Disaster in Japan

Written By: - Date published: 11:00 pm, March 11th, 2011 - 111 comments
Categories: disaster - Tags: ,

A 8.9 Richter-scale earthquake has struck just off the coast of northeastern Japan. At a depth of just 24km and only 60km offshore, it released 8,000 times more energy than the second Christchurch earthquake. The Kurihara seismic station recorded a 7 on the destructiveness scale, the maximum reading in Chch 2 was an 8 out of 12 on our scale.

Swathes of 70K city of Kesennuma ablaze. Severe damage in Tokyo, over 250km away, and the Tsunami has swept down the coast. Felt as far away as Beijing, 2500km distant.

Death toll unknown. $100 billion to $1 trillion damage. 20+ aftershocks over 5.5 are reported so far. Tsunami warnings across the Pacific, including NZ. We should be OK but stay away from beaches.

A summary map of major damage from the BBC.

Nuclear reactors automatically shut down via the insertion of control rods following the quake but in two reactors there is concern that the pumping systems have failed and the nuclear decay is still heating the coolant water. This is how a meltdown begins, with the inability to dissipate the energy safely. It does seem the situation is under control with an emergency release of vapor from the cooling system of the worst-affected reactor.

111 comments on “Disaster in Japan ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. kriswgtn 1
    11 March 2011 at 8:13 pm

    The Tsunami that has just hit Japan on tv -fuck ITS HORRIBLE

    Those poor people 🙁

  2. Pete 2
    11 March 2011 at 8:18 pm

    Horrendous earthquake and tsunamis in Japan.

    • Carol 2.1
      11 March 2011 at 8:28 pm

      Yes. TV3 has stopped showing Glee and is showing live images frrom a US TV channel. Ongoing major Tsunami on the Japan coast. One of biggest ever quakes in Japan: 8.9 tsunami 6- 10 meters.

  3. Deadly_NZ 3
    11 March 2011 at 8:43 pm

    A 8.9 earthquake has hit Japan 4.45 PM local time

    • Vicky32 3.1
      11 March 2011 at 9:16 pm

      Fires, and talk about nuclear reactors… scary stuff! What gives with our world?
      Deb

      • bbfloyd 3.1.1
        12 March 2011 at 1:05 pm

        what gives???? we have to keep in mind the fact that, on a planetary timescale,, we have had a very peaceful epoch with regard to seismic activity… indeed if we were to compare the period of known human existence,, then we’ve had the luck to emerge during one of,, if not the most peaceful period in the planets existence…

        she’s just doing what she always has done…. if earth was to revert to even a tenth of what she has been like,, then we would cease to exist relatively quickly…

  4. kriswgtn 4
    11 March 2011 at 8:44 pm

    Tsunami warning for NZ
    get prepared people

    • Carol 4.1
      11 March 2011 at 8:52 pm

      A quake expert in NZ was just talking on Al Jazeera – watching online. He said it would be 12 hours before a tsunami would reach NZ & it will be low tide, so not more than 1 meter. Not a proble. Worse for mid Pacific, and they have 6 hour wait in Hawaii.

    • Rosy 4.2
      11 March 2011 at 10:40 pm

      Hate it when tv people talk up a crisis for those who aren’t going to be involved – Al Jazeera reporters going on about tsunami in NZ (CD says will only be 1m). Concentrate on real risk or those devastated already. Not that hard.

      • bbfloyd 4.2.1
        12 March 2011 at 1:14 pm

        quite right… i stopped watching last night as nearly half the coverage was about the so called threat to nz… which is irrelevant to the actual disaster unfolding in japan,, and unnessesarily alarmist. the coverage i saw was also frustratinly short on information( e;g;where was the epicentre), and long on irrelevent and facile commentry,, to the point of talking over expert analysis with empty rhetoric… i havn’t watched any today, so i’m hoping we aren’t going to be subjected to the same kind of cringeworthy coverage we got from christchurch.

        note to tvnz news dept… FACTS!!! INFORMATION!!! not sensationalism this time please…

  5. todd 5
    11 March 2011 at 10:09 pm

    A major Earthquake in Japan

    Friday, March 11, 2011 at 06:46:23 PM NZT

    http://thejackalman.blogspot.com/2011/03/massive-earthquake-in-japan.html

    NZ Civil Defense has issued a warning: A tsunami potential threat advisory is still in effect for New Zealand. Stay away form beaches.

