Because she isn't that nutty righty, which is what is far right.
She could probably be classed as far right on a bad day if you take her anti-immigration antics seriously, but there are plenty of left people who dislike immigration.
Right, far right and alt right seem to be shifting in the days of the orange idiot.
Now anyone who voted Republican and Trump seems to be classed as far right in the US at the mo'.
A couple of defining features of the alt right are being anti-feminist and white supremacist. Compared to far right libertarians like David Seymour, who run politics of privilege but are not particularly racist or misogynist. Southern looks alt right to me. It's why the meme is funny.
Now anyone who voted Republican and Trump seems to be classed as far right in the US at the mo'.
Well, not anyone who voted for the orange wonder.
Just the ones who hoped for the policies he's actually implementing. And the ones who chanted "build the wall" and "lock her up". And the ones who liked his birtherism about Obama. And a few others.
As for voting for other Repuclicans, that a very broad brush. There might be some Republican candidates who don't jack off about child separations and indefinite detention. People who vote for those candidates might not be "far right".
If so, maui, to what is she and her group saying "Ok"? Is it, "I am happy to be at the centre of this group and I am Ok with their group associations and ideology?"
I went once to hear speak a Nigerian Anglican priest. He fulminated against Islam. At the door afterwards I told him I could smell the gunsmoke. He said that he could tell from my body language during the speech that I was not in agreement. I certainly was not giving him the "OK" signal! The signals we give are more accurate than our words as to what we believe..
If a bunch of idiot white supremacist arseholes decide to take up hand shaking for a laugh and it turns into "a sign", are you going to stigmatise anyone who shakes someones hand and make it a white supremacist thing?
So here's the point. The alt-right cultures are using common symbols, memes etc to both communicate with each other and confuse and mock the general public and create confusion. People might find it funny up to the point we remember that the Chch mosque mass murderer is one of the people who used the sign, and organised and networked on 8chan.
The other way is a few white supremacist idiots on sites like 8Chan are taking the piss and normal people are falling for it and some other alt right idiots are falling for it and taking it seriously and doing the "symbolism" and every day things are suddenly made bad because of a few loud normal peoples over reaction and triggering.
Should just ignore the obvious trolling, and it tends to go away after a month or two.
Yes. And they love to keep recycling the "joke". The shared humour serves exactly the same group bonding and self-identification purpose as "serious" gestures.
The other way is a few white supremacist idiots on sites like 8Chan are taking the piss and normal people are falling for it and some other alt right idiots are falling for it and taking it seriously and doing the "symbolism" and every day things are suddenly made bad because of a few loud normal peoples over reaction and triggering.
If it's an in-joke for some far-right fuckwits and a serious symbol for other far-right fuckwits, then calling it a far-right fuckwit behaviour is not an over-reaction. To point it out is a public service, because we know what happens when far-right fuckwits hide in the dark for too long.
We have a problem Minister, it needs to be dealt and it means resources, stop blaming years of underfunding and start funding us correctly – New Zealand Resident Doctors' Association's national secretary, Deborah Powell
She said the association didn't want to hear excuses about the previous Government's lack of funding.
Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director, Ian Powell, said patients' lives were being put at risk in large part because of a severe shortage of specialists and other staff in emergency departments.
"Health Minister David Clark and National health spokesman Michael Woodhouse are bickering about whose government is to blame for the mess our EDs are in," he said.
"The truth is both politicians' respective parties have been like floundering fish when it comes to running the public health system."
Australasian College for Emergency Medicine president elect, Dr John Bonning, said if it was an a emergency patients would be treated, but for others there can be an offloading delay, which can affect patient outcomes. If somebody is waiting with angina that might be turning into a heart attack, if somebody has a critical infection that can get worse. There are some time critical conditions that might not be immediately obvious when they first come in. There needed to be more surgical and medical ward resourcing, so patients can be admitted to those wards, to take the strain off EDs.
St John medical director Dr Tony Smith said this (ambulance ramping) reduces the availability of ambulances to respond to the next emergency in the community.
Back to the topic (for those who care about it) the current Minister's excuse doesn't stack up.
Yes, it does take years to train both senior nurses and clinicians but why can't he source more (already trained) senior nurses and clinicians from offshore to fill the current shortfall?
Dr Clark said the problem can't be solved overnight.
"These resources are people, their training takes a long period of time, both senior nurses and clinicians take upwards of seven years to train," he said.
I'm not that fussed where he sources them from as long as they are fit for purpose.
And yes, I do think it comes down to funding, more precisely, their BRR. Additionally, what they have chosen to prioritise. So much for wellbeing and the year of delivery.
With all due respect, that is not an excuse as such, is it? The Minister wasn’t really excusing anything.
You should be “fussed where he sources them from as long as they are fit for purpose” because either you are ignorant of the problem or you are disingenuous. You don’t seem to realise or acknowledge that good qualifications, be it for teachers, nurses or doctors, for example, are in hot demand globally and it is a highly competitive market.
