Daily review 26/10/2021
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5:30 pm, October 26th, 2021 - 48 comments
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- All I Want For Christmas
The worms will live in every hostIt's hard to pick which one they eat the mostThe horrible people, the horrible peopleIt's as anatomic as the size of your steepleCapitalism has made it this wayOld-fashioned fascism will take it awaySongwriter: Twiggy Ramirez Read more ...3 hours ago - The 1 Good Thing Left In Journalism
Hi,It’s almost Christmas Day which means it is almost my birthday, where you will find me whimpering in the corner clutching a warm bottle of Baileys.If you’re out of ideas for presents (and truly desperate) then it is possible to gift a full Webworm subscription to a friend (or enemy) ...7 hours ago - Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Monday, December 23
This morning’s six standouts for me at 6.30am include:Rachel Helyer Donaldson’s scoop via RNZ last night of cuts to maternity jobs in the health system;Maddy Croad’s scoop via The Press-$ this morning on funding cuts for Christchurch’s biggest food rescue charity;Benedict Collins’ scoop last night via 1News on a last-minute ...7 hours ago - 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #51
A listing of 25 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 15, 2024 thru Sat, December 21, 2024. Based on feedback we received, this week's roundup is the first one published soleley by category. We are still interested in ...15 hours ago - Dance Magic
Well, I've been there, sitting in that same chairWhispering that same prayer half a million timesIt's a lie, though buried in disciplesOne page of the Bible isn't worth a lifeThere's nothing wrong with youIt's true, it's trueThere's something wrong with the villageWith the villageSomething wrong with the villageSongwriters: Andrew Jackson ...1 day ago - Government Forces Universities to Enforce “Free Speech” While Limiting Universities̵...
ACT would like to dictate what universities can and can’t say. We knew it was coming. It was outlined in the coalition agreement and has become part of Seymour’s strategy of “emphasising public funding” to prevent people from opposing him and his views—something he also uses to try and de-platform ...1 day ago - Fact brief – Are we heading into an ‘ice age’?
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- As Our Power Lessens: Published
So the Solstice has arrived – Summer in this part of the world, Winter for the Northern Hemisphere. And with it, the publication my new Norse dark-fantasy piece, As Our Power Lessens at Eternal Haunted Summer: https://eternalhauntedsummer.com/issues/winter-solstice-2024/as-our-power-lessens/ As previously noted, this one is very ‘wyrd’, and Northern Theory of Courage. ...2 days ago - By Any Other Name.
The Natural Choice: As a starter for ten percent of the Party Vote, “saving the planet” is a very respectable objective. Young voters, in particular, raised on the dire (if unheeded) warnings of climate scientists, and the irrefutable evidence of devastating weather events linked to global warming, vote Green. After ...2 days ago - Bernard’s last Saturday Soliloquy for 2024
The Government cancelled 60% of Kāinga Ora’s new builds next year, even though the land for them was already bought, the consents were consented and there are builders unemployed all over the place. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political ...2 days ago - Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Saturday, December 21
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on UnsplashEvery morning I get up at 3am to go around the traps of news sites in Aotearoa and globally. I pick out the top ones from my point of view and have been putting them into my Dawn Chorus email, which goes out with a podcast. ...2 days ago - 2024 OIA stats
Over on Kikorangi Newsroom's Marc Daalder has published his annual OIA stats. So I thought I'd do mine: 82 OIA requests sent in 2024 7 posts based on those requests 20 average working days to receive a response Ministry of Justice was my most-requested entity, ...3 days ago - Climate Change: A perverse incentive
The government published its first Biennial Transparency Report under the Paris Agreement yesterday, and the media has correctly noted that it is missing any plan to actually meet our target. While it hypes domestic emissions reductions so far - which have been good, but will likely get worse thanks to ...3 days ago
- Economic Bulletin December 2024
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The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi have submitted against the controversial Treaty Principles Bill, slamming the Bill as a breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and an attack on tino rangatiratanga and the collective rights of Tangata Whenua. “This Bill seeks to legislate for Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles that are ...3 days ago
- ZB’s Power Couple
