Labour Conference Random Notes

Written By: - Date published: 4:20 pm, November 3rd, 2018 - 153 comments
Categories: labour, Politics - Tags:

I’ve never been to a conference that felt this upbeat.

Tonnes of policy ideas, no fights, lots of ambitious goals, polls skyrocketing, tonnes of cash to implement, opposition in disarray, a full card of delegates.

Life could be worse.

Really interesting debate extending Kiwisaver, especially how to target lower income people who haven’t signed up.

A leader who appeals to young people who will become regular voters.

A finance minister recategorising every budget bid according to poverty and wellbeing with full Tresury support.

Martin Philip’s of The Chills at the party tonight.

Dunedin’s brimming tonight.

153 comments on “Labour Conference Random Notes ”

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  1. mickysavage 1
    3 November 2018 at 4:21 pm

    I would be really interested to see what National’s polling is showing up. Could explain the sense of doom that has permeated their behaviour this week …

  2. Ad 2
    3 November 2018 at 4:41 pm

    “That Labour legislates for the provision of a greater democratic say of employees in large companies in the strategic direction of those companies in a manner similar to that in Germany and best practice in European countries.”

    Passed 😁

    • gsays 2.1
      3 November 2018 at 6:36 pm

      Well, if business confidence was down before, it’ll be in the toilet next week.

      From a hospitality perspective imagine paying your employees enough that they can afford to be your customers. Bad for business.

      Sarcasm…

  3. marty mars 3
    3 November 2018 at 4:57 pm

    Good one. Lots of reasons to be upbeat. Lots of things going well. As a person who has NEVER voted labour I’m impressed. Thank you to all good lefties getting in and doing it rather than just talking.

  4. Patricia Bremner 4
    3 November 2018 at 5:02 pm

    Thank you Ad. Please keep us posted as things go along. Great stuff.

  5. Ad 5
    3 November 2018 at 5:05 pm

    “In second term,…staged approach to free non-cosmetic … universal free dental care.”

    Passed.😁

    I suspect more word mincing to go.

    … been accepted by Conference a number of times in variations and never gets through Budget.

  6. Patricia Bremner 6
    3 November 2018 at 5:05 pm

    I have just looked at your photo of the crowd. A good mix of ages, not all white hair!!

  7. Ad 7
    3 November 2018 at 5:12 pm

    “Extend legal voting age to young people to 16.”

    OMG where’s their frontal lobes?

    Passed.

    Will need a 75% threshold in Parliament I think?

    Will no one think of the children?đŸ˜¶

    • mickysavage 7.1
      3 November 2018 at 5:28 pm

      I am for it. Your average 16 year old is way more tuned in than your average 86 year old.

      • Muttonbird 7.1.1
        3 November 2018 at 5:46 pm

        Civics will have to be taught in schools then. What gives way in a packed curriculum? Should not students at secondary level concentrate on the maths, the science, the arts, the english, the languages, rather than ‘real life’?

        • solkta 7.1.1.1
          3 November 2018 at 7:28 pm

          Schools waste heaps of time with their 19th century authoritarianism and stale teaching methods. Also forcing children to play sport when they are not interested is not only a waste of time but harmful to public health as it puts students off exercise. And isn’t Civics part of Social Studies?

          • BM 7.1.1.1.1
            3 November 2018 at 7:32 pm

            What shit.

            Learning how to work cohesively within a team environment to achieve a goal is a vital skill that kids need to learn.

            It’s so important for kids to learn that it’s not all about them and that working with others can produce positive results.

            • solkta 7.1.1.1.1.1
              3 November 2018 at 7:39 pm

              Students get to work cooperatively across all subject areas. No need to play sport for that.

              • BM …
                3 November 2018 at 7:44 pm

                It has to start at a young age.

                When I was a boy everyone from 5 onwards was encouraged to play a team sport, it was mainly rugby because that was the way it was at that time in NZ history, you could play soccer if you wanted but that was fairly rare.

                The girls played netball.

                Obviously, there are far more options available to kids these days.

                • solkta …
                  3 November 2018 at 7:49 pm

                  PE does start at a young age. But hey, why not make dancing compulsory?

                  • BM …
                    3 November 2018 at 7:57 pm

                    Still an individual activity.

                    As a socialist wouldn’t you want kids exposed to and learning how great working within a team environment really is?

                    • solkta …
                      3 November 2018 at 8:03 pm

                      Dancing an individual activity? You are fucking joking right? Man you should see some of the performances my daughter has participated in. The Hip Hop stuff in particular requires the group to literally move as one.

                    • cleangreen …
                      4 November 2018 at 9:02 am

                      What ‘team’ is that BM; – the elitist sect?

                • WeTheBleeple …
                  4 November 2018 at 5:52 am

                  Sports ‘team building’ where: the boys play rugby so they can get in fights (literal quote from peers in high school) and the girls so they can get down to their knickers in front of the schools resident pedo.

                  Team building as in getting yelled at by loser adults who never got to be sportspeople so they take it out on the children. Screaming as they run up and down the sidelines, veins bulging in forehead, GO BOY GO!

                  Nah. School sports was pathetic and taught me nothing but contempt for phys-ed teachers.

