Because you were the only one willing to pay, Patricia, I'd tried to post an image; the banana growing in my tunnel house, spectacularly large and out-of-zone, using the url from Facebook where I'd posted it yesterday, but failed to produce anything other than a question-box. I got distracted setting up a Zoom link to Uganda as I'm speaking to a group of farmers there about forest-gardening later today, and so didn't fix up the mis-post in time to deflect comment 🙂
Ugandans should know all about bananas. I lived in Kampala in the early 70s and discovered that there were at least 30 different varieties of banana grown there, although mostly they were not sweet and were eaten after cooking.
It's mama was growing, out of doors, on the West Coast (South Island), which has hot summers and plenty of rain. Keeping water to this one is a challenge!
Patricia – I've not posted on Facebook for a long time now; jaded, I suppose, but now I feel the sap rising and want to share the green-ness and the growth, so I'm re-starting my posting habit – I've lots of pictures to share and ideas to float 🙂
He's having a go at extending the boundaries on the Nat comfort zone:
On Tuesday, businesswoman and respected Māori leader Traci Houpapa will provide insights into building relationships with whānau and iwi, and outline where she thinks the party has been going wrong.
The party’s position on some Māori kaupapa has caused controversy in recent years, including claims the Government is being “separatist” in its pursuit of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Luxon told Newsroom the party's plans to get rid of the Māori Health Authority, which is set to be implemented this year, remain unchanged for now. “That’s the starting point, but that’s the question I want them to go away and think about very deeply," he said.
“Traci will be giving her view on Māoridom and where the National Party sits in respect of some of that. I’m trying to make sure we hear all perspectives.’’
It's all about pressure, eh? Doug Graham advancing Maoridom in the '90s got replaced by a pivot to China for 20 years. Now they've got Asians up to a significant minority of the populace they're feeling the need to mask their strategy with another stint at being pro-Maori. Gotta balance them 17% & 15% minorities!
My suggestion is you worry about something closer to home – potato's lying unharvested in the ground. Grain crop swaying in the breeze, while combine harvesters are parked up waiting for drivers who didn't make it through the merry-go-round called our border controls.
''John Key, Bailing Out if the Going gets Tough.''
Yes, his astrologer told him Covid was on the way so he had better bale.
Of course that was the best thing that ever happened to National as it turned out. Labour has done the donkey work with Covid. They are now old, jaded and hapless. National are fresh and ready to go. Hopefully having learnt from Labour what not to do, they can slowly get this nation back to a functional state.
"When Mr Luxon promised "a real shake-up" last year, it wasn't just a slip-of -the-tongue of a fresh-faced, inexperienced Leader. Two months later he has spelled it out:
Robert, stop rowing against the tide. Learn to look for tide changes. The tides 'are a changing,' No amount of bluster and having some supposed fun at my expense can save you or your stable mates. I tell you this as a fellow poster…and out of concern!
Tides though, don't turn once every three years, they're in and out twice daily; political tides change at every poll, we are encouraged to believe, although in my experience, they don't!
There has been no change, only tide-change-chatter 🙂
National rising 5% points to 31.5%, to its highest since March 2020 (37%), while support for Act NZ was up 1% point to a new record high of 18.5%.Support for the Opposition Maori Party fell 2% points to 1% in December… Labour support was down 0.5% points to 35.5% and support for the Greens decreased by 2% points to 8.5%.
No switch from ACT to National does seem peculiar – as does the MP drop size. Perhaps their method of polling is suspect? Or maybe there were fluctuations happening throughout the populace in December…
Yes, they are either off the mark, or ahead of the curve?
I read somewhere that polling has shifted away from landlines. The cry used to be that polls weren't picking up people with mobiles.
I have both. The only thing I like about mobiles is their convenience. Apart from that I become tired of being told …. move….can't…..better spot….that's better…hello!
I, for one, do hope Maori have a lot to do with three waters reform.
It would be great for a more holistic, sustainable, generational, spiritual and guardianship attitude to prevail.
As opposed to an ownership, commercial and dumping ground model with minimum standards and 'enforcement' done by district/regional councillors with farming interests.
What you don't understand is Maori have a long term plan for complete control of New Zealand ( oops – Aotearoa. Forgive my ignorance).
It started in the early 90s and has been an up and down process. But recently things have quickened.
Take the name ''Aotearoa. ''That basically superseded New Zealand almost overnight. Woke TV is helping the process along nicely. Talk about being hoisted by your own petard.
Maybe folk now understand why Nanaia Mahuta is so determined to get Three Waters underway. I would not like to be her if she fails.
All movements start with education. I would invited anyone to visit a year one class for new entrants ( state schools). If you can tell the difference between that and a kohanga, you will be a better person than me.
And so our state education system is producing useful idiots, while the average Maori in the street is also a useful idiot for his Pan Maori elite class who claim all things in their name. That's very important to understand.
I would like to thank taxpayers on this site for my latest Iwi Covid package. Gloves, masks, kai, washing products and a food voucher worth a lot of money. Chur!
Excellent, I am gonna die an old man before 'whitey' undoes the harmful direction we are headed in.
I heard a bit of AC Grayling on the tranny in the weekend. He spoke of Grayling's law. Along the lines of 'Something will not be done if it costs those that can stop it happening'. Eg landlord politicians sorting the housing shortage.
It is way past time for the 'have-nots' to have more influence in our direction.
Approximately 1/3 of NZ's population is in Auckland. I'm not aware of too many councillors in this part of the world having farming interests.
3Waters will not improve water quality one iota, and I suspect Labout know that. The plan is about assuaging Labour's Maori caucus.
Going forward, I too hope Maori get a say in water management. On the basis of one person one vote, in equal measure to every non-Maori, and appointed to governance on merit alone.
Plenty of golfers go a lifetime without ever doing it, but British amateur golfer Neil Watts has achieved a dozen hole-in-ones in the last seven months!
The odds against him must be astronomical. You'd need to know how many times he's hit the ball in that period, and then the ratio of the size of the hole to the area in front of his club (quadrisphere?) to do the maths.
According to the National Hole-in-One Registry, the odds of a tour player hitting a hole-in-one are 3,000-to-1, while for average players they are 12,000-to-1.
But that's just for one of them. Twelve in a sequence is probably unprecedented. Luck & fate lie outside science. He even got one of them while being filmed about his story by ITV!
he had it filmed. He had the camera on the green at the time, so it showed the ball going in as well."
Golf tradition dictates that if a player hits a hole-in-one, they must then buy a drink for everyone in the bar in the clubhouse after completing their round. Watts twice upheld this tradition, but as it was "very costly," he's had a rethink on his generosity. "When I did it the third time, I learned I had to put the key in the car and get out pretty quick after I got back."
All the ones I have belonged to over the years included a little item in your sub which paid for the round of drinks. Unfortunately, in my 55 years of playing they never had to pay out once. I would have had at least 10 within 3 cm of the hole but none ever went in. Sob.
You mean a homing device, with transmitter inserted into base of random selected hole prior to playing? Good theory but more likely when playing for money & he's amateur. Reputation-building strategy? That's plausible.
The Conservative Party could recruit him as candidate, eh? With his luck he'd be PM surprisingly fast…
Another insightful interview from Aron Mate' with guest Andrew Cockburn. Washington editor for Harper’s Magazine. His latest book is “The Spoils of War: Power, Profit and the American War Machine.”
From Ukraine to Yemen, US arms industry reaps the spoils of war
Interesting part with CIA operative Tony Poe, aka Anthony Poshepn, the person Kurtz from Apocalypse Now was (apparently) based on at about 45 minutes in….
"It described a policy change as “essential”, suggesting a compromise to take into account the circumstances of Māori and Pacific Islanders might be to means-test superannuation from the time people reached 65 until they reached a later age at which point the benefit would become universal."
For those getting the $22-$34,000 per year, putting an income benchmark over it until you got to say 75 would be worth having a look at. Say you had an independent income of $50k a year above NZSuper.
It is fiendishly complicated to means test pensions, and even then people (rich pricks) lie or use devious methods (often sort of "legal") to hide assets.
The Australian pension is means tested and the form you have to fill out is complicated and very long.
It will not be a surprise if Super is tinkered with, but not while Jacinda is PM. Not only that, I expect to see tax increases and or cuts to social services. There will be a lot of tears before bedtime but the Government can’t spend billions of borrowed money without there being consequences.
Need to start taxing rich pricks like you more, instead of plunging older people into hardship and closing hospitals. People like you really make me want to vomit.
[last chance before a ban. You will either provide evidence for what you claim about PR here, or withdraw the statement, or take a ban. Next time I see you making such a claim about anyone without providing a quote and a link to back it up, I will ban you with not warning (you’ve had enough warnings already for this pattern of behaviour). Certainly not going to be doing any more chasing up.
I have never voted for ACT in my 23 years of voting. I have voted for for Labour (2005, 08, 14, 17 and 20), The Alliance (99) and NZ First (02 and 11), but not ACT. And I never will vote for ACT. Looking at staying home next election, but we shall see.
The guy is a prude who wants abortion, homosexuality, sex outside of marriage, birth control, gender transitions criminalized, and wants a return to a time when women had their lives controlled by men. He has also suggested that men be allowed to beat their wives.
The guy is an enemy of all that is good and decent in this world, and by extension, that makes you such a thing Puck. It is clearly obvious that you are a homophobic prude who wants abortion criminalized.
Yeah sorry about that, I thought copy and pasting what Millsy said would be more efficient
Also I'm pretty sure Joe Rogan believes exactly nothing of what Millsy says (if shown proof I'll admit I was wrong)
'It is clearly obvious that you are a homophobic prude who wants abortion criminalized.'
Pretty sure I'm not (but I won't post my porn searches as proof), I mean my sister in law would be unimpressed by me being homophobic, the people for whom I once posed nude for would be surprised to know I'm a prude (I was a student and I needed the money)
As for criminalizing abortion, no I don't believe that at all and I don't believe I've ever said that on here
" the people for whom I once posed nude for would be surprised to know I'm a prude (I was a student and I needed the money)".
God, that would have broken the camera. I would imagine the people who took the pics would be washing their eyes out with bleach,
Any who, I retract all allegations against you, and Mr Rogan.
