First WHO Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health, 30 October – 1 November 2018
Improving air quality, combating climate change – saving lives
A schoolboy walks through smoke and fumes emitted from a waste dump in the Nigerian city of Port Harcourt
Air Pollution is “the ‘new tobacco…” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s director general
If you received an invitation to attend the conference and have not yet registered using the INDICO web portal, then please do so before as soon as possible. The link to the INDICO registration web portal can be found in the invitation email message.
The first two days of the conference will present evidence, identify gaps and solutions, and will be targeted at practitioners and other technical and political representatives from the health sector and other sectors relevant to the discourse. The third day will be a High-Level Action Day.
Conference provisional programme – updated 28 October
pdf, 799kb
Live webcast (active from 30 October 2018)
Conference overview agenda
pdf, 205kb
Time to nationalise the banks.
This is well overdue.
Their parasitic behaviour is leeching billions of dollars out of the New Zealand economy.
“ANZ’s New Zealand business made more money than Fonterra, Spark, Fletcher Building, the Warehouse, Air New Zealand and the major supermarkets combined last year and it’s not good enough, according to activist investor Sam Stubbs.
ANZ New Zealand announced a record net profit of $1.98 billion this morning – while its parent company Australia and New Zealand bank made A$6.4b.
But Stubbs, founder and managing director of KiwiSaver provider Simplicity, and a critic of the banks, said ANZ was taking advantage of its dominant position to extract unreasonable profits.
“The ANZ profit is classic rent-seeking behaviour.”
Yo James – what’s your take on the smashing the National Party has taken over the past few weeks and what do you reckon about the likelihood that they’ve a lot more coming?
“not really on topic”
This is Open Mike, James. “Open” probably means…open.
National’s disease must be hurting it’s followers something awful, I reckon. They’ve had a shocker! It’s as if a curtain fell and they were all exposed, standing there, trousers around their ankles, looking startled. Paula Bennett, btw, looks permanently startled these days. Judith Collins always did (it’s the arched eyebrows).
Wow, Stupid and Nasty in the same comments. You’re not a National MP are you? You’re still happy to support at least one rapist who Woodhouse let stay, Tuppence Shrewsbury supports and loves rapists!!! (judging by her comment)
Who said I support national? not supporting labour or the greens does not equal supporting national. Quite enjoying the JLR train wreck to be honest.
Just as I am enjoying watching the amateurs currently in government make stupid calls on an almost daily basis. It concerned me that the JLR affair was letting them off the hook.
The NZ operations are actually quite standalone from the Australian parent. If the Government so decided it COULD nationalise them. The bigger question is where would it get the cash to do so. Unless of course by nationalise they mean taking ownership without compensation. I believe that is called stealing and will lead to the NZ economy imploding.
You have little to no evidence that the State did not get full or even fair value for the Electricity companies. They got Market price, which by definition is full and fair value.
he bigger question is where would it get the cash to do so.
It’s a sovereign government with its own currency. Just create the money – done. And, hey, if they leave them as is they’ll make enough profit to cover it.
WTF is with “stone grill” steak in a restaurant? I got told it was so I could cook the steak to my satisfaction. If I could cook it perfectly at home, I wouldn’t order it in a restaurant. And why does it cost the same as a cooked steak? WTF does the chef do – make the salad? It totally pisses me off. Steak, medium rare, on a plate. That’s what I want. Not a hot rock and a pile of ingredients.
Maybe stonegrill was invented by the devil? Take a prime cut of steak, and give it to someone without the skill to cook it properly, and they paid full price for it so they’ll probably eat the entire thing.
While not quite as bad, deconstructed salads really piss me off. Someone putting all the ingredients of a salad on a plate, that you then have to toss yourself like some sort of after work Paula Bennet.
I can honestly say that I’m not eating beef grown in the Amazon.
Here’s the thing though: If the world was being economic little to no food would ever be imported/exported. Each country would grow the food that it needs to feed its own people.
Tahiti is French, and the French generally cook better than us. The best lamb I have ever eaten was in France, But the French breed their best lambs purely for meat flavour, and do not compromise for quality of wool. Then they cook it better as well.
I doubt if all our best goes to export. Upon returning from France, I was positively impressed with the quality of meat that normal people can buy here.
What you’re actually saying is that many countries can’t support themselves.
That’s what’s called unsustainable.
And, no, trade doesn’t fix that. Take Egypt for example. IIRC, it can presently feed 60% of its population from it’s own farms. The rest is a result of import paid for by the export of their oil. Egypt’s oils has Peaked. This means that in a few years, at most, Egypt is going to be in famine and there’s nothing that they can do about it through trade because have pretty much nothing else to export.
Jeez, if only they had some local attractions or a global trade route to leverage ff. Then they might get someone to stump up several billion for a nuclear power plant to offset that emerging energy deficit. As it is, poor Egypt: Land of the Pharked.
So if they export that energy, or use it to attract energy-intensive industries, they can use the revenue to buy food from countries that have lots of arable land and make lots of food, but possibly want things those industries produces.
We had a mortgage with Westpac. Not our choice, but Westpac swallowed up Trustbank who we were originally with. Weren’t happy, but what can you do. The interest rate wasn’t too bad so we stayed, vowing to change when the mortgage went. Remember how they called themselves WestpacTrust . . . for while . . . just to look good! Anyway, when we got some money, discharged the mortgage and were looking for where to invest, Westpac had the best interest rate. So to get something back out of them we put our money there. We are looking to change banks when the investment matures. Our best options look to be Kiwibank or TSB. I hate the fact that WPC is an Ozzie bank with profits going overseas, however we want the best return for money. Quandary. Hate them but want the most out of our money.
If they are making super profits then that must mean Kiwibank is as well. In which case why doesn’t the government just instruct Kiwibank to hoover up all the customers in NZ by undercutting the other majors?
IF you want an answer to your question about kiwibank’s position in the he market, Sam Stubbs was interviewed on RNZ yesterday.
I heard him mention how they were loaded with post shop assets and an obligation to provide relevant sservices…
There was another issue that I didn’t totally grasp but my attention was divided. Ahh, it was undercapitalised.
Both were dampeners on growth.
Each staff member generated approximately$220,000 profit. Profit!
Surely it makes sense to you to have the many billions of dollars profit stay in Aotearoa.
It can only be an ideologue mindset that makes you see otherwise.
Kiwibank is undercapitalised and can’t take advantage of the market. Hmmm… whose fault is that again? I’ll give you a clue, it is the owner of the Bank.
Doogs, what you said about westpac adding the word trust for a while, made me smile, marketing for sure.
Building Societies are awesome, our local Nelson Building Society (NBS) contributes so much to the community.
For example if one is looking for fundraising for a community event and asks around the banks for support, all the big banks will say no, but not the NBS, they often support community events and needs.
Part of the problem is that it seems, in conversations I’ve had with people, that many have no idea who owns the banks and react with astonishment to discover that banks called Auckland Savings Bank and Bank of New Zealand don’t belong to us!
100% of my personal and business banking is with a 100% NZ-owned bank. Made the switch when I became aware of how much profit Australian banks were extracting from NZ.
That said, it was easy to do as my business banking needs are largely transactional. If you’re a business that requires significant bank lending, you are stuck with the Aussie-owned banks.
To Cinny at 2.1.4 : To change to kiwi -owned banks IS certainly the glaringly obvious solution, and has been for considerable time….confounds me why they are not totally utilised by New Zealanders. I have aways had the best help one could wish.
Recently the ANZ in Motueka closed it’s doors, some friends who bank with them were complaining, but yet they still didn’t move to either Kiwibank or the NBS.
I think it’s one of those things that people place in the ‘too hard basket’, then when they finally get round to changing banks, say things like, gosh that was easy I should have done it a long time ago.
Went with Kiwibank a few years ago, and refinanced the mortgage last year with them again. We haven’t regretted it. The lack of ability to just rock on up to the bank to discuss things is mitigated by online support and us planning a bit better.
If you think they are not providing a suitable service that people are willing to pay for why isn’t Kiwibank doing better then? It is a completely State controlled Bank.
@Gosman, Kiwibank would do better if it was more a full service bank. Also banking has also come down to relationships and history, so that there are big incentives to stick with the same bank as people’s situation gets more insecure with work.
Aka in NZ massive amount of people now are on contract, gig work or self employed. The history of that becomes a key, in a banking arrangement. Nobody wants to shift all their business, then find out, they have a bad month or months and have the bank breathing down their necks.
So there are many reasons that people stay with their bank. Satisfaction and best deals are not the only factors when you get into the NZ situation of significant proportions of the population are in insecure work and therefore take strategic positions on banking and insurance.
The amount of banking, financial institutions and insurance that has gone out of business also makes people cautious in NZ about new banks and services in that sector.
They are profiting not because they are great banks but because NZ has embraced everything to do with neoliberalism and that is all about profits for the most dominant, which are banks here. And our government does not believe in any sort of financial regulation even bank deposits are not guaranteed nor Kiwisaver.
Not sure if Kiwibank have evolved since I thought about joining them, but standing in a queue at the post office stating your business rather than a private office at a bank or getting a mobile person around takes time with Kiwibank and much longer than if you have an existing relationship with a bank and assigned a personal banker.
Had a friend who was a school principal in a small town, so a bit weird that she was queuing up and stating all the business of the school, while the rest of the community could over hear.
Stuff like that, makes Kiwibank less. a fit for complicated, private and urgent types of banking.
