Are the Right trying to set up The Greens a scapegoat and Peters as a dangerous trouble-maker, then call on the country to reject the rules around MMP and instead crown National as the Right & True Government?
“The Greens’ environmental policies, on the other hand, would require National to actually seriously challenge farm owners, drilling/mining companies, and other capitalists. Currently the costs of these capitalists’ activities are largely falling on the environment, and therefore on the present and future public. The Greens want to stop these business activities destroying our shared home by preventing and internalising these external costs. They’ll ban some unjustifiably polluting business activities, such as drilling or mining or exploring for more fossil fuels at a time when even burning the fossil fuels already dug up will make the Paris target impossible. They’ll tax other business activities for their pollution—making those who produce the costs pay the costs, instead of externalising them. And they’ll use the tax revenue to clean up the damage and to subsidise farmers and other businesses moving to more sustainable ways of doing business.
Do you really see National doing that? The party whose base is farm owners and other capitalists? The party that think climate change is only an issue for “elites”, and that it’s not a “pressing concern”, and that we should adapt to climate change rather than mitigating it? The party who scaremongered on a small water tax for some big farms that are currently destroying the quality of Aotearoa’s awa and wai?”
That’s just the greens, I can imagine the gnashing of teeth when Labour clamp down on the free loading, property portfolio owning, tax manipulating land lords.
We will need compassion for our capitalist brethren, of right and left persuasion.
Sorry to hog the thread, only, I’m in full research mode right now 🙂
“National’s focus on having a strong economy prevents them from having any interest in what is fundamental to the Greens, which is sustainability and fairness. The challenge in forming this kind of coalition is that there would have to be a shift in the essence of their being.”
Nice. Although I would stay that the Greens want a strong economy where strength comes from sustainability and resiliency, and National want a perpetual growth until it falls over economy
Actually developing the economy costs and thus lowers profits. And it most definitely needs everyone working which would raise wages which also cuts profits.
There is no way for National’s economic management to actually work because everything that needs to be done cuts profits. And National only ever works to maximise profits while cutting costs.
There is a petition going:
“Show your support for the idea of a National/Green govt.” 6,000 signed up.
Reckon they were the desperate Nats?
And another one:
“We don’t support your water tax because:
“You can’t tell us what the impact of the tax will be on food producers, jobs, communities & food prices
You are only taxing……
UPDATE: we have surveyed irrigators and found that a water tax could lead to many arable, sheep and beef farms converting to more intensive farming like dairy and that farmers would reduce spending in rural communities to pay for the tax.”
5,011 signed up. Same folk as in the first petition?
Shall we tell that the Election is over?
lol..all very aspirational and just like current policy settings …Farrar kite flying by request no doubt….only one thing needed to know…..National lie.
Billshit – remember bill lying by omission when Todd declared that there is no recording and Bill each day there watching the misleading and putting his shameful head down? That list is more of that shit behaviour.
Farrar spins propaganda for the National Party for a living. What makes you think any of that list is real?
And even if it was, National can’t be trusted.
But thanks, because I think that list demonstrates very clearly that National don’t want to end poverty or clean up rivers, but they are willing to sell some policy to gain power. So they can keep running a poverty economy and destroying the environment.
Excellent Chris, if you believe any of it, I have a bridge you may like to buy.
Conveniently located in Auckland, many lanes, chance to expand,great views…
All of it? No. Some it? Absolutely, I mean the cycleways alone can be linked to greater tourism possibilities so thats an easy one, predator freer NZ is also easy as its only 65 million, children in poverty well Bill pledged something similar so that wouldn’t take much
All of which would be more than the Greens have achieved in over 20 years
smoke and mirrors…cycleways are already included in nat policy, as is the predator free and the climate target is already not going to met so increasing it just means it wont be met by more…now about that bridge…….
The cycleways? The ones we were promised from the 2009 job summit would create jobs and address the layoffs from GFC? You guys keep letting them retell you they are going to do something, you get excited, they do nothing, and when pushed, repeat it
Does beg the question, would the Greens achieve more in one deal with National then they have over the last 21 years and i think the answer would be yes and that includes when Labour had the opportunity to have the Greens in power and whatever concessions the Greens achieve is good for the country, isn’t it?
Perhaps just encourage National to formulate some effective and sustainable pro-environment policies – good luck with that.
If I had a week to spare I would start compiling a list of the posts/comments extolling the ‘advantages’ of a National-Green alliance: would make an excellent soporific. Nodding off now…
Christchurch Transport Plan
Clean water, great farming
South Taranaki Whale Sanctuary
Turning trash into cash
Wellington Transport Plan
Auckland Transport Plan
Thriving Nature
Protecting drinking water
Empowering NZ
Tourism Levy
Safer, cleaner freight
2015 Climate Action – Yes we can!
Climate Impact Disclosure Statement
Public Finance (Sustainable Development Indicators) Amendment Bill
Clean Groundwater Bill
Regional rail: connecting Manawatū and Hawke’s Bay
No, it doesn’t, though you’d have us believe otherwise; * thinks, shall I drink this goblet of hemlock juice? I’m ever so thirsty and this is the first drink I’ve been offered in ages!
