Daily review 27/03/2019
Written By:
- Date published:
5:40 pm, March 27th, 2019 - 37 comments
Categories: Daily review -
Tags:
Daily review is also your post.
This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day.
The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).
Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Recent Comments
- Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka National Flag It has taken me a while to comprehend what has happened in Sri Lanka. 321 people killed in churches and hotels because of the coordinated actions of a number ...7 hours ago - Hard News: Digital persuasion and the dark places of democracy
Last week, officially the first of Australia's 2019 federal election campaign, potential voters were subjected to a series of false claims about the Labor Party's policy on vehicle emissions reduction. But not everyone saw the ads, and of those who ...24 hours ago - Is the grid ready for electric vehicles?
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jan Ellen Spiegel Some Americans appear increasingly ready to give up their gas cars for electric vehicles. But are the country’s electric grids prepared for them? The question is a critical one ...1 day ago - Doesn’t hate-speech need to include some hatred?
The other Sunday evening, a few of us at church were talking about Israel Folau’s recent post warning drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolators that they are hell-bound if they don’t repent and get themselves saved. read more ...2 days ago - Owning a gun is a privilege: Firearms licences may need better checks & balancesGiven the public mood following the Christchurch terror attacks, I have felt some discomfort in admitting I hold a firearms licence. Understandbly, in the wake of the mosque shootings, there is a very strong anti-firearms sentiment in the public mind.read ...2 days ago
- 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #16
Story of the Week... Editorial of the Week... El Niño/La Niña Update... Toon of the Week... Quote of the Week... Graphic of the Week... SkS in the News... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in ...2 days ago - 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #16
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, Apr 14 through Sat, Apr 20, 2019 Editor's Pick How We Roll: Study Shows We're More Lone Wolves Than Team Players ...3 days ago - More Marxist critiques of trans ideology
Below are two more Marxist critiques of trans ideology and the assault on women and women’s rights, in particular by the heterosexual males claiming to be lesbians. As well as more Marxist critiques emerging, there are starting to be more ...4 days ago - A Taxing and Spending Matter.The power to tax and spend is at the heart of our constitutional democracy. In 1649 the English beheaded their monarch; one of their grievances was that he was levying taxes without parliamentary authorisation. The 1688 Bill of Rights, which ...6 days ago
- CGT: A bad idea finally put to bed once and for allThe decision of the Labour-led government to back away from a capital gains tax was a good move in a number of ways.read more ...6 days ago
- Kid on swing embodies Kiwi dream by going back and forth and never getting anywhere
Charlie O’Brien, 16, has single-handedly destroyed the SEO value of every other Charlie O’Brien in New Zealand. Some fucking kid has sat on a swing for 32 hours and inspired hope in a nation otherwise desperate for a hero. Hate ...6 days ago - New research, April 8-14, 2019A selection of new climate related research articles is shown below. This post has separate sections for: Climate Change, Climate Change Impacts, Climate Change Mitigation, and Other Papers. Climate change mitigation Climate change communication Perception of public opinion on global ...6 days ago
- Our environment is in trouble
Statistics New Zealand has released their latest Environment Aotearoa report, and it shows that our environment is in trouble:New Zealand's environment is in a precarious state and facing an overwhelming number of threats, according to a sweeping government stocktake. The ...6 days ago - The cost of cowardiceHow big a mistake was Jacinda Ardern's cowardly act of rejecting fairer taxes, not just now but for the rest of her political career? Not only has it poisoned her own base against her and created a strong incentive to ...6 days ago
- Who owns England?Why do we need to tax land and wealth? Because otherwise we'll end up like England, where 1% of the population own half the country:Half of England is owned by less than 1% of its population, according to new data ...6 days ago
- CRL a step closer but more expensive
The City Rail Link, the country’s biggest transport project, just got $1 billion bigger but also few steps closer to reality as part of three “significant announcements” made yesterday....
6 days ago - Jacinda Ardern thuds back to earth thanks to NZF’s ‘carefully generated torpedo’ (...If not now, when? If not this, what? If not her, who? Those are the questions that must be bedeviling Labour and Green Party supporters as Winston Peters has not for the first, second or even third time, put his ...7 days ago
- Prime Minister John Key announces there will be no capital gains tax
Prime Minister John Key had just spent the last two hours making phone calls and preparing the final touches to his capital gains announcement. The clock had just passed 2pm, and he was slightly late. Nothing to be worried about, ...7 days ago - Labour-led government dumps idea of a Capital Gains TaxPeople who chose to delude themselves about the progressive qualities of Jacinda Ardern and her Labour-led government must be feeling let down today. It has been made clear that there will be no Capital Gains Tax. Even something as minimal ...7 days ago
- Don’t get fooled againRemember how in 2017 Labour campaigned on change? They were going to fix things, introduce a capital gains tax, make the rich pay their fair share for once. Yeah, fooled us all, didn't they? And they'll no doubt try and ...7 days ago
- This government does not deserve re-electionBack in February, Green co-leader James Shaw asked a good question: does the government deserve to be re-elected if they failed to implement a capital gains tax? Today, the government gave its answer: it does not. The government has ruled ...7 days ago
- A start on odious debtLast year, when the government finally admitted that the meth-testing industry was a scam and that they had wrongfully evicted hundreds of state housing tenants on the basis of bullshit "meth tests", it moved swiftly to compensate its victims. But ...7 days ago
- Folau’s Folly