Is it enough to advertise? Can they step straight into their new position without additional education and/or training?
I disagree that it simply is a matter of throwing a few dollars at it. If it were that simple (!), the problem would be solved by lunchtime. Evidently, it isn’t this simple.
With all due respect, that is not an excuse as such, is it?
I believe so. First off, no one in their right mind thinks it can be solved overnight. But even the professionals in the sector expect it to be solved within a reasonable time as would most. So that line (overnight) is a total joke really.
And stating locals take time to train is an excuse, because doctors can be and are brought in from offshore. I haven't seen a Kiwi doctor on both occasions I've been in there of late, they have all be from offshore. Ireland is a popular place to source them from. They love it over here.
Yes, there is a global demand for doctors, etc, that's where money helps to attract them along with our lifestyle.
Can they step straight into their new position without additional education and/or training?
Probably not, but it wouldn't take several years to do that. Again, coming back to a more reasonable, thus acceptable (within the profession and public's mind) time frame.
IMO an excuse is when someone doesn’t really want to fix the problem or doesn’t want to do anything about it. I don’t think that applies here as is evident from your link @ 2.
Many love it over here. Some come and some stay and some move on. Life is quite expensive over here, especially in the main centres. Teachers and nurses struggle with housing costs and even medical specialist gasp at (choke on) living expenses. Their (recent and overdue) pay rises are just a drop in a bucket.
Additional or re-training won’t take seven years or so but even so, it will take time and depends on capacity as well, i.e. somebody has to oversee and undertake this. We’re not talking about WOF inspectors or builders and we are not talking about just a simple written exam to check off things.
What is considered a “reasonable” or “acceptable” time frame depends on one’s perception and understanding of the situation. An ignorant or gullible person could easily be made to believe that a few dollars and a few weeks is all that is needed …
IMO an excuse is when someone doesn’t really want to fix the problem or doesn’t want to do anything about it.
As you can see from the initial post, that's the feeling the professionals in the sector have i.e. he's not doing enough to correct the problem. Hence, they are speaking out and it is they that are sick of the excuses.
Life is quite expensive over here
Yes, many I came across stated that. Hence they would have to pay well. Which, of course, comes down to money.
What is considered a “reasonable” or “acceptable” time frame depends on one’s perception and understanding of the situation. An ignorant or gullible person could easily be made to believe that a few dollars and a few weeks is all that is needed.
I'm sure the professionals in the linked article (above) have a good understanding of this.
The Minister and his cabinet colleagues are awaiting the full health system review led by Heather Simpson. How much change do you expect them to make in the meantime?
@The Chairman Systemic and chronic underfunding of social services is a natural result of letting neoliberals run amok with cost cutting and demanding profits from the public sector, with a view to privatising the lot. The model for the last 40 years has failed, glad to see you recognise that
Of course health professionals and their unions want action immediately in their parts of the system. Does not mean it is possible, nor that they grasp the whole picture.
However there are things beyond increasing workforce than can be started now, so I do not buy the Minister hanging everything on that.
Of course health professionals and their unions want action immediately in their parts of the system. Does not mean it is possible, nor that they grasp the whole picture.
Are you implying health professionals and their unions are extremists demanding action that can't be met? Moreover, they have no grasp of what is doable in their profession?
I'm confident our health professionals and their unions have more grasp of the matter than you do.
Health practitioners are hired to deliver healthcare within their particular scope pf practice, not to manage competing priorities across disciplines or delivery timeframes for change programmes.
It's like expecting a bus driver to know about road network planning or rail electrification. They can see a need for better timetables and more colleagues to share the load, sure.
Health practitioners are hired to deliver healthcare within their particular scope pf practice…
Being on the front line in delivering healthcare within their particular scope of practice gives them a very good insight on what is required to improve that delivery, opposed to a manger stuck behind a desk that doesn't really have a clue on the daily ins and outs.
Moreover, Unions have a wider oversight, giving them a far broader view, thus insight.
Additionally, so does the Minister and his advisers, which are meant to be there to help. Yet the best he can come up with when pressed on the matter is he can't fix it overnight, he's holding a review and it will take several years to train up more. He seems to have had a better grasp on the matter when he was in opposition, but now that he's in charged, requires a review. Which will no doubt largely rely on the insights of the Union and staff.
Two years they have been in power and we are still awaiting a review, meanwhile more lives are being put at risk. Frankly, it's not good enough, hence the outcry. Do better.
Chair, as a self-proclaimed friend of the left, do you reckon NZ's public health service/sector/system would be better placed to serve the NZ public now if National rather than Labour/NZ1st/Greens had been (re-)elected in 2017?
Dr Jonathan "Safe Pair of Hands" Coleman may have had a vested interest in ensuring that NZ's public health sector was well and truly ***ked over 'looked after'.