Even if Lab/NZ1 go it alone, whatever they would do on their own would still be better than the “concessions” from the nats. Not the same, but better overall.
The only thing they’ve achieved in 21 years is some insulation in homes, isn’t the point of being in parliament that you get to do some of the things you want to do?
No, the point of being in parliament is that the things you want done get done.
When you don’t care about the credit, they’ve achieved a lot more than that.
The Greens played a significant role in NZ poverty being recognised, counted and now even reduction targets being included as national party election policy. In making water quality an election issue that the nats are the only ones holding back on. In making the housing crisis a recognised problem.
They didn’t do that by accepting “compromises” that included largely what the nats were going to do anyway.
Pffffffft Jacinda wasn’t a feature at the previous election and The Greens done good 🙂 And the election before that, and before that. Chris, your reckons are feeble.
Obviously, making her leader was far more than a cosmetic change, she completely reversed the public dialogue on half a dozen major election issues all by herself.
Credit where credits due she did a pretty impressive job, not quite enough to topple English but from where she started to now was not a bad effort at all
She just needs to shore up on the economy and she’ll be near on unstoppable in 2020
Best and most likely case they go with National, worst case we have Lab/NZFirst/Greens but most likely (of the worst situation) is Lab/NZFirst with a severely neutered Greens, I dunno C & S or something
And yet ended on 36.5%, roughly the same figures David Shearer was polling before he got rolled years ago…..come on, she fizzled out when it came down to it.
Why do you even want the Greens in govt when you voted National and the recent leader considers them looine left wing activists? Is it so you can be on the “winning” team. Greens reasons for not going with Nat is clear. There have been so many posts on it with people like you asking and saying the same things over and over again. By all means disagree with it but doing the online version of holding up your hands and wailing “but why. But why” is redundant.
Start an open mike chat with Wayne. Then you can both say the same thing over and over to each other and see at which number of repetition the Greens say “god chris, you are right”
What about cycleways … don’t really recall what happened the last nine years… perhaps a bit of dishonesty along the way, oh, and poisoned waterways, and “50 K” in poverty
Why would they be satisfied with a few paltry concessions – when the long term game is to keep getting the message out there and to make right-wing ideology unthinkable? (Overton’s window and all that.)
Well thats one way of thinking but while that happens, another 20 years maybe, thats a lot of wasted time
The longest journey may begin with a single step but that step still needs to be taken and even if they didn’t reach an agreement with National it would still mean Labour would have to negotiate with the Greens and not take them for granted
While you are going all Confucius on us try ruminating on the cost of lying to keep power, and how it ruins trust in future relationships required to coexist in govt.
I feel a bit sorry for the Nats and their supporters: short of a majority, no natural support parties left, and increasingly out of touch with reality….
I’ve changed my mind the Greens are fucking hopeless, National shouldn’t even bother.
The best thing going forward is they do Cand P for a Lab/NZ First, that way they’ll drop under 5% in 2020 and then NZ will be rid of the useless pricks and a decent flexible, cross-party like TOP can take its place.
You guys have National derangement syndrome, you’d prefer to suck up and work with a xenophobic ultra-conservative party like NZ First then deal with a party that’s basically continued on from where Helen Clarks Labour left off.
The logical disconnect does my head, It’s so fucking ridiculous, as I said the sooner the Greens are gone the better, you’re just getting in the way of a decent functioning MMP system.
Really though, BM, you sound like a baby diplodocus, left behind in the swamp, bawling, while mummy diplodicus browses the tree tops.
Have you no pride?
And you think that calling them infantile will make Green party members reading your comments want to vote for a coalition agreement with the nats, just to prove how machua they rooly are?
After nine years in government, you guys still think that gaining a coalition partner involves the “negging” date technique so popular among male young nats.
“You guys have National derangement syndrome, you’d prefer to suck up and work with a xenophobic ultra-conservative party like NZ First then deal with a party that’s basically continued on from where Helen Clarks Labour left off.
The logical disconnect does my head, It’s so fucking ridiculous, as I said the sooner the Greens are gone the better, you’re just getting in the way of a decent functioning MMP system.”
Lol, the new Crosby Textor memo. National are basically Helen Clark. The Greens ruin MMP.
Not enough 🙄 🙄 for that.
Pretty sure you’re not supposed to be so tetchy with it though.
The only religious zealotry that has place in an MMP environment is allowed in the National Party as espoused by the double dipper from Dipton Mr. Bill English – especially when it comes to the right of a women to choose. Then of course religious zealotry is a sign of devout piousness and no one is more pious then the double dipper from Dipton, after all confession on Saturday, taking mess on Sunday and then its all good for another week. Right?
Neoliberal economics may be a travesty of religion, but it is the closest thing to a Church that Americans have thesedays, replete with its Inquisition operating out of the universities of Chicago, Harvard and Columbia.
was it not just this year that Blinglish invoked his faith in regards to the ‘criminal’ act of abortion that forces women in this country to literally declare themselves mentally unwell in order to receive an abortion?
