Hosking wants Auckland Council deposed
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- Date published:
11:00 am, May 8th, 2015 - 45 comments
Categories: auckland supercity, democracy under attack, national, public transport, same old national, supercity, sustainability, transport -
Tags: mike hosking, nick smith, penny hulse
From the you have to be out of your freaking mind file comes this beauty from Mike Hosking. He is advocating for Nick Smith to roll Auckland Council.
The reason? The housing crisis is all Auckland Council’s fault and a central government takeover is the only thing that will resolve the problem.
Here is what he said:
The Auckland Council, in yet another display of its complete inability and ineptitude, has bought a fight with the Government over special housing sites by blocking three of them and holding the Government to ransom.
In a week in which we have discovered the average sale price in Auckland is now $800,000, in a week the Government’s bumped the affordable homes prices by about 50 grand a house, in a week in which Barfoot & Thompson tells us it has never sold so many homes, the last thing Nick Smith needs is a bunch of head-in-the-sanders telling him what they’re putting up with and what they’re not.
I think we’ve worked our way through the whole “housing crisis” enough to understand most of it has nothing to do with the Government.
Indirectly the Government is responsible for the conditions which exist, ie a strong economy, cheap money, booming migration … but these are broad-based market conditions and in many respects we should be welcoming them.
The bit that does have to do with the Government is supply.
You want to slow prices rising? Build more homes.
The special housing areas Hosking is talking about are located in the Kumeu-Huapai area in the north west of Auckland, well away from the urban area. Council decided to put the applications on hold while it talked to Central Government about transport issues. The North Western motorway is already congested and further development so far from the city centre will only make matters worse. The proposed North Western busway and a very sensible proposal to build up and enhance rail services using the Kumeu station would be required to make development manageable. Otherwise we are looking at more congestion.
Deputy mayor Penny Hulse confirmed the applications for the “reasonable sized” developments had been put on hold while Auckland Council worked out with the government the issues around transport to the region.
Local residents had told the council they were not opposed to the developments, but “they’re already trying to drive down a very congested norwest motorway to work every day, it’s one of the most congested motorways in Auckland”.
In addition the council was also grappling for funding for rail to that area.
“We were already sitting down with the Prime Minister, with local MPs and the council, who agree transport in that area is an issue.”
Auckland was feeling the gap in contributions from developers, which paid for the basic infrastructure needs around their developments such as pipes in the ground and local roads, but which didn’t cover the wider impacts on larger roads and public transport.
“The bottom line is for us, we’re not being difficult, we’re not being intransigent around this, we’re just saying we also need to manage the costs of growth for Auckland ratepayers,” Hulse said.
What was needed to improve transport links from the west was a dedicated busway along the northwestern motorway, similar to the one on the northern motorway from the North Shore, and electric trains all the way to Huapai.
Not only are the concerns utterly rational, they are also legal requirements. Under the Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Act 2013 a special housing area cannot be created unless the Minister is satisfied adequate infrastructure to service the development either exists or will exist. And “infrastructure” includes transport infrastructure.
How did the Government respond? In typical Nick Smith behaviour the Minister tried to blame the Council for Auckland’s housing problems. He claimed that Auckland is already getting more than its share of transport funding. Given it is the fastest growing area in the country this should not be considered an unusual phenomenon.
And in his typically belligerent style Smith has threatened to overrule Auckland Council’s decision.
“The Government also the power to create special housing areas without the approval of the Auckland Council, if they choose to overplay their cards and demands for money,” he said.
“The legislation makes plain that the Government’s strong preference is to work in co-operation with the Auckland Council, and to work on these issues together and those arrangements are still robust.
“If the Auckland Council overplays its card the legislation does make provision for the Government to approve SHAs without the approval of the Council.”
Of course Smith will have to reconcile approving the SHAs at a time where the transport infrastructure is clearly inadequate.
Getting back to Hosking’s rant the basic fallacy with his comments is that he thinks the solution is to allow more subdivision. Unchecked urban sprawl is the answer to Auckland’s housing problems as far as he is concerned. He then rails against increasing council rates despite the fact that urban sprawl is the most expensive form of development as far as a Council is concerned.
He finishes off by claiming there is no housing problem in Auckland.
There is no crisis, there is no bubble. Increased numbers of houses will come on to the market, interest rates will rise, migration will slow … market forces will meld their way into their own natural solution.
With his every utterance I am becoming more and more convinced that Mike Hosking is becoming the New Zealand equivalent of Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly. Either that or the reality he occupies is not the same one that I occupy.