Chair, as a self-proclaimed friend of the left, do you reckon NZ's public health service/sector/system would be better placed to serve the NZ public now if National rather than Labour/NZ1st/Greens had been (re-)elected in 2017?
Of course not. But that is no excuse to allow Labour to get away with falling short too.
There is little point of keeping them (National) out of power if Labour aren't going to be much better. If that is continually going to be the case, it's long past time we on the left look for better representation or press Labour harder.
Spot the telltale signs of ingrained anti-Labour bias:
Of course not. But that is no excuse to allow Labour to get away with falling short too.
There is little point of keeping them (National) out of power if Labour aren’t going to be much better. If that is continually going to be the case, it’s long past time we on the left look for better representation or press Labour harder. [my bolds for clarity]
Chair, you're making no sense. Surely there is a great deal of point to keeping the National party's self-serving wreckers ('Working for NZ'; 'Brighter Future' – my arse) out of power if the current coalition government is doing even slightly better.
You yourself just acknowledged (@10:58 am) that the NZ public health service would be less well placed to serve the NZ public now if a National government was still in charge – well done!
The fact Labour are only slightly better than National is a main reason many people I know no longer vote at all. They no longer see a point as they know they are largely screwed either way.
And the more people on the left don’t vote the more our politics moves to the right.
“The fact Labour are only slightly better than National” is youropinion, repeated ad nauseam here in your disingenuous “lefty” “more left than most” fashion.
IMHO the current coalition government (with all its constraints) is a much better government for all New Zealanders than a National-led government ever could/would be.
Chairman, you have been blowing your own cover for so long without cease that I think you may have some kind of compulsion disorder. You are now the concern troll with the longest record for pretending innocence while repeating the offence – trying to project your concerns into discredit for the Left.
Even if, as Drowsy Kram so nicely reminds us, you consider yourself "more left than most." I guess that those 'most' are people who just feel 'alright'.
As you can see from the responses to a serious issue, I'm clearly more left than most of you lot. Seems not many here are willing to talk the truth when it may harm Labour. Whereas, I'm of the belief of holding them to account to help bring about change for the better.
Nonetheless, I'm not the topic. Hence, care to try again? Or do you just want to join the mob and continue to throw crap at me?
Once again, back to the topic. I'm surprised I've yet to hear the media pull the Minister up on his line they take time to train. I'd love to hear what he would say about not bringing in more from offshore?
Would the minister need to place the ads personally, or are these specialists just sitting on a shelf somewhere ready to relocate at a moment's notice with full NZ-compatible certification for their specialty areas?
Ever been to hospital of late, it's like being at the UN.
Sourcing doctors from offshore is nothing new, they've been doing it for years.
I've recently experienced both sides of it. On an urgent matter, the service was great. But a on a not so critical visit, the wait time (although they did admit me in the end) was atrocious.
"Ever been to hospital of late, it's like being at the UN."
hang on there mr chair more-left-than-most man – what exactly are you implying with that sentence because it reads a bit dicey to me. How can you tell a UN like person from a kiwi?
"They all have accents and none I came across were Kiwi."
accents you say? oh dear I think mr chair more-left-than-most man you are digging a bit of a hole – best to front up now and own the issue you have.
Of course you may have unnatural powers and abilities to discern a persons citizenry from their accent – daresay in some parallel universe you may be considered a marvel but as you've yet to confirm that ability here, then, the question is moot.
Medical language sounds quite foreign to most people. And some patients hallucinate under the influence of some medication. I’m glad to see that The Chairman has fully recovered and has is back to his former self and with us to share his pearls of newly gained wisdom during his obviously traumatic and eye-opening descend into the foreign-operated and woefully underfunded healthcare system of Aotearoa-New Zealand.
I wasn't claiming I know their citizenship status. Merely highlighting many are from offshore.
Strong foreign accents is a good indication people aren't originally from here. And many I conversed with openly admitted they have recently come from abroad. Foreign doctors practicing here is nothing new. Just as Kiwi doctors heading offshore isn't a new concept. Many Kiwi doctors head to the UK in search of better pay. After all, they have large loans to pay off.
sure mr chair more-left-than-most man you stick with that story. Truth is you let a cat out the bag and the cat is not nice at all and you know it. Your observations are unpleasant and bigoted imo – foreign this and that from accents is bullshit.
So do you think they were sitting on a shelf waiting for a job in NZ? Or can the hiring of even one specialist from overseas become a process that takes years?
After all you're the one who wrote upthread "I'm not that fussed where he sources them from as long as they are fit for purpose".
Do you have any idea as to the process that ensures specialists sourced from overseas are assessed to be "fit for purpose"? Even if the minister snapped his fingers to bypass two or three levels of governance/management separation and removed every other barrier to employing staff, how long would you expect it to take to solve the problem?
