Daily Review 29/04/2016
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6:00 pm, April 29th, 2016 - 11 comments
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They say a week is a long time in politics. For Mayor Wayne Brown, turns out 24 hours was long enough for many of us to see, quite obviously, “something isn’t right here…”. That in fact, a lot was going wrong. Very wrong indeed. Mainly because it turns ...7 hours ago - The escalator rises again
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... 11 hours ago - Much excitement as Hipkins gets down to business – but can he defeat inflation with his devotion t...
A new Prime Minister, a revitalised Cabinet, and possibly revised priorities – but is the political and, importantly, economic landscape much different? Certainly some within the news media were excited by the changes which Chris Hipkins announced yesterday or – before the announcement – by the prospect of changes in ...13 hours ago - E-bike incentives work
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- Treasure Island: Fans v Faves recap, week one
It’s the biggest week in Real Pod history! Jane made her debut in Treasure Island: Fans v Faves and we grill her all about the drama from week one. Why did she put up Micah? How brutal was the wrestling challenge IRL? And what were her concerns about joining Lance’s ...3 hours ago - Treasure Island: Fans v Faves rankings, week one: My kingdom for a meat packTreasure Island is back, baby, and so are our power rankings. Tara Ward recaps all the big plays from the dramatic first week of Fans v Faves. Treasure Island: Fans v Faves has finally washed ashore, and after hoovering down the first three action-packed episodes, I’m fuller than a weatherman ...3 hours ago
- Future of Fiji’s democracy at stake over coalition, warns Ratuva
By Felix Chaudhary in Suva New Zealand-based Fijian academic Professor Steven Ratuva says that if the coalition government is strong, resilient and lasts, “this will reflect well as a future model for coalitions in Fiji”. “It’s a learning process for a new government and a new democracy and we expect ...4 hours ago - Flash flood impacted Pasifika communities in NZ on alertBy Finau Fonua, RNZ Pacific journalist Many Pasifika families affected by the flash floods and torrential rainfall that have lashed New Zealand’s North Island over the past few days were braced for more bad weather overnight. With four people dead and hundreds forced out of their homes over the weekend ...4 hours ago
- Sort out the uncertain Fiji military constitutional role, says professorRNZ Pacific A New Zealand-based professor in comparative politics says the Fiji constitution needs to clear up the role of the military. Dr Jon Fraenkel of Victoria University, formerly of the University of the South Pacific, says the 2013 constitution revived the provision that existed in the 1990 constitution which ...4 hours ago
- ‘No secret’ that Fiji’s media law is target for free press review soonBy Repeka Nasiko in Lautoka Fiji’s Media Industry Development Act will soon be reviewed over the next few weeks. Speaking to The Fiji Times in Lautoka on Monday, Minister for Communications Manoa Kamikamica said the review was one of the main objectives of the coalition government when it came to ...4 hours ago
- Chris Hipkins’ first question time as PM – will he ‘win the House’?ANALYSIS: By Peter Wilson, political commentator for RNZ News Tuesday, February 7, at 2pm. That’s when New Zealand’s new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins’ parliamentary year begins and he faces National leader Christopher Luxon in the debating chamber for the first question time of 2023. He needs to “Win the House”, ...5 hours ago
- Chris Hipkins' first question time as PM: Will he 'win the House'?
