Well we can all criticise Winston Peters but he was the only one in NZ politics predicting and supporting Brexit .
His appearance on the Paul Henry show this morning was a eye opener and in my opinion he is heading toward further polling strength. This could be at the expense of Labour as Andrew Little had to back down in his statement regarding tax expert Mr Shewan. Not good for Andrew or Labour.
I pose the question should the LabGreen partnership accept Winston as Prime Minister if as expected Winston will hold the keys to the formation of a Government in 2017.
I believe that will be his price to the LabGreen and NZ First coalition.
I also believe that Little, Turei and Shaw will accept those terms from Winston, such is their desperation to be part of a NZ Government.
National would not accept such a proposal from Winston though they would accept him high in their cabinet rankings.
The question of Prime Ministership in 2017 needs to be asked and answered now, after the election is to late and would cause political turmoil if outcomes are not what the electors expect.
An obsfucation answer to the question should not be tolerated.
Shewans report is a complete parroting of John Key’s various claims and statements about the tax haven, opps Zero tax rated companies Key have made since the panama papers were released.
Show me where he has said anything original.
I’m going to put NRT’s post here in it’s entirety:
Damning inquiry points finger at the Government, State Services Commissioner, Stuff, June 23, 2016:
The Government has rejected parts of a damning report into its handling of an inquiry into leaks from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Ombudsman Ron Paterson has told the Government it should compensate a former top diplomat whose career ended in tatters after he was targeted by the inquiry, which was instigated by the State Services Commission.
He has also recommended a formal apology.
[…]
In a statement, Rennie said he did not agree with all elements of the Ombudsman’s findings, in particular that in making findings relating to the investigation being outside its terms of reference.
—————————————————————————————-
Ombudsman resigns: Professor Ron Paterson steps down two years early, New Zealand Herald, 27 June 2016:
One of the country’s two Ombudsmen has resigned and will leave the role two years before the end of his five-year term.
Professor Ron Paterson will leave the role on Thursday. He was appointed an Ombudsman in June 2013 for a five-year period.
[…]
The timing of this really doesn’t look good. The SSC report was apparently hotly contested, and Rennie effectively refusing to accept its “recommendations” may have been a final straw.
Ron Paterson did not intend to see out his full term, but his decision to up-sticks forthwith is worthy of investigation. As NRT infers: something is definitely not right here.
Anyone know what Murray McCully has been up to lately?
The real idiots are the lawmakers whose economic policies prepared the perfect conditions for the Brexit in the UK and the rise of Donald Trump in the US.
The real idiots are the well-dressed, gently spoken, highly educated, mostly men, who plan perpetual wars around the world that lead to terrorism and refugee crisis.
The real idiots are the politicians whose inability to act on climate change and the nuclear threat is pushing humanity to the precipice of extinction.
And the even bigger idiots are those who advocate and believe in the American and British economic model claiming that it is the best of bad alternatives.
Not so. The Nobel laureate economist, Joseph Stiglitz, believes tackling extreme inequality is an achievable goal.
Probably the best breakdown of Brexit that I’ve read so far.
The truth about the British Labour leadership coup.
Been planning it for months. A small bunch of Blairites who never accepted Corbyn and have been waiting for a chance to launch their coup. “Westminster Games”.
As soon as I heard about it I figured that it had been in the making for months. Probably started before Corbyn even made leader, as it became obvious that he was going to win and not their hand selected parrot. Someone who was a danger to the status quo rather than its defender.
Saw this in the comment section of a Guardian article:
This much is clear. The country is divided virtually down the middle. On the one side we have those who despise the political classes. On the other, those who absolutely hate them.
The fury of the membership and unions will be unlimited. I suspect not a single one of these self-indulgent dorks will be remain in Labour in a year’s time. There’ll be a general crab-like scuttle off towards the rock called Liberal.
These munters had a choice, they could have seen Corbyn as someone different and a challenge to politics as usual, some-one they needed to get in behind, serve protect and promote. They could have formed a team around him and looked after his back, but no. Their personal arrogance had to come first. They had to plot, scheme, and finesse the rule-book.
And just when the Tories are on their knees they act to ensure the Tories will rise unscathed. In wartime you don’t fuck about with traitors, you just execute them out of hand.
I mean the sainted Hilary Benn, has the unmitigated gall to insult his Party Leader in public, call ‘no-confidence’ … and then fail to resign on the spot !!!. What fucking planet did I wake up on today?
That’s one interpretation.
Another is Corbyn was/is/and always will be electoral toast. Rolling him now, after his much discredited performance, could equally be the saving of and popular comeback of UK labour.
Oh come on, blaming Corbyn for the outcome of a referendum that was never of his own making is a feeble, cowardly fig-leaf.
We have Diane Abbott’s plain commentary on the matter, this scum had been planning it for fucking months. Down to the very detail. Even their ‘resignation’ letters all look they came from the same PR firm.
I just might have a smidgeon less contempt for them if they actually thought they might be stepping down; but in their minds this is nothing more than a game where they play ‘time-out’ for a few days, topple the Leader their Party voted for … and then waddle back into their comfortable troughs under a new Leader who’s neck deep in their debt.
