin Kulldorff on 20 December 2020. He is a Professor at Harvard Medical School specialising in disease surveillance methods, infectious disease outbreaks and vaccine safety. His Twitter handle is @MartinKulldorff #1 Public health is about all health outcomes, not just a single ...
The Treasury forecasts suggest the economy is doing better than expected after the Covid Shock. John Kenneth Galbraith was wont to say that economic forecasting was designed to make astrology look good. Unfair, but it raises the question of the purpose of economic forecasts. Certainly the public may treat them ...
Q: Will the COVID-19 vaccines prevent the transmission of the coronavirus and bring about community immunity (aka herd immunity)? A: Jury not in yet but vaccines do not have to be perfect to thwart the spread of infection. While vaccines induce protection against illness, they do not always stop actual ...
Joe Biden seems to be everything that Donald Trump was not – decent, straightforward, considerate of others, mindful of his responsibilities – but none of that means that he has an easy path ahead of him. The pandemic still rages, American standing in the world is grievously low, and the ...
Keana VirmaniFrom healthcare robots to data privacy, to sea level rise and Antarctica under the ice: in the four years since its establishment, the Aotearoa New Zealand Science Journalism Fund has supported over 30 projects.Rebecca Priestley, receiving the PM Science Communication Prize (Photo by Mark Tantrum) Associate Professor ...
Nothing more from me today - I'm off to Wellington, to participate in the city's annual roleplaying convention (which has also eaten my time for the whole week, limiting blogging despite there being interesting things happening). Normal bloggage will resume Tuesday. ...
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weaponscame into force today, making the development, possession, use or threat of use of nuclear weapons illegal in international law. Every nuclear-armed state is now a criminal regime. The corporations and scientists who design, build and maintain their illegal weapons are now ...
"Come The Revolution!" The key objective of Bernard Hickey’s revolutionary solution to the housing crisis is a 50 percent reduction in the price of the average family home. This will be achieved by the introduction of Capital Gains, Land, and Wealth taxes, and by the opening up of currently RMA-protected ...
by Daphna Whitmore Twitter and Facebook shutting down Trump’s accounts after his supporters stormed Capitol Hill is old news now but the debates continue over whether the actions against Trump are a good thing or not. Those in favour of banning Trump say Twitter and Facebook are private companies and ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Democrats now control the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives for the first time in a decade, albeit with razor thin Congressional majorities. The last time, in the 111th Congress (2009-2011), House Democrats passed a carbon cap and trade bill, but it died ...
Session thirty-three was highly abbreviated, via having to move house in a short space of time. Oh well. The party decided to ignore the tree-monster and continue the attack on the Giant Troll. Tarsin – flying on a giant summoned bat – dumped some high-grade oil over the ...
Last night I stayed up till 3am just to see then-President Donald Trump leave the White House, get on a plane, and fly off to Florida, hopefully never to return. And when I woke up this morning, America was different. Not perfect, because it never was. Probably not even good, ...
Watching today’s inauguration of Joe Biden as the United States’ 46th president, there’s not a lot in common with the inauguration of Donald Trump just four destructive years ago. Where Trump warned of carnage, Biden dared to hope for unity and decency. But the one place they converge is that ...
Dan FalkBritons who switched on their TVs to “Good Morning Britain” on the morning of Sept. 15, 2020, were greeted by news not from our own troubled world, but from neighboring Venus. Piers Morgan, one of the hosts, was talking about a major science story that had surfaced the ...
Sara LutermanGrowing up autistic in a non-autistic world can be very isolating. We are often strange and out of sync with peers, despite our best efforts. Autistic adults have, until very recently, been largely absent from media and the public sphere. Finding role models is difficult. Finding useful advice ...
Doug JohnsonThe alien-like blooms and putrid stench of Amorphophallus titanum, better known as the corpse flower, draw big crowds and media coverage to botanical gardens each year. In 2015, for instance, around 75,000 people visited the Chicago Botanic Garden to see one of their corpse flowers bloom. More than ...
Getting to Browser Tab Zero so I can reboot the computer is awfully hard when the one open tab is a Table of Contents for the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, and every issue has more stuff I want to read. A few highlights: Gugler et al demonstrating ...
Michael Cowling, CQUniversity AustraliaWe’ve probably all been there. We buy some new smart gadget and when we plug it in for the first time it requires an update to work. So we end up spending hours downloading and updating before we can even play with our new toy. But ...
Timothy Ford, University of Massachusetts Lowell and Charles M. Schweik, University of Massachusetts AmherstTo mitigate health inequities and promote social justice, coronavirus vaccines need to get to underserved populations and hard-to-reach communities. There are few places in the U.S. that are unreachable by road, but other factors – many ...
Israel chose to pay a bit over the odds for the Pfizer vaccine to get earlier access. Here’s The Times of Israel from 16 November. American government will be charged $39 for each two-shot dose, and the European bloc even less, but Jerusalem said to agree to pay $56. Israel ...
Orla is a gender critical Marxist in Ireland. She gave a presentation on 15 January 2021 on the connection between postmodern/transgender identity politics and the current attacks on democratic and free speech rights. Orla has been active previously in the Irish Socialist Workers Party and the People Before Profit electoral ...
. . America: The Empire Strikes Back (at itself) Further to my comments in the first part of 2020: The History That Was, the following should be considered regarding the current state of the US. They most likely will be by future historians pondering the critical decades of ...
Nathaniel ScharpingIn March, as the Covid-19 pandemic began to shut down major cities in the U.S., researchers were thinking about blood. In particular, they were worried about the U.S. blood supply — the millions of donations every year that help keep hospital patients alive when they need a transfusion. ...