The strife that Israel Folau has found himself in, following his statement that homosexuals and others are destined for hell, and calling on them to “repent”, has many consequences and ramifications – and not just for him and those whom ...1 week ago - Spies are just murderous scumFrom 1975 to 1989, the spy agencies of South America's right-wing military dictatorships cooperated in Operation Condor, a joint campaign of extermination against the continent's left. Roughly 400,000 people were imprisoned, 30,000 disappeared, and 60,000 murdered - kidnapped, tortured, executed, ...1 week ago
- The Future for Australian Coal
Problems Australia is the worlds’ largest exporter of coal, selling thermal coal for electricity generation and coking coal for smelting world-wide. In 2017 its export of this commodity was valued at over $40 billion, most of it produced in Queensland and New ...1 week ago - Tamaki Dr Safety propsals
At the end of last month Auckland Transport launched two consultations aiming to improve road safety in two of Auckland’s most iconic seaside villages – Mission Bay and St Heliers. AT say that between 2013 and 2017: Mission Bay had ...1 week ago - Climate Change: No future for farmingOver at The Spinoff, energy analyst Briony Bennett has an article about our pathway to net-zero emissions by 2050. Its going to be a difficult path, given the weather-dependence of our renewables and need for more electricity generation to power ...1 week ago
- A step forwardOne of the big problems with local government is gerontocracy: only 6% of local authority members are under 40, while 83% of them are over 50. This doesn't just mean that local government is unrepresentative, it distorts policy outcomes - ...1 week ago
- Hard News: Splore 2019 – Please Don’t F*ck This Up Part 3: Harm ReductionThis is the third excerpt from the panel looking at the next two years' pending drug policy reforms at the Splore Listening Lounge in February this year.Those reforms include a new amendment guiding police discretion in the case of drug ...1 week ago
- Temporary Traffic Management – Auckland is awash with cones
This is a guest post from Dave Tilton of Parallaxx There will be people that read this that scratch their head daily when looking at Temporary Traffic Management (TTM). They will see the signs and cones, and Traffic Controllers ...1 week ago - Folau, diversity and the almighty dollar
by Daphna Whitmore A top Australian rugby player looks set to be sacked for quoting the Bible. Israel Folau has breached Australian Rugby Union (ARU) inclusiveness rules by saying that hell awaits homosexuals. Folau would be within his rights to ...1 week ago - 99% renewable is probably good enough for nowRadio New Zealand reports that getting from 99% to 100% renewable electricity is likely to be very expensive:A government body is poised to announce that a core of the country's energy policy will be prohibitively expensive to implement. [...] [The ...1 week ago
- 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #15
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Review... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... How a Few Small Fixes Could Stop Climate Change "We have ...1 week ago - The arrest of Julian AssangeThirteen years ago Wikileaks exposed to the world torture and cruelty at the US naval base in Guantánamo Bay in Cuba. More exposures followed showing abuses by US armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. In 2010 video footage shot from ...1 week ago
- Aladdin and the Magic Modeshift
Accelerating Modeshift was the subject of a workshop for Councillors last Friday. (Credit: Cathy Casey, via Facebook):
Modeshift away from private car ... 1 week ago - Tom Scott and Aramoana’s Long Shadow
From Tom Scott’s collection of cartoons, “Life in New Zealand” – his tribute to the Aramoana massacre on 13 November 1990 where a crazed gunman shot and killed thirteen people. . . The next one is a Public Service announcement ...1 week ago - Flashback Sunday: Peds Rule
Every weekend we dig into the archives. This post by Kent was originally published in July 2013.
Transport Blog1 week ago- 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, Apr 7 through Sat, Apr 13, 2019 Editor's Pick The world could transition entirely to cheap, safe renewable energy before 2050: ...1 week ago- New research, April 1-7, 2019
A selection of new climate related research articles is shown below. This post has separate sections for: Climate Change, Climate Change Impacts, Climate Change Mitigation, and Other Papers. Climate change impacts Mankind Potential impacts of climate change on dengue fever ...2 weeks ago- A shameful response to Turkey’s generosity at Gallipoli
. – Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, first President of Turkey (b. 1881 d. 1938) . When President Atatürk uttered those words* in the plaque at the top of this page, it was an act of humanity, love, and generosity that few ...2 weeks ago- New funding model needed
With the consultation period for the Reform of Vocational Education nowclosed, the Government will be considering submissions ...2 weeks ago- State of the Tertiary Education Sector survey
Two years ago news headlines highlighted the pressure staff in tertiary education were under to elevate grades, and it seems pressures are still ...2 weeks ago- New minimum wage and living wage for 2019
This week saw New Zealand’s minimum wage increase and a new living wage rate announced. ...2 weeks ago- The Domestic Violence – Victims’ Protection Act 2018
The TEU supports the introduction of the Domestic Violence –Victims’Protection Act which builds in to law protections and support for victims ...2 weeks ago- With power comes responsibility
Lexie Matheson, AUT, looks at the latest harmful words of Israel Folau and what it means for the LGBTIQ community and all of us. ...2 weeks ago- Staff shocked at the depth of the financial and planning issues at Whitireia and Weltec
Staff at Whitireia and Weltec are making a stand for a quality vocational education system that places communities at its centre. ...2 weeks ago- Making The Tradies Pay.
2 weeks ago- Uber’s S1 and slowing growth
Uber released their S1, their prospectus for their IPO today. The biggest concern for potential investors is probably their falling growth rates, which makes it hard to model a future where the company can produce significant earnings to justify ...2 weeks ago- Places to go, people to see
While there's news today, I'm off to Wellington to attend Armageddon on the weekend. Normal bloggage will resume on Monday. ...2 weeks ago- Mar-19 Ridership
When it comes to tracking public transport ridership in Auckland, finding out the results for March is one of my favourite times of the year. March is usually the busiest month of the year thanks to a number of factors, ...2 weeks ago- Have We Abandoned the Egalitarian Society?
