Good demonstration on Cuba st today, with some hilarious John Key pantomime street theatre. Also got plenty of signatures beforehand, so worth it to be out in the rain.
Was great to be there in Auckland. Good mix of people and determined atmosphere. To celebrate Bastille Day nice Guillotine action on ShonKey cutout. Viva le resistance.
Bastille day ended feudalism in France.
This may be the beginning of the end of modern day feudalism in NZ.
Where the Neo con man Key stops handing wealth to a lucky few!
David Shearer was on an interview on ‘Focus on Politics’ on National Radio tonight. He had a good questionner, but that did not make him sound too convincing and good at all. Again too much “generalism”, distraction by simply criticising the government, but avoiding real questions about what Labour would do instead. I am sorry, but that “honest” and “nice” man is too “fluffy” and unconvincing to me. He should seriously let someone else take over!
One comment from David Shearer was about the criticisms of his performance from the Left. His reasoning was that this fractures the Left, and is almost more than the criticism from the Right. And of course the Left does this apparently everywhere – questions and forms factions that support individual causes.
But he misses the point. Those who want the NZ Left to resume the ‘sinister’ approach that would excite and enthuse the public don’t want the same old stuff that has had its day, which the country has rejected. If Shearer is to please the critics on the Left he needs to invigorate and enthuse his approach. If he can get excited about his policies that are backed by good advice, the Left will get ahead in the polls.
Shearer is clearly not comfortable with the left, as he is happy to be a middle class swing voter himself. Labour happens to be the party he was born into or just happened to be affiliated with, not that he really has thought that much about it, I am afraid. Not good enough, really.
“One comment from David Shearer was about the criticisms of his performance from the Left. His reasoning was that this fractures the Left, and is almost more than the criticism from the Right.”
He could at least answer to the criticisms, rather than evade and equivocate. If criticisms fracture the left, and he is the leader of a main party that is still broadly described as centre left, then he holds some responsibility for any fracture that occurs. Hence he should be either meeting the concerns of the critics, or explaining why he thinks they cannot be met, not just shrugging them off. We saw much the same thing when rumour had it that Cunliffe got told off for making a heartening speech, and Trotter wrote about it. “Well, I don’t find it particularly helpful to read Chis Trotter,” he said. Not “Trotter is mistaken for reasons A, B and C,” or anything else that would squarely address the concern that had arisen.
Labour at present, David Shearer in particular. Teflon opinions, like the easi-fold storage units sold that hinges and collapses flat after use. What should used is a good old soapbox, firmly built, that lifts him to obvious prominence and allows him to declaim policies that offer some intelligent AND practical AND pragmatic moves going forward etc.
I am surprised to see this posted here. Given how low the numbers were, the left should want as little attention on these marches as possible. Maybe 1000-1500 people in Auckland, hundreds in Christchurch/Wellington? Many waving Green/Tino Rangatiratanga flags?
National will be breathing a sigh of relief. This is the latest in a string of clear indications that, despite what they say when pollsters insist on a for/against answer, most voters don’t really care that much about asset sales.
That was due to large scale population growth due to migration, expansion of business and households needing urgently more electricity, which the existing networks were unable to deliver, hence additional, gas and coal powered stations had to be built in a very short time, thus necessitating large investments, which had to partly be passed on to the consumers in the way of electricity charges.
I hope that this will explain to you the reason for this.
Also did National and ACT show great enthusiasm for the additional migration and growing economic activity at that time, so if you belong to their lot, you should think twice before trying to make this an argument against Labour and other parties that were running affairs then.
, so if you belong to their lot, you should think twice before trying to make this an argument against Labour and other parties that were running affairs then.
I won’t deny that power prices went up under Labour – as we all know, power prices (and other living costs) continue to go up under National.
* The difference is wages went up under Labour and wages have stagnated under National *
People’s disposable income (ie. income after living costs are taken away) increases under a Labour government which in turn allows consumers to help NZ businesses. Businesses, consumers, and the economy win.
That’s not necessarily true either. Still you and facts aren’t exactly best mates recently are you felix. I’m still waiting to see some sort of evidence that the BNZ was bailed out by the Government in 1945.
Any article I linked to NEVER mentioned any bail out of BNZ by Government in 1945. This is what YOU claimed and which you fail to back up with any facts.
How does it feel to be part of the ignorant mass, putting filling their stomachs, filling the tanks of their cars, sliming to their bosses, dobbing in their neighbours, cutting down others they “compete” with and allowing their own country or adopted country to be sold bit by bit to self serving business and speculator’s interests?
Maybe you feel so good like that, but to me that is a mentality of a self destroying society, not worth anything anymore, where one goes against his neighbour, work-colleague and business partners.
By the way, the mainstream media are doing the usual, trivialising protests, presenting wrong numbers and only mentioning the events within 1 to 2 minutes of “news”, where more time is spent on commercial advertising for products and services, catering for the lost majority, that does feel “entertained” while the bloody Titanic is already sinking.
“Enlightenment”, common sense and intelligence are rare these days, and I am waiting now for the ruling circles to also cut down and throw out the very last bastions of any form of still marginally informative public broadcasting, represented by only Maori TV and Triangle TV.
Total control, dumbind down, manipulation, selling out, dividing and ruling under such conditions, that is the agenda, and the 3,000 to 4,000 that actually went out on Queen St today, are the spear head of a sizeable part of the NZ public, that have chosen NOT to put up with any more of this bull-crap.
Have a nice evening in your litlle corner, possibly sitting in front of another screen, indulging in less enlightening and real stuff!
Nah. You watched the Nat. poodle channel TV1 didn’t you Than. They always under-estimate protest matches except when there is a Labour govt., then they over-estimate! Remember the so-called anti-smacking bill wot wasn’t an anti-smacking bill? Thousands were going to march according to TV1. There were 500, but that didn’t stop TV1 giving them wall to wall coverage as though the numbers were closer to 50,000.
Oh, and don’t you ever read the opinion polls? Consistently around 80% opposition to Asset Sales? Yeah, that’s right, voters don’t really care that much about Asset Sales
I tell you that TVNZ is now a “poodle” to National Party and government influences represented on their board or directors or management!
That is why their news have for months been quite dismissive of anything that opposition politicians added to political debate, while TV3 and their news have actually moved a bit towards the opposite direction. This is really strange, but maybe Joyce did after all not catch on that well with Mediaworks, well, are TV3 not now owned by a bit different a set of investors?
It is shocking to even have to mention all this, as the mainstream media always has little time for protests, and that has been so for many, many years.
They are more “commercially” focused and want to “appeal” to sentiments of a more trivial kind, being crime, weather shocks, overseas horror stories, trying to imply: “Well, how good and glad to be in NZ.”
I have bad news, because apart from exorbitantly expensive mining towns in Western Australia, rents, housing and consumer goods are cheaper in very many places on the globe, including “developed” countries, where people do not get ripped off quite as badly as in little, dear ol Kiwiland.
Don’t forget that Labour was very happy for TVNZ to be commercial in nature, and that it left behind any thoughts of true public broadcasting for the public good a very long time ago.
In other words, “the left” set this bugbear up for themselves.
I do not disagree with this comment at all. That is why I insist on Labour to offer and maintain a true “game changer”, away from anything near the “right” or “right of centre”, for sure. And I may add, I did detect that there was a total absence of David Shearer as speaker at the end of the event today, while there were Russel Norman and Julie Ann Genter speaking for the Greens, and only Phil Twyford afterwards addressing the crowd with some words.
Twyford created a bit of a “scene”, as some students appeared to challenge him on “free speech”. Then a know Labour activist or organiser charged towards them and had to be restrained. I am afraid there is something really bad happening within Labour at present.
Better sort this out. My opinion is: Shearer is a nice chap, may make a good minister of education or similar, but as leader, he is ambiguous, uncertain and not competent.
Open the Labour membership base to vote for a future leader, please, we may see something positive after all. At least one must hope.
Hey xtasy, not sure exactly how you interpreted the ‘scene’ in that way. A man started yelling when Twyford began speaking, and wouldn’t stop when asked to by the AINFS organizers, so some youngish guys (not actually students) challenged him to let Twyford speak; in the name of free speech. I was fairly close and I’m pretty sure the guy who was yelling was actually talking about how Labour is not too different at all from National, rather than defending Twyford.
Anne: I totally agree, Radio NZ is probably giving the most correct figures here. That tells us something again. It is a “balanced” broadcaster still in public hands, so neither Nats, Labour or others can run it to their pleasure, and that is how it bloody well should be, same with TVNZ, which though has gone astray too long ago.
Anne, I don’t watch TV news. I get my information primarily from the internet (Stuff, Herald, Scoop, etc.). The 1000-1500 figure I gave was from Stuff (“estimated at well over 1000 people”), and the Herald put the number at 3,000. Could you give a source for that 4,000 police estimate? Because I can’t find it anywhere.