    Initial prediction place potential waves hitting Northland in New Zealand at 6:14 AM.

    • Colonial Viper 5.1
      11 March 2011 at 10:31 pm

      This is another major shock to an increasingly fragile world. NZ on tsunami watch tomorrow morning. There will be global and local repercussions to this disaster.

    • Draco T Bastard 5.2
      11 March 2011 at 10:51 pm

      2205, 11 March, 2011

      A tsunami marine warning is in effect for New Zealand:

      Confirmation been received that a tsunami was generated. No wave heights are available at this time.

      The first wave to arrive to New Zealand will be in the areas around North Cape at approximately 0623 12 March 2011.

      Civil Defence Website is down so they’re presently using Google Docs.

      • Colonial Viper 5.2.1
        11 March 2011 at 11:05 pm

        I think the max wave height is expected to be ~1m.

        • todd 5.2.1.1
          11 March 2011 at 11:37 pm

          No harm in preparing.

          There’s some major Worldwide activity lately:

          http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/

          • Lanthanide 5.2.1.1.1
            12 March 2011 at 10:03 am

            There’s always major worldwide activity. It’s only news when it occurs near populated areas.

            • todd 5.2.1.1.1.1
              12 March 2011 at 10:31 am

              Most of the biggest Earthquakes have happened in populated areas.

              http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/world/10_largest_world.php

              • lprent …
                12 March 2011 at 11:02 am

                Nope. Look at the map on the link. The most common area for them is in the Kuriles and Alaska – not places known for their population.

                • todd …
                  12 March 2011 at 4:05 pm

                  Looks like around four of those fifteen major earthquakes were in less populated areas. I think you might mean the most unpopulated areas are Prince William Sound – Alaska with around a population of 10,000 and Banda Sea, with 15,000. Kuriles has around 19,000.

                  Chile population 17,094,270
                  Alaska Total population 698,473
                  Kamchatka population 402,500
                  North Sumatra population 12,985,075
                  Chile Biobío Region population 1,861,562
                  Ecuador population 14,306,876
                  Assam Tibet 26,655,528

              • Lanthanide …
                12 March 2011 at 12:05 pm

                I’d also point out that measuring only the biggest quakes doesn’t really help your point.

                Earthquakes happen all the time, but it’s only since the 1900 that we’ve been able to record them with a scientific basis. It’s logical to assume that the areas that started off with seimographs were those that were populated, so we can also assume that there may have been many large quakes that occurred during the 20th century that were in unpopulated areas and so simply weren’t recorded at all (mainly talking 6-7 here, the damaging ones that aren’t felt over huge regions).

                In other words you have a sampling bias.

                • todd …
                  12 March 2011 at 4:07 pm

                  A sampling bias? You’ve completely lost me there Lanthanide.

                  • Marty G …
                    12 March 2011 at 7:53 pm

                    it means if you’re only measuring quakes where there are large populations, it’s going to look like most large quakes happen near large populations.

                    anyway, your map doesn’t show that large earthquakes occur near large populations. most of that top 15 occurred in sparsely populated areas.

                    • todd …
                      12 March 2011 at 8:51 pm

                      Most of the biggest Earthquakes have happened in populated areas…

                      Perhaps I should rephrase that; the majority of the largest Earthquakes the world has seen, have effected highly populated areas. I would put this down to people building in areas that are geographically suitable, much of this due to Earthquakes creating those features in the first place.

                      The effects of such large Earthquakes would have been reported even if they happened in unpopulated areas or out to sea where monitoring was not undertaken. I think Lanthanides hypothesis needs some evidence before it is given any relevance.

                      By my count, only four of the 15 major Earthquakes since 1900 were in sparsely populated areas. Prince William Sound (Alaska), Alaska, Banda Sea and Kuriles. The Alaskan Earthquakes are questionable. Now we have the Japanese Earthquake as well. Here’s a small excerpt of some of the Major earthquakes and their effects:

                      Magnitude 8.8 – OFFSHORE BIO-BIO, CHILE
                      At least 521 people killed, 56 missing, about 12,000 injured, 800,000 displaced and at least 370,000 houses, 4,013 schools, 79 hospitals and 4,200 boats damaged or destroyed by the earthquake and tsunami in the Valparaiso-Concepcion-Temuco area. At least 1.8 million people affected in Araucania, Bio-Bio, Maule, O’Higgins, Region Metropolitana and Valparaiso. The total economic loss in Chile was estimated at 30 billion US dollars.