Eighty years ago, the First Labour Government imbedded New Zealanders’ aspirations for an egalitarian society in the welfare state it created. Thirty years ago, both the Labour and National Governments began an assault on that egalitarianism and the traditional welfare ...2 weeks ago- Code Pink, Madonna and Palestinian resistance
by Phil Duncan Code Pink, a US-based peace and social reform group, has issued a call to Madonna not to perform at Eurovision which, this year, is being held in Tel Aviv. They note, “Israel’s regime of military occupation, settler-colonialism ...2 weeks ago- New Fisk
2 weeks ago- How the SIS can protect NZ elections
The SIS has been appearing before the Justice Select Committee to discuss concerns about foreign interference in New Zealand elections. In the process, they suggested that something dubious has been going on around donations:"We do see foreign interference activity from ...2 weeks ago- Acting responsibly – recent governance lessons
In California the giant electricity utility PG&E requested bankruptcy protection. In New Zealand a former Prime Minister and her previous colleagues around the Board table of Mainzeal have been fined $36 million – although both sides are appealing that. Also ...2 weeks ago- Climate Change: The latest inventory
The annual inventory report[PDF] of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing a slight increase in emissions: Its small, and the government is blaming the weather (2017 was not a good hydro year), but it is still not ...2 weeks ago- “We are one class” – free movement for the workers of the world
by The Spark Hundreds of thousands of men, women and children are fleeing for their lives, trying to gain entry into the U.S. Most are from Central America: El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, where there is some of the highest ...2 weeks ago- Are ramp signals fundamentally flawed?
Ramp signals – those traffic lights on motorway on-ramps that are designed to limit the number of vehicles that enter the motorway and thereby help keep traffic flowing, have long been a controversial transport initiative. They were first introduced on ...2 weeks ago- The Gap
There’s a lot of work going on at the moment trying to address the funding needs of hundreds of companies that are emerging from New Zealand. Investors, groups of investors and funds are all lifting their sights, raising and contributing ...2 weeks ago- Cheap at twice the price
In Parliament to day, opportunistic hologram David Seymour attacked the government's proposed gun buyback scheme, claiming that it would be costly and unsuccessful. Its success is obviously up to gun owners and police - and I would hope that they ...2 weeks ago- Immigration is people seeking a better life
by Don Franks Assumptions in an article on immigration numbers dropping show the crude capitalist values of our media. The question of immigration has always been a difficult balancing act for New Zealand’s political parties. On one hand, businesses need ...2 weeks ago- No wonder she didn’t want to answer
Last week, Parliament threatened the Chief Statistician with contempt to force her to produce basic statistics on last year's census. This morning, she finally produced them. And its become clear why she wanted to keep them secret: because the census ...2 weeks ago- Convenient Fictions
2 weeks ago- Climate Change: Business as usual
Remember when Jacinda Ardern called climate change "my generation's nuclear free moment"? From that tough talk, you'd expect urgent and real action to stop fossil fuels and reduce emissions. But when they banned offshore oil exploration, existing permits were left ...2 weeks ago- The case for allowing aid in dying in New Zealand
The End of Life Choice Bill, a member's bill in the name of David Seymour that would permit aid in dying, has been reported back by Parliament's Health Committee.read more ...2 weeks ago- Climate change poses security risks, according to decades of intelligence reports
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections A series of authoritative governmental and nongovernmental analyses over more than three decades lays a strong foundation for concern over climate change implications for national security. Most recently, the national intelligence community – ...2 weeks ago- New E-Scooter trial and rules coming
At the end of last year and beginning of this year e-scooters dominated the news cycles. I’m still not entirely why they got so much attention but media were absolutely obsessed with them. Perhaps this is a reflection of how ...2 weeks ago- Will the SIS double down on Islamophobia?
Yesterday the government announced the terms of reference for a royal commission of inquiry into the Christchurch terrorist attack. Among other things, the inquiry will be examining the failure of intelligence agencies in allowing a violent Nazi to buy weapons ...2 weeks ago- New Zealand landlords have it easy
Landlords and house-hoarders are whining about the prospect of a capital gains tax forcing them to pay their fair share. But in Berlin, they have a different solution to controlling rising rents: forced expropriation:Thousands of Berlin residents took to the ...2 weeks ago- Reported back
The Justice Committee has reported back on the End of Life Choice Bill. As expected, they were unable to agree on a contentious piece of legislation, so they have recommended a few minor technical amendments, while leaving major policy questions ...2 weeks ago- Proper planning, not cuts demanded at Whitireia and Weltec
Staff at Whitireia and Weltec are making a stand for a quality vocationaleducation system that places communities at its centre. ...2 weeks ago- Expertise and resources the key to vocational education reforms
Ensuring students get access to expert teachers and industry practitionersis the focus of the Tertiary Education Union’s submission on the ...2 weeks ago- Doing what they promised II
The Finance and Expenditure Committee reported back on the Arms (Prohibited Firearms, Magazines, and Parts) Amendment Bill, and recommended that it be passed with only minor amendments. There are new exemptions allowing commercial pest controllers and people with heirlooms to ...2 weeks ago- The secret closed trials of Soviet Russia. (And Aotearoa New Zealand)
. . History throughout the 20th century is replete with authoritarian regimes using closed, secret trials to persecute dissidents. Closed, secret trials give a veneer of legal “respectability” to an autocratic regime that wants to do away with its critics, ...2 weeks ago- Getting Light Rail to the Northwest in three easy steps
On Saturday, Transport Minister Phil Twyford held a public meeting in Henderson about transport in West Auckland and I was one of the speakers. At the event there was lot of discussion about rapid transit on the SH16 corridor where ...2 weeks ago- And over on The Irish Revolution
Several of us at Redline maintain separate blogs: the Irish Revolution (about Irish history and politics) and 100 Years of Trenches (anti-militarism, anti-imperialism, in particular in relation to NZ). Below are some recent highlights from the Irish revolution blog: Bernadette ...2 weeks ago - 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
... 