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- Hypocrisy as Te Whatu Ora contractor bill balloons
Te Whatu Ora’s bill for contracting and consulting staff has ballooned by nearly 20 percent under the National Government, breaking a promise they made during the election campaign to cut contractors. ...4 days ago
- Release: Growing pressure to scrap Section 7AA Repeal Bill
The newly released Section 7AA Repeal Bill's select committee report is further evidence that the Government should scrap it. ...5 days ago
- Government’s move to monetise access to nature a slippery slope
The Green Party is voicing serious concerns over the Government’s proposal to charge for access to public conservation land, released today. ...1 week ago
- Green Party condemns the passage of Treaty Principles Bill
The Green Party condemns the passing of the Treaty Principles Bill at first reading, and is clear that the fight is not over. ...1 week ago
- Stand Up for Te Tiriti
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is our country’s founding document. It forms the basis of the relationship between Māori and the Crown – and the Aotearoa New Zealand we live in today. ...1 week ago
- Release: Over 15,000 sign Labour’s open letter to Luxon
As the hīkoi to Parliament continues, Labour has sent an open letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in a last-ditch attempt to get him to kill the Treaty Principles Bill. ...1 week ago
- Fast Track Bill threatens environment, climate and reputation
The fast-track legislation passing its second reading in Parliament is another step towards environmental ruin. ...1 week ago
- Greens join King’s Counsel in calling for Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned
The Prime Minister must answer the call from a group of senior lawyers of the King’s Counsel to abandon the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...1 week ago
- Chris Hipkins’ apology statement to state and faith-based care survivors
...1 week ago
- Release: Labour formally apologises to state and faith-based care survivors
Labour joins with the Government in unreservedly apologising for the abuse, neglect and trauma including torture in state and faith-based care and for ignoring the voices of survivors for too long. ...1 week ago
- Green Party stands in support of survivors of abuse in care
Today, the Green Party stands alongside the survivors of abuse in state care and faith-based care as the Government issues an historic apology. ...1 week ago
- Green Party calls for conscience vote on Treaty Principles Bill
The Green Party has written to the Speaker of the House requesting he enable a personal vote on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt move to exclude journalist risks chilling effect
The Green Party is alarmed by the Government’s move to exclude a journalist from covering this week’s apology for the survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care. ...2 weeks ago
- Without action, an apology will be empty air
For tomorrow’s apology to survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care to hold any water, the Government must not pursue the same policies that drove the abuse in the first place. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Concerns remain over tobacco interference
Concerns about the tobacco industry’s ability to interfere in government policy making remain, despite the inability of the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate the Government’s decision to halve the excise tax on heated tobacco products. ...2 weeks ago
- Urgent wake-up call on climate
The Climate Change Commission’s latest advice indicates Aotearoa needs to be stepping up on climate action. ...2 weeks ago
- Green MP’s Meme-ber’s Bill set to save the world
Break out the punchlines and dust off your meme folder: Green Party MP Kahurangi Carter’s Copyright (Parody and Satire) Amendment Bill was pulled from the Ballot yesterday. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Poroporoaki: Ta Robert (Bom) Gillies
Kua hinga te manawa kairākau o Te Rua Tekau Ma Waru Tiwhatiwha te po! Kakarauru i te po! Ka rapuhia kei hea koe kua riro! Haere e te Ika a Whiro ki o tini hoa kua ngaro atu ki te Pō ...2 weeks ago
- Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principles Bill
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principle...
