Daily review 27/02/2019
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5:35 pm, February 27th, 2019 - 86 comments
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- 2025 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #12
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 16, 2025 thru Sat, March 22, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. We are still interested ...5 hours ago - Bullying a Chess Bot: More Martinian Shenanigans
In recent months, I have garnered copious amusement playing Martin, chess.com’s infamously terrible Chess AI. Alas, it is not how it once was, when he would cheerfully ignore freely offered material. Martin has grown better since I first stumbled upon him. I still remain frustrated at his capture-happy determination to ...9 hours ago - Indian Summer
Every time that I see ya,A lightning bolt fills the room,The underbelly of Paris,She sings her favourite tune,She'll drink you under the table,She'll show you a trick or two,But every time that I left her,I missed the things she would doSongwriters: Kelly JonesThis morning, I posted - Are you excited ...15 hours ago - Bernard’s Soliloquy for the week to March 23
Long stories shortest this week in our political economy: Standard & Poor’s judged the Government’s council finance reforms a failure. Professional investors showed the Government they want it to borrow more, not less. GDP bounced out of recession by more than forecast in the December quarter, but data for the ...17 hours ago - Making sense of it all
Each day at 4:30 my brother calls in at the rest home to see Dad. My visits can be months apart. Five minutes after you've left, he’ll have forgotten you were there, but every time, his face lights up and it’s a warm happy visit.Tim takes care of almost everything ...21 hours ago - A Response to ACT’s MRA-Style Rant
On the 19th of March, ACT announced they would be running candidates in this year’s local government elections. Accompanying that call for “common-sense kiwis” was an anti-woke essay typifying the views they expect their candidates to hold. I have included that part of their mailer, Free Press, in its entirety. ...1 day ago - Spread a Little Happiness
Even when the darkest clouds are in the skyYou mustn't sigh and you mustn't crySpread a little happiness as you go byPlease tryWhat's the use of worrying and feeling blue?When days are long keep on smiling throughSpread a little happiness 'til dreams come trueSongwriters: Vivian Ellis / Clifford Grey / ...2 days ago - Pick ‘n’ Mix at 6am on Saturday, March 22
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, Washington Post/$, Wired/$, ...2 days ago - Siding with the Right Of the Right
ACT up the game on division politicsEmmerson’s take on David Seymour’s claim Jesus would have supported ACTACT’s announcement it is moving into local politics is a logical next step for a party that is waging its battle on picking up the aggrieved.It’s a numbers game, and as long as the ...2 days ago - Jam tomorrow, butter next week
1. What will be the slogan of the next butter ad campaign?a. You’re worth itb. Once it hits $20, we can do something about the riversc. I can’t believe it’s the price of butter d. None of the above Read more ...2 days ago - Why Do Cryptocurrencies Appear to Be So Valuable?
It is said that economists know the price of everything and the value of nothing. That may be an exaggeration but an even better response is to point out economists do know the difference. They did not at first. Classical economics thought that the price of something reflected the objective ...2 days ago - Awful optics: political fighting in Taiwan stalls part of defence budget rise
Political fighting in Taiwan is delaying some of an increase in defence spending and creating an appearance of lack of national resolve that can only damage the island’s relationship with the Trump administration. The main ...2 days ago - The Independent Intelligence Review is finally out, and it’s a worthy sequel
The unclassified version of the 2024 Independent Intelligence Review (IIR) was released today. It’s a welcome and worthy sequel to its 2017 predecessor, with an ambitious set of recommendations for enhancements to Australia’s national intelligence ...2 days ago
- Law, culture, and the OIA
Yesterday outgoing Ombudsman Peter Boshier published a report, Reflections on the Official Information Act, on his way out the door. The report repeated his favoured mantra that the Act was "fundamentally sound", all problems were issues of culture, and that no legislative change was needed (and especially no changes to ...2 days ago - A new US humanitarian agency must operate without political blinders
The United States government is considering replacing USAID with a new agency, the US Agency for International Humanitarian Assistance (USIHA), according to documents published by POLITICO. Under the proposed design, the agency will fail its ...2 days ago
- Worming Through Dangerous Times
3 days ago - Why is the Govt so afraid of borrowing?