- Sri LankaSri Lanka National Flag It has taken me a while to comprehend what has happened in Sri Lanka. 321 people killed in churches and hotels because of the coordinated actions of a number ...7 hours ago
- Andrew Little leads NZ delegation on global anti-terrorism taskforce
Justice Minister Andrew Little leaves for the United States today to take part in a global task force that’s tackling terrorism and anti-money laundering. “I’m looking forward to leading the New Zealand delegation to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) ...2 weeks ago - Third reading: Arms (Prohibited Firearms, Magazines, and Parts) Amendment BillMr Speaker We have travelled a long way in eight days, since the bill was read a first time. It has been a punishing schedule for MPs and submitters and public servants who have played a role in this process. ...2 weeks ago
- Legal framework for gun buyback scheme announcedPolice Minister Stuart Nash has announced a legal framework for the gun buyback will be established as a first step towards determining the level of compensation. It will include compensation for high capacity magazines and parts. Mr Nash has outlined ...2 weeks ago
- Second reading: Arms (Prohibited Firearms, Magazines and Parts) Amendment BillMr Speaker, it is Day 25 of the largest criminal investigation in New Zealand history. Not a day, or a moment, has been wasted as we respond to the atrocity that is testing us all. That is true also of ...2 weeks ago
- Sri LankaSri Lanka National Flag It has taken me a while to comprehend what has happened in Sri Lanka. 321 people killed in churches and hotels because of the coordinated actions of a number ...7 hours ago
- University is forcing animals to swim for their lives
Today on World Day for Laboratory Animals, a letter for Professor Grant Guilford, Vice-Chancellor of Victoria University, was delivered to the Psychology Department by SAFE and the New Zealand Anti-Vivisection Society (NZAVS), accompanied by Felix ...40 mins ago - Camping Group to seek Freedom Camping infringement infoResponsible Campers Association Incorporated has today announced it will actively seek information on why Freedom Camping infringements and fines go unpaid. ...45 mins ago
- New Residence Category for Victims of Mosque AttacksThe Minister of Immigration ( Minister ) previously indicated that the Government was looking at the possibility of releasing a new residence policy aimed at supporting those affected by the terrorist attacks that took place at the Masjid Al Noor ...2 hours ago
- Council misses mark with ratepayer funding of ‘influencer’Responding to the news that Wellington's ratepayers are paying for a social media influencer to corral under-35s into engaging with the City Council , Taxpayers’ Union Spokesman Garrick Wright-McNaughton says: “Public engagement will follow ...3 hours ago
- Launch of the Aotearoa / NZ Anti-Capitalist Green FrontIn the fight against climate catastrophe, we are impressed and encouraged by the movement that Extinction Rebellion is building. ...19 hours ago
- Extinction Rebellion Queenstown Lakes Wanaka ActionExtinction Rebellion Queenstown Lakes are undertaking our first action on Wednesday 24th at the Wanaka lakefront – specific location will be announced at 7am. ...23 hours ago
- Sri Lanka – Terrorist AttackThe New Zealand Jewish Council expresses its deep sorrow about the co-ordinated Easter Sunday terrorist attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka. An attack on any house of worship is an attack on all houses of worship, as we ...23 hours ago
- Rental property child hospitalisation claim contradictedHousing Minister Phil Twyford justified the launch of costly new rental property standards in February by saying “6000 children are admitted each year for ‘housing-sensitive hospitalisations’” but, when questioned, two Ministries provided contradictory ...24 hours ago
- Information gathering standards updateGovernment agencies have until the end of June to publish their policies on information gathering activity and undertaking surveillance. ...1 day ago
- Petrol price increases put pressure on taxpayersWith petrol prices increasing , tax relief would keep costs manageable, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . ...1 day ago
- Where’s the taxpayer value in sending Mr Speaker to Africa?If Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard wanted to see gorillas in Africa he should have paid for the privilege, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. ...1 day ago
- Forcing Mike Lee to go to shows flaws in Gov structureForcing Mike Lee to go to using LGOIMA and Ombudsman shows flaw in NZ’s local government structure ...1 day ago
- Government Challenged to Get Low-Income Kiwis into HomesMore New Zealanders could be owning their own home if only the Government adopted and scaled up hugely successful non-government homeownership programmes says The Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, New Zealand Housing Foundation and Community ...1 day ago
- Shock Cannabis Poll: Yes To Medicinal, No To LegalisingIn a shock poll result, less than 20% (one in five) New Zealanders support legalisation of marijuana, but there is strong support for lifting restrictions for medical use (65%), according to an independent poll of 1,000 people by Curia Market ...1 day ago
- PSA disturbed by dismal handling of funding issuesNew revelations today that the Ministry of Health has been blocked from making major cuts in funding for disability support services are a disturbing symptom of longstanding underfunding of the disability sector says the Public Service Association (PSA). ...3 days ago
- Planned funding cuts paint a grim picture for disabled carePlanned funding cuts paint a grim picture for disabled care Media release 21 April 2019 ...3 days ago
- $30 million of disabled support funding cuts savedDisabled New Zealanders saved from $30 million of funding cuts to support services at last minute ...3 days ago
- Commemoration of Historic Falun Gong AppealThe Falun Gong Community will hold an event at Aotea Square, Saturday 20 April 2019 from 11 am to 3 pm. ...4 days ago
- Call Government for OECD/WHO/EU standards for traffic noiseCEAC/ residents seek health/wellbeing protection by adopting OECD/WHO/EU urban traffic noise standards. Confirmation from several reports both from NZTA/Transit-NZ acoustical consultants have since 2001 warned residents that heavy traffic levels coupled with ...5 days ago
- DefendNZ releases Top 5 Reasons for MPs to Vote ‘NO’#DefendNZ releases Top 5 Reasons for MPs to Vote ‘NO’ – The End of life Choice Bill will never be safe #DefendNZ – a grassroots movement opposed to the End of Life Choice Bill – has listed their Top 5 ...6 days ago
- No CGT may offer opportunities to rethink policiesChild Poverty Action Group cautiously welcomes the government’s response to the Tax Working Group’s (TWG) final report . ...6 days ago
- We are the Rising Tide!The seas are rising - but so are we! Human wave for action on climate change. ...6 days ago
- ANZASW response to MSD decision on housing evictionsThe Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) welcomes Housing New Zealand’s (HNZ) decision to clear the debts of those who have been wrongfully evicted for alleged methamphetamine contamination at their homes. ...6 days ago
- Environment Report shows need for major reformThe Environmental Defence Society (EDS) welcomes the release of the latest report under New Zealand’s national environmental reporting regime. The report, Environment Aotearoa 2019 , was produced jointly by the Ministry for the Environment and Stats ...6 days ago