As a centre right voter, I admit id prefer for Winston to go with Labour and the Greens, im sick of all his nonsense. Let the three of them try to govern for the next term, oh what fun that will be…..they deserve each other.
No. When you have the chance for power you always take it because you never whats going to happen later and even if what you say comes to pass then NZ will suffer for it.
Just cannot cope with not knowing if you are on the winning team BM? Try to lure them over and then resort to name calling when they dont do what you want?
They have got over the 5% thrrshold every time since 1999.
Surely now that the votes have come in and there is now a waiting period for the overseas vote to come in – then there should be a limbo period where the MSM and other vested interests should be kept out of any news, electronic and newspapers.
Once the completed votes have been counted then that’s the time to sit and wait patiently until a new government can be formed. The way its carrying on is absolutely a disgrace. Maybe the Governor General should step in and inform all the hysteric much rakers to just keep the hell out of it – a government will be formed – let the voters have their say as a democratic society decrees.
There should be no persuading, leaning, goading and deciding what and who should be doing what – the electorate must be absolutely sick to death of it – the MSM seriously needs a rein in. Our family have completely turned off all MSM and now get videos out and watch overseas content online. How many other people have had a guts full of mouthy “no it alls” who spout heaps and know nothing.
I saw them play in pretty much the same spot but facing the other way (and without the camera), must have been 1981. Don’t Point That Thing at Me drifting across the Square, fucking awesome.
Hugh Hefner non-consensually published nudes that endangered Marilyn Monroe's career & then purchased the right to be buried with her corpse— Sady Doyle (@sadydoyle) September 28, 2017
A serious organised criminal group has come to power in Crimea, Ilmi Umerov said after being sentenced to two years in prison. https://t.co/ckrIqSwaYQ— X Soviet (@XSovietNews) September 27, 2017
(Kyiv) – A Russian court in Crimea on September 27, 2017, convicted a prominent Crimean Tatar leader on bogus separatism charges following an unfair trial, Human Rights Watch said today.
The court imposed a two-year prison sentence and banned Ilmi Umerov, the Crimean Tatar leader, from involvement in public activities, which includes contact with the media, for two years. The sentence is harsher than the three-year suspended sentence sought by the prosecution. Russian authorities should take the necessary steps to have Umerov’s two-year prison sentence set aside, and stop persecuting him and other Crimean Tatars for their peaceful opposition to Russia’s occupation of Crimea.
And the speculation continues, what a crack up this 2-week wait is. As I type the political panel comes on radiolive, hard case, at least Rodney and Chris have a clue, I very much enjoy their segment on Thursday nights.
The real election horror is this seasons American Horror Story, now that’s some twisted trump/clinton based storyline, bravo to the writers
I have recently shifted (retired) back to my childhood and early adult region – the Waikato after 40 years of living in Auckland, in both National and Labour seats, latterly Mt Albert, Waitakere and finally Te Atatu electoral districts. Of course Waikato is just sooooo blue, one could pin a blue rosette to a rabid dog running down Broadway in Matamata and the locals would gladly vote for it. I attended a couple of meetings prior to the election to see what the candidates were made of – it was indeed an interesting exercise. The Nat guy came across as such a self-entitled, arrogant, born to rule Tory, I suspect he has a long career as part of their cabal if he so chooses. The other candidates were an interesting group – they’ll be all the wiser for their experience, if they so decide to have another crack next time, particularly Brooke Loader, who stood for Labour. I hope she recalls that Helen Clark stood in the same electorate, then Piako in 1975 and then went on to greater heights. I read today that the N Z First candidate, who was interesting to observe in his naivety, but total dedication to his party, did not only have that bloody Myrtle tractor run over his foot at that National Party/Farmers’ rally at Morrinsville prior to the election, but has been attacked and mocked about his misfortune at his various farming ventures. I’m not in any shape or form a N Z First supporter, but can’t help feeling for Stu Husband. I recall Ed Hillary stating many years ago – probably at the time he was part of the ‘Citizens for Rowling’ campaign, that we needed a few ‘honest to God politicians’ in Wellington to bring some reality to politics. https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/97324748/farmer-candidate-abused-by-my-own-people
Hey there Jilly, thanks for the link, crikey that was an eye opener of a read, so was your post.
One thing I’ve come to realise is that bullying is rife in most sectors of NZ society, put-downs and intimidation usually from those with a lack of knowledge or understanding on particular subjects and its freaking disgusting.
I strongly feel this bullying behaviour as demonstrated by the actions of protesting farmers outlined in your link and a particular political party is one of the factors in our devastatingly high suicide rates.
One of the reasons I lean left is because the opposition parties value people over personal power trips, made clear by how they’ve interacted this election.
“Local Māori and conservationists have claimed the right to access a Northland river today – by driving though the middle of a working dairy farm.
The farm belongs to Northland Regional Council chairman Bill Shepherd.
Northland Environmental Protection Society, Fiona Furrell, opined that …”It gives the only public access to this part of the river; to the waterfalls and the rapids. Kayakers and young people into adventure sports would love it.”
She said in its earlier days the Wairua River and its rapids had been singled out for praise by the American adventurer and sports fisherman Zane Grey.