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ must pursue independent foreign policy
The Green Party says the need is greater than ever for Aotearoa New Zealand to pursue an independent foreign policy. ...2 weeks ago
- Record number of submissions received on granny flat proposal
Nearly 2,000 submissions have been received on the Government’s proposals aimed at making it easier to build a granny flat of up to 60 square metres without a resource or building consent, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk say. “This is the highest number ...2 hours ago - District Court Judge appointed
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Rebecca Guthrie as a District Court Judge. Judge Guthrie was admitted to the bar in 1997 following her graduation from the University of Canterbury in 1996 (LLB, BA). She commenced her legal career in Hastings in 1997 before moving to London in ...2 hours ago
- Appointments strengthen Predator Free 2050
The latest Predator Free 2050 Board appointments will help to strengthen biodiversity efforts across Aotearoa New Zealand, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says. Mr Potaka today announced two appointments to the Board of Directors of Predator Free 2050 Limited, a key player in the wider Predator Free 2050 Programme. “The Predator ...4 hours ago
- New facility in Christchurch will improve the lives of young New Zealanders
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey today opened Kahurangi, an innovative and much-needed facility for Canterbury’s Child, Adolescent, and Family Mental Health Services. “The new state of the art outpatient facility opened today will be a gamechanger for the way mental health is delivered for young people in Canterbury,” says Mr ...4 hours ago
- Driver safety screens to be installed on Auckland buses
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news from the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) that bus driver protection screens will be installed across Auckland’s bus fleet by 2026.“The Government is committed to improving the safety of working environments for bus drivers, and Budget 2024 allocated $15 million of Crown funding over ...4 hours ago
- Government action provides Southland farmers more time to meet plan requirements
The Government is taking action to ensure Southland farmers and growers are not affected by unreasonable regional farm plan deadlines, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard say.“Cabinet has agreed to provide more time for farmers and growers to comply with regional rules ...21 hours ago
- Bill reaffirms Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending
The Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Bill had its first reading at Parliament today. The Bill reaffirms the Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. “In recent years we have seen an unacceptable spike in youth offending. “This Bill makes ...21 hours ago
- Critical milestones for earthquake buildings review
Fairer, more sensible rules about managing earthquake risks are a step closer with the passing of legislation and the appointment of an independent chair to provide expert advice, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The Government is committed to reinvigorating our cities and regions to support economic growth, ...22 hours ago
- State of the art radiology machine for Auckland
People in Northland and Auckland will benefit from a new machine for cancer treatment installed at the Regional Cancer and Blood Service at Auckland City Hospital. The MV5 linear accelerator, or LINAC machine, officially opened today targets cancer tumours with pinpoint accuracy. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says this new, ...22 hours ago
- Foreign Minister to visit Europe
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Europe for high-level talks with France, Germany and the United Kingdom next week. "Since taking office almost a year ago, the Coalition Government has emphasised the importance we place on New Zealand's traditional and likeminded diplomatic and ...23 hours ago
- First arrests made under gang patch ban
Police have made their first arrests under the new gang patch legislation, with two gang members arrested, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “Just before 11 this morning, Police in Wairoa apprehended a gang member for wearing a patch to the supermarket. He has been arrested and will now face enforcement ...24 hours ago
- Better support for victims of sexual violence
The Government is proposing two major changes to name suppression laws that will put the views of victims of sexual violence first, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “We are committed to restoring law and order and these two proposed changes will help ensure the victims of crime are put at ...1 day ago
- Government moving forward with Regional Deals
Cabinet has agreed to invite all regions to submit proposals for Regional Deals between central and local government that drive economic growth and deliver the infrastructure our country needs, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop say. Inviting all regions to propose a Regional Deal that boosts ...1 day ago
- MSA pilot participant update
One of the ten young men selected to participate in the Military-Style Academy Pilot has allegedly reoffended. Children’s Minister Karen Chhour is disappointed but says it would be naïve to think that none of these young men would reoffend. “I’m saddened that this young person has not taken this opportunity ...1 day ago
- Fighting for Kiwis in Trade
Delivered at Auckland Trade and Economic Policy School Good morning and thank you Deputy Vice Chancellor Lithander for your warm welcome and for inviting me to open Auckland Trade and Economic Policy School today. A Special thanks to the University of Auckland, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and ...1 day ago
- Attendance rates increase, again
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that school attendance is continuing to rise. In Term 3 of 2024 51.3 per cent of students attended school regularly, an increase of 5.3 percentage points from 46 per cent in Term 3 of 2023. “This Government has prioritised student attendance and it is ...1 day ago
- Improving the lives of young New Zealanders
Ensuring New Zealand is the best place in the world for children and young people is the vision at the heart of the Government’s new Child and Youth Strategy, Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston says. “Childhood represents a huge opportunity to set people on a positive path towards living ...1 day ago
- Government continues work to reinstate livestock exports by sea