                      THE WEST COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA – In total, 227,898 people were killed or were missing and presumed dead and about 1.7 million people were displaced by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in 14 countries in South Asia and East Africa.

                      Chile 1960 Magnitude 9.5 – Approximately 1,655 killed, 3,000 injured, 2,000,000 homeless, and $550 million damage in southern Chile; tsunami caused 61 deaths, $75 million damage in Hawaii; 138 deaths and $50 million damage in Japan; 32 dead and missing in the Philippines; and $500,000 damage to the west coast of the United States.

                      etc

                      PS Lanthanide, did you see the other link to reports that people had heard a sonic boom prior to the Christchurch earthquake? Feel like making an apology yet for being an antagonistic twerp?

                    • Marty G …
                      12 March 2011 at 9:12 pm

                      I guess it depends what you meant by “populated areas”.

                      none of the ones you listed happened close to large population centres but many of the very biggest earthquakes in recorded history are going to have affected people because they affect such a large area and there are people everywhere.

                      And, remember, sampling bias. we’ve only being collecting worldwide seismic data for a matter of decades before that, the sensors were mostly confined to population centres.

  6. Pete 6
    11 March 2011 at 10:35 pm

    With a global financial centre like Japan hit like this, I don’t think the global economy will see much in the way of recovery in 2011.

    • Colonial Viper 6.1
      11 March 2011 at 10:40 pm

      Japan has a massive public debt problem, with public debt ~200% of GDP. (Makes ours at ~35% look miniscule) They were very recently downgraded to AA-/AA2. Its going to make their recovery from this very difficult.

      I agree this is a massive hit. Understanding that with the likelihood of many lives lost this is not the most appropriate time to talk about economic matters – however reinsurers all throughout the world will be reeling. The insurance situation in Christchurch will get worse because of this.

      I hope as a nation we can assist the Japanese people.

  7. prism 7
    11 March 2011 at 11:05 pm

    Radnz Home has good list of times forecast for waves.

  8. RedLogix 8
    11 March 2011 at 11:07 pm

    The only upside is that no nation on earth is prepared for this event like the Japanese. Their meticulous preparations will be paying off massively right now.

    As with ChCh in all the loss and tragedy it will be important not to overlook all the things that didn’t fall down and did work. It could have been so much worse in Japan.

    But what to say? This still looks awful. Consequences yet to be even imagined. My heart goes out to Japan and all those caught up in it directly or otherwise.

    But what of the Pacific, and the island scattered across it?

  9. Zorr 9
    11 March 2011 at 11:09 pm

    For anyone like me who doesn’t own a TV the BBC is currently streaming their coverage at the following link:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

  10. todd 10
    11 March 2011 at 11:12 pm

    Alert! A major Earthquake in Japan

    Friday, March 11, 2011 at 06:46:23 PM NZT

    http://thejackalman.blogspot.com/2011/03/massive-earthquake-in-japan.html

    NZ Civil Defense has issued a warning: A tsunami potential threat advisory is still in effect for New Zealand. Stay away from beaches and waterways.

    The tsunami warning will remain in effect until a cancellation message is issued by MCDEM.

    A Civil Defence advisory panel has been convened to assess the threat of the Japan tsunami to NZ

    NZ Tsunami Marine Warning Northland in New Zealand at 6:24 AM.

    Why do these posts keep disappearing?

  11. Lanthanide 11
    11 March 2011 at 11:19 pm

    Japan accounts for 20% of the worls 6.0M+ quakes, so they’re the most prepared country in the world for earthquakes, and obviously they named ‘tsunami’.

    At 8.9 it is Japan’s biggest ever quake, and the 7th biggest recorded in history ever.

  12. Marty G 12
    11 March 2011 at 11:41 pm

    jesus. live images on bbc of houses being swept by the tsunami across fields, ablaze. this is nearly 5 hours after the quake

  13. Colonial Viper 13
    11 March 2011 at 11:53 pm

    Al Jazeera has noted that the biggest aftershocks so far include magnitude 6.8 and 7.1 hits. Those are crazy size earthquakes in of themselves.

    FFS they have shut down some of the nuclear reactors in the area but power losses mean that some coolant water pumps have failed.