Sarah L Caddy, University of CambridgeVaccines are a marvel of medicine. Few interventions can claim to have saved as many lives. But it may surprise you to know that not all vaccines provide the same level of protection. Some vaccines stop you getting symptomatic disease, but others stop you ...
Back in 2016, the Portuguese government announced plans to stop burning coal by 2030. But progress has come much quicker, and they're now scheduled to close their last coal plant by the end of this year: The Sines coal plant in Portugal went offline at midnight yesterday evening (14 ...
The Sincerest Form Of Flattery: As anybody with the intestinal fortitude to brave the commentary threads of local news-sites, large and small, will attest, the number of Trump-supporting New Zealanders is really quite astounding. IT’S SO DIFFICULT to resist the temptation to be smug. From the distant perspective of New Zealand, ...
RNZ reports on continued arbitrariness on decisions at the border. British comedian Russell Howard is about to tour New Zealand and other acts allowed in through managed isolation this summer include drag queen RuPaul and musicians at Northern Bass in Mangawhai and the Bay Dreams festival. The vice-president of the ...
As families around the world mourn more than two million people dead from Covid-19, the Plan B academics and their PR industry collaborator continue to argue that the New Zealand government should stop focusing on our managed isolation and quarantine system and instead protect the elderly so that they can ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 10, 2021 through Sat, Jan 16, 2021Editor's ChoiceNASA says 2020 tied for hottest year on record — here’s what you can do to helpPhoto by Michael Held on Unsplash ...
Health authorities in Norway are reporting some concerns about deaths in frail elderly after receiving their COVID-19 vaccine. Is this causally related to the vaccine? Probably not but here are the things to consider. According to the news there have been 23 deaths in Norway shortly after vaccine administration and ...
Happy New Year! No, experts are not concerned that “…one of New Zealand’s COIVD-1( vaccines will fail to protect the country” Here is why. But first I wish to issue an expletive about this journalism (First in Australia and then in NZ). It exhibits utter failure to actually truly consult ...
All nations have shadows; some acknowledge them. For others they shape their image in uncomfortable ways.The staunch Labour supporter was in despair at what her Rogernomics Government was doing. But she finished ‘at least, we got rid of Muldoon’, a response which tells us that then, and today, one’s views ...
Grigori GuitchountsIn November, Springer Nature, one of the world’s largest publishers of scientific journals, made an attention-grabbing announcement: More than 30 of its most prestigious journals, including the flagship Nature, will now allow authors to pay a fee of US$11,390 to make their papers freely available for anyone to read ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Gary Yohe, Henry Jacoby, Richard Richels, and Benjamin Santer Imagine a major climate change law passing the U.S. Congress unanimously? Don’t bother. It turns out that you don’t need to imagine it. Get this: The Global Change Research Act of 1990 was passed ...
“They’re here already! You’re next! You’re next! You’re next!”WHO CAN FORGET the penultimate scene of the 1956 movie classic, Invasion of the Body Snatchers? The wild-eyed doctor, stumbling down the highway, trying desperately to warn his fellow citizens: “They’re here already! You’re next! You’re next! You’re next!”Ostensibly science-fiction, the movie ...
TheOneRing.Net has got its paws on the official synopsis of the upcoming Amazon Tolkien TV series. It’s a development that brings to mind the line about Sauron deliberately releasing Gollum from the dungeons of Barad-dûr. Amazon knew exactly what they were doing here, in terms of drumming up publicity: ...
Since Dwight Eisenhower’s inauguration in 1953, US presidents have joined an informal club intended to provide support - and occasionally rivalry - between those few who have been ‘leaders of the free world’. Donald Trump, elected on a promise to ‘drain the swamp’ and a constant mocker of his predecessors, ...
For over a decade commentators have noted the rise of a new brand of explicitly ideological politics throughout the world. By this they usually refer to the re-emergence of national populism and avowedly illiberal approaches to governance throughout the “advanced” democratic community, but they also extend the thought to the ...
The US House of Representatives has just impeached Donald Trump, giving him the dubious honour of being the only US President to be impeached twice. Ten Republicans voted for impeachement, making it the most bipartisan impeachment ever. The question now is whether the Senate will rise to the occasion, and ...
Kieren Mitchell; Alice Mouton, Université de Liège; Angela Perri, Durham University, and Laurent Frantz, Ludwig Maximilian University of MunichThanks to the hit television series Game of Thrones, the dire wolf has gained a near-mythical status. But it was a real animal that roamed the Americas for at least 250,000 ...
Tide of tidal data rises Having cast our own fate to include rising sea level, there's a degree of urgency in learning the history of mean sea level in any given spot, beyond idle curiosity. Sea level rise (SLR) isn't equal from one place to another and even at a particular ...
Well, some of those chickens sure came home bigly, didn’t they… and proceeded to shit all over the nice carpet in the Capitol. What we were seeing here are societal forces that have long had difficulty trying to reconcile people to the “idea” of America and the reality of ...
In the wake of Donald Trump's incitement of an assault on the US capitol, Twitter finally enforced its terms of service and suspended his account. They've since followed that up with action against prominent QAnon accounts and Trumpers, including in New Zealand. I'm not unhappy with this: Trump regularly violated ...
A growing public housing waiting list and continued increase of house prices must be urgently addressed by Government, Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said today. ...
A Waitomo-based Jobs for Nature project will keep up to ten people employed in the village as the tourism sector recovers post Covid-19 Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says. “This $500,000 project will save ten local jobs by deploying workers from Discover Waitomo into nature-based jobs. They will be undertaking local ...
Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw spoke yesterday with President Biden’s Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry. “I was delighted to have the opportunity to speak with Mr. Kerry this morning about the urgency with which our governments must confront the climate emergency. I am grateful to him and ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Hon Nanaia Mahuta today announced three diplomatic appointments: Alana Hudson as Ambassador to Poland John Riley as Consul-General to Hong Kong Stephen Wong as Consul-General to Shanghai Poland “New Zealand’s relationship with Poland is built on enduring personal, economic and historical connections. Poland is also an important ...
Work begins today at Wainuiomata High School to ensure buildings and teaching spaces are fit for purpose, Education Minister Chris Hipkins says. The Minister joined principal Janette Melrose and board chair Lynda Koia to kick off demolition for the project, which is worth close to $40 million, as the site ...
A skilled and experienced group of people have been named as the newly established Oranga Tamariki Ministerial Advisory Board by Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis today. The Board will provide independent advice and assurance to the Minister for Children across three key areas of Oranga Tamariki: relationships with families, whānau, and ...
The green light for New Zealand’s first COVID-19 vaccine could be granted in just over a week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said today. “We’re making swift progress towards vaccinating New Zealanders against the virus, but we’re also absolutely committed to ensuring the vaccines are safe and effective,” Jacinda Ardern said. ...
The Minister for ACC is pleased to announce the appointment of three new members to join the Board of ACC on 1 February 2021. “All three bring diverse skills and experience to provide strong governance oversight to lead the direction of ACC” said Hon Carmel Sepuloni. Bella Takiari-Brame from Hamilton ...
The Government is investing $9 million to upgrade a significant community facility in Invercargill, creating economic stimulus and jobs, Infrastructure Minister Grant Robertson and Te Tai Tonga MP Rino Tirikatene have announced. The grant for Waihōpai Rūnaka Inc to make improvements to Murihiku Marae comes from the $3 billion set ...
[Opening comments, welcome and thank you to Auckland University etc] It is a great pleasure to be here this afternoon to celebrate such an historic occasion - the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. This is a moment many feared would never come, but ...
The Government is providing $3 million in one-off seed funding to help disabled people around New Zealand stay connected and access support in their communities, Minister for Disability Issues, Carmel Sepuloni announced today. The funding will allow disability service providers to develop digital and community-based solutions over the next two ...
Border workers in quarantine facilities will be offered voluntary daily COVID-19 saliva tests in addition to their regular weekly testing, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. This additional option will be rolled out at the Jet Park Quarantine facility in Auckland starting on Monday 25 January, and then to ...
The next steps in the Government’s ambitious firearms reform programme to include a three-month buy-back have been announced by Police Minister Poto Williams today. “The last buy-back and amnesty was unprecedented for New Zealand and was successful in collecting 60,297 firearms, modifying a further 5,630 firearms, and collecting 299,837 prohibited ...
Upscaling work already underway to restore two iconic ecosystems will deliver jobs and a lasting legacy, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says. “The Jobs for Nature programme provides $1.25 billion over four years to offer employment opportunities for people whose livelihoods have been impacted by the COVID-19 recession. “Two new projects ...
The Government has released its Public Housing Plan 2021-2024 which outlines the intention of where 8,000 additional public and transitional housing places announced in Budget 2020, will go. “The Government is committed to continuing its public house build programme at pace and scale. The extra 8,000 homes – 6000 public ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has congratulated President Joe Biden on his inauguration as the 46th President of the United States of America. “I look forward to building a close relationship with President Biden and working with him on issues that matter to both our countries,” Jacinda Ardern said. “New Zealand ...
A major investment to tackle wilding pines in Mt Richmond will create jobs and help protect the area’s unique ecosystems, Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor says. The Mt Richmond Forest Park has unique ecosystems developed on mineral-rich geology, including taonga plant species found nowhere else in the country. “These special plant ...
To further protect New Zealand from COVID-19, the Government is extending pre-departure testing to all passengers to New Zealand except from Australia, Antarctica and most Pacific Islands, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “The change will come into force for all flights arriving in New Zealand after 11:59pm (NZT) on Monday ...
Bay Conservation Cadets launched with first intake Supported with $3.5 million grant Part of $1.245b Jobs for Nature programme to accelerate recover from Covid Cadets will learn skills to protect and enhance environment Environment Minister David Parker today welcomed the first intake of cadets at the launch of the Bay ...
The Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern and the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Mark Brown have announced passengers from the Cook Islands can resume quarantine-free travel into New Zealand from 21 January, enabling access to essential services such as health. “Following confirmation of the Cook Islands’ COVID ...
Jobs for Nature funding is being made available to conservation groups and landowners to employ staff and contractors in a move aimed at boosting local biodiversity-focused projects, Conservation Minister Kiritapu Allan has announced. It is estimated some 400-plus jobs will be created with employment opportunities in ecology, restoration, trapping, ...
The Government has approved an exception class for 1000 international tertiary students, degree level and above, who began their study in New Zealand but were caught offshore when border restrictions began. The exception will allow students to return to New Zealand in stages from April 2021. “Our top priority continues ...
Today’s deal between Meridian and Rio Tinto for the Tiwai smelter to remain open another four years provides time for a managed transition for Southland. “The deal provides welcome certainty to the Southland community by protecting jobs and incomes as the region plans for the future. The Government is committed ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has appointed Anna Curzon to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). The leader of each APEC economy appoints three private sector representatives to ABAC. ABAC provides advice to leaders annually on business priorities. “ABAC helps ensure that APEC’s work programme is informed by business community perspectives ...