I don't knowHow to say what's got to be saidI don't know if it's black or whiteThere's others see it redI don't get the answers rightI'll leave that to youIs this love out of fashionOr is it the time of yearAre these words distraction?To the words you want to hearSongwriters: ...3 days ago - Austerity thumps GDP most since 1991
Our economy has experienced its worst recession since 1991. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, December 20 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above and the daily Pick ‘n’ Mix below ...3 days ago
- Weekly Roundup 20-December-2024
Twas the Friday before Christmas and all through the week we’ve been collecting stories for our final roundup of the year. As we start to wind down for the year we hope you all have a safe and happy Christmas and new year. If you’re travelling please be safe on ...3 days ago - The Hoon around the year to December 20, 2024
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the year’s news with: on climate. Her book of the year was Tim Winton’s cli-fi novel Juice and she also mentioned Mike Joy’s memoir The Fight for Fresh Water. ...3 days ago
- The baby-boomers’ last gasp
The Government can head off to the holidays, entitled to assure itself that it has done more or less what it said it would do. The campaign last year promised to “get New Zealand back on track.” When you look at the basic promises—to trim back Government expenditure, toughen up ...3 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #51 2024
Open access notables An intensification of surface Earth’s energy imbalance since the late 20th century, Li et al., Communications Earth & Environment: Tracking the energy balance of the Earth system is a key method for studying the contribution of human activities to climate change. However, accurately estimating the surface energy balance ...4 days ago
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Photo by Mauricio Fanfa on UnsplashKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with myself , plus regular guests and , ...4 days ago - Christmas Gifts: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
“Like you said, I’m an unreconstructed socialist. Everybody deserves to get something for Christmas.”“ONE OF THOSE had better be for me!” Hannah grinned, fascinated, as Laurie made his way, gingerly, to the bar, his arms full of gift-wrapped packages.“Of course!”, beamed Laurie. Depositing his armful on the bar-top and selecting ...4 days ago
- GDP Figures No Christmas Present for New Zealand
Data released by Statistics New Zealand today showed a significant slowdown in the economy over the past six months, with GDP falling by 1% in September, and 1.1% in June said CTU Economist Craig Renney. “The data shows that the size of the economy in GDP terms is now smaller ...4 days ago
- Cheeseburgers and Stunt Monkeys
One last thing before I quitI never wanted any moreThan I could fit into my headI still remember every single word you saidAnd all the shit that somehow came along with itStill, there's one thing that comforts meSince I was always caged and now I'm freeSongwriters: David Grohl / Georg ...4 days ago - MSD rejecting 220 pleas for food grants each day
Sparse offerings outside a Te Kauwhata church. Meanwhile, the Government is cutting spending in ways that make thousands of hungry children even hungrier, while also cutting funding for the charities that help them. It’s also doing that while winding back new building of affordable housing that would allow parents to ...4 days ago
- The Wing Parties’ Economic Policies.
It is difficult to make sense of the Luxon Coalition Government’s economic management.This end-of-year review about the state of economic management – the state of the economy was last week – is not going to cover the National Party contribution. Frankly, like every other careful observer, I cannot make up ...4 days ago - Back on Track
This morning I awoke to the lovely news that we are firmly back on track, that is if the scale was reversed.NZ ranks low in global economic comparisonsNew Zealand's economy has been ranked 33rd out of 37 in an international comparison of which have done best in 2024.Economies were ranked ...4 days ago - Book Review: How Big Things Get Done
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Remember those silent movies where the heroine is tied to the railway tracks or going over the waterfall in a barrel? Finance Minister Nicola Willis seems intent on portraying herself as that damsel in distress. According to Willis, this country’s current economic problems have all been caused by the spending ...5 days ago - Dragging our way towards the finish line, the end of this year can’t come soon enough for many…
Similar to the cuts and the austerity drive imposed by Ruth Richardson in the 1990’s, an era which to all intents and purposes we’ve largely fiddled around the edges with fixing in the time since – over, to be fair, several administrations – whilst trying our best it seems to ...5 days ago - Handling Democracy.