Speaking of which … they all whine that Corbyn is electoral toast, but exactly WHO among their number is not an electoral greasy smut on the ceiling?
I don’t know if the rules permit it, but in the circumstances I’d argue he would certainly have moral mandate to ask for them to step down. And with a GE almost certain within six months, there would likely be no especial need to call by-elections.
Back in 1981, in Hard Road to Renewal, Stuart Hall remarked: “The right of the labour movement, to be honest, has no ideas of any compelling quality, except the instinct for short-term political survival. It would not know an ideological struggle if it stumbled across one in the dark. The only ‘struggle’ it engages in with any trace of conviction is the one against the left.”
You’ll have to scroll down to 21:33 for the ‘breaking’ news.
It does say at 22:08 that “the BBC’s political editor Laura Kuenssberg notes, Mr Watson didn’t explicitly tell Mr Corbyn he should resign and stressed that the final decision was a matter for him.”
But I didn’t see it and my post was before this, so no lie on my part.
I will accept your apology for casting aspersion. 😉
Don’t bother. I’m picking you don’t have it in you. lol
Though next time you call me for mis quoting and stating I’m a liar, I’d appreciate it if you were a little more researched and less half cocked as this time. Thanks.
Lets face it some of these MPs in the UKLP cant decide on the colour of shite.
All the Labour party members did in voting in huge numbers for Corbyn was reaffirm what they historically stood for and that was to represent working people and their aspirations for a better life and fairness at work with a livable wage and a belief in society and properly funded public services and keep the ever present dangerous capitalist establishment in check.
Its been an ambush under the cloak of the BREXIT and these plotters cant accept that the british Labour voter wants something better than the Tories prescription or Tony Blairs New Labour that they rejected with Gordon Brown in 2010 and again with New Labour part two in 2015.
These shadow ministers who have resigned were never prepared to accept Corbyn or any other left wing candidate for leader because they no longer support what their parties founding principles are about and are more relevant now , today than ever before and should think long and hard about what their members want rather than their own vile selfish agendas.
Maybe they should split away and take their chances with a different party if they cant stomach the one they are in.
In the mean time if they cant be loyal they should go to the back of the room and let the elected leadership get on with it and remind themselves unity is strength.
And at the earliest opportunity , resign and test their position at a by election.
Bullies – when young – are often very oblivious to the hurt caused by their actions.
A simple solution – and one that I used to use here at home – is to sit both children involved facing each other – knee to knee. Then as dispassionately as possible articulate what has gone on. The children are asked to look directly into each others faces, and at young ages – very few are able to mask the hurt and pain when they are revisiting what occurred. Most times the “bully” reacts immediately with guilt and empathy.
No requirement for sermons or explanations from the parent.
Not that all children are angels, but the very young are often very empathetic, and we teach them out of this by competitive structures in schooling, sports and in a million other ways.
Including a couple they can stop making fun of now, but also:
– Free movement of labour … only possibly, despite this being a Leave policy
– The right to be forgotten
– Working time directive
– Temporary Agency Workers Directive
– Renewables Directive
– EU Climate and Energy Package
– Banking Regulations
– Clean Water regulations
“In 1935, a young Laurie Lee set off to walk across Spain, from north to south. In the book the adventure would eventually lead to, As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning, Lee describes a country riven by inequality, of communities in grinding poverty, and an out-of-touch ruling elite. The fascists and the communists both laid claim to the discontents, the rhetoric becoming increasingly polarised. The narrative resonated across the European continent. By the time Lee got to Malaga, in the summer of 1936, the Spanish civil war had begun.”
Although shortly stated, it was intended to be a serious question. Whilst there are pressing social problems to be solved, I don’t think the current govt fits the usual definition of extreme right wing. Centre right, or depending ones perspective right. Not when we have a minimum wage of $15, and an increase in general benefit levels, both of which occurred under the current govt. In my view etreme right wing would need to be more like say the Republicans in the US, or perhaps ACT in NZ.
As for the definition of Hard left, I would say the Corbynista left of UK Labour fits well enough. That would include some on the left of Labour in NZ and the left of the Greens (and quite a few commenters on this site). It would not include Andrew Little or James Shaw. Not sure where I would put the most left of the Labours MP’s (for instance Carmel Sepuloni) I am not sure that she would be far left enough to meet the my definition of hard left. Choosing people as illustrations helps. This not intended to be personal, it is just that it easier than a formal description of political philosophy. Lilia Harre would do so. As much as anything for her role in the destruction of the Alliance. Breaking it up on the basis of Afghanistan following 9/11 seemed reckless, even though I was looking at it from the perspective of the Opposition. Similarly her involvement with Kim Dotcom. We are all assessed on our political judgements and others will make of them what they will.
My old school fellow pupil, Len Richards, would also qualify, he was two years ahead of me. I have not heard much of him in the news these days, so he might be retired.
I am certainly aware of some pretty personal attacks on this site, which means it is risky for me to comment.
Most people on the right would regard me as a moderate liberal, but in recent times this site (or at least some of the commenters) has become much less forgiving of hearing an alternate view, at least if put by me.
The right has enjoyed political dominance without a public mandate for much too long. So now its organs are reviled and dare not show their faces to the people they have misled and betrayed. Why are you surprised?
