Dimming down night classes
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- Date published:
10:00 am, February 23rd, 2010 - 4 comments
Categories: education, Social issues -
Tags: ACE, anne tolley, ppta, steven joyce
The Post Primary Teachers’ Association have just launched a YouTube video protesting National’s hugely unpopular cuts to night classes.
The video highlights the shortsightedness of the 80% cuts based on cost/benefit, pointing out that in the process of educating 220,000 learners a year New Zealand gets back over 30 times its investment in Adult Community Education in economic and social gains.
I wonder what the rate of return on that extra $35 million for private schools was worth…
Source: www.dimming.co.nz
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- Grant Robertson: A balanced plan for managing debtThe world is facing its most challenging battle in generations with an insidious and new virus as the enemy. ...2 weeks ago
- Debt: What’s Labour’s plan?We’re committed to managing the Government’s books responsibly and keeping debt under control while supporting our people and our economy through the 1-in-100 year shock caused by COVID-19. ...2 weeks ago
- Tax should close the inequality gap between people who own and people who earn: GreensThe Labour Party has moved towards more progressive income tax, but is not addressing the growing wealth gap and inequality in Aotearoa. Labour’s new revenue policy also doesn’t help pay for the necessary response to the COVID-19 crisis, Green Party Co-leader James Shaw said today. ...2 weeks ago
- Tax: What’s Labour’s plan?For 98% of New Zealanders, there will be no changes to income tax. Earn less than $180,000? No changes to your income tax. ...2 weeks ago
- 5 ways Labour’s SME policy will help small businessesAre you the owner of a small business? We’ve got one simple message for you: we’ve got your back. ...3 weeks ago
- Greens pleased with Labour’s support for Matariki DayThe Green Party welcomes Labour backing a Matariki public holiday. ...3 weeks ago
- BREAKING: Labour will make Matariki a public holidayAs New Zealanders we are proud of who we are, what we stand for, and the way we weave together different worlds and cultures to create our unique national identity. ...3 weeks ago
- Lobby group advice to keep homes cold until after Election Day dangerousIt is appalling and negligent that landlords are being encouraged to keep their properties cold and damp until after the election, as advised by the NZ Property Investors Federation, Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said today. ...3 weeks ago
- Hokitika Landmark earmarked for $22m restoration
Seddon House in Hokitika, once a hub for government on the West Coast, has been earmarked for government use once again. “Today we’re announcing a $22 million investment from the Government’s $3 billion infrastructure fund for shovel ready projects for the purchase and restoration of Seddon House in the heart of ...6 hours ago - Minister of Foreign Affairs makes two diplomatic appointmentsForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced two new diplomatic appointments: • Michael Appleton as New Zealand’s first resident High Commissioner to Sri Lanka. • Tredene Dobson as New Zealand’s next Ambassador to Viet Nam. Sri Lanka “New Zealand is opening a post in Colombo in 2021 because we are ready ...1 day ago
- NZ’s most prestigious conservation award – Loder Cup presented to Graeme AtkinsThe Minister of Conservation Minister, Eugenie Sage, today presented Aotearoa New Zealand’s most prestigious conservation award, the Loder Cup, to the 2020 winner Graeme Atkins while in Gisborne/Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa. “Graeme Atkins of Ngāti Porou is a Department of Conservation ranger whose contribution to conservation goes well above and beyond his employment,” ...1 day ago
- Parliament to install solar and cut carbonParliament is leading by example by taking action to cut its carbon footprint by installing solar and improving energy efficiency, the Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw said today. The Minister confirmed that Parliamentary Services will receive support through the Clean-Powered Public Service Fund to install solar PV and LED ...1 day ago
- Tuvalu Language Week theme promotes community resilience in the face of COVID-19The Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio says the 2020 Tuvalu Language Week theme of “Fakatili Te Kiloga Fou” which means “Navigating the changing environment” is a call on all Pacific peoples to be strong and resilient in the face of COVID-19. “This theme is a reminder to us ...1 day ago
- International sport back up and running in New ZealandThe Government is welcoming today’s announcement that the West Indies and Pakistan cricket teams will tour New Zealand this summer. “A lot of hard work has been undertaken by sports officials including New Zealand Cricket, Netball New Zealand and government officials to ensure that international sport can return safely to ...1 day ago
- 1BT funds for Northland forest taongaNorthland’s indigenous tree canopy is set to grow for the benefit of mana whenua and the wider community thanks to nearly $2 million in One Billion Trees funding, Forestry Minister Shane Jones announced today. Te Komanga Marae Trust has received more than $1.54 million to restore and enhance the native ...1 day ago
- Better health care for West Coasters as Te Nikau Hospital officially openedThe Government has delivered a new hospital for Greymouth and is starting work on a much needed new health centre in Westport, ensuring local communities will benefit from better access to high quality integrated health services. Today, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Associate Health Minister Peeni Henare officially open Te ...1 day ago