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This is a must watch, and puts on brilliant and practical display the implications and mechanics of fast-track law corruption and weakness.CLICK HERE: LINK TO WATCH VIDEOOur news media as it is set up is simply not equipped to deal with the brazen disinformation and corruption under this right wing ...5 days ago - NZCTU: Minister needs to listen to the evidence on engineered stone ban
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Acting Secretary Erin Polaczuk is welcoming the announcement from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden that she is opening consultation on engineered stone and is calling on her to listen to the evidence and implement a total ban of the product. “We need ...5 days ago
- Wednesday 18 December
The Government has announced a 1.5% increase in the minimum wage from 1 April 2025, well below forecast inflation of 2.5%. Unions have reacted strongly and denounced it as a real terms cut. PSA and the CTU are opposing a new round of staff cuts at WorkSafe, which they say ...5 days ago
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The decision to unilaterally repudiate the contract for new Cook Strait ferries is beginning to look like one of the stupidest decisions a New Zealand government ever made. While cancelling the ferries and their associated port infrastructure may have made this year's books look good, it means higher costs later, ...5 days ago
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We're going backwardsIgnoring the realitiesGoing backwardsAre you counting all the casualties?We are not there yetWhere we need to beWe are still in debtTo our insanitiesSongwriter: Martin Gore Read more ...5 days ago - Blaming Treasury & Labour, Willis looks for even more Austerity
Willis blamed Treasury for changing its productivity assumptions and Labour’s spending increases since Covid for the worsening Budget outlook. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, December 18 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above ...5 days ago
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Today the Auckland Transport board meet for the last time this year. For those interested (and with time to spare), you can follow along via this MS Teams link from 10am. I’ve taken a quick look through the agenda items to see what I think the most interesting aspects are. ...5 days ago
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Hi,If you’re a New Zealander — you know who Mike King is. He is the face of New Zealand’s battle against mental health problems. He can be loud and brash. He raises, and is entrusted with, a lot of cash. Last year his “I Am Hope” charity reported a revenue ...5 days ago - It could have been worse
Probably about the only consolation available from yesterday’s unveiling of the Half-Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) is that it could have been worse. Though Finance Minister Nicola Willis has tightened the screws on future government spending, she has resisted the calls from hard-line academics, fiscal purists and fiscal hawks ...5 days ago
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The right have a stupid saying that is only occasionally true:When is democracy not democracy? When it hasn’t been voted on.While not true in regards to branches of government such as the judiciary, it’s a philosophy that probably should apply to recently-elected local government councillors. Nevertheless, this concept seemed to ...5 days ago - Willis’ austerity strategy just isn’t working
Long story short: the Government’s austerity policy has driven the economy into a deeper and longer recession that means it will have to borrow $20 billion more over the next four years than it expected just six months ago. Treasury’s latest forecasts show the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s fiscal strategy of ...6 days ago
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On November 1, 2024 we announced the publication of 33 rebuttals based on the report "Rebutting 33 False Claims About Solar, Wind, and Electric Vehicles" written by Matthew Eisenson, Jacob Elkin, Andy Fitch, Matthew Ard, Kaya Sittinger & Samuel Lavine and published by the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia ...6 days ago
- Join us for a pop-up Hoon at 5pm on HYEFU
6 days ago - ‘Ideas Worth Saving’: A Call for Papers
Some years ago, I found myself pondering the power of literature to endure. Or at least the power of some of it to endure, while the rest vanishes in mere decades: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2019/08/07/look-on-my-works-ye-mighty-and-despair-the-literary-future/. I have similarly had fun with the subject in some of my short stories, such as Another Alexandria ...6 days ago - Corrections is torturing prisoners again
In 1998, in the wake of the Paremoremo Prison riot, the Department of Corrections established the "Behaviour Management Regime". Prisoners were locked in their cells for 22 or 23 hours a day, with no fresh air, no exercise, no social contact, no entertainment, and in some cases no clothes and ...6 days ago
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New data released by the Treasury shows that the economic policies of this Government have made things worse in the year since they took office, said NZCTU Economist Craig Renney. “Our fiscal indicators are all heading in the wrong direction – with higher levels of debt, a higher deficit, and ...6 days ago