But even 4,000 is still a pretty low turnout compared to the 50,000 for the anti-mining protest at the start of this year, or the 3,000-8,000 for the last anti-asset sales protest. In his opinion piece for the Herald Matt McCarten claims “growing protests in the streets”, but this march was actually smaller than the first. The protesters are also doing their cause no favours with the vehemence of their anti-National rhetoric. All it does is show this wasn’t a march of everyday kiwis against asset sales, it was a march of the far left against John Key.
Than: This just shows how “reliable” and misleading internet based information can be!
I was there in Auckland, I was at the previous march against asset sales, I was at the anti mining march too. I have some good estimating experience of crowd sizes.
Having searched various media re any news about the protests last night I found:
1. The NZ Herald online edition had NO mention of it at all;
2. the Dominion Post online edition had only a very brief report, which was only about the start of the march;
3. TVNZ had only about a minute or minute and a half of a “leading” news item at 06 pm, giving no other info but “thousands marched”;
3. TV3 had a bit more of footage and reporting, but also only barely 2 minutes long, but at least showing a sizeable crown half way down Queen St in Auckland;
4. Radio Live bizarrely said in late news, “up to a thousand” marched in Central Auckland (??);
5. National Radio did not mention a number in the read out news, but also stated “thousands”;
6. apart from this, I found little or no news at all in MSM!
I am certain that there were at least 3,000, yes rather close to 4,000 on that Auckland march, and most who were there will agree. There were fewer at the end where speeches were held, as some do not bother staying for listening to pollies telling them what they usually tell them.
Scoop, the NZ Herald and other online media are treating any protests and increasingly social issues in general with neglect and even indifference or ignorance. As they increasingly present “infotainment” rather than quality journalism. Look at some of the young journos, also in broadcasting, who re pre-occupied with “lifestyle” issues, fad type opinions, crime, weather and “entertaining” stuff. Also many are “over groomed” for appearances, like corporate type employees trying all to “fit in” rather than think independently and talk openly. Crap really!
I do not think the first march against asset sales had about 8,000 participants, and the anti mining march never reached 50 k. It was rather 20 to 30 k who attended that one.
xtasy, forgive me, but I completely ignore “I was there” estimates. For one thing people who participate in a march are not objective. By definition they support the cause being marched for, they want the march to be perceived to be as large as possible. For another, their physical viewpoint (ground level, walking along in the same segment of the march) simply gives them less information than bystanders watching the march go past.
While I can’t disagree with your criticisms of online media, they are unfortunately the best numbers we have. And based on them this march was at most the same size as the first anti-asset sales march, probably slightly smaller.
Estimating large crowd sizes is actually very difficult from any perspective, whether you’re in the crowd, watching it go by, or observing it from a great height.
I pretty much just listen to newly created single-issue internet personalities, especially ones with an apparent interest in rubbishing whatever the crowd has gathered for.
Have you not noticed, that I put to you the more realistic figure of 20 to 30 thousand that marched against mining on conservation land, and that I considered the first asset sale march not having had as many as even you quoted?
Cyberspace allows anything these days, and if you rely on certain media sites, run as commercial businesses with profit motives, not wanting to offend advertisers, often even being “warm” with the National Party and ACT, then you choose to live in a world of your own and their own imagination.
I am not member of any party or particular group that organised the march, and as an independent minded individual, I take offence by such criticism of real figures, proved by others, even independent public media like Radio NZ and – forget it not – the Police!
A further thing to acknowledge is the fact that there was NO mention of the upcoming march by any of the “main stream media” at all, apart from just a brief mention on a website of 1ZB a day before.
The largely privately owned and as businesses operated, profit focused media enterprises do virtually never mention anything about upcoming events like the anti asset sale protests, as they simply do not show much interest in such. They are pre-occupied with delivering headline news of more sensationalist a nature, like stories about murder, rape, child abuse, alcohol excesses by the youth, car crashes, freak weather, celebrity gossip and so forth, which are considered more adrenalin generating, “catchy” and thus good “sellers”.
While this happens, few people get informed, and each time I have been on a protest, I see hundreds or thousands stand on the footpaths, gazing in confusion, wondering what all this is about. So given this is the challenge organisers face, they did fairly well after all.
felix; I agree, estimating march sizes is always difficult. It is effectively impossible for an individual in the march, walking along with no perception of how long the march is or overall density.
But difficult does not mean it cannot be done, and both the police and media try. It is never going to be particularly accurate (for the previous anti-asset sales march I read numbers between 3,000 and 8,000), but we can get a broad indication. And the broad indication for this march is, it was the same size or smaller than the first anti-asset sales march.
Don’t let the fact that I post on a wide range of subjects (on this site, Bowalley Road, Kiwiblog, WhaleOil, and others, all using the same username) get in your way. Just keep the fingers in your ears and I’m sure you’ll be fine.
Some people choose to walk through life with blinkers on. Others choose to be colourbling or totally blind to the truth. I have some relatives like that, and I think we all know a fair number of such examples.
This phenomenon will continue to exist, and the person you comment back on appears to be a prime example of such a human specimen.
the interesting thing about Aotearoa Not For Sale is that they have no pre-existing organisation. They call a bunch of protests but, unlike say Greenpeace and Forest and Bird, they don’t have a database of tens of thousands of members to attempt to mobilise.
It has to spread by word of mouth, Facebook blogs – that it did and thousands showed up through out New Zealand despite the weather on short (and vague) notice is a testimony to the strength of feeling.
Than.
You are either living in fantasy land or your blue tinted glasses need cleaning.The marches attracted huge crowds every where .It was an example of what happens when the Left co-operates .,A lesson there I think.If the political left gets its act together (and I think they will) Key and his band of neo-Cons are mincemeat,
Christchurch had a good turnout despite of not the best weather, but Wellington was a bit disappointing.
I just heard the news on Radio Live, which must still be Steven Joyces propaganda channel, because they had the cheek to say, that “up to a thousand protesters marched up Queen St”!
Now that is scandalous, but what do you expect of a privately run talk back radio station having Michael Laws as prime entertainer, broadcasting about a third of airtime on commercial advertising, letting many extreme nutters comment and otherwise cater for largely crime, rape, pillage, sports and low level entertainment style information?
xtasy “What has NZ come to, I ask again”
I would say that yesterdays protest was mostly the hardcore who are prepared to go on fighting. Down on numbers from the last march because many people will have lost hope of stopping the sales at this point. This drop in numbers happened during the marches against the 2001 and 2003 Afghanistan and Iraq invasions, before and after.
The big difference is that asset sales and the rip, shit, bust plan to recolonise NZ will not go away. The TPPA signals this logic. This means that the opposition to that barbaric future will only grow stronger and draw more and more into activity. The NACTs have no choice but to go for broke and they are breaking down everywhere.
For example, Operation 8 was a total failure to divide the nation against Maori ‘terror’. The big plans to ‘reform’ education have been temporarily shelved. The huge opposition to asset sales has forced the NACTs to repackage its sales pitch several times and its now coming up against a worsening global crisis and facing legal challenges that could put off any buyers.
But most important, these setbacks are temporary and part of an ongoing austerity across the board and this is not something that the NACTs can resile from. What makes the current resistance bound to increase and strengthen is the courage and political inventiveness of a growing youth movement who understand that their generation must lead the austerity the fightback against the attacks of the international banksters. When the capitalist system begins to eat its young, its days are numbered. Yesterdays march showed the youth anti-capitalist left in the lead.
The no-show of Labour’s leaders reflects its unwillingness to be identified as part of a movement lead by anti-capitalists. The Green and Labour MPs who spoke are pro-capitalists and conscious of the need to keep the anti-capitalists in parliament. They are on a losing streak. Because to stop the asset sales the movement has to go beyond referenda and legal challenges to direct action which must come into conflict with parliament.
Mana is shaping up to lead that resistance and can do when it overcomes its historic division between Tinorangatiratanga and the Pakeha left and unites the majority of the NZ working class. I look forward to the demos and direct actions when I see Mana banners and flags declaiming “Renationalisation without Compensation” behind which the various left currents and single issue campaigns are willing to march.
The reason that NZ politics is being re-aligned is that Aotearoa/NZs economic role in the Pacific is being permanently realigned under The NACTs as US lackeys. This political realignment will see a huge polarisation between the NACT rightwing and a growing left around Mana, a left labour split, and a Green split along class lines that unites the left fragments reminiscent of Syriza in Greece. Its agenda will be to defeat the right drift towards NZ as a locked down US neocolony and fight for Aotearoa/NZ as sovereign, republic and socialist. That would be a good start. http://redrave.blogspot.co.nz/2012/06/aotearoa-sold-out.html
Again everyone has it all wrong. Those were the good old days, we are now well and truly on the down side of the global peak in energy invested on energy returned, from now on life is going to get worse for all of us. The rich are going to be less comfortable when all the global paper wealth burns to nothing, and might becomes right. We are on a non stop ride to reality.