The Government is reinstating the trade of livestock exports by sea while ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare, says Associate Minister of Agriculture Andrew Hoggard.“The Government will introduce legislation changes to reinstate the trade, enhance oversight, and strengthen requirements for exporters to identify risks and manage the welfare of ...2 days ago
- Speech to the National Quality Forum 2024
Tēnā koutou katoa – it is a pleasure to be here today. I would like to begin by acknowledging the important leadership role you all play in ensuring a quality health system New Zealanders can trust. There is enormous clinical expertise in this room covering a wide range of disciplines. ...2 days ago
- New Zealand’s COP29 National Statement
Tēnā koutou katoa. Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. New Zealand, and all nations represented here today, are already dealing with the impacts of climate change. Our households, businesses, and economies are bearing the costs of its effects. The choices we make now will shape the severity of these impacts for generations ...2 days ago
- Latest Quarterly Investment Report released
The Government has released its second Quarterly Investment Report (QIR) which shows substantial work still to be done by agencies to improve investment reporting and meet the Government’s expectations, Infrastructure and Acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “New Zealand has significant infrastructure and investment needs. The Government is determined to get ...2 days ago
- New Zealand supporting loss and damage fund
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced New Zealand will contribute NZ$10 million to the new Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage while at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. “New Zealand is joining the global effort to address the significant challenge of responding to ...2 days ago
- Gang crackdown begins at stroke of midnight
The free ride for gangs is over when the clock strikes midnight tonight, with tough new laws officially coming into effect, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say. “Gang patches will no longer be able to be worn in public. To earn the right to wear a ...2 days ago
- LGFA increases borrowing capacity to support high growth councils
The Government is welcoming the decision by the Local Government Funding Agency to increase access to financing tools for fast growing councils to support greater investment in critical infrastructure, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says.“Communities across the country are facing an infrastructure deficit and significant population growth is projected in ...2 days ago
- Temporary Traffic Management costs revealed
The Government has revealed that over the past three years, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has spent an eyewatering $786 million of taxpayers’ money on road cones and temporary traffic management (TTM), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“When I became Minister, I was surprised to learn that that NZTA did ...3 days ago
- Jurisdiction of Disputes Tribunal to double
Legislation that will double the financial jurisdiction of the Disputes Tribunal from $30,000 to $60,000 has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith. “We need to improve court timeliness and access to justice so that Kiwis and get on with their lives. Court delays affect everyone, the ...3 days ago
- Protecting New Zealand from foreign interference
Legislation that will specifically criminalise foreign interference and strengthen espionage offences has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “It is normal and appropriate for states to interact and work to influence one another. This encourages cooperation and can have mutually beneficial outcomes. “However, the reality ...3 days ago
- Significant milestone for Canterbury Road of National Significance
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news that the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board has approved funding towards pre-implementation and early works on the State Highway 1 (SH1) Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass Road of National Significance (RoNS). “Reaching this significant milestone is a reflection of our Government’s ...3 days ago
- Health survey results to help drive change
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says findings from the annual Health Survey highlight the need to continue driving better health outcomes for New Zealanders. The New Zealand Health Survey is an annual snapshot of key metrics measured from July 2023 – July 2024. Findings released this morning include: In 2023/24, ...3 days ago
- Final push needed to get to Smokefree 2025
A renewed effort to get people to quit smoking will build on what has worked to date and target the groups who most need support, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said today. “The latest New Zealand Health Survey results show the daily smoking rate at 6.9 per cent and we ...3 days ago
- New diplomatic appointments
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced four new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign ...3 days ago
- Next steps for Regulatory Standards Bill
Regulation Minister David Seymour has today announced the next steps in the Government’s plan improve the quality of regulation by opening consultation on a proposed Regulatory Standards Bill. “New Zealand's low wages can be blamed on low productivity, and low productivity can be blamed on poor regulation,” says Mr Seymour. ...3 days ago
- Red Tape Tipline goes live
Minister for Regulation David Seymour has today announced that the Ministry for Regulation’s Red Tape Tipline is now live. “We want to hear about your red tape horror stories. From today, New Zealanders will have a say on how they are regulated through an online portal,” says Mr Seymour. The ...3 days ago
- Youth Parliament 2025 announced
The Minister for Youth Matt Doocey has today announced the eleventh Youth Parliament will be taking place in 2025. “Youth Parliament offers a unique youth development opportunity to young people from across New Zealand to experience the political process and learn about how government works,” says Mr Doocey. “The two-day ...4 days ago
- Police stats show promising change
After nearly a year in Government, Kiwis have seen significant change across law and order with promising early results shown across some Police statistics, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “In August 2023, I told New Zealanders that if they had not started to see a change in public safety within ...4 days ago
- Better coordination of anti-scam efforts