Strangely enough, most I've come across love to travel. My own GP even has worked in several countries before practicing here. And I've had several over the years as most came from overseas and have taken off again. It seems Kiwi ones largely do the same, which would explain why there aren't many here.
“How long would you expect it to take to solve the problem?”
Far less than several years, most I’ve come across don’t even stay here that long. And it seems (going off the article) those in the profession agree with me. They wouldn’t be complaining if the Minister’s excuse was legit.
Yeah, it's a bit more complex than just turning up and saying "I'm an emergency cardiothoracic trauma surgeon".
First off, I never claimed it was that easy.
From your link
If you are applying for registration in a vocational scope and do not hold an approved Australasian postgraduate medical qualification such as a Fellowship, Diploma or Certificate, your training, qualifications and experience will first need to be assessed to see whether they are equivalent to those of a locally trained specialist
So how many doctors do you think hold an approved Australasian postgraduate medical qualification, enough for us to meet our current shortfall?
Moreover, how many doctors in the world do you think hold qualifications and experience that can meet the assessment to see whether they are equivalent to those of a locally trained specialist?
One would expect globally, there would be thousands.
You do realise ambulance ramping is a problem in Ausas well, right? So # specialists with Australasian qualifications = "not enough".
So then you have qualifications in other parts of the world, and assessing their experience and quals not just in the specialty, but also in general medical basics and things like medical ethics and dr-patient communication. Each of those needs formal and thorough assessment, while encouraging and sorting out immigration issues and general things like "is this doctor a sexual predator".
You seem to think it's about the number of trained doctors. It's not. It's about doctor availability, retention, and the attractiveness of working in the NZ health sector and the associated workplace conditions.
Very few of these are under ministerial control. Does the health sector need yet another shake-up, or would that just make things even worse?
You seem to think it's about the number of trained doctors. It's not. It's about doctor availability, retention, and the attractiveness of working in the NZ health sector and the associated workplace conditions.
We require a higher number of trained doctors.
The higher the number of trained doctors available globally, the easier it is to source them. So numbers is part of it.
So to is money,
Money is required to help attract and retain them and this applies to locally trained ones too.
And speaking of locally trained ones, what is the Government doing to grow their numbers?
The thing is, DHB's are largely in financial stress. Thus, they require more money to better do this. Which is totally in the Government's hands.
Just because Australia is also under pressure doesn't mean we can't poach doctors from there. Again, money along with work place conditions helps with this which again, is largely under ministerial control.
And again, I never said finding those that meet our assessment needs was going to be easy, but it needs to be done to help solve this problem.
ooo – DHB elections are coming up, ain't they? You could fix the problem in your DHB and show the minister how it's done. It'd really help you campaign for the nats next year, too, with the credibility you build up hiring new specialists.
Yep there is a real war going on and indigenous activists and environmentalists and protectors of the land are being murdered in alarming numbers. This scum will mow down many indigenous communities and people – we are about to lose whole cultures in that jungle and there is fuck all we can do about it.
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Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
“Our exporters should, therefore, be deeply concerned that the Fast-track Approvals Bill was not assessed for consistency with any of our free trade commitments prior to being introduced to the House,” says Gary Taylor, Chief Executive of the Environmental ...
NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff is calling on all political parties to support the new Member’s Bill from Labour’s workplace relations and safety spokesperson Camilla Belich MP that would ensure negligent companies are held accountable when their employees ...
A historian with an uncanny track record of predicting US election winners tells RNZ's Sunday Morning that President Biden looks to be on track for another term, but things could still go very wrong for him. ...
Ngaio Marsh House is one of Christchurch’s best kept secrets – and contains more than a few mysteries of its own.Trust Ngaio Marsh to leave more than a few mysteries scattered through her house long after her departure. For a start, there’s the curious concrete portal in the garden, ...
Appointment viewing has been lost to the mists of time, but memories of Montana Sunday Theatre can still be conjured by hitting play on a particular piece of classical music. “You’re not going to be able to sell it.” Over 30 years on, Karen Bieleski still recalls how the task ...
Performance Review King Luxon sat behind His massive polished oak desk. It is Performance Review time. There is a knock on the door. “Enter!” says the King. In steps Minister of Disabilities and Carer Pedicures, Penny Simmonds. “I can explain everything …” she begins. “Fine,” says King Luxon, pressing the ...
The pair opened their first fully collaborative exhibition, Nina for Flowers, last Saturday. Gabi Lardies visited their studio to find out who Nina is and what working together was like.‘It didn’t start out like, ‘This is a show about Nina,’” says Josephine Jelicich, gripping a thermos of peppermint tea. ...
Thank you, Dr Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner, for your brilliant invention. I’m another mid-20s Kiwi who had an OE last year. I hopped on my bicycle where France meets the Atlantic and cycled east. I pedalled through the Loire Valley, down rivers lined with willows and ancient wisteria-draped chateaus. I relished ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
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 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
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Pushing it to call her alt-right tbf.