    These older design reactors need active cooling even after they have been shut down.

  14. nadis 14
    12 March 2011 at 1:12 am

    Where do you get $100 billion to $1 trillion damage from? TV pictures? Gut feel?

    • Marty G 14.1
      12 March 2011 at 3:20 am

      as if I would be making that estimate myself, don’t be stupid. media reports gave those numbers as a simple google search could have shown you if you were skeptical.

      official estimates are now over $1 trillion. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/11/3161959.htm

      For scale, Chch’s $20 billion is 10% of our GDP. $1 trillion is nearly 20% of Japan’s GDP.

      • Luva 14.1.1
        12 March 2011 at 7:35 am

        Sounds like john key maths

        • Marty G 14.1.1.1
          12 March 2011 at 7:40 am

          don’t be a dickhead. it gives a sense of scale and how difficult this will be to recover from.

          • Luva 14.1.1.1.1
            12 March 2011 at 8:06 am

            Sorry didn’t mean to be a ‘dickhead’. Just find it irriating how we speculate or just really guess on death tolls and reconstruction costs 5 minutes after something happens.

            The tv gives more than a sense of scale. Let’s leave the guessing alone

            • Marty G 14.1.1.1.1.1
              12 March 2011 at 12:12 pm

              apology accepted.

              you’ll note I didn’t list the running death toll and the damage estimates are over an order of magnitude.

            • nadis 14.1.1.1.1.2
              12 March 2011 at 12:14 pm

              It’s kind of irrelevent to think of this stuff now, but as incredible as the footage we are seeing on TV this quake has occurred in low (relatively speaking) density part of Japan. There is apparently little damage in Tokyo/Yokohama, which is an incredible testimony to the preparedness and building standards of Japan. Nowhere else in the world engineers like they do for earthquake risk, and even more importantly they don’t seem to cut corners on implementation..

              Your trillion dollar figure from that link is an estimate based on widespread damage to greater Tokyo – this will fortunately cost far fewer lives and money than those worst case assumptions or the Kobe experience. A quake like this in any other country with similar population density would result in thousands of pancaked buildings and hundreds of thousands of deaths.

              Japan will do what they are eminently capable of – fund a massive infrastructure spend out of domestic savings. Japan does have relatively high official debt (net debt around 120% of GDP) but unlike every other OECD country they fund most of this out of domestic savings.

              Its a horror event. Be strong Japan.

  15. Inventory2 15
    12 March 2011 at 5:28 am

    The television coverage of the tsunami was mindblowing. We were flicking between CNN, BBC and Sky News, and the live pictures of the tsunami approaching then making landfall were freaky; compelling, frightening and shocking, all in one. The worst aspect was watching vehicles driving TOWARDS the approaching tsunami, and possibly unaware of the fury that nature was unleashing. Thoughts, prayers and aroha are with those affected.

    PS – here’s the latest tsunami warning for NZ from Civil Defence (4.44am)

    http://www.civildefence.govt.nz/

  16. rd 16
    12 March 2011 at 7:16 am

    From a friend in Tokyo
    Thank you very much for your quickest mail. I am ok, although I was almost in panic at the first shake which lasted a few minutes. That was the hardest quake I’ve ever experienced in my life. The northern part of Japan seems to have been hardest hit by the quake and tsunami, and there must have been remarkable numbers of damages and victims. Quakes in Tokyo Area were a little softer, but frequent aftershocks are still continuing as of 21:30hrs. I am really hoping all this terminates soon. Many thanks again for your kind attention.

  17. RedLogix 17
    12 March 2011 at 7:59 am

    If the death toll in Japan remains in the range of about a 1000 as being currently predicted, this will be an astounding outcome. An absolute tribute to meticulous planning, preparation and execution.

    In the past this event would have killed many 100,000’s. In many less well prepared countries in the world it would have, as did the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.

    While the images and stories coming out of Japan are shocking and compelling all at once, I find it equally impressive to look around the edges of the destruction … to look at what has not fallen down, and what has worked.

    • Inventory2 17.1
      12 March 2011 at 10:54 am

      Sadly RL, it won’t. One of the networks was carrying an unconfirmed suggestion that 80,000 people are missing, and seeing the violence that the tsunami has rendered on some towns in northern Japan, it’s not difficult to accept that kind of number in such a populous country.