Also anything to do with property in Auckland generally require quick and flexible banking decisions as the market is fast and auction driven. Took me so long to buy a house in Auckland that my 6 months of pre application had expired and then you need to get it back quickly if you see a house to bid on. Therefore you don’t want a new bank that might be slower to make decisions on anything.
So maybe Kiwibank and the co operatives can get more market share if they step up for more complicated, faster decision making banking, with more customer service and privacy for customers and a long term relationship approach with customers.
The offshore banks level of customer service has defiantly got a lot worse over the years, so if NZ banks stepped up, they could win more business.
Just telling you what people have told me Solka and my own experiences trying to change to Kiwibank a few years ago, maybe you don’t have a business or run an organisation, or have complicated banking, or what ever.
Judging by your stalking of people and the Green Party I’d say you are a unique individual that would probably need a private room in any instance and Kiwibank staff probably usher you straight to one so people don’t overhear your language and tone so you may have never experienced the problems that polite less demanding people might be experiencing.
Actually, when I made the appointment to see the mortgage person a few years ago we had the option of my place or one of their branches. Small meeting room, 4 chairs, one table, her laptop. Easy as. That was kiwibank.
Shopping around, ANZ went with the open plan, wide spaces between desks idea. Probably had private rooms for people who didn’t need mortgages, though 🙂
to solkta at22.1.1.1: Yes, of course Kiwibank has private rooms and specialists in banking also, friendly at all times. I think some here trying hand at fake news.
My Kiwibank, in Hastings, is a mess. The Carpets are permanently stained, the counter is so banged around it looks like an old pub first thing in the morning, the note counting machine is so temperamental its a running joke, and the manager insists on interviewing people at a table right next to the queue. Its awkward to put it mildly.
if I didn’t know(hope?) better I would think they were purposefully running it into the ground.
+1 Siobhan- Kiwibank needs to look at the details. If a bank looked like you suggest and treated you like that, would you seriously consider it?
A little bird suggests, if you start calling everyone a piece of shit, you might get that private room that a certain poster seems convinced is always offered.
Of course it also might effect that application or have you escorted out too:)
Seriously NZ banks should have an online complaints page for example or even suggestions page at the banks, they might learn a bit more than hiring a marketing firm from Auckland or Wellington who never leave the central suburbs and think they are doing a stellar job at marketing and people are too lazy to change.
There are obstacles to changing and issues with the service levels and criteria levels and types of banking that the NZ banking sectors offers!
Wellsford,s the same Siobhan run by a couple of asian ladies theres often queues and you stand there looking at their static displays of stuff they,d like to sell and cant help thinking “what a load of crap “Heres a relatively large commercial space which presumably the proprietors are renting along with the actual agency but it seems all so halfhearted !?.Why ?Why isnt kiwibank being rolled out in all little towns and villages in nz taking over where the post office used to trade …….buggered if i know ….seems like theres plenty of scope there but not much direction ….or something ….whats holding them back ???
It has very much evolved since then. If you go to most Post shops they have a separate desk and private rooms for Kiwibank customers. I ask again, why isn’t Kiwibank a “Full service Bank”?
@ Gosman, your word ‘most’ is obviously significant. Also more service level might be a recent thing, that people who previously tried to join Kiwibank did not have, at the time. People try to change once, if they don’t have the best experience they may not try again.
P.s. I did not have a bad experience with Kiwibank but it did not work out because I take wholistic approach with banking and even a small house in Aukcland now may require significant amount of debt which you now split loans for and then you have to make sure they all expire at the same time, and then hope that interest rates don’t go up while you are waiting. It’s not that easy to change if you have decent sized loans for business or housing.
I personally hate ANZ and would never bank with them after having a bad experience with them years ago. Also having John Key on the board would put me off. So I would never bank with them.
But they do things like monitor companies house so if you set up a business, voila , you get a friendly letter straight away with free bank fees for your business for 3 years.
That is how they make the money, they are proactive, reel you in, then screw you over with extreme profiteering when they have you tied up.
That’s banking in NZ and the government needs to set higher standards.
And Kiwi bank (or anyone else) never sends a nice letter when they could easily target new businesses like ANZ do.
Kiwibank and other NZ banks needs to understand customers positions and concerns better.
The person who posted about the rural ANZ bank closing but still people don’t change, clearly don’t understand how difficult it is to make money in the rural sector and get loans. It is not easy to change banks in those sectors at all.
Many NZ banks only specialise in retail banking, and have very high, unwieldy criteria for farms and business. NZ banks and regulators don’t seem up to speed or understand that the big OZ banks have those customers screwed over in debt and tied up with few alternatives.
I can’t remember exactly, but somebody posted and I think most of Fletchers? losses, were due to ANZ bank fine print on some refinancing terms of loans they took out.
As for our constant messages on how easy it is to change banks, electrical or telecom companies. Nope… it ain’t… in real terms it often costs you a bundle of time, non productivity, failed services and extra charges. And our regulators do nothing to stop this type of practise of third party fuck ups.
Kiwibank isn’t a state controlled bank and it operates the same way all the other banks do and is artificially constrained so as not to be able to out compete the private banks which it could easily do if the government got in and supported it properly.
The foreign banks treat NZ like the cash cow run from OZ. They are mostly responsible for our 2nd biggest exports out of NZ being profits.
Yep while our government screws up with another bad trade deal of TPPA or what ever they fuck they rebranded it to, (which even the most neoliberal Parker can not describe as a good deal (was it a 7 out of 10 he gave it?). The government also fail to do anything about about banks and the NZ entire economy is always around giving banks more profits aka corporate welfare to construction, more immigration, more immigration to small businesses like petrol attendants and cafe owners (who then support higher rents and prices on commercial property and residential) selling off land assets, privatisation, oil and gas, exports of water…
“our research suggests that PFI may lead to a loss of benefits in kind and a redistribution of income, from the public to the corporate sector. It has boosted the construction industry, many of whose PFI subsidiaries are now the most profitable parts of their enterprises, and led to a significant expansion of the facilities management sector. But the main beneficiaries are likely to be the financial institutions whose loans are effectively underwritten by the taxpayers, as evidenced by the renegotiation of the Royal Armouries PFI (NAO 2001a).”
The public should also ask themselves why the tax working group never recommended financial transaction taxes to tax outward and inward money flows.
In short government wants to continue to transfer profits from the people and assets of NZ to the construction, financial and banking sectors, and are not going to tax the banks and financial industries appropriately for their extreme profits . Nor regulate appropriately to the construction sector or banking to stem the rot right through those sectors.
The NZ banking sector is incredibly competitive including a State controlled Bank. If the banks are making super profits why isn’t the government instructing Kiwibank to undercut them and take a bigger share of the market?
Because the issue with Kiwibank is much more than just a lack of political will. The organisation needs HUGE injection of capital if it has any hope of competing for major work such as being the Government’s banker.
The dogma is that a large bank that makes huge profits every year is a good safe bank (and safe bet for shareholders). I say dogma, but it is really a myth, as we know too well.
It also is ironic that the bank’s customers contribute a large part to the overall profits.
So, it’s a catch-22 for the people: lower the profits and customers will go elsewhere and the bank goes bust or fleece the customers to increase profit margins and they will flock to your bank and thus increase the ‘financial health’ of the bank.
To a point, this would work well if not for greed and bad business decisions on behalf of the banks (cue: GFC).
Of the ~52 corporates in the “List of a few major corporate collapses”, only a third are/were banking businesses.
Banks feature at the top of the “List of scandals without insolvency” (probably needs regular updating):
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group scandal involving misleading file notes in the Financial Ombudsman Service (Australia) presented to the Victorian Supreme Court.
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group allegations of racial bigotry toward billionaire businessman Pankaj Oswal and his wife. Court was presented with emails where an ANZ staff member comments to ANZ CEO Mike Smith: “We are dealing with Indians with no moral compass and an Indian woman as every bit as devious as PO (Mr Oswal).”
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group toxic culture. Court case where allegations were made by ex-employees that the bank’s senior management tolerated drugs and strip clubs.
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group alleged manipulation of the Australian benchmark interest rates. ANZ is currently being pursued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, which filed an originating process in the Federal Court of Australia against ANZ in March 2016.
“So, it’s a catch-22 for the people: lower the profits and customers will go elsewhere and the bank goes bust or fleece the customers to increase profit margins and they will flock to your bank and thus increase the ‘financial health’ of the bank.”
Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence of corruption and rampant profiteering in the banking ‘industry’.
Hypothesis 1. A bank’s profitability will be a contributing factor in determining that bank’s ‘ratings agency grade’ (AAA, AA, A, BBB etc.)
Hypothesis 2. The grades that ratings agencies give banks, and individual bank products/offers/bonds, are factors affecting the (bank/product) choice of some potential customers.
“Garnering better grades [from ratings agencies] for the tobacco bonds meant the bankers could sell more of them…”
These hypotheses may be false; falsifying evidence (a link or two will do) welcome.
Gosman (>140 of comments on The Standard in the last week; 70 (!) on the “National badly wants Kiwibuild to crash” post alone) often asks for evidence, and seems to have a significant aversion to using Google’s search engine – not a single link or quote in those 70 comments.
You claim that “They [the two hypotheses] had nothing to do with the claim i [sic] was questioning.”
If you genuinely don’t understand how these hypotheses relate to the claim you quoted/questioned, then I don’t have the means to help you in this forum.
“Burden of proof is also an important concept in the public arena of ideas. Once participants in discourse establish common assumptions, the mechanism of burden of proof helps to ensure that all parties contribute productively, using relevant arguments.”
Regrettably, the largest political party in parliament has (temporarily) lost its footing and is unable to contribute productively at present.