- “Better economic management”
At the 2023 election, National basically ran on a platform of being better economic managers. So how'd that turn out for us? In just one year, they've fucked us for two full political terms: The government's books are set to remain deeply in the red for the near term ...6 days ago
- Shameless, clueless
AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...6 days ago - Minimum wage ‘increase’ is an effective cut
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi are saying that the Government should do the right thing and deliver minimum wage increases that don’t see workers fall further behind, in response to today’s announcement that the minimum wage will only be increased by 1.5%, well short of forecast inflation. “With inflation forecast ...6 days ago
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Oh, I weptFor daysFilled my eyesWith silly tearsOh, yeaBut I don'tCare no moreI don't care ifMy eyes get soreSongwriters: Paul Rodgers / Paul Kossoff. Read more ...6 days ago - How much should you worry about a collapse of the Atlantic conveyor belt?
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob Henson In this aerial view, fingers of meltwater flow from the melting Isunnguata Sermia glacier descending from the Greenland Ice Sheet on July 11, 2024, near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. According to the Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet (PROMICE), the ...6 days ago
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In August, I wrote an article about David Seymour1 with a video of his testimony, to warn that there were grave dangers to his Ministry of Regulation:David Seymour's Ministry of Slush Hides Far Greater RisksWhy Seymour's exorbitant waste of taxpayers' money could be the least of concernThe money for Seymour ...6 days ago - When austerity worsens public debt & cuts GDP
Willis is expected to have to reveal the bitter fiscal fruits of her austerity strategy in the HYEFU later today. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/TheKakaMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, December 17 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast ...6 days ago
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The Prime Minister yesterday engaged in what looked like a pre-emptive strike designed to counter what is likely to be a series of depressing economic statistics expected before the end of the week. He opened his weekly post-Cabinet press conference with a recitation of the Government’s achievements. “It certainly has ...6 days ago
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- More public service contempt of parliament
Back in 2023 the New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties raised concerns about the inherent conflict of interest involved in public service agencies supporting parliamentary select committees. Our parliament is run on a shoestring, so depends on the public service for advice. But public service agencies work for Ministers, not ...7 days ago
- If There Is A God
And if there is a GodI know he likes to rockHe likes his loud guitarsHis spiders from MarsAnd if there is a GodI know he's watching meHe likes what he seesBut there's trouble on the breezeSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan Read more ...1 week ago - A Lipstick Government
Here’s a quick round up of today’s political news:1. MORE FOOD BANKS, CHARITIES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS AND YOUTH SOCIAL SERVICES SET TO CLOSE OR SCALE BACK AROUND THE COUNTRY AS GOVT CUTS FUNDINGSome of Auckland's largest foodbanks are warning they may need to close or significantly reduce food parcels after ...1 week ago - NZCTU open letter to Treasury on undue restrictions on restricted briefings
Iain Rennie, CNZMSecretary and Chief Executive to the TreasuryDear Secretary, Undue restrictions on restricted briefings This week, the Treasury barred representatives from four organisations, including the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi, from attending the restricted briefing for the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update. We had been ...1 week ago
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A grassroots backlash has forced a backdown from Brown, but he is still eyeing up plenty of tolls for other new roads. And the pressure is on Willis to ramp up the Government’s austerity strategy. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy ...1 week ago
- Thank You
Hi all,I'm pretty overwhelmed by all your messages and emails today; thank you so very much.As much as my newsletter this morning was about money, and we all need to earn money, it was mostly about world domination if I'm honest. 😉I really hate what’s happening to our country, and ...1 week ago - 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #50
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- Making Gravy
I started writing this morning about Hobson’s Pledge, examining the claims they and their supporters make, basically ripping into them. But I kept getting notifications coming through, and not good ones.Each time I looked up, there was another un-subscription message, and I felt a bit sicker at the thought of ...1 week ago - Nothing here but the shadows
