The "ironising radiation", "holistic dentistry", and "innate intelligence of the universe" modules have apparently shut down. But the anti-alcohol module has apparently rebooted, likely soon to be followed by the pro-vegan and 9/11 modules.
Personally, I think regulations around sale and consumption of alcohol in New Zealand are reasonable and fit for purpose. However, we probably fall a bit short on ensuring compliance with those regulations. We have somewhat of a cultural problem with how we consume alcohol, but that's not really something that can be improved with regulations, except possibly around the margins with restrictions on advertising.
2. As far as I can tell, animal welfare standards in New Zealand are quite high by international comparisons, although I'd certainly be happy to see them improve further. Where I think we let ourselves down badly is in how we allow farmers to discharge significant wastes off the farm into the atmosphere and waterways, as well as allowing extractive practices (such as irrigation) that result in significant effects to areas off the farm. Thereby trashing areas and environments that are part of the commons we should all be able to enjoy.
On both those topics, I think your hectoring approach with a side of high-horsery is unlikely to change any minds or behaviours, and is more likely to actually be counterproductive through just getting people's backs up.
How much more Excise do you want? I grow about 75,000 litres of wine a year and if all sold in NZ it garners around $225, 000 + 33,750 GST for a total of $262,550 for Grant to play with and we get paid $190,000 of which my wages are about $45,000 (min wage, my wife is the CFO ) and we have made a profit of around $11,000 about 3 times in the last 5 years, the others have been losses. Why ? Ask all sorts of growers in Motueka and the Bay of Plenty and grape growers in Canterbury this year. It's a hard road growing shit.
I'm not complaining I'm proud to be able to produce something that pays for vaccines and such like, but just think how much the cost of living would be if taxes of this ilk were added to other selected items.
The reporting in this article about this riot in Whangamata is part of the issue. At no stage does it address the issue of this class A drug's vice like grasp over the levers of control in this country. The liquor industry, politicians and a liberal culture is responsible for this.
While I agree with the words Sandra Goudie about rich self-indulgent teenagers, it would be interesting to see what her voting record is on alcohol.
Equally, I can predict the way many of the parents of these teenagers spent their evening….
Alcohol should be classified as one. Many independent experts think so.
Alcohol is the world's most dangerous drug when you consider the harm it does to drinkers, their friends and families, and society in general. The harm that alcohol does exceeds the dangers of even heroin and crack cocaine when the overall danger to the user and others is taken into account.1
This is the conclusion of a panel of British experts that assessed and ranked the harm caused by 20 different drugs, both legal and illegal.
So did you reject all the invites to NYE parties, or did you just not receive any? The teetotalling veganism is all good, it's the wowserism that poops the party.
Frankly, the fact that alcohol causes harm does not make me uncomfortable. I can even put up with a decent vegan meal.
But what would make me choose to not invite you to a party (or indeed, your attendance would be a vote against me turning up to that event) is the idea of spending a few hours in your constantly-judgemental presence. I was mildly curious as to whether you had any real life social interactions. You might be a genuinely happy, entertaining and likeable chap in real life, but it sure doesn't come through in your comments.
Personally, my waning desire for alcohol is unexpected and actually a bit unwelcome. I like being tipsy, especially with tipsy friends who aren't angry drunks. I just always seem to be driving these days, or when I'm not driving I don't feel like drinking. I'm hoping it's just a phase.
I was going to rattle off a whole list of predictions, but I cannot really be bothered.
Enjoy the rest of your break everyone. Looking forward to reading more interesting posts on here in the next 12 months. I might even write some if I can get motivated.
I have been helping friends move flat with the annual end of the year shift, since my car has a towbar. Friends; plural, from a couple of different places. Due out of their old homes on New year's eve, and one at least was just moving stuff to storage with a big question mark about getting anything more than a slot in a rooming house ever again.
The housing crisis is bad enough. The timing of fixed term leases (not many periodic nowadays) seems unnecessarily cruel. Say; the first of February, would be a lot easier (& more humane) than 31st of December for changeover, with no downside that I can see.
I had a couple of special visitors today; delightful barely describes them! To my great embarrassment, it wasn't till our garden ramble was nearing its end, and through some subtle prompting, that I realised I was in the company of one of The Standards Very Finest Commenters! In a way I was pleased not to have remembered who was due to visit, as I'd have wanted to talk politics, rather than gardens; I'm pretty naive at the former and a bit less so with the latter, so it all went well; we wandered about the place, deeply immersed in my leafy world. I did very much enjoy the visit, even though the topic of commenting here was only very lightly touched upon 🙂
It's an amusingly pointed exercise in catharsis, with Station Film director Brendan Gibbons employing quick cuts to present diverse folks in various locations who drop F-bombs with glee.
"Let's start with a giant, 'Fuck you, Covid-19!' " a healthcare worker says.
"Fuck you for taking my job," offers a guy sitting on his porch.
"Fuck you for closing his school," says a mom in her son's bedroom. The youngster adds: "Yeah, fuck you!"