You toss around labels like confetti. Can’t take the heat from your employers? Your predetermined opinions and association with the National Party constitute a conflict of interest.
I note your abject failure to address the points raised: families living in cars while your corrupt crony sponsors lie and blame and increase the prison population, then you have the insufferable gall to pretend that $15 p/h is a good earn.
Go on, pretend criticism of your opinions and behaviour is a personal attack. That’ll work 🙄
“but in recent times this site (or at least some of the commenters) has become much less forgiving of hearing an alternate view, at least if put by me.”
symptomatic of the type of feelings expressed in the US and UK……feelings that apparently have no basis in NZ?
I am certainly aware of some pretty personal attacks on this site, which means it is risky for me to comment.
For better or worse, the policy doesn’t allow interventions for personal attacks unless they get pretty extreme or stray from the post and/or discussion.
The reason why the policy has those limits is because the site was founded to provide robust public debate. That means that we can have people on here doing the usual right wing unthinking slagging of the poor, and the equivalent left wing demonisation of the capitalists. The reason that we want this is because it means that the public debate that is essential for the development of good supported public policy is able to happen, and that the choke points of debate aren’t left in the hands of mindless demagogues like Mike Hoskings or Nigel Farange. Personally I consider that those kinds of narcissistic and probably psychotic personalities simply aren’t that reliable at leading rational debates.
But to be able to express an opinion on people like that, you have to allow all people seeking a public profile to similarly be analysed. People carry their history with them when they claim it as you have done, and they will be attacked on it – mainly limited by legal limits, not screwing up the debate here with too many side issues, and a modicum of good taste.
And it isn’t exclusive. It operates in exactly the same way for anyone on the left as well. Even with my very limited public profile, that has been extensively attacked in various media. More recently it has been personally and expensively attacked in the courts by a illiterate legal idiot in a private prosecution. It appears that he failed to read the first paragraph of the about on this site. It is simply part of the cost of being involved in having a public life.
Most people on the right would regard me as a moderate liberal…
I suspect that in many policy areas you’d be well to the ‘left’ of me.
…but in recent times this site (or at least some of the commenters) has become much less forgiving of hearing an alternate view, at least if put by me.
This isn’t abnormal and is a whole lot less here than in many forums. But have you ever seen what happens if I make a comment on kiwiblog? Even one supporting something said by David Farrar? The second reason (after a simple lack of time) that I don’t comment there very often is that I have an aversion to derailing comment streams by simply being present. Comment streams there tend to immediately divert into “I hate lprent” whenever I make a comment regardless on what the comment is about or what its content is. It is a whole lot more extreme than anything that is allowed to happen on this site.
If you do spot anything that walks too far over the edge in comments, then just highlight it in a comment or in email
Wayne. Here is a quote of something you once said on Bowalley Road.
“On that basis, I would say there is a reliable 25% of the voting population who are essentially left (hard left as I am wont to say) as opposed to centre-left. ”
If it is true that, in your terms, anyone who is a traditional Social Democrat is Hard Left, then it must also be true that a similar percentage on the Right can be designated in the same fashion.
Based on the high tide marks achieved by ACT and various conservative / Christian parties, and the fact that most of the people who have in the past voted for those Parties have certainly defaulted to currently voting National as their only viable option, it must also be true to say that nearly half of National’s voter base are, in your terms “Hard Right”??
There seems to have been uncertain result in the Spanish elections. The conservative Peoples Party have 137 seats out of 350; the Socialists 85; Unidos Podemos 71; and other conservative party 32. Coalition possibilities are uncertain. UP did not do as well as many were hoping apparently.
Then why do you care Tory? You should stay quiet & then laugh with glee if what you say turns out correct & use your crystal ball to predict winning Lotto numbers genius.
I’m getting redflags (in firefox top tab – instead of the clicked page loading) most of the time when I try to access or refresh OM (more than usual). The other posts are mostly ok, but some of the older ones have been giving me the same problem. Thought I’d mention it here, as this post loads and won’t be too distracting to the above discussion.
Is this just me, or have others been having this problem too?
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Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
Open access notablesImproving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society:To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum. While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation. “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan. “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests. Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone. Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
Last summer when Matairangi burned, Ginny and Tom stood at the window of their lounge, watching kākā shoot skyward from the burning trees. From the distance, they looked to Ginny like pages torn from books and thrown into a bonfire. It was Tom, voice tight, who told her it was ...
Opinion: The Canadian short story writer Alice Munro – winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 – died in May at the age of 92. Her work was about “the damage people inflict on one another in the name of love”, Deborah Treisman wrote in the New Yorker. ...
This month marks two years since the most powerful telescope ever built sent its first pictures back to earth. From its lofty vantage point, beyond the moon in orbit around the sun, the James Webb Space Telescope was tuned to observe the first stars and galaxies being born soon after ...
Comment: After Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ preview several weeks ago, I had some optimism about the Government’s emissions reduction plan. Now I’ve read the discussion document, that hope has been dashed. How can the Government propose a plan that wants to take New Zealand taxpayers’ hard-earned money, and spend ...