- ANZASW on response to Tax Working Group reportThe Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) notes the release of the government’s response to the Tax Working Group (TWG) report this week. ...6 days ago
- Environment Aotearoa yardstick welcomed by LGNZThe latest report providing metrics on the state of New Zealand’s environment is being welcomed by LGNZ’s Regional Sector as a way for councils to focus their efforts where it can make the biggest difference. ...6 days ago
- Regional Council welcomes report findingsBay of Plenty Regional Council has today welcomed the release of Environment Aotearoa 2019 by the Ministry for the Environment. ...6 days ago
- Taking Our Story to the WorldOn the 25th of May, 2019, seven committee members of the ANZASCS will be heading off to what is considered to be the most ‘unique city’ in the United States of America. ...6 days ago
- Prisons generally operating well say Inspectorate reportsCorrections acknowledges the release of the reports into Otago Corrections Facility, Rimutaka Prison and Auckland South Corrections Facility, completed by Corrections’ independent inspectorate. ...6 days ago
- Environment Report Confirms Regional Council FailureFish and Game welcomed the report on New Zealand’s Environment today and believe it is a performance review on regional councils and how they have completely failed to protect the environment. ...6 days ago
- City Rail Link cost blow-out: Public deserves better...6 days ago
- Environmental data improvement key in Environment reportEnvironment Canterbury has welcomed the Environment Aotearoa 2019 synthesis report as a significant milestone in the work to understand the state of our natural environment and the effects of climate change across New Zealand. ...6 days ago
- National environmental snapshot sobering readingHawke’s Bay Regional Council Chief Executive James Palmer has welcomed a national report released today on the state of our natural environment but says it makes sobering reading. Environment Aotearoa 2019 is jointly-produced by the Ministry for the Environment ...6 days ago
- Action must follow damning environment reportForest & Bird says the country must take bold action to reverse an environmental crisis, following the release of the Environment Aotearoa 2019 report. “We have more than enough information about how bad things are,” says CEO Kevin Hague. “New ...6 days ago
- Call For Kiwis to Restrict Single Use PlasticsKiwis are being asked to review and reduce their consumption of single use plastics this World Earth Day (April 22). ...6 days ago
- State of Environment report highlights need for better dataThe Resource Management Law Association (RMLA) welcomes the comprehensive report on the state of the environment released by the Ministry for the Environment today. ...6 days ago
- Nine top environmental issues facing New ZealandA new report shows the way we live and how we make a living are having a serious impact on our environment. ...6 days ago
- Reducing risks on the road needs better reflectionThe AA is asking all drivers to remember to look in the mirror as we head towards the Easter break. ...6 days ago
- “SOUR MILK” Protest at ParliamentYesterday afternoon, around 60 members of Extinction Rebellion Te Whanganui-a-Tara gathered in Parliament grounds to protest against intensive dairy farming, and the associated land damage, greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater pollution, health impacts ...6 days ago
- REINZ welcomes Labour’s CGT announcementThe Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) has today welcomed the announcement from the Prime Minister that Labour will not be adopting a capital gains tax (CGT), following feedback from the majority of New Zealanders that they do not ...6 days ago
- Inspection reports for three prisons releasedThe Office of the Inspectorate today released inspection reports for Auckland South Corrections Facility, Rimutaka Prison and Otago Corrections Facility. ...6 days ago
- Dunne Speaks: The Capital Gains Tax U-TurnIn my Newsroom Column last week about the proposed Capital Gains Tax I wrote that "Notwithstanding her own strong feelings in favour of a comprehensive capital gains tax, [the Prime Minister] needs to recognise the depth of public opposition ...6 days ago
- Closing the Gap statement on CGT decisionToday’s decision ruling out a Capital Gains Tax for New Zealand is hypocritical from a Government that campaigned on improving wellbeing, reducing inequality and governing on the basis of fairness, efficiency, and rationality, said Peter Malcolm, ...7 days ago
- No capital gains tax a relief for owners and tenantsRental property owners and tenants will be relieved that pressure from hundreds of thousands of voters and taxpayers forced the ideologically-driven Prime Minister to drop the ideologically-driven capital gains tax, Tenancies War spokesman Mike ...7 days ago
- Waikato Businesses pleased Government has dumped the CGTChris Simpson CEO of the Waikato Chamber of Commerce is pleased for the 55,000 businesses operating in the Waikato that the CGT has been dumped. ...7 days ago
- Praise for listening to feedback on CGT challengesChartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) today praised the Coalition Government for listening to feedback on the challenges of wide-ranging tax reforms and the importance of maintaining the integrity and simplicity of the tax system. ...7 days ago
- E tū very disappointed by CGT announcementE tū, the biggest private sector union in New Zealand, is very disappointed that the Government will not adopt any of the Tax Working Group’s recommendations on introducing a capital gains tax (CGT). ...7 days ago
- Tax Justice Aotearoa statement on CGT announcementTax Justice Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply disappointed that the coalition Government has not moved on capital gains tax and has failed to take up the challenge. ...7 days ago
- Early intervention initiatives not meeting needs of youngestEarly intervention initiatives not meeting the needs of our youngest tamariki, says Te Rito Maioha ...7 days ago
- Government upholds status quo over Capital Gains TaxThe Government's rejection of a Capital Gains Tax upholds the status quo it promised to change in the lead up to the election and Government formation. Auckland Action Against Poverty condemns the Government's decision to not fix our tax system ...7 days ago
- Sri LankaSri Lanka National Flag It has taken me a while to comprehend what has happened in Sri Lanka. 321 people killed in churches and hotels because of the coordinated actions of a number ...7 hours ago
- Sylvester Gawi: Deplorable neglect of PNG’s ‘voice of the nation’
Radio Morobe … “The Morobe provincial government has neglected its upgrading and funding in the last 10 years or more”. Image: Post-Courier COMMENTARY: By Sylvester Gawi in Lae I grew up in the 1990s listening to NBC Radio – ...36 mins ago - Asian and Pacific nations struggling over media self-censorship, says RSF
Papua New Guinean media … RSF says journalists faced intimidation, direct threats, censorship, prosecution and bribery attempts. Image: EMTV News By RNZ Pacific Democracies across Asia and the Pacific are struggling to resist disinformation and protect press freedoms, according ...36 mins ago - Lawrence Arabia on songwriting: ‘The more you do it, the less you know’
Throughout 2018, James Milne (aka Lawrence Arabia) released a song a month to fans who’d supported him via a Kickstarter campaign. He took time out from his tour supporting the resulting album, Singles Club, to speak with Gareth Shute about ...1 hour ago - The perfect dish: soul-soothing fruitcake
