Military coup underway in Turkey: Erdo-gone?

Written By: - Date published: 9:31 am, July 16th, 2016 - 135 comments
Categories: colonialism, Europe, Globalisation, im/migration, International, iraq, Syria - Tags:

UPDATE 2

It seems clear now that the attempted military coup has failed in under 12 hours. Over a thousand military personnel are under arrest. The death toll from the incident stands at just under 100. Dozens of senior military officers have been relieved of their positions.

It is clear that the coup was poorly planned and poorly executed, and the coup plotters are now facing grim days as Erdogan leads a purge and tightens his grip over every aspect of Turkish life.

 

UPDATE

It appears that the coup plotters have made a critical error in not shutting down access to the internet. Tens of thousands of Turkish citizens have heeded calls by Erdogan and others to turn out on the streets and confront the military forces. BBC is reporting that the state broadcaster is back on air after Erdogan supporters swamped the building.

As it stands, momentum is now against the coup plotters. They will not be facing a happy ending at this rate.

(Fact: Turkey has the largest military out of all European NATO countries, i.e. even compared to the UK, Germany and France).

The moment an explosion hits the Turkish Parliamentary buildings:

—

Early reports in via RT and Zero Hedge

Tanks, military personnel and fighter jets have been deployed around Ankara – all without Turkish Government permission.

It is quite possible that secular elements of the Turkish Armed Forces are no longer confident in the Erdogan’s government pro-Islamist handling of the Syrian/Iraqi/Kurdish/Russian confrontation which has deeply hurt both the Turkish economy and Turkish security over the last 2-3 years.

From RT:

Part of the military is attempting a coup in Turkey, the country’s Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said, following reports of military jets and helicopters flying low over Ankara and Istanbul.

“Some people took illegal action outside of the chain of command,” Yildirim told news network NTV. “The government elected by the people remains in charge. This government will only go when the people say so,” he added.

According to the PM, Turkish security forces were doing what needs to be done to resolve the situation.

The Turkish Military say they have now got control of the country (via Zero Hedge):

The State broadcaster TRT, occupied by military officers, announces that military has taken over the authority all across Turkey. The military just declared martial law.

  • TURKEY’S GOVT LOST ITS LEGITIMACY AND HAS BEEN OVERTHROWN: TRT

  • MARTIAL LAW DECLARED ACROSS TURKEY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE: TRT

  • TURKEY’S STATE-RUN TRT TV READS OUT STATEMENT FROM ARMY GROUP

  • ERDOGAN ON HIS WAY TO ATATURK AIRPORT: ANADOLU

 

More updates as they become available.

Update: The BBC is reporting that thousands of citizens have taken to the streets and are confronting the army coup plotters. The main TV station appears to have been liberated from the military and there are reports that the police have arrested some of the military. President Erdogan is trying to re-enter the country (he was on holiday) and he has spoken to the nation via social media.

 

Live Updates:

The Guardian

BBC

CNN

 

 

 

135 comments on “Military coup underway in Turkey: Erdo-gone? ”

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  1. mauī 1
    16 July 2016 at 9:47 am

    President Erdogan is reported being loved by half the population and hated by the other half… sounds familiar lol.

  2. te reo putake 2
    16 July 2016 at 9:59 am

    It does seem to be a reaction to Erdogan’s bending of the rules. Turkey is a secular state, but his party has tried to Islamify the country and at the same time destroy religious and political opposition.

    Erdogan’s government has regularly censored the internet and attacked freedom of the press. Ironic that the coup leaders have done the same.

    According to the BBC, the head of the military is under house arrest, the two major bridges are blocked off, the State broadcaster has been forced to read propaganda, and the main airport has been surrounded.

  3. Ad 3
    16 July 2016 at 10:06 am

    Pretty hard to have much sympathy for Erdogan as a domestic leader. He attacks the press including the big bust-up of the leading newspaper last month, loathes gays, rampant suppression of all religions except Islam, won’t solve the PKK search for autonomy, and pretty crap at managing the economy.

    A sad irony that he now wants The People to rise up and defend him.

    But here’s where my sympathy gets balanced.

    Turkey has had a massive impact from the Syrian war.
    It is dealing with millions of refugees and defeated rebels.
    It is under military threat from its Syrian and Iraqi borders.
    None of its neighbors provide much economic support as they are basket-cases.

    Democracy in Turkey has been a fragile thing for multiple decades.

    I don’t support Erdogan, but I support a military takeover of a three-times elected government even less.

    • Colonial Viper 3.1
      16 July 2016 at 10:13 am

      The reason that Turkey has suffered a massive negative impact from the Syrian War is that Turkey has been logistically and financially facilitating the Syrian War.

      It has supported to the hilt Islamist rebels – including ISIS and al Nusra – that Ankara had hoped would be the stone that would kill two birds: the Kurdish “problem” on it’s Syrian border, and Bashar al-Assad. Turkey has permitted its border to be completely porous to Islamist fighters, munitions, oil and money.

  4. te reo putake 4
    16 July 2016 at 10:27 am

    It appears to be the Gulen movement, an Islamic cult, that has launched the coup.

    • Bill 4.1
      16 July 2016 at 10:49 am

      A presidential source says it’s the Gulen movement. According to CNN, so does Erdogan.

      https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2016/jul/15/turkey-coup-attempt-military-gunfire-ankara?page=with:block-57895aace4b033b610b6e3fa#block-57895aace4b033b610b6e3fa

      The Gulen movement and Erdogan worked hand in hand as recently as 2012.

      https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2012/jan/09/press-freedom-turkey

      And the Gulen movement does seem to be deeply woven into the fabric of Turkish scoiety.

      https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/09/turkish-police-fethullah-gulen-network

      • dukeofurl 4.1.1
        16 July 2016 at 10:54 am

        Doesnt really seem to be cult in western terms seems to be a descendant of the Ataturk style modernisations

        The movement has been characterized as a “moderate blend of Islam.”
        Gülen and the Gülen movement are technology-friendly, work within current market and commerce structures, and are savvy users of modern communications public relations.
        Within Turkey the Gülen movement keeps its distance from established Islamic political parties.
        Usually referred to as Hizmet (“the Service”) by its followers and as Cemaat (“the Community/Assembly”) by the broader public in Turkey-Wiki

        • Bill 4.1.1.1
          16 July 2016 at 11:07 am

          Their website. (It’s in English)

          http://www.gulenmovement.us/

          From the scraps of info and on first impressions, I’d pick them as a far better option to Erdogan’s dictatorship, but hey…

          • te reo putake 4.1.1.1.1
            16 July 2016 at 11:28 am

            Not if they are intend changing the constitution from secular to religious. Eerdogan isn’t a dictator, btw. He’s elected.