The Government’s prudent fiscal management and strong policy programme in the face of the COVID-19 global pandemic have been acknowledged by the credit rating agency Fitch. Fitch has today affirmed New Zealand’s local currency rating at AA+ with a stable outlook and foreign currency rating at AA with a positive ...
The Government is putting in place a suite of additional actions to protect New Zealand from COVID-19, including new emerging variants, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “Given the high rates of infection in many countries and evidence of the global spread of more transmissible variants, it’s clear that ...
$36 million of Government funding alongside councils and others for 19 projects Investment will clean up and protect waterways and create local jobs Boots on the ground expected in Q2 of 2021 Funding part of the Jobs for Nature policy package A package of 19 projects will help clean up ...
*This article first appeared on RNZ and is republished with permission.Two new community Covid-19 cases have been identified as the more infectious South African variant, but Auckland Mayor Phil Goff sayit would be "premature to go into lockdown now". The two new cases of Covid-19 identified in the ...
Today, for the second time in two months Dunedin climate protectors have locked themselves to the railway tracks outside the Dunedin Railway station to stop the KiwiRail coal train from Bathurst Resources’ Takitimu mine in Southland to Fonterra’s ...
KiwiRail STOP Hauling COAL Today, for the second time in two months Dunedin climate protectors have locked themselves to the railway tracks outside the Dunedin Railway station to stop the KiwiRail coal train from Bathurst Resources’ Takitimu mine ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Dunn, Associate professor, University of Sydney The government is rolling out a new public information campaign this week to reassure the public about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, which one expert has said “couldn’t be more crucial” to people actually getting ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Therese O’Sullivan, Associate Professor, Edith Cowan University The COVID vaccine rollout has placed the issue of vaccination firmly in the spotlight. A successful rollout will depend on a variety of factors, one of which is vaccine acceptance. One potential hurdle to vaccine ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bernard Walker, Associate Professor in Organisations and Leadership, University of Canterbury Kiwis know what it’s like when life throws curveballs. We’ve had major quakes, floods, fires, an eruption, a terrorist attack and now a pandemic. In those situations, it’s the ability to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Irwin, Emeritus professor, Murdoch University While we continue to be occupied with the COVID pandemic, another life-threatening disease has emerged in northern Australia, one that’s cause for considerable alarm for the millions of dog owners around the country. This disease — ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cath Ferguson, Academic, Edith Cowan University Almost half of Australian adults struggle with reading. Similar levels of struggling readers are reported in the United Kingdom and United States. This does not mean all struggling readers are illiterate. It means they often struggle ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Abbas Shieh, Assistant Professor of Urban Planning and Design, Islamic Azad University The industrial revolution transformed cities, resulting in places of residence and work becoming more distant than ever before. This spatial segregation is still largely embedded in the design of our ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ari Mattes, Lecturer in Communications and Media, University of Notre Dame Australia Review: Occupation: Rainfall, written and directed by Luke Sparke Historically, when a sequel to a film was greenlit, you could rest assured this was because the first film made a ...
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for January 28, keeping you up to date with the latest local and international news. Reach me on stewart@thespinoff.co.nzOur members make The Spinoff happen! Every dollar contributed directly funds our editorial team – click here to learn more about how you can support us ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Tourism suffers in the shadow of Covid-19, two new positive cases in Auckland confirmed, and National will contest the Māori electorates.The front page of the January 4 Greymouth Star carried grim tidings for several of the glacier towns on the ...
*This article first appeared on RNZ and is republished with permission. Two people who left managed isolation on January 15 have been confirmed as positive Covid-19 cases, with the Ministry of Health urging anyone who visited the same locations during the same time period as the infected pair in Auckland to ...
The watchlist of 'offensive or unreasonable' babies' names is to be reviewed, to include more names from other languages. Generations of the Īhaka family have played a meaningful role in bringing Te Reo and stories of Māori to our wider community. Archdeacon Sir Kīngi Matutaera Īhaka (Te Aupōuri, 1921-93) was known as the orator of ...
After Morocco’s flagrant violation of the terms of the ceasefire in Western Sahara on Friday 13 November 2020 war broke out between the two sides. In the midst of this war Tauranga based Ballance Agri-Nutrients has decided to carry on importing phosphate ...
Nicholas Agar suggests that our handling of the pandemic could be partly down to our distinctive Treaty of Waitangi relationship, and Māori ideas that enabled us to make it through without tens of thousands of deaths A mission for universities in the coming decade will be a deep understanding of the meaning ...
A young girl who once sent $5 to an embattled America's Cup team is now among the women on the water helping run the contest for the Auld Mug. As an eager and generous nine-year-old, Melanie Roberts posted a letter, with a $5 note, to OneAustralia’s America’s Cup team. It was 1995, ...
At 5am today, cock’s crow, the embargo lifted on the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards longlist. Here are the books in the race, followed by thoughts from poetry editor Chris Tse and books editor Catherine Woulfe. A shortlist of four books in each category will be announced March 3, with ...
Ignoring those QR codes when you drop into the supermarket? Can’t be bothered when you grab a coffee? The people serving you notice, and you’re freaking them out.So far, New Zealanders’ use of the Covid-19 Tracer app has been notably woeful. Food industry workers who’ve watched streams of customers walk ...
Steve Braunias reveals the longlist of the 2021 Ockham New Zealand book awards Apart from one or two unfortunate omissions which cast doubt on the sanity and intellectual acumen of judges, especially the nobodies who judged this year's non-fiction, the longlist for the 2021 Ockham New Zealand book awards is ...