[two week ban for wasting my time. Next time reply to moderation directly. And expect bans to increase if you fail to follow the instructions given in the past two motes – weka]
You may well be expecting any and all those things Ross. Your concept of spending is predicated on the RBNZ running out of numbers in their computer system (where all these payments happen) of course. So you will be surprised to learn the govts spending capacity is exactly where it was before it paid for the wage subsidy.
That is the understatement of the year. When my wife turned 65, and applied for New Zealand Super, the New Zealand authorities insisted that she apply for the Australian super because we had lived there for a number of years and could be eligible. We told them that we were not going to be eligible because our assets exceeded the cut-off figure. We demonstrated that but they insisted she apply. The form was, IIRC, 48 pages long. You were liable for prosecution if you made a mistake and got more of the pension than you were allowed.
We filled it in, posted it off and in due course were declined it. Thank God the Government here has never made her do it again or made me go through the process. It was a nightmare and must be even more so if you actually qualify for anything. You are required, by law, to notify them of any change in your circumstances, such as the value of shares you own going up or down. You have to keep that up forever, at least in theory.
The New Zealand system is vastly simpler and fairer. Don't even think about bringing in means testing here. You will find that people here will, as they approach 65, do what Australians do. Spend everything above the means test exemption amount and get rid of it. I'll illustrate this for a couple who own their home. You will get the full pension if you assets are less than $405k. You will get no pension if your assets are more than $891k. The pension is about $40k. You cannot get an income of $40k from half a million dollars worth of assets.
The first thing you can do is carry out an expensive upgrade of your house or move to a bigger place. Your primary home is not included in the assets limit. Go for a long, expensive overseas trip. (Well that was in the old days). People did it, and it made very good sense. I know a number of them who had worked out that they were far worse out if they actually tried to save more than $400k toward retirement. The loss of the pension far outweighed the income they could make from their savings.
Pregnant,jetsetting,journalist and champion of wimmin's rights puts the boot into the NZ govt ..again.
'The fact of the matter is I’m a New Zealand citizen with a legal right to return in a unique and desperate situation. And I’ve applied under the emergency allocation system, I’ve done everything right, why is there such a problem?”
'
'Hipkins said Bellis’ emergency MIQ application was rejected because her flights were booked outside the 14-day requirement.
“I understand officials have also since invited her to apply for another emergency category. I encourage her to take these offers seriously,” Hipkins said.'
'New Zealand journalist Charlotte Bellis says the Government’s latest response to her situation is “incredibly disrespectful”,
Human rights lawyer Frances Joychild QC said the Government was breaching Bellis’ human rights by not allowing her back home. Joychild previously represented pregnant woman Bergen Graham, who was stuck in El Salvador while pregnant and denied an MIQ spot six times.
Joychild filed a judicial review claim on behalf of Graham, and shortly after her allocation was granted. She said the fact pregnant New Zealanders could not automatically return to their country was “disgraceful”, and the Government should change this rule, as Australia had.
Hipkins defending the patriarchy merely destroys his reputation. You can understand why he's peeved that ScoMo has decided not to discriminate against pregnant women.
Bellis told our media that her application was filed in response to Ardern's declaration of intent to open the border at the start of Feb. The anonymous bureaucrat was pissed off that she scheduled on the basis of Ardern's good faith, apparently, and rejected her accordingly.
Having found spurious undisclosed reasons to discriminate successfully against 90% of the pregnant applicatants, the scumbags in the bureaucracy must be extremely irritated that their make it up as you go along arbitrary rules didn't manage to keep out the other 10%. Or perhaps they got through due to a bureaucrat with a conscience?
I'm also puzzled why she hasn't explained her inability to reschedule in the 14-day window, and why she hasn't been liaising with our embassy. Consequently I can see why others are sceptical of her. I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt.
Can only assume she's waiting for her partner to finish his contract?
She doesn't want to leave him behind because he might not get in, which is understandable, but their insistence on choosing a delayed travel date didn't meet the requirements of the category they applied for.
I wonder also if there is such a sense of independence which is preventing her from taking government advice. You know, she’s a big star on the world stage and has lived in a pretty hostile environment for a long time. She has had to get there the hard way by following a ferociously unconventional and self-reliant pathway.
hahahaha … "Having found spurious undisclosed reasons to discriminate successfully against 90% of the pregnant applicatants, the scumbags in the bureaucracy must…"
having 'found' 'undisclosed' – its not possible for the two things to go together as you have structured it there nincomhorsepoop
Dennis, how do you know they are “ spurious undisclosed reasons” it’s entirely possible that those in charge of allocation of limited MIQ spaces know a lot more than privacy allows them to divulge. Maybe the declined applicants have settled lives in another country which they intend to go back to after the birth but wish to have their baby in NZ for monetary or other reasons, I doubt it is free in Australia for NZ citizens. MIQ is under a huge stress and is not there to satisfy peoples whims no matter what the reason. It was never intended to be a flit in, flit out option.
And Womens Cricket, DJs etc are not a good example, those sort of spaces were arranged a long time ago. A lot of the complaints and static seems to come from Kiwis who have abandoned NZ quite a while ago but wish to avail themselves of taxpayer funded services that they have not contributed to for ages.
I get that you're trying to express a reasonable view, Adrian. I refrained from expressing an opinion on MIQ for months due to feeling agnostic & plenty of others arguing both sides. Quarantine was sensible as a strategy.
I can now see that bureaucrats are not being sensible in managing the system. It's obvious to me (a male) that pregnant women ought to have been catered for by design. One rule for all was wrong-thinking – I suspect it was by male decision-makers (possibly including women who haven't been pregnant or lack empathy).
They use privacy law to avoid accountability. The minister ought to instruct them to stop denying kiwis their citizens' rights. He has failed to do so, apparently. Labour's poll rating slide occurs due to such patterns of behaviour…
I suspect there is much more known about this by the govt and officials but they cannot disclose it. Hipkins went as far as he could.
She was on the news (?) last night and I am very cynical. It looked like she was performing to me.
I haven't seen any other pregnant women come through MIQ, with or without difficulty, being paraded on television like she has been parading herself. Like 99% of MIQ returnees they have sucked up the system and done it all for the good of New Zealand and I say 'thank you'
There will be thousands of difficult stories to be told out from this, and most won't be. Some have the ability to get on a platform and shout to the world
I agree with giving a thank you to those working in MIQ.
I also think it curious that the journo cannot bring her travel within the 14 day window and that she has not contacted the relevant consular officials. I also think it very likely that there is more to this than we are being told that is known by NZ officialss. Instead the journo seems to be getting very snooty because she originally applied in the incorrect category and was correctly declined. Officials apparently reached out to her to ask her to resubmit in the correct category and she has said, more or less 'you've got the info you do it."
Hard to feel very sympathetic if these are the circumstances.
I just find it curious all round……could they not have gone to London from Belgium to get married there? Is there something special about having to have the marriage in a Catholic church in Belgium (and wait 6 months?) in these urgent circumstances.
I just have a sinking feeling that maybe an anti vaxx controversy may be waiting in the wings…..apparently NZers cannot be required to be vaccinated before returning but people from other countries resident in NZ can be.
Not in the slightest bit sorry for her in view of her attitude, thinking more and more that this has something of a deliberate political slant/stunt.
"… thinking more and more that this has something of a deliberate political slant/stunt."
Without a doubt.
The little flower is now threatening legal action cos her privacy has been breached. She doesn't want stuff to come out does she. So we're into the bully boy/girl phase now.
She claims Hipkins' very mild remarks yesterday were "untrue".
Officials don't lie about official actions they have taken. There will be logged proof they reached out to her and she ignored them.
The more I learn about this case, the louder my bullshit antennae hums.
The more I learn about this case, the louder my bullshit antennae hums.
Maybe we could set up an orchestra of hummers
She now has a place based on where she is, ie danger etc but this does not really suit PP (precious petal)She states
Unfortunately, the approval was not granted on the basis of medical needs but on the risk factor of our location. We were denied based on medical needs because MIQ assessed we had no supporting information of a need for time-critical, scheduled treatment.
She has taken this offer up but I think she seems quite thick not to understand that just being pregnant does not fit the requirement. If she had a letter re pre eclampsia or gestational diabetes or any of a number of things that can happen. Small for dates, high blood pressure meaning travel in third trimester is not recommended etc etc
In his Queenstown stand-up, Luxon has committed National to having candidates in the Maori electorates, next election (as previously floated by Collins, and confirmed now).
Some time this year there's going to be a major internal row: for example, on the new Maori health authority (Collins said National would scrap it).
Bullshit Dennis, they use privacy to protect the privacy of the applicants..look at the shit that Winston visited on The Nat’s for exactly that. There is a lot more to this story than we are being drip fed. As Hipkins rightly inferred, it’s not an emergency if you wish to schedule it 4 weeks in advance, you don’t do that for car crashes or heart attacks. If the rules which are there to manage occupancy were to be altered for every “ special “ person the whole thing would be unworkable.
MIQ has protected the NZ right from the start when the Government asked the gathering of 40 or 50 experts back in January of 2020 about what they had to do to protect The 5 million of us from this contagation that nobody knew anything about, they said this, this, and this, and that is what we got. Compared to similar countries that didn’t do that our death toll would have been north of 12,000, how many of them would have likely been people you and I know? And by the way, it is a pretty horrible death.
My main problem with Bellis is her audacity to laud the fucking Taliban as examplars of womens rights compared to Jacinda Ardern. It reeks of Stockholm Syndrome and is grossly insulting to JA.
You can tell that it's not bullshit when you factor in those occasions when privacy citation by bureaucrats has been accompanied by the citizens disadvantaged appealing to the anonymous bureaucrat to provide a valid reason for discrimination.
I've noticed a sufficient pattern of evasion in news stories in the past couple of decades. The oppressed individual never gets satisfaction due to the bureaucrats using privacy law to stonewall the media. I've gotten into the habit of commenting on such behaviour when it shows up. That's due to feeling solidarity with the victims of the bureaucrats.
Re her schedule, Hipkins has yet to respond to the reason Bellis gave: the PM's announcement of the (Feb) change of policy coming into effect. I agree with you re the general efficacy of the quarantine system up till now.