Canceled weddings and shortages of household goods come in for similar treatment, as does systemic racism and violence against Black people.
"All lives will fucking matter when Black lives fucking matter!" an elderly white woman rails.
Other targets include murder hornets, "motherfucking Zoom calls," Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, Karens, and a certain country praised for its handling of the pandemic while other nations continue to struggle.
"Fuck you, New Zealand!" screams a guy on a bridge. "You think you're better than us?Well, you are. BUT FUCK YOU ANYWAY!"
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. ...
Chris Trotter writes – MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. The data is from February this ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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, ...
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, ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 → ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blogIn 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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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, ...
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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
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 ...
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 Brownannounced ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Changes to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 - ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
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Is this thing on?
As the former Green MP, and now a hermit on Quarantine Island, would say.
"Hey Clint! Are we in favour of this thing being on or off?"
trying to write a post, not sure I am getting very far.
The "ironising radiation", "holistic dentistry", and "innate intelligence of the universe" modules have apparently shut down. But the anti-alcohol module has apparently rebooted, likely soon to be followed by the pro-vegan and 9/11 modules.
Your comments are noted.
As a matter of interest.
1. Do you think the regulations surrounding alcohol are fit for purpose?
2. Do you think we should be concerned about animal welfare in industrial farming?
2. As far as I can tell, animal welfare standards in New Zealand are quite high by international comparisons, although I'd certainly be happy to see them improve further. Where I think we let ourselves down badly is in how we allow farmers to discharge significant wastes off the farm into the atmosphere and waterways, as well as allowing extractive practices (such as irrigation) that result in significant effects to areas off the farm. Thereby trashing areas and environments that are part of the commons we should all be able to enjoy.
On both those topics, I think your hectoring approach with a side of high-horsery is unlikely to change any minds or behaviours, and is more likely to actually be counterproductive through just getting people's backs up.
Thank you for your reply.
The 2010 Law Commission report, Alcohol in Our Lives: Curbing the Harm, made some key recommendations.
Key policy recommendations included:
_ raising the price of alcohol by an average of 10% through excise tax increases;
_ returning the minimum purchase age for alcohol to 20
_ moving over time to regulate alcohol advertising and sponsorship.
The fundamental recommendations of Palmer and his team have been ignored.
https://m.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1004/S00315/alcohol-in-our-lives-curbing-the-harm.htm
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/114924043/major-report-into-reducing-alcohol-harm-ignored-for-almost-a-decade
How much more Excise do you want? I grow about 75,000 litres of wine a year and if all sold in NZ it garners around $225, 000 + 33,750 GST for a total of $262,550 for Grant to play with and we get paid $190,000 of which my wages are about $45,000 (min wage, my wife is the CFO ) and we have made a profit of around $11,000 about 3 times in the last 5 years, the others have been losses. Why ? Ask all sorts of growers in Motueka and the Bay of Plenty and grape growers in Canterbury this year. It's a hard road growing shit.
I'm not complaining I'm proud to be able to produce something that pays for vaccines and such like, but just think how much the cost of living would be if taxes of this ilk were added to other selected items.
Sheesh, you're not wrong there.
Nursing sore heads……
Might see a burst of life around noon. Me? I'm off to feed the family cats.
New Zealand has a serious problem with alcohol.
The reporting in this article about this riot in Whangamata is part of the issue. At no stage does it address the issue of this class A drug's vice like grasp over the levers of control in this country. The liquor industry, politicians and a liberal culture is responsible for this.
While I agree with the words Sandra Goudie about rich self-indulgent teenagers, it would be interesting to see what her voting record is on alcohol.
Equally, I can predict the way many of the parents of these teenagers spent their evening….
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/self-indulgent-brats-6000-of-stock-stolen-blackies-cafe-roof-damaged-in-whangamata-riot/KMHGM26BXN7Q3L5AN5FAMOUR64/
Experts like Doug Sellman have been telling our politicians to act for years. The Herald is part of the problem.
Just one finding .
“Alcohol is a cause of cancers of the mouth, throat, oesophagus, liver, large bowel and breast.”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/83179106/doug-sellman-an-irresponsible-alcohol-industry-is-doing-its-best-to-confuse
Class A drug? Link?
Alcohol should be classified as one. Many independent experts think so.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-444081/Alcohol-considered-Class-A-drug-say-experts.html
https://www.verywellmind.com/alcohol-is-the-most-harmful-drug-3969483
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2010/nov/01/alcohol-more-harmful-than-heroin-crack
So it's not actually a class A drug, as you stated, then.
No, you are correct. In New Zealand, it is not a class a drug.
However, it should be. And that is the view of many drug experts.
You don't dispute the damage it does, do you?
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/health/2018/05/challenging-new-zealand-s-harmful-drinking-culture.html
An agenda is one thing, lying is another. Poor form, [deleted]
[please don’t do that, pretty sure we’ve been over this before – weka]
Fair enough, won't do it again, but the point about lying in comments stands.
Indeed.
Heaps of people manage to drink and get drunk on NYE without trashing a cafe. Even young people.