In your opinion. Given your opinion is quite obviously biased against said political party I don’t think it holds much weight in determining what is or isn’t productive discourse.
I have made no claims regarding my (or your) political bias, or lack thereof, in this particular exchange – such claims are largely unnecessary in this forum (IMO).
Certainly one assumption we can agree on is that we are (both) expressing our opinions.
In my opinion, this recent statement (among others), made by a former 7th-ranked opposition National party MP, has caused said party to (temporarily) lose its footing.
“It dawned on me, ‘I know this script, I helped write this script.’ At that point, I felt bad for what I did to Todd. But that’s the modus operandi of the National Party – when people become a liability you push them out the door.”
IMO this is a revealing quote, and I thank you Gosman for the opportunity to trot it out again (hopefully not for the last time). The opposition National party really is looking a bit wobbly at the moment (IMO), and will likely recover somewhat (again, IMO) ‘going forward’.
Gosman’s Law: as a discussion thread on TS grows longer, the probability of Gosman deliberately misunderstanding or twisting a comment and then asking for evidence approaches one.
One thing I’m curious about is that the 18 apparently arrived on SK1 and SK2 sans baggage, yet I seem to remember seeing the contingent depart with baggage.
(From the images shown on TV in the early stages of it all).
Everything the Saudis have said turns out to be such obfuscation, spin and bullshit, they’d not be out of place as gNat MPs. The latest being that ‘Turkish collaborator’ that they’re so unwilling to identify.
Wonder what was in their luggage then? Didn’t know about that, will check it out, thanks for the info, there are so many dodgy aspects to it all.
The thing with the princes uncle returning is really interesting because he has been away for years, and has never supported the prince being in power.
And uncle does not support the princes ongoing war on Yemen.
I could be wrong @ Cinny though I do recall seeing some of them towing the standard type luggage on wheels. It may take a little more than going thru’ Aljazeera, CNN or BBC footage.
It’s a shame Susie Fergusson didn’t put the idea to Frank Gardiner this morning
Rachel Stewart explains why the election of Bolsonaro is terrible news for life on this planet.
“Bolsonaro has an environmental hit list that is bold and brash. Just when the world needs the “lungs” of the world more than ever, he is planning a paved highway to run right through the Amazon rainforest. And no more will a government commitment to preserving vast areas for indigenous people be tolerated. Bolsonaro has previously said that he will “not give the Indians another inch of land”.
He has also promised to scrap the country’s Environment Ministry altogether, putting it under the scope of the Agriculture Ministry, which is led by agribusiness. Which, to be fair, is only one step further than our own Environment Ministry overseeing regional councils who many — including me — consider to be the biggest enviro rapists on behalf of dairy farming in New Zealand. But, I digress.
……we need the two Americas to work hard on stopping runaway climate change like never before — one being the planet’s biggest emitter and the other holding the massive key to any chance of keeping climate change in check at 1.5C.
Because that’s the Amazon’s job. The rainforest absorbs approximately a quarter of the CO2 absorbed by all the land on earth. Every inch of deforestation matters. And what’s the motive for deforestation in Brazil? Cattle ranching. The billions of us have created a massive consumer demand for beef so that clearing land for cattle ranching is lucrative and with Bolsonaro in charge, now unstoppable.”
No.
We need to stop eating meat in the quantities we do.
Or the planet is doomed.
“The researchers found a global shift to a “flexitarian” diet was needed to keep climate change even under 2C, let alone 1.5C. This flexitarian diet means the average world citizen needs to eat 75% less beef, 90% less pork and half the number of eggs, while tripling consumption of beans and pulses and quadrupling nuts and seeds. This would halve emissions from livestock and better management of manure would enable further cuts.
In rich nations, the dietary changes required are ever more stark. UK and US citizens need to cut beef by 90% and milk by 60% while increasing beans and pulses between four and six times. However, the millions of people in poor nations who are undernourished need to eat a little more meat and dairy.”
And less pets. Get rid of pets (especially cats and dogs) before we eat less red meat. Of course tree hugger veges tend to like hugging furry animals so I suspect they won’t want to do that. They are just happy to expect others to give up something.
This may be an unworthy thought – but I keep having it. Are those two mountain guides dead at least in part because the Morgan family has too much money and can indulge itself at will?
Yes – I guess you are right. Thanks.
Somehow it seemed doubly sad to me that people die doing something as ultimately pointless as indulging the whims of others.
Depends if they were taking undue risks I guess? Need someone with mountaineering knowledge to see if this was a typical hike, or a freak accident. Very sad nonetheless.
Our letter to Government today stating that our NZ Government must participate in this “first World Health air pollution conference this week in Geneva, in our interests to save our citizens health and wellbeing from health effects of all sources of air pollution.
Protecting our environment & health.
In association with other Community Groups, NHTCF and all Government Agencies since 2001.
• Health and wellbeing.
• East Coast Transport Project.
TO;
Hon Phil Twyford – Minister of Transport.
Hon’ Jacinda Ardern PM.
Hon Winston Peters. Deputy PM.
Hon’ Shane Jones. Minister of Regional Development.
Hon’ Grant Robertson. Minister of Finance.
Hon’ Stuart Nash. MP For Napier Wairoa/ Matawai regions.
Hon’ Megan Woods. Minister of Energy.
URGENT PRESS RELEASE; – ACTION NEEDED HERE BY – Transport Minister Twyford.
1st November 2018.
Dear Ministers, Local civic authorities & rail stakeholders,
Subject; http://www.who.int/airpollution/events/conference/en/ First WHO Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health, 30 October – 1 November 2018
What a “breath of fresh air WHO are as they finally take air pollution seriously” Bravo to World Health Organisation, (WHO).
WHO are also are focusing on the urban residents who are also health effected by “toxic heavy road traffic air pollution” too.
WHO are claiming that even schools and busy traffic routes be redesigned away from schools and suburban areas also.
Rail services restoration will make a dramatic reduction of ‘road based freight’ now ruining our residential areas and the health of our urban communities.
Now World Health Organisation (WHO) are holding a ‘first’ conference over several days in Geneva on ‘urban air quality health effects to humans finally so we need to observe and act in our residential communities best interests for their health and wellbeing, and we advocate all rail services be restored to our cities around NZ and truck routes be realigned away from our current locations wrongly placed close to residential areas such as Napier’s controversial ‘HB Expressway’ which was originally designated as a “commuter road for Hastings residents to get to the new Napier Airport in 1963”.
Sadly the residents living alongside this road were not considered as to the effects to their health and wellbeing, but this road was pushed as a solution to become the principal truck freight route through Napier to the Port and the rest of NZ, without any resulting noise effects or air pollution mitigation was ever planned to be given the affected residents in the final stages of the HB Expressway’s development.
Gisborne has the same issues of loss of rail and using heavy truck fleets to run right through Gisborne city to the Eastland port and destroying the health and wellbeing of its residents too.
What a “breath of fresh air WHO are as they finally take air pollution seriously” Bravo to World Health Organisation, (WHO).
WHO are also are focusing on the urban residents who are also health effected by “toxic heavy road traffic air pollution” too.
WHO are claiming that even schools and busy traffic routes be redesigned away from schools and suburban areas also. http://www.who.int/airpollution/events/conference/en/
First WHO Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health, 30 October – 1 November 2018
Improving air quality, combating climate change – saving lives
A schoolboy walks through smoke and fumes emitted from a waste dump in the Nigerian city of Port Harcourt
Air Pollution is “the ‘new tobacco…” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s director general
If you received an invitation to attend the conference and have not yet registered using the INDICO web portal, then please do so before as soon as possible. The link to the INDICO registration web portal can be found in the invitation email message.
The first two days of the conference will present evidence, identify gaps and solutions, and will be targeted at practitioners and other technical and political representatives from the health sector and other sectors relevant to the discourse. The third day will be a High-Level Action Day.
Conference provisional programme – updated 28 October
pdf, 799kb
Live webcast (active from 30 October 2018)
Conference overview agenda
pdf, 205kb
Your response to our call is requested please email
@cleangreen, the NZ taxpayers are subsidising public organisations that subcontract to corporates that do things such as change from trolley buses to diesel and increasing emissions to the public for the next 10 years…http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=113048
While in Auckland our taxes are there to escalate and provide for more polluting cruise ships, some of which apparently can release more emissions than 1million cars in emissions in one day.
So as yet, NZ, not interested in worrying about air pollution. Apart from ways to tax end consumers of course and get that little extra tax in the pocket while pretending it was all to save the planet.
The government and council treatment of corporate polluters and policy around that shows that air pollution is just not on the agenda and that the RMA is woefully inadequate to provide quality decisions, long term risk assessments, regulation , enforcement or penalty around environmental damage in this country.
As David Parker gives himself credit for ratification of #CPTPP, let’s pause for a moment to consider the tremendous work he did to maintain public support for it in Opposition. #nzpolpic.twitter.com/FpfujXo4XK
@BM shocking the government are selling off more state land and NZ assets. Of course that does not excuse the Natz who demolished the state houses on it in 2015. The people of NZ are punched from the left and punched from the right. They seem to share the same neoliberal Thatcher driven sell off state housing and land, policies on housing.
Interesting conflation you have made there. I mean, I am sure your not deliberately diminishing the thousands who are being killed in Yemen by comparing it to local beltway politics. It sure does look that way though.
So, the story is that a block of land in Auckland had a series of State houses demolished in 2015 and part of that land is being developed with new state houses. Another portion is to be sold.