The long, restorative process of baking fruitcake – and eating the results – has helped Amanda Thompson through the worst of times.A long time ago, so long it feels like this story belongs to a different person, I lost my ...2 hours ago - Less than half of customers say banks can be trusted
Consumers tend to be satisfied with their banks overall but less than half think banks can be trusted and almost two-thirds doubt they have their customers' best interests at heart. ...3 hours ago - Fob off the blame to side-step cheap talk conundrum
Cheap talk becomes expensive once you are in power, but a coalition Government has a way out. ...3 hours ago - Ardern, Macron to chair meeting to stop social media’s use in terrorism
New Zealand and France will work together to stop social media's use in organizing and promoting terrorism and violent extremism in the wake of last month's terrorist attacks in Christchurch that killed 50 people. ...4 hours ago - New plan gives Pacific people chance to stay home
Countries like Kiribati may have a say in their future, thanks to a group of Kiwi engineers. ...4 hours ago - House prices and demographics make death duties an idea whose time has come
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Mangan, Professor and Director of the Australian Institute For Business and Economics, The University of Queensland Suddenly, death duties are part of the election campaign. Not that Labor (or the Coalition) ...4 hours ago - ‘We all need to act’ – PM says NZ and France will try to end use of social media f...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says tech companies will be asked to agree to a pledge called the 'Christchurch Call' to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. ...4 hours ago - NZD weaker as fears of US slowdown ease
The New Zealand dollar fell after upbeat US data and earnings reduced concerns about a possible slowdown there and helped stoke appetite for the greenback. ...4 hours ago - Why Pluto is losing its atmosphere: winter is comingSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew A. Cole, Senior Lecturer in Astrophysics, University of Tasmania The ominous warning – “winter is coming”, popularised by fantasy series Game of Thrones – applies equally well to Pluto. The dwarf ...4 hours ago
- The government and tech companies can’t prevent ‘fake news’ during the election – only the p...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Jensen, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis, University of Canberra We’re only days into the federal election campaign and already the first instances of “fake news” have surfaced ...4 hours ago
- Sickly sweet or just right? How genes control your taste for sugarSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Liang-Dar Hwang, Postdoctoral Researcher, The University of Queensland You might love sugary doughnuts, but your friends find them too sweet and only take small nibbles. That’s partly because your genes influence ...4 hours ago
- A whole new world: how WWI brought new skills and professions back to AustraliaSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Waghorne, Academic Historian, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne The first world war was significant to the formation of Australian national identity and defining national characteristics, such as making ...4 hours ago
- Get set for take-off in electric aircraft, the next transport disruptionSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jake Whitehead, Research Fellow, The University of Queensland Move aside electric cars, another disruption set to occur in the next decade is being ignored in current Australian transport infrastructure debates: electric aviation. ...4 hours ago
- Before the Anzac biscuit, soldiers ate a tile so hard you could write on itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lindsay Kelley, Lecturer, Art & Design, UNSW Before Anzac biscuits found the sticky sweet form we bake and eat today, Anzac soldiers ate durable but bland “Anzac tiles”, a new name for ...4 hours ago
- Sri Lanka blasts: Simon Bridges urges caution over retaliation claimsThe National Party leader says we need to exercise 'real caution' over the claims that the Easter Sunday bombings, which killed more than 300 people, were retaliation for the Christchurch mosque attacks. ...5 hours ago
- Watch live: Simon Bridges on ISIS retaliation claimsNational Party leader Simon Bridges discusses the claims that the Easter Sunday bombings, which killed more than 300 people, were retaliation for the Christchurch mosque attacks. ...5 hours ago
- The Bulletin: Tensions loom over ANZAC Day
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Tensions loom over tomorrow’s ANZAC Day services, government coming up short on police recruitment, and attachment orders against beneficiaries blow out.ANZAC Day will dawn tomorrow amid tensions over how the day ...6 hours ago - Auckland’s growth pressure cooker cools
Auckland's population growth is finally easing, and that makes managing the city a little easier, Tim Murphy writes. ...7 hours ago - From Christchurch to Colombo
A year ago Chamanthie Sinhalage was in Sri Lanka, where she had travelled from New Zealand for her wedding. Today, she is coming to terms with a horrific terrorist attack in her birth country, just a few weeks after the ...8 hours ago - I used to be an anti-vaxxer
Hannah McGowan once believed that vaccination was to blame for her chronic health issues, and refused to vaccinate her two young sons. Then she started to listen to the health professionals who know best.In 1999 I was 19 and utterly ...8 hours ago - View from The Hill: Joyce could be facing waves at a judicial inquiry after the electionSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra It’s hard to believe Barnaby Joyce really wants to lead the Nationals again. Of course everyone knows he does, desperately, but his unhinged ABC interview ...13 hours ago
- Australia’s ‘watergate’: here’s what taxpayers need to know about water buybacksSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lin Crase, Professor of Economics and Head of School, University of South Australia In 2017, the then agriculture minister, Barnaby Joyce, signed off on an A$80 million purchase of a water entitlement ...13 hours ago
- How soldier guitars, culture and faith paved way for Bougainville’s peace
The trailer for Will Watson’s documentary on Bougainville peacemaking, Soldiers Without Guns. FILM REVIEW: By David Robie While a gripping film about the apocalyptic Bougainville war, or more accurately the peace that ended the decade-long conflict, opened in cinemas across ...16 hours ago - NZX50 tops 10,000, growing 284% in past decade
The S&P/NZX 50 Index broke through the 10,000 level for the first time today, and has climbed about 284 during the past 10 years. ...18 hours ago - NZD little changed ahead of Australia CPI data
The New Zealand dollar was little changed ahead of Australian inflation data due tomorrow, a key indicator to whether the Reserve Bank of Australia will cut interest rates. ...18 hours ago - Bougainville: The valley of the Rambos, 1989A Papua New Guinean soldier guards the road to Panguna, Bougainville, 1989. Image: David Robie David Robie Tuesday, April 23, 2019 Abstract ‘The original [Panguna mine] agreement overrode our customs, denied us our land rights and ...19 hours ago
- Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: What will Labour do about inequality now?
