Good news!

Written By: - Date published: 7:20 am, May 23rd, 2010 - 30 comments
Categories: news - Tags:

I was going to write a post about another looming crisis. Bees. Specifically, the death of bees. “Is that really a crisis?” – I hear you cry. Only if you like to eat. Go read the article. Dancr has a post scheduled after ten on this sort of thing (a good place for any comments re the bees).

Anyway, I was starting to write, when it occurred to me that I’m always writing about bad news. Bloody Tories. Climate change. Oil spills. Financial collapses. Countries torn apart. It’s a depressing diet. Time for a change! How about a post about good news? Let’s give it a try.

Here’s one, for example, the Free Software movement. Tens of thousands of people all over the world donating their training, their talent and their energy to make neat software and give it away. For free. Just because it’s cool, or to make a political statement. A bunch of volunteers have created tools that rival the big corporations. It’s inspiring. The World Wide Web, the tool that we’re using to communicate with now, was developed by an amazing individual who never tried to commercialise it or shackle it in any way, he just gave it away for the common good. Same goes for the internet protocols that sit underneath the web, and much of the fascinating early history of the internet. It’s not the software that’s free, it’s you. I wonder if those founders could ever have imagined what an integral part of life it has become for most of us.

So, what other good news is out there? Let’s try and leave politics out of it. What is there of national or international significance to be cheerful about? (Or anything goes if you’re moved to write about personal good news.) Go ahead – make our day…

30 comments on “Good news! ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. mach1 1
    23 May 2010 at 8:36 am

    The Benefits of Long-distance Friends, an interview with one of the heroes and the original ask metafilter thread.

  2. just saying 2
    23 May 2010 at 9:08 am

    My mother’s love affair with John Key is all but over. The fever has definitely broken. She knows he isn’t good for her, worse, for her grandkids, and that he isn’t who she thought he was.
    She’s still saying “but who else is there to vote for”? wistfully. But she remembers the last depression and know’s that Key’s doing the complete opposite of what needs to be done to pull us out of recession. What’s more she’s pretty much resigned herself to the fact that he doesn’t care about this nation and its people, actually.
    This conversation happened before the budget. We haven’t talked since, but I expect it served as a booster shot, because she’s not stupid – that isn’t why she succumbed. (but I’m damned if I know why she did).
    I’m relieved, not just for the obvious reasons but because she’s a disabled pensioner of modest means living in South Auckland (where I grew up), and she has no idea of the utter contempt that the tories she supported, have for her, and those she loves.

    So, one down, six to go – the rest of the family voted National too, (and all still live in Manukau City too, ironically).

  3. mach1 3
    23 May 2010 at 9:56 am

    The Carter Family.

    Keep on the sunny side.

  4. David 4
    23 May 2010 at 10:08 am

    Great initiative ROB,
    Heres some fantastic news. Sea levels are not rising. Hooray. And its a Peer Reviewed paper as well.

    “In a new scientific paper, Nils-Axel Morner, former emeritus head of the paleogeophysics and geodynamics department at Stockholm University in Sweden, says that observational records from around the world locations like the Maldives, Bangladesh, India, Tuvalu and Vanuatu show the sea level isn’t rising at all.

    Morner’s research, revealed Monday at the fourth International Conference on Climate Change, demonstrates that there is no “alarming sea level rise’ across the globe, and it says a U.N. report warning of coastal cities being deluged by rising waters from melting polar ice caps “is utterly wrong’

    For his paper, Morner looked at the sea-level changes in major metropolitan cities around the globe—including Venice, Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Mumbai, as well as islands such as the Maldives. A total of 159 stations were used for the research. His study showed that there was a maximum of 3 millimeters of sea level rise in some locales around the world, and many coastal cities showed no rise at all. “

    • The Voice of Reason 4.1
      23 May 2010 at 10:36 am

      ‘Sea levels are not rising’ says David, going on to quote a bloke called Morner who says they are, in fact, rising. No good news there, I’m afraid, David. Readers might like to know that Morner was speaking at a denialists’ conference and the quote came from that authoritative and unbiased source, Fox News.