I quote the purpose as stated by the manager of the project from the the third of BM’s reference.
“Housing New Zealand asset development general manager Patrick Dougherty said the development was not part of the KiwiBuild programme but part of the Auckland Housing Programme (AHP).
The AHP started in June 2016 and will deliver 5200 new state homes and about 12,800 new affordable and market homes over 10 years.
The sale of the 20 market sites would enable Housing New Zealand to build more state houses in other high demand parts of Auckland, he said.”
Two things. First, the money goes towards providing more housing. It is after all houses that are required, not land.
Secondly, since it is a stated intention by the Minister that the types of housing should be indistinguishable from the outside, it makes sense to me that the housing provided be of a ‘mixed’ style to avoid the stigmatisation of being a State House tenant. The former ‘pepperpot’ strategy of earlier decades was also expected to help the problem of stigmatising and slums.
Well do I remember my school days of the Sixties when over the northern fence was “The Settlement”.
But they could be developing all the land itself and then using the state controlled rents to keep rents down while paying off the debt over time.
As in the UK examples, selling state housing and land to the private sector does not work, because the rising population demands more cheap rents and social housing to keep up with the population growth, and then the state rents start to rise because the state has less housing to work with to keep afloat and has to pay more to the private sector to rent the houses that they previously owned.
The Mt Albert decision was made by the previous National government. It was subject to considerable public consultation at the time. The number of HNZ dwellings is about the same, and the extra land sales will fund further HNZ properties. HNZ could not get the density they needed with the zoning in Mt Albert.
Patients are still begging for Ministry of Health funding for high dose vitamin C infusions.
Absolutely no doubt that vitamin C at the very least improves the quality of life for many cancer patients and research indicates that it can accentuate radiotherapy efficacy…so why not fund the stuff?
Its not as if its expensive or demands superskills to administer.
I had a quick look at the link provided and could not find a single RCT amongst the citations. One report involved a single patient. Most were reports that concluded bycalling for more clinical studies. “Personal accounts ” represent evidence of the very weakest kind.
One would need to do far better than this to gain public funding. Did you even read the reports that were linked?
I am wondering if you think it would be acceptable for health treatments that are not supported by any RCTs , but by ” personal accounts”, should be publicly funded ?
“I am wondering if you think it would be acceptable for health treatments that are not supported by any RCTs , but by ” personal accounts”, should be publicly funded ? ”
Vitamin C was my secret ingredient for recovery from strength training, and especially after a real workout like we good for nothin’ poor folks are wont to do e.g. 12 hours loading trucks*…
I digress.
If you work/train like a lunatic, try Vitamin C straight after. Faster recovery. It’s good stuff.
*I so want to see the working class collectively go on strike. Haha the world stops, the lights go out. Watch the deluded rich tossers ‘run the place’ then.
It was a mere nine years ago this day that I wrote my first post for the Standard. It contains one of the most polarising, but accurate lines I have ever written:
“To put it simply, you cannot be a socialist, a greenie or any kind of progressive and eat meat.”
Like you, Moz, I’m all in favour. In my opinion, the best way to terrorize journalists is to write pointless and inaccurate transcripts of their shows and post them on the interwebs. That’ll show ’em.
so true, what part of meat is to like really?
Animal cruelty towards sentient beings, slaughter, worker exploitation, gross desensitising conditions for meatworkers, life long health issues, inefficient land use and other negative environmental and climate effects…
…which for more and more people trump the fleeting pleasure some get from deadly chemical saturated processed meats, and charred slabs of “bogus bovis” beef which supermarkets are virtually giving away at the moment
Thank you.
It was an epiphany for me the day I discovered the amorality of eating animals.
Like Ad, stopping eating meat and dairy sawxme shed the kilos.
So it’s a decision for the sake of animals, for the sake of the environment and, as a side benefit, it’s good for your health !
“A self-administration of a death, which we’re calling ‘assisted dying.'”
RNZ National, Thursday 1 November 2018, 9:10 a.m.
This morning Kathryn Ryan employed her most serious, slow talking register, clearly enunciating every word to show how serious she is. One question she never asked was: Who’s going to “administer” this killing of the old and disabled and sick? The army? Will they bring back the institution of executioner?
New research from the University of Otago shows a majority support some form of euthanasia or assisted dying in New Zealand – and those attitudes have remained relatively constant for the past 20 years. A group of researchers from the school of medicine at Otago have examined existing studies from the last 2 decades which asked people what they thought of euthanasia. Lead author, Jessica Young joins Kathryn to talk through the findings.
Interesting question. I am sure they could get soldiers to do it. Perhaps just line them up and use them during weapons qualifying. Or… I know this is crazy but hear me out … it could be done by a doctor who is familiar with the patient and is aware of their needs.
I note from the article only 14% of modern oaths prevent Euthanasia. The argument could be made that by swearing to do no harm a Dr would be required to meet a patients wishes to end suffering.
I agree there are concerns around introduction of Euthanasia. The risk for abuse may mean that it really can’t be viably legalised. I of course wouldn’t make some ridiculous argument about having to get the military or executioners to carry out suicide assistance. Feel free to make a reasoned argument against though. I am always keen to learn.
Full kudos to Iain Lees-Gallaway for recognising and openly stating, that he may have made an unsound decision over the Czech guy and is now proceeding to put it right.
As opposed to the b.s. and bluster we’re hearing from Slimon Bridges.
They need to deport the drug lord asap. Also begs the question why the government granted the drug lord residency in NZ, when he had previously taken trips back to the EU?
Will anybody be held to account, aka the person that compelled the report aka probably his lawyer missing out the pertinent facts??? Also the naivety of our government that falls for a sob story from known liars every time… while being hard of heart to their own people in tents or working 3 jobs to keep these drug lords in prison and the results of their crimes…
Weak. Stone him he is filth. Stone the filthy drug dealing out of him. Stone the drug lord but only after I’ve had a beer and some chaser preloads cos I throw straighter after a few – just ask my pets he he ha ha burp.
Weird, you are the only ones talking about stoning him. The Druglord can have lovely life back in the EU and NZ are well rid of him and hopefully the government can make sure he doesn’t come back under another false passport.
Also he is just as likely, if not more, to be in danger from his drug mates in NZ for narking,( if that is how he managed to help grease his residency application here). Win win to get rid of him where he can be anonymous in the EU unlike in NZ where he is now very well known.
Nope, do you? Save us from pop psychologists or people who have attended too much therapy and therefore feel the need to throw conditions around as insults instead of taking mental health seriously.
I was not insulting Marty or suggesting he had such a condition or making any judgement on those who do but rather making a statement about your incoherent language. Thought that would have been obvious.
When did the offending occur christy? When did he fly home for a visit?
Slick Bodges is outraged at discovering the turd he deposited on the doorstep. Why hasn’t that been cleared up? It’s outrageous.
Yep, apparently Eugenie Sage, didn’t feel there was any options apart from grant the Chinese the offshore water permits…. then looked like a hypocrite and fool and untrustworthy for doing so. I’m not sure how Ian made such a botch up on the drug lord residency, but labour campaigned on cleaning up immigration only to be caught granting it to a convicted criminal drug lord who enjoys trips back to his mates in the EU ???
The message to politicians seems to be to WAKE up and do a bit of research themselves and stick to their guns, rather that look like untrustworthy hypocritical fools and rely on reports and advice that are not fit for purpose.
@Solka, Greens campaign on not selling off overseas water rights then one of their MP’s signs off water rights once getting elected. I think you are the fool for not understanding what hypocrite means.
The Greens also campaigned and stand for good process. Changing laws under urgency is bad practice that the Greens were very vocal criticising National for. Passing retrospective legislation is extremely bad practice and contrary to the principles of natural justice.
They also need to work with their partners and at a pace that allows for competing legislative priorities.
AND, Eugenie did not take this action as a Green MP but as a Crown Minister who is obliged to follow the law.
As usual you just prattle on with your own bigoted view of things totally impervious to the actual details of the matter.
I’m with solkta and well expressed that … solkta!
Really, SaveNZ? Eugenie, selling out at the first opportunity?
Hardly. Have you met the woman? Not a sell-out, by any stretch of (your) imagination.
First, they must pass “Go” and pay their street repairs bill.. There is also a small matter of the sale of the railway stations and the electric utilities!
Mrs Mac1 told me that Guyon Espiner on RNZ this morning really put Simon Bridges and his bluster firmly in place.
Along the lines of
Espiner-“Well, in your time in office you didn’t deport the man.”
Bridges- “Well, the Minister acted on the advice given.”
Espiner- “Well, what’s different, now?”
And the bit I heard at the end- again well-paraphrased.
Espiner-“You want the Minister to resign. Will Mr Woodhouse resign?”
Bridges- “But he’s not the Minister.”
Espiner-“Will he resign as the shadow Minister?”
Bridges-“Rant rant rant”
Bridges never ‘heard’ the Espiner call for Woodhouse’s resignation even though he made it twice.
Chris T, a dismal attempt to attack the government and divert criticism of his own time in power, in all its lacking.
Lets face it, the Natz helped with policy decisions to keep the drugs moving into NZ, created one of the highest immigration in the world for nearly a decade of low skilled people coming here to work in supermarkets, and bakeries and then created committees to put forward policy to evict tenants on Meth tests, and create the shock doctrine housing crisis….
… meanwhile Labour and Greens were blind to it and campaigned on higher taxes, middle class rental standards for people who can’t even afford rental with the above climate created by the Natz, and legalising drugs (Greens)… then they wonder why people can’t choose who to vote for????