            • Bill 4.1.1.1.1.1
              16 July 2016 at 11:35 am

              He was elected off the back of an election whose legitimacy was deeply contested. From memory he shut down all news outlets that were critical of him and his party. And no doubt there was other stuff…can’t say I’ve followed Turkey’s domestic politics very closely.

              On the broader claim that a dictator can’t be elected….Hitler?

              • te reo putake …
                16 July 2016 at 11:50 am

                Hitler was indeed elected. But he installed himself as Fuhrer shortly after. Erdogan, for all his many faults, has operated inside the constitution.

                • Bill …
                  16 July 2016 at 12:00 pm

                  From the BBC – not known for being a critic of “Official Friends”

                  Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s AK Party enjoys a fierce and loyal support among Turkey’s conservative, Muslim base, while outside the country outrage grows over his silencing of critics, often by force.

                  Turkish journalists have been investigated and put on trial, foreign journalists have been harassed and deported. Last month, police raided Turkey’s biggest newspaper, Zaman. Its staff emerged bloodied and cowed.

                  Zaman’s last independent edition said Turkey’s press had seen one of its “darkest days”. Its first edition under state control carried unabashedly pro-government articles.

                  And Mr Erdogan’s authoritarian approach is not confined to Turkey’s borders. His bodyguards harassed reporters in the US, and a German satirist is under investigation in his home country for offending the Turkish president on TV.

                  It goes on to catalogue more abuses.

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      16 July 2016 at 12:18 pm

                      You do not recognise the actions of a dictator held in place by violence?

                    • Bill …
                      16 July 2016 at 12:21 pm

                      Wow. None of that matters trp? It’s (according to your contention) all “within the constitution” and so fine?

                      There comes a point where cleaving to a conservative establishment line becomes really fucking unsavoury – like when abuses get excused or waved aside on the grounds that they’re (allegedly) entirely constitutional.

                    • te reo putake []
                      16 July 2016 at 12:41 pm

                      And you apparently think governments you don’t like should be overthrown by military coups. Scratch a libertarian and see the fascist beneath.

                    • Bill …
                      16 July 2016 at 12:51 pm

                      Oh dear, confronted with the threat of intelligent debate and a need to think critically, you trp, yet again dive for the cover of ad homs and utterly insubstantial allegations.

                      Well done.

                    • te reo putake …
                      16 July 2016 at 4:21 pm

                      Jackboot Billy gets upset because he accidentally exposed his ugly side. Sad, really.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      16 July 2016 at 6:05 pm

                      🙄

                    • te reo putake …
                      16 July 2016 at 6:49 pm

                      A couple of comments from this thread were (hopefully unintentionally) deleted.

                      Peter Swift:
                      Date published: 4:22 pm, July 16th, 2016

                      “gets upset because he accidentally exposed his ugly side” Not for the first or the last time one suspects. “Jackboot Billy” lol

                      Te Reo Putake
                      2016/07/16 at 4:52 pm

                      I think there’s a corollary with the coup plotters.

                      If its the cult that was identified earlier behind the coup attempt, then, on the surface, they appear to be religious moderates. However, one of the the first things they intended to do was suspend the secular constitution and replace it with one of their own.

                      The mask quickly slipped.

                    • Bill …
                      16 July 2016 at 7:13 pm

                      No trp.

                      But when you (presumably) cut and pasted the content of the comment that I’d moved to open mike (that’s now sitting in trash), the idiot response from Peter Swift disappeared because it was nested under the comment of yours that had been moved.

                      In other words, Peter Swift’s comment was on ‘open mike’ , not here – as you well know.

                      It disappeared because that’s what happens when you take it upon yourself to play the silly bugger with comments that have, for good reason, been moderated and shifted.

                      This from you was also apparently (search functions are kind of nice) posted to Open Mike and not here….I think there’s a corollary with the coup plotters. If its the cult that was identified earlier behind the coup attempt, then, on the surface, they appear to be religious moderates. However, one of the the first things they intended to do was suspend the …

                    • Peter Swift …
                      16 July 2016 at 9:48 pm

                      You got mad, Billy, and you reacted typically.
                      TRP, in my opinion, is quite correct on this.

                      And jackboot Billy is funny as lol
                      I got a mental picture now that will never fade. Damage done.

                      [Jack Boot Bill would actually scan better. Y’know “tak – tak – tak”…three, one syllable words having a more, how to say, sharp aural impact reminiscent of authoritarianism or fascism than the one, one, two pattern used by trp. Anyway, that aside, you’re telling lies about an author. And for being stupid enough to jump with evident enthusiasm into some rickety night cart trp is hauling because you though it was some kind of a bandwagon worth jumping aboard, – you pick yourself up a six week ban.] – Bill

          • te reo putake 4.1.1.1.2
            16 July 2016 at 11:28 am

            Not if they are intend changing the constitution from secular to religious. Erdogan isn’t a dictator, btw. He’s elected.

            • Ad 4.1.1.1.2.1
              16 July 2016 at 11:54 am

              Erdogan has been repeatedly elected to Prime Minister and then to President by pretty good majorities since 2003.

              Prior to that he was elected multiple times to be Mayor of Istanbul.

              • Bill …
                16 July 2016 at 12:16 pm

                What?

                The June 2015 elections resulted in a hung parliament. and a second election, where a campaign marked by intimidation and violence set against a backdrop of growing state oppression, resulted in an increase in the vote for the AKP… that’s hardly indicative of the sanguine “people came, people voted” image your comment suggests.

                • Ad …
                  16 July 2016 at 12:48 pm

                  His party has 315 seats out of 550 seats in the current parliament.

                  My bet is, once he’s shot the rebelling General and a few of his cohorts for treason, he will simply invite a new coalition partner.

                  And we will be back to parliamentary rule. As Turkey should be.

                  I am guessing though that you have some alternative in mind.
                  But then, so does the traitorous General and his troops.