      You’re right; the images are both shocking and compelling; none moreso than the video footage of a man trying to out-run the tsunami as it marched across a field. Thank God that the video didn’t show whether or not he made it.

  18. Rosy 18
    12 March 2011 at 8:06 am

    Has our government responded with anything other than sympathy? I’m sure there is something we can do even though we have Christchurch to deal with. Japan responded to our disaster really quickly.

    • Marty G 18.1
      12 March 2011 at 8:12 am

      they’ll have to cancel the international money appeal for Chch, certainly. There’s no way we can be going cap in hand to the rest of the world when we’re actually well set to cope with our disaster and the Japanese one is so much bigger.

      • Rosy 18.1.1
        12 March 2011 at 8:34 am

        yes, it was embarrassing enough before this… I’ve just heard on BBC that Japan has asked for urban search and rescue teams from U.S., Korea, Australia and NZ. So I hope that is being organised quickly.

    • chris73 18.2
      12 March 2011 at 9:39 am

      I’ve no doubt that our government will respond to this as our governements in the past have responded to other disasters

  19. r0b 19
    12 March 2011 at 9:33 am

    What a mess. Thoughts with all in Japan.

    Last night had the surreal experience of watching cam footage of the Japan earthquake on TV while experiencing our very own Chch aftershock at the same time.

    I’ve pretty much had enough of earthquakes.

  20. word 20
    12 March 2011 at 10:00 am

    Some how this is Nationals fault. I’m sure you will connect the dots soon enough.

  21. the sprout 21
    12 March 2011 at 10:31 am

    For realtime NZ tsunami data see here:

    http://www.geonet.org.nz/tsunami/

    Dead calm on the northern east coast but obvious tidal surges, low tide has for the last couple of hours looked more like close to high tide where I am – will be interesting to see where it gets at high tide in about 5 hours.

    During the surges the tide has been coming in at about 1ft/sec.

  22. Rosy 22
    12 March 2011 at 10:45 am

    “More unsettling news from the Fukushima No 1 nuclear power reactor in Onahama: the plant’s operator Tepco says that radiation “could have already been released” from the damaged reactor, while Japan’s prime minister Naoto Kan is saying that residents within 10km of the plant must leave the area.”

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/11/japan-tsunami-earthquake-live-coverage

    Captcha: killing

    • chris73 22.1
      12 March 2011 at 11:00 am

      To be fair I’ve always thought that, eventually, nuclear power will become more prevalent.

      Maybe not if you’re situated on the pacific rim of fire…

      • Lanthanide 22.1.1
        12 March 2011 at 12:07 pm

        More modern reactor designs continue to be more and more contained and self-sufficient, as well as shrinking in size and output (as it’s safer). The nukes in Japan are typically older, much larger designs that are inherently more prone to damage.

        • chris73 22.1.1.1
          12 March 2011 at 12:23 pm

          Coolness! Bring on the nukes!! (based in Auckland of course)

          • bbfloyd 22.1.1.1.1
            12 March 2011 at 1:54 pm

            fuck you’re a wanker chris…. a genuine goldcard carrying member of the self flagulation club…spray you poisonous crap somewhere else…

        • Rosy 22.1.1.2
          12 March 2011 at 12:32 pm

          I’ve heard the new ones are way too expensive for all but the richest countries and a way more expensive than any other practicable form of energy, especially when decommissioning is taken into account. Anyway, I for one would rather not have them on these shakey isles.

          Another reactor has been added to the Japanese government’s emergency list.

          • Colonial Viper 22.1.1.2.1
            12 March 2011 at 12:49 pm

            Latest Gen III+ designs being approved and certified now are generally made to be simpler and cheaper AFAIK. They are designed to have failure rates 1/100 or 1/1000 that of reactors built in the 1970’s and 1980’s.

            What they do is take systems away and allow more natural gravity and convection processes to do the work – less complex, less moving parts, fewer pumps and valves. You don’t need power to working pumps to keep a reactor cool for instance. The natural convection of cold water past hot water does it. In an emergency these reactors are designed to be safe for 48-72 hours with absolutely no human intervention needed.

            In many ways the newest reactor designs are simpler, faster and cheaper to build than the old designs.

            For me, the main problem remains – what do you do with the low level nuclear waste produced which is going to be dangerously radioactive for tens of thousands of years.