With the launch of Fraud Awareness Week, the Government is committing to new coordination efforts across industry and government to combat online scams, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Online financial scams are a growing problem for New Zealand. New data released today shows that Kiwis lost nearly ...4 days ago
- Minister to consider 7AA select committee report
Minister for Children Karen Chhour will consider the recommendations made by the Social Services and Community Committee in its report back to Parliament on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill. “I want to thank the people who made submissions and those who appeared before the committee in ...4 days ago
- Defence Minister to attend ASEAN meeting
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Vientiane, Laos. “We need to take every opportunity to engage with our international partners, given the increasingly unstable geo-political situation,” Ms Collins says. “New Zealand has a long-standing commitment to this ...4 days ago
- Launching the White Ribbon Ride
The Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Karen Chhour, was on hand to wish riders well at the start of the North Island leg of the White Ribbon Ride in Whakatāne this morning. The ride helps mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, ...5 days ago
- Construction to begin on next stage of Papakura to Drury
Construction on the next stage of the SH1 Papakura to Drury project will begin early next month, with the contract for works awarded to Fulton Hogan, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. "SH1 Papakura to Drury is a key project that will drive economic growth and productivity, reduce congestion, and enable people ...6 days ago
- Gang chapter president’s patch seized in first 24 hours of ban
The first arrest was made just three minutes after midnight, with 11 more to come. ...1 hour ago - Government slammed for pushing on with boot camps amid trial
Labour has accused National of ignoring the evidence. ...1 hour ago
- The unspoken rule of conversation that explains why AI chatbots feel so human
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Celeste Rodriguez Louro, Chair of Linguistics and Director of Language Lab, The University of Western Australia Rroselavy / Shutterstock Earlier this year, a Hong Kong finance worker was tricked into paying US$25 million to scammers who had used deepfake technology to ...1 hour ago - Who were Caracalla and Geta, the cruel and unhinged Roman brother emperors depicted in Gladiator II?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Hanaghan, Senior Research Fellow in Latin Christianity in Late Antiquity, Australian Catholic University Warning: this article contains mild spoilers. When Gladiator I was released in 2000, I was a high school Classics student and the film brought Classical literature to life ...1 hour ago
- Gang patch ban: The first 24 hours
The first arrest was made just three minutes after midnight, with 11 more to come. ...2 hours ago
- New Zealand Government Urged To Back ICC Arrest Warrants For Israeli Leaders Without Equivocation
“We are waiting for our government to announce it will arrest Netanyahu and Gallant immediately if they set foot in Aotearoa New Zealand” says PSNA National Chair John Minto. ...2 hours ago - Justice Committee Makes Further Decisions About Submissions Process For The Principles Of The Treaty...
The committee plans to hold hearings in the week starting Monday, 27 January and the weeks starting 10, 17 and 24 February 2025. ...3 hours ago
- Watch live: Christopher Luxon faces questions during power station visit
It comes as Labour accuses National of not listening to evidence about boot camps. ...3 hours ago
- Survivors of abuse in care know how redress should work – will the government finally listen?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Winter, Associate Professor in Political Theory, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images When Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stood in Parliament last week to apologise to survivors of abuse in care, his words were among many fine speeches by ...3 hours ago
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Eddie Redmayne’s globe-trotting assassin thriller on TVNZ is worth putting your phone down for. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. This is a vulnerable thing to say as someone who often writes about television for a job, but boy am I really ...3 hours ago - RNA editing is the next frontier in gene therapy – here’s what you need to know
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flora Hui, Research Fellow, Centre for Eye Research Australia and Honorary Fellow, Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), The University of Melbourne IoanaB/Shutterstock The United States Food and Drug Administration has just approved the first-ever clinical trial that uses CRISPR-Cas13 RNA editing. Its ...5 hours ago
- Yes, you still need to use sunscreen, despite what you’ve heard on TikTok
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Lee, PhD Candidate, Dermatology Research Centre, The University of Queensland Karolina Grabowska/Pexels Summer is nearly here. But rather than getting out the sunscreen, some TikTokers are urging followers to chuck it out and go sunscreen-free. They claim it’s healthier ...5 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keller Kopf, Senior Lecturer in Ecology, Charles Darwin University Laxmikant Ameenagad, Shutterstock In humans and other animals, ageing is generally associated with a decline in biological function. But scientists are now discovering older animals perform vital roles in populations and ecosystems. ...5 hours ago
- A man scouring Google Earth found a mysterious scar in the Australian outback – and now scientists...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matej Lipar, Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University Author provided/Google Earth Earlier this year, a caver was poring over satellite images of the Nullarbor Plain when he came across something unexpected: an enormous, mysterious scar etched ...5 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Treena Clark, Chancellor’s Indigenous Research Fellow, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, University of Technology Sydney Once located 250 metres to the east of the Art Gallery of South Australia, the grand beaux-arts style Jubilee Exhibition Building was constructed to house the ...5 hours ago