                  • Bill …
                    16 July 2016 at 1:00 pm

                    You’re guessing wrong. I have no “alternative” in mind. I just want to understand shit so that my opinions are better informed.

                    Erdogan gives not one whit for accountable parliamentary governance. He would willingly use it to establish unaccountable Presidential power. That much I understand.

                    As for those seeking to execute the military coup, I have no real idea who they are or, were they to succeed, if things would improve for people in Turkey or what changes (positive and negative) would take place with regards Syria, Kurds etc.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 4.1.1.1.3
            16 July 2016 at 5:36 pm

            I wouldn’t. I can’t see a scenario where Ergodan (foul as he is) is worse than a civil war. Enough Turks apparently agree.

            Having said that, Ergodan’s misrule surely makes these kinds of responses more likely, if not inevitable.

    • esoteric pineapples 4.2
      16 July 2016 at 8:57 pm

      This is an interesting comment on the situation from the Kurdish Female Fighters YPJ Facebook page. They would know a thing or two about what is going on.

      “Would like to let everyone know.

      There’s nothing clear in the situation about weather it’s coup or not.

      This can be one of the old style, typical Ottoman’s game to oppress minorities or it can be an internal power sharing conflict between Pro Erdogan’s regime (president of Turkey) and Turkish cleric, Fetullah Gülen or Kemalists, (Mustafa Kemal Ataturk) who’s known as Ataturk by Turks.

      On 5 July a Turkish military chopper that had military commanders and their families inside, mysteriously crushed and 7 Turkish military personals, including their family members killed in this chopper crush, but Turkish media didn’t cover this so much. This seems to be an internal power sharing conflict between, current Turkish regime, Turkish cleric, Fetullah Gülen and Kemalists. These three names have both military and police personal loyalists, but in general, police personals are with the Turkish Erdogan’s regime and military is mixed. Military can have Kemalists majority.

      There’s not much difference between Erdogan and Gülen, the Turkish cleric. Erdogan used to be the student of Gülen and they were working together against Kurdish people until 6-7 years ago. But then everything changed after these two internally fought each other over the power sharing and Erdogan imprisoned all Gülen’s loyalists within Turkish military, police and other Turkish official institutions. Erdogan betrayed his teacher and purged military, police and law enforcement from his teacher’s, Gülen’s loyalists.

      All of these mentioned names are against Kurdish people. The situation for Kurdish people in northern part of Kurdistan (southeastern Turkey) won’t be any better if not worse. “

  5. mauī 5
    16 July 2016 at 10:33 am

    Some civilians are being shot on streets of Instanbul according to CNN. Shit

  6. dukeofurl 6
    16 July 2016 at 10:51 am

    is it a ‘colonels coup’ or from the top brass forming a junta?

  7. mauī 7
    16 July 2016 at 11:01 am

    It looks a very dangerous situation, with Erdogan able to make a broadcast through that facetime app thingy calling his supporters onto the streets. Now the military who are blocking bridges etc are surrounded by hundreds or thousands of angry civilians. Not good.

  8. Poission 8
    16 July 2016 at 12:01 pm

    “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”

    Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

  9. joe90 9
    16 July 2016 at 12:03 pm

    It's almost 2 a.m. and mosques across Istanbul are relentlessly calling people to the streets to resist and protest the military coup.— Ceylan Yeginsu (@CeylanWrites) July 15, 2016

    https://twitter.com/hashtag/TurkishCoup?src=hash

    https://twitter.com/DailySabah

  10. One Two 10
    16 July 2016 at 12:13 pm

    The ‘next distraction’ arrived more quickly than I had anticipated

    The fake weapons and ID card of Nice, is yesterdays news

    • Infused 10.1
      16 July 2016 at 1:04 pm

      You just have no clue what’s going on in the world.

      • One Two 10.1.1
        16 July 2016 at 2:51 pm

        Ignoring that there were fake weapons and a passport (I mean ID) the script followed is the same used [name the event], and as I predicted yesterday, the next distraction arrived on cue. Sooner than I expected being the only delta

        As you have no clue who I am, your comment is that of an imbicile, which reading your archives is about the level you operate at around here

  11. Bill 11
    16 July 2016 at 12:45 pm

    Very informative piece by Daryl McCann writing for the ABC. I’ve cut and pasted some of the more salient points, but the entire piece and the links it provides are well worth taking the time to read and explore if you’ve an interest in forming a reasonable picture of what sits behind on-going unrest in Turkey.

    These days (March 2016) president Erdoğan increasingly behaves like a cross between Macbeth and King Lear, jailing hundreds of cartoonists, journalist and even children for “insulting” him on the one hand, and laying waste to large swathes of Turkey’s south-east on the other.

    …even the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), oppose Erdoğan’s quest to make himself the “elected dictator” of Turkey and create a constitution more to his liking.

    Erdoğan initiated a sectarian war during the second half of 2015 to secure a majority of seats for the AKP at the November 1, 2015 re-election.

    Erdoğan ought to stop burning down the house in order to get his hands on the title of the deed.

    • Ad 11.1
      16 July 2016 at 1:09 pm

      I have little sympathy for Erdogan given his rule, as I noted above in 3.

      But I find it hard to agree with the author of your link that Erdogan’s brutal style of rule is the necessary cause of the terrorist attacks in Turkey in March. It would certainly be very neat.

      There are alternative causes of instability to consider.

      Perhaps the harshest and longest war the modern world has seen has thrown some pretty nasty people over its Syrian border. Would seem highly likely in fact.

      A certain degree of sustained security in governmental rule could arguably be warranted with Turkey beset by chaos on every border around it. Kurdistan region. Iraq. Armenia. Greece. Syria. Russia breathing down. Saudi Arabia not lifting a finger to help, again.

      Would be pretty hard not to choose sides in that war, and be seen not to choose sides. And yet Turkey has been pretty important in brokering the truces and occasional bits of peace that have broken out. They were going to be on one wrong side or other; either the Assad/Iran/Russia side, or the Saudi/ISIS/US whatever side.

      Turkey has done pretty well without EU support to sustain millions of refugees it now contains. But they put a fair old pressure on its society.

      Turkey’s economy has not been doing well since 2008, despite being touted nearly a decade ago as a rising BRIC. That’s not entirely in Erdogan’s control. Although a lot more of it could be.