But the bloke she hung out with was an odd unit.
Pushing it to miss the scare quotes.
why wouldn't you call her alt-right?
Because she isn't that nutty righty, which is what is far right.
She could probably be classed as far right on a bad day if you take her anti-immigration antics seriously, but there are plenty of left people who dislike immigration.
Right, far right and alt right seem to be shifting in the days of the orange idiot.
Now anyone who voted Republican and Trump seems to be classed as far right in the US at the mo'.
So she is on a par with you, not far right or anything.
Now I'm far right?
Lol
Let me guess something
You think the following are far right. Key, Hoskings and Peterson.
My first sentence was supposed to be she isn't nutty righty enough to be alt right btw.
Apologies
A couple of defining features of the alt right are being anti-feminist and white supremacist. Compared to far right libertarians like David Seymour, who run politics of privilege but are not particularly racist or misogynist. Southern looks alt right to me. It's why the meme is funny.
The meme is hilarious, but only for lovers of sweet irony.
I'm lost in the middle of far-out so sorry Chris T and thanks weka for defining the types of far and alt right, I have a better idea now.
Well, not anyone who voted for the orange wonder.
Just the ones who hoped for the policies he's actually implementing. And the ones who chanted "build the wall" and "lock her up". And the ones who liked his birtherism about Obama. And a few others.
As for voting for other Repuclicans, that a very broad brush. There might be some Republican candidates who don't jack off about child separations and indefinite detention. People who vote for those candidates might not be "far right".
Yes , not all those who voted for Trump. But the neo facists such as "proud Boys" ALL support Trump
Great photo essay of the leaders and hangers on at a proud Boys rally in Portland
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/8/27/1881553/-Photo-essay-Portraits-of-Proud-Boys-in-Portland
Yet here she is surrounded by actual neo fucking Nazis and throwing the same white supremacy hand signal as the Christchurch murderer.
https://twitter.com/rgcooke/status/1107793414517460992
So she promulgated the "replacement" theory, supported racist and far right groups, and had them provide her security.
Sounds close enough to "far right" for the label to be reasonably descriptive.
Sorry to break this to you Joe… but that is the hand signal for "OK"!
Or is it?
https://www.adl.org/education/references/hate-symbols/okay-hand-gesture
If so, maui, to what is she and her group saying "Ok"? Is it, "I am happy to be at the centre of this group and I am Ok with their group associations and ideology?"
I went once to hear speak a Nigerian Anglican priest. He fulminated against Islam. At the door afterwards I told him I could smell the gunsmoke. He said that he could tell from my body language during the speech that I was not in agreement. I certainly was not giving him the "OK" signal! The signals we give are more accurate than our words as to what we believe..
she is fully in – that hand signal says it all – cut from the same cloth – she just pretends better so she can make more money imo
Eddie Murphy was apparently a white supremacist
pretend ignorance is so you chris – but it's not enough pretend buddy – please try hard
If a bunch of idiot white supremacist arseholes decide to take up hand shaking for a laugh and it turns into "a sign", are you going to stigmatise anyone who shakes someones hand and make it a white supremacist thing?
if they're white supremacists, sure.
All good
A few idiots on 8Chans joke worked
So here's the point. The alt-right cultures are using common symbols, memes etc to both communicate with each other and confuse and mock the general public and create confusion. People might find it funny up to the point we remember that the Chch mosque mass murderer is one of the people who used the sign, and organised and networked on 8chan.
That is one way to look at it.
The other way is a few white supremacist idiots on sites like 8Chan are taking the piss and normal people are falling for it and some other alt right idiots are falling for it and taking it seriously and doing the "symbolism" and every day things are suddenly made bad because of a few loud normal peoples over reaction and triggering.
Should just ignore the obvious trolling, and it tends to go away after a month or two.
One of those white supremacist idiots murdered 51 Muslims.
I don't know who you think should be ignoring them, but your comment doesn't make sense. They're quite obviously not going away.
Yes. And they love to keep recycling the "joke". The shared humour serves exactly the same group bonding and self-identification purpose as "serious" gestures.
If it's an in-joke for some far-right fuckwits and a serious symbol for other far-right fuckwits, then calling it a far-right fuckwit behaviour is not an over-reaction. To point it out is a public service, because we know what happens when far-right fuckwits hide in the dark for too long.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/397757/doctors-concerned-over-safety-risks-of-ambulance-ramping
Seems the previous Government's lack of funding line is wearing thin.
[I’ve fixed the formatting so it’s clearer what you are quoting, please be more careful in future – weka]
You've warn so thin that you are transparent.
Stop playing the man and address the topic.
The topic was you being a smelly troll, as always.
Its called shroud waving Chairman
So you don't believe there is an actual problem?
