Daily review 28/09/2023

23 comments on “Daily review 28/09/2023 ”

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1. weka 1

   28 September 2023 at 6:03 pm

   I just watched this debate hosted by the Free Speech Union. Don't let that put you off, it's good. I disagreed and agreed with all four debaters, and had my own thinking challenged by much of the discussion, as well rolling my eyes quite a few times.

   Moot: “be it resolved, #nodebate: some discussions will only cause harm”.

   speakers: Simon Wilson, Damian Sycamore vs David Bromell & Holly Lawford-Smith

   
Moderator: Josie Pagani

   Inspired by and modelled after such events as The Munk Debates, Oxford Union, The Cambridge Union, and similar events organised by Intelligence Squared, the New Zealand Free Speech Union is organising its very own debate series, where the principle of free speech can be practiced through the exchange of differing thoughts and ideas. The FSU Debate Series will be a place where a wide range of ideas and opinions, presented by a diverse range of speakers can come together to affirm the belief that the discussion of complex topics should not only be encouraged but is an essential element of any free society.

   https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-free-speech-union-debate-series-auckland-tickets-684442214087

   Replay video (needs an email etc, but I think you could put in fake details if you need to)

   https://www.poweredby.live/2023-free-speech-union-auckland-26th-sept/
   • weka 1.1

     28 September 2023 at 6:05 pm

     I'd like to watch it again because there is a fair amount about social media and it made me think about how much we hold a particular space here at TS to allow meaningful debate rather than allowing emotionally reactivity to drive argument.
     • Anne 1.1.1

       28 September 2023 at 7:14 pm

       That is what keeps me continuing to read The Standard. We have our individual preferences re- subject matter and we all clash from time to time, but overall the standard of commentary on this site gets better and better.

       I'll be the first to say thank-you to the current moderators for keeping it clean and permanently removing those whose intentions here are not honourable.
       • weka 1.1.1.1

         28 September 2023 at 10:21 pm

         thanks Anne, appreciate that. The biggest challenge I find currently is limiting FB/twitter-esque commentary on TS.
2. Drowsy M. Kram 2

   28 September 2023 at 7:52 pm

   An oldie but a goodie – Luxon and Willis know which side National's 'bread' is buttered on.

   Luxon unsure if he'll lower rents on homes he owns despite policy promise [10 Sept 2023]
   Christopher Luxon is unsure whether he will lower the rents on his own investment properties if National's housing policy is enacted despite saying the plans would put a "downward pressure on rents" if the party is elected.

   Nats want to reheat the property market – donors are fuming over the current correction.

   Pulling tax from one part of teetering Jenga tower to place it in another [updated 20 Sept 2023]
   It’s bleak, against this backdrop, to see so much of this year’s election debate consumed by a policy proposed by the National Party that depends, again, on boosting the property sector.
   …
   At its core, National’s tax plan is all about property.

   It should be no surprise that the real estate sector, who stand to gain from an influx of affluent foreign buyers, have been the most vocal in their enthusiasm for National’s tax plan.
3. Jilly Bee 3

   28 September 2023 at 7:52 pm

   I had a quick look at Mike Hosking's rant in the Herald this morning and just as quickly got out and took some deep breaths to regain a modicum of normality. Of course it's paywalled so it's no sense in adding the link. Ye gods, he really does have issues with Jacinda Ardern and can't seem to let it drop. I really wish that he and his missus would simply up sticks and simply bugger off to Australia, as he has threatened to on several occasions. That wouldn't stop him though and I suspect his retainer from Newsquawk ZB keeps him here. JA certainly lives rent free in his head.
   • AB 3.1

     28 September 2023 at 8:00 pm

     They make the threat to leave the country but never do. Making the threat is (in my opinion) a way of reinforcing their conviction that their remaining here is a noble sacrifice they make to bless us with their presence. And that therefore, it is highly impertinent of us to want to tax them or restrict in any way their inclination to do whatever the hell they please.

     In fact, their talent is so slight that they would struggle anywhere else to accrue a fragment of the same wealth, influence and fake celebrity that so easily falls into their laps here.
   • Incognito 3.2

     28 September 2023 at 8:07 pm

     In general, please provide a link and if it’s paywalled or subscription-only then please mention this.
4. ianmac 4

   28 September 2023 at 8:27 pm

   Some one pointed out that the Nat fiscal plan is very late. Due out tomorrow. Luxon and Willis are always on about setting goals and being efficient and on time. Not as wonderful as they claim. Hoisted I reckon.
5. SPC 5

   28 September 2023 at 8:27 pm

   On the menopause leave issue, maybe a bit like early parental leave – up to a year off and the job to return to.

   If single and renting/mortgage a benefit and AS, if in a couple and children WFF tax credits and AS.