      Not to speak too loud about it, but the history of coups in 1960, 1971, and 1980 have been dampened for a while. Erdogan’s style of rule has something to do with that.

      So while it’s convenient right now to make Erdogan the symbol for everything wrong in the society (and I ain’t defending his style of rule as noted in 3), and hence attribute to him some inevitable cause of a coup attempt, I think there’s a bit more going on.

      • Colonial Viper 11.1.1
        16 July 2016 at 1:14 pm

        Why are you totally ignoring Turkey’s active support of anti-Assad and anti-Kurdish Islamist fighters, including allowing ISIS military units to use Turkey as a logistics, medical and financial base?

  12. Infused 12
    16 July 2016 at 12:59 pm

    From all accounts it looks good he’s gone.

    • Ad 12.1
      16 July 2016 at 1:14 pm

      Well fuck.

      Events are in the saddle, and we ride.

    • Ad 12.2
      16 July 2016 at 4:31 pm

      Nope, looks like the worst is over.

      If so, first time a major Turkish coup has been defeated in decades.

      His purge will be massive.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 12.2.1
        16 July 2016 at 7:01 pm

        …and is exactly the sort of witless stupidity that makes coup attempts more likely. Ergodan is a disease.

  13. Sanctuary 13
    16 July 2016 at 4:29 pm

    Well, if the coup has failed then that is the end of Turkey’s brave experiment to be both a muslim country and a modern secular state. Turkey will now slide into religious radicalism, corruption, and totalitarianism. The Russians will be breaking out the champagne at the return of the sick man of Europe, and the Greeks just got a whole lot more important to NATO. Kemal Ataturk will be weaping in his grave. If you haven’t visited Gallipoli yet, do it soon because Turkey is about to become an unsafe place to be a westerner.

    • Ad 13.1
      16 July 2016 at 4:38 pm

      Far too early for such sweeping judgements.

      Erdogan’s background is not radically Islamic.
      The failure of the coup is good news for democracy as a principle, and a massive win for the people who took to the streets in support. But also a real wakeup for all nearby countries.

      Erdogan will use this as partially legitimate rationale for purging all sorts. Regrettably that will also include the media, the PKK, and general dissent. He will make the military cower to him. Which is not all bad, particularly given this is the first big coup to be stopped dead in its tracks in decades.

      • Psycho Milt 13.1.1
        16 July 2016 at 4:56 pm

        Erdogan’s background is not radically Islamic.

        So? Any kind of “Islamic” is toxic to secularism, the rule of law and human rights in Turkey, as witnessed by the guy’s entire time as president. The failure of the coup isn’t any kind of news for democracy, as democracy in Turkey is on the way out whoever wins this. The demise is a bit more obvious if the military win, but that’s about it.

        • Ad 13.1.1.1
          16 July 2016 at 6:11 pm

          Shock news: secular governments are not the only effective governments.

          Bring the smelling salts.

          • Colonial Viper 13.1.1.1.1
            16 July 2016 at 6:43 pm

            That’s right, there was effective government in medieval times too. But not democratic ones.

            • Ad 13.1.1.1.1.1
              16 July 2016 at 6:48 pm

              Plenty of religiously-inclined governments are also democratically elected. Completely secular ones are the exception globally.
              Happy to grant also that there can be too much religion in government.

              • One Anonymous Bloke …
                16 July 2016 at 6:56 pm

                too much

                That would be “some”. Yes, I’m aware that several NZ public institutions genuflect to the sky-fairies, and that strangling the last priest will be a slow and painful process. After all, the oldest books in the world point out how religion is all you have left when you’ve given up ethics and morality.

                Good things take time.

                • Ad …
                  16 July 2016 at 7:01 pm

                  I’m sorry for your anti-religious bias. It doesn’t become you.

                  Helpfully, the secular minority in this world is rapidly declining.

                  Those who understand the religious impulse understand the post-western world that is well on its way.

                  • One Anonymous Bloke …
                    16 July 2016 at 7:08 pm

                    Triumphant words indeed. Proud even. My anti religious bias (or any other part of my state of mind) isn’t yours to be sorry for, although I note the insult.

                    Careful, your values are showing.

                  • Colonial Viper …
                    16 July 2016 at 7:11 pm

                    And the trend is accelerating.

                    • Ad …
                      16 July 2016 at 7:22 pm

                      I’ll probably have to slide from Ad to Adbusters here.

                      For whatever reason, since 9/11 we have seen more and more of the old western presumptions that secularism, and the post-WW2 institutions that built on them (UN, IMF, World Bank, EU etc), corroding and breaking down. And, agreed, that trend is accelerating.

                      It is very easy to see huge rises in less-or-more radical versions of Islam as a repudiation of western values.
                      Repudiation of godless western capitalism.
                      Godless western sexuality.
                      Godless western materialism.
                      Godless western families.
                      Godless western individualism.
                      The new believers get to have a life sufficiently disciplined that it can be sustained despite the total saturation of such biases throughout the MSM and other media against religion in any form.

                      And they get to presume that their values are more powerful than capitalism, communism, state control, intelligence gathering.
                      And they are winning.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      16 July 2016 at 9:56 pm

                      I forgot who said it: the most common way people give up their power is by believing that they have none.

                      Therefore the corollary is: the most common way people regain their power is by believing (having faith) that it is theirs.

          • Psycho Milt 13.1.1.1.2
            16 July 2016 at 6:46 pm

            Sure (after all, “effective” also encompasses “effective at suppressing all opposition”). Secular governments are however the only ones in which the rule of law and civil rights have a shit’s show.

            • Ad 13.1.1.1.2.1
              16 July 2016 at 6:57 pm

              Go right ahead and prove that.

              You should be able to show that all secular democracies always have superior rule of law and civil rights to non-secular democracies, precisely because they are secular.

              • One Anonymous Bloke …
                16 July 2016 at 7:02 pm

                “Should” according to what? The Book of Empty Rhetoric?

                • Ad …
                  16 July 2016 at 7:06 pm

                  According to PsychoMilt’s claim.

                  • One Anonymous Bloke …
                    16 July 2016 at 7:12 pm

                    Correction: according to your (deliberate? Probably) misrepresentation. Why are you bearing false witness?

                    • Ad …
                      16 July 2016 at 7:24 pm

                      “Secular governments are however the only ones in which the rule of law and civil rights have a shit show.”