On the riverbank where his ancestors used to camp and wait for the eels to come down the river in autumn, Mr Ruka eyed the fast-flowing Wairua and choked up a little.
He said all over the country, Māori and Pākehā had been shut out of riversides like this one because of land development …
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 27 were:1. The Minister for Ford Rangers strikes againTransport Minister Simeon Brown was again the busiest of the Cabinet ministers this week, announcing an ...
You got a fast carAnd I want a ticket to anywhereMaybe we make a dealMaybe together we can get somewhereAny place is betterYesterday’s newsletter, Trust In Me, on the report of abuse in state care, and by religious organisations, between 1950 and 2019, coupled with the hypocrisy of Christopher Luxon ...
New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Carereport released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced$802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Carereport in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
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 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquirypublished its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone iconon the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
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 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
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 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
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 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
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 ...
Te Rangi e tu nei (The sky above us) Te Papa e takoto nei (The land beneath us) Tatou katoa te hunga ora (To us all the living) Tena koutou katoa (Greetings) ...
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 ...
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“It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire and ash and dust, the very air you breathe is a poisonous fume.”
‘You will have no lack of water as you walk in Ithilien, but do not drink of any stream that flows from Imlad Morgul, the Valley of Living Death.”
New Zealand’s capital city, Orc Land?
Are the Right trying to set up The Greens a scapegoat and Peters as a dangerous trouble-maker, then call on the country to reject the rules around MMP and instead crown National as the Right & True Government?
Probly.
Yes – expect one of the Nat’s proxies to start a petition about replacing MMP – with the aim getting enough signatures to force a referendum.
“The Greens’ environmental policies, on the other hand, would require National to actually seriously challenge farm owners, drilling/mining companies, and other capitalists. Currently the costs of these capitalists’ activities are largely falling on the environment, and therefore on the present and future public. The Greens want to stop these business activities destroying our shared home by preventing and internalising these external costs. They’ll ban some unjustifiably polluting business activities, such as drilling or mining or exploring for more fossil fuels at a time when even burning the fossil fuels already dug up will make the Paris target impossible. They’ll tax other business activities for their pollution—making those who produce the costs pay the costs, instead of externalising them. And they’ll use the tax revenue to clean up the damage and to subsidise farmers and other businesses moving to more sustainable ways of doing business.
Do you really see National doing that? The party whose base is farm owners and other capitalists? The party that think climate change is only an issue for “elites”, and that it’s not a “pressing concern”, and that we should adapt to climate change rather than mitigating it? The party who scaremongered on a small water tax for some big farms that are currently destroying the quality of Aotearoa’s awa and wai?”
https://cutyourhair.wordpress.com/2017/09/28/blue-green-is-not-going-to-happen-and-its-not-the-greens-fault/
That’s just the greens, I can imagine the gnashing of teeth when Labour clamp down on the free loading, property portfolio owning, tax manipulating land lords.
We will need compassion for our capitalist brethren, of right and left persuasion.
Sorry to hog the thread, only, I’m in full research mode right now 🙂
“National’s focus on having a strong economy prevents them from having any interest in what is fundamental to the Greens, which is sustainability and fairness. The challenge in forming this kind of coalition is that there would have to be a shift in the essence of their being.”
http://thewireless.co.nz/articles/could-a-national-greens-coalition-work
Nice. Although I would stay that the Greens want a strong economy where strength comes from sustainability and resiliency, and National want a perpetual growth until it falls over economy
😉
I’m not sure the Gnats are serious about growth – short term profit sure – but they’ve been happy to fake their growth numbers instead of fixing them.
Actually developing the economy costs and thus lowers profits. And it most definitely needs everyone working which would raise wages which also cuts profits.
There is no way for National’s economic management to actually work because everything that needs to be done cuts profits. And National only ever works to maximise profits while cutting costs.
The Nats want us to be using our energy refuting their lies. Why?? What are we not doing.??
Shouldn’t we be reaching out to others on the left and painting a picture of what could be a great coming together of the true majority.??
The forming of a strong community based social and environmental coalition???
Just wondering …. they always have an agenda!! We should stick to ours instead of looking for Wally in their picture.
Yes, indeed, Patricia. Better still, employ some of that latent lampooning skill we all have and give the Natty shills a good thrashing!
There is a petition going:
“Show your support for the idea of a National/Green govt.” 6,000 signed up.
Reckon they were the desperate Nats?
And another one:
“We don’t support your water tax because:
“You can’t tell us what the impact of the tax will be on food producers, jobs, communities & food prices
You are only taxing……
UPDATE: we have surveyed irrigators and found that a water tax could lead to many arable, sheep and beef farms converting to more intensive farming like dairy and that farmers would reduce spending in rural communities to pay for the tax.”
5,011 signed up. Same folk as in the first petition?
Shall we tell that the Election is over?
Time for Action Stations, then …
http://www.actionstation.org.nz/
And more! to counter the Fake, Dirty politics!