      • David 4.1.1
        23 May 2010 at 10:57 am

        Are Fox News doing Peer Reviews now? Oh well I guess if its good enough for WWF..
        Rising 3 mms. Ever heard of margin of error?
        You know like the IPCC said 2-6 degrees and its only .5 degrees per century. Now thats a margin of error.
        Actually thats more good news. Nature proves IPCC wrong>

        • The Voice of Reason 4.1.1.1
          23 May 2010 at 11:29 am

          ‘Are Fox News doing Peer Reviews now?’ Nope, they just make it up. Much like you. Cite me the peer reviews, please. 10 minutes on the net found me a grand total of, um, no references what so ever to peer reviews. Here’s how Google see it:

          Your search – Nils-Axel Morner “peer review” – did not match any documents.

          And then there’s: Your search – Nils-Axel Morner “margin of error” – did not match any documents.

          Still, interesting to learn that Morner spends his spare time with a bent stick in his hands, wandering Scandinavian fields trying to divine water by blind faith. He’s a quack, David.

  5. pollywog 5
    23 May 2010 at 10:08 am

    Free music…were it not for the internet, music, and the purchase of it, would be a luxury item the common man simply couldn’t afford.

    Bless all me hearties out there ripping a new one for the great unwashed and re issuing old ones for the nostalgic.

    Music is food for the soul and now more than ever do our souls need nourishment…play on !!!

    • jcuknz 5.1
      23 May 2010 at 11:39 am

      And honest workers, not that I can stand the rubbish they output, starve for the want of royalties stolen by thieves … sorry that may be good news for the thieves but not for the creators.

      • Draco T Bastard 5.1.1
        23 May 2010 at 12:54 pm

        http://www.goodcopybadcopy.net/download

        One of the interesting pieces covered by the documentary is music making and sales in Brazil where the artists make money doing live venues. Anyone can record the show and sell that recording or give it away for free. The artists make money, the distributors make money but what you don’t have is a bunch of people making money from doing nothing at all.

        BTW, the documentary itself is distributed in a similar way. You can download it for free and then donate if you liked it.

  6. ianmac 6
    23 May 2010 at 10:34 am

    Good news! John Key will not be playing for the All Blacks after all as he will be having dinner for with Tuhoe.

    • Jim Nald 6.1
      24 May 2010 at 3:28 pm

      Good-er news!
      In honour of da PM, a special dish should be created along the lines of the Beijing Duck.
      Someone should inform Tuhoe the suggestion to call it Tuhoe’s Quack.

  7. logie97 7
    23 May 2010 at 10:35 am

    The good news is The National Parks and those administered by Regional Authorities. They are wonderful. We all believe it but some also know it.

    The Waitakere Ranges have pockets of preserved forest and areas of regeneration. I had the good fortune recently while visiting Auckland and traveling out that way to become a knower rather than just a believer.

    And as I walked along a well formed track and saw some magnificent trees and heard birdsong I thought about the destruction of the past on such fantastic tracts of land. How much of that land grab was really necessary? See, as you journey around the country you can observe vast areas of clear-felled land now in marginal pasture and wonder if the wholesale destruction of forest and bush land was necessary.

    The settlers of our lands and their governments have a lot to answer for in my opinion. It would seem that there was very little planning or assessment of what was going to be of long term benefit to this country. My hunch is it was a free for all.

    Now we appear to be fostering a new level of exploitation of natural resource – and coincidentally irreversible. Mining for minerals. Once they are gone, melted down to ingots in foreign vaults, they are gone for ever.

    And the point of their exploitation is? Another pig-out by the greedy or is it for some sort of greater benefit. Should the level of mining be “get it out as fast as we can” or take just enough to balance the countries deficits – because once it’s gone it’s gone, and if it masks underlying economic issues, then there will be no real winners.

  8. outofbed 8
    23 May 2010 at 10:40 am

    This could stuff facebook
    http://joindiaspora.com/
    diaspora /dī-ˈas-p(ə-)rə, dē-/
    origin: Greek, διασπορά “a scattering [of seeds]’
    1. the privacy aware, personally controlled, do-it-all distributed open source social network

  9. mach1 9
    23 May 2010 at 10:43 am

    More soul food for ya Mr P Wog.

    “Old Country Stomp’ by Henry Thomas and Jimmie Riddle with the lost art of Eephing.