- Government backing local with PGF loanA West Coast distillery will benefit from a Provincial Growth Fund investment that will enable it to expand its operations and create jobs in the town of Reefton, Rural Communities Minister Damien O’Connor and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones have announced. The Reefton Distilling Co will receive a $928,000 ...1 day ago
- Primary sector exports and jobs up againPrimary sector exports and jobs are up again, demonstrating the sector’s underlying strength amid the COVID-19 global pandemic and US-China trade war, and supporting New Zealand’s economic recovery. Stats NZ today reported New Zealand’s merchandise exports in August were up 8.6% on a year ago, driven by an increase in ...2 days ago
- Clean energy future for more schoolsSchools across Aotearoa New Zealand will be supported by the Government to upgrade to run on clean energy, the Minister for Climate Change James Shaw announced today. The Minister has allocated $50 million from the Clean Powered Public Service Fund to replace, or convert, coal boilers in schools with clean ...2 days ago
- Building business strength with digital toolsNew training and tools for digital commerce will give small businesses, especially in the tourism sector, the support they need to adapt and innovate in a COVID world. Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis and Small Business Minister Stuart Nash have announced details of how $20 million digital capability funding set aside ...2 days ago
- New pest lures to protect natureThe Department of Conservation (DOC) is investing $1.4 million to develop new predator lures that would be game-changers for trapping and surveillance towards a predator-free Aotearoa, the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage, announced in Christchurch today. The proposal is to develop long-life lures attractive to a range of predators—rats, mustelids ...2 days ago
- Support for innovative Pacific education responses to COVID-19 needsSupporting new and creative Pacific education practices as part of our COVID-19 response and recovery is the focus of a new $28.5 million Pacific Education Innovation Fund announced today by Associate Minister of Education Jenny Salesa. “There is already an incredible amount of innovative and creative work going on in ...3 days ago
- Eligibility expanded for COVID-19 leave supportThe expanded scheme will cover: People who have COVID-19 like symptoms and meet the Ministry of Health’s criteria, and need to self-isolate while awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test. People who are directed to self-isolate by a Medical Officer of Health or their delegate or on advice of their ...4 days ago
- Seasonal work visa available to more peopleThe Government is putting in place a range of immigration policy changes to help fill labour shortages in key industries while ensuring New Zealanders, who have lost jobs due to COVID-19, have the chance to find new employment. “Two key sectors we are moving to help are horticulture and wine ...4 days ago
- More border exceptions for critical rolesThe Government has established class exceptions for border entry for a limited number of veterinarians, deep sea fishing crew, as well as agricultural and horticultural machinery operators. “Tight border restrictions remain the backbone of the Government’s border strategy to protect New Zealand against COVID-19 and ensure New Zealand citizens and ...4 days ago
- Crown will not appeal Dodds v Southern Response decisionThe Crown will not appeal the Court of Appeal decision in the Dodds v Southern Response case, Grant Robertson announced today. “Southern Response will be paying the damages awarded by the Court to Mr and Mrs Dodds shortly. The Crown was already meeting their legal costs for this appeal. “The ...4 days ago
- Crucial PGF investments for NorthlandThe Provincial Growth Fund is investing nearly $30 million in a diverse range of projects that will create immediate and long-term jobs and lift economic and social outcomes for Northland and its people. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones made the announcement today in ...4 days ago
- $27million investment in global vaccine facilityThe Coalition Government has committed to invest $27 million in COVID-19 vaccine development through the global COVAX Facility, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced today. “The COVAX Facility is a key part of our COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy to obtain safe and effective vaccines. It allows us to invest in a high-quality, ...5 days ago
- Government backing Māori landownersThe Government will provide up to $1.69 million through the One Billion Trees programme to Māori landowners to make their whenua more productive through the planting of forests, both native and exotic, and improve economic and environmental outcomes, Forestry Minister Shane Jones has announced. “Around 1.5 million ha of land ...1 week ago
- New tools to make nature more accessiblePeople planning to head outdoors now have a resource that lets them know how accessible an area is for people with varying levels of mobility, Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced today. The Halberg Foundation, Sensibel, and the Department of Conservation (DOC) have launched Accessibel, a new tool which helps ...1 week ago