Mōrena. Long stories shortest: Professional investors who are paid a lot of money to be careful about lending to the New Zealand Government think it is wonderful place to put their money. Yet the Government itself is so afraid of borrowing more that it is happy to kill its own ...3 days ago - The future of the Combined Space Operations initiative
As space becomes more contested, Australia should play a key role with its partners in the Combined Space Operations (CSpO) initiative to safeguard the space domain. Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States signed the ...3 days ago
- Dave’s Cats
Ooh you're a cool catComing on strong with all the chit chatOoh you're alrightHanging out and stealing all the limelightOoh messing with the beat of my heart yeah!Songwriters: Freddie Mercury / John Deacon.It would be a tad ironic; I can see it now. “Yeah, I didn’t unsubscribe when he said ...3 days ago - Friday 21 March
The PSA are calling the Prime Minister a hypocrite for committing to increase defence spending while hundreds of more civilian New Zealand Defence Force jobs are set to be cut as part of a major restructure. The number of companies being investigated for people trafficking in New Zealand has skyrocketed ...3 days ago - Weekly Roundup 21-March-2025
Another Friday, hope everyone’s enjoyed their week as we head toward the autumn equinox. Here’s another roundup of stories that caught our eye on the subject of cities and what makes them even better. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Connor took a look at how Auckland ...3 days ago - A special Hoon with Michael Wolff, author of four books on Donald Trump
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking with special guest author Michael Wolff, who has just published his fourth book about Donald Trump: ‘All or Nothing’.Here’s Peter’s writeup of the interview. Hoon: Trumpism ...3 days ago - Hoon: Trumpism dies with Trump says Wolff
3 days ago
- The ADF reserve system is obsolete. We need a dramatically expanded force
Australia needs to radically reorganise its reserves system to create a latent military force that is much larger, better trained and equipped and deployable within days—not decades. Our current reserve system is not fit for ...3 days ago
- Pick ‘n’ Mix at 6am on Friday, March 21
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, Washington Post/$, Wired/$, ...3 days ago - Against All Reason: William Blake and the Private Fantasy Mythology
I have argued before that one ought to be careful in retrospectively allocating texts into genres. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) only looks like science-fiction because a science-fiction genre subsequently developed. Without H.G. Wells, would Frankenstein be considered science-fiction? No, it probably wouldn’t. Viewed in the context of its time, Frankenstein ...3 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #12 2025
Open access notables The severe 2020 coral bleaching event in the tropical Atlantic linked to marine heatwaves, Rodrigues et al., Communications Earth & Environment: Marine heatwaves can amplify the vulnerabilities of regional marine ecosystems and jeopardise local economies and food resources. Here, we show that marine heatwaves in the tropical ...3 days ago
- Elbridge Colby’s vision: blocking China
Elbridge Colby’s senate confirmation hearing in early March holds more important implications for US partners than most observers in Canberra, Wellington or Suva realise. As President Donald Trump’s nominee for under secretary of defence for ...3 days ago
- China’s military spending rises should prompt regional budget responses
China’s defence budget is rising heftily yet again. The 2025 rise will be 7.2 percent, the same as in 2024, the government said on 5 March. But the allocation, officially US$245 billion, is just the ...3 days ago
- Pressure grows for commonsense correction on safe local speeds
Concern is growing about wide-ranging local repercussions of the new Setting of Speed Limits rule, rewritten in 2024 by former transport minister Simeon Brown. In particular, there’s growing fears about what this means for children in particular. A key paradox of the new rule is that NZTA-controlled roads have the ...3 days ago
- Luxon’s Guests.
Speilmeister: Christopher Luxon’s prime-ministerial pitches notwithstanding, are institutions with billions of dollars at their disposal really going to invest them in a country so obviously in a deep funk?HAVING WOOED THE WORLD’s investors, what, if anything, has New Zealand won? Did Christopher Luxon’s guests board their private jets fizzing with enthusiasm for ...3 days ago - S&P downgrades 18 councils, blaming Govt
Christchurch City Council is one of 18 councils and three council-controlled organisations (CCOs) downgraded by ratings agency S&P. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories shortest: Standard & Poor’s has cut the credit ratings of 18 councils, blaming the new Government’s abrupt reversal of 3 Waters, cuts to capital ...4 days ago - Recession ends – Economic challenges remain
Figures released by Statistics New Zealand today showed that the economy grew by 0.7% ending the very deep recession seen over the past year, said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “Even though GDP grew in the three months to December, our economy is still 1.1% smaller than it ...4 days ago
- Maybe there’s a connection?
What is going on with the price of butter?, RNZ, 19 march 2025: If you have bought butter recently you might have noticed something - it is a lot more expensive. Stats NZ said last week that the price of butter was up 60 percent in February compared to ...4 days ago
- I, too, got a few things wrong
I agree with Will Leben, who wrote in The Strategist about his mistakes, that an important element of being a commentator is being accountable and taking responsibility for things you got wrong. In that spirit, ...4 days ago
- Commandments & Cures
You’d beDrunk by noon, no one would knowJust like the pandemicWithout the sourdoughIf I were there, I’d find a wayTo get treated for hysteriaEvery dayLyrics Riki Lindhome.A varied selection today in Nick’s Kōrero:Thou shalt have no other gods - with Christopher Luxon.Doctors should be seen and not heard - with ...4 days ago - Australia needs greater defence self-reliance, and extra funding
Two recent foreign challenges suggest that Australia needs urgently to increase its level of defence self-reliance and to ensure that the increased funding that this would require is available. First, the circumnavigation of our continent ...4 days ago
- Pick ‘n’ Mix at 6am on Thursday, March 20
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, The Atlantic-$, The ...4 days ago - Gordon Campbell on Winston Peters’ bad trip, and the return of the PPPs zombie
According to RNZ’s embedded reporter, the importance of Winston Peters’ talks in Washington this week “cannot be overstated.” Right. “Exceptionally important.” said the maestro himself. This epic importance doesn’t seem to have culminated in anything more than us expressing our “concern” to the Americans about a series of issues that ...4 days ago - Climate Fresk – a neat way to make the complexity of climate change less puzzling