So once the av gas runs out and flying just stops every airport will just be a waste land covered in rotting planes. And once all the coal power dependent factories in China stop manufacturing all the wingdings our electricity grid needs, and I’m including all the end products we use electricity to run. Not only are we at peak energy we are fast reaching peak washing machine and flat screen TV, though just like the Easter Islanders with their 3/4 carved Moi in their quarry, ‘we’ will still be manufacturing crap as the lights are going out. We are not quite at peak stupid yet, though 1.4 million Kiwi Savers would be hard to beat. Installing heat pumps, and thinking ‘assets are worth shit are just symptoms of an uninformed society, sadly being stupid is no excuse, but most people will go out of their way to remain uninformed.
Political blogs being another example. sorry just winding you up
I am afraid until that happens, there are still a few decades left, where they can destroy the last remnants of life on the planet. Really, and forgive me all those humane thinking readers, the most agressive, hostile and destructive being on this planet now is the human being.
We will follow the exploitative conduct to the very end, I am afraid. No stone, soil and whatever unturned, nothing sacred, all open to exploitation, just to get the oil, coal, gas, iron, aluminium, platinum, rare earth minerals, and whatsoever, out of the ground and sea, that is what will happen. It will be done, to keep the totally brainwashed, manipulated, conditoned, manicured, air conditioned, chemically constructed and otherwise artificially wrapped “humans” (?) able to continue to consume til they die. Lipstick, finger nail polish, wrappers, tissues, one way this and that, pills, clothing, fast food, other food, decorations, silly presents, but of course also really essential goods and services, that will continue to be produced, sold and marketed.
Fuck the whales, dolphins, sharks, snappers, tuna, the wild animals on grounds, the soil, the earth, the air, and the whole damned environment, it is only to be used to get those resources and products made.
Hardly anybody sees, hears and feels those environments anyway, so they are totally disconnected, not aware, do not give a damn and only see all the “nature” as a source for exploitation for their benefit.
That is what goes on now, will get worse, and it will mean the human species going to go that far, that it will cut the umbilical cord, to nature, where we all come from. It is all screwed, fucked and the rest. Consider cyanide or other emergency measures, because once the Arabian Gulf gets into turmoil and cut off, nothing will go anywhere anymore. That is the reality dumb people do NOT get.
Come on Robert, you can do better than that. We can live without flatscreen TVs, and we can live without washing machines. We can even learn how to live without electricity on tap. We can live without kiwisaver when that falls over. We can’t live without water. We can’t live without land that is capable of growing food. Resistance to asset sales is about sovereignty.
Weka get a copy of this post collapse movie http://theroad-movie.com/ and show me the sovereignty, in the end it will not matter who owns the defunked rotting infrastructure.
But the clowns can keep hoping I guess.
Well, at the moment, NZ Herald is reporting on first time protesters who were moved to go to yesterday’s protest – and estimates the crowd in Auckland as 3000:
Botes, a teacher and mum of two, had never been in a protest before. But she felt so strongly about the Government’s plans that she left her Glen Innes home to march up Queen St with 2-year-old Luca Namoa.
[…]
Many people waved the flags of political parties and unions in Auckland yesterday but Botes attended on her own.
“This is the first protest I’ve ever been to. I’m here for all New Zealanders.”
She wanted to protect the country from the Government’s “silly and short-sighted” decision and was pleased she had made the effort. “It’s pretty cool. I feel like I’m making a difference, instead of just staying home.”
Auckland businessman Robert Daggar was also at his first protest. The 61-year-old said state-owned assets must be kept “for the good of the people, not sold for profit. This ideology around asset sales is crippling the world.”
Wearing a hat with the message “no asset sales”, 91-year-old Margaret Jones said she was compelled to join the walk because she was angry at the Government. “These assets belong to me just like they do to everyone else.”
Protesters vented their anger when the march reached the Town Hall.
Dummies of John Key, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English and ministers Paula Bennett and Judith Collins were beheaded by a makeshift guillotine to cries of “off, off, off” from the crowd.
Pity the author didn’t make the connection with the last description and Bastille Day.
“This is the first protest I’ve ever been to. I’m here for all New Zealanders.”
Good on her for attending and feeling motivated enough, but she was there for herself, not for “all New Zealanders.”
“It’s pretty cool. I feel like I’m making a difference, instead of just staying home.”
If she felt good about “making a difference” then yeah, cool. But I wonder whether the time and energy spent on “we must do something” could find a better goal, one that was achievable and could make a significant difference.
The stark reality is that MOM share floats, or not, will make little difference overall. Anti asset sales has been sold to political consumerists who may think they’re momentarily loving it but smoothing a few wrinkles won’t turn the age old clock back.
The main motivation for anti asset sales seems to have been little more than a consolation campaign for those who lost the last election.
Imagine if all the effort put into being anti was instead focussed on pro positive initiatives, like job generation.
If an enthusiasm for making our country better could be generated then people power may be much better harnessed. At the moment it seems like it’s being sold down the river by politicians lacking positive ideas.
“The stark reality is that MOM share floats, or not, will make little difference overall.”
If it was not so serious an issue, I could laugh at your comments.
So losing hundreds of millions in revenue to private shareholders opting to use their dividends rather for their personal gratification and spending choices makes a “little difference” t o the government?
Losing 49 per cent ownership in assets owned by those enterprises will make “little difference”?
You surely cannot have much understanding of accounting and economics. All it will do is create an even greater hole in the government accounts, which will only lead to yet more asset sales in future, as further “last resort” measures to fill opening gaps.
Come on, the readers of comment s here do have a bit more intelligence than you are prepared to acknowledge. By the way, what do Key, English or Farrar pay you for writing such nonsense in this blog site?
PG you are again obfuscating and sounding triumphalist about “winning” the last election. You are really a National apologistand if you are anything like Dunne you will soon jump ship.
No, wrong assumptions.We need to look ahead, not back. Putting to rest a futile folly and focus on leadership of the future.
Fighting the next election by campaigning early on last years election issues shows how visionless and bankrupt the left are. They even have to use tax payers money to get signitures for their referendum.
Each time the news show the assemblage using the same old worn banners with the same faces it gets more embarrassing.
A lot of energy going nowhere. They need to pick their battles more carefully or maybe this is all they have got.
Wa Wa… I wonder how many on these marches are net tax payers. I’m guessing the number is significantly lower than the national rate. How they can claim that these are “their” assets is beyond me. Freeloaders.
You’re sounding a .little desperate, there, rEDheRring. Any stats to support your fantasy? e.g. polls showing the percentage of Kiwis opposed to assset sales?
Wrong. Just because people voted for those parties doesn’t mean they all support asset sales (Dunne didn’t make it clear to voters where he stood, Maori Party was opposed), and even polls which usually favour the right wing parties show over 50% against asset sales:
Does the Government have a mandate for partial asset sales?
Yes – they campaigned on it and won the election
7134 votes, 47.1%
No – the law only passed by one vote
8010 votes, 52.9%
And the author reporting on this one in April 2012 is ever hopeful for National:
Most people still oppose state asset sales but opinion might be swinging in the Government’s favour, a new poll shows.
It is going to sell 49 per cent of shares in four state-owned power companies, starting around August.
The One News Colmar Brunton poll shows 61 per cent of about 1000 voters questioned oppose asset sales, 30 per cent support them and 9 per cent don’t know.
While this article of July this year says that the asset sales policy is turning away potential National voters:
NATIONAL’S asset sales plan is turning away both loyal and swing voters – and not gaining it any new support.
About half of those who voted National in the last general election say the Government’s handling of asset sales has made them consider changing their vote, according to a NewsWire poll of 51 people on the streets of Wellington.
Anecdotal evidence indicates some people voted for National in the 2011 election for other reasons, and didn’t believe that National would go ahead with their asset sales proposals.
Anyway, it looks like at least 50% of voters are against the asset sales – most of whom are ordinary tax payers.
Dunne didn’t make it clear to voters where he stood
That’s a repeated claim that’s long been debunked. People who didn’t listen to Dunne during the campaign are now hissy he won’t jump at their command.
The Green campaign concentrated (successfully) on three things but omitted making it clear they would employ people to gather petition signatures.
The Labour campaigned concentrated (unsuccessfully) on one anti policy but didn’t make clear:
a) they would change leader just after the election
b) they would continue campaigning unsuccessfully on the same thing for another year or two
That’s right Pete, when Dunne speaks we have to listen very precisely to the exact words, lawyer style, paying no attention to the context or subtext.