I am very suspicous of those who want an effective return to Prohibition.
I agree Millsy.
And the cost to New Zealand is way wider and deeper than a Whangamata cafe.
The cost to New Zealand of alcohol is extreme.
At no stage did I recommend prohibition. Like Sellman and other experts, I advocate we treat alcohol as if it is a serious drug
New Year's Day is always a touchy time to challenge one of New Zealand's sacred cows……
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/new-zealands-alcohol-toll-8000-premature-deaths-70-billion-social-cost/5LBJBWYYSNR6PNE37FNPTRFCME/
New Year's Eve is probably a good time to eat some cow, however.
https://nypost.com/2019/12/18/vegans-may-get-worse-hangovers-than-meat-eaters/
I do not eat meat or drink alcohol.
Consuming one is devastating for our planet and the other is detrimental to our society.
Fuck that's a boring life.
so sayeth the alcohol-pusher..
and kinda sad you consider eating flesh and getting drunk to be what constitutes a life..
and that you are unable to conceive of a life minus eating flesh and consuming alcohol to be of any worth..?
and hey..! a heads-up..!..pissheads are amongst the most boring people on the planet..
and don't get me started on wine bores…
they are out on their own..
..and that's a 'life'..?..really..?
So what did you get up to over New Year's Eve? I went to a party with some friends. Didn't drink alcohol because I was driving, but we all had fun.
So did you reject all the invites to NYE parties, or did you just not receive any? The teetotalling veganism is all good, it's the wowserism that poops the party.
I would question your use of wowserism…
pointing out the health outcomes from consuming new zealands' (and yours..?) favourite drug..
is just stating a fact..
one that might make you uncomfortable..
so lash out at the messenger..
and..having used more than my fair share of most intoxicants..
..and thinking alcohol is a really crap drug..that has those cancer outcomes..
does that make me a wowser..?
you are sounding like an addict defending their drug of choice
I don't actually drink, so not defending any drug of choice.
apologies for confusion…comment was directed @ mcflock..
Yeah, I realised that soon after I hit "Submit". Sometimes I like to read from the bottom upwards. And no, I dont get confused.
Did you know that we produce alcohol inside our bodies?
no..I didn't know that.
why..?
Why?
Dunno, you’ll have to ask the Great Watchmaker.
I note you didn't answer the question.
Frankly, the fact that alcohol causes harm does not make me uncomfortable. I can even put up with a decent vegan meal.
But what would make me choose to not invite you to a party (or indeed, your attendance would be a vote against me turning up to that event) is the idea of spending a few hours in your constantly-judgemental presence. I was mildly curious as to whether you had any real life social interactions. You might be a genuinely happy, entertaining and likeable chap in real life, but it sure doesn't come through in your comments.
Personally, my waning desire for alcohol is unexpected and actually a bit unwelcome. I like being tipsy, especially with tipsy friends who aren't angry drunks. I just always seem to be driving these days, or when I'm not driving I don't feel like drinking. I'm hoping it's just a phase.
@ andre 3.2.11….From yr link..
'lacks serious scientific backup..'
and it's the new york post…
which is essentially tabloid-crap..
so you linked to a pile of bullshit in a notorious tabloid…
you having a laff..?
It appears the dim bulb of vague comprehension is starting to get a faint glow.
I'm glad to hear that is happening for you..
who knows where it might lead..?…eh..?
One of your black hole emissions? lol
Well hopefully 2021 is a better year than 2020 was, especially for any one that lost their job due to Covid.
Happy New Year Standard posters.
I was going to rattle off a whole list of predictions, but I cannot really be bothered.
Enjoy the rest of your break everyone. Looking forward to reading more interesting posts on here in the next 12 months. I might even write some if I can get motivated.
I have been helping friends move flat with the annual end of the year shift, since my car has a towbar. Friends; plural, from a couple of different places. Due out of their old homes on New year's eve, and one at least was just moving stuff to storage with a big question mark about getting anything more than a slot in a rooming house ever again.
The housing crisis is bad enough. The timing of fixed term leases (not many periodic nowadays) seems unnecessarily cruel. Say; the first of February, would be a lot easier (& more humane) than 31st of December for changeover, with no downside that I can see.
I had a couple of special visitors today; delightful barely describes them! To my great embarrassment, it wasn't till our garden ramble was nearing its end, and through some subtle prompting, that I realised I was in the company of one of The Standards Very Finest Commenters! In a way I was pleased not to have remembered who was due to visit, as I'd have wanted to talk politics, rather than gardens; I'm pretty naive at the former and a bit less so with the latter, so it all went well; we wandered about the place, deeply immersed in my leafy world. I did very much enjoy the visit, even though the topic of commenting here was only very lightly touched upon 🙂
A video in support of Mental Health gets a little profane and a little mention of God's Own!
https://cdn.musebycl.io/2020-12/Public%20Work%20%23EFF2020%20A%20Holiday%20Campaign%20%28Uncensored%29.mp4
https://musebycl.io/advertising/agencys-end-2020-psa-wins-prize-most-f-bombs-ever