                  • cleangreen …
                    4 November 2018 at 9:05 am

                    100% WeTheBleeple

                    Sports is now a ‘corporate fund generator’ – nothing else now.

                  • solkta …
                    4 November 2018 at 9:19 am

                    Them trying to force my class to play Thugby presented a funny spectacle. There were two boys who were about a foot taller than the rest of us and considerably wider than most of us. The ‘game’ would involve the two of them chasing each other around the field while the rest of us scuttled around trying to keep out of their way. Funny how most people don’t actually like being stomped on.

              • Muttonbird …
                3 November 2018 at 7:48 pm

                Ridiculous. Sport is a subject area and regular exercise is a crucial part of every child’s development.

                • solkta …
                  3 November 2018 at 7:52 pm

                  You don’t need to play sport to get exercise. Who was it who said that Golf was a good way to wreck a walk? Why is dancing not a compulsory subject area?

                • patricia bremner …
                  3 November 2018 at 10:00 pm

                  Sport and Outdoor education are not core curriculum subjects.

              • mac1 …
                3 November 2018 at 10:27 pm

                There’s more than sport that teaches group participation, like drama, music and dance. A ‘well-rounded’ student would do all of these, and probably be quite slim……………..

            • solkta 7.1.1.1.1.2
              3 November 2018 at 7:40 pm

              and also it just no work because you can’t actually force them.

          • Muttonbird 7.1.1.1.2
            3 November 2018 at 7:43 pm

            You might have a point about civics being part of social studies but the rest of your comment fails. First you belittle modern teaching calling it authoritarian and stale. Then you bizarrely claim sport in schools puts children off exercise.

            • solkta 7.1.1.1.2.1
              3 November 2018 at 7:47 pm

              You assume that schools use modern teaching methods. Me i only wish. When my daughter is lucky enough to get a teacher who does she streams ahead. My daughter is also a very active kid but hates sport and the silly competitiveness of it. When i was at school a good half the class just pretended to participate.

              • Muttonbird …
                3 November 2018 at 8:04 pm

                I see. You like the whole good teacher, bad teacher thing, like the ACT party.

                • solkta …
                  3 November 2018 at 8:09 pm

                  No you don’t see anything. Inquiry Learning is at the centre of modern teaching yet few teachers can manage it. It is simply in the too hard basket at my daughter’s high school.

                  http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-stories/Media-gallery/Effective-pedagogy/Inquiry-learning

                  • In Vino …
                    3 November 2018 at 9:20 pm

                    solkta – I am a semi-retired secondary school teacher. Please do not blame the teachers – many of us sympathise with you. “Too-hard basket” is unfair. This country (successive Govts) treats schools as holding pens rather than education centres, despite all the mealy-mouthed weasel-words.
                    Inquiry learning has glimpses of hope with kids using computers in the right programme, but that will not work long-term. Teachers have to be given a fair chance to do it in the classroom.
                    Sadly, I fear that all teachers will get is a nearly-adequate pay-rise, just enough to keep the staggering system staggering on.

                    • solkta …
                      3 November 2018 at 10:13 pm

                      Oh i do blame teachers. I’m all in favour of giving teachers a considerable pay rise but this needs to go hand in hand with a firm requirement for them to engage in professional development or retire.

                      At primary school inquiry learning was a thing for the school with individual teachers showing varied success. Her last year there was brilliant. They knocked a hole between two classes and threw the desks away. She would collaborate with a small group of others and just get on with things while receiving feedback as necessary.

                      The next year though at intermediate her first teacher was a sour authoritarian old cow who was all sit at your assigned desk and don’t blink until you are told. Her achievement plummeted as a result. In the last half year of intermediate she was lucky enough to get a modern teacher and excelled again gaining a mark for social studies that was off the scale.

                      Then again this year her first at secondary more old stale teachers. She tells me of social studies lessons where the teacher writes from the book onto the board and the students from the board to their books. Just total bullshit.

                      The lack of professionalism shown by the teachers is considerable with often a complete lack of knowledge of applicable laws. She has received two written apologies from teachers in the space of two years from where they have tried to use collective punishment against her.

                      One of my main inputs as a parent is to try and limit the damage being caused by the school so that her love of learning survives for university.

                    • Dukeofurl …
                      4 November 2018 at 7:30 am

                      Didnt Hattie rank ‘modern learning’ way down the list on things that have results.

                      Some of those with ‘ rote teachers’ are likely to be those teaching outside their knowledge- common as schools will just throw a body in front of the class when they have to.

                  • patricia bremner …
                    3 November 2018 at 10:02 pm

                    They don’t teach secondary pupils Solka, they teach subjects. LOLZ

                    • WeTheBleeple …
                      4 November 2018 at 6:03 am

                      Compared to high school, university was a different world. The cool cliques were largely gone by the end of year one. Then I was surrounded by scholars and hard workers. Incredible!

                      Another thing, I was a poor person, obvious by my op-shop clothes… Nobody cared. (Most) rich kids are not their parents. They called me inspirational, they asked me for help! We worked together on societal problems. Big, real time issues. It was exhilarating.