Finally, I thought the comparison of what she's got from our govt as compared to the Taliban was accurate. I can't recall how she personalised the PM into that comparison. Could be a valid point from you on that. You'd think the PM, as a mother, would be empathic with pregnant kiwis being made to jump through 29.5 hoops and then rejected regardless. Some journo ought to ask her.
Your crocodile weeping on behalf of Miss Bellis (what's the causa bellis here, some are starting to wonder…) is deeply moving. And deeply unnecessary, while the full force of the National Party's machine is on fast spin for her case.
'Think it possible' as Oliver Cromwell suggested in superbly plain English to some Scottish bishops in the 1640s, 'in the bowels of Christ, that you may be mistaken.'
Are you morally corrupt too? Or just too stupid to comprehend empathy and civil rights? If you want to get traction on whether I'm mistaken or not you'd have to provide proof. Too lazy to search for it, right?
An Auckland couple "destitute" in Queensland with pensions axed face the threat of repaying all the $16,000 superannuation they got since leaving New Zealand last year.
Trapped Kiwi couple Keith and Michele Gorrett's super was stopped from January 8 because they have been out of New Zealand for more than the mandatory 26 weeks under the Ministry of Social Development's Work and Income regulations.
"This just beggars belief. We are destitute and Australia doesn't provide any relief to non-residents. Please help us we have nowhere else to turn," retired mechanic Keith Gorrett, 67, said.
and that too has been raised as an issue a few times over the last year.
Next to complain are the ones that have been stuck overseas now for a while and who risk loosing their right to vote as they did not manage to get back into the country for the requirements
something that was also raised last year, by the Greens (who hopefully are lefty enough to ask for such a thing without being vilified lol)
New Zealanders stranded overseas should be allowed to vote in next year’s local government elections and the 2023 general election, the Green Party said today.
“The reality of this pandemic is lots of people cannot renew their voting rights when they are home as they normally would. The Government must extend the three-year timeframe so New Zealanders can still exercise their democratic rights,” Green Party electoral reform spokesperson Golriz Ghahraman said.
I am sure that with the bad PR here and overseas something will change very quickly. Hopefully, because this current lottery system is not working for anyone and its just a mockery of the rights people have by law.
there was a discussion yesterday about how long can you end up in isolation if someone you live with has covid and how the isolation works for contacts.
Now this was on the bottom of a herald article:
Household contacts of a case need to spend up to 10 days in isolation after a case has completed their 14 days, essentially requiring them to isolate for a total of 24 days.
Three quarters of Kiwis want house prices to fall and almost half of us want them to fall substantially, according to the latest 1News Kantar Public Poll.
…
The Greens co-leader Marama Davidson told 1News that Labour Government Ministers were failing to take the action required – such as implementing a proper capital gains tax, a wealth tax and a guaranteed minimum income for people.
"It is very very clear that the Labour Cabinet Ministers have it in their power to do the right thing and use those levers, pull on those levers so that people have a decent chance of having some decent lives," she said.
So there will potentially be very little political fallout for some decisive action on this issue from the Ministers and Govt, in fact, it could be very helpful to ensuring a third term.
"So there will potentially be very little political fallout for some decisive action on this issue from the Ministers and Govt, in fact, it could be very helpful to ensuring a third term."…yeah because we all implicitly know that Labour (and National) are such hollow, pointless husks of shit that they would never dare move or act on anything this important unless the polls told them it was safe to do so…it is plainly obvious that none of them would know a firmly held moral/ethical position if they tripped up on it, fell over and planted their faces right into the middle it.
It's interesting that MSD is insisting on repayment of NZS from those stuck overseas for 30 weeks or more. There used to be provision in the Social Security Act for MSD to decide not to recover debt. It was a limited provision to allow MSD to avoid potential unfairness when all else was unavailable such as write-off because of MSD error. The National government repealed that ability around 2013, with the support of the Labour opposition.
The prospect of a $16,000 debt is of course only one problem those in situations similar to the Gorrets are going to have to deal with, but at least there would've been some relief available if the ridiculous decision to remove it hadn't been made.
I agree with Blazer. We are often talking of looking at consequences of any decisions and doing a risk analysis. I think it would have been fairly well apparent that the Covid situation was fragile/fluid. Perhaps if/when at the end of Feb when there are possible changes to the borders/MIQ open Air NZ could do a couple of flights dedicated to bringing people like this back to NZ.
Perhaps go via Afghanistan and collect the journo on the way.
"It's hard to find the right words to express my disgust at Jacinda Ardern and this Government.
Labour was elected with a huge mandate to do something serious about growing inequality, including the housing crisis. I know it takes a while to make change but I can't see any evidence that they are even considering any action that might have a serious impact. In fact she indicated on election night that she was ruling out anything that would impact the wealthy, I guess in the hope they could keep ruling the centre for ever.
Is that the extent of Labour's aspirations now? To rule without upsetting the wealthy?
I know Jacinda is dropping in the polls and media is blaming Covid. I disagree. I reckon people are beginning to think beyond covid and remembering why they voted for her in the first place. I'd say that despite the constant undermining by right wing commentators and a vocal but very small group of anti-vaxxers, the vast majority of NZers are very happy with our covid response. You just have to look at the death rates overseas to see we are doing very well.
I think the reason why they aren't dropping more is because a National / Act government would be worse in every respect.
What worries me is that instead of becoming MORE progressive to woo back the people that voted Labour to get change, they may misread what is happening and become even more conservative.
A lot of different people have been saying the same thing, are you now saying that it is ok to critizise this government and its leader now that an Ex Green Party MP has said something?
In that case, yei! finally. Took him just a few years of misery growing in abundance, but better late to the party then to never arrive, right?.
National / Act may be worse, but seriously in regards to increasing house prices and promoting exponential growth in poverty via their politics/policies i think L/G are as good as N/A. But the next election is L/Gs too loose, and from where i am standing and from what i am hearing, losing is possible. Very much so.
If L/G lose the next election then all Kiwis will lose, some sooner than others. With temperatures and societal pressures increasing, and tempers fraying, tribal politics is here to stay, and so this iteration of civilisation's goose is nearly 'cooked'.
In fifty years' time, with any luck most of today's NZ twentysomethings will be around to think back to their COVID days – when 'woke' concerns, and concerns about 'wokeness', exercised us so – and remember how wonderful everything was. I'd love to believe that the last 50 years won't be as good as it gets – doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t demand ‘more‘, but at the same time we need to think about what ‘more‘ means.
The crucial message is to panic now, but not to despair.
Today, for large parts of the population, deeply held religious commitments conflict with the results of scientific inquiry. Therefore, science must be wrong, a cult of liberal intellectuals in urban dens of iniquity infected by people who are not “true Americans” (no need to spell out who they are). All of this has been inflamed by the very effective use of irrationality in the Trump era, including his skillful resort to constant fabrication, eroding the distinction between truth and falsehood. For a showman with deeply authoritarian instincts, and few principles beyond self-glorification and abject service to the welfare of the ultrarich, there’s no better slogan than: “Believe me, not your lying eyes.”
I know quite a few young, poorer people who voted for Labour (actually, they mostly voted for Jacinda Ardern). People who had never voted before, quite often.
Many are complaining that Labour has done nothing to improve their lives – rents keep exploding, people on benefits remain in poverty and house ownership….not even a distant dream anymore.
'A 26-year-old woman who, during her teen years, sexually assaulted a child has been sentenced to a juvenile facility and won't be required to register as a sex offender.'
'Jonathan Hatami, a Deputy District Attorney in the Complex Child Abuse Unit, said since Tubbs’ case remained in juvenile court, she will not have to register as a sex offender.'
So as a 17 year old molests a child and as a 26 year old (allegedly only transitioning after being arrested) gets sent to a juvenile facility
"Does anyone still think women (biological ones) don't get the extremely short end of the stick in society"
That's a great question, typically raced past in the rush to underline some other issue.
How would you assess that question? What sort of measures/stats/facts would be considered in deciding (if one had to) whether males or females get the short end of the stick? Compilation of such a list of stats would be fascinating in itself… bags not
Don't know where to start? How about with what you said? "He'll probably be in solitary for his entire time there," and "what sort of message does it send?"
Does it send the message that in such circumstances you're going to be in solitary the whole time?
You hope he'll be in solitary but this is LA so I wouldn't be at all surprised if some lawyer argued that his clients civil rights meant he had to be put out into the general population
An Afghani female journalist now safely in NZ very disappointed in Charlotte Bellis.See her story in Stuff today. Sorry , can’t link, bad in and out internet.
Is Chris Bishop egging Charlotte Bellis and her team on? The reason I ask this is there has been a very peculiar escalation and Chris Bishop has form in covert operations such as this.
There was his involvement in breaking out of MIQ our very own Thelma and Louise. He and his office was also instrumental in hacking the 2019 Budget. And the Wally Haumaha incident when he happened to come across all sorts of confidential leaked information.
Bishop has long assumed the role of infiltrating the public service seeking sympathetic Trojan horses and I wonder if the same thing isn't happening in the Charlotte Bellis case.
Today Charlotte Bellis is being encouraged to pursue legal action against Chris Hipkins because mentioned she was offered consular assistance in Afghanistan.
I get the uneasy feeling this is no longer about the safety of her and her baby, rather an opportunistic hit job on the government. She's been told how to apply to get back to NZ but refuses to take he advice.
Also in there at the end is an attempt by the Herald to equate Hipkins' description of the assistance offered to Bellis with Paula Benefit's doxxing of beneficiaries’ data in a leak to the very same newspaper.
Hipkins also included details Bellis had not shared, including when the minister believed she had arrived in Afghanistan and that she had been offered consular assistance. Bellis says she never gave consent for this information to be shared, and that it is also untrue.
I'm astonished that official advice to her is in question. I guess the Minister will have to prove his point – if it is true. I wonder if the advice was sent but not received?? That could explain her denial – if she's telling the truth. If the thing goes to court she would be challenged to prove that!
Who the hell does this woman think she is. The Queen. There is no way Hipkins would have revealed that information without official evidence to back it up and he is within his rights to do so. It was NOT private information about her.
"I guess the Minister will have to prove his point – if it is true."