                      Go right ahead.

                  • One Anonymous Bloke …
                    16 July 2016 at 9:14 pm

                    Yes, I know what his claim is and I saw how you attempted to establish false premises for testing it. Try again.

                    • Ad …
                      16 July 2016 at 9:17 pm

                      “Secular governments are however the only ones in which the rule of law and civil rights have a shit show.”

                      Go right ahead.
                      Defend that stated proposition from PsychoMilt.
                      You sound keen to.

                  • One Anonymous Bloke …
                    16 July 2016 at 9:20 pm

                    Now you’ve moved from putting words in his mouth to putting words in mine, As I said: false witness. Toodles.

                    • Ad …
                      16 July 2016 at 9:30 pm

                      Neither you nor PsychoMilt were able to defend the claim within the quote.

                      Back to the domestic league for you.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      17 July 2016 at 6:58 am

                      Your glorious victory over your strawman says nothing about PM’s claim. When you attack it, I’m sure someone will brush you off with ease. Again.

              • Psycho Milt …
                16 July 2016 at 7:17 pm

                You should be able to show that all secular democracies always have superior rule of law and civil rights to non-secular democracies, precisely because they are secular.

                “All” secular democracies? I made no claim that secularism necessarily entails democracy, the rule of law and civil rights – only that Islamist governments are incapable of them. (“Islamist” in place of “non-secular” here because there’s currently only one religion that’s also a political ideology).

                Can you name even one Islamist government for which democracy, the rule of law and civil rights bear comparison with the world’s secular governments?

                • Ad …
                  16 July 2016 at 7:27 pm

                  I missed you making it particular to Islam.

                  “Secular governments are however the only ones in which the rule of law and civil rights have a shit show.”

                  It’s up to you to prove your claim.

                  • In Vino …
                    16 July 2016 at 7:40 pm

                    Perhaps it is an idealistic, utopian claim, in that it has not happened yet. I could also point out that I have never seen a religious regime achieve anything like the ideal. Galileo comes to mind, and I have little confidence in any government that is not secular. Religion is fine for individuals, but is poison for state government. Unless you want dogma, indoctrination, etc.
                    Mind you, capitalism gives us roughly that anyway. The marketers become the priests.

                    • Ad …
                      16 July 2016 at 7:43 pm

                      So your point is what?

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      16 July 2016 at 7:48 pm

                      And how does that compare with what we are slaving under right now i.e. where the financiers, bankers and economists have been elevated to our Faux High Priests?

                    • In Vino …
                      16 July 2016 at 9:32 pm

                      Ad seemed to miss the point, so thanks CV. Just hoping this post comes in at the right place.

                  • Psycho Milt …
                    16 July 2016 at 9:40 pm

                    Well, OK, non-secular in general then – Modi’s pushing it pretty close in India, after all.

                    My claim is based on three things:

                    By definition, a non-secular state doesn’t have freedom of religion. One religion is advanced over other religions that citizens might follow, so civil rights are in the bin.

                    Second, a non-secular state necessarily involves enshrining at least some of the prescriptions and proscriptions of a religion in legislation (if it doesn’t, it might as well be a secular state). If rules are arbitrarily enshrined in law based on magic woo rather than will of the people, rule of law by definition can’t exist. And if religious rules are imposed on citizens who aren’t adherents of the religion, civil rights are again removed.

                    Third, a non-secular state usually involves the elevation of religious authorities to positions of political power, without due process. That’s both democracy and rule of law in the bin.

                    If there’s a way to create a non-secular state that doesn’t involve the above, nobody’s come up with it yet. Certainly Erdogan has no intention of being the first.

                    • Ad …
                      16 July 2016 at 9:49 pm

                      I’ve run out of comment tabs now.

                      Try this as a post, stabilize your definitions, and let’s get to it.

                    • Stuart Munro …
                      17 July 2016 at 6:00 am

                      The legitimacy of a theocracy is likely to hang on its popular support.

                      “If rules are arbitrarily enshrined in law based on magic woo rather than will of the people, rule of law by definition can’t exist.”

                      If the religion is practically ubiquitous the ‘magic woo’ based law will reflect a popular or authentic conception of justice.

                      You have perhaps a romantic view of the integrity of legislatures – ours pass laws with great frequency that do not and could not attract a popular mandate. The Kantian process of common law gets little more than a disrespectful nod nowadays.

                      The problem with theocracies, aside from the corruption and character faults which plague all governments, is when pretending to religious virtue becomes a ground of competition within the state hierarchy. When that happens people are promoted on zealotry and are likely to impose more stringent impositions upon people than is compatible with the culture. Arguably some variations of political correctness can become a similar area of competition.

            • Stuart Munro 13.1.1.1.2.2
              16 July 2016 at 7:33 pm

              Not all theocracies have been terribly oppressive – Tibetan rule was relatively benign by all accounts. Religion is largely what people make of it – and the same criticism can be made of democracy.

              • Ad …
                16 July 2016 at 7:46 pm

                And one could argue that the worst and most murderously geonocidal states we’ve ever seen were the most rigorously secular. USSR. China. Cambodia. Germany.

                • In Vino …
                  16 July 2016 at 9:01 pm

                  Hitler’s regime was cuddled up to Catholicism. He was not an atheist. “Gott mit uns.” Take Germany out of that group please, and stop projecting your wishful thinking. None of those regimes you quote have done worse than religious ones – only equally badly.
                  But cheer up – I am sure that somebody somewhere will do even worse.

                  • Ad …
                    16 July 2016 at 9:07 pm

                    Take Germany out if you like.
                    You can argue the point later with Bonhoeffer.

                    I’m not the one blaming religion for bad government.

                    • In Vino …
                      17 July 2016 at 12:15 am

                      Nor was Bonhoeffer an atheist. Hard to argue against him. I do not remember him accusing the Nazi regime of pushing atheism: just cruel immorality. Or amorality.

                      It would be nice to know who we should blame for bad government. I fear it is us.

              • Colonial Viper …
                16 July 2016 at 7:55 pm

                Iranian theocracy is scientifically advanced, intellectually liberal and civically modern. Compared to Saudi Arabia, anyway.