            • Rosy 22.1.1.2.1.1
              12 March 2011 at 1:04 pm

              Yep waste is certainly the biggest problem. Geologic storage doesn’t seem the ticket here either. Maybe Australia, for example, should take full responsibility for disposal of it’s product. That still wouldn’t convince me that nuclear plants are a good idea in NZ though.

              • g says …
                12 March 2011 at 1:29 pm

                it is interesting that we are keen on collecting the waste from nuclear reactors.
                as far as i know we dont collect the waste from the gas or coal turbines which is deadly to humans immediately. this point was in a recent book by the man who put forward the gaia theory (sorry, his name eludes me.)

                • Marty G …
                  12 March 2011 at 1:38 pm

                  because if you didn’t you would quickly leave the plant’s surroundings too radioactive for permanent habitation and those radiation levels would persist for hundreds of years or more.

                • chris73 …
                  12 March 2011 at 3:43 pm

                  Professor James Lovelock

  23. vto 23
    12 March 2011 at 12:17 pm

    Absolute horror.

    What is the world coming to?

    • word 23.1
      12 March 2011 at 1:53 pm

      Nothing. This happened before, and is happening again. Just more population than before and we have the interwebs. Easier to get access to media.

  24. Colonial Viper 24
    12 March 2011 at 1:10 pm

    Question – what have we offered Japan in terms of assistance? I don’t seem to have seen anything on this yet, but have seen news reports that they have requested assistance from several countries, including ourselves.

  25. Treetop 25
    12 March 2011 at 1:21 pm

    The rarity of a massive earthquake, followed by a tsunami and then cooling systems in a nuclear reactor being compromised, it is the first on this scale that I have heard of. International disasters of this kind require an international solution. In time there may need to be an international organisation set up to fund the rescue, give and distribute immediate aid and rebuilding of the area/s affected.

  26. Marty G 26
    12 March 2011 at 2:17 pm

    some chilling parallels with the past in japan

    Kesennuma looks like it’s been incidnary bombed. they think the fires are spreading inland, out of control.

    and that refinery fire, watch the video, see the dust of the air being pulled into the fire at incredible speed and up that massive column of flame, which drops debris over a wide area – that’s how firestorms work

    • Treetop 26.1
      12 March 2011 at 2:48 pm

      Population of Japan approx 127,000,000. The parallels with August 1945 is much worse as a larger population. As well to think that 4,000,000 people in Tokyo are without power. How long until food and water is rationed? The international aid required cannot get there quick enough.

  27. joe90 27
    12 March 2011 at 3:21 pm

    Hmm..’ wonder if there’ll be a re-think about the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre budget cuts?.

  29. joe90 29
    12 March 2011 at 3:31 pm

    It appears idiocy is universal.

    A 25-year-old man was swept into the Pacific Ocean near the Klamath River in Del Norte County in Northern California. The man and two friends reportedly traveled to the shoreline to take photos of the incoming tsunami waves, Lt. Todd Vorenkamp said. His friends made it back to shore safely.

  30. Colonial Viper 30
    12 March 2011 at 3:39 pm

    Total of 5 nuclear reactors in emergency condition now 😯

    The worst one, which was the first declared a problem, now has internal pressures at 2x normal operating levels. They have been venting radioactive steam to manage that, and using a secondary cooling system. And it’s not good enough.

    Japanese engineers will be extremely peeved that something has gone wrong with their multiple back up systems. But when something this big hits, no one can plan for all the eventualities.

    http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/world/51416204-68/plant-power-emergency-nuclear.html.csp

    • todd 30.1
      12 March 2011 at 6:08 pm

      Luckily Japans weather is OK today and sunny tomorrow. They will get light rain at times on Monday through to Wednesday and then snow on Thursday. It’s currently 10˚C

      Wind direction is northerly but changes to south easterly tonight and then back to north easterly on Sunday morning. It remains the same on Monday.

      Fukushima is one of the largest nuclear plants in the world with 8 separate units located on site

    • Rich 30.2
      12 March 2011 at 7:19 pm

      Which is why it isn’t a good idea to build nuclear rectors in the in the first place.

      Still, I’m sure we’ll be told that this is an obsolete technology and the problem could not recur in a western reactor. [Oh wait, that was for Chernobyl] Try: new generations of reactors are intrinsically safe and cannot fail in the way the obsolete Japanese one did.