Christopher Luxon: hurdles The little man from National jumps hurdles in his sleep. He’s quite good at it in his dreams and even though the reality doesn’t quite match up you have to give him credit for getting up every morning and crashing into the very first hurdle of the ...
Comment: It was a good two hours into the conversation when Tyrone Marks raised the most basic of questions when I first spoke to him in 2017. “They didn’t explain the things they did to me. They never told me why. And they still haven’t. There’s no explanation for it. ...
Madeleine Chapman rounds out Death Week on The Spinoff with a final recommendation. You can read all of our Death Week coverage here. Nothing forces you to reflect on your life and relationships quite like proximity to death. For those whose nearest and dearest have died, there are reasonably obvious ...
Whitney Greene takes us through her life in television, including the TV character she’d like to plan a funeral for and her cow lung catastrophe on The Traitors NZ. “If the phone rings, I have to answer it,” Whitney Greene from The Traitors NZ warns as we begin our My ...
Maddie Ballard reviews the debut essay collection of Pōneke writer Flora Feltham.In ‘The Raw Material’, the longest essay in Flora Feltham’s dazzling debut collection, the author heads out for a run after hours of weaving and sees the world turn to textile. “Pounding along the Parade, I saw the ...
Andy Christiansen, one half of the experimental rock-pop duo TRiPS, shares the tunes inspiring the band’s perfect weekend and new release. “Good speakers, good food, good music, no distractions”: that’s all you need to enjoy the psychedelic stylings of TRiPS, a new band formed by Fly My Pretties’ Barnaby Weir ...
Celebrating our quadrennial opportunity to become experts in a bunch of sports we never normally watch.The games of the XXXIII Olympiad are upon us. Paris will host this year’s showcase of sporting and athletic prowess, which means some late-night and early-morning viewing for us in Aotearoa.But what sports ...
The photograph is striking and beautiful, but also disturbing – a reminder that my love for John was often entangled in shame.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.In the spring of 1980, in Dunedin, shortly before his death, someone took a photograph ...
Get to know Babushka, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Babu’s humans, Jo and Isabel, for their support. Dog name: Babushka (Babu for short) Age: 2Breed: Border Collie X poodleIf rescued, ...
Pacific Media Watch A Lebanese photojournalist who was severely wounded during an Israeli air strike in south Lebanon carried the Olympic torch in Paris this week in honour of her peers who have been wounded and killed in the field — especially in Gaza and Lebanon. Christina Assi of Agence ...
The first report in a five-part web series focused on the 15th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women taking place in the Marshall Islands this week.SPECIAL REPORT:By Netani Rika in Majuro Women continue to fight for justice 70 years after the first nuclear tests by the United States caused ...
Christopher Luxon has joined with Australia and Canada's leaders in voicing support for US President Joe Biden's ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The 2022 election brought the “teal wave” into parliament. The next election will test whether teals, who occupy what were Liberal seats, and other independents can maintain their momentum. Joining us on the Podcast ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide Pixavri/Shutterstock A major Federal Court class action has been dismissed this week after Justice Michael Lee ruled there was not enough evidence to prove the weedkiller Roundup causes cancer. Plaintiff Kelvin ...
In The Week in Politics: politicians have to decide what to do about child abuse, Health NZ is booked in for major surgery and Darleen Tana returns. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Corbould, Associate Professor, Contemporary Histories Research Group, Deakin University Mainstream media are surprisingly muted at the prospect of the world’s most powerful nation being led for the first time by a woman – specifically a woman of colour, Vice President Kamala ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Bennett, PhD Student, Associate Research Fellow, Deakin University Last week, a drone delivery company called Wing (owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet) started operating in Melbourne. Some 250,000 residents in parts of the city’s eastern suburbs can now order food from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Foo, Lecturer, Physiotherapy, Monash University pikselstock/Shutterstock In the next 40 years in Australia, it’s predicted the number of Australians aged 65 and over will more than double, while the number of people aged 85 and over will more than triple. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina Grant, Research Associate, Power Institute for Arts and Visual Culture, University of Sydney Jonas Åkerström’s 1790 work, Session of the Accademia dell’Arcadia on August 17 1788.Nationalmuseum/Cecilia Heisser Ever wondered whether you’d have a better chance at winning an Olympic gold ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Jones, Program Lead, Food Governance, George Institute for Global Health wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock On Thursday, Australian and New Zealand food ministers at state, federal and national levels met to thrash out what’s next for health star ratings on packaged foods. Now, after ...
The Abuse in Care report found many Pacific survivors lost their connections to their culture and language, resulting in trauma that has been carried from generation to generation. ...
In the regulatory review, ECC intends to suggest that ERO focus on curriculum delivery reviews rather than the Ministry, because it’s not efficient or effective to have two agencies with radically different approaches climbing over each other. ...
Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori invites the current government to work in partnership with them to develop a pathway forward, including the development of a parallel pathway and meaningful policy and strategy for Kura Kaupapa Māori ...
If you haven’t started watching yet, Tara Ward begs you to reconsider. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. In the world of New Zealand reality television, we have many gems in our crown. There’s the delicious second season of the Celebrity Treasure ...