Up until a few weeks ago, I had never heard of "Climate Fresk" and at a guess, this will also be the case for many of you. I stumbled upon it in the self-service training catalog for employees at the company I work at in Germany where it was announced ...4 days ago
- Japan and Australia can fill each other’s defence gaps
Japan and Australia talk of ‘collective deterrence,’ but they don’t seem to have specific objectives. The relationship needs a clearer direction. The two countries should identify how they complement each other. Each country has two ...4 days ago
- Submission on the Draft Biometric Processing Privacy Code
The NZCTU strongly supports the OPC’s decision to issue a code of practice for biometric processing. Our view is that the draft code currently being consulted on is stronger and will be more effective than the exposure code released in early 2024. We are pleased that some of the revisions ...4 days ago
- Eggs in more baskets: diversify Australian agricultural exports away from US
Australia’s export-oriented industries, particularly agriculture, need to diversify their markets, with a focus on Southeast Asia. This could strengthen economic security and resilience while deepening regional relationships. The Trump administration’s decision to impose tariffs on ...4 days ago
- The Fisheries Reform Scam – Sam Woolford
Minister Shane Jones is introducing fastrack ‘reforms’ to the our fishing industry that will ensure the big players squeeze out the small fishers and entrench an already bankrupt quota system. Our fisheries are under severe stress: the recent decision by the High Court ruling that the ...5 days ago - Climate Change: Failed again
In what has become regular news, the quarterly ETS auction has failed, with nobody even bothering to bid. The immediate reason is that the carbon price has fallen to around $60, below the auction minimum of $68. And the cause of that is a government which has basically given up ...5 days ago
- Trump’s tariffs challenge India’s economic balance
US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats have dominated headlines in India in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Trump announced that his reciprocal tariffs—matching other countries’ tariffs on American goods—will go into effect on 2 April, ...5 days ago
- NZ’s First #MeToo Case Wants To Practise Law Again
Hi,Back in June of 2021, James Gardner-Hopkins — a former partner at law firm Russell McVeagh — was found guilty of misconduct over sexually inappropriate behaviour with interns.The events all related to law students working as summer interns at Russell McVeagh:As well as intimate touching with a student at his ...5 days ago - Climate sceptic ACT MP attacks National
Climate sceptic MP Mark Cameron has slammed National for being ‘out of touch’ by sticking to our climate commitments. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories shortest: ACT’s renowned climate sceptic MP Mark Cameron has accused National of being 'out of touch' with farmers by sticking with New Zealand’s Paris accord pledges ...5 days ago - Libertarian Jesus
Now I've heard there was a secret chordThat David played, and it pleased the LordBut you don't really care for music, do you?It goes like this, the fourth, the fifthThe minor falls, the major liftsThe baffled king composing HallelujahSongwriter: Leonard CohenI always thought the lyrics of that great song by ...5 days ago - People matter—especially when frigate crews are too small
People are getting carried away with the virtues of small warship crews. We need to remember the great vice of having few people to run a ship: they’ll quickly tire. Yes, the navy is struggling ...5 days ago
- Auckland’s Western Line: Walking and cycling catchments
This is a guest post by Peter Bisley. It previously appeared on his substack, and is republished here by kind permisison. How can active transport connections maximise City Rail Link benefits City Rail Link successfully ran a test train last month on the 3.45km line under central Auckland, ahead ...5 days ago
- Bernard’s Pick ‘n’ Mix at 6am on Wednesday, March 19
Mōrena. Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, The Atlantic-$, ...5 days ago - Unity is the answer to Europe’s defence woes
US President Donald Trump’s hostile regime has finally forced Europe to wake up. With US officials calling into question the transatlantic alliance, Germany’s incoming chancellor, Friedrich Merz, recently persuaded lawmakers to revise the country’s debt ...5 days ago
- Australian politics needs clearer national security boundaries
We need to establish clearer political boundaries around national security to avoid politicising ongoing security issues and to better manage secondary effects. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) revealed on 10 March that the Dural caravan ...5 days ago
- Government must act decisively and ban engineered stone
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi have reiterated their call for Government to protect workers by banning engineered stone in a submission on MBIE’s silica dust consultation. “If Brooke van Velden is genuine when she calls for an evidence-based approach to this issue, then she must support a full ban on ...6 days ago
- Tuesday 18 March
The Labour Inspectorate could soon be knocking on the door of hundreds of businesses nation-wide, as it launches a major crackdown on those not abiding by the law. NorthTec staff are on edge as Northland’s leading polytechnic proposes to stop 11 programmes across primary industries, forestry, and construction. Union coverage ...6 days ago
- First-person view drones: transitioning from sport to battle
It’s one thing for military personnel to hone skills with first-person view (FPV) drones in racing competitions. It’s quite another for them to transition to the complexities of the battlefield. Drone racing has become a ...6 days ago
- ‘There are no exemptions. Just eat it.’
Seymour says there will be no other exemptions granted to schools wanting to opt out of the Compass contract. Photo: Lynn GrievesonLong stories shortest: David Seymour has denied a request from a Christchurch school and any other schools to be exempted from the Compass school lunch programme, saying the contract ...6 days ago - Nuclear Ukraine: Budapest Memorandum – what it says and is it relevant?
Russian President Boris Yeltsin, U.S. President Bill Clinton, Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, and British Prime Minister John Major signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty in ... 6 days ago- A Palate Cleanser
Edit: The original story said “Palette Cleanser” in both the story, and the headline. I am never, ever going to live this down. Chain me up, throw me into the pit.Hi,With the world burning — literally and figuratively — I felt like Webworm needed a little palate cleanser at the ...6 days ago- Do Americans really want urban sprawl?