Except for those times when he said he wouldn’t let National sell water. In those cases we’re all supposed to infer precisely which bits of water he meant without any specifics given, and pay no attention to his literal words at all.
It’s highly inconsistent, yes, but we forgive him this because he’s been around so very long and achieved so very much (once chaired a group to talk about reports I think) and it’s impossible to imagine how the country would function without his valuable input.
Not that I enjoy defending any politician let alone Dunne but he is actually pretty explicit on this issue.
“…… but in the event National putst up its mixed ownership model for the electricity companies and Air New Zealand we would be prepared to support that, provided the maximum was 49%, with a cap of 15% on any indivudual’s holdings. We would never support the sale of Kiwibank, Radio New Zealand or control of water assets.”
We’ve been told over and over that we can only take Dunne’s words on the subject strictly at face value, strictly literally, and with no regard for the context or presentation.
Furry muff, but it applies here too then.
No selling control of water assets. Black and white mate.
1. PG lists “United Future” as his employer. I’m glad someone can be bothered nailing and emphasising every single one of his attempted deceits. Has no-one explained to you that you can’t trust politicians?
2. What’s “hard of comprehension” in pointing out that a promise not to sell “control of water assets” has been broken?
Peter Dunne has as many priciples – if not less – as a street prostitute waiting for a client offering the most dosh for a “deal” of sorts.
Re the Greens: What relevance has their recent decision to employ two persons collecting signatures to a petition against asset sales full time to their election campaign? NONE, really, as it is up to the Greens or any other party to choose how to best spend the money they as party and their MPs are entitled to.
Re Labour: The problem Labour had was to sufficiently convince traditional and prospective voters that they had truly “changed’ from the also somewhat “laizzez faire” economics following party they had become since the late 1980s.
Having Goff as leader, who was and is one of the more “right wing” Labour MPs, in the past himself involved in supporting some asset sales, was not successful. Changing leaders after the election was a natural and logical step to take, given Goff did not deliver the result they had hoped for. Regrettably Shearer is not the most suited future leader, so he will only serve as temporary leader.
You try to deliver stuff as arguments for your position, which are really quite irrelevant and even wrong.
Funnily enough, if a lot of people feell surprised by his commitment to asset sales, then his position was unclear to them – probably due to conflicting messages about keeping national in check, etc.
Surprising that a politician who keeps getting elected to his rotten borough is such a crap communicator. A cynic would say that it’s why he keeps getting elected.
That’s a repeated claim that’s long been debunked. People who didn’t listen to Dunne during the campaign are now hissy he won’t jump at their command.
Dunno about that Pete, If I remember rightly back in the day when you refused to say who you’d vote for you were arguing that Dunne was not ‘for’ asset sales. If you, as a UF candidate couldn’t work it out at that stage then I son’t know why you’ve spent so long arguing that others less involved in politics should have been able to.
Asset sales are not United Future policy. If partial sales are a part of coalition negotiations UF have bottom lines. Full asset sales will not be supported (non are proposed anyway). Apart from that it depends on priorities in negotiations, and which parties are involved in those negotiations.
Obviously it’s possible UnitedFuture may agree to partial sales but they are not party policy.
Your now arguing that partial asset sales were always UF policy. Can we end this now?
There was a great one last october. after months of advertising against asset sales being foisted on the politically engaged sector of the electorate and six weeks of it being foisted on the entire electorate, the electorate spoke in favour of asset sales.
But of course the main point is that we live in a democracy, not a plutocracy, and the voices of the poor still count, not just the voices of those who can work the system (fairly or otherwise) for financial gain…
Wa Wa… I wonder how many on these marches are net tax payers. I’m guessing the number is significantly lower than the national rate. How they can claim that these are “their” assets is beyond me. Freeloaders.
hey prick, guess how much your “net tax paying” mates would be making a month without the rest of society.
Oh that’s right, zero. Because many of the top 0.1% are the true unproductive parasites of society.
The sad thing is that they’re probably not even his mates. He’ll be some fuckwit that couldn’t get an education but got a slightly larger TV than his neighbours. The idiot will be licking the boot that smashes his face.
The diverse group of people that are heading the thrust against Asset Sales do not appear to be poor. They seem to be the well educated middle class. Their age grouping looks predominantly between 30 and 45yrs of age.
The quality of their short speeches, both in content and use of words, is amazing when compared to that of members of Parliament.
They do not agree with wealthy Mr Key that Assets which belong to New Zealanders should be sold to the already very wealthy, and given to overseas sovereign nations.
I saw only one small placard with the word Labour on it yesterday – in Queen St. This in keeping with the fact that the Labour Party has settled for an existence which resembles a shadow.
Unlike Mr Key, the leaders of “Aotearoa is Not for Sale” are not smug or frivolous or cynical. Neither do they engage in sensationalism or spin. They don’t fudge their figures like Mr English. Nor do they offer blatant share bonus bribes in the manner of Key – “buy one get one free”.
It may take them years to get back the Assets from the wealthy friends of Mr Key, but I sense an educated determination in this middle class movement to achieve their goals. I further think they have learned enough from the legal (but disgustingly immoral) practices of corrupt bankers/traders to drive a very hard bargain against the investors.
They have 160,000 supporters now and the number is rising daily.
The very wealthy don’t care much about anything. Just themselves. That’s why they are so unbelievably tiresome.
Hey, but Treetop they will turn to dust just as truly as the rest of us. Having led their useless, sour and selfish lives. Their sad kids will claw at their corpse for their share of the stagnant wealth.
Have you seen them bleat and whinge on this site here? They always at it. Same old funless shells.
I have filled a page with relatives’ signatures and sent it off. I have another untapped resource of friends and associates to fill another referendum page at least. Screw this government and its cheesy, cynical wishlist. Screw low wages/salaries. Screw educating future Australians.
The troll roll always increases here when there is some public action giving capital and its flabby toupee wearing rep ShonKey, a bit of a serve. The right tends to fill its pants at the mere thought of citizens behaving collectively rather than the individualists they have been trained to be.
Suck it up Gozzie, “asset steals” is a slow burner issue but it is becoming increasingly apparent who will be charcoal in the end.
Dave Brown above identifies a trend, young people in numbers are adopting a class analysis and activism, I smile every time I see a young person in a Mana T-shirt.
Some public action. Not a very apt description. A few die hards and activists with misty eyed visions of the glory days when protests where sticking it to the man hardly constitutes public.
Look I rest my case TR, the number of right wing whingers on this thread is suitable evidence, complete with the same old arguments about numbers and what it all means.
Watch this space because the “man” is going to get a good old “sticking to” during the next few months over Asset Steals.
Oliver Hartwich writes – New Zealanders recently learned about a new feature film. It will be about former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern – and taxpayers will subsidise it to the tune of NZ$800,000. Ardern had nothing personally to do with either the film or the subsidy. But her government’s ...
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above that was recorded yesterday afternoon above between and The Kākā’s climate correspondent : An independent review panel into the emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawkes Bayconcluded “that ...
There are now only a few days left to give feedback on the Draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport 2024-34 (see our earlier post this week on GPS submission guides). As we’ve reported, the GPS is a disaster for Local Government, so we were particularly interested to hear ...
Willis has pledged to go ahead with the debt-funded tax cuts, despite growing opposition from her own supporters worried about appearing fiscally irresponsible. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for ...
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
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 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
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 A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
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While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
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Good demonstration on Cuba st today, with some hilarious John Key pantomime street theatre. Also got plenty of signatures beforehand, so worth it to be out in the rain.
Just felt good to be there. They’re always such a ‘family’ reunion.
Got a few (80-100?) signatures here, and great reaction/support too.
PS tried to edit: no permission…was going to say lots of people had already signed.
Good on ya all for being there. Hopefully next time I can book some time off work.
Go the King! Looked good on TV3 just now.
Yes Carol, I have the same problem. Work on a Sat. It’s frustrating not being able to take part.
Me to, and today as well.
Was great to be there in Auckland. Good mix of people and determined atmosphere. To celebrate Bastille Day nice Guillotine action on ShonKey cutout. Viva le resistance.
Key is toast, he is really ignoring the public on this one. Bye Bye in 2014, yay for that. What arrogance!
Bastille day ended feudalism in France.
This may be the beginning of the end of modern day feudalism in NZ.
Where the Neo con man Key stops handing wealth to a lucky few!
Anyone see any actual Members of Parliament there at the Auckland march beside Twyford and Goff?
I saw Dave Clendon, a really underrated Green MP and also Russell Norman.
I am surprised I did not see the other Auckland Green MPs there and I am disappointed that no other Auckland Labour MPs were there.
One or two Auckland Labour MPs are on the Speaker’s latest overseas parliamentary ‘research’ trip weren’t they? 😉
I thought Jacinda was there too?