  10. Name 10
    23 May 2010 at 10:53 am

    Well it may not be in keeping with the tone R0B wanted to set but I take the view that all the bad news he refers to – “Bloody Tories. Climate change. Oil spills. Financial collapses. Countries torn apart. It’s a depressing diet. Time for a change!” – is exactly that. Time for a change.

    On so many fronts we are learning the hard way that we can’t go on as we have been. It’s time for as fundamental a change as any humanity has undertaken in history – the move from hunter/herder to farmer, from urban self-sufficiency to specialist city-dweller to industrialisation.

    We live in scary but exciting times. For the last five – ten thousand years ‘progress’ and development has been in the hands of an educated few, such as kings and priests. Even democracy relies on the surrender of personal sovereignty to the elected. Yet now for the first time in history we have both an educated commons and means of mass communication and dissemination. While the status quo anti met our needs and gave us bread and circuses we were happy to let history drift and leave it in the hands of the kings and priests but their patent failure on so many fronts in so many places had led the beginnings of wide-spread questioning of the fundamentals while for the first time in ten thousand years there is the facility for society as a whole to consider all the various answers and move towards a consensus.

    It’s not going to be easy. There’s certainty of “blood, sweat and tears” and potential for catastrophe. The hegemony of the Roman empire based on slavery and oppression was broken by internal corruption and external attack; the straightjacket of the European feudal system was shattered by the Black Death; China’s long, long paralysis beneath its rigid bureaucracy and protocol-trapped Emperors was broken by external attack and internal revolution.

    Just as the life of the sedentary couch-potato can be changed by the heart-attack that forces a life-style change for the better it can be scary at the time but later acknowledged to be a good thing, the heart-attack we are now suffering as a society is scary. Whether or not we look back on it as a good thing depends on whether we learn the lessons and put them to good effect.

    Whether or not you regard this as a good thing depends on you.

  11. frustrated 11
    23 May 2010 at 11:08 am

    Kudos to you r0b great idea – I often wonder why they don’t do this on the TV news more often – but then after reading the posts it appears that so many can’t see past the politicing and moaning.

    Oh we’ll time for some Johnny Cash

    • Rex Widerstrom 11.1
      23 May 2010 at 4:00 pm

      I often wonder why they don’t do this on the TV news more often

      As a one-time producer of news, allow me to suggest the answer to your rhetorical question is “because it’d bore the arse off you”.

      I love Johnny Cash, but he’s not news. “Good” news is “Three legged dog finds way home across desert”, “Old dear reaches 100 years old” etc etc.

      The sad truth is that we’re conditioned as a species to find “good news” not all that interesting. Even the stories (run quite regularly) about some impending medical breakthrough generally cause us to shrug, think “that’s nice” and promptly forget about it unless we, or someone we know, has the disease that might be cured.

      Having said that, I loathe the “if it bleeds, it leads” style of news, which attempts to justify showing us gore and violence by convincing us that there’s a “bigger” story behind it – the decline of civilisation as we know it, usually.

  12. Pat 12
    23 May 2010 at 11:48 am

    The good news is that, in the entire history of human existance, there has never been a better time for women, that right now.

    More good news: our kids are smarter than us. I’d go so far to say that they are better than us.

    • A Nonny Moose 12.1
      24 May 2010 at 10:17 am

      But it doesn’t mean we should stop and rest on our laurels. There’s still a long way to for women’s rights and equality.

      So saying “Women have it great!” isn’t news, it’s a silencing tactic.

  13. jason rika 13
    23 May 2010 at 12:59 pm

    Life created in a petri dish. I am an atheist and consider this a revolutionary event. It will help broaden our understanding of how we came to be and not waste time and wars on ramming through religious dogma tantamount to fairytales for grown ups. Or as someone once wrote, beief in a god is just father christmas for adults.

  14. the pinkpostman 14
    23 May 2010 at 1:52 pm

    The good news is that the time is getting closer to when we can chuck this Tory Rabble out.
    The goods news is that the “Great=Mets release of the Opera Films have been a great success and will be continues next year.
    The good news is that dispite having a low toll result for the last two years
    Phill Goff is starting to make a good impression.
    And finally but not the least the warm weather is hanging on plus the fact that the long term weather forcast is for a mild summer.