      • Rich 30.2.1
        12 March 2011 at 7:21 pm

        On the positive side, having a quake devastated city turned into a radioactive wasteland avoids all that petty argument about reconstruction plans.

        • Marty G 30.2.1.1
          12 March 2011 at 7:44 pm

          they think one of the reactors may have melted down. But that doesn’t mean a radiation release, just that the fuel rods and the assembly have melted. There are layers of containment (metres thick concrete) to contain the debris from a meltdown without it getting into the external environment.

          Chernobyl also had fires that made things worse and the soviet reactors didn’t have containment buildings

          • todd 30.2.1.1.1
            12 March 2011 at 9:36 pm

            There’s a report of an explosion being heard and white smoke coming from Fukushima.

            http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/special-reports/japan-declares-nuclear-emergency-following-huge-earthquake/story-fn7zkbgs-1226020058265

            An explosion was heard and white smoke was spotted at Japan’s quake-hit Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant Saturday afternoon, Jiji press agency said.

            Several workers were reported to be injured in the explosion, and smoke was seen billowing out of the plant.

            Radioactivity at the plant was 20 times over the normal level, and Japan’s Nuclear Safety Commission has said it may be experiencing meltdown.

            Pressure has reportedly been growing at the plant, with Japanese officials racing against time to cool the reactors that were disabled by yesterday’s massive earthquake and tsunami or face a nuclear meltdown.

      • hobbit 30.2.2
        12 March 2011 at 7:43 pm

        Chernobyl-style plants built in the USSR had no containment structure built around them, where as the *rest* of the western world uses full containment structures on their reactor units (What stopped Three Mile Island becoming a serious disaster). Besides, Japanese power reactors are of the PWR or BWR type, ie standard, they are not using backward technology like the Russians were – and still are to this day!

        Still, the fact that radiation is said to be 1000 times normal inside the plant, and 8 times normal outside it, is a cause for concern. We can only hope that they secure the cooling of the reactors, and that the fuel has not melted.

        captcha: degrees

  32. todd 32
    12 March 2011 at 11:03 pm

    Has Fukushima Killed Us?

    http://thejackalman.blogspot.com/2011/03/has-fukushima-killed-us.html

    The ceiling of Unit 1 has collapsed and an explosion has blown the entire outer structure off of the containment building of Unit 1 at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

    An increase of radiation levels has been confirmed following the explosion. The hourly radiation leaking from the plant is reported to be equal to the amount permitted in one year.

    A Japanese environmental group, has documented previous safety problems at the Fukushima reactor complex…

  33. prism 33
    12 March 2011 at 11:36 pm

    Good discussion on Radnz Kim Hill this morning with a nuclear watchdog – good facts and figures. It reminded me of why I don’t like nuclear plants. One of the problems that never gets talked about is that when they are old say 40 years as I think Japanese ones are, nobody wants to spend the money to decommission them. Business find it isn’t their ‘core’ business and governments usually leave it to business. Chernobyl is an example of what can happen with government in charge.
    Saturday 12 March 2011 08:18
    Kevin Kamps: nuclear emergency
    Radioactive Waste Watchdog and specialist in nuclear waste at Beyond Nuclear, talking about the problems at the Fukushima atomic power plant.

  34. Jenny 34
    12 March 2011 at 11:39 pm

    Fukushima is destined to become a name as well known and infamous as Chenoble.

    Thank the protesters who prevented this technology being built here.

Links to post

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 27

    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 27 were:1. The Minister for Ford Rangers strikes againTransport Minister Simeon Brown was again the busiest of the Cabinet ministers this week, announcing an ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    23 mins ago
  • Ticket To Anywhere

    You got a fast carAnd I want a ticket to anywhereMaybe we make a dealMaybe together we can get somewhereAny place is betterYesterday’s newsletter, Trust In Me, on the report of abuse in state care, and by religious organisations, between 1950 and 2019, coupled with the hypocrisy of Christopher Luxon ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 hour ago
  • Stories of varying weight

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 hours ago
  • Balancing External Security and the Economy

    New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    18 hours ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: The unravelling of the offsets

    The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    23 hours ago
  • What makes us tick

    This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 day ago
  • Foreshore and seabed 2.0

    In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Royal Commission report into abuse in care

    Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 26-July-2024

    Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • God what a relief

    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-07-27T00:49:50+00:00