- PGF makes Māori history more accessibleOne of the most significant battle sites of the 1860s Land Wars will receive $2.96 million from the Provincial Growth Fund to improve the site and help tell the New Zealand story to visitors, Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones have announced. Nanaia Mahuta ...1 week ago
- Making it official: The journey of te reo Māori | Kia whakapūmautia: Ngā piki me ngā heke o te r...The journey towards recognising Māori as an official language and taonga has been captured as a web series and launched today during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, announced Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni. “Te reo Māori is a living language, and understanding its significance, and pathways to ...1 week ago
- Better-than-forecast GDP reflects decision to protect New ZealandToday’s better-than-forecast GDP figures show the expected impact of the decision to act quickly to protect New Zealanders from the global COVID-19 pandemic. GDP fell 12.2% in the June quarter from March, reflecting decisions to close New Zealand’s borders and enter Alert Level 4. “This result was better than the ...1 week ago
- Boost for COVID-19 related Pacific education needsThe Government is investing $39.7 Million over four years to support the educational needs of Pacific learners and families in the regions hardest hit by COVID-19, with Auckland getting an immediate boost, Associate Minister of Education Jenny Salesa says. “Like all New Zealanders Pacific families want learners to do well ...1 week ago
- More resources for kiwi conservationNew Zealand’s goal of 100,000 kiwi by 2030 is being helped by an extra $19.7 million in funding to accelerate iwi and community efforts to protect kiwi, Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced. “$19.7 million of Jobs for Nature funding is being invested in kiwi conservation activities including increased predator ...1 week ago
- Improving access to affordable electricityEnsuring New Zealanders can get the best deal on their electricity takes a step in the right direction today with the South Island launch of the EnergyMate pilot run by the Electricity Retailers’ Association, says Minister of Energy and Resources, Dr Megan Woods. EnergyMate is an industry-led programme providing coaching ...1 week ago
- Government achieves 50 percent women on state boardsMinister for Women Julie Anne Genter announced today that the Government has reached its target of 50 percent on women on state sector board and committees – setting a new record level of women on state sector boards. “This Government is committed to having more women in leadership roles - ...1 week ago
- Record transport investment to help economic recovery and save livesTransport Minister Phil Twyford released today the final Government Policy Statement on land transport (GPS) 2021 which outlines the planned $48 billion investment in services and infrastructure over the next decade. “The final GPS supports our Government’s five-point plan for economic recovery by confirming our record investments in transport infrastructure ...1 week ago
- Advancing clean energy technologyThree ambitious and cutting-edge research programmes that will lift New Zealand’s advanced energy technology research capability over seven years, have been supported by Government today, says Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods. The projects will each receive a share of $40.7 million investment from the Strategic Science Investment Fund. ...1 week ago
- Major milestone reached in Pike River Re-entryThe critical area for forensic examination known as Pit Bottom in Stone has been reached in what is a major milestone for the Pike River re-entry project, Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little announced. “The infrastructure located in Pit Bottom in Stone is of very significant interest in ...1 week ago
- Economic recovery guides Govt response to retirement income policy reviewThe Government is working on how New Zealand’s retirement income policies and settings can best support Kiwis in light of the COVID-19 economic recovery, with the help of the Retirement Commissioner’s latest review, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi said. “The Retirement Commissioner’s three-yearly review into New Zealand’s retirement ...1 week ago
- Iwi community hub opens in MuruparaA new digital hub and development centre in Murupara will be instrumental in growing the region’s productivity, said Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau at the official opening of two community initiatives today. “I’m pleased to be here celebrating a significant milestone for two projects set to make a ...1 week ago
- PREFU shows economy doing better than forecastPREFU shows economy doing better than forecast Unemployment to peak at 7.8%, down from 9.8% forecast in the Budget Year-to-June accounts show tax revenue, debt and OBEGAL better than forecast Global forecast downgraded as COVID-19 second waves and uncertainty grows Balanced plan to support critical public services, manage debt and ...1 week ago
- Spruce-up for Ōtaki community facilitiesThe Kāpiti Coast town of Ōtaki will receive $1.4 million in Government funding for two projects providing scores of jobs for locals while improving community facilities, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The Māoriland Charitable Trust will receive a $900,000 Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) grant to upgrade the ...1 week ago
- PGF funding for Jobs for Nature programmeThe Provincial Growth Fund will provide $11.88 million to fund fencing and waterway projects nationwide that will improve the environment and create jobs in their communities, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. “These projects will create more than 100 jobs nationwide with work starting within the next couple ...1 week ago