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah Wesseler (Image credit: Antonio Huerta) Growing up in suburban Ohio, I was used to seeing farmland and woods disappear to make room for new subdivisions, strip malls, and big box stores. I didn’t usually welcome the changes, but I assumed others ...6 days ago- Myanmar’s desperate condition: fragmentation, drugs, money-laundering and more
Myanmar was a key global site for criminal activity well before the 2021 military coup. Today, illicit industry, especially heroin and methamphetamine production, still defines much of the economy. Nowhere, not even the leafiest districts ...6 days ago- The Hardest Word
What've I gotta do to make you love me?What've I gotta do to make you care?What do I do when lightning strikes me?And I wake up and find that you're not thereWhat've I gotta do to make you want me?Mmm hmm, what've I gotta do to be heard?What do I ...6 days ago- Bernard’s Pick ‘n’ Mix at 6am on Tuesday, March 18
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom3, NZ Herald, Stuff, BusinessDesk-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT-$, WSJ-$, Bloomberg-$, New York Times-$, The Atlantic-$, The Economist-$ ...6 days ago- Gordon Campbell On Luxon’s Survival Chances, And The India FTA
Whenever Christopher Luxon drops a classically fatuous clanger or whenever the government has a bad poll – i.e. every week – the talk resumes that he is about to be rolled. This is unlikely for several reasons. For starters, there is no successor. Nicola Willis? Chris Bishop? Simeon Brown? Mark ...6 days ago- It’s been done before: pay for more defence spending with debt
Australia, Britain and European countries should loosen budget rules to allow borrowing to fund higher defence spending, a new study by the Kiel Institute suggests. Currently, budget debt rules are forcing governments to finance increases ...6 days ago- Feedback on work with engineered stone and materials containing crystalline silica
The NZCTU remains strongly committed to banning engineered stone in New Zealand and implementing better occupational health protections for all workers working with silica-containing materials. In this submission to MBIE, the NZCTU outlines that we have an opportunity to learn from Australia’s experience by implementing a full ban of engineered ...6 days ago- Big deal
The Prime Minister has announced a big win in trade negotiations with India.It’s huge, he told reporters. We didn't get everything we came for but we were able to agree on free trade in clothing, fabrics, car components, software, IT consulting, spices, tea, rice, and leather goods.He said that for ...6 days ago- A Return to a US Gilded Age?
I have been trying to figure out the logic of Trump’s tariff policies and apparent desire for a global trade war. Although he does not appear to comprehend that tariffs are a tax on consumers in the country doing the tariffing, I can (sort of) understand that he may think ...6 days ago- France is prominent in efforts to shape Syria’s future, again
As Syria and international partners negotiate the country’s future, France has sought to be a convening power. While France has a history of influence in the Middle East, it will have to balance competing Syrian ...6 days ago- “Capital poor”
One of the eternal truths about Aotearoa's economy is that we are "capital poor": there's not enough money sloshing around here to fund the expansion of local businesses, or to build the things we want to. Which gets used as an excuse for all sorts of things, like setting up ...7 days ago- Pictures Tell The Story
National held its ground until late 2023 Verion, Talbot Mills & Curia Polls (Red = Labour, Blue = National)If we remove outlier results from Curia (National Party November 2023) National started trending down in October 2024.Verion Polls (Red = Labour, Blue = National)Verian alone shows a clearer deterioration in early ...7 days ago- High-impact climate risks, low-probability? Think again
In a recent presentation, I recommended, quite unoriginally, that governments should have a greater focus on higher-impact, lower-probability climate risks. My reasoning was that current climate model projections have blind spots, meaning we are betting ...7 days ago- Daddy
Daddy, are you out there?Daddy, won't you come and play?Daddy, do you not care?Is there nothing that you want to say?Songwriters: Mark Batson / Beyonce Giselle Knowles.This morning, a look at the much-maligned NZ Herald. Despised by many on the left as little more than a mouthpiece for the National ...7 days ago- Monday 17 March
Employers, unions and health and safety advocates are calling for engineered stone to be banned, a day before consultation on regulations closes. On Friday the PSA lodged a pay equity claim for library assistants with the Employment Relations Authority, after the stalling of a claim lodged with six councils in ...7 days ago - A Palate Cleanser
- Release: Govt’s continued lack of action on Gaza condemned
Hundreds more Palestinians have died in recent days as Israel’s assault on Gaza continues and humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, is blocked. ...2 days ago - Release: National at sea over Defence jobs
National is looking to cut hundreds of jobs at New Zealand’s Defence Force, while at the same time it talks up plans to increase focus and spending in Defence. ...3 days ago
- Release: National standards returning by stealth
It’s been revealed that the Government is secretly trying to bring back a ‘one-size fits all’ standardised test – a decision that has shocked school principals. ...4 days ago
- Release: Kiwis still struggling as economy stumbles along
Kiwis aren’t feeling any better off despite figures showing a very slight growth in GDP in the December quarter. ...4 days ago
- Greens call for compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe
The Green Party is calling for the compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe, a 77-year-old kaumātua on hunger strike at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, after visiting him at the prison. ...5 days ago - Another failed ETS auction, another indictment on the Govt’s climate credibility
The ETS auction’s failure today is yet another clear sign that the Government is failing us all on climate action. ...5 days ago
- Release: Luxon quick to give away principled position on nukes
Christopher Luxon seems to have thrown New Zealand’s principled anti-nuclear advocacy under a bus. ...5 days ago
- NZ must act on Israel’s slaughter of children
The Green Party is calling on Government MPs to support Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence and illegal actions in Palestine, following another day of appalling violence against civilians in Gaza. ...5 days ago
- Release: Still no certainty for disability communities
One year on from the Government’s abrupt and callous changes to disability funding, the community still has no idea what the future holds. ...6 days ago
- Green Party backs volunteer firefighters in their call for ACC recognition
The Green Party stands in support of volunteer firefighters petitioning the Government to step up and change legislation to provide volunteers the same ACC coverage and benefits as their paid counterparts. ...6 days ago
- Stand Up for Palestine: A Call to Action Against Israels Treacherous Attack
At 2.30am local time, Israel launched a treacherous attack on Gaza killing more than 300 defenceless civilians while they slept. Many of them were children. This followed a more than 2 week-long blockade by Israel on the entry of all goods and aid into Gaza. Israel deliberately targeted densely populated ...6 days ago