20 hours ago - Christchurch terror attack: Families offered option to stay permanentlyPeople directly affected by the Christchurch terror attack can now apply to stay in New Zealand permanently. ...20 hours ago
- Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – April 23 2019
Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – April 23 2019 Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. The Beehive and Parliament Buildings. Today’s content Capital gains ...20 hours ago - MARINA is back – minus her DiamondsMARINA’s new album drops in its entirety on April 26 – but where has she been, and where are the Diamonds? Sam Brooks chronicles the journey of popstar MARINA from Diamonds to caps lock.Real talk: MARINA is one of the ...20 hours ago
- Ethnic media are essential for new migrants and should be better fundedSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Budarick, Lecturer in Media, University of Adelaide The fact that the community ethnic and multicultural broadcasting sector didn’t receive additional funding in the latest budget reflects a misunderstanding of the important ...20 hours ago
- Rift between NZ government and aid agency over naming of nurse captured by ISISSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato Last week’s revelation that a New Zealand nurse has been captured by Islamic State and detained in Syria for almost six years has caused ...21 hours ago
- Deadline extended for publication on surveillance by government agenciesGovernment agencies have been given an extra two months to publish how they will gather information and undertake surveillance. ...21 hours ago
- Jokowi’s camp ups ante against Prabowo’s ‘real count’ vote claim
22 hours ago - The Māori ward project is failing, and it’s hurting New Zealand democracy
Traditional local council structures are shutting out indigenous voices. Māori wards were supposed to be the answer – so why are so few being created?Local government elections occur every four years, and are a chance to decide who we want ...22 hours ago - What our unhealthy obsession with body image is doing to usIn the first part of a new series in partnership with Women’s Health Action, Anna Beard looks at the effects poor body image on women’s health and how to push back against those pressures.Body image is a critical health issue, particularly ...22 hours ago
- NZX50 cracks 10,000 level
The S&P/NZX 50 Index broke through the 10,000 level for the first time in trading today as exporters such as A2 Milk and Fisher & Paykel Healthcare benefited from a weaker kiwi dollar. ...22 hours ago - Zespri signals upside for grower payments in 2020
Kiwifruit marketer Zespri is forecasting a potential lift of up to 6 percent in payments to growers this season. ...23 hours ago - Media Files: Investigative journalist Adele Ferguson on the ‘disappointing’ banking royal commis...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dodd, Director of the Centre for Advancing Journalism, University of Melbourne Today on Media Files, it’s journalism versus the big banks. We’re hearing from Adele Ferguson, the celebrated journalist who many ...23 hours ago
- ComCom conditionally approves Knauf-USG merger
The Commerce Commission has followed its Australian counterpart's lead in approving a merger of building products giants Knauf and USG, provided it sells its share of a trans-Tasman joint venture. ...23 hours ago - What happened when I watched all 12 hours of Go South
Over Easter, Prime aired a piece of slow television gold: Go South. Tara Ward watched the whole thing.It was five and a half hours into an epic 12 hour journey through New Zealand when I saw it: a giant cat, randomly standing ...24 hours ago - She was her own biggest fan: Remembering 90s feminist teen icon Pepper Ann
Forget Daria, Pepper Ann was the 90s’ greatest cartoon depiction of teenage girlhood, argues Sam Rutledge.Somehow the beloved Pepper Ann, which ran for five seasons is – wait for it – 22 years old. I know, I don’t believe it either, ...1 day ago - NZ plans for inevitable climate-related migration
You'll no longer hear the Government utter the words 'climate refugee', but behind the scenes officials continue to plan for Pacific climate migration. ...1 day ago - “Fuck a duck!” The new EL James, reviewed
The author of Fifty Shades of Grey is back, with more unintentionally hilarious catchphrases and “linguistically bankrupt fondling of a clitoris”.The Mister opens with an extremely important piece of translation – the difference between the word “daily” in US vernacular (a newspaper ...1 day ago - How Overcooked 2 taught me to be a better cook (and person)
Alex Casey plays chaotic cooking game Overcooked 2 and learns some very valuable lessons.Three pots of rice are on fire and one pan of sautéed mushrooms is starting to smoke. I’ve thrown dry pasta all over the floor. The dirty ...1 day ago - Sri Lanka has a history of conflict, but the recent attacks appear differentSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Damien Kingsbury, Professor, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Deakin University Sri Lanka has long been subject to extremist violence. Easter Sunday’s coordinated bomb blasts, which killed almost 300 and injured hundreds ...1 day ago
- Sri Lanka attack ‘devastating’ – Grant RobertsonFinance Minister Grant Robertson says the terror attacks in Sri Lanka are devastating and New Zealand is offering all the support it can. ...1 day ago
Major NZ advertisers ask FB for changes to the livestreaming platform or a
complete suspension of livestreaming. They are calling on the international
advertising community to join its boycott of Facebook advertising.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12216205
I’d bet the majority of them will be back regardless of what Facebook do.