- Procurement to promote jobs, Māori and Pasifika businesses and sustainabilityAs part of the COVID-19 recovery, the Government has strengthened its procurement rules to ensure its annual $42 billion spend creates more jobs, uses more sustainable construction practices and results in better outcomes for Māori and Pasifika, Government Ministers announced today. Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford says the $42 ...1 week ago
- Timaru’s Theatre Royal to be upgraded and new heritage facility builtThe Government is supporting a major upgrade of Timaru’s iconic Theatre Royal and the construction of a new connected Heritage Facility museum and exhibition space with $11.6 million from the Government’s Infrastructure Fund, Jacinda Ardern announced today. “We heard the call from the community and the council. The Theatre Royal ...2 weeks ago
- District Court judge appointedChrissy Montague (formerly Armstrong), barrister of Auckland has been appointed as a District Court Judge with Family Court jurisdiction to be based in Wellington, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. Ms Montague commenced practice in Auckland in 1987 and went into general practice dealing with Wills, Estates, Trusts, Conveyancing, Relationship Property ...2 weeks ago
- Isolation tales: Songs for the return home
These six returning families may not have been through Level 4 lockdown here, but they bring their own poignant stories and wisdom, writes Jonathan Milne When my family and I flew back into Auckland after a year-and-a-half working abroad, the Managed Isolation and Quarantine welcome pack issued a tactfully-worded warning ...8 mins ago - Podcasts of the week: Survival of the fittest in sport and politics
Political podcast Caucus weighs up the minor parties' chances of making it to Parliament, while the recently refreshed Extra Time sees the team rate the prospects of Israel Adesanya in Abu Dhabi tomorrow. ...1 hour ago - What would Amy Coney Barrett, Trump’s expected pick for the Supreme Court, mean for abortion right...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Prudence Flowers, Lecturer in US History, College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Flinders University Last week, US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died of metastatic pancreatic cancer. Ginsburg’s “most fervent wish”, revealed by her granddaughter, was that she “not be ...2 hours ago - University of Waikato launches taskforce to address racismBy , RNZ News Reporter Academics who made allegations of racism at the University of Waikato are welcoming the outcome of an independent review. While individual claims have been dismissed as “inaccurate”, “incorrect” and “reflective of differing perspectives”, it is hoped the findings could lead to nationwide action on ...2 hours ago
- Body fat deep below the surface is a toxic risk, especially for your heartSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lea M D Delbridge, Professor of Physiology, University of Melbourne Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s easy to forget one of the largest health challenges we face remains the global obesity epidemic. World Health Organisation data shows obesity has nearly tripled in less ...3 hours ago
- New Fund To Support Māori Boarding Schools
Labour will recognise the important role our Māori boarding schools play in growing our future Māori leaders by committing $20 million to a fund designed to provide them with financial support to continue to house, educate and manaaki rangatahi in ...4 hours ago - We know about politicians seeking power – but they could be the source of generating power, too
A press release from the Beehive triggered our recollection of a bit of science about the energy-generating properties of methane. According to an article in the Journal of Environmental Management a few years ago, livestock manure contributes an estimated 240 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent of methane to ...5 hours ago - How to make a mandala
An extract from The Nature Activity Book, which we strongly urge you to invest in for the school holidays.Books editor Catherine Woulfe writes: Written by teacher, scientist and head of the National Aquarium Rachel Haydon and gorgeously illustrated by Pippa Keel, our review copy of The Nature Activity Book landed ...6 hours ago - Creative differences: Labour, National and the Greens debate 2020 arts policyOn Thursday night, arts trust Te Taumata Toi-A-Iwi, in association with The Spinoff, hosted a pre-election forum on arts policy. Sam Brooks picks out the best moments.A conversation about arts policy is never going to get quite the same number of eyeballs as, say, an episode of The Chase, but ...7 hours ago
- We need to talk about fashion’s waste problemIn recent years, an influx of cheaply made clothes has had a devastating effect not only on our local industry, but the entire planet. Rose Jackson takes a look at the wider impact of fashion’s waste issue, in a piece originally published by Ensemble.It’s hard to know where this story ...8 hours ago
- Election Live, September 26: Police officer killed in London from New ZealandWelcome to The Spinoff’s Election Live for September 26, bringing you the latest on election 2020 and other NZ news. The essential campaign dates are here. For all you need to know about the cannabis referendum click here. For the assisted dying referendum click here. Explore the parties’ pledges at Policy. I’m ...9 hours ago