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The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists says a third medical school and more students in Auckland and Otago are both needed. ...5 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Annette Greenhow, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, Bond University Linda George/Shutterstock The ten-year anniversary of the death of much-loved Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes falls on November 27. The 25-year-old’s life was tragically cut short in 2014 when a bouncer ...5 hours ago
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Treasury likely to downgrade economic forecast while Chris Bishop says the government won’t be ‘a slave to a surplus’, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Recession will be deeper and last longer — Treasury At a recent Spinoff ...6 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Gomes-Ng, Senior Lecturer of Psychology, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Former New Zealand prime minister John Key has three white rabbits painted on his helicopter, a nod to his “massively superstitious” habit of repeating “white rabbits” three times at ...7 hours ago
- Government slammed for pushing ahead with boot camps while trial still under way
The coalition has "absolutely no intention of listening to the evidence that comes out of their experiment", Labour MP says. ...8 hours ago
- Smoke and mirrors in heated tobacco debate
Labour claims Government is ‘cherry-picking’ smoking trends data to hide decade-first increase in daily smokers The post Smoke and mirrors in heated tobacco debate appeared first on Newsroom. ...8 hours ago - Smoke and mirrors in tobacco debate
Labour claims Government is ‘cherry-picking’ smoking trends data to hide decade-first increase in daily smokers The post Smoke and mirrors in tobacco debate appeared first on Newsroom. ...8 hours ago
- Treasury bangs the drum on ‘unsustainable’ superannuation
The Government’s economic adviser is sending a message it doesn’t want to hear – superannuation is increasingly unaffordable The post Treasury bangs the drum on ‘unsustainable’ superannuation appeared first on Newsroom. ...8 hours ago
- Victims of sex offending welcome shift on name suppression laws
A man abused by a former political figure is "immensely relieved" at a government proposal to end secrecy around sex offenders' identities. ...8 hours ago
- This week three parties stood together – can they withstand the storm to come?
There is plenty yet to play out, but the next election is at this rate shaping up as trio versus trio, writes Toby Manhire. A subplot of this week’s historic hīkoi mō te Tiriti has been the sight of the three opposition parties presenting a unified front. Te Pāti Māori ...9 hours ago
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From the low lows of abandon empires to the high highs of a mall done just right. This is the second in the Malls of New Zealand series, where we rank the malls in major centres. Next week: Wellington. A note from the editor: This is the hardest ranking we’ve ...9 hours ago
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Senior ministers in the coalition suggested NZ’s membership will be re-evaluated if it restarts offshore oil and gas drilling The post NZ’s membership of Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance in jeopardy appeared first on Newsroom. ...9 hours ago
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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon did not meet the Treaty Principles Bill hikoi crowd, sees “nothing” of merit in the Act-proposed law but the Parliament his Government dominates will spend six months debating a “divisive” measure.That’s because he has accepted there needs to be “aeration” of people’s views on the Treaty, ...9 hours ago
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Bidder Whakapapa Holdings walked away from the sales process last year, but says it’s now ‘95% there’ on a purchase agreement – so who blinked first? The post Taken to the brink, Govt is now close to selling big Whakapapa ski field appeared first on Newsroom. ...9 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 22 November
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 22 November appeared first on Newsroom. ...9 hours ago
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The post Daily crossword, Friday 22 November appeared first on Newsroom. ...9 hours ago
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Opinion: The immediate horror of nuclear weapon explosions – the blinding flash, crushing blast wave, and radioactive inferno – is well documented.But what nuclear-armed nations either don’t grasp or won’t admit, is far more chilling: how their weapons could devastate even countries thousands of kilometres from any mushroom clouds.The collapse ...9 hours ago
- This week’s bestselling books – November 22
FICTION1 Kāwai: Tree of Nourishment by Monty Soutar (David Bateman, $39.99)Sample dialogue, all from one chapter:“That can’t be,” replied Taona doubtfully.“You were right. The pā is unnervingly quiet,” Taona murmured.“The Hākuwai,” Motukia breathed. “Our grandfathers told us they rarely saw the Hākuwai in daylight,” Motukia muttered.“Their fight would have been futile ...9 hours ago
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After about two and a half years of planning and waiting, New Zealand’s last elephant has moved to her new home at Monarto Safari Park in South Australia.Burma and her “human herd”, that is, her keepers, arrived last week, and she’s settling in well, according to Auckland Zoo’s Andrew Coers.“Something ...9 hours ago
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A framework for global carbon trading under the Paris Agreement is finally nearing completion at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan after years of halting talks.Climate Change Minister Simon Watts is one of two ministers tasked by the COP29 hosts with landing a long-sought deal on Article 6 of the climate accord, ...9 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Richard Marles is an ambitious man who hasn’t given up the dream of one day reaching the top job. But, despite being deputy prime minister, his profile is much lower than that of Treasurer Jim ...14 hours ago
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62% of respondents support the extension of the OIA to cover MPs’ spending, compared to just 13% opposed and 24% were unsure. ...16 hours ago
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mind-blowingly thick-headed, ignorant and simply wrong on so many levels.
hosking is getting worse with age, and I don’t just mean his hairdo
Mike is simply an alien, as his wife has pointed out many times.
this is what he is paid to say, as much as Bill O’reilly is paid to say what ever his sponsor wants him to pay. it is very simple.