Their bottom line will be more important than their virtue signalling.
Grumble fart, grumble fart.
Nixon released edited transcripts of the White House tapes.
Didn’t work out too flash for him.
Attorney General William Barr will send the special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on the Russia investigation to the White House before the public sees it, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said Tuesday.
Graham said Barr told him he would send the report to the White House first in case it wants to claim executive privilege over any parts.
Mueller’s full report is likely to contain crucial details about the motivations behind the myriad contacts and meetings President Donald Trump’s associates had with Russians, as well as Trump’s repeated deference to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump’s defence lawyers have previously said they want a chance to review and “correct” the Mueller report before it’s made public.
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/barr-mueller-report-white-house-executive-privilege-2019-3?r=US&IR=T
The Allman Brothers Band began rehearsals fifty years ago today.
Coincidentally my Allman Bros compilation has been playing from the SD drive in my Outlander the past few days. Mitsubishi put in the best hifi sound I’ve yet encountered in car audio. Always a superb aural experience…
There’s a good little consumer franky.
What’s the chances of we at TS using a different terminology to “white supremist” to me it implies an acceptance of supremacy.
If we can change the description here, who knows, perhaps we can influence others also.
I personally prefer to describe them as “fascist faction”. What ya,reckon ??
They adopted the nationalist moniker themselves to get around the supremacist bit.
But hey, if you want to follow their lead because….
Ersatz Nazi works for me
Danuta Danielsson knew.
Me mum!
Yo momma!
HAHAHA !
Lead lined handbags can hurt !
WHACK !
I like the pic was my suggestion years ago when they had kids going to school hungry. The council pulled the trees we planted. So simple but who makes money discard idea.
I’ll always remember when, in the 70s a friend of mine suggested at a Ponsonby Community Committee meeting that we plant fruit trees on the streets. A middle aged matron announced firmly that we couldn’t do that because the children would eat the fruit! Stunned silence – lol
In the 70s, said matron may have spoken unintended wisdom – the fruit may have contained significant amounts of the lead that was put in the petrol back then.
A reasonable concern. Valid in respect of lead in soot particles adhering to the skin of apples, from vehicle exhausts.
In 1979 I produced a survey of lead pollution in Auckland city for the Environmental Laboratory of the Health Department. Testing of carrots grown in gardens adjacent to house walls painted with leaded paint showed the intake was sufficiently minimal compared to soil lead content to suggest no valid reason for concern. The carrot skin seemed to operate as impermeable to lead molecules, or the lead remained bound to soil, or both. If kids washed the apples before eating, they’d likely be safe. Kids don’t!
Roadside distance profiling showed that lead from exhausts mostly collected in the gutter. I was instructed to sample there plus various distances from a busy road through farm land up to 100m, and graph the results that came back from the testing. There was a spectacular drop-off with distance. Therefore the low-hanging fruit are the ones most likely to be toxic. What kids grab.
Send in the capybaras first (for the sake of the children!)
Meanie! They’re so cute. 😢
Cute? If you like to live in the Fire Swamp and frolic with Rodents of Unusual Size!
Rodents of unusual size, huh.
Bloody Norah!
There’s enough meat on ’em to be worth eating. Dude’s holding one about 10 seconds into the vid.
https://www.sacbee.com/latest-news/article209144049.html
Yummm! Nutritious.
Auckland Transport is quite unequivocal about the planting of fruit trees on the berms. (that they no longer maintain BTW.)
Time for some guerilla gardening for the forward thinkers…
Reasons I’ve heard for not planting fruit (and nuts) on berms.
Maintenance.
Mess on pavements.
Attracts rodents.
Smell.
Reasons I think they’re not saying:
BAU doesn’t like people not buying fruit that’s been on a world tour sponsored by oil before being packaged in plastic and driven around your town.
Big local growers can twist arms to ensure the apples kids eat come from them. For a price.
Because business interests override the common good.
Had a great peach season and now the feijoas are coming in. Macadamias are starting to drop and bananas ripening. So much basil.
Macadamia and basil pesto. Go trees!
I met a guy, an old guy, who sneaked into the Red Zone in Christchurch and planted 1000 nectarine stones…
Do it anyway (that’s my advice) 🙂
Guerrilla gardening:
What a great bit of history. Thanks.
There are quite a few fruit trees in the red zone that locals and foragers collect from. It’s one of the many wonderful things about the river corridor aka the red zone. The walnuts are just coming in now and there are still pears and apples to be had. Looking forward to the figs and feijoas!!
Strike, while the iron is hot!
oh
https://tttthreads.com/thread/1110629372451389440.html?refreshed=yes
https://vault.fbi.gov/trump-organization
Greens getting irritated with Labour foot-dragging. Not yet sufficiently to accuse Labour of mere virtue-signalling – kinda just firing a warning shot across their bow. Not the Greens in parliament either – they could be the next target – it’s the wild lot out there in the hinterland…
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/03/six-months-overdue-mining-on-conservation-land-discussion-document-still-not-released.html
Wellington should lead the way with a fruit tree trial as part of community preparedness. Hell of a lot easier to have them here than bring them in after a disaster.
Unfortunately theft happened in the middle of the night, and I doubt we will see more fruit trees in the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in Wellington. They weren’t even ripe but such is the sense of scarcity in our community that unripe free apples are better than no apples at all.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12003340
“Capitalism’s grow-or-die imperative stands radically at odds with ecology’s imperative of interdependence and limit. The two imperatives can no longer coexist with each other; nor can any society founded on the myth that they can be reconciled hope to survive. Either we will establish an ecological society or society will go under for everyone, irrespective of his or her status.” ~ Ursula K Leguin
I thought of fruit trees in public when I was a kid,… then I stopped and thought,… all the money to prune and train em, then the obligatory spraying for pests which would affect orchards…
Mind you ,… it would provide employment .
But there’d still be a lot of waste on the ground,… oh well..