                      Back at high school, the rastas beat the punks, the punks beat the metallers, the metallers beat the rastas, on Friday night we went to town and collectively beat on the next school.

                      The rugby lads always in the thick of it.

      • bwaghorn 7.1.2
        3 November 2018 at 6:07 pm

        Na the only 16 year olds that will vote are the ones taken along by their parents and told who to vote for .
        Could work for the left if they can get the missing hoards out to vote though as they’ll be the breeders .

      • Heather Grimwwod 7.1.3
        3 November 2018 at 7:10 pm

        Young Labour folk speaking today showed real maturity, believe me.

        • patricia bremner 7.1.3.1
          3 November 2018 at 10:05 pm

          Yes that was a video link worth watching. Very proud. Jacinda’s wee prod to own their good idea and “act” on it.. “Will you take that on?” She is gold.

        • cleangreen 7.1.3.2
          4 November 2018 at 9:06 am

          My son is so strong on politics now at 31 far more than I was .

      • Dukeofurl 7.1.4
        4 November 2018 at 7:24 am

        “Your average 16 year old is way more tuned in than your average 86 year old.”

        Not so sure about that. Voting numbers for those from say 18-22 are far less than those over 80.

        You move in different circles than the average 18 yr old Mickey.

        And I worry about the targeting of under 18 yr olds on social media, because thats exactly how it would be done.-

      • Peter 7.1.5
        4 November 2018 at 11:52 am

        Bullshit

    • Jenny 7.2
      3 November 2018 at 6:31 pm

      This is a great idea.

      For many reasons.

      We are making irrevocable decisions especially about climate change right now that will affect younger people for their whole lives and that they will never have a say in reversing, even as they grow older.

      Can young people be trusted with this responsibility?

      I think they can.

      Never has there been a generation that is more connected and aware of the wider world and its problems.

      Bravo Labour

      My hope is that there is legislation on the floor of parliament in this parliamentary term to lower the voting age to 16.

      • DirkDirkin 7.2.1
        3 November 2018 at 8:05 pm

        Some older people sure as hell cant. I wouldnt trust Collins or Brownlee, so yeah i trust young ones fully

    • BM 7.3
      3 November 2018 at 7:18 pm

      Will need a 75% threshold in Parliament I think

      Hopefully, it would be a huge flaw in the democratic system if the government of the day could change the rules just like that.

      This sort of stuff has to be decided by referedum, not politicians.

    • Jenny 7.4
      4 November 2018 at 8:15 am

      Enfranchise the young

      Lowering the voting age is an urgent must do

      Polite Rebellion
      Stuff.co.nz
      Brittany Keogh, Josephine Franks, Lawrence Smith

      We discovered a group of young leaders preparing to tackle the things that worry, intimidate and scare them. They are acutely aware of the prejudice, inertia and ignorance that threatens their futures. It makes some of them angry.

      But theirs is a modern insurgency. They’re more likely to organise online than in the streets. They will win arguments with reason, rather than rage. Theirs is a Polite Rebellion.

      We need these young people in our political discourse now.

      But what is the message we give our young people, when for most of their conscious life we do not allow them to have a say.

      And we wonder why so many don’t vote when they finally get the franchise at 18

    • Jenny 7.5
      4 November 2018 at 8:44 am

      Maybe we could buy them off, with a massive tax break LOL

      “No taxation without representation”

      Lowering the voting age to 16 Wikipedia

      ……..one of the major arguments for lowering the voting age to 16 is that at this age in most countries a person has reached the legal working age for most jobs and is liable to pay taxes and therefore should not have to pay taxes without the right to political representation.[8]

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_age

      No taxation without representation Wikipedia

      “No taxation without representation” is a slogan originating during the 1700s that summarized a primary grievance of the American colonists in the Thirteen Colonies, which was one of the major causes of the American Revolution. In short, many in those colonies believed that, as they were not directly represented in the distant British Parliament, any laws it passed affecting the colonists (such as the Sugar Act and the Stamp Act) were illegal under the Bill of Rights 1689, and were a denial of their rights as Englishmen.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_taxation_without_representation

      No vote. No GST for everyone under 18

      “No taxation without representation”

    • Sabine 7.6
      4 November 2018 at 11:58 am

      “kids” are allowed to drive at that age.
      “kids” are allowed to work and pay taxes at that age.
      “kids” are already working as volunteers in their communities.
      “kids’ have sex and children at that age
      ‘kids’ in that age group have represented their countries during sports games and won medals

      why on earth should 16 year old not be allowed to vote. After they have to live the longest with the consequences of the decision of today.

    • Jenny 7.7
      6 November 2018 at 7:20 pm

      ‘Serious storm clouds’ threaten NZ democracy – report
      Sam Sachdeva – Newsroom.co.nz, November 6, 2018

      “It is not good enough to argue there is no problem: there may be one coming down the road very rapidly.”

      He suggested the introduction of a strong civics programme at schools, coupled with lowering the voting age to 16 – although he acknowledged there would be “significant political challenges to overcome”, including a perception that most teachers held centre-left beliefs.