A new poem by Fiona Kidman. The clothes of the dead I did not keep my mother’s furry red beret for long nor the stringy scarves that adorned the necks of my aunts, although I have kept tag ends of gold, the rings and trinkets they wore, the brooches no ...
The government’s announcement that it will re-open the foreshore and seabed controversy by changing the rules on recognising centuries-old Māori customary title for a third time goes against the rule of law and New Zealand values,” Mr Tipa says. ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Lioness by Emily Perkins (Bloomsbury, $25) Roarrrr! Perkins’ brilliant, award-winning, Marian-Keyes anointed, darkly funny, long ...
The 2004 Act vested ownership of the foreshore and seabed in the Crown, extinguishing any Māori claims to ownership and causing widespread outrage and protests among Māori communities. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Antje Deckert, Associate Professor (Criminology), Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Despite the connection between institutional harm and gang membership made clear in this week’s mammoth royal commission abuse-in care report, the government seems unlikely to soften its “get tough on ...
From Lewis Clareburt in the swimming to the start of the rowing – the first seven days of Paris 2024 promise to be big for New Zealand. There are few events that bring the country together quite like an Olympic Games. Nothing quite matches the excitement of getting up in ...
Groundbreaking local science just showed up in the most surprising of places: the season finale of The Kardashians. In the season five finale of The Kardashians last night, several members of the family gathered together in one of their signature empty, cream-coloured rooms to hear test results that had been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University The Middle East is on the brink of a possibly devastating regional war, with hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah reaching an extremely dangerous level. Washington has engaged in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Elizabeth Eades, Rheumatologist, Monash University Lupus is an inflammatory autoimmune illness, where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks itself. Lupus can affect virtually any part of the body, although it most commonly affects the skin, joints and kidneys. The symptoms ...
A law firm that specialises in working with survivors of abuse in State care is disappointed that the Government fails to recognise that its boot camps can be directly compared to previous boot camps from the 1990s and 2000s. ...
Dying is a natural part of life, like updating your Wof or seeing your hairdresser, but without the word-of-mouth recs that help guarantee a good service. What if we changed that? Dying Reviews received by The Spinoff have had the names of organisations redacted while Hospice NZ collects further data. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Mike Lewinski/Flickr, CC BY On any clear night, if you gaze skywards long enough, chances are you’ll see a meteor streaking through the sky. Some nights, however, are better than others. At ...
Despite having no bars or other designated spaces for lesbians, Auckland boasts a small but mighty lesbian museum. So how did it get here? The past 18 months has brought increasing hostility towards the queer community across Aotearoa. Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull’s anti-trans rally in Tamaki Makaurau last March led to a ...
Poneke Antifascist Coalition has invited Wellingtonians to stand in solidarity with the Kanak people at 12pm today outside the French Embassy in Wellington. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University Drones are the signature technology of the Ukraine war. A few miniature aircraft designs were used in the war’s early days, but an incredible array of drones have now evolved. There are different types, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Slee, Associate Professor, Clinical Academic Neurologist, Flinders University Francisco Gonzelez/Unsplash Migraine is many things, but one thing it’s not is “just a headache”. “Migraine” comes from the Greek word “hemicrania”, referring to the common experience of migraine being predominantly ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lee White, Senior Lecturer and Horizon Fellow, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Sydney Australia was slow to introduce minimum building standards for energy efficiency. The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) only came into force in 2003. Older homes ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Sherwood, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney The past century of human-induced warming has increased rainfall variability over 75% of the Earth’s land area – particularly over Australia, Europe and eastern North America, new research shows. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Heynen, Program Coordinator, Sustainable Energy, The University of Queensland A temporary stadium in the Champ-de-Mars, ParisEkaterina Pokrovsky/Shutterstock As Paris prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the sustainability of the event is coming under scrutiny. The organisers have promoted ...
A night of karaoke and community in a pub that feels like a memory. You’d barely even notice it, unless you knew to look. Tucked away behind a liquor store on busy Constable Street is the capital’s last great pub. Newtown Sports Bar is an emblem of the pub culture ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Wright, Professor in Marine Geology, University of Canterbury Louise Corcoran/Getty Images The decline in the number of doctoral candidates at New Zealand universities is a worrying sign for the country’s effort to build a knowledge-based economy. Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laurie Berg, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney defotoberg/Shutterstock Migrant worker exploitation is entrenched in workplaces across Australia. Tragically, a deep fear of immigration consequences means most unlawful employer conduct goes unreported. On Wednesday, however, the government officially launched a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vaughan Cruickshank, Senior Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, University of Tasmania Paris is about to host its third summer Olympics. While we don’t yet know what the legacy of this year’s games will be, let’s take the opportunity to reflect on ...
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Well, if yah going to just go half way, like the guy in the pic above with a half shaved head, you mose as well go all the way.
Otherwise yah just look silly.
Well we can all criticise Winston Peters but he was the only one in NZ politics predicting and supporting Brexit .
His appearance on the Paul Henry show this morning was a eye opener and in my opinion he is heading toward further polling strength. This could be at the expense of Labour as Andrew Little had to back down in his statement regarding tax expert Mr Shewan. Not good for Andrew or Labour.
I pose the question should the LabGreen partnership accept Winston as Prime Minister if as expected Winston will hold the keys to the formation of a Government in 2017.