Once, long before there was Harry and Meghan and Dodi and all those episodes of The Crown, they came to spend some time with us, Charles and Diana. Was there anyone in the world more glamorous than the Princess of Wales?Dazzled as everyone was by their company, the leader of ...1 week ago - The United Right: the FSU’s Continued Efforts to Undermine Academia
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Just ten days ago, South Korea's president attempted a self-coup, declaring martial law and attempting to have opposition MPs murdered or arrested in an effort to seize unconstrained power. The attempt was rapidly defeated by the national assembly voting it down and the people flooding the streets to defend democracy. ...1 week ago
- National’s Greatest Misses 2023-4
National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...3 days ago - Release: Minister’s plan for tertiary sector a backwards step
Returning to the model that was failing for most polytechnics and Institutes of Technology is not the answer. ...3 days ago
- Release: National buries 1019 planned homes
It’s been revealed that National has cancelled 60 percent of its housing projects planned before mid-2025 amidst housing woes. ...3 days ago
- Release: Rule-Czar bill a right-wing power grab
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...3 days ago
- Release: Why not both? Luxon shuns Waitangi celebrations
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is running away from problems of his own creation, with his decision not to go to Waitangi. ...4 days ago
- Govt’s ‘free speech’ legislation stokes fear, not freedom
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...4 days ago - Release: Nicola Willis spirals country deeper into recession
The economy shrank 1% this quarter and New Zealand has tumbled into the depths of a recession of Nicola Willis’ making. ...4 days ago
- Release: Hikes for company directors but not ordinary Kiwis
Working people are going backwards while company directors are being given huge pay hikes. ...5 days ago
- ECE no place to cut corners
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...5 days ago
- Release: Strengthening Justice Services for New Zealanders
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...5 days ago
- Release: Labour will continue fight against destructive projects
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...6 days ago
- Green Government will revoke dodgy fast-track projects
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...6 days ago
- Government for the wealthy keeps pushing austerity
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...6 days ago
- Release: Visa changes let migrant workers be paid less
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...6 days ago
- Release: Nightmare before Christmas for Nicola Willis
With more debt and a larger deficit, Nicola Willis’ reputation is in tatters after her failure to return the Government’s books to surplus. ...6 days ago
- Warning to Fast-Track Applicants – ‘Exploit the Whenua, Face the Consequences’
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt cuts wages for lowest paid NZers… again
For the second year running, the government has effectively cut wages for the lowest paid workers in New Zealand. ...6 days ago
- Govt’s miserly 1.5% minimum wage will take workers backwards
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt shirking responsibility for rate hikes
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...6 days ago
- Luxon’s ‘localism’ strikes again
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...7 days ago
- Release: Govt breaks promise on EV chargers
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...7 days ago
- Greens call for end to subsidies for Methanex
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...1 week ago
- Govt child poverty targets allow for increase in poverty
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...1 week ago
- Release: Four weeks annual leave under threat
The Government’s attack on workers continues with news it is scrapping work on the Holidays Act. ...1 week ago
- Govt’s emissions plan for measly 1% reduction
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...1 week ago
- Greens stand in solidarity with Whakaata Māori on sad day
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...1 week ago
- Sanctions regime to create more hardship for families
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...1 week ago
- Govt gifts renters housing anxiety for Christmas
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...1 week ago
- Release: National Party urged to support modern slavery legislation
Labour is urging the Prime Minister to walk the talk and support legislation combating modern slavery. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour has lost confidence in the Speaker
The Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament made an unprecedented decision on the government amendment to the Fast Track Approvals Bill last night. ...2 weeks ago
- One year on, still no progress on new ferries
Today’s announcement from the Government on its plan for new ferries throws more uncertainty on the future of the country’s rail network. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Nicola Willis’ smaller ferries will cost more
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...2 weeks ago
- Bill to sanction unlawful occupation of Palestine
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
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Vaccine mandates getting stricter. Good.