  15. Draco T Bastard 15
    23 May 2010 at 2:34 pm

    Celebrating the Success of the Free Market

    Back in the beginning (around 1970) the first personal computer was born. Over the following two decades a few others came into being in direct competition – Altair, Apple, Commodore, Radioshack. None were compatible with any of the others. Almost all of them are now gone from the market.

    Into this exciting mix of incompatibility was launched the IBM PC in 1981. A simple computer, arguably not as good as some of the others that came on the market that same decade but it had one thing going for it that none of the others did – anyone could make one and people did (Well, it also had IBM stamped on the side but that’s another story). Throughout the 1980s people and companies reverse engineered the IBM PC (not particularly hard as it used off the shelf hardware) and made copies. They weren’t always as good as the IBM machines but they were cheaper and they ran the same software – most notably, MS-DOS. Compatibility was brought into the computing world.

    Through the 1990s some of the surviving personal computers from the 1980s tried to compete. These were the Apple Macintosh and the Commodore Amiga. All others had passed the way of the dodo and the Amiga was to pass that way in this time. The IBM PC Compatibles, on the other hand, were going from strength to strength. Many people and companies putting in huge amounts of resources to develop – the same machine. Multiple companies developing the CPUs, RAM and other hardware all to the same base standards resulted in huge amount of progress. It was in the decade that the IBM PC and compatibles had a name change to “Windows Machine”.

    Going into the 2000s the Apple Macintosh was the only personal computer competing with the IBM PC Compatible and the lack of resources put into development was starting to tell. In the 1980s and 1990s it was, quite simply, much better than the IBM PC. It holds the achievement of being the first personal computer to wear the label “supercomputer” but it’s not a label that it could hold exclusively for long. In 2005 Apple announced that it was shifting to the Intel chip set – the heart of the IBM PC Compatibles. Further development of the PowerPC CPU, the descendent of the Motorola 68000 that powered the original Macintosh, came to an end. The Apple Mac is now an IBM PC Compatible running a different OS (it takes a bit of work but you can get your Windows Machine to run MacOS).

    From the 8 bit computing of the 1970s to 64 bit computing today what we see is the success of the free market operating under that harshest of regulatory regimes – open standards.

  16. philu 16
    23 May 2010 at 3:05 pm

    http://whoar.co.nz/2010/after-keeping-us-waiting-for-a-century-mark-twain-will-finally-reveal-all/

    ” The great American writer left instructions not to publish his autobiography until 100 years after his death, which is now
    Exactly a century after rumours of his death turned out to be entirely accurate, one of Mark Twain’s dying wishes is at last coming true:

    an extensive, outspoken and revelatory autobiography which he devoted the last decade of his life to writing is finally going to be published.

    The creator of Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn and some of the most frequently misquoted catchphrases in the English language left behind 5,000 unedited pages of memoirs when he died in 1910

    together with handwritten notes saying that he did not want them to hit bookshops for at least a century.

    That milestone has now been reached, and in November the University of California, Berkeley, where the manuscript is in a vault, will release the first volume of Mark Twain’s autobiography.

    The eventual trilogy will run to half a million words and shed new light on the quintessentially American novelist ‘

    phil(whoar.co.nz)

  17. r0b 17
    23 May 2010 at 4:19 pm

    Here’s a useless bit of personal good news. Had a good day in the garden. All squared away for winter. Hooh ah!

    I am encouraged by the reception to this post, might do it again every now and then. How often?

  18. prism 18
    24 May 2010 at 2:28 pm

    I suggested once before how good it would be to have reports of positive initiatives in NZ that are creating employment in a sustainable way etc. Also a change in negative practices by government and private interests would be worth registering. It would be good if it could be added to each day like a diary. It would be an antidote for the blues one can get after reading about the bad things happening. That would be good. And we could think ‘What’s good and positive today in our society and world as well, and look it up.” Instant good feeling, even if fleeting.

  19. prism 19
    25 May 2010 at 9:19 am

    Good news for local and visiting musicians, students and NZs music industry from Dunedin initiative. $1 million has been spent on a large music mixing desk by the University to go in the 50 year old recording studio built originally by RadioNZ to match the BBCs Abbey Road one. The University now owns it I think.
    This is a positive and intelligent investment to support the expertise and enthusiasm of Dunedin musicians. I think they have called it the NZ Music Centre.