- MP Views: Living Strong, The Economy, Servicing Our Nation, The Golden Egg, and 4 Year Terms
Living Strong, Aging Well There is much discussion around the health of our older New Zealanders and how we can age well. In reality, the delivery of health services accounts for only a relatively small percentage of health outcomes as we age. Significantly, dry warm housing, nutrition, exercise, social connection, ...6 days ago - Shane Jones has no shame
Shane Jones’ display on Q&A showed how out of touch he and this Government are with our communities and how in sync they are with companies with little concern for people and planet. ...1 week ago
- Release: National botches health funding numbers
Health Minister Simeon Brown’s claim that the Government has put $16.68 billion into the health system over three years is wrong. ...1 week ago
- Government tramples on the rights of disabled migrant children
The Green Party is condemning the Government’s move to tighten access to visas for disabled children. ...1 week ago
- Release: Auckland needs second harbour crossing
Labour supports Minister Chris Bishop’s call for input on the second Waitematā Harbour crossing. ...1 week ago
- Speech: Barbara Edmonds’ speech to NZ Investment Summit 2025
I am grateful to have the opportunity to speak to you today about how we make overseas investment work for all New Zealanders. ...1 week ago
- Release: Labour does not support PPPs for prisons
Labour does not support the private ownership of core infrastructure like schools, hospitals and prisons, which will only see worse outcomes for Kiwis. ...1 week ago
- Dunedin Futures report should be a wake-up call
The newly released report on the South Dunedin Future Programme must be a wake-up call for our Government. ...1 week ago
- Release: Members’ Bill makes wage theft a crime
Workers will now be able to go to the Police and report their employer if they are not being paid wages they’re owed. ...2 weeks ago
- Missed opportunity to stop the stealing of Māori land
The Green Party is disappointed the Government voted down Hūhana Lyndon’s member’s Bill, which would have prevented further alienation of Māori land through the Public Works Act. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour supports sanctions against Israel’s illegal occupation
The Labour Party will support Chloe Swarbrick’s member’s bill which would allow sanctions against Israel for its illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territories. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt procurement plan cuts wages and trashes the environment
The Government’s new procurement rules are a blatant attack on workers and the environment, showing once again that National’s priorities are completely out of touch with everyday Kiwis. ...2 weeks ago
- Procurement proposals pose risk to people and planet
The Green Party is concerned by the impact the Government’s proposed changes to procurement processes could have on people and planet. ...2 weeks ago
- Just six Government MPs needed to pass Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill
With Labour and Te Pāti Māori’s official support, Opposition parties are officially aligned to progress Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in Palestine. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour’s approach to Māori economy benefits all
Under Labour, the Māori economy went from strength to strength according to the latest report released by MBIE. ...2 weeks ago
- 20 Years of Success Down the Drain: Govt Gut Whānau Ora
Te Pāti Māori extends our deepest aroha to the 500 plus Whānau Ora workers who have been advised today that the govt will be dismantling their contracts. For twenty years , Whānau Ora has been helping families, delivering life-changing support through a kaupapa Māori approach. It has built trust where ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party launches petition to allow Pacific whānau visa-free access
The Green Party is launching a petition calling on the Government to extend visa-free travel to visitors from Pacific Island nations. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour welcomes reinstatement of Heath NZ board
Labour welcomes Simeon Brown’s move to reinstate a board at Health New Zealand, bringing the destructive and secretive tenure of commissioner Lester Levy to an end. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ’s Public Health system dealt yet another blow
This morning’s announcement by the Health Minister regarding a major overhaul of the public health sector levels yet another blow to the country’s essential services. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Chris Hipkins’ State of the Nation address
Ngā mihi ki a koutou katoa It is a great pleasure to be here with you this morning. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ First Introduces Bill to Remove Woke ‘DEI’ Regulations from Public Service
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that will ensure employment decisions in the public service are based on merit and not on forced woke ‘Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’ targets. “This Bill would put an end to the woke left-wing social engineering and diversity targets in the public sector. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour outlines priorities of next Govt
The next Labour Government will prioritise jobs, health and homes so Kiwis and Kiwi businesses have the opportunity to thrive. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Refreshed team to drive Labour’s 2026 priorities
Labour leader Chris Hipkins has unveiled a new economic team as part of a caucus reshuffle. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls for end to police referrals to Destiny programmes
Police have referred 20 offenders to Destiny Church-affiliated programmes Man Up and Legacy as ‘wellness providers’ in the last year, raising concerns that those seeking help are being recruited into a harmful organisation. ...3 weeks ago
- Good Riddance: Prebble Resigns from Waitangi Tribunal
Te Pāti Māori welcomes the resignation of Richard Prebble from the Waitangi Tribunal. His appointment in October 2024 was a disgrace- another example of this government undermining Te Tiriti o Waitangi by appointing a former ACT leader who has spent his career attacking Māori rights. “Regardless of the reason for ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls on Govt to condemn Israel’s aid blockade
The National Government needs to publicly condemn Israel’s cutting off of aid supplies to the war-ravaged people of Gaza. ...3 weeks ago
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Cohen’s going to try and burn the house down.
https://twitter.com/politico/status/1100617004082446336
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/26/cohen-trump-racist-conman-cheat-1189951
TESTIMONY OF MICHAEL D. COHEN
COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND REFORM U.S.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 27, 2019
Chairman Cummings, Ranking Member Jordan, and Members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me here today. I have asked this Committee to ensure that my family be protected from Presidential threats,and that the Committee be sensitive to the questions pertaining to ongoing investigations. Thank you for your help and for your understanding.
https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000169-2d31-dc75-affd-bfb99a790001
Surely that testimony will throw the ‘Rat Among The Pigeons’.