Analysis - Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has had a dream start with polls showing Labour ahead of National, but now he has to prove himself in Parliament and quickly deliver on his promises. ...6 hours ago - Chris Hipkins appoints new chief of staffAndrew Kirton has been appointed the prime minister’s staff by Chris Hipkins. He begins the role on February 8, replacing Raj Nahna, who has resigned. Nahna become Jacinda Ardern’s chief of staff after Mike Munro resigned for health reasons in 2019. A former Helen Clark staffer, Labour Party general secretary ...8 hours ago
- Hybrid future? Interbreeding can make heat-averse species more resilient to climate changeSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luciano Beheregaray, Matthew Flinders Professor of Biodiversity Genomics, Flinders University Shutterstock As the climate heats up rapidly, many species will struggle to avoid extinction. If they had time, they could evolve to the new environmental conditions. But they don’t. That’s ...9 hours ago
- Labour Selects Sarah Pallett To Contest Ilam
The Labour Party has selected Sarah Pallett as its candidate for the Ilam electorate in the 2023 general election. Sarah has been the MP for Ilam since the 2020 General Election. She currently sits on two Select Committees, is the Chair of the Labour ...9 hours ago - I study how radiation interacts with the environment – and the capsule lost in WA is a whole new b...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madison Williams-Hoffman, PhD Candidate in Environmental Radioactivity, Edith Cowan University WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services By now, you’ve probably heard about a tiny radioactive capsule that went missing from the back of a truck somewhere in Western Australia. ...9 hours ago
- New ministers sworn in following Chris Hipkins' Cabinet shuffleThe government's new ministers have been officially sworn in at a ceremony at Government House. ...9 hours ago
- Wayne Brown welcomes schools reopening – and blue skyAuckland mayor Wayne Brown has welcomed the news that schools will be allowed to reopen from tomorrow morning. The Ministry of Education backtracked on its initial decision to keep schools closed until next week. In a statement, Brown also welcomed the blue sky that had replaced clouds across the super ...9 hours ago
- The rebirth of Auckland PrideAuckland Pride has quietly become one of the most culturally and economically important festivals in the country. Jade Winterburn writes about what it means to her as a queer Aucklander and her hopes for its future. It took some encouragement from a friend to get me out to see my ...9 hours ago
- It rains down on Wayne Brown: New Gone By Lunchtime podcastAs Auckland begins a big dry following record rainfall and devastating floods, the official response from Mayor Wayne Brown and others has come under scrutiny. In The Spinoff’s politics podcast Gone By Lunchtime, Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas debate the deluge ...9 hours ago
- Blame it on the WayneHow has Chris Hipkins performed in his first big tests as prime minister? Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas debate the deluge aftermath, as well as assessing Wayne Brown’s emergency response, and a pair of polls that show an election year in the balance. ...9 hours ago
- Australia is finally getting a last-chance view of a green comet not seen for 50,000 yearsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Alessandro Bianconi/Edu INAF/Flickr , CC BY-SA Over the past few weeks, social media has been abuzz with excited posts about the green comet that is currently “whizzing” or “flying through the sky”. ...10 hours ago
- Why the violence between Israel and the Palestinians may be entering a devastating new phaseSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan de Groot Heupner, Senior Research Fellow, Griffith University US Secretary of State Antony Blinken rushed to the Middle East this week to make yet another push for a negotiated settlement between Israel and the Palestinians following yet another dramatic escalation in ...10 hours ago
- Humanising capitalism: Jim Chalmers designs a new version of an old Labor projectSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol Johnson, Emerita Professor, Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Adelaide Mick Tsikas/AAP Treasurer Jim Chalmers begins his Monthly essay “Capitalism After the Crises” with a quote from the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus: “No man ever steps in ...10 hours ago
- 'Kiwis are getting quite good at this': Hipkins tours a water-logged Auckland
New Prime Minister Chris Hipkins followed up an announcement of new cost of living measures on Wednesday with a visit to a North Shore Marae The clouds parted and a tableau of brilliant blue rushed in to fill the void as the fledgling Prime Minister made his rounds of Auckland ...10 hours ago - Macular diseases cause blindness and treatment costs millions. Here is how to look after yoursSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justine R. Smith, Professor of Eye & Vision Health, Flinders University Shutterstock The single most expensive drug for the Australian government today, costing more than A$400 million per year, is one called aflibercept. It stops the growth and “leakiness” of ...11 hours ago
- Climate change is transforming Australia’s cultural life – so why isn’t it mentioned in the ne...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Strong, Associate professor, Music Industry, RMIT University In its new national cultural policy, the Australian government grapples with issues extending well beyond the creative arts. The policy document places issues like First Nations representation, work and wages, technological upheaval, discrimination ...11 hours ago