Good grief. It is entirely up to her to prove it didn't happen. She can't and won't because it did happen. She's either a moron or is ignorant of parliamentary operational procedures.
The state's authority on privacy law disagrees with you Anne (re Hipkins). I saw her quoted earlier. Anyway, if you haven't caught up with the latest news, the deputy PM did a press conference several hours ago & announced that she had been offered a place in MIQ and I saw it reported on the tv news that she has accepted the offer.
Yes. I watched it. I don't give a tinkers cuss what the privacy commissioner might say. Hipkins did not divulge any personal information about her. He merely corrected her claims nothing was done to help her when clearly there was an attempt to help her which she chose to ignore.
In my book he is entitled to do that. The law is a big ass sometimes and so are some of the people in it.
Oh, I see. Yeah I think there's some truth in that. However I believe the bureaucracy was being disingenuous too. I wonder if she will front with a full explanation when she gets back.
Must admit I was surprised at the details in Hipkins' statements yesterday and wondered about privacy.
I get the uneasy feeling this is no longer about the safety of her and her baby, rather an opportunistic hit job on the government. She's been told how to apply to get back to NZ but refuses to take he advice.
In your link she says it's hard to get flights out of Kabul within the 2 week timeframe. This would have been my first guess about the issue.
Both sides should stop playing this out in the MSM and just sort it out and release a statement.
Agree this should now be taken out of hte public domain, but then, there is the article today of the retired couple stuck in OZ who is asked to refund their super they received whilst out of the country. Never mind that these guys can't return. So this will be in hte public domain until MIQ is declared defunct and the borders are open again to allow NZ Citizens to return.
MIQ had a purpose initially but the issue is that they never re-assessed the needs and yeah, there are the Dj's, the Labour MP, the TV stars and all the others that got in while these people are stuck. And the government will have to answer for that. At some stage some of the fault for things that go wrong need to be admitted by the Government and its minion. This 'its not us' mentality is getting tiresome and quite unbelievable. And in the meantime, these people, Charlotte Bellis, the retired couple etc are still stuck overseas.
And none of this brouhahah is a good vote getter for the left, nor does it make the government and the Labour Party look kind and in touch with people who are not rich, connected, or entertainment stars.
Must admit I was surprised at the details in Hipkins' statements yesterday and wondered about privacy.
Fair enough but it was her who made this a public story and I took Hipkins' comments to be a broad explanation of the events which took place from a government point of view.
I can't see why the 'offer of assistance not taken' up is particularly confidential, rather it provides important clarification.
Agree that a solution should be offered (done) and accepted (not done) so she can get home which is the whole point.
Yes, Bennett was right. The whole of New Zealand then heard the other side of the story – if I remember correctly those two beanies were earning more than many folk doing menial work.
I support Hipkins. Whether right or wrong, everyone has the right to defend themselves if someone calls you out.
Talking of defence, Robbo was tap dancing at the parliamentary press conference today. Where was the PM? She was in isolation. Looks like she's on another lucky roll.
You may be ok with giving up your privacy, most people aren't and we still have privacy laws in NZ because not having them harms individuals and society.
I mean, if we took your argument to its logical conclusion, anyone who doesn't like anyone else's behaviour or the way they are living could then legitimately disclose private information about that person.
No, I like my privacy. In fact I will soon have someone in court on prvacy issues.
''I mean, if we took your argument to its logical conclusion, anyone who doesn't like anyone else's behaviour or the way they are living could then legitimately disclose private information about that person.''
That's too simplistic. We are talking of an individual accusing the government. The government has a right to respond to points made …and correct them with all information available The information released was very general.
Only one side has been playing this out in the public arena aided and abetted by the Nats and ACT. The Govt. was forced to make one press release by the Covid minister in response to her claims and on behalf of the officials who had served her case.
They keep getting asked questions by the insatiable media but Robertson deftly batted them away at the weekly Press conference today. They got nothing out of him except that she's been offered an MIQ position which she doesn't deserve because of the tactics she used. But if it shuts her up and we don't hear from her again it will be worth it.
Ok Annie (Oakely) taking pot shots again. "offered an MIQ position which she doesn't DESERVE because of the tactics she used. But if it shuts her up and we don't hear from her again it will be worth it." So then how should she have managed this ??? A kiwi wanting to come home and give birth in her home country. IMO repugnant comment from you again !!!
Where is this Labour be nice, or are we only to be selectively "Nice" ??
Anne – I have a feeling we will never hear the end of this saga. There'll be a report on 14 days of hell in MIQ. The state of medical care in NZ for people who are pregnant will be next ; there are so many situations ahead that could go awry and no doubt we'll hear about each and every one of them.
Not having a SSL cert will prevent some browsers to not allow access at all on a out of date cert. Some with switch to un-encrypted HTTP. Some will just provide cached pages only.
I'll look at LetsEncrypt on the weekend.
For the moment the SSL cert is being provided by CloudFlare as a backstop. I have Cloudflare as a backup because it is good for this and for handling certain load problems. But there are usually a few people who have issues with it on their particular systems – mostly due to the severity of the caching.
Just got a timed out when trying to look at a post preview.
Error 522
Ray ID: 6d69829559c95551 • 2022-02-01 07:36:41 UTC
Connection timed out
You
Browser
WorkingSydney
Cloudflare
Workingthestandard.org.nz
Host
Error
What happened?
The initial connection between Cloudflare's network and the origin web server timed out. As a result, the web page can not be displayed.
What can I do?
If you're a visitor of this website:
Please try again in a few minutes.
If you're the owner of this website:
Contact your hosting provider letting them know your web server is not completing requests. An Error 522 means that the request was able to connect to your web server, but that the request didn't finish. The most likely cause is that something on your server is hogging resources. Additional troubleshooting information here.
I'll look at kicking up the cloudflare timeout. The post previews often take some time to process and appear.
Unfortunately I don’t really have that much spare time between now and the next weekend (fortunately a long one) for technical work like fiddling with cert installs and DNS validations outside of work.
I already spent most of the last (long) weekend catching up on a knotty low level issue and reading the Unit Titles Act cover to cover. Either always tends to drop off my intellectual resilience for the following week.
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
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 ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
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. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
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. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
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. ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
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 ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 26 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
That's the most inclusive thing you've said in ages. 😉
extremely zen, even
😁
Keep the good work up, Robert. Less truly is more.
A very philosophical start to the day
"Rabbits" or "white rabbits" – weren't you supposed to say this first thing to bring you good luck on the 1st of the month?
The year of the Tiger starts today. Not sure which element.
Water Tiger.
Robert is correct. That's exactly what Luxon said in his speech.
Thanks, everyone.
The distillation of all I know.
Or rather, don't know.
What else can one say.
Hello Robert. What were you going to say? Here’s a penny.
Because you were the only one willing to pay, Patricia, I'd tried to post an image; the banana growing in my tunnel house, spectacularly large and out-of-zone, using the url from Facebook where I'd posted it yesterday, but failed to produce anything other than a question-box. I got distracted setting up a Zoom link to Uganda as I'm speaking to a group of farmers there about forest-gardening later today, and so didn't fix up the mis-post in time to deflect comment 🙂
Ugandans should know all about bananas. I lived in Kampala in the early 70s and discovered that there were at least 30 different varieties of banana grown there, although mostly they were not sweet and were eaten after cooking.
Thanks, Koff. I'll ask for growing advice. Mine's spectacularly large-leafed, but hasn't flowered yet. It has pupped though, so now I have 5 plants 🙂
Lets hope you havnt got an ornamental one robert
Click on photo, then copy the URL and paste it in a comment. I'll edit to embed it 👍
Thanks, weka.
https://www.facebook.com/TheForestGardeners/photos/3010279029183864
That looks like a cold variety of banana. For those who don't know, some Asian varieties of banana can handle cold temps…even snow.
Yeah, used to look after a garden that had them growing outside in London. Used to wrap them in straw over winter and bag the fruit to speed ripening.
I wrap mine also, Cricklewood and the leaves still look a bit many come spring. Looking forward to bagging the fruit!
Meant "manky".
It's mama was growing, out of doors, on the West Coast (South Island), which has hot summers and plenty of rain. Keeping water to this one is a challenge!
https://www.facebook.com/TheForestGardeners/photos/a.1842561705955608/3010070505871383/
Robert you gave an interesting start to Feb Cheers. I'll look on your facebook.
Patricia – I've not posted on Facebook for a long time now; jaded, I suppose, but now I feel the sap rising and want to share the green-ness and the growth, so I'm re-starting my posting habit – I've lots of pictures to share and ideas to float 🙂
Great You will improve Facebook
New broom sweeps Farrar out the door…
He's having a go at extending the boundaries on the Nat comfort zone:
It's all about pressure, eh? Doug Graham advancing Maoridom in the '90s got replaced by a pivot to China for 20 years. Now they've got Asians up to a significant minority of the populace they're feeling the need to mask their strategy with another stint at being pro-Maori. Gotta balance them 17% & 15% minorities!
This is what I feared from Luxon – he MAY be prepared to go down the woke path.
He obviously hasn't perceived the millstone around Labour's neck that Maori are.
Refreshing to see the racist door opened so early in the morning.
Yep, at least Luxon wants all sides of a debate heard.
Luxon called in an All Black coach to facilitate team-building at the conference.
I believe he also had Sean Plunket in to coach PR and Communications.
David Seymour on Effective Leadership.
John Key, Bailing Out if the Going gets Tough.
Cameron Slater, Muck Raking.
My suggestion is you worry about something closer to home – potato's lying unharvested in the ground. Grain crop swaying in the breeze, while combine harvesters are parked up waiting for drivers who didn't make it through the merry-go-round called our border controls.
''John Key, Bailing Out if the Going gets Tough.''
Yes, his astrologer told him Covid was on the way so he had better bale.
Of course that was the best thing that ever happened to National as it turned out. Labour has done the donkey work with Covid. They are now old, jaded and hapless. National are fresh and ready to go. Hopefully having learnt from Labour what not to do, they can slowly get this nation back to a functional state.
Key's feckless jumping-ship – " the best thing that ever happened to National"
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Well, yes. It served them the coup de grace I'd been wishing-for.