    Sound link thru RadNZ – available for some time (presently archives go back to Jan 2008).
    Tues 25/5/10 RadioNZ Morning Report – Dunedin to be music hub with state-of-the-art studio Otago University has a new, state-of-the-art recording studio. (duration: 3′38″)
    captcha – arrangements!

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    Almost all of the Wellington City Council’s recommended zoning changes to allow many more apartments and townhouses in its inner-suburbs have been approved.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guest on geopolitics, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #19 2024
    Open access notables A Global Increase in Nearshore Tropical Cyclone Intensification, Balaguru et al., Earth's Future: Tropical Cyclones (TCs) inflict substantial coastal damages, making it pertinent to understand changing storm characteristics in the important nearshore region. Past work examined several aspects of TCs relevant for impacts in coastal regions. However, ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Losing confidence in the integrity of NZ elections
    Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result? As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and always answered “yes”, with very few ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • The Song of Saqua: Volume VIII
    Thus far May has followed on from a quiet April in the blogging department, but in fairness, it has been another case of doing what I am supposed to be doing, namely writing original fiction. Plus reading. So don’t worry – I have been productive. But in order to reassure ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago

  • Pretending to talk other people’s languages
    Fakes can come in many forms.A Rolex, for instance.A tan can be fake. Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • What’s new? A social agency with an emphasis on “investment” instead of “wellbeing” – b...
    Buzz from the Beehive A new government agency will open for business on July 1 – the Social Investment Agency. As a new standalone central agency effective from 1 July, it will lead the development of social investment across Government, helping ministers understand who they need to invest in, what ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • Following the political money
    Bryce Edwards writes –    “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Hipkins would rather no one remember that he was Minister of Education
    Alwyn Poole writes –  After being elected to Parliament in 2008 the maiden speech of Hipkins was substantially around education policy. He was Labour’s spokesperson for education 2011 – 2017. He was Minister for Education from 2017 until February 2023. This is approximately 88% of the time Labour ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Fashionable follies
    Eric Crampton writes –  A fashion industry group is lobbying for protections. They make the usual arguments and a newer one. None of it makes sense. An industry group says it pumped $7.8 billion into the economy last year – that’s 1.9 percent of New Zealand’s GDP. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Justice for Bainimarama!
    In December 2006, Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government in a coup. He ruled Fiji for the next 16 years, first as dictator, then as "elected" Prime Minister. But now, he's finally been sent to jail where he belongs. Sadly, this isn't for his real crime of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • March for Nature in June
    Don't like National's corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" law? Aotearoa's environmental NGO's - Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, WWF, Coromandel Watchdog, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, and others - have announced a joint march against it in Auckland in June: When: 13:00, 8 June, 2024 Where: Aotea Square, Auckland You ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Thursday May 9
    Seymour describes sushi as too woke for school meals. There are no fish sushi meals recommended by the School Lunches programme. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Government will swap out hot meals for packaged sandwiches to save $107 million on school lunches for poor kids. MSD has pulled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • The non-woke $3 Lunch.
    I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadenceBut I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled, yeahBut it's on the table, the fire's cookin'And they're farmin' babies, while slaves are workin'The blood is on the table and the mouths are chokin'But I'm goin' hungry, yeahSome ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Labour’s chickens come home to roost
    The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • Calvin Reviews Lord of The Rings
    Hi,If you’ve been digging through the newly launched Webworm store (orders are being dispatched worldwide as I type!) you’ll have noticed the best model we had was Calvin.This is Calvin.Calvin.Calvin is 7, and is the son of my producer over on Flightless Bird, Rob — aka “Wobby Wob”. Rob also ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago

  • Climate Adam: How to visualise Climate Change (ft. Katharine Hayhoe)
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • The wrong direction
    Some good news on climate change today: the energy transition away from fossil fuels is picking up speed, and renewables now make up 30% of global electricity supply. Meanwhile, in Aotearoa, we're moving in the opposite direction, with Genesis Energy announcing that it will resume importing Indonesian coal. Their official ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • National hates democracy
    Its a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • No Tikanga Please, We're Lawyers.
    Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Member’s Day
    Today is a Member's Day, and it seems we've entered the slowdown as things emerge from select committee. First up is the committee stage of Greg O'Connor's Child Protection (Child Sex Offender Government Agency Registration) (Overseas Travel Reporting) Amendment Bill, which will be followed by the second readings of Stuart ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Hurrah for coal – Shane Jones welcomes Genesis Energy’s import plans as natural gas production s...
    Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Following the political money
    “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The political parties are legally obliged to make ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 days ago