                • Stuart Munro …
                  16 July 2016 at 9:05 pm

                  In some countries, like Algeria, where the population is overwhelmingly Muslim, a state that does not reflect that would be almost improper. The early European democracies were emphatically Christian but still made social progress. It is fair to press theocracies for tolerance however.

                  Saudi is complicated – at once liberal and tolerant and viciously conservative. The northern coastal area is relatively westernised. The royal family do not lead the faith however, so theocracy is not quite the term. I think psychologically one might describe Saudi a bit like a Mongol horde – consisting of highly mobile tribal groups with rather idiosyncratic cultures all under the ruling family.

                  We hear nothing good about Wahabism in the west, but Wahabi himself seems to have been a bit Rousseau like with respect to ruler’s duties to their people – so the Saudi state is generous to its citizens and in terms of distributive justice an example of a better managed oil state than Venezuela for example.

                  Have to be a bit careful in stating “Saudi did X”, when it may be “conservative minorities in Saudi did X”. America would not like to be broad-brushed as Westboro Baptist or the Waco cult.

                  • Psycho Milt …
                    16 July 2016 at 9:44 pm

                    In some countries, like Algeria, where the population is overwhelmingly Muslim, a state that does not reflect that would be almost improper.

                    Why do you think the population is overwhelmingly Muslim in such countries? Hint: look up “apostasy in Islam.”

                    • Stuart Munro …
                      17 July 2016 at 12:24 am

                      The electoral results for FIS, the government of which Ahmed Zaoui was a part, were very strong, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algerian_legislative_election,_1991 You’ll notice that the balloting system meant FLN as the lesser third party would have secured no further seats. I don’t see any legitimacy in such an action from a government retaining less than 5% of seats.

                      Terrorism in Algeria was particularly fraught – the government forces were as implicated in atrocities as the rebels, they had a reputation for torturing or disappearing people who reported terrorist activity. A friend of my friend returned home once to find pieces of his wife and children hanging from wires in the trees.

                      Yes, I’m aware of the apostasy issue with Islam – it is the kind of issue that makes the separation of church and state desirable. But I’m inclined to think that if one is serious about democracy then the views of very substantial majorities must be respected. FIS certainly commanded a very substantial majority – and by voter choice, not by the draconian enforcement of apostasy laws.

              • One Anonymous Bloke …
                16 July 2016 at 9:11 pm

                Tibetan rule was relatively benign by all accounts.

                Are you sure about that?

                • Psycho Milt …
                  16 July 2016 at 9:19 pm

                  Well, “relatively” is of course a relative term. Benign in comparison to other theocracies, maybe?

                  • Stuart Munro …
                    16 July 2016 at 11:51 pm

                    You may be setting the bar a little high – democracies and monarchies are not without problems. But not all theocracies are Aztec empires or Borgia Catholicism – asserting that they are manifestly wrong may be a step too far.

      • Sanctuary 13.1.2
        16 July 2016 at 4:59 pm

        In the case of Turkey, it is most definitely NOT good news for democracy as a principle. Do you know anything about Turkish history? Basically, Ataturk created the modern Turkish state as a modern, secular institution out of the ruins of the corrupt and medieval Ottoman empire. Ataturk then made the army the guardian of that secular state.

        Erdogan is mobilising rural conservative Islam against the secular urban classes. That would be fine, if he was committed to democracy, the rule of law and freedom of speech but he isn’t. He is an incipient (probably full blown now) dictator who passes laws to stop people making fun of him.

        Assuming Errdogan has defeated the coup, he will move to become a full blown dictator. And the usual cycle of corruption, mob rule, economic collapse and the use of xenophobia as an excuse for the regimes failings will now take place. And we will see the flight of the skilled secular middle class who will easily fit into western societies.

        The Russians will be absolutely delighted. We are witnessing the collapse back into Ottoman orientalism of one of the southern bulwarks against Russian expansion. I hope Roger Fenton is dusting out his photography wagon, because history is about to repeat.

        The Greeks will be most pleased. They’ve just become too important to fail on NATOs southern flank. If I were them, I’d be going back to the Troika saying they just got dealt a stronger hand.

        Everyone else will feel sad. Turkey is a beautiful place and full of wonderful people, but only dark times beckon.

        • Ad 13.1.2.1
          16 July 2016 at 6:10 pm

          Comparing Erdogan to Ataturk doesn’t serve any purpose.
          Ataturk had to clean up after the spectacular defeat and collapse of the entire Ottoman empire. It’s an entirely different state now, and different context.

          I have no need to defend Erdogan. He is indeed a thug. But defeating a coup as big as that needs extremely decisive government at all levels.

          What we have narrowly missed today however is an expansion of chaos in the Islamic-governed world from Pakistan to Nigeria. A small blessing.

          • Colonial Viper 13.1.2.1.1
            16 July 2016 at 6:45 pm

            Again, you completely ignore Erdogan’s role in feeding Islamic extremism in Iraq and Syria, as well as shooting down a Russian jet in an attempt to involve NATO into a conflict against Russia. Chaos is Erdogan’s middle name.

            • Ad 13.1.2.1.1.1
              16 July 2016 at 6:54 pm

              Erdogan could have supported the local Damascus florist and been shown to support extremists.

              You probably have more detail than I on who are the Syrian good extremists to support, and who the bad extremists to support. From where it looks to me, supporting any faction in Syria is supporting an extremist. The CIA couldn’t find eight actual individuals to call moderate, and support them. I’m sure you can generate some greater moral certainty for me on who should be supporting whom there.

              • Colonial Viper …
                16 July 2016 at 7:04 pm

                The answer is pretty simple and pretty cheap, you conditionally support the legitimate Syrian government of al-Assad until all the Islamist groups (or alphabet soup of terrorists as Moscow calls them) have given up arms, then you transition him out of power via democratic elections and set him and his family up in a $10M condo in Switzerland.

                • Psycho Milt …
                  16 July 2016 at 7:09 pm

                  …the legitimate Syrian government of al-Assad…

                  Comedy gold.

                  • Colonial Viper …
                    16 July 2016 at 7:50 pm

                    There is none other, despite the regime changing dreams of the western empire of chaos.

                    Who would love to see the black ISIS flag raised over Damascus and al-Assad rectally reemed by a knife, like Gaddafi was, in their previous project Libya.

                • Ad …
                  16 July 2016 at 7:11 pm

                  I knew it would be simple.