By Lulu Mark in Port Moresby Papua New Guinea’s biggest hospital is straining to provide medical services to the growing population of the capital Port Moresby – with an estimated growth rate of 3 percent annually, a medical executive says. Port Moresby General Hospital chief executive officer Dr Paki Molumi ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Nationals who attend Thursday’s memorial service in Tweed Heads for Doug Anthony, who died last month aged 90, may muse on the contrast between the state of their party when he led it and now. ...
Returning to quarantine-free travel in 2021 doesn't just need a vaccine, but a way to check whether arriving passengers are actually immune to the virus. A smart Kiwi science start-up is working with a global biometrics giant to make that happen. A deal signed between Kiwi research and development company Orbis Diagnostics, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caitlyn Forster, PhD Candidate, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney This summer’s wetter conditions have created great conditions for flowering plants. Flowers provide sweet nectar and protein-rich pollen, attracting many insects, including bees. Commercial honey bees are also thriving: ...
Lotto scratchie tickets featuring the pop band Six60 are being withdrawn after a public backlash. In a statement, Lotto NZ said there had been a mutual decision made with the band to remove the tickets from sale following the negative feedback, and it offered an apology. The band faced criticism, both ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Russell Dean Christopher Bicknell, Post-doctoral researcher in Palaeobiology , University of New England Shell-crushing predation was already in full swing half a billion years ago, as our new research published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B reveals. A hyena devouring ...
Vodafone has suspended advertising on the radio station amid calls for talkback host John Banks to be taken off air after yet another racist outburst. Alex Braae reports. In an alarming segment of talkback radio, former Auckland mayor John Banks endorsed the views of a caller who described Māori as a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Welch, Senior Lecturer, University of Auckland When a COVID-19 case was found in Northland last Sunday, Aotearoa’s second-longest period with no detected community case came to an end. ESR scientists worked late into Sunday night to obtain a whole genome sequence ...
He has the perfect moustache, an exceptional mullet, and he uses terms like ‘face hole’ on national TV. Who or what is Dr Joel Rindelaub?I was drawn in by the moustache, but it was the mullet that really kept me there. Watching TVNZ’s Breakfast yesterday morning I was fixated. Often, ...
We’ll never be royals with nearly a quarter of declined baby names featuring “Royal” in some form or another. Te Tari Taiwhenua Department of Internal Affairs has released the list of names declined in 2020 by the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and ...
After a raft of inquiries delving into and recommending what should be done about the politically beleaguered Orangi Tamaraki, along with the briefing papers we suppose he has been given, we imagined Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis would have no more need for expert advice. Wrong. He has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vincent Ho, Senior Lecturer and clinical academic gastroenterologist, Western Sydney University There’s a common assumption men take longer than women to poo. People say so on Twitter, in memes, and elsewhereonline. But is that right? What could explain it? And if ...
Just as sexuality is a spectrum, so too is asexuality. In Ace of Hearts, members of New Zealand’s asexual community talk about the challenges and misconceptions of identifying as ace.First published November 17, 2020.Ace of Hearts is part of Frame, a series of short documentaries produced by Wrestler for The Spinoff.“A ...
Sam Brooks wasn’t allowed to watch kids TV as a kid. Now, as a 30 year old man, he watches it for the first time.My mother’s approach to parenting was unorthodox. I wrote weekly book reports on top of my actual homework, I did maths equations in Roman numerals and ...
Pacific Media Watch newsdesk More leading Indonesian figures have made racial slurs against Natalius Pigai, former chair of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) – and all West Papuans, says United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) interim president Benny Wenda. “Since the illegal Indonesian invasion in 1963, Indonesian ...
“The Government’s failure to even conduct a standard cost-benefit analysis for the most expensive infrastructure project in New Zealand’s history is mind-bogglingly arrogant,” says New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke. “A ...
The Ministry of Health is today drawing backlash from the local New Zealand vaping industry following its release of proposed regulations for the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act. Vaping Trade Association New Zealand (VTANZ) President, ...
Sophie Gilmour and Simon Day are joined by special guest Hugo Baird, co-owner of Grey Lynn’s Honey Bones and Lilian, to talk about opening new pub Hotel Ponsonby.Auckland is a city of many bars but few really good pubs – the kind of places you’d be just as comfortable going ...
The appointment of an advisory board for Oranga Tamariki is welcome and should be a step toward a total transformation of the care and protection system to a by Māori, for Māori approach, Children’s Commissioner Andrew Becroft said today. Minister ...
Taking control of your financial wellbeing can have cascading positive impacts for your life and it can also be fun. With the help of the team at Kiwi Wealth, we’ve compiled some simple tricks for balancing your books in 2021. There’s something about the beginning of a new year, especially after ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kris Gledhill, Professor of Law, Auckland University of Technology As we know, getting into New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic is difficult. There are practicalities, such as high airfare and managed isolation costs. And there are legal requirements, including pre-flight testing, mandatory ...
New Zealand faces the risk of a generation being locked out of the housing market unless land is freed up and more houses built, National Party leader Judith Collins says. ...
On Sunday, Stuff published a months-long investigation by Alison Mau detailing allegations of harassment and exploitation within the local music industry.The piece, ‘Music industry professionals demand change after speaking out about its dark side’, includes allegations of inappropriate behaviour and abuse of power by male artists, international acts and executives; ...