I'm astonished that his followers have been able to so noiselessly re-imagine history and still adore their abuser!
And now we have the Lindworm's brother in Luxxy! At least he's not covered in scales (it seems, so far…)
Oh no!
Seen the scales!
"When Mr Luxon promised "a real shake-up" last year, it wasn't just a slip-of -the-tongue of a fresh-faced, inexperienced Leader. Two months later he has spelled it out:
Robert, stop rowing against the tide. Learn to look for tide changes. The tides 'are a changing,' No amount of bluster and having some supposed fun at my expense can save you or your stable mates. I tell you this as a fellow poster…and out of concern!
I appreciate your concern, Blade, I really do.
Tides though, don't turn once every three years, they're in and out twice daily; political tides change at every poll, we are encouraged to believe, although in my experience, they don't!
There has been no change, only tide-change-chatter 🙂
Watch those gimlet eyes…..
Now that was priceless Robert.
Robert reads the tea leaves like a pro. The trouble is he has a cup of coffee, hence his proclivity for not seeing things clearly or in perspective.
What's priceless is the gift Key gave National by resigning.
But hey, Roberts your guru. Who am I to argue.
That is bound to get bites.
Herald today says he is using…John Key's agency=Curia.-no link sorry ,no sub to NZH.
Curia is Farrar. That's who they already use
I did hear a comment that Luxon wants to be more inclusive of people.
What was Luxon like when it came to the cost of flights when a CEO of Air NZ?
Roy Morgan doing funny stuff. However, the trend is similar to other polls.
https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/8889-nz-national-voting-intention-december-2021-202201310600
No switch from ACT to National does seem peculiar – as does the MP drop size. Perhaps their method of polling is suspect? Or maybe there were fluctuations happening throughout the populace in December…
Yes, they are either off the mark, or ahead of the curve?
I read somewhere that polling has shifted away from landlines. The cry used to be that polls weren't picking up people with mobiles.
I have both. The only thing I like about mobiles is their convenience. Apart from that I become tired of being told …. move….can't…..better spot….that's better…hello!
https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2008/01/31/the-impact-of-cell-onlys-on-public-opinion-polling/
Nat/Act 50
Lab/Gr 44
That looks pretty good for the opposition if it holds as a trend. Labour at 35.5% is a worry.
Not sure why Roy Morgan puts the MP with Nat/Act-unlikely.
To be more concise – the trend of National gaining support.
'Not sure why RM puts the MP with Nat/Act-unlikely.''
Agree. Of course if Labour does not deliver Three Waters for Maori, anything is possible.
Three Waters is not about Maori. That is Nat/Act spin.
Three Waters has everything to do with Maori.
I have a fractious relationship with Internal Affairs. They have some of the most incompetent staff I have ever had dealings with.
That said, I will swallow my pride, and quote them this time around.
https://www.dia.govt.nz/three-waters-reform-programme-iwi-maori-interests
I, for one, do hope Maori have a lot to do with three waters reform.
It would be great for a more holistic, sustainable, generational, spiritual and guardianship attitude to prevail.
As opposed to an ownership, commercial and dumping ground model with minimum standards and 'enforcement' done by district/regional councillors with farming interests.
I totally agree with you Gsays.
Chur.
And I.
🙂
What you don't understand is Maori have a long term plan for complete control of New Zealand ( oops – Aotearoa. Forgive my ignorance).
It started in the early 90s and has been an up and down process. But recently things have quickened.
Take the name ''Aotearoa. ''That basically superseded New Zealand almost overnight. Woke TV is helping the process along nicely. Talk about being hoisted by your own petard.
Maybe folk now understand why Nanaia Mahuta is so determined to get Three Waters underway. I would not like to be her if she fails.
All movements start with education. I would invited anyone to visit a year one class for new entrants ( state schools). If you can tell the difference between that and a kohanga, you will be a better person than me.
And so our state education system is producing useful idiots, while the average Maori in the street is also a useful idiot for his Pan Maori elite class who claim all things in their name. That's very important to understand.
I would like to thank taxpayers on this site for my latest Iwi Covid package. Gloves, masks, kai, washing products and a food voucher worth a lot of money. Chur!
"Forgive my ignorance"
Why?
Excellent question.
What's the question?
Why should anyone forgive your ignorance?
Which Maori has "a long term plan for complete control of New Zealand." I don't think i've met them.
Excellent, I am gonna die an old man before 'whitey' undoes the harmful direction we are headed in.
I heard a bit of AC Grayling on the tranny in the weekend. He spoke of Grayling's law. Along the lines of 'Something will not be done if it costs those that can stop it happening'. Eg landlord politicians sorting the housing shortage.
It is way past time for the 'have-nots' to have more influence in our direction.
Got it sussed gsays.
Thanks Patricia.
Approximately 1/3 of NZ's population is in Auckland. I'm not aware of too many councillors in this part of the world having farming interests.
3Waters will not improve water quality one iota, and I suspect Labout know that. The plan is about assuaging Labour's Maori caucus.
Going forward, I too hope Maori get a say in water management. On the basis of one person one vote, in equal measure to every non-Maori, and appointed to governance on merit alone.
.
Latest RM places the Oppo ahead of the Govt for first time in any Poll since Feb 2020.
(conducted 22 Nov-19 Dec 2021 … so more than a month older than the latest One News Kantar):
[Overall figures … together with some demographic crosstabs / breakdowns]:
.
Latest RM places the Oppo ahead of the Govt for first time in any Poll since Feb 2020.
(conducted 22 Nov-19 Dec 2021 … so more than a month older than the latest One News Kantar):
[Overall figures … together with some demographic crosstabs / breakdowns]:
Blokes:
It'll throw the cat among the pigeons but the levels of support variation by gender is stark.
I wonder if that was so much the case historically and what it says about contemporary politics?
Act NZ Total 18.5.
Yeah, righto.
Thanks Swordfish (4.3) …
Dear oh dear, ACT at 18.5% … really? Where did RM get that figure from?
Never trusted the RM polls. Interesting that they waited so long to publish?
If you are tired of the MSM bourgeoisie civil war over MIQ, I suggest you follow Efeso Collins on twitter – it is a breath of fresh air.
He's good value.
Plenty of golfers go a lifetime without ever doing it, but British amateur golfer Neil Watts has achieved a dozen hole-in-ones in the last seven months!
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/01/21/golf/neil-watts-hole-in-one-golf-spt-intl/index.html
The odds against him must be astronomical. You'd need to know how many times he's hit the ball in that period, and then the ratio of the size of the hole to the area in front of his club (quadrisphere?) to do the maths.
But that's just for one of them. Twelve in a sequence is probably unprecedented. Luck & fate lie outside science. He even got one of them while being filmed about his story by ITV!
He should join a New Zealand club.
All the ones I have belonged to over the years included a little item in your sub which paid for the round of drinks. Unfortunately, in my 55 years of playing they never had to pay out once. I would have had at least 10 within 3 cm of the hole but none ever went in. Sob.
It sounds suspicious to me Dennis. Have you checked his balls?
You mean a homing device, with transmitter inserted into base of random selected hole prior to playing? Good theory but more likely when playing for money & he's amateur. Reputation-building strategy? That's plausible.
The Conservative Party could recruit him as candidate, eh? With his luck he'd be PM surprisingly fast…
Another insightful interview from Aron Mate' with guest Andrew Cockburn. Washington editor for Harper’s Magazine. His latest book is “The Spoils of War: Power, Profit and the American War Machine.”
From Ukraine to Yemen, US arms industry reaps the spoils of war
Interesting part with CIA operative Tony Poe, aka Anthony Poshepn, the person Kurtz from Apocalypse Now was (apparently) based on at about 45 minutes in….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0DLNDAgAwU
OECD suggests keeping the NZSuper age the same but means testing it for a few years.
NZ Super age must rise from 65 in wake of Covid debt, OECD warns | Stuff.co.nz
"It described a policy change as “essential”, suggesting a compromise to take into account the circumstances of Māori and Pacific Islanders might be to means-test superannuation from the time people reached 65 until they reached a later age at which point the benefit would become universal."
For those getting the $22-$34,000 per year, putting an income benchmark over it until you got to say 75 would be worth having a look at. Say you had an independent income of $50k a year above NZSuper.
It is fiendishly complicated to means test pensions, and even then people (rich pricks) lie or use devious methods (often sort of "legal") to hide assets.
The Australian pension is means tested and the form you have to fill out is complicated and very long.
It will not be a surprise if Super is tinkered with, but not while Jacinda is PM. Not only that, I expect to see tax increases and or cuts to social services. There will be a lot of tears before bedtime but the Government can’t spend billions of borrowed money without there being consequences.
Need to start taxing rich pricks like you more, instead of plunging older people into hardship and closing hospitals. People like you really make me want to vomit.
[last chance before a ban. You will either provide evidence for what you claim about PR here, or withdraw the statement, or take a ban. Next time I see you making such a claim about anyone without providing a quote and a link to back it up, I will ban you with not warning (you’ve had enough warnings already for this pattern of behaviour). Certainly not going to be doing any more chasing up.
See also https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-26-01-2022/#comment-1855078 – weka]
If you want to tax rich people more why did you for Act that one time?
I have never voted for ACT in my 23 years of voting. I have voted for for Labour (2005, 08, 14, 17 and 20), The Alliance (99) and NZ First (02 and 11), but not ACT. And I never will vote for ACT. Looking at staying home next election, but we shall see.
Millsy theres no shame in it, it happens and peoples allegiances change over time
But I am curious as to what made you change from a Roger Douglas acolyte?
If your looking for a way out AA have a 12 step process.
Don't worry, me and Millsy go a long ways back, back to nzdating days actually
sure it's the same millsy?
You think theres two people in NZ both named Millsy and they both happen to post like they're bat shit crazy?
No its the same guy and hes been it doing on here for years as well
Did you post under another username here?
You know who I am Millsy, you’ve always known.
Now go answer Wekas mod note.
Misread PRs comment. ACT taxing people more is a freaky thought.
People like you really make me want to vomit.