  • A Left-Right ranking of universities in NZ: a practical guide for students and parents
    Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim. Extreme Left   Auckland University of Technology Evidence The ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  •  Inflation and GST thresholds
    Eric Crampton writes –  I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Green Party grapples with persistent scandals
    Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes –  Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • A law school to be avoided – Auckland University of Technology
    Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • 17 people in Malaita stand in way of China’s takeover of the Solomons
    Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the Hamas Ceasefire Offer, and Mark Mitchell’s Incompetence
    With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    6 days ago

  • Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Wednesday May 8
    Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • A few PT announcements
    There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    6 days ago

  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Green Party grapples with persistent scandals
    Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 days ago

  • At a glance – Tree ring proxies and the divergence problem
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago

  • Nothing to sneer at
    Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago

  • Still on their bullshit
    When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • Drawn
    A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • A nod and a wink that will unnecessarily cost Aucklanders tens of millions per year
    Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • Correcting the Corrections announcement – a fiscal farce that should bother the OECD
     Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  •  Like it or not, the Kiwis are either going into ‘Pillar 2’ – or they are going to China
    Chris Trotter writes –  Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • A balanced and an unbalanced article
    David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • Deeply unserious country
    Every bit of this seems insane. And people wonder why productivity is falling through the floor. Energy News reports that the Environment Court finally threw out Allan Crafar’s appeal against a solar farm. From the story: Consent was granted in 2022. Crafar appealed November 2022. On what grounds? That ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students
    The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…  Gary Judd KC writes –  I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/?p=77196
    The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    7 days ago

  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Tuesday, May 7
    TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • HM Prison Aotearoa.
    A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago

  • Get Your Webworm Merch!
    Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 week ago

  • COVID-19 Inquiry terms of reference consultation results received
    “The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago

  • The Pacific family of nations – the changing security outlook
    Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests  Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues  Ladies and Gentlemen,  Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru    It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago

  • NZ and Papua New Guinea to work more closely together
    Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • Driving ahead with Roads of Regional Significance
    The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago

  • New Zealand congratulates new Solomon Islands government
    A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office.    “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • New Zealand supports UN Palestine resolution
    New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Speech to the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium
    Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • $571 million for Defence pay and projects
    Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Climate change – mitigating the risks and costs
    New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Getting new job seekers on the pathway to work
    Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Accelerating Social Investment
    A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says.  “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Getting Back on Track
    Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with  your Board and team, for hosting me.   I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • NZ – European Union ties more critical than ever
    Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith,   Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States,   Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us.   Ladies and gentlemen -    In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations.   ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Therapeutic Products Act to be repealed
    The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District Plan
    The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violence
    Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston.  “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Smarter lunch programme feeds more, costs less
    Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Report provides insights into marine recovery
    New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • NZ to send political delegation to the Pacific
    Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region.   The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu.    “New Zealand has deep and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Low gas production threatens energy security
    There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co.  Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Defence industry talent, commitment recognised
    Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Speech to the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry
    Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Speech to the Sixth Annual New Zealand Government Data Summit
    It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government.  I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Ceasefire agreement needed now: Peters
    New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Daily school attendance data now available
    A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour.  The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Ambassador to United States appointed
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America.    “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says.    “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • New permit proposed for recreational gold mining
    The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • NZ and the UAE launch FTA negotiations
    Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand Sign Language Week an opportunity for anyone to sign
    New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Next stop NASA for New Zealand students
    Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • $1.9 billion investment to keep NZ safe from crime
    New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • OECD reinforces need to control spending
    The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli.   ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Agreement delivers Local Water Done Well for Auckland
    The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Gaza and the Pacific on the agenda with Germany
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today.    "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Decision allows for housing growth in Western Bay of Plenty
    The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Speech to New Zealand China Council
    Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today.    Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Modern insurance law will protect Kiwi households
    The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Government recommits to equal pay
    The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says.  “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Transforming how our children learn to read
    Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.  “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • NZ not backing down in Canada dairy dispute
    Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

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