Interesting from David Farrar, does he have the ear of anyone…
https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2017/09/what_could_the_greens_get_if_they_went_with_national_not_winston.html
$1 billion over ten years for cycleways
A levy on nitrate pollution
A South Taranaki Whale Sanctuary
A levy on plastic bags
Accelerated timetable for rail to Auckland Airport
Doubling the funding for DOC
$65 million a year more for predator-free NZ
Stricter water quality standards to increase the number of water bodies rated
excellent from 42% to 70%.
A commitment to double the reduction of children in poverty from 50,000 to 100,000
Double the reduction target for greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 from 11% to 22%
lol..all very aspirational and just like current policy settings …Farrar kite flying by request no doubt….only one thing needed to know…..National lie.
Billshit – remember bill lying by omission when Todd declared that there is no recording and Bill each day there watching the misleading and putting his shameful head down? That list is more of that shit behaviour.
Farrar spins propaganda for the National Party for a living. What makes you think any of that list is real?
And even if it was, National can’t be trusted.
But thanks, because I think that list demonstrates very clearly that National don’t want to end poverty or clean up rivers, but they are willing to sell some policy to gain power. So they can keep running a poverty economy and destroying the environment.
You don’t like my principals.. …well, these are my new ones….
//
Excellent Chris, if you believe any of it, I have a bridge you may like to buy.
Conveniently located in Auckland, many lanes, chance to expand,great views…
All of it? No. Some it? Absolutely, I mean the cycleways alone can be linked to greater tourism possibilities so thats an easy one, predator freer NZ is also easy as its only 65 million, children in poverty well Bill pledged something similar so that wouldn’t take much
All of which would be more than the Greens have achieved in over 20 years
smoke and mirrors…cycleways are already included in nat policy, as is the predator free and the climate target is already not going to met so increasing it just means it wont be met by more…now about that bridge…….
The cycleways? The ones we were promised from the 2009 job summit would create jobs and address the layoffs from GFC? You guys keep letting them retell you they are going to do something, you get excited, they do nothing, and when pushed, repeat it
I am trying to understand why Nats want to be in govt with “loonies” “rent a mob” “communists” etc…
Misses the point by so far. Does he have any idea of what their policies are………
Does he have the ear of anyone?
Only his dysfunctional commentariat.
Even they can see through his pish.
Does beg the question, would the Greens achieve more in one deal with National then they have over the last 21 years and i think the answer would be yes and that includes when Labour had the opportunity to have the Greens in power and whatever concessions the Greens achieve is good for the country, isn’t it?
The Green party would indeed ‘achieve’ much more – their self-destruction for a start.
Perhaps just nodd off. M. Kram
Perhaps just encourage National to formulate some effective and sustainable pro-environment policies – good luck with that.
If I had a week to spare I would start compiling a list of the posts/comments extolling the ‘advantages’ of a National-Green alliance: would make an excellent soporific. Nodding off now…
You have a couple of weeks, so No pressure.
Sleep well.
It’d probably result in the self destruction of the National Party as well. and probably before the Green Party.
Seriously, can you see Judith Collins and Anne Tolley going along wiht the Green Party’s social objectives? Living wage? Changing WINZ culture?
The bright spark who put together a National government supported by the Green Party would be rolled by lunchtime….
Green Party social objectives are what the Nat-Green proponents are expecting the Greens to drop.
Ah, well, of course no problem getting the Nats to take up the Green Party environment policies if the GP give up the social policies.
Includes:
Christchurch Transport Plan
Clean water, great farming
South Taranaki Whale Sanctuary
Turning trash into cash
Wellington Transport Plan
Auckland Transport Plan
Thriving Nature
Protecting drinking water
Empowering NZ
Tourism Levy
Safer, cleaner freight
2015 Climate Action – Yes we can!
Climate Impact Disclosure Statement
Public Finance (Sustainable Development Indicators) Amendment Bill
Clean Groundwater Bill
Regional rail: connecting Manawatū and Hawke’s Bay
What part of NO do Nats and their cheerleaders not understand? But, I guess they probably are just trying to follow the lead of the ponytail puller.
Nats, please attend: No means NO.
Now go sort out your own policies, and do your own negotiations with NZ First, or its off to the opposition benches for you!
No. All that would happen is that the Greens would be destroyed.
But that’s probably what you and National want.
BTW, The Greens have achieved quite a bit over their lifetime.
That Nats even have some slightly Green ideas is because the Green Party existed for over 20 years.
No, it doesn’t, though you’d have us believe otherwise; * thinks, shall I drink this goblet of hemlock juice? I’m ever so thirsty and this is the first drink I’ve been offered in ages!
So rather then gain some concessions with National its better to hope Winston invites them in?
Even if Lab/NZ1 go it alone, whatever they would do on their own would still be better than the “concessions” from the nats. Not the same, but better overall.
The only thing they’ve achieved in 21 years is some insulation in homes, isn’t the point of being in parliament that you get to do some of the things you want to do?
No, the point of being in parliament is that the things you want done get done.
When you don’t care about the credit, they’ve achieved a lot more than that.
The Greens played a significant role in NZ poverty being recognised, counted and now even reduction targets being included as national party election policy. In making water quality an election issue that the nats are the only ones holding back on. In making the housing crisis a recognised problem.