Not sure if that’s directed at me. If so, the standards at TS are getting rather low. And it’s the first time I’ve been described as rich lol
Millsy has a…tenuous grasp on reality but it goes something like this:
Millsy hates rich pricks
Millsy hates people with different opinions than his
Rich pricks have different opinions to Millsy
Therefore you must be a rich prick
You were the guy who called for swinging cuts to social spending in this country. Which will break a lot of people.
did you see this mod note?
.https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-26-01-2022/#comment-1855078
I'm going to guess no…
millsy14.2.2
31 January 2022 at 5:24 pm
that needs quotation
Yeah sorry about that, I thought copy and pasting what Millsy said would be more efficient
Also I'm pretty sure Joe Rogan believes exactly nothing of what Millsy says (if shown proof I'll admit I was wrong)
'It is clearly obvious that you are a homophobic prude who wants abortion criminalized.'
Pretty sure I'm not (but I won't post my porn searches as proof), I mean my sister in law would be unimpressed by me being homophobic, the people for whom I once posed nude for would be surprised to know I'm a prude (I was a student and I needed the money)
As for criminalizing abortion, no I don't believe that at all and I don't believe I've ever said that on here
" the people for whom I once posed nude for would be surprised to know I'm a prude (I was a student and I needed the money)".
God, that would have broken the camera. I would imagine the people who took the pics would be washing their eyes out with bleach,
Any who, I retract all allegations against you, and Mr Rogan.
[two week ban for wasting my time. Next time reply to moderation directly. And expect bans to increase if you fail to follow the instructions given in the past two motes – weka]
Paintings, not pics.
So they were looking at my meat and two veg for at least an hour at a time.
‘I retract all allegations against you’
-So why did you continually say what you said about me when you knew it was lies?
mod note.
You may well be expecting any and all those things Ross. Your concept of spending is predicated on the RBNZ running out of numbers in their computer system (where all these payments happen) of course. So you will be surprised to learn the govts spending capacity is exactly where it was before it paid for the wage subsidy.
"is complicated and very long.".
That is the understatement of the year. When my wife turned 65, and applied for New Zealand Super, the New Zealand authorities insisted that she apply for the Australian super because we had lived there for a number of years and could be eligible. We told them that we were not going to be eligible because our assets exceeded the cut-off figure. We demonstrated that but they insisted she apply. The form was, IIRC, 48 pages long. You were liable for prosecution if you made a mistake and got more of the pension than you were allowed.
We filled it in, posted it off and in due course were declined it. Thank God the Government here has never made her do it again or made me go through the process. It was a nightmare and must be even more so if you actually qualify for anything. You are required, by law, to notify them of any change in your circumstances, such as the value of shares you own going up or down. You have to keep that up forever, at least in theory.
The New Zealand system is vastly simpler and fairer. Don't even think about bringing in means testing here. You will find that people here will, as they approach 65, do what Australians do. Spend everything above the means test exemption amount and get rid of it. I'll illustrate this for a couple who own their home. You will get the full pension if you assets are less than $405k. You will get no pension if your assets are more than $891k. The pension is about $40k. You cannot get an income of $40k from half a million dollars worth of assets.
The first thing you can do is carry out an expensive upgrade of your house or move to a bigger place. Your primary home is not included in the assets limit. Go for a long, expensive overseas trip. (Well that was in the old days). People did it, and it made very good sense. I know a number of them who had worked out that they were far worse out if they actually tried to save more than $400k toward retirement. The loss of the pension far outweighed the income they could make from their savings.
I agree with most of that Alwyn including the fact that the NZ system is simpler…I am not so sure about fairer.
Alwyn .My brother ended up getting $12 and the "perks" Glasses teeth bus….?
Winston will be very pleased.
Pregnant,jetsetting,journalist and champion of wimmin's rights puts the boot into the NZ govt ..again.
'The fact of the matter is I’m a New Zealand citizen with a legal right to return in a unique and desperate situation. And I’ve applied under the emergency allocation system, I’ve done everything right, why is there such a problem?”
'
'Hipkins said Bellis’ emergency MIQ application was rejected because her flights were booked outside the 14-day requirement.
“I understand officials have also since invited her to apply for another emergency category. I encourage her to take these offers seriously,” Hipkins said.'
'New Zealand journalist Charlotte Bellis says the Government’s latest response to her situation is “incredibly disrespectful”,
Charlotte Bellis: ‘Covid-19 Minister’s statement on MIQ incredibly disrespectful’ | Stuff.co.nz
Hipkins defending the patriarchy merely destroys his reputation. You can understand why he's peeved that ScoMo has decided not to discriminate against pregnant women.
Bellis told our media that her application was filed in response to Ardern's declaration of intent to open the border at the start of Feb. The anonymous bureaucrat was pissed off that she scheduled on the basis of Ardern's good faith, apparently, and rejected her accordingly.
Having found spurious undisclosed reasons to discriminate successfully against 90% of the pregnant applicatants, the scumbags in the bureaucracy must be extremely irritated that their make it up as you go along arbitrary rules didn't manage to keep out the other 10%. Or perhaps they got through due to a bureaucrat with a conscience?
Interesting info about Scomo.
Wouldn't be surprised in the least, if Australia is one of the two countries offering Bellis asylum.
Would be a great political statement taking NZ's refugee policy and the 501 situation into consideration.
Bellis who has shared so much information with reporters is not saying who the two are.
I'm also puzzled why she hasn't explained her inability to reschedule in the 14-day window, and why she hasn't been liaising with our embassy. Consequently I can see why others are sceptical of her. I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt.
Can only assume she's waiting for her partner to finish his contract?
She doesn't want to leave him behind because he might not get in, which is understandable, but their insistence on choosing a delayed travel date didn't meet the requirements of the category they applied for.
I wonder also if there is such a sense of independence which is preventing her from taking government advice. You know, she’s a big star on the world stage and has lived in a pretty hostile environment for a long time. She has had to get there the hard way by following a ferociously unconventional and self-reliant pathway.
Good points there. If I were in her situation liaison with the NZ embassy would be a high priority so I'm puzzled that she's not into it.
She claimed it's not true, but then said 'even if it were true they wouldn't have been any help'.
Not sure how she can be so certain of this, but it does fit with my theory that she knows best and is used to doing everything herself.
I’m also concerned that she had been taking the advice of an unnamed opposition mp from before the letter was sent to the media.
hahahaha … "Having found spurious undisclosed reasons to discriminate successfully against 90% of the pregnant applicatants, the scumbags in the bureaucracy must…"
having 'found' 'undisclosed' – its not possible for the two things to go together as you have structured it there nincomhorsepoop
plus you still have no evidence
do you
none
where is your evidence?
What a wonderful name of the lawyer appearing for the pregnant women trying to get back into New Zealand.
Frances Joychild. What could be more appropriate?
It is rather like the person leading the campaign against reducing the speed limit on the bulk of the Napier Taupo road to 80 kph.
Keri Goodspeed is fronting the protests. Another gorgeous aptronym.
Do they not know who she IS?
Dennis, how do you know they are “ spurious undisclosed reasons” it’s entirely possible that those in charge of allocation of limited MIQ spaces know a lot more than privacy allows them to divulge. Maybe the declined applicants have settled lives in another country which they intend to go back to after the birth but wish to have their baby in NZ for monetary or other reasons, I doubt it is free in Australia for NZ citizens. MIQ is under a huge stress and is not there to satisfy peoples whims no matter what the reason. It was never intended to be a flit in, flit out option.
And Womens Cricket, DJs etc are not a good example, those sort of spaces were arranged a long time ago. A lot of the complaints and static seems to come from Kiwis who have abandoned NZ quite a while ago but wish to avail themselves of taxpayer funded services that they have not contributed to for ages.
I get that you're trying to express a reasonable view, Adrian. I refrained from expressing an opinion on MIQ for months due to feeling agnostic & plenty of others arguing both sides. Quarantine was sensible as a strategy.
I can now see that bureaucrats are not being sensible in managing the system. It's obvious to me (a male) that pregnant women ought to have been catered for by design. One rule for all was wrong-thinking – I suspect it was by male decision-makers (possibly including women who haven't been pregnant or lack empathy).
They use privacy law to avoid accountability. The minister ought to instruct them to stop denying kiwis their citizens' rights. He has failed to do so, apparently. Labour's poll rating slide occurs due to such patterns of behaviour…
your sexism is a mile wide
I suspect there is much more known about this by the govt and officials but they cannot disclose it. Hipkins went as far as he could.
She was on the news (?) last night and I am very cynical. It looked like she was performing to me.
I haven't seen any other pregnant women come through MIQ, with or without difficulty, being paraded on television like she has been parading herself. Like 99% of MIQ returnees they have sucked up the system and done it all for the good of New Zealand and I say 'thank you'
There will be thousands of difficult stories to be told out from this, and most won't be. Some have the ability to get on a platform and shout to the world
However, all the best to her and her baby.
And thank you to everyone working in MIQ
I agree with giving a thank you to those working in MIQ.
I also think it curious that the journo cannot bring her travel within the 14 day window and that she has not contacted the relevant consular officials. I also think it very likely that there is more to this than we are being told that is known by NZ officialss. Instead the journo seems to be getting very snooty because she originally applied in the incorrect category and was correctly declined. Officials apparently reached out to her to ask her to resubmit in the correct category and she has said, more or less 'you've got the info you do it."
Hard to feel very sympathetic if these are the circumstances.
Is she a dual citizen?
Of where?
I just find it curious all round……could they not have gone to London from Belgium to get married there? Is there something special about having to have the marriage in a Catholic church in Belgium (and wait 6 months?) in these urgent circumstances.
I just have a sinking feeling that maybe an anti vaxx controversy may be waiting in the wings…..apparently NZers cannot be required to be vaccinated before returning but people from other countries resident in NZ can be.
Not in the slightest bit sorry for her in view of her attitude, thinking more and more that this has something of a deliberate political slant/stunt.
"… thinking more and more that this has something of a deliberate political slant/stunt."
Without a doubt.
The little flower is now threatening legal action cos her privacy has been breached. She doesn't want stuff to come out does she. So we're into the bully boy/girl phase now.
She claims Hipkins' very mild remarks yesterday were "untrue".
Officials don't lie about official actions they have taken. There will be logged proof they reached out to her and she ignored them.
The more I learn about this case, the louder my bullshit antennae hums.