People with your view make this country unsafe imo. Drugs are rife idiot. At every sector and height in society. That is why it is a health issue imo. You’d chuck people in jail and that EXPANDS the drug relationships with criminals. Wake up like your name says.
Actually I’m suggesting deport the drug lord, not have our taxes and judicial system spending hundreds of thousands on his prison stay and sentencing, and any further ones, based on his current crime record, it’s not going to be the last time Kiwi tax payers will support his arse in prison where as you say, the prison system “EXPANDS the drug relationships with criminals”.
Now they have the benefit of EU drug lords helping the expansion, yippee!
Am just listening to the midday news, and there is a lot still to go on this issue.
Question Time today has only one question on it from Woodhouse to Lees-Galloway. There are no questions from Bridges or Bennett to the PM or Deputy PM so it is probable that neither Bridges or Bennett will be in the House.
Yes mac1. I heard Bridges stammer and dodge. He had the gall to say, ” The Minister cannot become a detective and go out and detect.”
But says Guyon, “How is that different from the present case?”
Mumble, deflect mumble.
Very funny Simon.
However his reasoning made a mockery of Winston the day before at question time.
Winston made a lot out of Galloway making the decision himself, rather than relying/blaming officials.
Remember, gsays, that Peters made a lot of the Minjster’s decision making by comparing it to the previous government which after 2014 gave the responsibility away to the officials. In this case, Minister Lees-Galloway acted on advice given by officials who did not have for whatever reason the same information that became available to National. That the decision was made by Lees-Galloway was Peter’s point. The quality of advice is another issue and does not reflect at all upon Peters.
One of National’s attack lines since day 1 has been this government is soft on crime. Why feed into that narrative by giving them an example like this on a plate.
Australia exports criminals who have lived in Australia their whole lives. New Zealand imports lying fraudulent drug dealers. That is what the National trolls will be yelling as a result of this cock up.
“It dawned on me, ‘I know this script, I helped write this script.’ At that point, I felt bad for what I did to Todd. But that’s the modus operandi of the National Party – when people become a liability you push them out the door.”
Which is exactly why the nats abrogated responsibility to the ministry for several years.
You get the big pay packet, you make the hard call.
The only real problem is that the increased publicity seems to have uncovered the contradictory information, which in turn could well make it look like the minister caved under pressure rather than simply acting on information received.
At least there is hope they will u turn and make sure that the embarrassment goes away, rather than have him served up next election as the government being the reason he is one of our new residents.
Iain has made a complete idiot of himself. Would love a photo of him to appear hiding behind the pillar to avoid reporters.
The Czech needs to leave the country immediately.
The “new info” will be the excuse for changing the decision. He has clearly not done due diligence in the first place (or made a very big error of judgement). Both National and Labour have been reluctant to send people packing IMO.
‘Immigration NZ is investigating claims that contradict the reasons why Iain Lees-Galloway granted residency to convicted drug smuggler Karel Sroubek.’
No, not really. Just a practical person. Would you want the Czech living next door to you?
As for ILG, I think its hard to say he’s handled the situation well.
I’m not following the Kiwibuild story as too depressing, but someone told me that the couple in the media who got ballot for the house, are a final year doctor who stands to make a lot of money in the future and they got a 4 bedroom house, when they are just a couple.
Good luck to the people as it is very hard to get a house and they are probably riddled with student debts and being a doctor is of great benefit to society, but it does seem a bit sad that those 3 extra bedrooms will be empty when there are families with a lot more kids living in one bedroom emergency housing, that could have benefited from those extra bedrooms and a new secure house.
And I would have preferred my taxes spent on helping families renting and state housing and land still owned by the state for future generations, rather than helping better resourced people up the property ladder.
Even if the land was leasehold to the state, it would have been better. Maybe removing his student loans in return for staying in NZ for 10 years might also be of more benefit to the public than a house that they can sell in 3 years.
Surprise, KiwiBuy working the way everyone thought it would.
That lovely young couple were bragging on the news hub facebook page about making 50 k already.
And then to wade into The comments section of the Newshub Facebook page to boast that they’d already made $50k on it because the smaller house behind them “sold for more”. https://t.co/2LSLAZyQUX
Excellent not only do this deserving couple get given 50 k by the taxpayer, but they can also rent out the other three rooms and get themselves some good extra income.
I doubt there would have been many families in the draw
99% of the people would have been childless young couples with high earning jobs or young people financed by Mum and Dad looking for quick capital gain.
Kiwi Buy is nothing more than a taxpayer subsidy for young New Zealanders who have come from the middle to upper classes.
It is just envy. Your mob denied there was a even a problem lol. The problem is big. It will take multiple initiativess to sort. 1 year into this government and things are starting to happen on this one initiative. Somehow some people would prefer the gnats to still be there cos labour aren’t fixing things fast enough – more fool them I say.
In 2007, honest John Key said NZ was facing an urgent housing crisis.
Is it too late to ask the now Right Honourable Sir John Key his advice on how to stop “making the housing situation a lot worse”? Or maybe the opposition National party has a productive contribution?
“I’m not following the Kiwibuild story as too depressing”
With you there savenz. The argument for the cheerleading seems to be be, – well National created the mess…
Pretty low bar, and even that is not easily cleared, given the previous Clark government had the wheels in motion for the current house crisis.
Politics of envy, NZs talkback radio fav fodder, tall poppy syndrome etc… divide and conquer, one doesn’t dare stick ones head above the parapet, esp if one wins a KB raffle, how dare they!!! Nek minute, Collins claims innocent, well her fan proxies do…
They are giving away free prime state house land as part of the deal. They could retain both the houses and land for the state and future generations. Instead they are doing financial engineering and doublespeak which clearly fools quite a few so called leftie supporters of the Thatcher based scheme, but not all.
when it suits the right wingers and woke lefties house prices are so high because of the cost of the land, (not lazy immigration in fact we need more immigration because who is going to build the houses cheaply the, the Kiwis are drugged out hopeless types) , however it seems to suit woke lefties to now say that state land is not needed for state housing and rightfully given away in return for middle class housing with all the mod cons… a percentage sold off raffle style to those on $180k and without children in a 4 bedroom house.
Clearly logic was at work. I understand the right wingers being on board with the privatisation of state land, but the woke lefties seem just as eager.
Approx 2/3 of the land is no longer owned by the public and according to the woke lefties and righties once upon a time, they said it was the land that was worth all the money. Now suddenly the land is not worth much and they will swap it for building 1/3 houses.
Confused. Well I guess that’s he point but it all end up as state assets sell offs, disguised.
Now somehow the state no longer owns 2/3 of it’s valuable land because it has been non transparently taken through third parties and the state is left with approx 1/3 of the land it once had often with a similar amount of state houses it once had.
And the houses built are only affordable for the top 40% of people who would have got a house anyway.
Thinking about the new 4 bedroom house that will not house a family in need, I wonder what happened to that poor homeless family and little girl who narrowly missed out on a scholarship at St Cuthbert’s. That was a heart wrenching story.
“Over the next 10 years, 100,000 “affordable” homes will be built around the country.
But they’re not for low-income people, they’re not a gift from taxpayers and – in the end, anyway – the price the houses sell for is not the most important aspect of the scheme.
JC: “But they’re not for low-income people, they’re not a gift from taxpayers and – in the end, anyway – the price the houses sell for is not the most important aspect of the scheme.”
The Kiwibuild could never help people under say $40,000. Never intended to. The rebuilding of State houses are the best option for the working poor.
I’d hate to be a musician in his band. The lead singer (what else?) wouldn’t listen to the band, he’d have a different drummer in his head, and the songs (who else would be permitted to write them?) would be disassociated ramblings full of the first person singular.
Wonder what the band would be called? Probably none. Full billing to the lead singer only. No lead breaks for the guitarist and as for the vocal chorus, we won’t go there.
How many members of the family would be involved? What style of music? A little mix of punk, country, and hillbilly, but no blues, Mex or reggae for sure.
On RNZ Nine to Noon there were two very interesting interviews on education.
The first was with Hamish Brewer, a NZer who “now calls Virginia home where his mission is to turn around ailing schools. He is tattooed, he skateboards and he tells the students he loves them, in case no one else in their lives is telling them that. Hamish has won many awards and given speeches about his work.”
This guy was compelling in a “Ted Talks” way – which I don’t usually connect with. We really should be getting him back here, even if just temporarily, for some good ‘out of the box’ thinking. He was actually very supportive of the education he received here and the NZ system overall, but he certainly could give some educators here a bit of a shake-up.
Calling marty mars and other home schoolers (or those interested in home schooling) in relation to the second interview.
I recommend listening to it if you didn’t hear it. It was with Natalie Donaldson and Siobhan Porter, both part of Auckland Home Educators, a support and advocacy group for parent educators. They have five children each and have home-schooled them all.
{As an aside but also in relation to this morning’s Nine to Noon, the description of the interview with Jessica Young, University of Otago, at 11 above on attitudes to assisted dying earlier on in the programme was well off the mark. The interview did cover the restrictions etc on who could carry out or assist in an assisted death in detail – the person themself or a doctor, but not family members. ]
I assume one “veutoviper” is referring to my contribution at 9:25 am when he/she writes:
As an aside but also in relation to this morning’s Nine to Noon, the description of the interview with Jessica Young, University of Otago, at 11 above on attitudes to assisted dying earlier on in the programme was well off the mark.
How was I “off the mark” in pointing out the deceitful, anodyne language used (“self-administration of a death”) and the fact that Kathryn Ryan had failed to ask the obvious question, viz., Who is going to kill these people?