   They might be able to temp/work part-time when up to it.
   • weka 5.1

     28 September 2023 at 10:05 pm

     wow, who is talking menopause leave?
     • bwaghorn 5.1.1

       28 September 2023 at 10:13 pm

       Not sure who but all the feed back on the am show thus morning from woman was against it.
       • weka 5.1.1.1

         28 September 2023 at 10:39 pm

         why?
     • SPC 5.1.2

       28 September 2023 at 10:27 pm

       The Newshub leaders debate. Both Hipkins and Luxon were asked about it.

       https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/04/18/more-women-leaving-their-jobs-due-to-menopause-survey/

       Ryan Bridge shocked AM co-host Laura Tupou on Thursday morning by pouring cold water on the idea of menopause leave for women, suggesting sick leave should be used instead.

       The idiot does not realise it is a condition that can last up to a year.

       https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/lifestyle/2023/09/ryan-bridge-shuns-idea-of-menopause-leave-after-hipkins-luxon-both-endorse-it.html
6. SPC 6

   28 September 2023 at 9:05 pm

   Headline

   Expert says unemployment rate needs to jump to 'rebalance' economy

   The claim, bringing in migrants (who have no guarantee of employment) is part of a plan to raise unemployment levels without job loss.

   Riggall told AM co-host Ryan Bridge the key thing the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RNZ) wants to see is a "rebalance of the labour market".

   "If we step back and look at the bigger picture, we need to rebalance the labour market. We had unemployment down to 3.2 percent, it's currently 3.6 percent, but that is still way below the four-point something percent it was pre-COVID. The RBNZ are needing the employment market to rebalance because it's too tight," he said.

   "How do you want to rebalance that? Do you want to rebalance that by people losing their jobs or do you want to have more people come into the labour force and cause the unemployment rate to go up without unnecessary loss of jobs and that's what we're seeing.

   https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/money/2023/09/cost-of-living-expert-says-unemployment-rate-needs-to-jump-to-rebalance-economy.html

   Sounds like something NACT would do, Labour’s plan was more likely based on easy access of employers to skilled workers – but it was misused (by agents etc). Reducing the number of jobs left open to locals and thus more applications for fewer job openings.
   • PsyclingLeft.Always 6.1

     28 September 2023 at 9:22 pm

     Is this Riggall "expert"…a Tim Gurner type?

     Gurner gets ripped out here..
7. Kat 7

   28 September 2023 at 9:06 pm

   Chippy up north today rightly calling out certain racist commentary from the ‘Coalition of Caenum’, have to say its the first time I have ever heard a PM in NZ speak so forthrightly and passionately on this subject this close to an election. If anyone else has I would like to know who that PM was.

   https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2023-chris-hipkins-angry-at-nationals-race-baiting-says-maori-have-most-to-lose/NRTS6AHOZNG5FIO3U6TBR26V5I/

   https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/09/28/hipkins-accuses-opponents-of-race-baiting-luxon-calls-him-desperate/
8. PsyclingLeft.Always 8

   28 September 2023 at 9:12 pm

   Not Politics..(maybe ?), but more Grocery Consumer problems.

   The Warehouse facing ‘Weet-Bix situation’ as Sanitarium pulls cereal from stores

   The Warehouse sells the 1.2kg family packs of the popular cereal product for $6, cheaper than it typically retails at other supermarkets like Countdown and New World.

   The Commerce Commission’s chair John Small said the claims made by The Warehouse were “extremely concerning” and Sanitarium had been approached for an explanation.

   “We are also considering the potential ongoing implications for competition in the grocery sector – particularly given The Warehouse Group’s stated strategy of expanding in the sector,” he said in a statement.

   https://thespinoff.co.nz/business/28-09-2023/the-warehouse-facing-weet-bix-situation-as-sanitarium-pulls-cereal-from-stores

   Is this some anti competitive action..by "supermarkets"? Other?

   Does seem random. An FYI…I buy bread, milk, and other grocery from the Warehouse…as quite a bit cheaper than the Duopolists.

   Of which…i had seen this in regard to one of them "rebranding"..to the tune of $400 million ! An insult really.

   https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/shoppers-say-costly-countdown-rebrand-waste-money
9. SPC 9

   28 September 2023 at 9:56 pm

   Welfare is a strange obsession of Christopher Luxon, the real issues here are of an educational base for on the job/polytech training/apprenticeships and other work capability (drivers licence/after school care/addiction issues).

   And unemployment is under 4% and is only trending up because of an anti-inflation priority.

   It also seems to show up in Luxon’s preoccupations with certain issues, such as the thorny problem of welfare dependency, that was grappled with by, and in some ways helped define the legacies of, baby boomer leaders whose careers Luxon has followed, such as Bill Clinton and Tony Blair.