Your bullshit antennae hums EVERY time you stick up for the labour government. Might be a pattern forming there.
Without doubt.
Maybe we could set up an orchestra of hummers
She now has a place based on where she is, ie danger etc but this does not really suit PP (precious petal)She states
She has taken this offer up but I think she seems quite thick not to understand that just being pregnant does not fit the requirement. If she had a letter re pre eclampsia or gestational diabetes or any of a number of things that can happen. Small for dates, high blood pressure meaning travel in third trimester is not recommended etc etc
Pregnancy is not of itself an illness.
Here's to our marvelous MIQ workers one and all.
In his Queenstown stand-up, Luxon has committed National to having candidates in the Maori electorates, next election (as previously floated by Collins, and confirmed now).
Some time this year there's going to be a major internal row: for example, on the new Maori health authority (Collins said National would scrap it).
Bullshit Dennis, they use privacy to protect the privacy of the applicants..look at the shit that Winston visited on The Nat’s for exactly that. There is a lot more to this story than we are being drip fed. As Hipkins rightly inferred, it’s not an emergency if you wish to schedule it 4 weeks in advance, you don’t do that for car crashes or heart attacks. If the rules which are there to manage occupancy were to be altered for every “ special “ person the whole thing would be unworkable.
MIQ has protected the NZ right from the start when the Government asked the gathering of 40 or 50 experts back in January of 2020 about what they had to do to protect The 5 million of us from this contagation that nobody knew anything about, they said this, this, and this, and that is what we got. Compared to similar countries that didn’t do that our death toll would have been north of 12,000, how many of them would have likely been people you and I know? And by the way, it is a pretty horrible death.
My main problem with Bellis is her audacity to laud the fucking Taliban as examplars of womens rights compared to Jacinda Ardern. It reeks of Stockholm Syndrome and is grossly insulting to JA.
You can tell that it's not bullshit when you factor in those occasions when privacy citation by bureaucrats has been accompanied by the citizens disadvantaged appealing to the anonymous bureaucrat to provide a valid reason for discrimination.
I've noticed a sufficient pattern of evasion in news stories in the past couple of decades. The oppressed individual never gets satisfaction due to the bureaucrats using privacy law to stonewall the media. I've gotten into the habit of commenting on such behaviour when it shows up. That's due to feeling solidarity with the victims of the bureaucrats.
Re her schedule, Hipkins has yet to respond to the reason Bellis gave: the PM's announcement of the (Feb) change of policy coming into effect. I agree with you re the general efficacy of the quarantine system up till now.
Finally, I thought the comparison of what she's got from our govt as compared to the Taliban was accurate. I can't recall how she personalised the PM into that comparison. Could be a valid point from you on that. You'd think the PM, as a mother, would be empathic with pregnant kiwis being made to jump through 29.5 hoops and then rejected regardless. Some journo ought to ask her.
Your crocodile weeping on behalf of Miss Bellis (what's the causa bellis here, some are starting to wonder…) is deeply moving. And deeply unnecessary, while the full force of the National Party's machine is on fast spin for her case.
'Think it possible' as Oliver Cromwell suggested in superbly plain English to some Scottish bishops in the 1640s, 'in the bowels of Christ, that you may be mistaken.'
Are you morally corrupt too? Or just too stupid to comprehend empathy and civil rights? If you want to get traction on whether I'm mistaken or not you'd have to provide proof. Too lazy to search for it, right?
Maybe these guys should ask for Asylum in OZ.
and that too has been raised as an issue a few times over the last year.
Next to complain are the ones that have been stuck overseas now for a while and who risk loosing their right to vote as they did not manage to get back into the country for the requirements
something that was also raised last year, by the Greens (who hopefully are lefty enough to ask for such a thing without being vilified lol)
https://www.greens.org.nz/kiwis_overseas_must_be_allowed_to_vote_next_year
I am sure that with the bad PR here and overseas something will change very quickly. Hopefully, because this current lottery system is not working for anyone and its just a mockery of the rights people have by law.
there was a discussion yesterday about how long can you end up in isolation if someone you live with has covid and how the isolation works for contacts.
Now this was on the bottom of a herald article:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-omicron-locations-of-interest-auckland-bus-routes-rotorua-cafe-new-locations/63UYBP3DN55OWX3S3BETTUH77I/
https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/01/31/three-quarters-of-kiwis-want-house-prices-to-fall/
So there will potentially be very little political fallout for some decisive action on this issue from the Ministers and Govt, in fact, it could be very helpful to ensuring a third term.
"So there will potentially be very little political fallout for some decisive action on this issue from the Ministers and Govt, in fact, it could be very helpful to ensuring a third term."…yeah because we all implicitly know that Labour (and National) are such hollow, pointless husks of shit that they would never dare move or act on anything this important unless the polls told them it was safe to do so…it is plainly obvious that none of them would know a firmly held moral/ethical position if they tripped up on it, fell over and planted their faces right into the middle it.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/miq-lockout-kiwi-pensioners-stuck-in-australia-have-super-payments-ceased/CWOVMABOXPR34COB6MS4UU4K4Q/
It's interesting that MSD is insisting on repayment of NZS from those stuck overseas for 30 weeks or more. There used to be provision in the Social Security Act for MSD to decide not to recover debt. It was a limited provision to allow MSD to avoid potential unfairness when all else was unavailable such as write-off because of MSD error. The National government repealed that ability around 2013, with the support of the Labour opposition.
The prospect of a $16,000 debt is of course only one problem those in situations similar to the Gorrets are going to have to deal with, but at least there would've been some relief available if the ridiculous decision to remove it hadn't been made.
More people that chose to leave NZ in the middle of a pandemic,knowing full well the possibility of events occuring that could impact their situation.
Went over in July last year.Hard to sympathise with them.
I agree with Blazer. We are often talking of looking at consequences of any decisions and doing a risk analysis. I think it would have been fairly well apparent that the Covid situation was fragile/fluid. Perhaps if/when at the end of Feb when there are possible changes to the borders/MIQ open Air NZ could do a couple of flights dedicated to bringing people like this back to NZ.
Perhaps go via Afghanistan and collect the journo on the way.
Too bloody right. People need to take more personal responsibility. We need to teach it is schools, for crying out loud.
Oops!
Nandor's dropped a bomb!
"It's hard to find the right words to express my disgust at Jacinda Ardern and this Government.
Labour was elected with a huge mandate to do something serious about growing inequality, including the housing crisis. I know it takes a while to make change but I can't see any evidence that they are even considering any action that might have a serious impact. In fact she indicated on election night that she was ruling out anything that would impact the wealthy, I guess in the hope they could keep ruling the centre for ever.
Is that the extent of Labour's aspirations now? To rule without upsetting the wealthy?
I know Jacinda is dropping in the polls and media is blaming Covid. I disagree. I reckon people are beginning to think beyond covid and remembering why they voted for her in the first place. I'd say that despite the constant undermining by right wing commentators and a vocal but very small group of anti-vaxxers, the vast majority of NZers are very happy with our covid response. You just have to look at the death rates overseas to see we are doing very well.
I think the reason why they aren't dropping more is because a National / Act government would be worse in every respect.
What worries me is that instead of becoming MORE progressive to woo back the people that voted Labour to get change, they may misread what is happening and become even more conservative.
What a waste of a parliamentary majority."
https://www.facebook.com/nandor.tanczos
A lot of different people have been saying the same thing, are you now saying that it is ok to critizise this government and its leader now that an Ex Green Party MP has said something?
In that case, yei! finally. Took him just a few years of misery growing in abundance, but better late to the party then to never arrive, right?.
National / Act may be worse, but seriously in regards to increasing house prices and promoting exponential growth in poverty via their politics/policies i think L/G are as good as N/A. But the next election is L/Gs too loose, and from where i am standing and from what i am hearing, losing is possible. Very much so.
Hey, Sabine! I didn't say, "…it is ok to critizise this government and its leader now that an Ex Green Party MP has said something…"
I said, "Oops!
Nandor's dropped a bomb!"
I've never thought, "All is well",
I've long thought, there are serious issues that must be addressed.
Okay?
If L/G lose the next election then all Kiwis will lose, some sooner than others. With temperatures and societal pressures increasing, and tempers fraying, tribal politics is here to stay, and so this iteration of civilisation's goose is nearly 'cooked'.
In fifty years' time, with any luck most of today's NZ twentysomethings will be around to think back to their COVID days – when 'woke' concerns, and concerns about 'wokeness', exercised us so – and remember how wonderful everything was. I'd love to believe that the last 50 years won't be as good as it gets – doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t demand ‘more‘, but at the same time we need to think about what ‘more‘ means.
Nandor has nailed it I reckon.
I know quite a few young, poorer people who voted for Labour (actually, they mostly voted for Jacinda Ardern). People who had never voted before, quite often.
Many are complaining that Labour has done nothing to improve their lives – rents keep exploding, people on benefits remain in poverty and house ownership….not even a distant dream anymore.
Keir Starmer does a good solid job in the House of Commons holding the Prime Minister to task re the Sue Grey report:
Starmer's greatest speech? Tories stunned into lethal silence by extraordinary oratory – YouTube
Does anyone still think women (biological ones) don't get the extremely short end of the stick in society
https://www.newsweek.com/woman-who-sexually-assaulted-child-when-she-was-teen-will-sent-juvenile-facility-1673804
'A 26-year-old woman who, during her teen years, sexually assaulted a child has been sentenced to a juvenile facility and won't be required to register as a sex offender.'
https://nypost.com/2022/01/17/la-da-ripped-after-child-molester-faces-little-or-no-time/
'Jonathan Hatami, a Deputy District Attorney in the Complex Child Abuse Unit, said since Tubbs’ case remained in juvenile court, she will not have to register as a sex offender.'
So as a 17 year old molests a child and as a 26 year old (allegedly only transitioning after being arrested) gets sent to a juvenile facility
"Does anyone still think women (biological ones) don't get the extremely short end of the stick in society"
That's a great question, typically raced past in the rush to underline some other issue.
How would you assess that question? What sort of measures/stats/facts would be considered in deciding (if one had to) whether males or females get the short end of the stick? Compilation of such a list of stats would be fascinating in itself… bags not
'How would you assess that question?'