I believe that will be his price to the LabGreen and NZ First coalition.
I also believe that Little, Turei and Shaw will accept those terms from Winston, such is their desperation to be part of a NZ Government.
National would not accept such a proposal from Winston though they would accept him high in their cabinet rankings.
The question of Prime Ministership in 2017 needs to be asked and answered now, after the election is to late and would cause political turmoil if outcomes are not what the electors expect.
An obsfucation answer to the question should not be tolerated.
Shewans report is a complete parroting of John Key’s various claims and statements about the tax haven, opps Zero tax rated companies Key have made since the panama papers were released.
Show me where he has said anything original.
I’m going to put NRT’s post here in it’s entirety:
Ron Paterson did not intend to see out his full term, but his decision to up-sticks forthwith is worthy of investigation. As NRT infers: something is definitely not right here.
Anyone know what Murray McCully has been up to lately?
Wow, just wow.
Pushing out the Ombudsman? WTF?
They will push out anyone that makes them look bad or shows them up as incompetent
The Brexit Vote: The Painful Price of Inequality
Probably the best breakdown of Brexit that I’ve read so far.
The truth about the British Labour leadership coup.
Been planning it for months. A small bunch of Blairites who never accepted Corbyn and have been waiting for a chance to launch their coup. “Westminster Games”.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36632956
Diane Abbott MP. Video now half way down article.
Edit: new Shadow health secretary.
As soon as I heard about it I figured that it had been in the making for months. Probably started before Corbyn even made leader, as it became obvious that he was going to win and not their hand selected parrot. Someone who was a danger to the status quo rather than its defender.
GregJ called it last night:
http://thestandard.org.nz/corbyn-coup-hilary-benn-is-sacked-for-disloyalty/#comment-1195037
So did swordfish. Always good to have it confirmed from ‘a horse’s mouth’ though.
+1
I called it three days ago
But this really isn’t a spitting contest but a place for discussion.
Probably the Blairites are best to try and get this business done before the release of the Chilcott Report huh?
After July 6th they just might be toxic.
Saw this in the comment section of a Guardian article:
Appeals to me anyway.
Ha ha nice one.
Very good thanks
They even waited until Corbyn’s right hand man was out of town at Glastonbury.
Now I have a difficult choice … can I both despise AND absolutely loath these despicable shitters?
Hmmm typical centrists 😛
“They even waited until Corbyn’s right hand man was out of town at Glastonbury”
And he’s just told him what everyone else in the plp knows.
“Labour deputy leader ‘tells Jeremy Corbyn to quit.
Tom Watson has told Jeremy Corbyn to resign. He told him he has “no authority with the PLP”.”
lol
This will be the absolute wreckage of the UKLP.
The fury of the membership and unions will be unlimited. I suspect not a single one of these self-indulgent dorks will be remain in Labour in a year’s time. There’ll be a general crab-like scuttle off towards the rock called Liberal.
These munters had a choice, they could have seen Corbyn as someone different and a challenge to politics as usual, some-one they needed to get in behind, serve protect and promote. They could have formed a team around him and looked after his back, but no. Their personal arrogance had to come first. They had to plot, scheme, and finesse the rule-book.
And just when the Tories are on their knees they act to ensure the Tories will rise unscathed. In wartime you don’t fuck about with traitors, you just execute them out of hand.
I mean the sainted Hilary Benn, has the unmitigated gall to insult his Party Leader in public, call ‘no-confidence’ … and then fail to resign on the spot !!!. What fucking planet did I wake up on today?
That’s one interpretation.
Another is Corbyn was/is/and always will be electoral toast. Rolling him now, after his much discredited performance, could equally be the saving of and popular comeback of UK labour.
I guess only time will tell.
Oh come on, blaming Corbyn for the outcome of a referendum that was never of his own making is a feeble, cowardly fig-leaf.
We have Diane Abbott’s plain commentary on the matter, this scum had been planning it for fucking months. Down to the very detail. Even their ‘resignation’ letters all look they came from the same PR firm.
I just might have a smidgeon less contempt for them if they actually thought they might be stepping down; but in their minds this is nothing more than a game where they play ‘time-out’ for a few days, topple the Leader their Party voted for … and then waddle back into their comfortable troughs under a new Leader who’s neck deep in their debt.
Speaking of which … they all whine that Corbyn is electoral toast, but exactly WHO among their number is not an electoral greasy smut on the ceiling?
What I want to know is if they will resign as MPs if Corbyn stays on as leader.
I don’t know if the rules permit it, but in the circumstances I’d argue he would certainly have moral mandate to ask for them to step down. And with a GE almost certain within six months, there would likely be no especial need to call by-elections.
Looks to me like Peter Swift is using mis-quotes and lying.
“Deputy leader falls short of calling on Corbyn to resign as more frontbenchers quit in protest at his leadership of the party”
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/27/labour-resignations-continue-as-mps-try-to-force-out-jeremy-corbyn
I wouldn’t have posted it if I hadn’t have seen it on the BBC website.
http://www.bbc.com/news/live/uk-politics-36570120
You’ll have to scroll down to 21:33 for the ‘breaking’ news.