      Addressing concerns about the decline of traditional media and “fracturing” of media sources into groups identifiable by ideology, Chapple said there was a need for “well-funded, independent state-funded” outlet covering multiple platforms and languages which was “clearly and consistently politically neutral”.

      The report was produced as part of a “pop-up think tank” run by the University of Canterbury’s Small States and the New Security Environment Project, set up to produce policy analysis on defence and foreign affairs issues for New Zealand politicians.

      • Exkiwiforces 7.7.1
        6 November 2018 at 8:03 pm

        Yes Jenny, having read that on the Stuff website this and I have CU pop up to my iPad for further reading. The CU Pop up site looks very interesting btw with a lot of interesting articles for me chew on lol.

        The first sentence to your post should be ring alarm bells to a lot of people, but a lot of today’s young & old especially the pollies don’t seem to want to know or understand how bad it’s getting IRT to Defence and Foreign Policy as it’s not hitting them in the hip pocket. When it does it would be Far too late to IRT to Defence or Foreign Affairs to achieve any Policy objectives or employ any contingency plans if the MDCoA pop ups first as everyone is carrying on as if the Most Likely Course of Action is the only option as Most Dangerous Course Action is too scary to think about.

        As the most MDCoA is going to cost a lot money and it may involve taking sides, which may be the cheaper or dangerous option and how many dead rats you want to eat, as going alone being the most expensive option or should bury our head and pretend it isn’t happening to us. As some want us to do without realising that the last 30 odd years of Neo Con/Lib economic theory has done to the wider economy of NZ, by generating a false sense of overall security IRT to Defence and Foreign Policy objectives due a to a lack of false hope and direction from the pollies.

  8. Ad 8
    3 November 2018 at 5:16 pm

    “Electrify entire main trunk line.”

    Passed. 😁

  9. Ad 9
    3 November 2018 at 5:17 pm

    “Free sanitary items.”

    Passed.

  10. Chris T 10
    3 November 2018 at 5:23 pm

    Has Jacinda wheeled out Neve yet, or is she waiting till tomorrow?

  11. Patricia Bremner 11
    3 November 2018 at 5:27 pm

    Chris, Neve is attending her first conference with her Dad. Picture up yesterday of Jacinda putting a red knitted hat on her head as it was cold. Did you miss that?

    • Ankerrawshark 11.1
      4 November 2018 at 11:56 am

      Love to see that pic of neve in the red hat Patricia. Have looked on stuff etc but couldn’t find

      • patricia bremner 11.1.1
        4 November 2018 at 2:47 pm

        Oh, put into Google Jacinda puts a hat on Neve up came lots of photos and there it is The little red hat Cheers. Article was “Labour united heading into the future” didn’t state who wrote it.Audrey!!

        • patricia bremner 11.1.1.1
          4 November 2018 at 3:01 pm

          Managed to find who wrote “Labour united heading into the future” it was Audrey. The photo was above that Ankerrawshark. Cheers. Only had a few seconds left, so comment stood, but I added Audrey’s name.

  12. Stuart Munro 12
    3 November 2018 at 5:41 pm

    Lots of good stuff there.

  13. Morrissey 13
    3 November 2018 at 5:47 pm

    When they see the photo of that packed theatre, no doubt beleaguered National Party operatives will be seeing red.

  14. Jenny 14
    3 November 2018 at 6:49 pm

    I hope we can see some good pledges for climate change action.

    For a start a total and immediate ban on all PKE imports is a no brainer,

    Fonterra implicated in deforestation and human rights abuses
    Andrew Tobert – Greenpeace International, September 19, 2018

    Over one a half million rugby fields of Indonesian rainforest were destroyed between 2015 and 2017.

    That’s just one of the harrowing statistics included in a devastating new investigative report released today by Greenpeace International.

    The report, Final Countdown, documents extensive deforestation and human rights abuses by 25 major palm oil producers.

    Of the 25 palm oil producers investigated, Fonterra’s sole supplier of Palm Kernel Expeller (PKE) Wilmar, was found to be buying from 18 of them.

    “Our investigation shows that the palm products Wilmar trades are still contaminated with rainforest destruction. “ says Gen Toop, Greenpeace’s sustainable agriculture spokesperson.

    New Zealand is the biggest importer of PKE in the world and imports continue to rise. PKE is a by-product of the palm oil industry that is used in NZ as a supplementary feed for dairy cows.

    “Indonesia’s rainforests are the lungs of our planet, they are one of our strongest defences against climate change, they are a source of life for Indigenous People, and incredible species like the orangutan,” says Toop…….

    • Jenny 14.1
      3 November 2018 at 6:51 pm

      But anything new initiatives to take on climate change would be good.

      Please continue to keep us posted Ad

    • Ad 14.2
      3 November 2018 at 7:01 pm

      Dairy industry review terms of reference came out this week.

      Sustainability is a key area.

      Check it out.

      Expect Water policy group and Rural policy group to have impact here.

      • cleangreen 14.2.1
        4 November 2018 at 9:15 am

        We need fontera to finally embrace clean low carbon transport’ such as ‘rail to freight their products’ as they pledged to us back in 2012 they asked National to expand rail from their production sites around the whole country is yet to happen under Labour/NZ First coalition , as they are rail supportive so go for this Labour NZ First with greens support; – please.