They didn’t do that by accepting “compromises” that included largely what the nats were going to do anyway.
With all due respect, bollix, the only reason they’re to the forefront is Jacinda Ardern, not the Greens.
Pffffffft Jacinda wasn’t a feature at the previous election and The Greens done good 🙂 And the election before that, and before that. Chris, your reckons are feeble.
Piffle to your pfft, the Greens only do well when Labour does poorly
The Greens have been in Parliament for yonks.
They’re regulars.
Wow. She did that all by herself?
Obviously, making her leader was far more than a cosmetic change, she completely reversed the public dialogue on half a dozen major election issues all by herself.
Credit where credits due she did a pretty impressive job, not quite enough to topple English but from where she started to now was not a bad effort at all
She just needs to shore up on the economy and she’ll be near on unstoppable in 2020
We’ll see what nz1 does first.
Best and most likely case they go with National, worst case we have Lab/NZFirst/Greens but most likely (of the worst situation) is Lab/NZFirst with a severely neutered Greens, I dunno C & S or something
lol reverse that for my perspective.
There’s only a few options. I suppose another one is if he decides to abstain from all C&S, but argue from issue to issue.
I don’t think even Winston would go that far
shhh don’t jinx it lol
And yet ended on 36.5%, roughly the same figures David Shearer was polling before he got rolled years ago…..come on, she fizzled out when it came down to it.
Well yes but Labour were looking at historic low levels and then (7?) weeks later the numbers are back up
Even as a National voter I can still say she did a pretty good job
Why do you even want the Greens in govt when you voted National and the recent leader considers them looine left wing activists? Is it so you can be on the “winning” team. Greens reasons for not going with Nat is clear. There have been so many posts on it with people like you asking and saying the same things over and over again. By all means disagree with it but doing the online version of holding up your hands and wailing “but why. But why” is redundant.
Start an open mike chat with Wayne. Then you can both say the same thing over and over to each other and see at which number of repetition the Greens say “god chris, you are right”
If Shearer had boosted his party’s polling by 12% or more from when he took over as leader, He’d be prime minister to this day.
I always thought they ditched him too early
nah. The fish trick killed him.
Didn’t Grant Robertson have something to do with that?
I figured it was more that his office panicked because of the incessant bitching of the self-loathing labourites of the time.
Fuck it’s nice to see a strong, stable Labour party under a popular leader again.
Bit early to say that yet I reckon, if Winston chooses National I can see a few knives being drawn behind Jacinda.
In two months she delivered the best polls in years.
Blinglish, on the other hand…
Nope
Last Polls of Shearer’s leadership
Roy Morgan 12–25 Aug 2013
Lab 31.5
Fairfax Media Ipsos 10–15 Aug 2013
Lab 31.6
Roy Morgan 29 Jul – 11 Aug 2013
Lab 34
Colmar Brunton 27–31 Jul 2013
Lab 33
Roy Morgan 15–28 Jul 2013
Lab 29
Reid Research 9–14 Jul 2013
Lab 31
Roy Morgan 1–14 Jul 2013
Lab 31
Roy Morgan 17–30 Jun 2013
Lab 31.5
Herald-DigiPoll 12–23 Jun 2013
Lab 30.9
What about cycleways … don’t really recall what happened the last nine years… perhaps a bit of dishonesty along the way, oh, and poisoned waterways, and “50 K” in poverty
Why would they be satisfied with a few paltry concessions – when the long term game is to keep getting the message out there and to make right-wing ideology unthinkable? (Overton’s window and all that.)
Well thats one way of thinking but while that happens, another 20 years maybe, thats a lot of wasted time
The longest journey may begin with a single step but that step still needs to be taken and even if they didn’t reach an agreement with National it would still mean Labour would have to negotiate with the Greens and not take them for granted
While you are going all Confucius on us try ruminating on the cost of lying to keep power, and how it ruins trust in future relationships required to coexist in govt.
Rather than align with proven liars and enemies of Green principles, try our luck with Winston?
Yes. Alright.
Cheers, chris73.
Make it so.
Another scene from the *brighter future* we were promised.
https://twitter.com/NZStuff/status/913285427603181569
I feel a bit sorry for the Nats and their supporters: short of a majority, no natural support parties left, and increasingly out of touch with reality….
I’ve changed my mind the Greens are fucking hopeless, National shouldn’t even bother.
The best thing going forward is they do Cand P for a Lab/NZ First, that way they’ll drop under 5% in 2020 and then NZ will be rid of the useless pricks and a decent flexible, cross-party like TOP can take its place.
And then that’s the kind of response that happens when the harasser finally realises No does mean No – abuse follows.
Oh, and btw, NO
🙂
Yep – textbook and ugly
+111
Nothing to do with harassing it’s just realisation what a fruitless effort it would be trying to deal with the Greens.
Religous zealotry has no place in an MMP environment, sooner the Green disappear from the NZ political scene the better.
Roll on 2020.,
You are not “trying to deal with the Greens”.
You are trying to demean and undermine them. No wonder you are constantly being shown the door.