                  • Colonial Viper …
                    16 July 2016 at 7:51 pm

                    It’s the plan that Russia has been trying to advance for over a year now.

                    Focus on getting rid of ISIS and the rest of the Islamists first, then move Assad on, maintaining a democratic secular government throughout.

                    The main problem here is that Turkey, the US and Saudi Arabia quite like their Fundamental Islamist proxies in Syria.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 13.1.2.2
          16 July 2016 at 6:15 pm

          Your dire predictions have the ring of truth to them, and yet I cannot help but wonder whether the people who faced down tanks today are simply going to go along with it.

          I suppose they might all be Ergodan’s centre-right thugs…

          Es funktioniert auf die gleiche Art und Weise in jedem Land, but those good Germans didn’t have Facebook..

          • b waghorn 13.1.2.2.1
            16 July 2016 at 8:40 pm

            “I suppose they might all be Ergodan’s centre-right thugs…”
            They might also know that stability under a thug is preferred to chaos in a vacumm like their neighbours.

  14. Tory 14
    16 July 2016 at 8:39 pm

    This has Ergodans fingerprints all over it, no parliamentary majority so why not set up a coup followed by a state of emergency/enhanced parliamentary powers followed by a purge of the military. Turkey is heading back to the stone age and no doubt increased military strikes against the Kurds.

    • In Vino 14.1
      16 July 2016 at 9:05 pm

      Such cynicism – yet I fear that you may be right. No pun intended.

    • Graeme 14.2
      16 July 2016 at 10:38 pm

      Yeah, it’s a very un-Turkish coup, generally the Turkish military are very good at planing and executing them. The place has a history of running off the rails when operating as a democracy and getting put back on the track by the military. It’s brutal, but effective.

      I spent the evening reading up on the history of them, there’s been 4 since 1960. In the wikipedia article on the last one in 1997 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_Turkish_military_memorandum there’s this quote, which I thought summed up the role the military plays in Turkish society well,

      “Çevik Bir, one of the generals who planned the process, said “In Turkey we have a marriage of Islam and democracy. (…) The child of this marriage is secularism. Now this child gets sick from time to time. The Turkish Armed Forces is the doctor which saves the child. Depending on how sick the kid is, we administer the necessary medicine to make sure the child recuperates”.[14]”

      If this is a put up job by Ergodan, expect the real thing very shortly

    • RedLogix 14.3
      17 July 2016 at 8:28 am

      @ Tory

      I’ve held back from saying anything about these events. Nothing passes any kind of sniff test.

    • Paul 14.4
      17 July 2016 at 8:36 am

      From the Guardian

      ‘Elaborating on the idea that Erdoğan may have staged the coup attempt, Aslandogan said Friday’s events did not match the pattern of previous coups.

      “The coup appears to be poorly planned,” he said, “very poorly executed and everything seems to be playing into Erdoğan’s hands. There are many big question marks of how [this attempted coup] was executed.”’

      https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/16/fethullah-gulen-turkey-coup-erdogan

      • Colonial Viper 14.4.1
        17 July 2016 at 10:10 am

        Military units saying they were ordered out of base on impromptu exercises ordered by superiors…then suddenly finding themselves part of a coup.

  15. One Two 15
    17 July 2016 at 1:24 am

    No chance the coup fails if it were ligitimate

    Mark Thatcher must have been involved

    • Colonial Viper 15.1
      17 July 2016 at 10:08 am

      A very strange and inept coup. Internet and media kept broadcasting. Top 100 Erdogan officials – including Erdogan himself – still at large instead of held incommunicado in secret location.

      And now the counter-coup is in full force with thousands of judges, prosecutors, other govt officials purged out of the system, to be replaced by Erdogan Islamists.

      BTW Erdogan must already had all these purge name lists pre-drawn up before the coup. No way you investigate who was involved in the coup and identify 3000 or 4000 conspirators names over night.

  16. Chooky 16
    17 July 2016 at 10:16 am

    ‘Astonishing NATO nations did not come to aid of Erdogan govt’

    https://www.rt.com/op-edge/351644-nato-nations-aid-erdogan/

    …”It’s interesting that the Prime Minister so quickly blamed the Gulen movement. Now, who is this movement? The cleric lives in the US. Well, that is the movement that reportedly funds the Hillary Clinton campaign. Certainly there will be people in Ankara not wishing for a Clinton presidency anytime soon given that so many supporters right now are being arrested. There are ties here that show how complex the events of the past 12 hours are….

    ‘Turkey coup attempt: Erdoğan demands US arrest exiled cleric Gülen amid crackdown on army – as it happened’

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2016/jul/15/turkey-coup-attempt-military-gunfire-ankara

    (Recently Turkey had been trying to resume friendly relations with Russia

    ‘Putin Ends Russian Tourism Ban to Turkey After Erdogan Talks’

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-29/putin-lifts-ban-on-russian-tourism-to-turkey-after-erdogan-talks

    ‘Erdoğan has apologised for downing of Russian jet, Kremlin says’

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/27/kremlin-says-erdogan-apologises-russian-jet-turkish

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/28/erdogan-russia-turkey-foreign-policy )

    • One Anonymous Bloke 16.1
      17 July 2016 at 10:33 am

      “Astonishing” to anyone who believes what they read on rt, perhaps.

      On Earth, neither Ergodan – nor anyone else in the Turkish government asked for any such aid, which would be a prerequisite for deploying it.

      I wonder who profits from such feeble understanding of international law.

      • Colonial Viper 16.1.1
        18 July 2016 at 10:49 pm

        On Earth, neither Ergodan – nor anyone else in the Turkish government asked for any such aid, which would be a prerequisite for deploying it.

        How did you get access to Turkish diplomatic communiques?

        Or do you mean that the Turkish govt didn’t use CNN to ask for NATO assistance so clearly they didn’t?

        • Paul 16.1.1.1
          18 July 2016 at 10:52 pm

          Still don’t understand why a coup leader wouldn’t wait till 4 a.m. to start their move. More chance of surprise, surely?

          • Colonial Viper 16.1.1.1.1
            19 July 2016 at 12:18 pm

            It was a very unusually disorganised coup. With no apparent coup leader appearing on TV and no apparent explanation to the public why they should support it. It appears to have involved less than half of military personnel.