- And Jesus makes threeIn the latest instalment of her series chronicling the ins and outs of dating in 2020, Alie Benge details the unique challenges of dating while Christian. I’m part of a rare Christian archetype: the unmarried 30-year-old. You’ll see us prowling the edges of a congregation, hook noses and one blind ...9 hours ago
- Will pumped hydro result in significant energy price hikes for NZ?Will transitioning to 100 percent renewable electricity generation increase power prices in New Zealand? ...9 hours ago
- Short story: Father figure, by Laura Borrowdale
"Julia tells her therapist how soft her lover’s hands are": inside a therapy session, by Christchurch writer Laura Borrowdale Julia remembers her father’s fingers curling around the head of her newborn baby. They are long, the nails rectangular and pared, clean, pink and white, like the baby. The baby’s head ...12 hours ago - Campaign diary no. 3: Deborah Russell, MP
In the third of a weekly election diary, Labour MP Deborah Russell takes the electorate's pulse on the streets of New Lynn and makes it through the electorate's first candidates' meetings. Tomorrow is National's Chris Bishop. We finally got back on to the streets of New Lynn again this week, ...12 hours ago - New life behind a mask for Kiwi basketballer in US
Rising basketballer and future Tall Fern Ashlee Strawbridge is adjusting to a new life in the United States after taking up a scholarship with the College of Southern Idaho. Strawbridge is one of over 50 Kiwi women on basketball scholarships in the US right now. She’s set to take to the court alongside fellow ...12 hours ago - Top journalists give election picks
*Watch the panel discussion in the video player below* The poll, the debate, the state of the minor parties and the issues that the politicians are avoiding. These were all topics discussed by a panel of journalists moderated by Newsroom’s co-editor, Tim Murphy, earlier this week. The panel ...12 hours ago - Extra Time: A high point for mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts has undoubtedly been on the up and up as a sport in New Zealand in recent years, but that rise reaches a new high point this weekend. No fewer than four fighters from Auckland's City Kickboxing gym will compete at UFC 253, headlined by middleweight world champion Israel Adesanya ...12 hours ago - Dr James Jap on a life centred around deathDr James Jap regularly watches people die. He talks to Michelle Langstone about how working in palliative care has shaped his outlook, his family, and his wardrobe.James Jap had never seen anyone die until his fourth year of medical school. On an overnight shift with St John’s ambulance, he was ...13 hours ago
- Review: The problem with The Social DilemmaNetflix’s new ‘must-see’ documentary is an alarming watch, but a bunch of woke tech bros commodifying fear is not enough to impress Anna Rawhiti-Connell. The Social Dilemma, Netflix’s latest “must see” documentary, opens with a line-up of gulping, nervous white men (and one or two women), who are asked to try ...13 hours ago
- USP staff slam Fiji’s freezing of F$28m grant as holding university to ransomPacific Media Centre Newsdesk Staff of the regional University of the South Pacific have condemned the Fiji government’s “dictatorial” action in freezing a $28 million grant, accusing it of holding the governing University Council to ransom and jeopardising the future of students. “Fiji is reneging on its commitment to its ...16 hours ago
- The new 15-minute test has potential, but standard tests are still the best way to track COVID-19Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katherine Gibney, NHMRC early career fellow, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity Testing remains a vital component of Australia’s success in managing COVID-19. We need to diagnose people infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, as early as possible ...22 hours ago
- At last, the arts Revolution — Archibald winners flag the end of white male dominanceSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanna Mendelssohn, Principal Fellow (Hon), Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne. Editor in Chief, Design and Art of Australia Online, University of Melbourne The 2020 Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes, held under the strangest of all circumstances, has produced a ...1 day ago
- You wouldn’t hit a dog, so why kill one in Minecraft? Why violence against virtual animals is an e...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Coghlan, Senior Research Fellow in Digital Ethics, Centre for AI and Digital Ethics, School of Computing and Information Systems, University of Melbourne Violence against animals in video games is ubiquitous. Players can kill or torture animals in various popular games, including ...1 day ago
- VIDEO: Michelle Grattan on the upcoming budget, government reform, and the NBNSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra University of Canberra Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan and University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Paddy Nixon discuss the week in politics. This week Michelle and Paddy discuss the upcoming 6 October budget, the government’s ...1 day ago
- What Are Universal Basic Services – And Could They Work In Aotearoa?Some of you may have listened in to the webinar co-hosted by BFF and the PSA, New Zealand’s largest union, which featured leading UBS expert Andrew Percy, from the Institute of Global Prosperity . If you missed it, you can watch it at the link above. ...1 day ago