Watch: Vaccination to be mandated for workplaces requiring certificates for entry | RNZ News
Def support from me. Was there anything about schools? Like students over 12? My 13 year old is double jabbed as is all but one in her class.
Vaccine mandates getting more confused…and counter productive.
There, there. What's confusing you?
There , there…
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018817895/workplace-relations-minister-on-vaccine-mandate-expansion
The Minister is unwilling to specify how the policy will apply, but you apparently know all the ins and outs….congratulations.
I have just listened to that link and it seems perfectly clear. Wood talks about 3 groups: 1) those to whom it already applies (health, education), 2) those to whom today's announcement applies, and 3) those where it doesn't apply yet, but is not ruled out in future.
It's a major change to employment rights and it has to be more nuanced than the "certainty" of a blanket ban, which then falls apart in court.
"Businesses who choose to use vaccine certificates will have far more freedom to operate than those who don’t. And those who don’t will likely not be assured of payments under the wage subsidy scheme at the lower traffic light settings."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300436239/covid19-nz-government-sets-90-vaccine-target-to-move-to-trafficlight-system-with-no-national-lockdowns
Operative word being 'choose'….a Claytons mandate, and full of ambiguity…hence the Ministers reluctance to be specific. The Gov are playing a silly buggers game..they are trying to push people to vaccinate with unspecified threats that they are unlikely to implemented when push comes to shove….this will likely come back to bite them on the arse, which is no less than they deserve.
You've linked to a story from 4 days ago, not in response to today's announcement, so you're not really discussing this in good faith.
Watch today's press conference (it's online). Many Qs answered.
Todays press release is based on the business 'mandate' released some days ago…which you would know if you listened to the Minister on Checkpoint tonight….enough qualification to drive a bus through.
I only caught it on the 6 o'clock news and I didn't really get it either. The passport is mandatory in some places, but in others it's up to the business owner? Does that mean the staff in the places that aren't enforcing the passport don't have to fire their unvaccinated staff?
Will it apply to private health clinics though? e.g. those that jab people with botox
Wimpy little baby step it may be, but at least it's in the right direction.
We just need many many more of them to get to somewhere useful, and at one step a week it's gonna take a while.
Curious that Minister of Workplace Relations Michael Woodhouse is going quite gingerly through mandates of the public sector. On RNZ this afternoon specifically ruling out a full vaccine mandate for the entire public service, or, when pressed, for 'people facing' entities such as MSD, NZDF, Police, and the like.
I find it hard to believe that simply going through every work category in New Zealand one by one is really simplifying much if you are a worker.
Still, hairdressing!
Looks to me like it's trying to just slowly ramp up the heat.
But if you want the frogs in the pot to actually jump, a big splash of the hot stuff all at once is probably more effective.
Well a good place to start would be to make sure that ALL of the public service is vaccinated as a good example of good citizenry. But then well…….maybe tomorrow?
At current rates of progress, late November/early December.
well, that was the plan since ever? Right. Group 4 to be fully vaccinated by end of the year. lol
Indeed it was. We just weren't told about the "locking down Auckland until then" bit.
And just as we weren’t told about Delta when it was still unknown, and possibly even when it was a 'known unknown'. Bloody useless Gummint!