I did not see her but it was a decent sized march. I should rephrase that I would be disappointed if there were not any other Auckland MPs there.
Julie Anne Genter was there and also spoke (before Russel Norman).
David Shearer was on an interview on ‘Focus on Politics’ on National Radio tonight. He had a good questionner, but that did not make him sound too convincing and good at all. Again too much “generalism”, distraction by simply criticising the government, but avoiding real questions about what Labour would do instead. I am sorry, but that “honest” and “nice” man is too “fluffy” and unconvincing to me. He should seriously let someone else take over!
One comment from David Shearer was about the criticisms of his performance from the Left. His reasoning was that this fractures the Left, and is almost more than the criticism from the Right. And of course the Left does this apparently everywhere – questions and forms factions that support individual causes.
But he misses the point. Those who want the NZ Left to resume the ‘sinister’ approach that would excite and enthuse the public don’t want the same old stuff that has had its day, which the country has rejected. If Shearer is to please the critics on the Left he needs to invigorate and enthuse his approach. If he can get excited about his policies that are backed by good advice, the Left will get ahead in the polls.
Shearer is clearly not comfortable with the left, as he is happy to be a middle class swing voter himself. Labour happens to be the party he was born into or just happened to be affiliated with, not that he really has thought that much about it, I am afraid. Not good enough, really.
“One comment from David Shearer was about the criticisms of his performance from the Left. His reasoning was that this fractures the Left, and is almost more than the criticism from the Right.”
He could at least answer to the criticisms, rather than evade and equivocate. If criticisms fracture the left, and he is the leader of a main party that is still broadly described as centre left, then he holds some responsibility for any fracture that occurs. Hence he should be either meeting the concerns of the critics, or explaining why he thinks they cannot be met, not just shrugging them off. We saw much the same thing when rumour had it that Cunliffe got told off for making a heartening speech, and Trotter wrote about it. “Well, I don’t find it particularly helpful to read Chis Trotter,” he said. Not “Trotter is mistaken for reasons A, B and C,” or anything else that would squarely address the concern that had arisen.
Labour at present, David Shearer in particular. Teflon opinions, like the easi-fold storage units sold that hinges and collapses flat after use. What should used is a good old soapbox, firmly built, that lifts him to obvious prominence and allows him to declaim policies that offer some intelligent AND practical AND pragmatic moves going forward etc.
Why would Shearer be worried about any fracturing of the left? He’s not part of it.
Indeed.
Perhaps Shearer is such a super fantastic secret weapon, counter-intuitive tactic, to unite the Left ?
Julie Anne Genter was also there Mickey.
I am surprised to see this posted here. Given how low the numbers were, the left should want as little attention on these marches as possible. Maybe 1000-1500 people in Auckland, hundreds in Christchurch/Wellington? Many waving Green/Tino Rangatiratanga flags?
National will be breathing a sigh of relief. This is the latest in a string of clear indications that, despite what they say when pollsters insist on a for/against answer, most voters don’t really care that much about asset sales.
They’ll care when their power bills shoot way up though. And the assets once gone, are gone forever. People do care.Ask Winston.
power bills shot up under labour some 70 odd % when power companies were publically owned.
That was due to large scale population growth due to migration, expansion of business and households needing urgently more electricity, which the existing networks were unable to deliver, hence additional, gas and coal powered stations had to be built in a very short time, thus necessitating large investments, which had to partly be passed on to the consumers in the way of electricity charges.
I hope that this will explain to you the reason for this.
Also did National and ACT show great enthusiasm for the additional migration and growing economic activity at that time, so if you belong to their lot, you should think twice before trying to make this an argument against Labour and other parties that were running affairs then.
, so if you belong to their lot, you should think twice before trying to make this an argument against Labour and other parties that were running affairs then.
Spoken like a true commie. Democracy at its best!
What time period was that?
I won’t deny that power prices went up under Labour – as we all know, power prices (and other living costs) continue to go up under National.
* The difference is wages went up under Labour and wages have stagnated under National *
People’s disposable income (ie. income after living costs are taken away) increases under a Labour government which in turn allows consumers to help NZ businesses. Businesses, consumers, and the economy win.
“…the assets once gone, are gone forever.”
That is just scaremongering nonsense. Stop the blantent lies if you want to be taken seriously.
Yes, look at Argentina for examples of how to deal with situations like this.
So you agree it is a lie to argue that once the assets are sold they are gone for good do you?
More accurate to say it’s bloody expensive to get them back.
In some countries that means literally expensive in blood, but hopefully it never comes to that here.
That’s not necessarily true either. Still you and facts aren’t exactly best mates recently are you felix. I’m still waiting to see some sort of evidence that the BNZ was bailed out by the Government in 1945.
You presented it yourself. Pity you didn’t read it.
Any article I linked to NEVER mentioned any bail out of BNZ by Government in 1945. This is what YOU claimed and which you fail to back up with any facts.
Nice derail, dude
@ Than:
How does it feel to be part of the ignorant mass, putting filling their stomachs, filling the tanks of their cars, sliming to their bosses, dobbing in their neighbours, cutting down others they “compete” with and allowing their own country or adopted country to be sold bit by bit to self serving business and speculator’s interests?
Maybe you feel so good like that, but to me that is a mentality of a self destroying society, not worth anything anymore, where one goes against his neighbour, work-colleague and business partners.
By the way, the mainstream media are doing the usual, trivialising protests, presenting wrong numbers and only mentioning the events within 1 to 2 minutes of “news”, where more time is spent on commercial advertising for products and services, catering for the lost majority, that does feel “entertained” while the bloody Titanic is already sinking.
“Enlightenment”, common sense and intelligence are rare these days, and I am waiting now for the ruling circles to also cut down and throw out the very last bastions of any form of still marginally informative public broadcasting, represented by only Maori TV and Triangle TV.
Total control, dumbind down, manipulation, selling out, dividing and ruling under such conditions, that is the agenda, and the 3,000 to 4,000 that actually went out on Queen St today, are the spear head of a sizeable part of the NZ public, that have chosen NOT to put up with any more of this bull-crap.
Have a nice evening in your litlle corner, possibly sitting in front of another screen, indulging in less enlightening and real stuff!
Maybe 1000-1500 people in Auckland,
Bullshit. The police estimate was 4000, and my experience of police estimates is that they are invariably conservative.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/110680/thousands-march-against-asset-sales
Nah. You watched the Nat. poodle channel TV1 didn’t you Than. They always under-estimate protest matches except when there is a Labour govt., then they over-estimate! Remember the so-called anti-smacking bill wot wasn’t an anti-smacking bill? Thousands were going to march according to TV1. There were 500, but that didn’t stop TV1 giving them wall to wall coverage as though the numbers were closer to 50,000.
Oh, and don’t you ever read the opinion polls? Consistently around 80% opposition to Asset Sales? Yeah, that’s right, voters don’t really care that much about Asset Sales
I tell you that TVNZ is now a “poodle” to National Party and government influences represented on their board or directors or management!
That is why their news have for months been quite dismissive of anything that opposition politicians added to political debate, while TV3 and their news have actually moved a bit towards the opposite direction. This is really strange, but maybe Joyce did after all not catch on that well with Mediaworks, well, are TV3 not now owned by a bit different a set of investors?
It is shocking to even have to mention all this, as the mainstream media always has little time for protests, and that has been so for many, many years.
They are more “commercially” focused and want to “appeal” to sentiments of a more trivial kind, being crime, weather shocks, overseas horror stories, trying to imply: “Well, how good and glad to be in NZ.”
I have bad news, because apart from exorbitantly expensive mining towns in Western Australia, rents, housing and consumer goods are cheaper in very many places on the globe, including “developed” countries, where people do not get ripped off quite as badly as in little, dear ol Kiwiland.
Don’t forget that Labour was very happy for TVNZ to be commercial in nature, and that it left behind any thoughts of true public broadcasting for the public good a very long time ago.
In other words, “the left” set this bugbear up for themselves.
I do not disagree with this comment at all. That is why I insist on Labour to offer and maintain a true “game changer”, away from anything near the “right” or “right of centre”, for sure. And I may add, I did detect that there was a total absence of David Shearer as speaker at the end of the event today, while there were Russel Norman and Julie Ann Genter speaking for the Greens, and only Phil Twyford afterwards addressing the crowd with some words.
Twyford created a bit of a “scene”, as some students appeared to challenge him on “free speech”. Then a know Labour activist or organiser charged towards them and had to be restrained. I am afraid there is something really bad happening within Labour at present.
Better sort this out. My opinion is: Shearer is a nice chap, may make a good minister of education or similar, but as leader, he is ambiguous, uncertain and not competent.
Open the Labour membership base to vote for a future leader, please, we may see something positive after all. At least one must hope.