- Australia’s natural history and native species should be on the citizenship testSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thomas M Wilson, Honorary Research Fellow in Literature and Environment, University of Western Australia Australia’s proposed changes to the citizenship test has raised questions about whether you can really evaluate someone’s “Australian values” via a set of exam questions. But here’s another ...1 day ago
- Rent Freeze Must Be Extended For At Least 6 Months: TOPThe rent freeze needs to be extended for at least 6 months, say The Opportunities Party (TOP), who are calling on the government to protect vulnerable renters experiencing financial instability as a result of Covid-19. The current rent freeze ends on the ...1 day ago
- Findings Of Independent Review Into Public Claims Of Racism At The University Of Waikato ReleasedThe reviewers commissioned to assess public claims of racism at the University of Waikato have presented their final report to the University Council. ...1 day ago
- We accidentally found a whole new genus of Australian daisies. You’ve probably seen them on your b...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Schmidt-Lebuhn, Research Scientist, CSIRO When it comes to new botanical discoveries, one might imagine it’s done by trudging around a remote tropical rainforest. Certainly, that does still happen. But sometimes seemingly familiar plants close to home hold unexpected surprises. We recently ...1 day ago
- Is Malaysia heading for ‘BorneoExit’? Why some in East Malaysia are advocating for secessionSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Chin, Professor of Asian Studies, University of Tasmania Unity is a common theme every year on Malaysia Day, the holiday celebrated last week that marks the day Malaysia became a federation in 1963. That year, Britain agreed to relinquish control of ...1 day ago
- Winston Peters says NZ First ‘staved off any action’ on Ihumātao before electionNZ First leader Winston Peters has used a speech at Orewa to call Ihumātao protesters "malcontents who got so much unjustified publicity, sticking mainly in the throat of traditional Māori". ...1 day ago
- Once known as “mother’s ruin”, it is made all over NZ – including Reefton (where there’s g...
The West Coast has been the focus of two lots of good news from the Beehive in the past 24 hours or so. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Associate Health Minister Peeni Henare officially opened Te Nikau Hospital and Health Centre in Greymouth and then turned the first sod at ...1 day ago - Refusal To Provide Contraception Stigmatises UsersALRANZ Abortion Rights Aotearoa sadly welcomes the results of Family Planning’s survey of contraception users, which shows 5% experience health practitioners obstructing their access to contraception. “It’s maddening that in 2020 people still have ...1 day ago
- Televising school sport could put too much focus on performance, a price too high for young athletesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Whatman, Associate Professor, Sport and Exercise Science, Auckland University of Technology A new deal to televise and live stream more secondary school sports in New Zealand has attracted significant attention and debate. First XV secondary school rugby in New Zealand has ...1 day ago
- Stratford District Council’s Navel-gazing Over Logo Is EmbarrassingStratford District Council’s review of its logo is an embarrassing waste of time and money, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “Stratford District Councillors need to seriously re-evaluate their priorities. ...1 day ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending September 25The 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 Rage by Bob Woodward (Simon & Schuster, $55)“A better title for Rage, perhaps, would be Rabid ...1 day ago
- The Friday Poem: Shark and Leg by James McNaughtonA new poem from novelist and poet James McNaughton.Shark and LegSeventeen years already of making the bed together,husband and wife.They say you never step in the same river twiceand that change is the only constant in life, and trulythe linen has changed, the beds, ...1 day ago
- Fresh Water Management And Winter GrazingThe new Fresh Water Management legislation became law on the 5th August 2020 and parts of the policy are impractical, with changes already being undertaken to try and improve it. It is clumsy, heavy-handed and will require most farmers to get a ...1 day ago
- A night in Gore with New Zealand’s most formidable conservative campaignersFamily First have been on tour over the election campaign, pounding out the message that voters should say no on both referendums. Alex Braae caught up with them in Gore. I’ve long been fascinated and mystified in equal parts by Family First. At a time when it often looks like the ...1 day ago
- One Small Step To DevolutionWhānau Ora CEO & Māori Party Co-Leader John Tamihere says a new collaborative contract with Oranga Tamariki, Te Puni Kokiri, ACC, and Whānau Ora is a first and positive step towards devolution of services to Māori by Māori for Māori. It also ...1 day ago
- Campaign in the Neck: Mike’s debate review largely about Mike
Mike Hosking was frustrated with the slow pace of the leaders' debate in a way only a man stuck in rush hour traffic in a Maserati can be. James Elliott reviews Mike's review of John Campbell's performance as debate moderator. There’s nothing like an election campaign to fire up the pundits, ...1 day ago - Emily Writes: It’s time to act now on endometriosisHaving surgery was the best thing I ever did. Everybody deserves the option.I am 10 days post-surgery. Everyone seems surprised at how well I’m doing. There’s just one group who get it, who understand why I’m so happy. They’re those who haven’t yet been able to get the surgery that ...1 day ago