You guys have National derangement syndrome, you’d prefer to suck up and work with a xenophobic ultra-conservative party like NZ First then deal with a party that’s basically continued on from where Helen Clarks Labour left off.
The logical disconnect does my head, It’s so fucking ridiculous, as I said the sooner the Greens are gone the better, you’re just getting in the way of a decent functioning MMP system.
Really though, BM, you sound like a baby diplodocus, left behind in the swamp, bawling, while mummy diplodicus browses the tree tops.
Have you no pride?
Good honesty for a change – your plans are broken and you never gave a shit anyway – hint – we ALL knew it lol
But when you lot try to negotiate a coalition deal with that very same “xenophobic ultra-conservative party”, that’s cool?
Maybe you’d prefer going back to the polls?
It’s about trying to work with what you’ve got.
Greens don’t seem to even remotely understand what MMP is all about.
Almost 25 five years in and the Greens haven’t got past the equivalent of toilet training, it’s embarrassing.
‘How much is he asking? Tell him he’s dreaming…’
It’s about values mate, you just don’t want to get that.
The Greens Are Still Here.
Eat It.
And you think that calling them infantile will make Green party members reading your comments want to vote for a coalition agreement with the nats, just to prove how machua they rooly are?
After nine years in government, you guys still think that gaining a coalition partner involves the “negging” date technique so popular among male young nats.
Hey, hey hey we’re not all PUAs thank you very much
At least I learnt a new word tonight
“Negging”
Work with what you’ve got BM = 0.7% Seymour
“You guys have National derangement syndrome, you’d prefer to suck up and work with a xenophobic ultra-conservative party like NZ First then deal with a party that’s basically continued on from where Helen Clarks Labour left off.
The logical disconnect does my head, It’s so fucking ridiculous, as I said the sooner the Greens are gone the better, you’re just getting in the way of a decent functioning MMP system.”
Lol, the new Crosby Textor memo. National are basically Helen Clark. The Greens ruin MMP.
Not enough 🙄 🙄 for that.
Pretty sure you’re not supposed to be so tetchy with it though.
Yep he’s definately gone early on these lines – Paula is still trying to flatter them lol
😆
LOL how quickly the facade of reason unravels… and they Wonder why Greens dont trust them
Wah wah why wont people do what I want wah wah I need to win wah wah I hate youwah wah
Shaw said English was welcome to call him … Odd way of showing someone the door.
He’s a gennelmin, inny.
The only religious zealotry that has place in an MMP environment is allowed in the National Party as espoused by the double dipper from Dipton Mr. Bill English – especially when it comes to the right of a women to choose. Then of course religious zealotry is a sign of devout piousness and no one is more pious then the double dipper from Dipton, after all confession on Saturday, taking mess on Sunday and then its all good for another week. Right?
Good grief BM ask for better talking points.
Actually, t’is the post 1980s version of free market, small government capitalism (often referred to as neoliberalism) that has all the features of faith-based religion:
was it not just this year that Blinglish invoked his faith in regards to the ‘criminal’ act of abortion that forces women in this country to literally declare themselves mentally unwell in order to receive an abortion?
…what a fruitless effort it would be trying to deal with the Greens.
Religous zealotry has no place in an MMP environment…
What’s wrong with you assholes? We’re offering beads and blankets, for fuck’s sake! Don’t you hicks recognise a good deal when someone offers you one?
Lets not forgot the syphilis and typhoid in the blankets.
Heh, that’s pretty spot on.
LOL
As a centre right voter, I admit id prefer for Winston to go with Labour and the Greens, im sick of all his nonsense. Let the three of them try to govern for the next term, oh what fun that will be…..they deserve each other.
No. When you have the chance for power you always take it because you never whats going to happen later and even if what you say comes to pass then NZ will suffer for it.
No im off the National-NZF bandwagon let the left deal with him.
It hasnt even been a week. Maybe go and do some gardening or play with the kids. NAT supporters really are no good at patience or the long game.
Mostly they hate not knowing if they are on the winning side.
BM: “I’ve changed my mind the Greens are fucking hopeless”
Classic!” I’ve changed my mind” – ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Poor BM, he’s not getting what he wanted and feeling all upset with the Greens for not giving it to him.
Just cannot cope with not knowing if you are on the winning team BM? Try to lure them over and then resort to name calling when they dont do what you want?
They have got over the 5% thrrshold every time since 1999.
Hey! Where are those pandas we were promised???
coming on the same ship as the hospital and all those bridges.
You guys are cracking me up…
Isnt it good that those who run the country have more patience and stability than these voters… oh wait
Surely now that the votes have come in and there is now a waiting period for the overseas vote to come in – then there should be a limbo period where the MSM and other vested interests should be kept out of any news, electronic and newspapers.
Once the completed votes have been counted then that’s the time to sit and wait patiently until a new government can be formed. The way its carrying on is absolutely a disgrace. Maybe the Governor General should step in and inform all the hysteric much rakers to just keep the hell out of it – a government will be formed – let the voters have their say as a democratic society decrees.