Hey xtasy, not sure exactly how you interpreted the ‘scene’ in that way. A man started yelling when Twyford began speaking, and wouldn’t stop when asked to by the AINFS organizers, so some youngish guys (not actually students) challenged him to let Twyford speak; in the name of free speech. I was fairly close and I’m pretty sure the guy who was yelling was actually talking about how Labour is not too different at all from National, rather than defending Twyford.
Anne: I totally agree, Radio NZ is probably giving the most correct figures here. That tells us something again. It is a “balanced” broadcaster still in public hands, so neither Nats, Labour or others can run it to their pleasure, and that is how it bloody well should be, same with TVNZ, which though has gone astray too long ago.
Anne, I don’t watch TV news. I get my information primarily from the internet (Stuff, Herald, Scoop, etc.). The 1000-1500 figure I gave was from Stuff (“estimated at well over 1000 people”), and the Herald put the number at 3,000. Could you give a source for that 4,000 police estimate? Because I can’t find it anywhere.
But even 4,000 is still a pretty low turnout compared to the 50,000 for the anti-mining protest at the start of this year, or the 3,000-8,000 for the last anti-asset sales protest. In his opinion piece for the Herald Matt McCarten claims “growing protests in the streets”, but this march was actually smaller than the first. The protesters are also doing their cause no favours with the vehemence of their anti-National rhetoric. All it does is show this wasn’t a march of everyday kiwis against asset sales, it was a march of the far left against John Key.
… it was a march of the far left against John Key.
But it wasn’t just a cutout of John Key that was guillotined.
Than: This just shows how “reliable” and misleading internet based information can be!
I was there in Auckland, I was at the previous march against asset sales, I was at the anti mining march too. I have some good estimating experience of crowd sizes.
Having searched various media re any news about the protests last night I found:
1. The NZ Herald online edition had NO mention of it at all;
2. the Dominion Post online edition had only a very brief report, which was only about the start of the march;
3. TVNZ had only about a minute or minute and a half of a “leading” news item at 06 pm, giving no other info but “thousands marched”;
3. TV3 had a bit more of footage and reporting, but also only barely 2 minutes long, but at least showing a sizeable crown half way down Queen St in Auckland;
4. Radio Live bizarrely said in late news, “up to a thousand” marched in Central Auckland (??);
5. National Radio did not mention a number in the read out news, but also stated “thousands”;
6. apart from this, I found little or no news at all in MSM!
I am certain that there were at least 3,000, yes rather close to 4,000 on that Auckland march, and most who were there will agree. There were fewer at the end where speeches were held, as some do not bother staying for listening to pollies telling them what they usually tell them.
Scoop, the NZ Herald and other online media are treating any protests and increasingly social issues in general with neglect and even indifference or ignorance. As they increasingly present “infotainment” rather than quality journalism. Look at some of the young journos, also in broadcasting, who re pre-occupied with “lifestyle” issues, fad type opinions, crime, weather and “entertaining” stuff. Also many are “over groomed” for appearances, like corporate type employees trying all to “fit in” rather than think independently and talk openly. Crap really!
I do not think the first march against asset sales had about 8,000 participants, and the anti mining march never reached 50 k. It was rather 20 to 30 k who attended that one.
xtasy, forgive me, but I completely ignore “I was there” estimates. For one thing people who participate in a march are not objective. By definition they support the cause being marched for, they want the march to be perceived to be as large as possible. For another, their physical viewpoint (ground level, walking along in the same segment of the march) simply gives them less information than bystanders watching the march go past.
While I can’t disagree with your criticisms of online media, they are unfortunately the best numbers we have. And based on them this march was at most the same size as the first anti-asset sales march, probably slightly smaller.
Estimating large crowd sizes is actually very difficult from any perspective, whether you’re in the crowd, watching it go by, or observing it from a great height.
I pretty much just listen to newly created single-issue internet personalities, especially ones with an apparent interest in rubbishing whatever the crowd has gathered for.
What an idiotic comment!
Have you not noticed, that I put to you the more realistic figure of 20 to 30 thousand that marched against mining on conservation land, and that I considered the first asset sale march not having had as many as even you quoted?
Cyberspace allows anything these days, and if you rely on certain media sites, run as commercial businesses with profit motives, not wanting to offend advertisers, often even being “warm” with the National Party and ACT, then you choose to live in a world of your own and their own imagination.
I am not member of any party or particular group that organised the march, and as an independent minded individual, I take offence by such criticism of real figures, proved by others, even independent public media like Radio NZ and – forget it not – the Police!
A further thing to acknowledge is the fact that there was NO mention of the upcoming march by any of the “main stream media” at all, apart from just a brief mention on a website of 1ZB a day before.
The largely privately owned and as businesses operated, profit focused media enterprises do virtually never mention anything about upcoming events like the anti asset sale protests, as they simply do not show much interest in such. They are pre-occupied with delivering headline news of more sensationalist a nature, like stories about murder, rape, child abuse, alcohol excesses by the youth, car crashes, freak weather, celebrity gossip and so forth, which are considered more adrenalin generating, “catchy” and thus good “sellers”.
While this happens, few people get informed, and each time I have been on a protest, I see hundreds or thousands stand on the footpaths, gazing in confusion, wondering what all this is about. So given this is the challenge organisers face, they did fairly well after all.
felix; I agree, estimating march sizes is always difficult. It is effectively impossible for an individual in the march, walking along with no perception of how long the march is or overall density.
But difficult does not mean it cannot be done, and both the police and media try. It is never going to be particularly accurate (for the previous anti-asset sales march I read numbers between 3,000 and 8,000), but we can get a broad indication. And the broad indication for this march is, it was the same size or smaller than the first anti-asset sales march.
The “broad indication” is that Key is going to get his ass handed to him via referendum.
lolz Than. Forgive me, but I completely ignore “newly created single-issue internet personality” estimates.
Especially when those personalities are so painfully similar to so many others.
felix, good for you.
Don’t let the fact that I post on a wide range of subjects (on this site, Bowalley Road, Kiwiblog, WhaleOil, and others, all using the same username) get in your way. Just keep the fingers in your ears and I’m sure you’ll be fine.
I gave a link at 14 July 8:39pm. “Radio NZ gave police estimate at close to 4000 people.”
All you do is left click on link and hey presto… it will appear. 🙁
Reply to Than @ 9:53am.
Some people choose to walk through life with blinkers on. Others choose to be colourbling or totally blind to the truth. I have some relatives like that, and I think we all know a fair number of such examples.
This phenomenon will continue to exist, and the person you comment back on appears to be a prime example of such a human specimen.
If you put your fingers in your ears, close your eyes and loudly say lalala you will find it easier to block out reality Than.
the interesting thing about Aotearoa Not For Sale is that they have no pre-existing organisation. They call a bunch of protests but, unlike say Greenpeace and Forest and Bird, they don’t have a database of tens of thousands of members to attempt to mobilise.
It has to spread by word of mouth, Facebook blogs – that it did and thousands showed up through out New Zealand despite the weather on short (and vague) notice is a testimony to the strength of feeling.
3 news said 3,000 in Auckland which was also my guess. Someone else heard 4,000 on the media, probably Radio NZ.
National Radio News yesterday said Police estimated about 4000 marched in Auckland.
Than.
You are either living in fantasy land or your blue tinted glasses need cleaning.The marches attracted huge crowds every where .It was an example of what happens when the Left co-operates .,A lesson there I think.If the political left gets its act together (and I think they will) Key and his band of neo-Cons are mincemeat,
Thank you RedBlooded. Your suggestion will come in very handy when reading replies on this site.
Intelligent people are not falling for shallow and unsubstantiated nonsense, that is why you feel uncomfortable, dear matey!
Well at least he admits it.
Christchurch had a good turnout despite of not the best weather, but Wellington was a bit disappointing.
I just heard the news on Radio Live, which must still be Steven Joyces propaganda channel, because they had the cheek to say, that “up to a thousand protesters marched up Queen St”!
Now that is scandalous, but what do you expect of a privately run talk back radio station having Michael Laws as prime entertainer, broadcasting about a third of airtime on commercial advertising, letting many extreme nutters comment and otherwise cater for largely crime, rape, pillage, sports and low level entertainment style information?
What has NZ come to, I ask again?
xtasy “What has NZ come to, I ask again”
I would say that yesterdays protest was mostly the hardcore who are prepared to go on fighting. Down on numbers from the last march because many people will have lost hope of stopping the sales at this point. This drop in numbers happened during the marches against the 2001 and 2003 Afghanistan and Iraq invasions, before and after.
The big difference is that asset sales and the rip, shit, bust plan to recolonise NZ will not go away. The TPPA signals this logic. This means that the opposition to that barbaric future will only grow stronger and draw more and more into activity. The NACTs have no choice but to go for broke and they are breaking down everywhere.