    • paul s 14.3
      3 November 2018 at 7:23 pm

      To be fair on Fonterra they are driving farmers to reduce PKE usage by grading (fining) farmers who overuse via a Fat Evaluation Index https://www.fonterra.com/nz/en/our-stories/media/fat-evaluation-index-grading-system-to-begin-september-2018.html

      • Jenny 14.3.1
        4 November 2018 at 12:41 pm

        paul s 14.3
        3 November 2018 at 7:23 pm
        To be fair on Fonterra they are driving farmers to reduce PKE usage by grading (fining) farmers who overuse via a Fat Evaluation Index

        What a load of specious rubbish.

        paul s, I have read the link you have supplied. Fonterra’s grading (fining) of farmers has nothing to do with PKE use, and is all to do with meeting customer requirements for low fat milk, excepting that PKE can fatten up cattle quicker than regular feed.

        Fonterra today confirmed the final details of the new Fat Evaluation Index (FEI) Grading System that will help farmers optimise their farming system and continue to provide world class milk and milk products for customers around the world. The Co-op also confirmed that farmers will have until September 2018, three months longer than originally announced, to make any necessary adjustments before demerits are applied.

        The Co-op has established the FEI test to assist farmers in producing milk with a fat composition suitable for manufacturing products that meet customer specifications.

        This sort of specious rationalisation tagged on top of Fonterra’s campaign to regulate fat content to suit their customer’s requirements, is completely typical of Fonterra’s greenwashing.

  15. Bewildered 15
    3 November 2018 at 7:10 pm

    “I never been to a conference that feels so upbeat”

    Duh you are in power, but I guess it is infrequent so a novelty Enjoy

    • Ad 15.1
      3 November 2018 at 7:24 pm

      Settling for a good 9 year stretch

      Cheers😍

      • Bewildered 15.1.1
        3 November 2018 at 7:31 pm

        We will see, I suggest we will revert to the mean (labour in opposition) a lot earlier than you think but enjoy the ride while it lasts 😊

        • UncookedSelachimorpha 15.1.1.1
          3 November 2018 at 7:51 pm

          “we will revert to the mean”

          Very mean, in that case too!

        • mike 15.1.1.2
          3 November 2018 at 8:15 pm

          jealous ?

          • Bewildered 15.1.1.2.1
            3 November 2018 at 8:44 pm

            Nup not a member of a political party, labour National not really that different, Prefer national simy on basis have no time for left thinking, or lack of, National just a little bit less left than labour but not much

          • Ankerrawshark 15.1.1.2.2
            4 November 2018 at 9:50 am

            Happy days….

            To be equite frank would like National to disappear and NZ first to be opposition, at least they stand for something rather than the top 1%

      • JC 15.1.2
        3 November 2018 at 8:55 pm

        9 plus 9 = Eighteen at least! (With support and greater influence from the Greens!)

  16. Michael 16
    3 November 2018 at 9:26 pm

    How about no votes for anyone over 75? After all, they’ve had their go and won’t have to live with their mistakes.

    • ianmac 16.1
      3 November 2018 at 10:09 pm

      But no young Michael. Those of us over 75+ have wisdom you know. And obstinate persisting optimism. One day my boy…

    • mac1 16.2
      3 November 2018 at 10:32 pm

      I’ll still have twenty five years to go after 75. I believe in being ‘ashpirashional’……..

      Voting is like certain other occasional ah activities- you get better at it with more practice.

    • Peter 16.3
      4 November 2018 at 12:00 pm

      I would agree to that, to many old farts still voting I include myself among them.

  17. Ad 17
    4 November 2018 at 8:36 am

    Looks like we’re getting an announcement from Prime Minister Ardern on education and mental health today.

    I’m guessing mental health workers in school or something.

    Excellent timing given the Porirua situation.

  18. Observer Tokoroa 18
    4 November 2018 at 8:55 am

    National Trolls on Trial

    James and Bm will be livid. They have tried their cringing hearts out to destroy and crush into rubble the citizens of New Zealand.

    They have demanded that Corporations and little businessmen pay staff crushingly low wages.

    They have told the Media to write the Decent people off the face of Aotearoa and replace them with criminally cruel national creeps – such as Collins; Bennett; Bridges; English; Farar; Slater: Hooton: Boag ; and that biggest rat of all – greasy pathetic piggytail fetisher – Sir John Treasonous Key.

    The wealth of the wealthy has only been possible by the relentless theft taken from the underpaid employees and the helpless poor. Houses cannot be afforded. Rentals cannot be afforded.

    But Labour is changing that.

    National is Scum – and no amount of troll rubbish will save it. Not even the whimpish joke called “The Herald” will save it.

    • Chris T 18.1
      4 November 2018 at 9:36 am

      Well I see you have grabbed Ardern’s call of kindness in politics with both hands.

      That is impressive vitiriol at it’s most nasty.

      Well done

  19. Rosemary McDonald 19
    4 November 2018 at 9:15 am

    “The wealth of the wealthy has only been possible by the relentless theft taken from the underpaid employees and the helpless poor. Houses cannot be afforded. Rentals cannot be afforded.