There should be no persuading, leaning, goading and deciding what and who should be doing what – the electorate must be absolutely sick to death of it – the MSM seriously needs a rein in. Our family have completely turned off all MSM and now get videos out and watch overseas content online. How many other people have had a guts full of mouthy “no it alls” who spout heaps and know nothing.
Hear hear. Just wait and all will be revealed.
Stop making sense Kate. These here Nat voters just wanna know if they voted for the winning team.
Silver Scrolls 2017.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/nat-music/audio/201860259/live-silver-scrolls-2017
Happening now in Dunners.
30 + years of iconic music. “The Clean” are being inducted into the Hall of Fame,
Legends!
And we’ve come a long since!
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201860240/silver-scrolls-five-women-finalists-vie-for-award
I saw them play in pretty much the same spot but facing the other way (and without the camera), must have been 1981. Don’t Point That Thing at Me drifting across the Square, fucking awesome.
Great post, with links, up on Public Address.. if you haven’t seen it..
https://publicaddress.net/hardnews/music-god-save-the-clean/
Spenser Rapone is ruffling feathers…
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DKrOairVwAA6Ukn.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DKtIOQ4W4AAu304.jpg
cheers Joe, I enjoy your contributions.
Creeper’s final creep.
“He was the greatest living feminist” Hugh Hefner on Hugh Hefner
When the Kremlin invades your country,
(Kyiv) – A Russian court in Crimea on September 27, 2017, convicted a prominent Crimean Tatar leader on bogus separatism charges following an unfair trial, Human Rights Watch said today.
The court imposed a two-year prison sentence and banned Ilmi Umerov, the Crimean Tatar leader, from involvement in public activities, which includes contact with the media, for two years. The sentence is harsher than the three-year suspended sentence sought by the prosecution. Russian authorities should take the necessary steps to have Umerov’s two-year prison sentence set aside, and stop persecuting him and other Crimean Tatars for their peaceful opposition to Russia’s occupation of Crimea.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/09/27/crimea-crimean-tatar-leader-convicted-spurious-charges
And the speculation continues, what a crack up this 2-week wait is. As I type the political panel comes on radiolive, hard case, at least Rodney and Chris have a clue, I very much enjoy their segment on Thursday nights.
The real election horror is this seasons American Horror Story, now that’s some twisted trump/clinton based storyline, bravo to the writers
I have recently shifted (retired) back to my childhood and early adult region – the Waikato after 40 years of living in Auckland, in both National and Labour seats, latterly Mt Albert, Waitakere and finally Te Atatu electoral districts. Of course Waikato is just sooooo blue, one could pin a blue rosette to a rabid dog running down Broadway in Matamata and the locals would gladly vote for it. I attended a couple of meetings prior to the election to see what the candidates were made of – it was indeed an interesting exercise. The Nat guy came across as such a self-entitled, arrogant, born to rule Tory, I suspect he has a long career as part of their cabal if he so chooses. The other candidates were an interesting group – they’ll be all the wiser for their experience, if they so decide to have another crack next time, particularly Brooke Loader, who stood for Labour. I hope she recalls that Helen Clark stood in the same electorate, then Piako in 1975 and then went on to greater heights. I read today that the N Z First candidate, who was interesting to observe in his naivety, but total dedication to his party, did not only have that bloody Myrtle tractor run over his foot at that National Party/Farmers’ rally at Morrinsville prior to the election, but has been attacked and mocked about his misfortune at his various farming ventures. I’m not in any shape or form a N Z First supporter, but can’t help feeling for Stu Husband. I recall Ed Hillary stating many years ago – probably at the time he was part of the ‘Citizens for Rowling’ campaign, that we needed a few ‘honest to God politicians’ in Wellington to bring some reality to politics.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/97324748/farmer-candidate-abused-by-my-own-people
Hey there Jilly, thanks for the link, crikey that was an eye opener of a read, so was your post.
One thing I’ve come to realise is that bullying is rife in most sectors of NZ society, put-downs and intimidation usually from those with a lack of knowledge or understanding on particular subjects and its freaking disgusting.
I strongly feel this bullying behaviour as demonstrated by the actions of protesting farmers outlined in your link and a particular political party is one of the factors in our devastatingly high suicide rates.
One of the reasons I lean left is because the opposition parties value people over personal power trips, made clear by how they’ve interacted this election.
Thanks for this. And lol@ rabid dog
“Local Māori and conservationists have claimed the right to access a Northland river today – by driving though the middle of a working dairy farm.
The farm belongs to Northland Regional Council chairman Bill Shepherd.
Northland Environmental Protection Society, Fiona Furrell, opined that …”It gives the only public access to this part of the river; to the waterfalls and the rapids. Kayakers and young people into adventure sports would love it.”
She said in its earlier days the Wairua River and its rapids had been singled out for praise by the American adventurer and sports fisherman Zane Grey.
On the riverbank where his ancestors used to camp and wait for the eels to come down the river in autumn, Mr Ruka eyed the fast-flowing Wairua and choked up a little.
He said all over the country, Māori and Pākehā had been shut out of riversides like this one because of land development …
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/340472/northland-hapu-and-conservationists-fight-for-river-access