The interview did cover the restrictions etc on who could carry out or assist in an assisted death in detail – the person themself [sic] or a doctor, but not family members.
Doctors take an oath to look after people. “Look after” is not a synonym for “kill”.
She DID ask the question you claim she didn’t raise. As I said above, the answer was that the only people who would legally be allowed to carry out or assist in an assisted death would be the person themselves and/or a doctor; no-one else including family members would be allowed to.
But par for the course for you. Perhaps we (and Kiwiblog) should set up a Give A Little page for hearing aids for you.
the answer was that the only people who would legally be allowed to carry out or assist in an assisted death
To “carry out an assisted death” is a deceitful, euphemistic way of saying “to kill a dying person.” I am correct when I state that Ms. Ryan accepted this distortion of plain language, and failed to ask the pertinent question.
would be the person themselves [sic] and/or a doctor
Doctors take an oath to look after their patients. Palliative care, as in a hospice is assisting the dying; it is a world away from putting someone to death.
I’ll skip your witless little sortie into personal abuse.
When i see a bird dying in my garden i put a spade through its neck. When my old dog was so close to death that he was just suffering i took him for a final visit to the vet. These things to most people seem humane and sensible. When i do these things i feel like i am caring.
Human beings are not like stray birds. Leading humanitarian philosophers like Michael Laws and David Seymour would no doubt appreciate your analogy though.
This is hope fully a good out come for the common people of Yemen Peace and diplomacy is what is best for All Kia kaha
It has taken three years, 14 million people on the brink of starving to death and 10,000 dead civilians before the US finally asked for the chaos in Yemen to stop.
But it may be too late for the impoverished Arab nation, which borders Saudi Arabia, as it faces effectively being wiped off the Earth as more than half its population starve due to a sickening Saudi war tactic.
It was already one of the world’s poorest countries before a brutal civil war began in 2015 when rebel Houthi fighters seized the presidential compound in the country’s capital Sana’a and overthrew the government. Ka kite ano Link is below.
New Neighbour the last lot were sandflys contracted Actors and now it looks like a single wahine is moving in she will be a sandfly payed actor trying to set me up I know they are listening to everything in the house the perverts . So if anything happen its a sandfly set up. The muppets will try anything Ka kite ano
Eco Maori Give A ka pai to the Google employees who have made a stand to back up there wahine employees Equality is what the new generation wants and need.
We not stupid Equality for all and environmentally friendly.Hundreds of Google engineers and other workers around the world walked off the job Thursday (Friday NZ time) to protest the internet company’s lenient treatment of executives accused of sexual misconduct.Kia kaha people ka kite ano link is below.
Eco Maori did warn MP that there staff could be pro national and set them up and the immigration issue that Labour is having at the minute sure looks like a SET UP JOB.
‘ looking like the Government has made an embarrassing stuff-up over the controversial decision to allow a Czech criminal to stay in the country after he finishes his prison sentence. SET UP Ka kite ano link is below. P.S I will give the turned lefty a bit of a ——–
Kia ora Te Kaea the water isuses I say we need to audit all country’s council and legerslate to make them clean up our water.
That was awesome that the sights of the Southern right whale off Ohope Bay of plenty.
The Maori All Blacks will have a good team playing in Chicago this weekend.
Ka kite ano P.S Maori does some thing wrong no name suppression it’s gets plastered in the media???????.
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Last year, Vanuatu passed a "cyber-libel" law. And predictably, its first targets are those trying to hold the government to account: A police crackdown in Vanuatu that has seen people arrested for allegedly posting comments on social media speculating politicians were responsible for the country’s current Covid outbreak has ...
Could it be a case of not appreciating what you’ve got until it’s gone? The National Party lost Simon Bridges last week, which has reinforced the notion that the party still has some serious deficits of talent and diversity. The major factor in Bridges’ decision to leave was his failed ...
Who’s Missing From This Picture? The re-birth of the co-governance concept cannot be attributed to the institutions of Pakeha rule, at least, not in the sense that the massive constitutional revisions it entails have been presented to and endorsed by the House of Representatives, and then ratified by the citizens of New ...
Fiji signed onto China’s Belt and Road initiative in 2018, along with a separate agreement on economic co-operation and aid. Yet it took the recent security deal between China and the Solomon Islands to get the belated attention of the US and its helpmates in Canberra and Wellington, and the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Lexi Smith and Bud Ward “CRA” It’s one of those acronyms even many-a-veteran environmental policy geek may not recognize. Amidst the scores and scores of acronyms in the field – CERCLA, IPCC, SARA, LUST, NPDES, NDCs, FIFRA, NEPA and scores more – ...
In a nice bit of news in a World Gone Mad, I can report that Of Tin and Tintagel, my 5,800-word story about tin (and political scheming), is now out as part of the Spring 2022 edition of New Maps Magazine (https://www.new-maps.com/). As noted previously, this one owes a ...
Dr Jennifer Summers, Professor Michael Baker, Professor Nick Wilson* Summers J, Baker M, Wilson N. Covid-19 Case-Fatality Risk & Infection-Fatality Risk: important measures to help guide the pandemic response. Public Health Expert Blog. 11 May 2022. In this blog we explore two useful mortality indicators: Case-Fatality Risk (CFR) and Infection-Fatality ...
In the depths of winter, most people from southern New Zealand head to warmer climes for a much-needed dose of Vitamin D. Yet during the height of the last Ice Age, one species of moa did just the opposite. I’m reminded of Bill Bailey’s En Route to Normal tour that visited ...
In the lead-up to the Budget, the Government has been on an offensive to promote the efficiency and quality of its $74 billion Covid Response and Recovery Fund -especially the Wage Subsidy Scheme component. This comes after criticisms and concerns from across the political spectrum over poor-quality spending, and suggestions ...
Elizabeth Elliot Noe, Lincoln University, New Zealand; Andrew D. Barnes, University of Waikato; Bruce Clarkson, University of Waikato, and John Innes, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare ResearchUrbanisation, and the destruction of habitat it entails, is a major threat to native bird populations. But as our new research shows, restored ...
Unfinished: Always, gnawing away at this government’s confidence and empathy, is the dictum that seriously challenging the economic and social status-quo is the surest route to electoral death. Labour’s colouring-in book, and National’s, have to look the same. All that matters is which party is better at staying inside the lines.DOES ...
Radical As: Māori healers recall a time when “words had power”. The words that give substance to ideas, no matter how radical, still do. If our representatives rediscover the courage to speak them out loud.THERE ARE RULES for radicalism. Or, at least, there are rules for the presentation of radical ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters A brutal, record-intensity heat wave that has engulfed much of India and Pakistan since March eased somewhat this week, but is poised to roar back in the coming week with inferno-like temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius (122°F). The ...
The good people at the Reading Tolkien podcast have put out a new piece, which spends some time comparing the underlying moral positions of George R.R. Martin and J.R.R. Tolkien: (The relevant discussion starts about twenty-seven minutes in. It’s a long podcast). In the interests of fairness, ...
Crime is becoming a key debate between Labour and National. This week they are both keen to show that they are tough on law and order. It’s an issue that National has a traditional advantage on, and is one that they’re currently getting good traction from. In response, Labour is ...
So far, the excited media response to the spike in “ram-raid” incidents is being countered by evidence that in reality, youth crime is steeply in decline, and has been so for much of the past decade. Who knew? Perhaps that’s the real issue here. Why on earth wasn’t the latest ...
In the past 10 years or so – and that’s how quickly it has happened – all our comfortable convictions about the unassailability of free speech have been turned on their heads. Suddenly we find ourselves fighting again for rights we assumed were settled. Click here to watch the video ...
Enforced Fertility: The imminent overturning of Roe versus Wade by the US Supreme Court is certain to raise echoes here that are no less evocative of the dystopia envisioned by Margaret Atwood in The Handmaid’s Tale. Gilead can happen here.WITH THE UNITED STATES seemingly on the brink of becoming “Gilead”, ...
Not Wanted On Grounds Of Political Rejuvenation: Winston Peters did nothing more than visit the protest encampment erected by anti-vaxxers on the parliamentary lawn. A great many New Zealanders applauded him for meeting with the protesters and wondered why the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition could not do ...
May The Force Be With Us: With New Zealanders under 40, nostalgia for a time when politics worked gains little purchase. Politics hasn’t swerved to any noticeable degree since the 1980s, becoming in the Twenty-First Century a battle between marketing strategies, not ideologies. Young New Zealanders critique political advertisements in ...
Dane Giraud reflects on his working class upbringing and how campaigning for free speech radicalised him Evidence to support censorship as a tool for social cohesion is paltry. I Read the NZ Human Rights Commission website, and 99% of their ‘evidence’ is anecdotal. When asked why we need hate speech ...
As you may have noticed, I have been slowly working my way through the works of Agatha Christie. At the time of writing, I have read some thirty-eight of her books – less than half her total output, but arguably enough to get a reasonable handle on it. It ...
Population growth has some effect on economic growth, but it is complicated especially where infrastructure is involved. We need to think more about it. In an opinion piece in the New Zealand Herald, John Gascoigne claimed that New Zealand was a ‘tragic tale of economic decline’. He gave no evidence ...
The Greens have been almost invisible since the 2020 election. Despite massive crises impacting on people’s lives, such as climate change, housing, inequality, and the cost of living, they’ve had very little to say. On this week’s highly contentious issue of politicians being banned from Parliament by Trevor Mallard, the ...