- Morningside Live Blockparty to go ahead – Spinoff stage a scratch owing to floodsMorningside Live Blockparty will proceed this Sunday February 5 as scheduled, and at this point sunshine is forecast. Severe weather over the weekend and last night, however, has seen the location of The Spinoff Carpet Club stage (a basement below The Carpet Court) flooded and unusable for the event taking ...11 hours ago
- Ministry U-turns on blanket Auckland school closuresAuckland schools will be able to open their doors to students from tomorrow. That’s despite the Ministry of Education announcing late on Monday afternoon that all learning facilities, including kura and universities, must close until after the Waitangi long weekend. Schools have been notified today that the blanket directive to ...11 hours ago
- What’s new to Netflix NZ, Neon and other streaming services in FebruaryWhat are you going to be watching in February? We round up everything coming to streaming services this month, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, Neon and TVNZ+. The biggies You (season four, part one on Netflix from February 9) When we last left murder-curious hipster Joe Goldberg, ...11 hours ago
- Big money was spent on the 2022 election – but the party with the deepest pockets didn’t winSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Grattan Institute Lukas Coch/AAP Nine months after the 2022 federal election, voters finally get a look at how much the parties spent and who funded their campaigns. Data released today reveal Australia’s political parties collectively ...12 hours ago
- Right Call To End Blanket Auckland School ClosureThe Taxpayers’ Union has welcomed the decision to lift the Ministry of Education’s directive on Auckland schools and other learning facilities, which means schools can open from tomorrow at their discretion. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, ...13 hours ago
- Te Pūtahitanga O Te Waipounamu Welcomes Stability Amid Cabinet ReshuffleThe head of the South Island’s Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency says the new Cabinet announced by Prime Minister Chris Hipkins yesterday is good news for Māori, with Peeni Henare retaining his spot as Minister of Whānau Ora, and Kiri Allan and Willie ...13 hours ago
- Experiences Of Care In Aotearoa 2021/2022The latest report from Aroturuki Tamariki, the Independent Children’s Monitor, on Experiences of Care in Aotearoa shows that there is not yet a significant improvement in outcomes for children in care, or their whānau and caregivers. Experiences of ...13 hours ago
- Latest Report On Oranga Tamariki Reveals Underperformance And Information GapsThe Children’s Commissioner, Judge Frances Eivers, said today that the latest Independent Child Monitor report into the performance of Oranga Tamariki, provides valuable insights, but its findings are of huge concern. Judge Eivers said, “In ...13 hours ago
- Tweet claims deputy mayor ‘devastated’ after calling Wayne Brown ‘part of the problem’Auckland’s deputy mayor has commented (via tweet) after this morning appearing to label her boss “part of the problem” in an interview about the flooding. On TVNZ’s Breakfast this morning, Desley Simpson was asked when the media will be able to speak with Wayne Brown, who has been particularly reluctant ...13 hours ago
- Keeping pets safe during and after a floodFound a lost pet? Wondering how the animal shelters are going? The SPCA and the Auckland Council animal management team share some advice. Floods don’t just affect humans, they affect the furry members of the family too. It’s important to look out for animals following the Auckland floods, although it’s ...13 hours ago
- Auckland City Rail Link tunnels and stations ‘inundated’An assessment of the impacts on an “inundated” City Rail Link project is under way following flooding in Auckland. Crews have pumped water from tunnels and stations sites and equipment was being salvaged and inspected, said the project chief executive Sean Sweeney. “At this stage there is no known structural ...13 hours ago
- Fuel tax cut, half price public transport extended until June 30The government has announced another extension of its cost of living package – the fourth time it has pushed out the end date. The 25 cent cut to petrol excise duty, along with half price public transport fares, will be kept in place until June 30. These were initially set ...13 hours ago
- Coming soon: Elements of Truth lifts the lid on the Jami-Lee Ross sagaIt’s one of the most explosive moments in New Zealand’s political history. Now, director Tony Sutorius (Campaign) lifts the lid on the Jami-Lee Ross saga in Elements of Truth. After a fallout with National that threatens to bring the entire party down with it, Jami-Lee Ross seeks a return to ...13 hours ago
- What went on behind the scenes of Advance NZ’s failed 2020 election campaign?It was one of the most explosive moments in New Zealand’s political history. Now, a new documentary from director Tony Sutorius (Campaign) is lifting the lid on the Jami-Lee Ross saga. After a fallout with National that threatened to bring the entire party down with it, Jami-Lee Ross sought a ...13 hours ago
- Warning: Scammers Look To Cash In On Devastating Floods...14 hours ago
- Transporting New Zealand Applauds Decision To Reinstate Transport Support PackageTransporting New Zealand has applauded the decision of the Government to reinstate the Transport Support Package, which includes the discount to road user charges (RUC). "On behalf of the transport industry and those who run diesel fuelled vehicles, ...14 hours ago
- Chris Hipkins confirms fuel excise cut, public transport support to be extended until JunePrime Minister Chris Hipkins who is in Auckland today has confirmed the cut to the fuel excise tax and half-price public transport will be extended until June. ...14 hours ago
- Trees Prevent Floods – So, Stop The Chop!The Tree Council is experiencing first hand, along with everyone else, the worst ravages of the flooding, landslips, chaos and carnage currently engulfing Auckland. The record-breaking rainfall and its unprecedented intensity is a clear signal of ...14 hours ago