– I don't think I'm capable
'What sort of measures/stats/facts would be considered in deciding (if one had to) whether males or females get the short end of the stick?'
– I'm looking at someone that molested a little girl being sent to a, probably, girls juvenile facility, as a 26 year old
– Yeah he'll probably be in solitary for his entire time there but even so what sort of message does it send
– There are numerous examples where a man claims to be female and is sent to a female prison and thats not right
Compilation of such a list of stats would be fascinating in itself… bags not
– Me neither, I wouldn't even know where to start
Don't know where to start? How about with what you said? "He'll probably be in solitary for his entire time there," and "what sort of message does it send?"
Does it send the message that in such circumstances you're going to be in solitary the whole time?
You hope he'll be in solitary but this is LA so I wouldn't be at all surprised if some lawyer argued that his clients civil rights meant he had to be put out into the general population
Well he says hes a woman (which is supposed to have happened after he was arrested) therefore he must be a woman, right?
An Afghani female journalist now safely in NZ very disappointed in Charlotte Bellis.See her story in Stuff today. Sorry , can’t link, bad in and out internet.
Well ain't that person lucky that she is safe in NZ, and Charlotte Bellis is stateless until she has been given the right to come home to her country.
I was quite surprised that you said Bellis should stay and have her baby…in Afghanistan.
Mission accomplished-'She said her application was not granted on the medical needs of her pregnancy, but on the safety of her situation.'-Stuff.
Is Chris Bishop egging Charlotte Bellis and her team on? The reason I ask this is there has been a very peculiar escalation and Chris Bishop has form in covert operations such as this.
There was his involvement in breaking out of MIQ our very own Thelma and Louise. He and his office was also instrumental in hacking the 2019 Budget. And the Wally Haumaha incident when he happened to come across all sorts of confidential leaked information.
Bishop has long assumed the role of infiltrating the public service seeking sympathetic Trojan horses and I wonder if the same thing isn't happening in the Charlotte Bellis case.
Today Charlotte Bellis is being encouraged to pursue legal action against Chris Hipkins because mentioned she was offered consular assistance in Afghanistan.
I get the uneasy feeling this is no longer about the safety of her and her baby, rather an opportunistic hit job on the government. She's been told how to apply to get back to NZ but refuses to take he advice.
Weird.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-omicron-pregnant-kiwi-journalist-charlotte-bellis-considering-legal-options-after-chris-hipkins-alleged-privacy-breach/W6WRTU4D3X5WV5Z43AFRZME6W4/
Also in there at the end is an attempt by the Herald to equate Hipkins' description of the assistance offered to Bellis with Paula Benefit's doxxing of beneficiaries’ data in a leak to the very same newspaper.
Disgraceful.
"He and his office was also instrumental in hacking the 2019 Budget."
Was that the budget that was open for all and sundry to look at as they forgot to put any security on the site?
Well, no. That is a slightly selective memory.
The hack was not "open for all and sundry", it required many repeated inputs from the data workers in his office.
Anybody asked Bellis whether it's true? Or would that be impertinent?
The significant bit is here:
I'm astonished that official advice to her is in question. I guess the Minister will have to prove his point – if it is true. I wonder if the advice was sent but not received?? That could explain her denial – if she's telling the truth. If the thing goes to court she would be challenged to prove that!
Unfortunately this drags it out even further in public which we all seem to agree is a bad thing.
Who the hell does this woman think she is. The Queen. There is no way Hipkins would have revealed that information without official evidence to back it up and he is within his rights to do so. It was NOT private information about her.
"I guess the Minister will have to prove his point – if it is true."
Good grief. It is entirely up to her to prove it didn't happen. She can't and won't because it did happen. She's either a moron or is ignorant of parliamentary operational procedures.
The state's authority on privacy law disagrees with you Anne (re Hipkins). I saw her quoted earlier. Anyway, if you haven't caught up with the latest news, the deputy PM did a press conference several hours ago & announced that she had been offered a place in MIQ and I saw it reported on the tv news that she has accepted the offer.
Yes. I watched it. I don't give a tinkers cuss what the privacy commissioner might say. Hipkins did not divulge any personal information about her. He merely corrected her claims nothing was done to help her when clearly there was an attempt to help her which she chose to ignore.
In my book he is entitled to do that. The law is a big ass sometimes and so are some of the people in it.
Oh, I see. Yeah I think there's some truth in that. However I believe the bureaucracy was being disingenuous too. I wonder if she will front with a full explanation when she gets back.
If she has any sense she will call it quits and disappear from the public platform.
Why are you so nasty about young women who criticise labour politicians or labour policies?
Must admit I was surprised at the details in Hipkins' statements yesterday and wondered about privacy.
In your link she says it's hard to get flights out of Kabul within the 2 week timeframe. This would have been my first guess about the issue.
Both sides should stop playing this out in the MSM and just sort it out and release a statement.
Agree this should now be taken out of hte public domain, but then, there is the article today of the retired couple stuck in OZ who is asked to refund their super they received whilst out of the country. Never mind that these guys can't return. So this will be in hte public domain until MIQ is declared defunct and the borders are open again to allow NZ Citizens to return.
MIQ had a purpose initially but the issue is that they never re-assessed the needs and yeah, there are the Dj's, the Labour MP, the TV stars and all the others that got in while these people are stuck. And the government will have to answer for that. At some stage some of the fault for things that go wrong need to be admitted by the Government and its minion. This 'its not us' mentality is getting tiresome and quite unbelievable. And in the meantime, these people, Charlotte Bellis, the retired couple etc are still stuck overseas.
And none of this brouhahah is a good vote getter for the left, nor does it make the government and the Labour Party look kind and in touch with people who are not rich, connected, or entertainment stars.
Fair enough but it was her who made this a public story and I took Hipkins' comments to be a broad explanation of the events which took place from a government point of view.
I can't see why the 'offer of assistance not taken' up is particularly confidential, rather it provides important clarification.
Agree that a solution should be offered (done) and accepted (not done) so she can get home which is the whole point.
By that logic Bennett was right.
Looks like she's overegging things now.
Perhaps, but there's a world of difference between the two responses.
Yes, Bennett was right. The whole of New Zealand then heard the other side of the story – if I remember correctly those two beanies were earning more than many folk doing menial work.
I support Hipkins. Whether right or wrong, everyone has the right to defend themselves if someone calls you out.
Talking of defence, Robbo was tap dancing at the parliamentary press conference today. Where was the PM? She was in isolation. Looks like she's on another lucky roll.
You may be ok with giving up your privacy, most people aren't and we still have privacy laws in NZ because not having them harms individuals and society.
I mean, if we took your argument to its logical conclusion, anyone who doesn't like anyone else's behaviour or the way they are living could then legitimately disclose private information about that person.
''You may be ok with giving up your privacy, ''
No, I like my privacy. In fact I will soon have someone in court on prvacy issues.
''I mean, if we took your argument to its logical conclusion, anyone who doesn't like anyone else's behaviour or the way they are living could then legitimately disclose private information about that person.''
That's too simplistic. We are talking of an individual accusing the government. The government has a right to respond to points made …and correct them with all information available The information released was very general.
Hipkins could have responded without using private details. There's a principle at stake here.
And Bennett actually broke privacy law. You can't have it both ways. Either we have privacy that is upheld or we don't.
Only one side has been playing this out in the public arena aided and abetted by the Nats and ACT. The Govt. was forced to make one press release by the Covid minister in response to her claims and on behalf of the officials who had served her case.
They keep getting asked questions by the insatiable media but Robertson deftly batted them away at the weekly Press conference today. They got nothing out of him except that she's been offered an MIQ position which she doesn't deserve because of the tactics she used. But if it shuts her up and we don't hear from her again it will be worth it.
Ok Annie (Oakely) taking pot shots again. "offered an MIQ position which she doesn't DESERVE because of the tactics she used. But if it shuts her up and we don't hear from her again it will be worth it." So then how should she have managed this ??? A kiwi wanting to come home and give birth in her home country. IMO repugnant comment from you again !!!
Where is this Labour be nice, or are we only to be selectively "Nice" ??
Anne – I have a feeling we will never hear the end of this saga. There'll be a report on 14 days of hell in MIQ. The state of medical care in NZ for people who are pregnant will be next ; there are so many situations ahead that could go awry and no doubt we'll hear about each and every one of them.
Quite possible. I think the limelight may have gone to her head. 🙂
Well that was irritating. An outage because LetsEncrypt wouldn't update the site SSL cert.
I flicked it over to cloudflare. Let me know if anything weird shows up.
The only good thing was that it stopped towards the end of my working day.
Warning on FF ,seems ok now
Not having a SSL cert will prevent some browsers to not allow access at all on a out of date cert. Some with switch to un-encrypted HTTP. Some will just provide cached pages only.
I'll look at LetsEncrypt on the weekend.
For the moment the SSL cert is being provided by CloudFlare as a backstop. I have Cloudflare as a backup because it is good for this and for handling certain load problems. But there are usually a few people who have issues with it on their particular systems – mostly due to the severity of the caching.
Something weird has shown up. My comments are not appearing!
Yeah, something post-outage is sending a lot of comments direct to trash
No edit function since the outage.
What are browser and OS are you getting the problem on? Or just mail me – thestandard at gmail.
It's working again this morning. Thanks.
Just got a timed out when trying to look at a post preview.
I'll look at kicking up the cloudflare timeout. The post previews often take some time to process and appear.
Unfortunately I don’t really have that much spare time between now and the next weekend (fortunately a long one) for technical work like fiddling with cert installs and DNS validations outside of work.
I already spent most of the last (long) weekend catching up on a knotty low level issue and reading the Unit Titles Act cover to cover. Either always tends to drop off my intellectual resilience for the following week.
looks like a bunch of comments made during the outage ended up in Trash.
Wouldn’t surprise me. I’ll have a look through them.
Had
onetwo reports of not being able to save comments. Don't have enough information to reproduce it.Tested in the
It also looks like some comments may have been going direct to trash during the outage today. Just having a look at those now.
Ok – fixed everything I know of this morning.
Tanks the booster jab. I wasn't up to work working today (tired, stiff, and sore), so I had time to fix this.