“The Government is all at sea on timelines for Australia and New Zealand’s respective vaccine roll-outs, with the worst news coming from the mouth of Pfizer Australia CEO Anne Harris,” says ACT Leader David Seymour. “Yesterday, under increasing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claire Higgins, Senior Research Fellow, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW As a presidential candidate, Joe Biden promised the US would demonstrate “global leadership on refugees”. Once elected, he pledged to vastly increase refugee resettlement in the US. If history is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Baumann, Casual Academic, School of Social Sciences & Psychology, Western Sydney University Among the many hard truths exposed by COVID-19 is the huge disparity between the world’s rich and poor. As economies went into freefall, the world’s billionaires increased their already ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jan Lanicek, Senior Lecturer in Modern European History and Jewish History, UNSW On January 27 communities worldwide commemorate the liberation of Auschwitz — the largest complex of concentration camps and extermination centres during the Holocaust. This is the first year the International ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lorinda Cramer, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Australian Catholic University The summer break is over, marking a return to the office. For some, this ends almost a year of working from home in lockdown. Some analysts are predicting it might also mark an enduring ...
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for January 27, keeping you up to date with the latest local and international news. Reach me on stewart@thespinoff.co.nzOur members make The Spinoff happen! Every dollar contributed directly funds our editorial team – click here to learn more about how you can support us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato New Zealand has a strong history of protecting and promoting human rights at home and internationally, and prides itself on being an outspoken critic and global leader in this area. So, when the most ...
Good morning and welcome to the Bulletin. In today’s edition: Collins outlines the plan forward for National, no spread of Covid spotted yet in Northland, and students return for climate protest.In front of a Rotary Club at the Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, National leader Judith Collins yesterday set out her ...
*This articlefirst appeared on RNZ and is republished with permission. The tourism industry isn't holding its breath for a trans-Tasman travel bubble being in place after Australia temporarily closed its borders to New Zealand. New Zealanders could be waiting even longer for a full trans-Tasman bubble, with the ...
We continue our week-long examination of New Zealand writer Roderick Finlayson with an essay by Anahera Gildea on cultural appropriation Every night at 7pm sharp, my Irish Catholic father and his eight siblings would have to kneel on the carpet of the living room, facing the freshly polished nudity of ...
A Covid reset will force costly and inflexible cities to take a hard look at their planning systems, or people will vote with their feet. Broken urban planning systems make for misery even in the best of times. If land use and housing regulations prevent metropolitan areas from growing up or out as ...
Children's Minister Kelvin Davis will have independent eyes and ears across Oranga Tamariki over the next five months as the Government tries to change the work and practices of the ministry. The Government has created a Māori-led watchdog to oversee how the children's ministry, Oranga Tamariki, deals with parents and ...
When an Auckland school classroom went up in flames in December last year, exploding asbestos over neighbouring houses, five separate government agencies were involved. Yet stressed residents dealing with the aftermath on their homes say the response felt chaotic and uncoordinated; even local MPs who got involved couldn't get the information they wanted. Hundreds of thousands of ...
The pandemic has accelerated the trend of doing our banking online instead of in person. This rapid digital embrace has, in turn, sped up the closure of many smaller bank branches. But, as Mark Jennings writes, there are new branches springing up with a different look and purpose. Auckland’s Wynyard ...
Corrina Gage has represented New Zealand in a trio of water sports. But it's her love for waka ama - and the opportunities it gives paddlers from 5 to 85 - that keeps her racing and coaching around the world. Lake Karāpiro is quiet and still now. But last week, it was all noise ...
Telling a Rotary Club audience that housing is a serious problem and they should care deeply about it landed flat but took some daring from the National leader, writes Justin Giovannetti.Judith Collins’ level of control over the National Party is still a question best answered by a shrug.Elevated to her ...
A gang turf war gripped the South Auckland suburb in late 2020, forcing schools to lock down and armed police to patrol the streets. Community leaders are now warning the cycle of violent retribution could continue in 2021, unless radical interventions are made.The violent altercations that loomed large in Ōtara ...
Why is Simon posing with those losers?
"losers"?
I am sure that there would be any number of New Zealand Prime Ministers who would be jealous of Howard's display. He was in the job for 11 years, second only to Menzies 18. I'm sure Helen Clark would have loved to have lasted that long instead of being kicked out after a mere 9 years. Key of course never lost. He won every election he contested as Party Leader.
Oh well I suppose you are like all of us. Memory going in your old age I suppose.
Good point.
The question really should be, what are they doing being seen with an obvious zero like Simon?
That is a sensible question although I think a zero is a little harsh. Just a little though.
On the other hand I think I would prefer a low charisma PM than the fool we have at the moment. Charisma coming out her ears but no knowledge of the world to go with it.
why dont you finish the story alwyn. when aussies finally woke up, howard lost very badly. even lost his own seat, something that had never happened in aus, so yes, his last parliamentary act was a massive loss.
You really are a very foolish little chap, or is it chappess?
You claim "even lost his own seat, something that had never happened in aus".
As usual you are WRONG. He wasn't the first. Some people really are ignorant aren't you?
the second to lose his seat, still went out a loser. like you
Good on Martin at the TDB for this –
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/08/26/suicide-rate-hits-all-time-record-high/
Love how this radical far right wing economic experiment keeps rolling on, and the deaths just don't matter. Or how the centre left just do nothing but platitudes, and keep running with this destructive economic theory.
I'm afraid that after almost 2 years in office the current Government is simply going to have to cop any flak that is coming, whether it is fair or, as I think, rather unfair. Can't try the standard line about it all being National's fault though.
Terrible figures though, aren't they.
National support, and want to extend the far right crazy economics. So national are as bad – indeed probable the reason it so high.
And as for platitudes, I forgot the right can do it in spades as well…
What's not ok is to ignore it.
What's not ok is to pretend it's someone else's problem to fix.
Wouldn't better addressing poverty have far more impact?