- Luxon 'keen' for non-partisan emergency management reformNational Party leader Christopher Luxon is "keen" to support non-partisan solutions for improving New Zealand's emergency response management. ...14 hours ago
- Marketers are targeting teens with cheap and addictive vapes: 9 ways to stem rising rates of youth v...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janet Hoek, Professor of Public Health, University of Otago Getty Images Existing regulations have not managed to reduce the rising rates of youth vaping in Aotearoa New Zealand. Both the latest NZ Health Survey and Snapshot Y10 survey reported high ...14 hours ago
- Working People Continue To Help Economy Thrive – Council Of Trade UnionsLow unemployment and strong wage growth in the December quarter 2022 Household Labour Force Survey are further evidence of New Zealand’s robust recovery from the pandemic, says the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions. NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff said ...14 hours ago
- Taxpayers’ Union Welcomes Decision To Extend Fuel Tax CutThe Taxpayers’ Union – which has been campaigning for an extension to the diesel road-user charges and petrol excise reductions – has welcomed the Government’s announcement today that the fuel tax cuts will continue until 30 June. They have, ...14 hours ago
- Unemployment at 3.4%, slight rise on previous quarterUnemployment has risen slightly to 3.4%, just a 0.1 point bump from the December quarter. “The unemployment rate… has remained at or near historic lows since the September 2021 quarter,” said Stats NZ’s work and wellbeing statistics senior manager Becky Collett. The underutilisation rate, which measures spare labour capacity, such ...14 hours ago
- Is the sun setting on Love Island UK?Maybe twice a year is too many times to visit the villa, writes Alex Casey. This is an excerpt from The Spinoff’s weekly pop culture and entertainment newsletter Rec Room – sign up here. Lana is a simple girl with simple needs. “I like the simple things in life,” she tells ...14 hours ago
- Changes on the way for Australia’s controversial 501 deportation schemeThe length of time someone has spent in Australia will soon be a “primary consideration” when determining whether a visa should be cancelled. It’s a major softening of the controversial 501 deportation scheme that has caused tensions between Australia and New Zealand. Jacinda Ardern fought for changes to the rules ...14 hours ago
- After a rollercoaster 2022, what’s next for investors?If you’re an investor, or looking to become one in 2023, Dean Anderson from Kernel Wealth sheds some light on what that might look like after the highs and lows of last year. Following the dizzying highs of 2021 when stocks skyrocketed to record-setting gains, 2022 proved to be a ...14 hours ago
- Applications open for The Next Page: EditorsWe are now accepting applications for The Next Page, a programme focusing on the development of early-career magazine editors, with participants receiving mentorship and taking part in three wānanga across the year. Nau mai, haere mai! Te kaupapa Editors play a vital role in our media landscape, yet very few ...14 hours ago
- Chris Hipkins in Auckland after further heavy rainPrime Minister Chris Hipkins who is in Auckland today has confirmed the cut to the fuel excise tax and half-price public transport will be extended until June. ...15 hours ago
- Unemployment Rate At 3.4 PercentThe seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.4 percent in the December 2022 quarter, compared with 3.3 percent last quarter, Stats NZ said today. “The unemployment rate, as measured by the Household Labour Force Survey (HLFS), has remained at or ...16 hours ago
- Funding Boost For Age Friendly Projects Supporting SeniorsEngaging seniors and young people through workshops, creating a series of kaupapa Māori events for kaumātua and kuia, and delivering retirement workshops are among the latest projects funded by the Age friendly fund. Office for Seniors Director, ...16 hours ago
- Unbalanced And Inaccurate Greyhound Racing News Item Breached StandardsA Newshub item discussing the alleged misuse of public funds for safety improvements at a greyhound racetrack was unbalanced and inaccurate, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. The Authority has upheld a complaint by Greyhound Racing New ...16 hours ago
- Weather conditions ease after another wild night for AucklandIt’s Wednesday, February 1 and welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates – continuing our ongoing coverage of the flooding in Auckland and its aftermath. I’m Stewart Sowman-Lund, you can reach me on [email protected] What you need to know Auckland remains in a local state of emergency after ...16 hours ago
- ‘I am the mayor’: Wayne Brown’s ‘Trump-like’ Herald callUnder-fire Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has doubled (tripled?) down on his criticism of the media, accusing reporters of ignoring the work he has done in the wake of last week’s floods. In a conversation with Herald reporter David Fisher, who was first leaked the now infamous “drongo” text, Brown said ...16 hours ago
- Deputy mayor assists after AT ticketed cars in flood-affected areaResidents in the flood-hit suburb of Browns Bay were outraged to find Auckland Transport traffic wardens had been out ticketing parked vehicles. According to Stuff, about 22 infringement notices were issued to cars in the North Shore suburb – seemingly going against the Civil Defence advice to stay home and ...16 hours ago
- When grief makes you hornyNo one warned me how badly grief can make you yearn for physical intimacy – or how much backlash I would get for wanting to talk about it. On January 19, 2003, I moved to Aotearoa as the wife of a very handsome, very charming, very kind man. Jason Hotere ...16 hours ago