    But Labour is changing that. ”

    Are they?

    Or are they using this first term to buy the votes of the yuppies?

    Or is the Wellbeing Budget planned for next May going to be a continuation of work begun by National….like the Disability Support Transformation?

    icognito was trying to decipher Robinson’s speech last night….https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-03-11-2018/#comment-1546268

    ….and I recalled this conversation has been had before.

    ” An earlier newsroom piece
.https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/09/05/224294/what-will-the-wellbeing-budget-change

    
and yes!!!! There’s Uncle Bill ‘if there’s a loophole you’d be a fool not to exploit it’ English’s Social Investment plan
.https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10644993

    His plan for the sick and disabled folk


    ” the big driver of future costs: long-term invalids and sickness beneficiaries, a group he describes as “this big hard lump of long-term waste of human potential”. ”

    
.was to replicate ACC’s tactics


    ” If they were ACC customers, we would be spending a lot of money on trying to move them. They cost a bit less on sickness and invalids [benefits], not a hell of a lot less(bullshit), but we do nothing and we are actually doing nothing to reduce this very large long-term liability.” ”

    And that sure worked well
with how many shifted from ACC to SLP and Jobseekers?

    So far
.I’m certainly not seeing how this government attitude towards those whose health and disability needs prevent them from being in paid work differ from National’s.

    Policy change to encourage those on benefits to participate in paid employment ( https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-03-11-2018/#comment-1546092) without increasing the base rate for the SLP for those who simply can’t work sounds like more arbeit macht frei to me. ”

    Prove me wrong. ” https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-03-11-2018/#comment-1546270

    I’m not feeling the kindness Observer Tokoroa. Not feeling it at all.

    • Ad 19.1
      4 November 2018 at 10:12 am

      You’ll have to wait for Budget 2019 to have those questions answered.

      Top work on the Auschwitz reference btw.

      • Rosemary McDonald 19.1.1
        4 November 2018 at 10:20 am

        “You’ll have to wait for Budget 2019 to have those questions answered.”

        But of course. We’ll wait. We have no other option. It’s not like we are a valued group that pollies from all sides are fighting over.

        “Top work on the Auschwitz reference btw.”

        You liked that, eh? Good. It is so very appropriate when the very best Te Reo Putake can bring out of the Conference of Lovingkindeness (for most, but not the most vulnerable) is….

        “There is one policy proposal that directly affects beneficiaries and that’s to lift the earning threshold and to lower the abatement. This would allow beneficiaries to earn more as part time workers and not lose the benefit at 70 cents in the dollar as it is now.”

        Now think about that for a minute or two Ad, then tell me ‘arbeit macht frei’ is not on the mark.

        • Ad 19.1.1.1
          4 November 2018 at 10:30 am

          Everone’s waiting. You’re not alone. And there’s plenty of health $$ in the budget bid queue.

          No, it is not appropriate to compare levels of social welfare payments to the systemic industrial murder of millions of people.

          And no that’s not the only policy on offer.

          You compared Nazi Germany’s torture and murder of millions of people to a social welfare level in New Zealand.

          Get a grip on yourself.

          • Rosemary McDonald 19.1.1.1.1
            4 November 2018 at 11:08 am

            There’s history, Ad, when it comes to State Parties’ treatment of people with disabilities that is not confined to the Third Reich.

            That’s one of the reasons we have the UNCRPD.

            New Zealand cannot, as yet, hold it’s head up on this.

            And to quote the Disabilities Commissioner….

            “Ms Tesoriero told the select committee many disabled people could not freely exercise their choice in New Zealand.

            “We live in a world where people focus on fixing us, not on removing the barriers that make us disabled.

            “In the absence of adequate services, we run the risk that choice under this bill becomes a Clayton’s choice for disabled people.””

            https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/357924/euthanasia-bill-a-clayton-s-choice-for-disabled-people

            Now focus a minute on that statement….”In the absence of adequate services…” …now Ad, you will be, of course, aware that currently non ACC disabled have no right to funded supports from the Ministry of Health? That non-ACC disabled may be ‘eligible’ but have no ‘entitlement’?

            Think about that for a minute….a whole swag of New Zealand citizens who absolutely need the daily assistance of another person in order to live have no entitlement to government funding for this support.

            Any single fucking day they could be notified by some petty bureaucrat at some NASC that owing to a change in policy or budget cuts or a change n the weather the funding they need to pay for support that enables them to live has been reduced or removed.

            It has happened….but I guess they’ll have the right to choose euthanasia.

            Now, unless you can relate to this, unless you can truly empathize….

            • Chris 19.1.1.1.1.1
              4 November 2018 at 11:23 am

              It’s bad enough that the unemployed including the sick are not expected to be able to participate in the same way as the employed – I guess the twisted logic behind that is that one day the individual will be employed. Even on this wholly flawed premise there’s absolutely no basis for banishing the disabled to a life of poverty. But we still do.

            • Ad 19.1.1.1.1.2
              4 November 2018 at 11:24 am

              It is Labour policy to fully comply with UN policy and resolutions on disability. Go to our manifesto.