The government has already put a lot of effort into mental health services, but it all takes time to become effective; some areas of help were persistently underfunded for the previous 9 years. Poverty can be important, but youth services seem to be quite important too – high youth unemployment, some of it not helped by using immigration to fill employment shortages in some not very skilled areas didn't help either.
Increasing expenditure on mental health services largely overlooks the issues that initially trigger mental health problems, thus is not the solution in itself. So while it may help comfort some currently having problems, it's clear the Government will have to do far more to help prevent more from initially becoming mentally stressed/ill.
And an area where the Government can do a lot more to have an almost instant impact is better addressing poverty. Which, of course, despite the rhetoric, thus minimal input to date, has largely been deferred. With no date for significant change announced. Which, in itself, is depressing.
No, it's not about poverty it's about feeling worthless.
Living in poverty adds to people losing their self worth, Cinny.
When you can't afford to participate in society, you no longer feel part of society, thus start thinking what is the point of living.
When you can't afford to participate in society, you no longer feel part of society, thus start thinking what is the point of living.
I expect better from you TC. Suicide is not as simple as you purport. Oh, that it were.
Cinny is correct. It is not about poverty.
I expected far better understanding from you, Rosemary.
Poverty is totally related to people feeling worthless. And in today's consumer based society where people are largely judged upon what they do and how much they earn their feeling of worthlessness and shame is further compounded by the scorn and venom dished upon them by many in the community.
Your (and others) lack of understanding of this highlights their feeling of abandonment.
Shame on you.
[I will try to respond to your other comment(s) in due course but this is the second time you’re pulling this emotional string on another commenter for not agreeing with you (on being anti-Labour) – the first one was Cinny yesterday who, according to you, “seem[ed] easily pleased”. In fact, you tried it with me too today. This is not a good way to debate and argue your case as it changes it from playing the ball to playing the (wo)man – Incognito]
It's but one aspect. The Chair is trying to force his blunt view on those who know what nuance is. He's doing that so that he can ride his, "Labour's failing the poor" hobby-horse.
Labour is failing the poor (and the ill and the disabled)….
…but these are not the people who are taking their own lives.
I often agree with The Chairman, but not on this topic.
Fuck off clown.
I personally know people who have passed away for that exact reason.
Nor am I claiming it's the only reason behind suicide. You fricken egg.
So direct your uncaring shit elsewhere.
[TC, please take a step back before you need to resort to abuse. – weka]
mod note for you Chairman.
Maybe everyone consider that suicide is a sensitive topic, and there will be people reading and commenting with histories that we don’t know about so extra care is called for.
If poverty caused such deep feelings of worthlessness in an individual that suicide was the only the sole relief, then the numbers would be much, much higher.
Think about it for a second or two…
Your lack of willingness to even consider this does indeed add to a sense of abandonment…in those of us 'survivors' who will spend the rest of our lives asking 'why?' How neat and tidy it would be to blame 'poverty', and simply move on.
You should know people react differently under pressure, Rosemary.
Moreover, as I just told Robert, I’m not claiming poverty is the only reason behind suicide.
See my Moderation note @ 12:51 PM.
Highlighting emotional realities felt by people is nothing like playing the man, Incog.
[So, Rosemary should feel ashamed and Cinny should not feel pleased? That’s a rhetorical question, BTW. You have no right to tell others how or what they should or shouldn’t feel. It makes for a poor argument and it makes it personal. It is the same as putting words in people’s mouths. Please don’t do it again and please stop arguing about moderation – Incognito]
See my Moderation note @ 2:52 PM.
Howard: "Well you know I wrote that character reference for Cardinal Pell after he'd been convicted of child sexual abuse John. It'd be no trouble at all for me to whip something up that exonerates you from the corruption that's been happening at ANZ lately!"
Why did no one speak up, and despite a "written" apology James Hardie will not respond to the Herald – I don't care how "high" his "position" is this is sickening. Thankfully it seems the restaurant is standing by their employee, no young hard working and studying NZer shuld have been subject to this.
Statisics are not good, some young NZers might not have this young woman's sound self awareness and confidence in a situation that she handled property but did severely upset her understandably. Other young NZers are no doubt subject to similar and adversely affected, no wonder the stats for the young are so awful.
waitress calls for apology after racist abuse
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12261985
She's only 17 but she's already running rings around her philistine detractors. Look at the photo. A lovely, intelligent young Maori woman who wants to become a medical practitioner.
Absolutely Anne, watched a wonderful interview with her this evening with Kanoa Lloyd on The Project this evening.
https://twitter.com/matthewhootonnz/status/1165880071908818944?s=21
Rumours (unvalidated obv) that Jacindas dropped to 35% (which I could easily believe). Her trends are really going in the wrong direction.
Of course it’s not what makes a government- but with NZF gone, greens very close to gone, and National out polling labour – I wouldn’t be so confident about 2020 if I was a labour fan
Looking for some public polls – esp the first one putting Jacinda in the 20’s. Might have to wait a couple for that however.
I can see the headlines now “NZ’s PMs support halves”
You got very excited by a rumour issuing forth from Matthew Hooton and decided it was so hot you had to drop it into The Standard as some sort of public service, James?
You're a wag.
It’s a political blog. Seemed like the right place.
And I find it funny.
So do we James.
You're a wag.
Hooton then tweets in reply to a question.
Broadly, Bridges less popular than a lump of coal but – despite that – his party’s poll numbers are still strong.
Yep – still our polling labour – even with bridges.
Would love to know the Green Party figs.
It can't possibly be true James. Labour always leak good results from their polls.
Let's face it. 35% would be a good result after the last month's news.
I don't believe your story though. It's a lie. it's a lie. It's a lie. It's a lie. It's a lie. It's a lie.