For example, Operation 8 was a total failure to divide the nation against Maori ‘terror’. The big plans to ‘reform’ education have been temporarily shelved. The huge opposition to asset sales has forced the NACTs to repackage its sales pitch several times and its now coming up against a worsening global crisis and facing legal challenges that could put off any buyers.
But most important, these setbacks are temporary and part of an ongoing austerity across the board and this is not something that the NACTs can resile from. What makes the current resistance bound to increase and strengthen is the courage and political inventiveness of a growing youth movement who understand that their generation must lead the austerity the fightback against the attacks of the international banksters. When the capitalist system begins to eat its young, its days are numbered. Yesterdays march showed the youth anti-capitalist left in the lead.
The no-show of Labour’s leaders reflects its unwillingness to be identified as part of a movement lead by anti-capitalists. The Green and Labour MPs who spoke are pro-capitalists and conscious of the need to keep the anti-capitalists in parliament. They are on a losing streak. Because to stop the asset sales the movement has to go beyond referenda and legal challenges to direct action which must come into conflict with parliament.
Mana is shaping up to lead that resistance and can do when it overcomes its historic division between Tinorangatiratanga and the Pakeha left and unites the majority of the NZ working class. I look forward to the demos and direct actions when I see Mana banners and flags declaiming “Renationalisation without Compensation” behind which the various left currents and single issue campaigns are willing to march.
The reason that NZ politics is being re-aligned is that Aotearoa/NZs economic role in the Pacific is being permanently realigned under The NACTs as US lackeys. This political realignment will see a huge polarisation between the NACT rightwing and a growing left around Mana, a left labour split, and a Green split along class lines that unites the left fragments reminiscent of Syriza in Greece. Its agenda will be to defeat the right drift towards NZ as a locked down US neocolony and fight for Aotearoa/NZ as sovereign, republic and socialist. That would be a good start.
http://redrave.blogspot.co.nz/2012/06/aotearoa-sold-out.html
Had enough of debate for tonight:
Musica Popular do Brasil:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eyifabluiM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG_hNwcb-sg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb4RauhteFA
enjoy one or the other.
Boa Noite
Just a little more madness:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0MEJ9lh3jo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3ORkB1eKWE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrgWeR0xwj8&feature=related
do not really like the last one.
Again everyone has it all wrong. Those were the good old days, we are now well and truly on the down side of the global peak in energy invested on energy returned, from now on life is going to get worse for all of us. The rich are going to be less comfortable when all the global paper wealth burns to nothing, and might becomes right. We are on a non stop ride to reality.
So once the av gas runs out and flying just stops every airport will just be a waste land covered in rotting planes. And once all the coal power dependent factories in China stop manufacturing all the wingdings our electricity grid needs, and I’m including all the end products we use electricity to run. Not only are we at peak energy we are fast reaching peak washing machine and flat screen TV, though just like the Easter Islanders with their 3/4 carved Moi in their quarry, ‘we’ will still be manufacturing crap as the lights are going out. We are not quite at peak stupid yet, though 1.4 million Kiwi Savers would be hard to beat. Installing heat pumps, and thinking ‘assets are worth shit are just symptoms of an uninformed society, sadly being stupid is no excuse, but most people will go out of their way to remain uninformed.
Political blogs being another example. sorry just winding you up
I am afraid until that happens, there are still a few decades left, where they can destroy the last remnants of life on the planet. Really, and forgive me all those humane thinking readers, the most agressive, hostile and destructive being on this planet now is the human being.
We will follow the exploitative conduct to the very end, I am afraid. No stone, soil and whatever unturned, nothing sacred, all open to exploitation, just to get the oil, coal, gas, iron, aluminium, platinum, rare earth minerals, and whatsoever, out of the ground and sea, that is what will happen. It will be done, to keep the totally brainwashed, manipulated, conditoned, manicured, air conditioned, chemically constructed and otherwise artificially wrapped “humans” (?) able to continue to consume til they die. Lipstick, finger nail polish, wrappers, tissues, one way this and that, pills, clothing, fast food, other food, decorations, silly presents, but of course also really essential goods and services, that will continue to be produced, sold and marketed.
Fuck the whales, dolphins, sharks, snappers, tuna, the wild animals on grounds, the soil, the earth, the air, and the whole damned environment, it is only to be used to get those resources and products made.
Hardly anybody sees, hears and feels those environments anyway, so they are totally disconnected, not aware, do not give a damn and only see all the “nature” as a source for exploitation for their benefit.
That is what goes on now, will get worse, and it will mean the human species going to go that far, that it will cut the umbilical cord, to nature, where we all come from. It is all screwed, fucked and the rest. Consider cyanide or other emergency measures, because once the Arabian Gulf gets into turmoil and cut off, nothing will go anywhere anymore. That is the reality dumb people do NOT get.
Come on Robert, you can do better than that. We can live without flatscreen TVs, and we can live without washing machines. We can even learn how to live without electricity on tap. We can live without kiwisaver when that falls over. We can’t live without water. We can’t live without land that is capable of growing food. Resistance to asset sales is about sovereignty.
Weka get a copy of this post collapse movie http://theroad-movie.com/ and show me the sovereignty, in the end it will not matter who owns the defunked rotting infrastructure.
But the clowns can keep hoping I guess.
John Key is pushing the message: All groups that oppose asset sales are wasting their time. He is scared and trying to increase apathy.
And sending his puppets to comment on blogs like this, by the looks of things. Funny how they appear in groups.
Well, at the moment, NZ Herald is reporting on first time protesters who were moved to go to yesterday’s protest – and estimates the crowd in Auckland as 3000:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10819671
Pity the author didn’t make the connection with the last description and Bastille Day.
“This is the first protest I’ve ever been to. I’m here for all New Zealanders.”
Good on her for attending and feeling motivated enough, but she was there for herself, not for “all New Zealanders.”
“It’s pretty cool. I feel like I’m making a difference, instead of just staying home.”
If she felt good about “making a difference” then yeah, cool. But I wonder whether the time and energy spent on “we must do something” could find a better goal, one that was achievable and could make a significant difference.
The stark reality is that MOM share floats, or not, will make little difference overall. Anti asset sales has been sold to political consumerists who may think they’re momentarily loving it but smoothing a few wrinkles won’t turn the age old clock back.
The main motivation for anti asset sales seems to have been little more than a consolation campaign for those who lost the last election.
Imagine if all the effort put into being anti was instead focussed on pro positive initiatives, like job generation.
If an enthusiasm for making our country better could be generated then people power may be much better harnessed. At the moment it seems like it’s being sold down the river by politicians lacking positive ideas.
Politicians lacking positive ideas – your weird hair boss won’t like that description of him, Pete.
“The stark reality is that MOM share floats, or not, will make little difference overall.”
If it was not so serious an issue, I could laugh at your comments.
So losing hundreds of millions in revenue to private shareholders opting to use their dividends rather for their personal gratification and spending choices makes a “little difference” t o the government?
Losing 49 per cent ownership in assets owned by those enterprises will make “little difference”?
You surely cannot have much understanding of accounting and economics. All it will do is create an even greater hole in the government accounts, which will only lead to yet more asset sales in future, as further “last resort” measures to fill opening gaps.
Come on, the readers of comment s here do have a bit more intelligence than you are prepared to acknowledge. By the way, what do Key, English or Farrar pay you for writing such nonsense in this blog site?
PG you are again obfuscating and sounding triumphalist about “winning” the last election. You are really a National apologistand if you are anything like Dunne you will soon jump ship.
No, wrong assumptions.We need to look ahead, not back. Putting to rest a futile folly and focus on leadership of the future.
Those stuck in a campaign rut won’t like being told, but it needs to be said.
Wa Wa… I wonder how many on these marches are net tax payers. I’m guessing the number is significantly lower than the national rate. How they can claim that these are “their” assets is beyond me. Freeloaders.
You’re sounding a .little desperate, there, rEDheRring. Any stats to support your fantasy? e.g. polls showing the percentage of Kiwis opposed to assset sales?
Probably less than the 51% votes given to National and their coalition partners in the recent General Election?
Wrong. Just because people voted for those parties doesn’t mean they all support asset sales (Dunne didn’t make it clear to voters where he stood, Maori Party was opposed), and even polls which usually favour the right wing parties show over 50% against asset sales:
Like Stuff’s online poll of June this year:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7175222/Asset-sales-fight-not-over-vows-Opposition
And the author reporting on this one in April 2012 is ever hopeful for National:
http://www.3news.co.nz/Opposition-to-asset-sales-dropping—poll/tabid/1607/articleID/249058/Default.aspx
While this article of July this year says that the asset sales policy is turning away potential National voters:
http://www.newswire.co.nz/2012/07/asset-sales-to-cost-national-at-next-election/
Anecdotal evidence indicates some people voted for National in the 2011 election for other reasons, and didn’t believe that National would go ahead with their asset sales proposals.