The Minster hasn't denied it or suggested as such. In fact, he (the Minister) acknowledged the problem saying it can't be solved overnight.
Back to the topic (for those who care about it) the current Minister's excuse doesn't stack up.
Yes, it does take years to train both senior nurses and clinicians but why can't he source more (already trained) senior nurses and clinicians from offshore to fill the current shortfall?
What exactly is the Minister’s excuse and for what?
Where do you suggest they should be recruiting, the UK and Australia?
Do you think it simply is a matter of funding?
From the article linked above
Dr Clark said the problem can't be solved overnight.
"These resources are people, their training takes a long period of time, both senior nurses and clinicians take upwards of seven years to train," he said.
I'm not that fussed where he sources them from as long as they are fit for purpose.
And yes, I do think it comes down to funding, more precisely, their BRR. Additionally, what they have chosen to prioritise. So much for wellbeing and the year of delivery.
With all due respect, that is not an excuse as such, is it? The Minister wasn’t really excusing anything.
You should be “fussed where he sources them from as long as they are fit for purpose” because either you are ignorant of the problem or you are disingenuous. You don’t seem to realise or acknowledge that good qualifications, be it for teachers, nurses or doctors, for example, are in hot demand globally and it is a highly competitive market.
Is it enough to advertise? Can they step straight into their new position without additional education and/or training?
I disagree that it simply is a matter of throwing a few dollars at it. If it were that simple (!), the problem would be solved by lunchtime. Evidently, it isn’t this simple.
I believe so. First off, no one in their right mind thinks it can be solved overnight. But even the professionals in the sector expect it to be solved within a reasonable time as would most. So that line (overnight) is a total joke really.
And stating locals take time to train is an excuse, because doctors can be and are brought in from offshore. I haven't seen a Kiwi doctor on both occasions I've been in there of late, they have all be from offshore. Ireland is a popular place to source them from. They love it over here.
Yes, there is a global demand for doctors, etc, that's where money helps to attract them along with our lifestyle.
Probably not, but it wouldn't take several years to do that. Again, coming back to a more reasonable, thus acceptable (within the profession and public's mind) time frame.
Ok, it seems we’re not going to agree.
IMO an excuse is when someone doesn’t really want to fix the problem or doesn’t want to do anything about it. I don’t think that applies here as is evident from your link @ 2.
Many love it over here. Some come and some stay and some move on. Life is quite expensive over here, especially in the main centres. Teachers and nurses struggle with housing costs and even medical specialist gasp at (choke on) living expenses. Their (recent and overdue) pay rises are just a drop in a bucket.
Additional or re-training won’t take seven years or so but even so, it will take time and depends on capacity as well, i.e. somebody has to oversee and undertake this. We’re not talking about WOF inspectors or builders and we are not talking about just a simple written exam to check off things.
What is considered a “reasonable” or “acceptable” time frame depends on one’s perception and understanding of the situation. An ignorant or gullible person could easily be made to believe that a few dollars and a few weeks is all that is needed …
As you can see from the initial post, that's the feeling the professionals in the sector have i.e. he's not doing enough to correct the problem. Hence, they are speaking out and it is they that are sick of the excuses.
Yes, many I came across stated that. Hence they would have to pay well. Which, of course, comes down to money.
I'm sure the professionals in the linked article (above) have a good understanding of this.
The Minister and his cabinet colleagues are awaiting the full health system review led by Heather Simpson. How much change do you expect them to make in the meantime?
Yes, another review (buying them time as some say).
The professionals in the link above expect better and in a far quicker time frame than what the Minister is offering.
Moreover, they would know as they are in the sector, thus are speaking with knowledge.
Ponder this
How would you feel if you or a loved one was caught up in this and something bad happened. Would you and others here still be defending them then?
This isn’t a political game, lives are at risk here.
@The Chairman Systemic and chronic underfunding of social services is a natural result of letting neoliberals run amok with cost cutting and demanding profits from the public sector, with a view to privatising the lot. The model for the last 40 years has failed, glad to see you recognise that
Of course health professionals and their unions want action immediately in their parts of the system. Does not mean it is possible, nor that they grasp the whole picture.
However there are things beyond increasing workforce than can be started now, so I do not buy the Minister hanging everything on that.
Are you implying health professionals and their unions are extremists demanding action that can't be met? Moreover, they have no grasp of what is doable in their profession?
I'm confident our health professionals and their unions have more grasp of the matter than you do.
Health practitioners are hired to deliver healthcare within their particular scope pf practice, not to manage competing priorities across disciplines or delivery timeframes for change programmes.
It's like expecting a bus driver to know about road network planning or rail electrification. They can see a need for better timetables and more colleagues to share the load, sure.
Being on the front line in delivering healthcare within their particular scope of practice gives them a very good insight on what is required to improve that delivery, opposed to a manger stuck behind a desk that doesn't really have a clue on the daily ins and outs.