It does say at 22:08 that “the BBC’s political editor Laura Kuenssberg notes, Mr Watson didn’t explicitly tell Mr Corbyn he should resign and stressed that the final decision was a matter for him.”
But I didn’t see it and my post was before this, so no lie on my part.
I will accept your apology for casting aspersion. 😉
Don’t bother. I’m picking you don’t have it in you. lol
Though next time you call me for mis quoting and stating I’m a liar, I’d appreciate it if you were a little more researched and less half cocked as this time. Thanks.
Lets face it some of these MPs in the UKLP cant decide on the colour of shite.
All the Labour party members did in voting in huge numbers for Corbyn was reaffirm what they historically stood for and that was to represent working people and their aspirations for a better life and fairness at work with a livable wage and a belief in society and properly funded public services and keep the ever present dangerous capitalist establishment in check.
Its been an ambush under the cloak of the BREXIT and these plotters cant accept that the british Labour voter wants something better than the Tories prescription or Tony Blairs New Labour that they rejected with Gordon Brown in 2010 and again with New Labour part two in 2015.
These shadow ministers who have resigned were never prepared to accept Corbyn or any other left wing candidate for leader because they no longer support what their parties founding principles are about and are more relevant now , today than ever before and should think long and hard about what their members want rather than their own vile selfish agendas.
Maybe they should split away and take their chances with a different party if they cant stomach the one they are in.
In the mean time if they cant be loyal they should go to the back of the room and let the elected leadership get on with it and remind themselves unity is strength.
And at the earliest opportunity , resign and test their position at a by election.
and judging by their actions the political classes are themselves in those groupings
Very well put and sums up the mood in the UK.
Well you know what the Brits have done of course…. they have Voted Them Out
Vote Them Out
they did
vto
And I approve of all those English outside of London exercising that option.
40% of people inside London too.
Indeed, you are correct.
“And I approve of all those English outside of London exercising that option.”
Does that mean you disapprove of the scots, N.Ireland, and 13,266,996 voters in England?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/parenting/little-kids/81489771/teacher-uses-two-apples-to-show-kids-what-really-happens-when-they-bully-others
For anyone involved in teaching this is an interesting anti bullying technique.
Bullies – when young – are often very oblivious to the hurt caused by their actions.
A simple solution – and one that I used to use here at home – is to sit both children involved facing each other – knee to knee. Then as dispassionately as possible articulate what has gone on. The children are asked to look directly into each others faces, and at young ages – very few are able to mask the hurt and pain when they are revisiting what occurred. Most times the “bully” reacts immediately with guilt and empathy.
No requirement for sermons or explanations from the parent.
Not that all children are angels, but the very young are often very empathetic, and we teach them out of this by competitive structures in schooling, sports and in a million other ways.
15 EU laws the UK will miss
Including a couple they can stop making fun of now, but also:
– Free movement of labour … only possibly, despite this being a Leave policy
– The right to be forgotten
– Working time directive
– Temporary Agency Workers Directive
– Renewables Directive
– EU Climate and Energy Package
– Banking Regulations
– Clean Water regulations
“In 1935, a young Laurie Lee set off to walk across Spain, from north to south. In the book the adventure would eventually lead to, As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning, Lee describes a country riven by inequality, of communities in grinding poverty, and an out-of-touch ruling elite. The fascists and the communists both laid claim to the discontents, the rhetoric becoming increasingly polarised. The narrative resonated across the European continent. By the time Lee got to Malaga, in the summer of 1936, the Spanish civil war had begun.”
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jun/27/liverpool-london-brexit-leave-eu-referendum
what next?
Thanks, that was a grim but important read.
Now imagine the despairing fury of these people, betrayed by the Labour party and brutalised by an extreme right wing government in a few years time.
Define “extreme right wing”.
Families living in cars while government ministers lie and blame and build private prisons.
“Families living in cars while government ministers lie and blame and build private prisons.” – Burn!
Bit worried about your historical future Wayne, don’t worry, you seemed soft for that mob in the end, please let me down.
Work assessment tests with fatal outcomes
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-34838539
Benefit sanctions with fatal outcomes
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/benefit-sanctions-lead-claimants-to-self-harm-crime-and-destitution-warns-damning-report-a7047211.html
Why don’t you go first, Wayne, and define ‘Hard Left’ which is your favourite put-down of your political opponents.
Although shortly stated, it was intended to be a serious question. Whilst there are pressing social problems to be solved, I don’t think the current govt fits the usual definition of extreme right wing. Centre right, or depending ones perspective right. Not when we have a minimum wage of $15, and an increase in general benefit levels, both of which occurred under the current govt. In my view etreme right wing would need to be more like say the Republicans in the US, or perhaps ACT in NZ.
As for the definition of Hard left, I would say the Corbynista left of UK Labour fits well enough. That would include some on the left of Labour in NZ and the left of the Greens (and quite a few commenters on this site). It would not include Andrew Little or James Shaw. Not sure where I would put the most left of the Labours MP’s (for instance Carmel Sepuloni) I am not sure that she would be far left enough to meet the my definition of hard left. Choosing people as illustrations helps. This not intended to be personal, it is just that it easier than a formal description of political philosophy. Lilia Harre would do so. As much as anything for her role in the destruction of the Alliance. Breaking it up on the basis of Afghanistan following 9/11 seemed reckless, even though I was looking at it from the perspective of the Opposition. Similarly her involvement with Kim Dotcom. We are all assessed on our political judgements and others will make of them what they will.