I don’t think Mike Hoskins ever had nor will he ever have an original thougth – no one would pay him for that. So simply he gets up every morning and starts vomiting verbal diareha as requested by his paymasters. He is truly owned.
Its a complete rehash of what Whaleoil was spouting a few days earlier. but of course both are on the inside track to getting information from ministers
Owned through psyche as opposed to physical, which (if we’re not kidding ourselves) equates to ‘mind control’.
The last I heard, AT were about to drop train service out that way, past Henderson. An “improvement” to match the other proposed “improvements” to the existing western bus routes that would turn public transport into nothing but corporate commuter vehicles – running on the most congested routes at the most congested times. The new Service Centre investment/development/s over the ridge at Westgate are HUGE. Have you seen the area concerned? How are the people going to get there, and from where? It can’t just be for Hobsonville residents. There is a subtext to this story that neither of the factions are offering, and mostly it just filters through piece by dis-jointed piece.
Hosking really does habitually talk a lot of rectal masala. He also seems to have trouble seeing past his cushy address, car and twattish-but-expensive hairstyle [paid for by Sky City and the public?].
Steady on. That’s a bit harsh on Bill O’Reilly isn’t it?
😀
Of course O’Reilly is an esteemed journalist, famous for his live war correspondence – indeed, he reported live from the Battle of Agincourt and who can forget his first person accounts of Waterloo?
Gripping stuff. I believe Henry V, Charles VI and the Duke of Wellington all thought O’Reilly was a lunatic suffering from anger-management issues and wanted nothing more to do with him.
And Hosking’s research to back up this conclusion? I’m sure we will find that in the same place as his credentials….
“Maserati Mike” as he has been called (yes apparently he actually drives a Ferrari) is a major pud puller, that much is obvious, he does not need to believe his pro business script but it is rather likely that he does.
Moving elegantly from air conditioned space to air conditioned space, never needing to look for a car park, from tory grog up to tory award ceremony and so on could well insulate such an important man from his subjects and their pathetic traffic grid locks out on the Western.
https://hoskingrants.wordpress.com
Motor Mouth Mike at it again.
This guy is as useless as Tits on Bull.
Over paid and over blown.
So, the Auckland Council wants to use this land to extract taxpayer funding for Auckland roading?
Hoskings – “It is a widely known fact that migrants stay where they land. The main point of entry to New Zealand is Auckland.”
Greymouth to build International Airport.
Mike to be given one-way ticket to cover its opening.
What a joke the Huapai is not affordable at all, the sections alone cost $300,000 – $400,000 plus, that is before you put a spade in ground to build or connect to services or pay council consents. The houses will be $650,000 plus when built and more like $800,000 plus.
Auckland City is incompetent, but not as incompetent as the National Government, in particular Nick Smith, one of the top 5 dumbest ministers in Parliament, amongst stiff competition.
As for Hoskings he is proof we come from single celled organisms and is a miracle of non evolution.
Why should Auckland Rate payers have to pay for the National governments buy NZ immigration stance, I love the way the locals are forced to pay while zero taxes on non residents buying up Auckland’s residential property.
Some of my ignorance has been cured today. I did not know who Bill O’Reilly is. I now know a lot about him if he is like Mike Hosking. Poor bastard. I’d thought that Hosking was unique. Poor world.
hosking sold his soul a long time ago. The funny part is that his ego is so outta check he believes his own dribble without having any evidence to back up his bullshit. I have never heard a word of common sense come from this mans mouth only fabrications of his imagination projected as truth. i have met teaspoons with more character than hosking and at least a teaspoon can be put to good use. what service does hosking provide to society?? I find it insulting to have to share oxygen with such self righteous know it alls
“what service does hosking provide to society?? ”
entertainment
He is partly right though. There is far too much regulation on building new homes and too much emphasis on building apartments, as well as unneeded and unwanted ugly art, and not nearly enough core services or common sense. Auckland council has to shoulder some of the blame, as they are the supposed leaders of Auckland. So our rates go up again; as if people arn’t struggling enough already. Arrogant out of control Len and council, it’s all tax, spend, tax spend, and lots of super city wastage.