The government has announced it will be replacing all coal boilers in schools by 2025: All remaining coal boilers in New Zealand schools will be replaced with cleaner wood burners or electric heating by 2025, at a cost of $10 million, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced. The coal ...
Israeli news media and politicians often complain about the activity of neo-Nazis in Ukraine. “Activists and supporters of Ukrainian nationalist parties hold torches as they take part in a rally to mark the 112th birth anniversary of Stepan Bandera, in Kyiv, Ukraine, January 1, 2021. Credit: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters The recent ...
Another gnawing warming worry Accidental outcomes of our engineering prowess are warming Arctic regions at a rapid pace. Another species of accomplished engineers is rapidly occupying and exploiting new territory we've thereby made more easily available, namely beavers (Castor canadensis). Beaver populations in affected Arctic regions have increased from "none" to "quite a ...
Dr Simon Lambert’s dream is to see Indigenous nations across the world exercising their sovereign rights by adding their say to disaster risk reduction planning. Simon, of Ngāi Tūhoe and Ngāti Ruapani ki Waikaremoana, specialises in indigenous disaster risk reduction, indigenous health and indigenous development, social science, environmental management, planning ...
Rukingi Haupapa (Ngāti Whakaue, Te Arawa) credits his stroke in 2005 for changing his life: leading him to change his name, get his mataora (facial moko) and set up a trust to help fellow stroke survivors. Oranga (health and wellbeing) is Rukingi’s passion. He holds a Master’s degree in Indigenous ...
Mike Hosking’s all-too familiar diatribe in today’s Herald is so dripping with venom and anti-Jacinda animus that one can’t help but wonder if the content matters less than the spirit and purpose in and with which it was offered. Hosking clearly needs help. He seems to live in a world ...
So a Supreme Court stacked with ideologues selected by Donald Trump is about to make an ideological decision to ban the legal right of American women to an abortion. In their infinite wisdom, the US courts have decided that the government cannot force people to wear a mask during a ...
National party leader Chris Luxon has been reported as giving some badly uninformed responses to questions about Te Tiriti o Waitangi. As a potential Prime Minister, he needs to get up to speed. Te Tiriti is the Māori language version of the Treaty of Waitangi – the version that is ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) from the atmosphere continues to be a hot topic. In its newest report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that the Paris Climate Agreement targets cannot be met without substantial efforts to remove some of the more than three-trillion ...
Is Parliament just the fiefdom of Trevor Mallard and his colleagues? That’s the impression the public might take from yesterday’s news that the Speaker of Parliament is issuing trespass notices to political opponents who visited the protest in March on the lawns of Parliament. Speaker Mallard has the absolute right ...
The quarterly labour market statistics were released this morning, showing unemployment holding at a record low of 3.2%. There are now 94,000 unemployed - 29,000 fewer than when Labour took office. Average wages are also up, and looking back, they've increased from $30.45 / hour in 2017 to $36.18 today. ...
International analyst Geoffrey Miller reads between the lines of Jacinda Ardern’s speech to this week’s US business summit in Auckland Jacinda Ardern is slowly but surely shifting New Zealand’s foreign policy towards the West. That was the underlying theme of a keynote address by New Zealand’s Prime Minister this ...
We all hate Australia for its policy of jailing refugees as a "disincentive" for people to try and escape torture and persecution. But New Zealand does this too, on a much lesser scale. last year, the government finally ordered a review of this disgusting practice. Today, that review reported back, ...
For the last three decades the global geopolitical system has been in a state of transition. It first transited from the tight bi-polar arrangement of the Cold War, where two nuclear superpowers with closely integrated alliance systems (NATO and the Warsaw Pact, plus other related networks) strategicaly balanced each other ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been perceived as “softening her line on wealth taxes” – and therefore being open to the introduction of a new type of progressive taxation on the rich. This was the description published yesterday by leftwing wealth researcher Max Rashbrooke, who was reporting on the fact ...
On 24 April the Minister for Māori Development, the Hon. Willie Jackson, stated on TVNZ’s Q+A programme that government plans for Māori co-governance were part of MMP. It meant ‘shared decision-making’, ‘partnership’, ‘diversity, about minorities working together’. ‘Co-governance is based on the principles of MMP, this is a consensus type ...
Below is an excerpt of a talk by journalist Karl du Fresne given at Victoria University on 28 April 2022 for the Free Speech Union. Here he examines the trends that are undermining a free press. [F]ree speech goes hand in hand with a free press – but it’s now ...
Braking And Entering: The CCTV recording of the ram-raid against Auckland’s Ormiston Mall is so disturbing, so inspiring of dread and rage, that no amount of rational commentary will make the slightest difference. It confirms in the most powerful fashion the stories so many New Zealanders have been telling themselves: ...
Tomorrow, the Government will release this year’s Budget, setting out the next steps in our plan to build a high wage, low carbon economy that gives economic security in good times and in bad. While the full details will be kept under wraps until Thursday afternoon, we’ve announced a few ...
As a Government, we made it clear to New Zealanders that we’d take meaningful action on climate change, and that’s exactly what we’ve done. Earlier today, we released our next steps with our Emissions Reduction Plan – which will meet the Climate Commission’s independent science-based emissions reduction targets, and new ...
Emissions Reduction Plan prepares New Zealand for the future, ensuring country is on track to meet first emissions budget, securing jobs, and unlocking new investment ...
The Greens are calling for the Government to reconsider the immigration reset so that it better reflects our relationship with our Pacific neighbours. ...
Hamilton City Council and Whanganui District Council have both joined a growing list of Local Authorities to pass a motion in support of Green Party Drug Reform Spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick’s Members’ bill to minimise alcohol harm. ...
Today, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a major package of reforms to address the immediate skill shortages in New Zealand and speed up our economic growth. These include an early reopening to the world, a major milestone for international education, and a simplification of immigration settings to ensure New Zealand ...
Proposed immigration changes by the Government fail to guarantee pathways to residency to workers in the types of jobs deemed essential throughout the pandemic, by prioritising high income earners - instead of focusing on the wellbeing of workers and enabling migrants to put down roots. ...
Ehara taku toa i te toa takatahi, engari taku toa he toa takimano – my strength is not mine alone but the strength of many (working together to ensure safe, caring respectful responses). We are striving for change. We want all people in Aotearoa New Zealand thriving; their wellbeing enhanced ...
The Green Party is throwing its support behind the 10,000 allied health workers taking work-to-rule industrial action today because of unfair pay and working conditions. ...
Since the day we came into Government, we’ve worked hard to lift wages and reduce cost pressures facing New Zealanders. But we know the rising cost of living, driven by worldwide inflation and the war in Ukraine, is making things particularly tough right now. That’s why we’ve stepped up our ...
An independent review of New Zealand’s detention regime for asylum seekers has found arbitrary and abusive practices in Aotearoa’s immigration law, policy, and practice. ...
Health Minister Andrew Little will represent New Zealand at the first in-person World Health Assembly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, from Sunday 22 – Wednesday 25 May (New Zealand time). “COVID-19 has affected people all around the world, and health continues to ...
New Zealand is committing to trade only in legally harvested timber with the Forests (Legal Harvest Assurance) Amendment Bill introduced to Parliament today. Under the Bill, timber harvested in New Zealand and overseas, and used in products made here or imported, will have to be verified as being legally harvested. ...
The Government has welcomed the release today of StatsNZ data showing the rate at which New Zealanders died from all causes during the COVID-19 pandemic has been lower than expected. The new StatsNZ figures provide a measure of the overall rate of deaths in New Zealand during the pandemic compared ...
Legislation that will help prevent serious criminal offending at sea, including trafficking of humans, drugs, wildlife and arms, has passed its third reading in Parliament today, Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta announced. “Today is a milestone in allowing us to respond to the increasingly dynamic and complex maritime security environment facing ...
Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor is set to travel to Thailand this week to represent New Zealand at the annual APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) meeting in Bangkok. “I’m very much looking forward to meeting my trade counterparts at APEC 2022 and building on the achievements we ...
Settlement of the first pay-equity agreement in the health sector is hugely significant, delivering pay rises of thousands of dollars for many hospital administration and clerical workers, Health Minister Andrew Little says. “There is no place in 21st century Aotearoa New Zealand for 1950s attitudes to work predominantly carried out ...
Health Minister Andrew Little opened a new intensive care space for up to 12 ICU-capable beds at Christchurch Hospital today, funded from the Government’s Rapid Hospital Improvement Programme. “I’m pleased to help mark this milestone. This new space will provide additional critical care support for the people of Canterbury and ...
Budget 2022 will continue to deliver on Labour’s commitment to better services and support for mental wellbeing. The upcoming Budget will include a $100-million investment over four years for a specialist mental health and addiction package, including: $27m for community-based crisis services that will deliver a variety of intensive supports ...
Budget 2022 will continue to deliver on Labour’s commitment to better mental wellbeing services and support, with 195,000 primary and intermediate aged children set to benefit from the continuation and expansion of Mana Ake services. “In Budget 2022 Labour will deliver on its manifesto commitment to expand Mana Ake, with ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has today announced sanctions on Belarusian leaders and defence entities supporting Russia’s actions in Ukraine, as part of the Government’s ongoing response to the war. “The Belarusian government military is enabling the illegal and unacceptable assault on Ukraine’s sovereignty,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “Under the leadership of ...
Just after World War 2, there were incentives to clear forest and bring land into agricultural production. In places, the land had been stripped bare as forests were felled for sheep grazing. Today, you only have to look at the hills around Taihape and see the stumps of a once ...