Repug House Rep goes full goombah.
‘Nice family you got there. Shame if anything happened to it.’
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/02/26/politics/matt-gaetz-tweet-michael-cohen/index.html
he already deleted the tweet and apologized. I guess he did not like the tweet from Mother Pelosi about proper behavior by Members of congress and the advice from several lawywers about his ‘witness tempering’ .
popcorn, anyone got spare popcorn?
Dumbfuckery ensues.
https://twitter.com/MattGertz/status/1100552716563202048
This shit fight should be on C span tomorrow and it’s going to be fun to watch.
Cohen knows many of the secrets that comprise the Horcruxes of Donald Voldemort; Trump’s taxes, his shoddy, shady business practices, the extent of Trump’s personal depravity and sexual depredations against many, many women. He knows about business practices they didn’t show on the phony set of Apprentice. He knows all about the roles of Ivanka and Don Jr. and Slow Eric in the business.
[…]
Of course, Trump and his allies are taking precisely the wrong approach. Calling Cohen names, or having pals in Congress direct mobster threats at the witness doesn’t discredit him. It makes him more credible because the things he’s saying are things that the Southern District and Mueller have matched up with more legitimate sources. The Feds don’t just have Cohen. They have Allen Weisselberg, the Trump organization’s accountant and CFO.
As in all mob cases from time immemorial, once you take out the consigliere, you take out the accountant, and then the whole house of cards tumbles down.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/michael-cohen-is-trumps-worst-nightmare-a-loser-with-nothing-to-lose?
The open Statement in full is here:
https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000169-2d31-dc75-affd-bfb99a790001
It’s well worth the read.
Wow! Just wow!
Yes indeed Wow. It would be difficult to refute that testimony.
Old white man labels NZ’s finances ‘a joke’
He should know as he helped make them a joke.
His Rogernomics kicked off a lot of the problems we have today by bringing in the neoliberal economic policies that the National party later took up and built on that increased the gap between rich and poor.
Agist, Racist, Sexist – you are the trifecter of bitter.
Agist :
‘NZ youth are drug addled , addicted and cannot hold down regular jobs as they have no work ethics’… ( in justifying importing cheap foreign labour to be paid for peanuts)
– FK Jonkey and Double Dipper English.
Rascist:
Female ethnic Chinese National party MP who didn’t want south Aucklander’s ( implying poor Polynesians ) having easy access to another part of town where her constituents lived.
Sexist :
The actual PM and leader of above National party flagrantly pulling on females long hair ( some only young school children ) – esp one in her workplace over a 6 months period despite repeated appeals for him to stop. ( Demonstrating he saw them as ‘ objects’) and was never called to account by the same laws that would call such manhandling as ‘minor assault’.
* Those who throw stones shouldn’t live in a glasshouse.
Korean m8 all the gooks look the same anyway.
You aren’t allowed to bash Chinese on this RWNJ’s will go AWOL.
“ all the gooks look the same anyway”
Racist comments like that are disgusting Tamati Thutuhi. You should be ashamed.
James you whinging again like that other faggot Gosman, harden up you poof.
[Banned for a week. When you come back, think more carefully about you choice of words. TRP]
You need to roll it back a bit. Your comments are disgusting.
Stop it, Tamati. There is no call for that sort of behaviour here.
Ban that wanker
Should have been yesterday
Never go full front bottom tamtam, NEVER.
TT, pull your head in, name calling and racist comments will never win people over.
Glad to see you’ve been banned for being abusive. Good job.
A pathetic false equivalence.
Global Drug Survey
Very interesting read, good money in the NZ Market if you can get it into NZ without being caught. Customs at present only picking up 3-4% of shipments so I am told ?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/103630626/nz-priciest-place-to-buy-cocaine-and-mdma-global-drug-survey-2018
Katipo you are 100% right have a read of this the result of Neoliberalism
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12207929
he’s white, he’s male, he’s old. It’s PC gone mad I tell ya while I clutch my pearls. Right wingers are so easily offended these days, oh, it’s outrage but of the faux kind.
The Neoliberal’s rolling out the old ROCK STAR Roger Douglas to make some stupid half arsed comments, always was a demented old coot IMHO.
Pc gone mad?
Are you accepting of terms like gook, faggot and poof ?
Douglas has zero credibility in NZ apart from the Neoliberal zealots, Douglas was a fraud IMHO
Douglas should face trial for his crimes.
Punishment is what he should face. There is not the tiniest sliver of possibility the traitor is innocent.
Maybe he’s next ?
“Douglas should face trial for his crimes ” We can start by removing his knighthood.
There you guys go again!
Wrecking my day with pictures of lying corrupt scumbags !!!
That ‘ thing’ you have on the main picture of your article. I think they call it ‘ Douglas’. But you know what popped into my head as soon as I saw it ???
And don’t ask me why…
THIS:
DEAD SKUNK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD – LOUDON … – YouTube
How dare you make such an unfair comparison.
A dead skunk in the middle of the road at least still has some value to the natural Ecosystem.
Apologize to the dead skunks out there! ;-p
Aw shucks, dang it… OK then.
It was a bad comparison. I guess a skunks olfactory scent glands could produce a fine aftershave or a discerning lady’s parfume ( if produced in an environmentally friendly fashion with zero harm to the skunk ) in comparison to said ‘Douglas’s reeking neo liberal stench , – along with all his erstwhile followers… then and now.