Exit, pursued by a bear.
Old hooten is going to be on the Q+A panel tonight.
He (Hooten) was his usual pathetic self. Overall the programme was an interesting watch, I was impressed with the interview with Meng Foon – he will (in my humble impression) make a great ambassador for his position.
Absolutely agree 🙂 Meng Foon, one of the good guys.
Oh yeah…. now that's what I'm talking about
Justice Minister Andrew Little warns alcohol industry a law review is on the cards
Most excellent news, am thrilled about this. Thanking you Mr Andrew Little, legend!
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/08/justice-minister-andrew-little-warns-alcohol-industry-a-law-review-is-on-the-cards.html
Just goes to show, a sympathetic journalist can give activists a propaganda platform that industry money just can't buy. Personally, I'm glad the liquor and hospitality industries have a financial stake in standing up to the campaigns of anti-drug activists, because there's no way ordinary citizens have the resources to do it.
You seem easily pleased, Cinny. Labour will be hoping there is more out there like you.
Justice Minister Andrew Little warns alcohol industry a law change is going to be raced through under urgency would be a more pleasing headline.
By the time Little's review is done, National may be in power, thus nothing will come of it.
Hence, Little squanders the opportunity to take action is how the headline reads to me.
The headline I was dreading:
The "lefty" "more left than most" Chairman back on relentlessly soggy form.
It's like you never 'left'
It's the Government's response that is once again "soggy" hence lacking substance. I'm merely the one here highlighting it.
Thus, regardless if I'm posting here or not, it's clear they aren't in a hurry to change.
Perhaps if more called them out on their piss poor efforts (rather than cheering them along) they may actually up their game.
This government's soft on drugs, huh? It's not cracking down hard enough on the people peddling this poison to our kids! Any other conservative talking points while you're at it?
Not really. Take the use of medicinal cannabis. It's not being very soft on that.
This Government, like a true right wing Government tends to favour. thus is far more softer on corporations involved in drugs.
Good luck having no corporations involved in medicinal cannabis.
If we can win that up and coming referendum, we'll be all good in that respect. Which I hear the gangs and corporations oppose. Seems your with them.
Arse about face. You're the one promoting a tough-on-drugs approach, not me. If I ever do start hand-wringing about the government not cracking down hard enough on recreational drug use the way you are on this thread, feel free to call me a hypocrite.
I'm not calling for alcohol to be banned or consumers of it to be criminalised, merely calling for tighter regulations on the sale of it.
Therefore, it's a far cry from your accusation of taking a tough-on-drugs approach.
Easily pleased…. dang, I've seen so much damage and death as a result of alcohol. That's why I'm thrilled.
Well said, Cinny. To the dismay of The Chairman, you’re not breaking out into an anti-Labour
rantchant.Don't be another detractor, Incog. Unite with me and help pressure them to up their game. That, is of course, if you want them too.
Lets see if we (all of us united together) can make better use of this site. Let’s see if we can make this a site actually work to produce change for the better.
Now that would be something to behold, would it not?
Alternatively, we can continue on to squabble amongst ourselves.
Ditto. Which is why I'm not thrilled about their piss poor effort.
And now that Little has appeased you by merely announcing a review (and in his mind hopefully others) his job is done knowing he's got your (and others) vote. Meanwhile, the carnage continues on unabated.
Akshully the medical professionals have come out saying that the 2012 review has done bugger all to help and the Minister is listening and is taking action.
TC, how do you feel the 2012 review has worked out?
Little isn't taking action, he's merely called for another review, squandering the opportunity to take real action.
Evidently, the implementations of the 2012 review were/are a failure to sufficiently address the problem.
Thanks for that hopeful news Cinny – review/reform looong overdue if the research and advocacy of these "anti-drug activists" is anything to go by. You can lead the National party towards alcohol law reform, but you cannot make them drink.
"If anyone was wondering why the [National-led] government has not brought in reforms to put an end to ultra-cheap alcohol or dismantle the relentless promotion of alcohol through advertising and sponsorship deals they now know the reason."
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1208/S00534/national-mp-admits-about-alcohol-industry.htm
"We could, perhaps, start with a short history lesson – though most readers will be pretty familiar with how New Zealand has gotten itself into such a pickle and pickled state in terms of how we drink."
https://www.drugfoundation.org.nz/matters-of-substance/may-2016/alcohol-law-reform/
https://www.alcohol.org.nz/
https://www.actionpoint.org.nz/alcohol-harm-in-new-zealand
https://www.northlanddhb.org.nz/your-health/healthy-lifestyles/health-promotion/alcohol-and-other-drugs/
https://www.cph.co.nz/your-health/alcohol/
Thanks for the links and info DMK, much appreciated
Respected local government journo Todd Niall thinks the right's latest poodle is not taking the Auckland mayoral race seriously: https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/115290201/auckland-mayoral-election-has-john-tamihere-shaken-it-up-too-much
"Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has not ruled out New Zealand's help in dealing with Amazon rainforest fires.
It follows reports that leaders of the G7 nations were preparing to help Brazil fight the fires and nearing an agreement about what support to offer, which would involve both technical and financial mechanisms.
Record fires are raging, with more than 2500 fires currently burning and collectively emitting huge amounts of carbon, with smoke plumes visible thousands of kilometres away."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/115294401/prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-concern-over-amazon-rainforest-fires–nz-may-help
Trump wants to nuke hurricanes 🙄 ffs
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/115289083/why-dont-we-nuke-hurricanes-asks-donald-trump
But Hillary 🙄
Why nuking hurricanes is a bad idea
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49471093
Can just picture him on a gaudy throne, ordering back the tide.