He is not partly right at all.
unchecked sprawl is a big part of aucklands problems. hoskings seems to think more of it will solve it…
builders suffered the leaky building debacle and now have personal liability. .. developers? yeah but nah.
“As for Hoskings he is proof we come from single celled organisms and is a miracle of non evolution.”
100+
The heart and mind of a boy who knows who butters his bread.
On what basis, what special knowledge is anyone publishing what he reckons?!?
Yeah it’s a quiet day in the newsroom when the diatribe/diarrhea of Hosking becomes a discussion topic, though I can appreciate the temptation to take the piss out of a total fuckwit who’s nothing more than a paid-for propagandist.
It’s concerning that the fool is allowed on t.v. and could be influencing impressionable minds 🙁
Well, it’s to be expected, they’ve got their party mouthpiece ensconced in just about every major news service and they expect him to deliver.
After the successful “Save Campbell Live” campaign I think a “Mute Mikes Mic” campaign would attract similar support.
Thats the beauty of democracy. We all get a vote. Unfortunately a vote from a cretin like Hoskings is equal to yours or mine.
Thats the beauty of democracy. We all get a vote. Unfortunately a vote from a cretin like Hoskings is equal to yours or mine.
His sanctimonious pontificating on every subject turns my stomach, who is interested to hear or read his self righteous comments, not me.
the sad thing is, so many people listen and watch him and are influenced by what he says.
Yep…just doing his master’s bidding…no brain..no heart…no courage 🙂
This say’s it very well thank you Joel Clayford. for a good laugh
“I wouldn’t normally respond to Mike Hosking’s comments about Council and Local Government. But his column in NZ Herald this week is an insult even to his intelligence.””
http://joelcayford.blogspot.co.nz/2015/05/on-hosking-on-council-shas.html?spref=tw
Won’t let me edit, just a blank screen. Should be thank you Joel Cayford
Next comes the food shortage and gone is any cheap food maybe not in the next ten years but it will happen when we have housing for the rich escaping the over population in Asia at the rate it is now and it will compound to the point that gits like Hoseclip refuse to care to think about as being the reality that will bring about a revolution in this country just like any other place that is stretching the gap between rich and poor and a police state will be instituted like Saudi Arabia to combat people wanting to kill people of Hoseclips frame of mind
The 15 million population target being the economic panacea that will be the optimum rake off for the govt tax is there to fudge the fact that we wont be able to produce enough of anything to sustain the population or the economics of it
But who cares about the capitalist destruction of NZ ANYWAY
I agree 100% with Hosking. Len will not be the mayor after the next local body elections. He know’s he’s got nothing to lose. He’s pushing ahead with something he truly believe’ in without having to worry about “the politic’s”. If that mean’s that new release of land has to be slowed down by reduced infrastructure budgets to realise that…..then so be it.
The reason? The housing crisis is all Auckland Council’s fault and a central government takeover is the only thing that will resolve the problem.
Perhaps Mike Hosking could chat with John Key Monday morning on his ZB chat show and ask as to why he thinks there is no crisis and Keys response to Mikes suggestions re Auckland Council ?
How can we in Auckland have a housing crisis ? when … our esteemed PM has stated many times that there isn’t one. !!!!!!! Key would have to accept that he was wrong
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/271023/key-denies-akl-housing-crisis
To the Hoskings of this world, the answer to every problem is less democracy,
Yep there is no housing crisis in New Zealand … apart from the Auckland Council induced housing crisis …
Yep there is no housing crisis in New Zealand ….but the only solution is motorways of National Significance that John Key designed 8 years ago with a few recently added SHA subdivisions for expensive stand alone housing on land banked land.
Yep that all makes sense. Mike Hosking thinks this will allow the ‘market’ to return to historic levels of housing affordability.
If you believe that then I have a bridge I can sell you.
Housing was an important and scary part of the UK elections.
Read how the speculators, rentiers, foreign buyers are happy about the Tory win. Housing/property boom to continue in the UK.
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/may/09/election-property-market-housing-crisis-predators-labour?CMP=share_btn_tw
A more detailed analysis of the UK political parties housing policy is here.
http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/a-real-housing-crisis-but-only-fake-solutions/
All he really wants is bigger car park spaces so that people can’t scratch his Maserati …. he gets a little upset when this happens. Ask the mum that was abused by him.
funny thing, since Hoskins came back to tv, I havent watched whatever his show is called. tv 3 is far more interesting.