              I posted precisely on the euthanasia-disability relationship, but I know you researched and read that before presuming my empathy. Your support would have been welcome.

              You need to go to your nearest Holocaust memorial and beg forgiveness for a truly heinous slur.

              You are not the only one with a 2019 $$ health budget bid.

              • marty mars …
                4 November 2018 at 11:29 am

                Henious series of comments. Some people will use anything to push a point.
                Hope the day good down there for conference.

              • Rosemary McDonald …
                4 November 2018 at 11:33 am

                “I posted precisely on the euthanasia-disability relationship’…”

                I did not know that….and unless I had seen such a post I would not have known to look for it. Believe it or nor Ad, I do not actively go searching for the opinions of folk who use pseudonyms.

                “It is Labour policy to fully comply with UN policy and resolutions on disability. Go to our manifesto.”

                Promises, promises. Waiting, waiting….

                “You need to go to your nearest Holocaust memorial and beg forgiveness for a truly heinous slur.”

                Did Labour tell Tariana to do likewise when she referenced the Holocaust with respect to how Maori have fared under colonization?

                Oh, that’s right….

                Some in the disability community most definitely hear the cattle cars clanking in the sidings….as is their right.

              • Sacha …
                4 November 2018 at 11:34 am

                Hardly a slur to link the extermination programmes by the same crowd (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aktion_T4) with ongoing attitudes about disabled people’s worth that still guide decisions by those including our NZ govts.

                To his credit, then-head of the NZ Jewish Council Stephen Goodman was well aware of the link when I met him one time at a public function and was very supportive and empathetic. It’s not a zero-sum victimhood.

                Disability is not the same as health, and the >$3b annual funding spread across govt portfolios reflects that.

          • Sacha 19.1.1.1.2
            4 November 2018 at 11:42 am

            It’s also not the *levels* of welfare payments, but rather the principle of having no legal entitlement to them that Rosemary is talking about – which is why she and others have had to put so much personal energy into taking governments to court.

            I can see why she might be looking for tangible signs that this one is any different.

            This form of social and legal negation has deep historic echoes and causes very real harm to many New Zealanders. I wish more people could see the similarity with other social justice movements.

        • te reo putake 19.1.1.2
          4 November 2018 at 11:17 am

          Hi, Rosemary. Congratulations on writing the stupidest comment in TS history. If ignorance is bliss, you must be fucken ecstatic.

          • Rosemary McDonald 19.1.1.2.1
            4 November 2018 at 11:25 am

            Gee, thanks TRP.

            Exactly what is it that qualifies this comment as the most stupidist in TS history?

          • Chris 19.1.1.2.2
            4 November 2018 at 11:30 am

            If people like you are influential within the labour party then we’re all fucked.

            • marty mars 19.1.1.2.2.1
              4 November 2018 at 11:44 am

              Lol. We sorta are anyway but to your point – labour are a big team with lots of ideas and opinions. They can take different views withour losing it. What are you so scared of? Man it’s like some of the ‘left’ people wish the gnats were still in power.

              • Rosemary McDonald …
                4 November 2018 at 11:57 am

                ” Man it’s like some of the ‘left’ people wish the gnats were still in power.”

                Man, there’s that ‘if you’re not 100% with us you’re against us’ meme again…

                “They can take different views withour losing it.”

                Hmm….

              • Chris …
                4 November 2018 at 12:31 pm

                It’s those “different views” within labour that’s meant very little has changed for the poorest and most vulnerable since 1991. It started when labour reneged on its promise to reverse the benefit cuts – probably as early as 1993. We’ve been waiting for change since 1999. What makes you so fucking optimistic now?

                • marty mars …
                  4 November 2018 at 12:46 pm

                  Cos they are in government.

                  1991 was 27 years ago. New people, new environment and new commitment.

                  I am cautiously optimistic which is in great contrast, I grant you, to the enthusiastically pessimistic comments by some, like you.

                  • Chris …
                    4 November 2018 at 1:03 pm

                    Apologies for that. I promise not to knock your religion again.

                    • marty mars …
                      4 November 2018 at 1:11 pm

                      Accepted. And I’m not religious at least in any sense you’d understand. I’ll repeat this slowly I am not tribal labour. I’ve never voted for labour. I am hard left and savage green and Māori rights focused. Only liars present me in other ways.

          • adam 19.1.1.2.3
            4 November 2018 at 12:40 pm

            Why does this comment fell like the same juvenile shit that was thrown at C.V?

            • Bill 19.1.1.2.3.1
              4 November 2018 at 1:27 pm

              Best of it is, that slogan can be said to sit beneath the abolition of chattel slavery and the introduction of wage slavery anyway.

              I mean, the idea or “deal” was and is, that after however many years of work, we will indeed be granted ‘freedom’ in the shape of retirement.

              Or to look at it another way, if freedom will be delivered back to us via interaction with “the market” (a central tenet of liberal capitalism), then one must work in order to access the market, and save enough to be able to enjoy those later years of ‘freedom’.

              The thing about only allowing discussion of “arbeit macht frei” in relation to Auschwitz, is that it serves to shut down quite legitimate lines of discussion.