            It totally failed to apprehend and isolate (and execute?) Erdogan and his 100 top lieutenants.

            And not turning off the internet and social media? Come on guys, this is not the 1980s any more.

            Everyone who launches a coup knows that if it fails, you will be up against a stone block wall, guaranteed.

            So it is very surprising that it was such a half arsed effort, and essentially over within a few hours.

            Even more surprising is Erdogan pointing the fingers at the USA. Which makes you wonder if the neocons, or the CIA, or some other faction of the US system, played a role somewhere.

            • Bastables 16.1.1.1.1.1
              19 July 2016 at 12:54 pm

              The “unusually disorganised” canard for explaining a failure after the fact does not square with the accounts of witness to the attempted coup.

              https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/18/military-coup-was-well-planned-and-very-nearly-succeeded-say-turkish-officials

              “But as Turkey picks up the pieces after the failed coup, new details are emerging of how it unfolded, and just how close the military intervention came to succeeding. Many observers have labelled the attempt amateurish, but accounts by officials contradict this characterisation, describing it as well organised and very nearly successful.”

              “President Erdoğan himself was at the resort of Marmaris, but had left the residence where he was staying some 20 minutes before coup plotters attacked it. Around 25 soldiers in helicopters descended on a hotel there on ropes, shooting, in an apparent attempt to seize him just after Erdoğan had left, broadcaster CNN Turk said.”

              and bits were they were successful:
              “The top counter-terrorism official responsible for Turkey’s campaign against Islamic State did go to a “meeting” at the presidential palace in Ankara. He was later found with his hands tied behind his back, shot in the neck, according to a senior official.”

              • Colonial Viper …
                19 July 2016 at 1:09 pm

                What would “eye witness accounts” know about how well put together the coup was?

                The coup plotters:

                1) Were unable to lock down the capital under martial law.
                2) Allowed major broadcasters to keep broadcasting for at least an hour even after the coup was launched.
                3) Allowed the internet and social media to keep operating throughout the night.
                4) Did not isolate (or have on board) Erdogan’s centres of power including his cabinet, his police headquarters, his intelligence service head quarters.
                5) Had no one to front the coup to communicate with the public.
                6) Failed to shoot down Erdogan’s plane which was in the air for much of the night and even had its civilian location transponder on.
                7) Was only able to mobilise only a tiny fraction of Turkey’s several hundred thousand strong army.

                How do your eyewitness accounts match to these facts?

                • Bastables …
                  19 July 2016 at 10:56 pm

                  There are several successful coups which did not “lock down” the capital, Suharto’s attempt in Jakarta merely relied on having sized the centre monuments with Kostrad and Kopassus units and taking over a single radio station. The ARVN coup of 1963 seems to have similarities to the recent Turkish one in that conspirators held “security” meetings briefings where loyalist officers were taken into custody under false pretenses. If as in the case of the recent Turkish coup officers/ministers did not turn up to the meetings loyalist forces would not have been paralysed by lack of leadership. The guardian story quite clearly shows how things shifted in Turkey as loyalist members of the government/police/army failed to be arrested/assassinated unlike the ARVN 1963 coup.

                  The ARVN coup of 1963 much like Suharto’s “counter” coup relied on early successes with various factions and individuals falling inline, the former in a drawn out process of labeling persons communist and purging them.

                  Failing to shoot down Erdogan’s plane or eliminating him earlier in the hotel helo raid indicate issues poor execution and/or lack of luck as opposed to “highly disorganised”. Failure is not the same as “highly disorganised”.

                  The ARVN rebel pre-taped coup declaration radio message did not begin till 1630hr, 6+hrs from it’s recording. Suharto did not declare his “counter” coup till 2100hr on his day. Both relied on sizing just the national radio stations and both only made their public declarations after they were certain of their success.

                  The Internet (including social media) is a new ingredient, and may have been the thing that really turned the tide, including a hilarious medieval throw back call to prayers from Mosques as a result. I don’t see how anyone can shut these things down never mind by small sections of coup plotters operating in secrecy until a decisive day? Cut all power? Explode a nuclear weapon to emp every piece of electronic equipment including your own? Have sections or detachments tasked with destroy/incapacitate every transmitter in the AO? Have a entire regimental sized signals unit tasked with jamming every frequency and no one noticing you vetting every single cross attachment to your oversized Electronic warfare regiment with it’s equipment and power needs, while hoping loyalist units do not jump onto your own clear frequencies and then jam your units while trying to transmit themselves?

                  Read the guardian story, and remember to keep in mind that the chaos of a army in action even in a coup does not denote “unusually disorganized” especially when it fails in it’s objectives, as any reading of successful coups tend to highlight mistakes and missed chances even on the “winning” side.

                  Most coups do not mobilize more than a tiny fraction of their larger militaries . . . as they tend to be factional in nature and rely on secrecy of a coterie to avoid exposure.

                  Your facts are not historically rooted, nor seems to draw on any experience of Military conduct/capabilities or even reading the guardian story.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 16.1.1.2
          19 July 2016 at 11:32 am

          As you rightly point out, rt must have access to Turkish diplomatic communiques

          🙄

  17. Bastables 17
    17 July 2016 at 11:27 am

    It might be a good idea to include actual Turkish media reports such as http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/anatomy-of-a-failed-coup-attempt.aspx?PageID=238&NID=101705&NewsCatID=409

  18. Paul 18
    17 July 2016 at 11:21 pm

    Why start a coup at 9.30 p.m on a Friday night?

  19. Robert Atack 19
    18 July 2016 at 9:56 pm

    XU100 BIST NATIONAL 100 78664 -4161.71 -5.13 -3.27 Jul/18
    Meanwhile back at the Turkish stock exchange as at 12:56 pm Monday. down 5.13? with a yearly average down of 3.27? what ever all that means?

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  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    21 hours ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    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
    21 hours 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
    21 hours 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
    21 hours 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
    21 hours 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
    21 hours 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
    22 hours 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
    23 hours 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
    24 hours 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
    24 hours 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
    24 hours 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
    24 hours 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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 KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    3 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
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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 KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 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
    3 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
    3 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. 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 ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    5 days ago

  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago

  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: “What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days 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
    2 hours 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
    3 hours 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
    4 hours 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
    4 hours ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye 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
    4 hours 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
    6 hours 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
    18 hours 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
    24 hours ago

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

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