- The Bulletin: Petrol tax cut and half-price public transport extension likelyStuff’s Luke Malpass is reporting that prime minister Chris Hipkins will announce an extension to the 25-cent petrol tax cut and half-price public transport. Those were set to end by March 31, as announced by finance minister Grant Robertson in December. The announcement is likely to be made today when Hipkins ...16 hours ago
- Wild weather starts to ease, but drivers urged to stay home if possibleThe top of the country has endured another wild night of heavy rain and wind, with flash flooding hitting areas still recovering from Friday’s deluge. Parts of Auckland were cut off earlier this morning as the northern motorway closed in both directions. Waka Kotahi said all lanes had now opened, ...16 hours ago
- Cabinet reshuffle gives sector experience the nodFormer physician Ayesha Verrall and former principal Jan Tinetti pick up big portfolios while Auckland gets an advocate in an otherwise well-anticipated cabinet reshuffle, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. An ...16 hours ago
- Free Fares Coalition Welcomes Extension Of Half-price Public TransportThe Free Fares coalition welcomes news that the Government will extend half-price public transport. “Affordable public transport is helping to ease cost of living pressures,” said Free Fares spokesperson Kate Day. “Right now, half-price fares ...17 hours ago
- Dunne's Weekly: Wellington And Auckland – A Tale Of Two EmergenciesWhile Auckland was being devastated by flooding last weekend, a potentially more serious threat to life was playing out off Wellington’s south coast. The interisland ferry Kaitaki had lost power and was drifting in heavy swells towards the coastline. ...18 hours ago
- Paramedics could sound early warnings of child abuse or neglect – but they need support and more ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Sawyer, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Australian Catholic University Shutterstock Child abuse and neglect is, unfortunately, a far more common occurrence in Australia than many people realise. In Australia in 2020–21 (the most recent figures available), there were more than ...18 hours ago
- The nightmarish underside of the dream factory: how Babylon captures Hollywood in the 1920sSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Frost, Associate Professor, University of Auckland Paramount Pictures In his latest film, Babylon, director Damien Chazelle presents a very different vision of the home of America’s motion picture industry than he did in his Oscar-winning 2016 film, La La ...18 hours ago
- Our future could be full of undying, self-repairing robots. Here’s howSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Roberts, Professor in Robotics, Queensland University of Technology frank60/Shutterstock With generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems such as ChatGPT and StableDiffusion being the talk of the town right now, it might feel like we’ve taken a giant leap closer to ...19 hours ago
- Back-to-school blues are normal, so how can you tell if it’s something more serious?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vanessa Cobham, Professor of Clinical Psychology, The University of Queensland Shutterstock Many children come down with a case of the back-to-school blues as summer slips away. Having spent the holidays staying up late and having fun with friends and family, ...19 hours ago
- Australia’s cotton farmers can help prevent exploitation in the global garment industrySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martijn Boersma, Associate Professor, University of Notre Dame Australia Ten years ago, the garment industry’s worst industrial accident – the Rana Plaza collapse in Dhaka, Bangladesh – killed more than 1,100 workers and highlighted the travesty of conditions for millions of garment ...19 hours ago
- Hipkins revives Labour’s fortunes – but the election will be about more than ‘bread and butter...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Shaw, Professor of Politics, Massey University New prime minister Chris Hipkins with deputy Carmel Sepuloni. Getty Images With a cabinet reshuffle just a day after two polls showing Labour ahead again – in which he promoted more Māori MPs to the ...20 hours ago
- A step-by-step guide to sorting out your flood-damaged homeWhat to do once the water levels recede and you’re allowed to return home. Assess the damage If you’ve safely evacuated your home from floodwaters, you’ll need to wait for Civil Defence to give you the OK to return. When you do, wear protective gear like gloves, a mask and ...20 hours ago
- More New Zealanders should know about Dr Bruce GregoryAs the country’s northernmost GP, and later as the MP for the country’s northernmost Māori electorate, Bruce Gregory was the ultimate community doctor. We’re not on a road, not even a dirt road. We’re crawling through a rutted gap between sand dunes in Bruce’s ancient Land Rover. It is, to ...20 hours ago
- Pining for the trees
The wrong tree in the right place is an ongoing conundrum for Central Otago District Council with a long-awaited compromise plan seemingly decided yesterday stalled at the 11th hour Ken Churchill has been turning up at council meetings in Alexandra with regular monotony for the past 17 months in a ...21 hours ago - Shake-up delivers fresh faces for government's most contentious portfoliosSome of the government's most contentious portfolios will soon have a fresh face after the prime minister's first cabinet reshuffle. ...21 hours ago
- Why the sluice-gates didn't open: 'We’re petrified it might happen again'
Problems in Akld's infrastructure management left motorists trapped and locals flooded ...22 hours ago - The case of the orange Penguins
Grant McDougall is on a literary mission Over the past 11 years, the first thing I’ve thought upon walking into a bookshop, op shop, or school fair is “Are there any orange Penguins here?” I am on a mission, which I am so near to, yet so far, from ...22 hours ago
What a week it has been! every week we say to each other, what can happen next? where is the Government taking us. What have we become?