Hosk the skunk………….middle of the road and dead………..
Some of this skunk juice could be good for the perfumed steamroller WP
WP you are right about Douglas being a skunk, but dreadfully insulting to the skunk community IMHO.
Drat !… you just cant ever win !…
Ok, ok… I admit it… I made a balls up regarding the skunk analogy, maybe I was a bit too quick off the mark… but you gotta admit… its a funny song…
Sort of,… but not if you like skunks, of course…
So tRump probably won’t be the one who lights the nuclear fire.
Pakistan has shot down two Indian fighter jets inside its airspace, an army spokesperson said, as tensions escalate a day after India bombed targets in Pakistan.
The development comes as Indian officials said at least three Pakistani combat jets entered the airspace over Indian-administered Kashmir on Wednesday but returned after being intercepted by Indian Air Force planes.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/02/pakistan-shoots-indian-fighter-jets-military-190227055937142.html
First punch up between Pakistan and India since 1971, could be another theatre of war to keep the punters interested, we need Gosman to educate us on the problems in the Kashmir.
Both have got Nukes so could be fun if these guys have a crack at each other.
25 million killed Indians & Pakistanis so far in conflicts and genocide
you forgot to link to the article from yesterday stating that India bombed ‘terrorists’ inside Pakistan first.
https://www.rawstory.com/2019/02/indian-government-confirms-air-strikes-militant-camps-inside-pakistan/
this is just the usual tit for tat re Kashmir, not worthy of nuclear bombs just yet.
the shortfingered vulgarian still has a chance to be first at something, well make that second, after all he US already has nuked a country, twice.
Can’t see this round of the India Pakistan conflict escalating too much.
Pakistan is making light of it saying they chased the Indian aircraft away which dropped their bombs on empty forest. So hard to justify a real retaliation. But they will do something in Kashmir, presumably through proxy. However they will want low Indian casualties, not 40 as in the last attack. So something more symbolic. If they caused another 40 Indian casualties, India will feel compelled to do more. Such as attack a Pakistan border facility.
If it gets out of control, it could become quite a bitter border war, though mostly air strikes and artillery bombardment.
A long, long way from going nuclear. That would require a huge Indian land invasion of Pakistan. Which is not going to happen.
ADDITION
Pakistan has just shot down two Indian jets, presumably in Pakistan air space. Which goes to show how well trained and equiped the Pakistan Air force is. With two pilots captured, India is going to have to do a rethink.
May I add Wayne, the PAK Air Defence Command actually shot them down on the way home well outside the Tgt zone. From what I see, is that PAF were caught napping at this cheeky little raid by the IAF. The IAF is a lot more we’ll trained than their PAF counterparts as the IAF gets regular invites to Red Flag in the US, the UK and the French Air Exercise’s and last yr they brought over 4 SU- 30’s to the RAAF’s Pitch Black Air Ex. From what I’ve heard the IAF SU30’s proved to be quite a handful for the Red Force Flighters flying out of Tindal and this has also been the case at the other Air Ex’s where the they have been invited too.
Where as the PAF don’t get many opportunities to do high tempo Air Ex’s like the IAF and the last time I did see the PAF on Ex was on my last trip to MER in UAE with their F16’s.
Just a note the IAF SU30’s are not your blog standard Russia ones either, as their ones have a mixture of IAI, French and the only Russia stuff is the Airfame, engine and that bloody big artilley piece called a 30mm cannon. The Mirage 2000’s in the IAF, that were used in the bombing are used as a multi role Flighter Bomber and are they are the ones capable of carrying the Indian cans of instant sunshine.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhoi_Su-30MKI
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dassault_Mirage_2000
Where this goes in the bigger picture I’m unsure, but looking back at pass history isn’t good as you have already noted. But a throwing a cans of instant sunshine won’t be one of those options for either side, but more of a MAD option or as the Yanks call it the Hail Mary or the Brits a Forlorn Hope option.
India says it lost a mig21 bison,and shot down a PaK f16
Pricks didn’t need to drop the second one on Nagasaki Japan was already on it’s knees.
The Orange Buffoon can’t wait to have another go at some one, trying to create an issue in Venezuela.
Disappointing column from that Bryce Edwards – again. Sent him an email questioning his credibility especially since he quotes people like Soper and Hosking.
I suggested that he should continue in the same vein and quote Whaleoil as well.
Am I the only one who dislikes his bias?
Bryce Edwards is doing what he is told.
RWNJ B/S rolling out the fear factor Fairfax crap as per usual.
100%.
By whom?
I can’t imagine the editor tells him what to write, just the topic.
Otherwise his academic career would be over.
Gee, lets have a sweep stake on who the “whom” is….could be fun and wouldn’t involve too much imagining. And for whats its worth it may as well be over.
Can’t you?
His stance shifted considerably once he started writing for the freak right fishwrapper.
Yep, a nicely curated round up of right wingers hating on a perfectly fair tax whose time has come.
Edwards is paid to pretend to be a lefty, so the meeja can claim ‘balance’. If he had any integrity or, y’know, left wing principles, that column would be a set of links to reasons for a CGT. But, nah, middle class is as middle class does.
Edwards knows what side he’s on. He just won’t say it out loud.
Hey @trp you may want to have a look at comments above:
“all the gooks look the same anyway”
And
“James you whinging again like that other faggot Gosman, harden up you poof”
The standard can get a bit heated at Times – but racism and ‘gay bashing’ type language is too far by a long shot.