- Keith Rankin Analysis – The 2020 New Zealand Election is Not a Foregone Conclusion1 day ago
- Frydenberg is setting his budget ambition dangerously lowSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Coates, Program Director, Household Finances, Grattan Institute Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s announcement that he’ll prioritise reducing unemployment ahead of reducing government debt is welcome news. The government is required by the Charter of Budget Honesty to develop and publish a fiscal strategy ...1 day ago
- Non-disclosure of child abuse would be an offence under National governmentNational is pledging to make non-disclosure of child abuse an offence with a maximum three-year jail sentence and establish a reduction target for children suffering material hardship if elected. ...1 day ago
- Fiji academic calls for more action to reverse Suva foreshore pollutionBy Sheldon Chanel in Suva Fiji’s Suva foreshore has been under “enormous” pressure from decades of destructive practices with little to no public awareness about the various afflictions, says prominent academic professor Vijay Naidu. The problems have been exacerbated by no sustained public awareness campaign, absence of environmental issues in ...1 day ago
- Options Development Group Appointed As Partial Reviews Of Conservation Policies Get Under WayDirector-General of Conservation Lou Sanson today announced the appointment of 12 people who will provide advice and recommendations on the partial reviews of the Conservation General Policy and the General Policy for National Parks. The general ...1 day ago
- Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – September 25 2020Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. Today’s content Election Tim Watkin (RNZ): Sending out the political assassins as National shoots itself in the foot Peter Dunne: Greens’ fate uncertain, but the rest of the election jigsaw ...1 day ago
- Balance Of Payments And International Investment Position: Year Ended 31 March 2020Balance of payments records the value of the country's transactions with the rest of the world. It shows changes in financial claims on, and liabilities to, the rest of the world. International investment position is a snapshot of the country's financial ...1 day ago
- Russel Norman: Enough with the delays, it’s time to put cameras on fishing boatsWith Stuart Nash kicking the can down the road to 2024, the oceans have lost out in favour of fishing corporations yet again, writes Russel Norman.A few weeks ago the minister of fisheries, Stuart Nash, backed into a corner by John Campbell’s relentless reporting on the state of our fisheries, ...1 day ago
- Election 2020: Paul Goldsmith and Grant Robertson go head-to-head in finance debateNational's Paul Goldsmith and Labour's Grant Robertson talk about budget issues, tax cuts, housing, inequality and more. ...1 day ago
- Bold Changes Needed To Grow Conservation And TourismTourism Industry Aotearoa is calling on the incoming Government to be bold in overhauling conservation legislation in the interests of both the natural environment and tourism. The key legislation governing the operations of the Department of Conservation dates ...1 day ago
- Local Trust Secures $500,000 To Help Rangatahi Enter The WorkplaceOho Mauri Solutions Charitable Trust has secured $500,000 from the Ministry of Social Development to continue giving rangatahi the tools, skills and experience to enter the workplace that is most meaningful for them. The successful funding application ...1 day ago
- New Report On Cultural Safety And Health Equity For MāoriThe Medical Council of New Zealand, in partnership with Te Ohu Rata O Aotearoa (Te ORA), has released an independent research report outlining findings on the current state of cultural safety and health equity delivered by doctors in Aotearoa New Zealand. ...1 day ago
- Greyhound pups must be tracked from birth to death, so we know how many are killedSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra McEwan, Lecturer: Law, CQUniversity Australia It’s been more than four years since New South Wales greyhound racing was rocked by a special inquiry that found overwhelming evidence of systemic animal cruelty, including mass killings. Overbreeding and euthanasia of healthy dogs is ...1 day ago
- Survey shows many Indonesians think ‘covid doesn’t exist’ amid new spikeBy Ivany Atina Arbi in Jakarta Indonesia saw a one-day record of 4465 new covid-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 257,388 nationwide, government data shows. More than 4000 new covid-19 cases have been reported per day since Monday. At least 9977 people have succumbed ...1 day ago
- Beyond AirPods: The best true wireless earbudsThink a good pair of wireless earbuds means shelling out for Apple’s ubiquitous white sticks? Think again, writes tech reviewer Henry Burrell.The iPhone 7 was the first popular phone to lose the headphone jack, and frankly I’ve been furious ever since. One of the most universal and user-friendly tech interfaces ...1 day ago
- Charities Board Still Gunning To Deregister Family FirstFamily First New Zealand has been notified that the Charities Board intend to appeal the recent decision in the Wellington Court of Appeal which opposed deregistration of Family First New Zealand from the Charities Register. “This decision is a threat ...1 day ago
- The Real Pod returns from the crypt for a Twilight specialAfter more than a year of social distancing for Alex, Jane and Duncan are back in the same room for an emotional reunion and to talk about a cinematic masterpiece.Approximately a thousand years ago, the idea of The Real Pod maybe, possibly, perhaps one day recapping the Twilight movie was ...1 day ago