   Luxon made long-term welfarism the subject of one of his first major speeches as leader and this week announced a “traffic light” system of sanctions for jobseeker recipients who did not try to find work.

   This is silly, the three strikes (traffic light policy) has been around since the 1990's. Over a decade before the Rebstock report under the last National government.

   He has clearly spent a lot of pre-politics and in-politics time thinking about how he would address this issue, despite having become an MP when the question is perhaps less relevant than at any time since the 1970s, with unemployment near historical lows for a number of years.

   He surely means 1990's there was hardly any back in the 1970's, so RM focused on the problem of Maori youth coming into the city and joining gangs by establishing PEP jobs for them so they could to pay rent for their own housing.

   Perhaps the purpose of the policy was another lesson of the 90s political memoirs: triangulation. A tough-sounding policy on beneficiaries may help crowd out New Zealand First, which also takes a hard line position.

   The decade when the MW was held down – ECA era. And benefits were low to maintain some sort of incentive to work anyhow.

   Peters is proposing 2 years on welfare lifetime limits (USA back in the 1990's) and a requirement for community employment for continued support (work for the dole is frowned on by the ILO, so it might be circa 20 hours at MW).

   The other part of the US welfare reforms was faith based providers (and panopticon society oversight of the unemployed as they lost their term limit support – no community work or anything, instead homelessness and precariat desperation). Luxon was earlier proposing management of those under 25 by outside "parties" who could sanction people off welfare support.

   One hopes this triangulation is not some sort of crusade to deliver the sanction regime victims to dependence on charity – and susceptibility to the God and mammon prosperity religion gospel cult that "so profoundly ended poverty in the USA".

   https://www.thepost.co.nz/a/nz-news/350080587/story-behind-our-leaders-uninspired-book-choices?utm_source=stuff_website&utm_medium=stuff_referral&utm_campaign=mh_stuff&utm_id=mh_stuff
   • Drowsy M. Kram 9.1

     28 September 2023 at 10:47 pm

     Luxon made long-term welfarism the subject of one of his first major speeches as leader and this week announced a “traffic light” system of sanctions for jobseeker recipients who did not try to find work.

     And there I was thinking traffic lights were for safety, not sanctions.

     Traffic light system 'confusing', 'slow', 'rushed', 'risky' – politicians
     [22 October 2021]
     'Dismaying, confusing, complicated' – Collins

     Very disappointing from Luxon – he must know "there but for the grace of God".

     The Veil of Ignorance (sometimes referred to as "the original position") is a thought experiment popularized by 20-century philosopher John Rawls with the goal of thinking more clearly and impartially about the fair organizing principles of a society based on solidarity. The actual thought experiment is as brilliant as it is simple. The authors of Net Positive describe it as follows:

     "Imagine you are setting up a political and economic system, but you don't know your place in society, class position or social status… [or] fortune in the distribution of natural assets and abilities, intelligence and strength.

     What kind of system would you design if you didn't know whether you would be born a white male in a wealthy country, or a Syrian girl in a refugee camp? What kind of policies would you want in place, and how would you want companies to behave?

     The answer is obvious. Respect, equity, compassion, humanity, and justice would be at the core. The system would provide a basic foundation of well-being and dignity for all, with people at the center, not money."

     Hmm – "A basic foundation of well-being and dignity for all, with people at the centre, not money." Would Luxon or Willis care to comment?

     Study finds link between young ram-raiders and family harm events
     [29 September 2022]
     "The evidence, the community, the sector experts at the forefront of family and sexual violence have been very clear for a long time that we need enduring solutions. That's why the simplistic short-term 'tough on crime', 'tough on youth' responses do not work," she said.

     "When you have people involved with violence – let's say a politician who may have caused violent harm to someone at a boarding school. When they are wrapped with support, understanding, forgiveness, and given opportunities to carry on and lead a good life – that's how we can interrupt cycles of violence. That is how people can be supported to lead healthy lives."
10. Adrian 10

    28 September 2023 at 10:15 pm

    Luxon has an answer for every problem caused by his “ reckons”, and it,s …..VOLUNTEERS. Watch this space, the next thting from that added head will be no super unless the over 65s do a number of hours helping clean up his shitfights. You heard it here first!
11. Muttonbird 11

    28 September 2023 at 10:34 pm

    Absolute cunts at the Herald put this article behind their paywall.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/election-2023-what-landlords-13m-tenants-must-read-balance-could-swing-against-renters/ZTMQRK4KLZBTTM4HCPI4YR6AH4/

    Renters will always come last in New Zealand. I'm surprised this fact was not in the Treaty…
    • SPC 11.1

      28 September 2023 at 10:38 pm

      Someone should wayback machine this.

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