Those remarks by Tamati Tautuhi about 2.1.
And your contribution is baiting. So fuck off Jimmy, what do you expect from your continual provocative needling comments dickhead.
Interesting you have issue with me – and yet you are fine with gook, faggot and poof insults.
Says more about you than anything.
I’m guessing your in the racist homophobic camp with tamati.
baiting it may be…but its baiting with substance
I disagree. It was a massive and deliberate over-reach. It had zero substance.
LMAO…if those comments had been made by James he woulkd have been hung drawn and quatered….and you wonder why FFS
James is also confused at 2.1.2.2. He asks I feel love if he’s accepting of comments he can’t have read. He attributes I feel love’s comment to TT’s outburst which is wrong because I feel love’s comment was clearly in reference to James’ faux PC whinge at 2.1.
Er…is that clear?
Thank you Muttonbird, indeed.
the hypocrisy is as clear as.
So you are OK with the racist and homophobic insults?
or do you just prefer to enable and support others to make them?
Lol. Show me where I’ve enabled and supported racist and homophobic insults.
I see you ignoring people using them and being too gutless and weak to call them out on it.
That’s enabling.
Meh.
More baiting Jimmy. Christ you are a wanker just like that BM jerk off.
Charlie u are right FOFF Jimmy & Gossamer Boy just fing time wasters IMHO they irritate the F%#k out of me trying to disrupt sensible conversation both are uneducated buffoons or RWNJ’s take your pick.
I agree with you james – that Tamati Tautuhi scum should be fucken banned. But he’s given himself a Māori name the fucken faker cos I remember when he changed it. Enough fakes and offensive scum here already ffs
I have always said Bryce was a Gnat in sheep’s clothing Ianmac.
He’s a rogernome/blairite/third way bulshitter at heart- thoroughly ensconced in privilege and enjoying the status quo. No class struggle in polute society please
Bryce Edwards is a cock, another Fairfax sock puppet.
You forgot Farrar at Kiwi Bog
Again with the homophobia.
Wind it back
James
You are so preachy. You must be enjoying our long-suffering condoning moderation that enables you and bans Adrian .
Interesting reading about the ties that bind NZ to China in Gordon Campbell’s in depth article in Scoop.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1902/S00111/gordon-campbell-on-nationals-cosy-relationship-with-china.htm
Also Jamie Lee Ross has formidable knowledge of National’s dealings in important matters like Chinese support.
from 2014? –
Electoral returns out next week [confirm] that a National Party MP received $25,000 from a controversial businessman after Prime Minister John Key had a private dinner with him – at the man’s home.
The PM has always maintained that he met Donghua Liu at a National Party fundraiser but would never say where. Today, the Weekend Herald can reveal that the fundraiser was actually a private dinner at Mr Liu’s $4.75 million home in Remuera, where a smiling Mr Key and Jami-Lee Ross, the MP for Botany, were photographed alongside Mr Liu and his young family. Afterwards, Mr Liu donated $25,000 that same month to Mr Ross’ election campaign….
Last year, Ross’ role in the alleged re-packaging of a $100,000 donation to National from Chinese donor Zhang Yikun (to ensure the donation complied with the legal thresholds for such gifts) was the central feature of the controversial taped conversations between Ross and National Party leader Simon Bridges.
On Huawei:
Little wonder then, that the Huawei interim decision (a situation created by our membership of one of the oldest of those traditional security alliances) should have caused such concern among the upper echelons of the National Party. Since then, National has publicly campaigned against the Ardern government’s apparent pushback against China’s most innovative digital firm. ,,,
In reality, New Zealand’s participation (alongside our 5 Eyes security partners) in the interim banning of Huawei technology from the building of our 5G telco networks has not (so far) engendered anything like the retribution that China has taken against our other 5 Eyes partners. For months, China has engaged with Canada and Australia in a tit for tat series of visa revocations, indefinite trade bans and arbitrary arrests, including the imposition by China of a retrospective death sentence on one particularly unlucky Canadian drug dealer. Nothing remotely like those kind of steps have been imposed by China on New Zealand. By comparison, we’ve been given the kid gloves treatment, and New Zealand continues to be treated by China as the friendliest face in the 5 Eyes club.
Regardless,Bridges has laid much of the blame for the alleged “deterioration” in the China relationship upon Foreign Minister Winston Peters.
We have been discussing these matters and Campbell’s take on the issues is
valuable.
Then this article from the ABC in Australia is even more interesting, once you have finished reading Gordon Campbell’s article.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-26/chinas-three-warfares-how-does-beijing-decide-who-or-what-to/10825448
Yep strategic intervention.
Why should we believe that Venezuela is a virtuous exception to the usual pattern of US interventions in Latin America?
Um – we shouldn’t
A frank moment of honesty from one former landlord:
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2019/02/i-was-a-landlord-and-i-hated-the-person-it-made-me-become.html
This is what the others are hiding.
Yep – that’s the dilemma of our times – prey on others and do OK, or choose not to and barely survive.
God Roger Douglas looks old in that picture. You know we don’t live in a purposive universe, when the evil and stupid live to a ripe old age.
Who’s that guy in the image wearing a yellow tie? It suits him.
I wonder if absolute freedom of mainstream media coverage should not be matched by associated broadcast/published freedom of information financial holdings & income of all opinion making orgs. & personalities in different ways, along with regular obligatory reporting whenever via public or private research, various conflicts of interest are found to associated issues.
Lets remove the free lunch out of the media industry via pay to play in the name of NZ demand & supply.
NZ1st!