- Ōtautahi Christchurch Universities Rally Aotearoa New Zealand Behind Roadmap To SustainabilityAotearoa New Zealand’s third SDG Summit Series, which will be announced in Ōtautahi Christchurch on 25 September to mark five years since the world committed to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), will stimulate sustainability ...1 day ago
- Daylight Saving Time Starts This SundayNew Zealand springs forward this weekend as Daylight Saving time begins. Clocks will go forward by one hour at 2am on Sunday 27 September. Daylight saving time will continue until Sunday 4 April 2020, when clocks will go back by one hour to NZ Standard ...1 day ago
- Election 2020: Grant Robertson and Paul Goldsmith go head-to-head in finance debateLabour's Grant Robertson and National's Paul Goldsmith talk about budget issues, tax cuts, housing, inequality and more. ...1 day ago
- Statement From Rt. Hon Helen Clark On End Of Life Choice“I believe the Act is compassionate in giving people who are suffering in ways that are very difficult to alleviate, the right to say their farewells at the time of their choice. “I have spent many years travelling the world as part of my work, ...1 day ago
- Vital Signs. Google shouldn’t subsidise journalism, but the government couldSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW You might have missed it – what with the biggest recession since the 1930s and a pandemic going on – but there may be big, and bad, changes happening to a media landscape near you. Right ...1 day ago
- Winners Of The Cruelty Free NZ Awards 2020 AnnouncedThe first-ever winners of the Cruelty Free NZ Awards have been announced with cruelty-free brands Kester Black, the Bonbon Factory and Aleph Beauty receiving first, second and third place. This new annual awards programme has been set up by the New Zealand ...1 day ago
- Regulating Free Speech Leads To BrutalityThe NZ Labour/Greens/NZ First coalition government has again heralded their incredibly dangerous push towards further restrictions on free speech. New Conservative, first and foremost responder in the attacks on free speech since the current government ...1 day ago
- As a second wave of COVID looms in the UK, Australia is watching closelySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Wellings, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, Monash University The United Kingdom has already been battered by COVID-19, with about 410,000 cases and more than 41,000 deaths. But after some respite over summer — and entreaties to “Eat Out to ...1 day ago
- COVID-19 has offered us an unexpected opportunity to help more people quit smokingSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simone Pettigrew, Professorial fellow, George Institute for Global Health Smokers are worried. A respiratory disease is running rampant across the globe and people with unhealthy lifestyle habits appear to be especially vulnerable. We know smokers hospitalised with COVID-19 are more likely to ...1 day ago
- Greyhound pups must be tracked from birth to death, so we know how many are slaughteredSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra McEwan, Lecturer: Law, CQUniversity Australia It’s been more than four years since New South Wales greyhound racing was rocked by a special inquiry that found overwhelming evidence of systemic animal cruelty, including mass killings. Overbreeding and euthanasia of healthy dogs is ...1 day ago
- We looked at 35 years of rainfall and learnt how droughts start in the Murray-Darling BasinSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chiara Holgate, Hydrologist & PhD Candidate, Australian National University The extreme, recent drought has devastated many communities around the Murray-Darling Basin, but the processes driving drought are still not well understood. Our new study helps to change this. We threw a weather ...1 day ago
- Google and Facebook shouldn’t subsidise journalism, but the government couldSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW You might have missed it – what with the biggest recession since the 1930s and a pandemic going on – but there may be big, and bad, changes happening to a media landscape near you. Right ...1 day ago
- Testamentary trusts are one of the last truly outrageous means of avoiding taxSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dale Boccabella, Associate Professor of Taxation Law, UNSW It’s one thing to bring forward tax cuts, as the government is thinking of doing in the October budget. It’s another to leave wide open an arrangement that allows substantial tax minimisation (or elimination) ...1 day ago
- Friday essay: who was Jeanne Barret, the first woman to circumnavigate the globe?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Clode, Senior Research Fellow in Creative Writing, Flinders University In 1765, a young, peasant woman left a remote corner of rural France where her impoverished family had scraped a living for generations. She set out on a journey that would take ...1 day ago
- Election Live, September 25: National defends economic plan after Labour attacksWelcome to The Spinoff’s Election Live for September 25, bringing you the latest on election 2020 and other NZ news. The essential campaign dates are here. For all you need to know about the cannabis referendum click here. For the assisted dying referendum click here. Explore the parties’ pledges at Policy. I’m ...1 day ago
An online petition calling for Tolly to attend night classes in economics may be in order by the look of things.
0.5% return or less would be my guess. It seems to be the National (Party) Standard for giving them and their owners taxpayer money.