Fuck off.
There's lots of obvious stuff the government could be doing but isn't that would lift our vaccination rates and allow Auckland to lift some restrictions earlier.
It really really is getting absolutely fucking onerous, and smug smartarses from other areas that haven't been dealing without the extra locking down Auckland has had over the last 18 months would do well to just shut it before a smartarse comment, and spend some time pondering what they could say and do instead to lift vaccination rates.
The main point of my comment is that the Delta variant put a spanner in the works of our government's relatively effective Covid-19 management plans and strategies. They had to adapt, and I reckon good on them for giving it a go.
It's both a pity and inevitable that our govt won't be able to take the whole team with them.
As for "Fuck off", "fucking onerous" and "suffering" – I do get it.
Unite against COVID-19
https://covid19.govt.nz
It's also fucking onerous that all the shit lefties were arguing for all these years would have put us in a way better position now than we are. I'd take your argument more seriously if I thought it was accompanied by advocating for ending poverty and so on, but you're going to vote National next time.
With my history of suspensions and bans it's worth checking – Is "fuck off" now an acceptable reply here?
I have a long ‘FU’ list and am seeking clarification whether I can use it with impunity lol
Some workers seldom need to go to an office – they can work from home and use the telephone or video conference. If someone in a remote location works for the public sector and does not need to be face to face – why require vaccination?
Personally I believe such 'hermit' type cases will be rare, but is it reasonable to require it now? – should it be OK to exempt a worker until they go to a location where they can get vaccinated?
Do you mean Michael Wood?
Michael Woodhouse is a National MP.
Yes
The Union of our 'public' service might be better then the union for hairdressers that only get paid if they cut hair?
Ardern and Wood were impressive in the post-Cab. Clear communication, questions anticipated and answered, good grasp of detail. The ability to do this really matters, not just for party politics but to get the public on board.
The contrast with Collins and Bishop earlier today is stark.
(PS I’d recommend watching the press conference itself not just a media version thereof. Original source).
But Collins is saying that mandates shouldn't be compulsory.
So maybe the National Party should pick up the hospital bill.
So who is she trying to impress the anti vaxxers who will be the largest majority of the unvaccinated. Saying it will be divisive where is her logic .allowing a small minority to hold the majority to ransome. If unvaccinated people want to be included test's should be made available at a reasonable price to get regular tests .People with underlying health conditions who can't be vaccinated need to be provided free tests on a regular basis.
Collins/National are all over the place on this. Politics 101: if you try to ride all the horses, you fall off. They are pleasing nobody, including their own supporters.
Example: see the replies here, and not just from "lefties" …
National tweet, and the people reply
Collins is trying to have a $1.00 Each Way and also covering the Field. We don't know how this is going to play out. If we had Collins and Seymour running the country I am sure we would have had more casualties.
More people in Auckland have now been vaccinated (min 1st dose) than the 88% who said they would, less than a month ago:
Herald poll (paywall)
Getting a sub to jab for you costs about $500 going by facebook.
Gotta love capitalism…
COVID allegedly leaked into Te Awamutu, Waikato by drug dealers according to the NZ Herald, probably took the back roads to avoid detection by the NZ Police. Unfortunately gangsters don't play by the rules even under Lockdown. You just can't win with these people they don't care about the harm and misery they cause other people.
True that – they wouldn't be drug dealers if they gave a shit
The shortest and most accurate comment I have seen today.
Like +100%
Evidently a regular drug dealer servicing the Te Awamutu, Raglan and the Kawhia Areas.
With Auckland's 1.7million people out of a total of 5 million streaking away in vaccination rates, we won't need to take any crap about being a JAFA when it's the fools in the rest of the North Island holding us back. Quicker they fully mandate domestic flights the better for us all.
All we can do is get our vaccination rates up, follow the rules and hope for the best. The Government has to have some strategy otherwise we would be a Basket Case especially if Judith Collins and David Seymour were running the show.