          • Drowsy M. Kram 19.1.1.2.4
            4 November 2018 at 1:10 pm

            Shameful ‘rush of blood’ comment (IMO) – what might our PM make of it?

          • Michael 19.1.1.2.5
            5 November 2018 at 1:12 am

            I think you take line honours for yours.

          • Antoine 19.1.1.2.6
            5 November 2018 at 11:14 am

            Hey @TRP

            You are bullying Rosemary, and you should feel bad. If I was a moderator I would give you a few weeks off to think about it.

            A.

    • UncookedSelachimorpha 19.2
      4 November 2018 at 10:58 am

      “The wealth of the wealthy has only been possible by the relentless theft taken from the underpaid employees and the helpless poor. Houses cannot be afforded. Rentals cannot be afforded.

      But Labour is changing that. ”

      Unfortunately I have to share some concern of Rosemary here. So far there has been no significant increase in the contribution expected from the rich (individuals, banks etc). And little talk of it. If Labour does not address this, their impact will be very limited indeed.

      • Ad 19.2.1
        4 November 2018 at 11:07 am

        ” no significant increase in the contribution expected from the rich…” except the recommendations of a comprehensive review of the tax system which are there for you to read and include big shifts against the 1%.

        • Molly 19.2.1.1
          4 November 2018 at 12:21 pm

          Ad, why don’t you link to the working report so people can determine for themselves?

        • UncookedSelachimorpha 19.2.1.2
          4 November 2018 at 11:34 pm

          The current government is certainly taking steps in the right direction and far more than the previous lot. And it is early days.

          But the inequality situation in NZ is extreme and needs strong action. It is not at all clear to me that the tax working group will have any impact on the 1%, for example:

          – At least six of the eleven working group members have strong associations with elite law firms / tax advisors etc – effectively allowing foxes to advise on the future of hen house security.

          – Unsurprisingly, a financial transactions tax is not recommended by this group. Despite noting it would be a progressive tax.

          – Inheritance tax (an important control of intergenerational inequality, and a tax that has most effect on the very wealthy) was excluded from consideration, from the outset.

          But there are some good recommendations there, so here’s hoping. Analysis of wealth vs taxation would be useful (rather than IRD-declared income vs taxation, which is all they seem to have).

  20. Observer Tokoroa 20
    4 November 2018 at 10:28 am

    Hi Rosemary McDonald

    Billy English adopted some sketchy worthwhile plans towards his demise. Somebody must have got through to him that there were needy people in New Zealand.

    But he absolutely denied there was a lack of any housing or any affordability.

    No Crisis Bill. He munched along with no crisis Paula. (National will never overcome that stupidity.)

    The way he and Key took the Soul out of NZ was utterly despicable Rosemary. And you know that .He declared with that freak John Key that all New Zealand youth were useless and hopeless.

    I am sorry you are not feeling the “Kindness” – but I think that is because you may have vested too much of yourself into charlatan National – and taken their bait hook line and sinker.

    Bashing Jacinda – is so primitive Rosemary. Why do you do it. ? You are better than Key and English.

    • Rosemary McDonald 20.1
      4 November 2018 at 10:31 am

      “…but I think that is because you may vested too much of yourself into charlatan National – and taken the bait hook line and sinker.

      Bashing Jacinda – is so primitive Rosemary. Why do you do it. ?”

      What????

      And where have I ‘bashed Jacinda’? (I am assuming you are referring to the PM, Ardern?)

  21. Ad 21
    4 November 2018 at 10:40 am

    Next conference is Wanganui by popular delegates vote

    • te reo putake 21.1
      4 November 2018 at 11:27 am

      The choice was between Whangaz and Rotorua. Both towns put good cases, but Whanganui won it the moment Mayor Hamish MacDouall reminded the conference of the damage the Lange government did to the river city when “that bastard Prebble” closed the Eastown railway workshops.

      We can’t undo the hurt, but we can at least acknowledge it.

    • veutoviper 21.2
      4 November 2018 at 11:36 am

      Ad, do you know whether the PM’s speech this afternoon at 1.30pm will be televised live? If so, where?

    • Jenny 21.3
      6 November 2018 at 6:48 pm

      Whanganui or Rotorua are both good choices for the 2019 Labour Party National Conference.

      Looking further out than that; when was the last time that a sitting Labour Government held their Party conference in Auckland?

      In 2020 it must be Auckland.

      Our biggest metropolitan area and population centre.

      Our biggest industrial and working class centre and union bastion.

      Our biggest Polynesian centre.

      In my opinion a Left Labour government and party sure of itself would be holding their 2020 conference in Auckland.

      To have the National Conference in any other centre in 2020 would be to send the wrong message of a party and government unsure of itself.

      “You can’t win the country if you don’t win Auckland. It’s a third of the population, and it is critical.”

      Phil Twyford Labour campaign chair 2017

      And how right he was.

      http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1708/S00379/speech-ardern-labours-election-campaign-launch.htm

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    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    2 days ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    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
    4 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Anzac commemorations, TĂŒrkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Taupƍ takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupƍ as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupƍ International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupƍ Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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