Moreover, Unions have a wider oversight, giving them a far broader view, thus insight.
Additionally, so does the Minister and his advisers, which are meant to be there to help. Yet the best he can come up with when pressed on the matter is he can't fix it overnight, he's holding a review and it will take several years to train up more. He seems to have had a better grasp on the matter when he was in opposition, but now that he's in charged, requires a review. Which will no doubt largely rely on the insights of the Union and staff.
Two years they have been in power and we are still awaiting a review, meanwhile more lives are being put at risk. Frankly, it's not good enough, hence the outcry. Do better.
Chair, as a self-proclaimed friend of the left, do you reckon NZ's public health service/sector/system would be better placed to serve the NZ public now if National rather than Labour/NZ1st/Greens had been (re-)elected in 2017?
Let’s hope these Tory scroungers, troughers chancers and their ilk are out of action for a while.
Of course not. But that is no excuse to allow Labour to get away with falling short too.
There is little point of keeping them (National) out of power if Labour aren't going to be much better. If that is continually going to be the case, it's long past time we on the left look for better representation or press Labour harder.
Spot the telltale signs of ingrained anti-Labour bias:
Chair, you're making no sense. Surely there is a great deal of point to keeping the National party's self-serving wreckers ('Working for NZ'; 'Brighter Future' – my arse) out of power if the current coalition government is doing even slightly better.
You yourself just acknowledged (@10:58 am) that the NZ public health service would be less well placed to serve the NZ public now if a National government was still in charge – well done!
Party vote Labour/Green!
The fact Labour are only slightly better than National is a main reason many people I know no longer vote at all. They no longer see a point as they know they are largely screwed either way.
And the more people on the left don’t vote the more our politics moves to the right.
“The fact Labour are only slightly better than National” is your opinion, repeated ad nauseam here in your disingenuous “lefty” “more left than most” fashion.
IMHO the current coalition government (with all its constraints) is a much better government for all New Zealanders than a National-led government ever could/would be.
Party vote Labour/Green
There are alternatives.
onehealth.co.nz/urgent-care/after-hours-doctors/
Evidently, that isn't sufficient. If it were, there wouldn't be a problem.
mod note for you above.
Cool, thanks.
Hi Chairman.
Hi mauī.
Chairman, you have been blowing your own cover for so long without cease that I think you may have some kind of compulsion disorder. You are now the concern troll with the longest record for pretending innocence while repeating the offence – trying to project your concerns into discredit for the Left.
Even if, as Drowsy Kram so nicely reminds us, you consider yourself "more left than most." I guess that those 'most' are people who just feel 'alright'.
As you can see from the responses to a serious issue, I'm clearly more left than most of you lot. Seems not many here are willing to talk the truth when it may harm Labour. Whereas, I'm of the belief of holding them to account to help bring about change for the better.
Nonetheless, I'm not the topic. Hence, care to try again? Or do you just want to join the mob and continue to throw crap at me?
Care to answer why the Minister won’t act?
The Chairman, thinks…
"so long as I never admit it*, they'll never really know…"
*titters
Why would I admit to something I'm not?
Once again, back to the topic. I'm surprised I've yet to hear the media pull the Minister up on his line they take time to train. I'd love to hear what he would say about not bringing in more from offshore?
Would the minister need to place the ads personally, or are these specialists just sitting on a shelf somewhere ready to relocate at a moment's notice with full NZ-compatible certification for their specialty areas?
Ever been to hospital of late, it's like being at the UN.
Sourcing doctors from offshore is nothing new, they've been doing it for years.
I've recently experienced both sides of it. On an urgent matter, the service was great. But a on a not so critical visit, the wait time (although they did admit me in the end) was atrocious.
"Ever been to hospital of late, it's like being at the UN."
hang on there mr chair more-left-than-most man – what exactly are you implying with that sentence because it reads a bit dicey to me. How can you tell a UN like person from a kiwi?
Like the UN as in there are a multitude of races working in our local hospitals. They all have accents and none I came across were Kiwi.
"They all have accents and none I came across were Kiwi."
accents you say? oh dear I think mr chair more-left-than-most man you are digging a bit of a hole – best to front up now and own the issue you have.
Of course you may have unnatural powers and abilities to discern a persons citizenry from their accent – daresay in some parallel universe you may be considered a marvel but as you've yet to confirm that ability here, then, the question is moot.
Medical language sounds quite foreign to most people. And some patients hallucinate under the influence of some medication. I’m glad to see that The Chairman has fully recovered and has is back to his former self and with us to share his pearls of newly gained wisdom during his obviously traumatic and eye-opening descend into the foreign-operated and woefully underfunded healthcare system of Aotearoa-New Zealand.
Context, Marty.
I wasn't claiming I know their citizenship status. Merely highlighting many are from offshore.