For those that think international tourism is a recent phenomena, form (I presume) the Otago Witness 26/10/1921 (reprinted in today's ODT) https://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/100-years-ago/good-year-tourism
That profit of £42,2l8 is about $4 million in today's money according to the RBNZ inflation calculator. They all came by sea and there probably weren't that many by today's standard, but the ratio of domestic to international from the Hermitage figures is not that different to pre covid visitor mix (apart from the north / south figure) And Milford was congested at the peak season….
Congesting is a state of mind apparently. Queenstown tourism mogul (unnamed) once said something like that Milford should be opened up for major development because it's already ruined. There's a big difference in congestion at Mrs Sutherland's house, and 1,000,000 visitors per year.
The big push for industrial tourism started in the 80s. It's gone way too far. So many people in the high tourism areas know that it's wrong, but there is little leadership out of the mess.
The thing was that then it was profitable on very small numbers, and correspondingly high value visitors. It was a very high end industry in the '20's, probably the equivalent to the current top level operations. Queenstown was also every bit as wild as today, just on a smaller scale.
But agree we lost a lot when Government mandated a volume over value focus in 80's and that on steroids from 2008. We'll see what happens as we come through the current situation, but those interests are trying hard to get it all back again.
Hīkoi from Rotorua to Northland.
I'm sure sane Northlanders don't want these mongrels in Northland.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-delta-outbreak-police-condemn-hikoi-from-rotorua-to-northland/3QVLPP3MHBSQAWSRV44HP6FXR4/
The big time organiser of the big time event from August last year:
"And you think we are gonna stand bye up here in TE TAI TOKERAU and let this MUPPET of a GOVERNMENT back in for another term! YOUR A JOKE with your so called news report. NZPP and BILLY TE KAHIKA along with ADVANCE NZ and JAIME LEE ROSS……..huhARE MOST DEFINITELY GONNA WIN IN TE TAI TOKERAU!"
https://thespinoff.substack.com/p/the-rapid-rise-to-prominence-of-billy/comments
And more:
“Chocky Hereora real name Carlene Hereora posted a dangerous video falsely accusing a school and their principal of covid testing an 8 year old. The vile video full of lies is still on it's fb page. It's no coincidence that Carlene and Karen Brewer are known to each other and both engage in false accusations against people or institutions their delusional minds invent as dangerous to children. Currently Carlene's video has recieved 343 reactions and 600 yes 600 shares!!!!! THAT IS INSANE!!!!!! She is trying to incite communities against their schools and their teachers. The school is innocent and the principal is innocent. DCA stands by schools trying to do their job the best they can in spite of this vile rubbish. Damien control your friends!!!!!"
Can you say that again please?
The big time organiser of the big time event from August last year:
"And you think we are gonna stand bye up here in TE TAI TOKERAU and let this MUPPET of a GOVERNMENT back in for another term! YOUR A JOKE with your so called news report. NZPP and BILLY TE KAHIKA along with ADVANCE NZ and JAIME LEE ROSS……..huhARE MOST DEFINITELY GONNA WIN IN TE TAI TOKERAU!"
https://thespinoff.substack.com/p/the-rapid-rise-to-prominence-of-billy/comments
And more:
"Chocky Hereora real name Carlene Hereora posted a dangerous video falsely accusing a school and their principal of covid testing an 8 year old. The vile video full of lies is still on it's fb page. It's no coincidence that Carlene and Karen Brewer are known to each other and both engage in false accusations against people or institutions their delusional minds invent as dangerous to children. Currently Carlene's video has recieved 343 reactions and 600 yes 600 shares!!!!! THAT IS INSANE!!!!!! She is trying to incite communities against their schools and their teachers. The school is innocent and the principal is innocent. DCA stands by schools trying to do their job the best they can in spite of this vile rubbish. Damien control your friends!!!!!"