Anyway, it looks like at least 50% of voters are against the asset sales – most of whom are ordinary tax payers.
Dunne didn’t make it clear to voters where he stood
That’s a repeated claim that’s long been debunked. People who didn’t listen to Dunne during the campaign are now hissy he won’t jump at their command.
The Green campaign concentrated (successfully) on three things but omitted making it clear they would employ people to gather petition signatures.
The Labour campaigned concentrated (unsuccessfully) on one anti policy but didn’t make clear:
a) they would change leader just after the election
b) they would continue campaigning unsuccessfully on the same thing for another year or two
That’s right Pete, when Dunne speaks we have to listen very precisely to the exact words, lawyer style, paying no attention to the context or subtext.
Except for those times when he said he wouldn’t let National sell water. In those cases we’re all supposed to infer precisely which bits of water he meant without any specifics given, and pay no attention to his literal words at all.
It’s highly inconsistent, yes, but we forgive him this because he’s been around so very long and achieved so very much (once chaired a group to talk about reports I think) and it’s impossible to imagine how the country would function without his valuable input.
Not that I enjoy defending any politician let alone Dunne but he is actually pretty explicit on this issue.
“…… but in the event National putst up its mixed ownership model for the electricity companies and Air New Zealand we would be prepared to support that, provided the maximum was 49%, with a cap of 15% on any indivudual’s holdings. We would never support the sale of Kiwibank, Radio New Zealand or control of water assets.”
Sorry I’m a little hard of hearing. Can you repeat the last four words?
No, you’re a little hard of comprehension and too immersed in your troll attack of PG which is cute but becoming a bit tedious.
With all due respect I think you’ve missed it hs.
We’ve been told over and over that we can only take Dunne’s words on the subject strictly at face value, strictly literally, and with no regard for the context or presentation.
Furry muff, but it applies here too then.
No selling control of water assets. Black and white mate.
“troll attack”?
1. PG lists “United Future” as his employer. I’m glad someone can be bothered nailing and emphasising every single one of his attempted deceits. Has no-one explained to you that you can’t trust politicians?
2. What’s “hard of comprehension” in pointing out that a promise not to sell “control of water assets” has been broken?
Pete George:
Peter Dunne has as many priciples – if not less – as a street prostitute waiting for a client offering the most dosh for a “deal” of sorts.
Re the Greens: What relevance has their recent decision to employ two persons collecting signatures to a petition against asset sales full time to their election campaign? NONE, really, as it is up to the Greens or any other party to choose how to best spend the money they as party and their MPs are entitled to.
Re Labour: The problem Labour had was to sufficiently convince traditional and prospective voters that they had truly “changed’ from the also somewhat “laizzez faire” economics following party they had become since the late 1980s.
Having Goff as leader, who was and is one of the more “right wing” Labour MPs, in the past himself involved in supporting some asset sales, was not successful. Changing leaders after the election was a natural and logical step to take, given Goff did not deliver the result they had hoped for. Regrettably Shearer is not the most suited future leader, so he will only serve as temporary leader.
You try to deliver stuff as arguments for your position, which are really quite irrelevant and even wrong.
Funnily enough, if a lot of people feell surprised by his commitment to asset sales, then his position was unclear to them – probably due to conflicting messages about keeping national in check, etc.
Surprising that a politician who keeps getting elected to his rotten borough is such a crap communicator. A cynic would say that it’s why he keeps getting elected.
That’s a repeated claim that’s long been debunked. People who didn’t listen to Dunne during the campaign are now hissy he won’t jump at their command.
Dunno about that Pete, If I remember rightly back in the day when you refused to say who you’d vote for you were arguing that Dunne was not ‘for’ asset sales. If you, as a UF candidate couldn’t work it out at that stage then I son’t know why you’ve spent so long arguing that others less involved in politics should have been able to.
See in particular, this from Nov 2011:
Your now arguing that partial asset sales were always UF policy. Can we end this now?
Absolutely. Bloody. Brilliant.
Ooops….*don’t, *you’re
The link doesn’t appear to go directly to PG’s comment on that thread. It’s number 3.2.1.2
There was a great one last october. after months of advertising against asset sales being foisted on the politically engaged sector of the electorate and six weeks of it being foisted on the entire electorate, the electorate spoke in favour of asset sales.
Pillock. I saw a number of well heeled people on the march.
But of course the main point is that we live in a democracy, not a plutocracy, and the voices of the poor still count, not just the voices of those who can work the system (fairly or otherwise) for financial gain…
We’re all human, not just the wealthy.
Which number, Mickey? Two? And one of them was you?
Let’s see, an idiot who was not on the march makes a really stupid statement. I disagree with him because:
1. I was on the march.
2. I knew quite a few people who were also on the march and their backgrounds.
You, who was also not on the march, and who obviously do not know who was on the march let alone what their backgrounds are, back him up.
Tell me, who is the idiot here?
hey prick, guess how much your “net tax paying” mates would be making a month without the rest of society.
Oh that’s right, zero. Because many of the top 0.1% are the true unproductive parasites of society.
The sad thing is that they’re probably not even his mates. He’ll be some fuckwit that couldn’t get an education but got a slightly larger TV than his neighbours. The idiot will be licking the boot that smashes his face.
Aotearoa is Not for Sale
The diverse group of people that are heading the thrust against Asset Sales do not appear to be poor. They seem to be the well educated middle class. Their age grouping looks predominantly between 30 and 45yrs of age.
The quality of their short speeches, both in content and use of words, is amazing when compared to that of members of Parliament.
They do not agree with wealthy Mr Key that Assets which belong to New Zealanders should be sold to the already very wealthy, and given to overseas sovereign nations.
I saw only one small placard with the word Labour on it yesterday – in Queen St. This in keeping with the fact that the Labour Party has settled for an existence which resembles a shadow.
Unlike Mr Key, the leaders of “Aotearoa is Not for Sale” are not smug or frivolous or cynical. Neither do they engage in sensationalism or spin. They don’t fudge their figures like Mr English. Nor do they offer blatant share bonus bribes in the manner of Key – “buy one get one free”.
It may take them years to get back the Assets from the wealthy friends of Mr Key, but I sense an educated determination in this middle class movement to achieve their goals. I further think they have learned enough from the legal (but disgustingly immoral) practices of corrupt bankers/traders to drive a very hard bargain against the investors.
They have 160,000 supporters now and the number is rising daily.
Only 140,000 to go. Easy.
well, let’s just leave it that progress is extremely promising…
I don’t care too much for this protest, but I will say this much.
What does it say about NZ in general when we can’t agree on the size of a protest?
NZ becoming more truly pathetic everyday.
What was last months pathetic distraction, oh thats right whether or not a casino can get 400 extra pokies.
I attended the march in my area. I would have liked to have written on a placard “Egocentric PM”
Good on you – Treetop
The very wealthy don’t care much about anything. Just themselves. That’s why they are so unbelievably tiresome.
Hey, but Treetop they will turn to dust just as truly as the rest of us. Having led their useless, sour and selfish lives. Their sad kids will claw at their corpse for their share of the stagnant wealth.
Have you seen them bleat and whinge on this site here? They always at it. Same old funless shells.
I just wonder how long the troll supporters are intending to hold onto any energy asset shares?
You call that a fuss? Same old faces, same old bullshit. Hardly a day of action. Ponsonby rd is busier than that.
indeed – nothing to see here, move along, nactional can’t be challenged, buy a big tv…
nom nom nom
meow?
I have filled a page with relatives’ signatures and sent it off. I have another untapped resource of friends and associates to fill another referendum page at least. Screw this government and its cheesy, cynical wishlist. Screw low wages/salaries. Screw educating future Australians.
Re pro-Government media
Nothing in the Com Post this morning
Perhaps this is because it was so pathetically attended in Wellington.
The troll roll always increases here when there is some public action giving capital and its flabby toupee wearing rep ShonKey, a bit of a serve. The right tends to fill its pants at the mere thought of citizens behaving collectively rather than the individualists they have been trained to be.
Suck it up Gozzie, “asset steals” is a slow burner issue but it is becoming increasingly apparent who will be charcoal in the end.
Dave Brown above identifies a trend, young people in numbers are adopting a class analysis and activism, I smile every time I see a young person in a Mana T-shirt.
Some public action. Not a very apt description. A few die hards and activists with misty eyed visions of the glory days when protests where sticking it to the man hardly constitutes public.
Look I rest my case TR, the number of right wing whingers on this thread is suitable evidence, complete with the same old arguments about numbers and what it all means.
Watch this space because the “man” is going to get a good old “sticking to” during the next few months over Asset Steals.