Strong foreign accents is a good indication people aren't originally from here. And many I conversed with openly admitted they have recently come from abroad. Foreign doctors practicing here is nothing new. Just as Kiwi doctors heading offshore isn't a new concept. Many Kiwi doctors head to the UK in search of better pay. After all, they have large loans to pay off.
sure mr chair more-left-than-most man you stick with that story. Truth is you let a cat out the bag and the cat is not nice at all and you know it. Your observations are unpleasant and bigoted imo – foreign this and that from accents is bullshit.
No.
It is clearly evident you are clutching and are making accusations you can't sustain in an attempt to tar me in some way, Marty.
Stop playing the man and taking low blows.
So do you think they were sitting on a shelf waiting for a job in NZ? Or can the hiring of even one specialist from overseas become a process that takes years?
After all you're the one who wrote upthread "I'm not that fussed where he sources them from as long as they are fit for purpose".
Do you have any idea as to the process that ensures specialists sourced from overseas are assessed to be "fit for purpose"? Even if the minister snapped his fingers to bypass two or three levels of governance/management separation and removed every other barrier to employing staff, how long would you expect it to take to solve the problem?
Strangely enough, most I've come across love to travel. My own GP even has worked in several countries before practicing here. And I've had several over the years as most came from overseas and have taken off again. It seems Kiwi ones largely do the same, which would explain why there aren't many here.
“How long would you expect it to take to solve the problem?”
Far less than several years, most I’ve come across don’t even stay here that long. And it seems (going off the article) those in the profession agree with me. They wouldn’t be complaining if the Minister’s excuse was legit.
It is the other way round.
Yeah, it's a bit more complex than just turning up and saying "I'm an emergency cardiothoracic trauma surgeon".
Love your anecdata though. Totally expert testimony lol.
First off, I never claimed it was that easy.
From your link
So how many doctors do you think hold an approved Australasian postgraduate medical qualification, enough for us to meet our current shortfall?
Moreover, how many doctors in the world do you think hold qualifications and experience that can meet the assessment to see whether they are equivalent to those of a locally trained specialist?
One would expect globally, there would be thousands.
You do realise ambulance ramping is a problem in Ausas well, right? So # specialists with Australasian qualifications = "not enough".
So then you have qualifications in other parts of the world, and assessing their experience and quals not just in the specialty, but also in general medical basics and things like medical ethics and dr-patient communication. Each of those needs formal and thorough assessment, while encouraging and sorting out immigration issues and general things like "is this doctor a sexual predator".
You seem to think it's about the number of trained doctors. It's not. It's about doctor availability, retention, and the attractiveness of working in the NZ health sector and the associated workplace conditions.
Very few of these are under ministerial control. Does the health sector need yet another shake-up, or would that just make things even worse?
We require a higher number of trained doctors.
The higher the number of trained doctors available globally, the easier it is to source them. So numbers is part of it.
So to is money,
Money is required to help attract and retain them and this applies to locally trained ones too.
And speaking of locally trained ones, what is the Government doing to grow their numbers?
The thing is, DHB's are largely in financial stress. Thus, they require more money to better do this. Which is totally in the Government's hands.
Just because Australia is also under pressure doesn't mean we can't poach doctors from there. Again, money along with work place conditions helps with this which again, is largely under ministerial control.
And again, I never said finding those that meet our assessment needs was going to be easy, but it needs to be done to help solve this problem.
Bullshit.
Ever been to Med School of late, it’s like being at the UN.
I've never been to med school, but I have been to hospital
You’re missing the point. Never mind.
Of course they would need to advertise, Doctors aren't mind readers. And they would have to pay well. Nonetheless, many I've come across like it here.
ooo – DHB elections are coming up, ain't they? You could fix the problem in your DHB and show the minister how it's done. It'd really help you campaign for the nats next year, too, with the credibility you build up hiring new specialists.
Rubbish. Why would you be surprised about the media not holding a Minister to account? That has been happening for years.
You, Chairman, are surprised only on special occasions like this, which suit your dark, sinister, ulterior motives.
I hope for a suitably creative reply.
His (the Minister's) response begged the follow up question, that's why I was surprised it wasn't asked.
Moreover, this isn't the first time I've heard him use those lines, yet I've yet to hear him be pulled up on it.
So inspiring (yawn)
Good night.
Speaking of which, I'm off to bed. Ta ta.
Private equity vampires have taken to sucking the life out of tropical rain forests.
https://twitter.com/theintercept/status/1166455254151499777
They could always fuck off back to Portugal.
https://twitter.com/tomphillipsin/status/1166347061593280513
Yep there is a real war going on and indigenous activists and environmentalists and protectors of the land are being murdered in alarming numbers. This scum will mow down many indigenous communities and people – we are about to lose whole cultures in that jungle and there is fuck all we can do about it.
For no particular reason, here is AC/DC – Let There Be Rock (Official Music Video)
Acca dacca!
https://youtu.be/2lqdErI9uss