My old school fellow pupil, Len Richards, would also qualify, he was two years ahead of me. I have not heard much of him in the news these days, so he might be retired.
$15 must be enough, because a living wage is ~$20.
I wonder if you even understand the contempt you’ve earned.
I am certainly aware of some pretty personal attacks on this site, which means it is risky for me to comment.
Most people on the right would regard me as a moderate liberal, but in recent times this site (or at least some of the commenters) has become much less forgiving of hearing an alternate view, at least if put by me.
The right has enjoyed political dominance without a public mandate for much too long. So now its organs are reviled and dare not show their faces to the people they have misled and betrayed. Why are you surprised?
You toss around labels like confetti. Can’t take the heat from your employers? Your predetermined opinions and association with the National Party constitute a conflict of interest.
I note your abject failure to address the points raised: families living in cars while your corrupt crony sponsors lie and blame and increase the prison population, then you have the insufferable gall to pretend that $15 p/h is a good earn.
Go on, pretend criticism of your opinions and behaviour is a personal attack. That’ll work 🙄
“but in recent times this site (or at least some of the commenters) has become much less forgiving of hearing an alternate view, at least if put by me.”
symptomatic of the type of feelings expressed in the US and UK……feelings that apparently have no basis in NZ?
For better or worse, the policy doesn’t allow interventions for personal attacks unless they get pretty extreme or stray from the post and/or discussion.
The reason why the policy has those limits is because the site was founded to provide robust public debate. That means that we can have people on here doing the usual right wing unthinking slagging of the poor, and the equivalent left wing demonisation of the capitalists. The reason that we want this is because it means that the public debate that is essential for the development of good supported public policy is able to happen, and that the choke points of debate aren’t left in the hands of mindless demagogues like Mike Hoskings or Nigel Farange. Personally I consider that those kinds of narcissistic and probably psychotic personalities simply aren’t that reliable at leading rational debates.
But to be able to express an opinion on people like that, you have to allow all people seeking a public profile to similarly be analysed. People carry their history with them when they claim it as you have done, and they will be attacked on it – mainly limited by legal limits, not screwing up the debate here with too many side issues, and a modicum of good taste.
And it isn’t exclusive. It operates in exactly the same way for anyone on the left as well. Even with my very limited public profile, that has been extensively attacked in various media. More recently it has been personally and expensively attacked in the courts by a illiterate legal idiot in a private prosecution. It appears that he failed to read the first paragraph of the about on this site. It is simply part of the cost of being involved in having a public life.
I suspect that in many policy areas you’d be well to the ‘left’ of me.
This isn’t abnormal and is a whole lot less here than in many forums. But have you ever seen what happens if I make a comment on kiwiblog? Even one supporting something said by David Farrar? The second reason (after a simple lack of time) that I don’t comment there very often is that I have an aversion to derailing comment streams by simply being present. Comment streams there tend to immediately divert into “I hate lprent” whenever I make a comment regardless on what the comment is about or what its content is. It is a whole lot more extreme than anything that is allowed to happen on this site.
If you do spot anything that walks too far over the edge in comments, then just highlight it in a comment or in email
Wayne. Here is a quote of something you once said on Bowalley Road.
“On that basis, I would say there is a reliable 25% of the voting population who are essentially left (hard left as I am wont to say) as opposed to centre-left. ”
If it is true that, in your terms, anyone who is a traditional Social Democrat is Hard Left, then it must also be true that a similar percentage on the Right can be designated in the same fashion.
Based on the high tide marks achieved by ACT and various conservative / Christian parties, and the fact that most of the people who have in the past voted for those Parties have certainly defaulted to currently voting National as their only viable option, it must also be true to say that nearly half of National’s voter base are, in your terms “Hard Right”??
There seems to have been uncertain result in the Spanish elections. The conservative Peoples Party have 137 seats out of 350; the Socialists 85; Unidos Podemos 71; and other conservative party 32. Coalition possibilities are uncertain. UP did not do as well as many were hoping apparently.
Yeah the centre right gained a few seats, but not enough yet again to form a majority government.
third time lucky?
Corbyn and his rump of ragtag Commies will lead UK Labour to the greatest defeat in history. Foretaste of what is to come here.
Meh – England is a sideshow now. The schwerpunkt will be in Europe.
Then why do you care Tory? You should stay quiet & then laugh with glee if what you say turns out correct & use your crystal ball to predict winning Lotto numbers genius.
A better class of chicken entrails…
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/07/04/the-political-resonance-of-game-of-thrones?mbid=social_facebook
Lprent
I’m getting redflags (in firefox top tab – instead of the clicked page loading) most of the time when I try to access or refresh OM (more than usual). The other posts are mostly ok, but some of the older ones have been giving me the same problem. Thought I’d mention it here, as this post loads and won’t be too distracting to the above discussion.
Is this just me, or have others been having this problem too?