We have had 80% of homes in South Auckland now owned by investors and people are having to move away further out of Auckland to cheaper housing.
Families are being split up because the work is in South Auckland.
Budget Services are under the most pressure they have been and are threatened to have their offices closed.
Paula Bennett made us look foolish at the Climate Change talks.
There is talk of the first nuclear warship arriving in Auckland for a Arms Conference!
Then there is the Panama Papers and the Secret Trusts and the conversations with the Minister and the IRD and John Key ducking for cover.
Then there is the shocking Compass hospital food which is disgusting for sick and elderly people in hospital.
Instead of improving life for beneficiaries Paula Bennett is claiming her fame from making a fuss about vulgar vans.
We wonder if John Key would like to retire soon to Panama?
I think this is the week in which Hillary has been all but assured the nomination for the Democrats (unless that F.B.I. investigation submarine lurking in the murky depths near the good ship Clinton has another torpedo to fire). And it would appear that she will face a noisy old fart (in bygone days apparently ladies of the upper class at tea parties called that odorous gaseous discharge from ones behind a “Trump”), which judging by the amount of airtime he gets is true in other ways too.
It is a week in which kind old Erdogan of Turkey has been waging all out war on dissenters of all types, a week in which the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide was acknowledged by all except Turkey (and New Zealand and Australia – for fear of upsetting the former). All because of Gallipoli (a name that does not actually exist – Gelibolu is the closest one can get in the Turkish language to it), New Zealand is reluctant to remind Turkey of the genocide.
And closer to home, with a double dissolution election called, the Australian Nero continues to fiddle with submarines and detention centres. This is the same one who whilst cutting medical support to millions of Australians appears not to care that Canberra is in a political sense burning.
Fascinating times we live in, if not for the right reasons.
you missed the EQC fiasco….and a potential cost to the Gov of billions
As has been touched upon already today, David Cunliffe is doing the OIO’s job for them this week too.
This National government is certainly the most corrupt and the most lazy of all New Zealand governments.
Even Claire agrees…
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11631031
Wow, have just read in the Herald Hilary Barry has quit TV3, rumour is she has not been happy about the direction the station was heading. She is in talks with TV1 – so Mediaworks is slowly bleeding with its loss of talent at the station.
Excellent daily selection of global news, with a focus on economics.
It’s not looking good out there.
http://www.theautomaticearth.com/2016/04/debt-rattle-april-29-2016/
This must be the guy who started this protest sign.
Henry and Weldon now drive Hilary Barry out. Mike McRoberts next to go…
http://i.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/79472046/Hilary-Barry-resigns-from-TV3
And now Weldon in court too!
http://i.stuff.co.nz/business/79088889/NZX-Ralec-grain-firm-battle-finally-in-court
John Key’s mates can’t seem to kept out of trouble, can they?
Weldon’s lost notebooks sound a bit dodgy.
For fucks sake, “Mr Body, a banker based in Auckland, had secured contracts to help implement the Government’s sale of state houses while also advising potential buyers of the properties. The Auditor-General’s office released its findings today. The report by Deputy Controller and Auditor-General Greg Schollum identified serious shortcomings in HNZ’s procurement processes. It said Andrew Body won 10 HNZ contracts over five years, worth a total of $2.3 million.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11631028
& more good work from Labour & Phil Twyford.