The drive to decarbonise industry and further accelerate preparations for a sustainable, more resilient future will get a boost from the Climate Emergency Response Fund in Budget 2022 by supercharging efforts to encourage the switch to cleaner energy options and transform the energy system. “Today is a momentous day ...
The Government is investing in New Zealand’s economic security by ensuring climate change funding moves away from short-term piecemeal responses and towards smart, long-term investment. Climate Emergency Response Fund (CERF) established with $4.5 billion from Emissions Trading Scheme revenue Initial allocation of $2.9 billion over four years invested in emissions ...
Rolling out the Clean Car Upgrade programme, supporting lower- and middle- income families transition to low-emission alternatives through a new scrap-and-replace trial Helping low-income households lease low emission vehicles Supporting the rapid development of urban cycleway networks, walkable neighbourhoods, healthier school travel, and increased accessibility and reliability of public ...
New Centre for Climate Action on Agricultural Emissions that develops and commercialises smart new products to reduce agricultural emissions Funding for forestry to develop alternatives to fossil fuels, boost carbon storage and increase sequestration Support for producers and whenua Māori entities to transition to a low emissions future The ...
The Government is investing to support the growth of New Zealand’s digital technologies sector in Budget 2022, guiding the country towards a high-wage, low emissions economy, Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications, David Clark announced today. “In 2020, the digital technologies sector contributed $7.4 billion to the economy. Since ...
Minister of State for Trade and Export Growth, Hon Phil Twyford, has tested positive for COVID-19. He tested positive from a RAT this morning after beginning to feel symptomatic on Friday evening, and is displaying moderate symptoms. As a result he is no longer able to travel to Timor-Leste on ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has tested positive for COVID-19. She has been in isolation since Sunday 8 May when her partner Clarke Gayford tested positive. The Prime Minister has been symptomatic since Friday evening, returning a weak positive last night and a clear positive this morning on a RAT test. ...
$15 million boost over four years for youth development services including: $2.5 million annually to support increased access to youth development services for up to an additional 6,800 young people $1 million annually in a pilot initiative supporting full-time equivalent youth workers to deliver increased contact time with at least ...
Minister of State for Trade and Export Growth, Hon Phil Twyford, will represent the New Zealand Government at the commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of Timor-Leste’s independence, and the inauguration of Dr Jose Ramos-Horta as Timor-Leste’s next President. “Aotearoa New Zealand’s relationship with the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste dates back ...
Kua pānuihia ngā kaupapa mō Matariki Ahunga Nui Kua pānuihia ngā kaitono i angitu ā rātou tono pūtea hei tautoko i te iwi Māori ki te whakaora mai anō, ki te whakatinana anō i ngā mātauranga mō Matariki o te hau kāinga. I whakaterea te kaupapa o Matariki Ahunga Nui ...
Minister of Transport Michael Wood has welcomed the opening of the tender processes for Auckland Light Rail and the Additional Waitematā Harbour Connections project, marking an important step forward in developing a future-proofed rapid transit network that will serve generations of Aucklanders. “These two crucial projects represent a huge investment ...
Aotearoa New Zealand is providing more funding to the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator for global efforts to respond to the pandemic. “The health, economic and social impacts of COVID continue to be felt around the world,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “This further $10 million will support developing countries to ...
Updated pass can be downloaded from 24 May for people 12 and over People encouraged to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations Boosters included in up-to-date My Vaccine Pass for those 18 and over New Zealanders who are up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccinations will be able to download ...
New legislation to modernise the management of 1.2 million hectares of Crown pastoral land primarily in the South Island high country was passed in Parliament today. Land Information Minister Damien O’Connor said the Crown Pastoral Land Reform (CPLR) Bill has passed its third reading. “These spectacular South Island properties are ...
Aotearoa New Zealand strongly condemns the campaign of destructive cyber activity by Russia against Ukraine, alongside the EU and international partners, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “These relentless attacks are part of a pattern of disruptive cyber activity that demonstrates a repeated disregard for the rules-based international order and established ...
The Government has released a review of the operation and effectiveness of the law controlling commercial space activities, and signalled a separate study on wider issues of space policy will begin later this year. Economic Development Minister Stuart Nash says a review of the Outer Space and High-Altitude Activities Act ...
New Zealand has initiated dispute settlement proceedings against Canada regarding its implementation of dairy tariff rate quotas (TRQs) under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor said. “Our priority is to ensure that New Zealand exporters have meaningful access to the benefits negotiated ...
Support for ongoing and transitional Care in the Community support, including: A pivot in work for Community Connectors Confidence and certainty for community food organisations and MSD’s Food Secure Communities programme Funding to support the wellbeing of disabled people The Government is updating its Care in the Community (CiC) ...
295 events covering at least 607 performances that have had to cancel or suffered losses due to COVID-19 have had their costs reimbursed, with total support paid out to events now exceeding $20 million 186 future events in 2022 and 2023 have also received cover 64 organisations have been ...
International students can enrol to study in New Zealand from July 31 Minister to travel to USA, Chile and Brazil to promote studying here International fee-paying students under Year 9 can continue to enrol in schools New Zealand International Education Strategy being refreshed New Zealand is fully reopening to ...
Good morning, I want to start by thanking our hosts the Wellington Chamber of Commerce who graciously do this every year as we lead into the Budget. I want to make a particular acknowledgement of the recent partnership that the Chamber has entered into with Te Awe the Maori Business ...
A Bill to help lower the fees charged when credit and debit transactions are made, will save New Zealand businesses around $74 million a year. The Retail Payment System Bill passed its third reading today, regulating merchant service fees, and reducing a major overhead for small business, Commerce and Consumer ...
I te whare pāremata ngā uri o Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-ā-Rua i tēnei rā kia kite, kia rongo hoki rātou i te hipanga o te pānuitanga tuatahi o te Pire Whakataunga Kokoraho mō Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-ā-Rua. Ko Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-ā-Rua tētahi kohinga ...
Kua hinga ngā kapua pōuri i runga i Taranaki maunga. Kua wehe atu rā te Tumuaki o te Hāhi Ratana, arā ko matua Harerangi Meihana. E koro, moe mai rā. Me piki ake koe mā runga te aroha o to iwi ki te taha o to koroua, arā a Tahupōtiki ...
Kia ora koutou katoa Thank you to Business New Zealand and Fujitsu for hosting us here today, and I am grateful to be joined by Minister Faafoi, and Minister Hipkins. Can I thank you also for being so agile in the arrangements for our lunch event. I had of course ...
Border fully open two months early from 11:59pm 31 July Significantly simplified immigration processes that provide faster processing for businesses New Green List that includes over 85 hard to fill roles created to attract and retain high-skilled workers to fill skill shortages Green List will provide streamlined and prioritised ...
Up to 150 new homes will be built for whānau who need them most thanks to a new partnership between the Government and Toitū Tairāwhiti, Minister of Housing Hon Dr Megan Woods and Associate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing) Peeni Henare have announced. Minister Henare and Toitū Tairāwhiti gathered in ...
As part of the Government’s ongoing response to Ukraine, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has announced new sanctions targeting disinformation and those responsible for cyber attacks on Ukraine. “Aotearoa New Zealand continues to unequivocally condemn Russia’s unjustified and illegal attack on Ukraine,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “President Putin’s propaganda machine is in ...
Significant improvements are being made in New Zealand workplaces to better protect whistleblowers, Minister for the Public Service Chris Hipkins said today. “The Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Act 2022 replaces the Protected Disclosures Act 2000. It is more people-focused and will make the rules easier to access, understand, and ...
COMMENTARY: Sh’ma Koleinu – Alternative Jewish Voices When Marilyn Garson’s memoir of working in Gaza was published, Radio NZ scheduled an interview. On the day of the interview, RNZ first promoted and then cancelled it. In response to her OIA request, RNZ disclosed this internal email: The RNZ quote about ...
RNZ News Aotearoa New Zealand has reported 9570 new community cases of covid-19 and a further 32 deaths today, bringing total publicly recorded deaths with the coronavirus 1017. In a statement, the Ministry of Health said the total number of deaths was up by 31 from yesterday as they had ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Papua New Guinea police have been tasked to furnish a full investigation report on the death of Deputy Prime Minister Sam Basil and his bodyguard First Constable Neil Maino. Prime Minister James Marape told Basil’s children that “no stone would be left unturned” by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jim Stanford, Economist and Director, Centre for Future Work, Australia Institute; Honorary Professor of Political Economy, University of Sydney Shutterstock/The Conversation Every three months the Bureau of Statistics releases the lesser-known cousin of the consumer price index. It’s called the ...
"Tangata whenua had to defend themselves in the first lockdown, we put up borders, we set up systems within the iwi and within the rural areas to be able to cope whilst waiting for a vaccine. So no, it wasn't equitable, and many iwi paid for that thems ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Podger, Honorary Professor of Public Policy, Australian National University On the eve of the election, the Coalition has said it will impose a higher “efficiency dividend” on public service agencies over the next four years in an effort to cut public ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Every election is unique, but each also presents comparisons and contrasts with elections past. In this podcast, Australian National University history professor Frank Bongiorno gives his insights into the current battle but also takes ...
Two of New Zealand’s principal economic issues are its low productivity and high effective corporate tax rates. So will the Ardern government tackle these issues in Budget 2022? Finance Minister Grant Robertson could write himself into NZ’s economic history if he did so. Sadly, Point of Order suspects he might ...
ACT Party candidate in Tauranga, Cameron Luxton has called for Commissioner Anne Tolley's head saying she should not interfere in politics as an unelected official. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Johanna Nalau, Research Fellow, Climate Adaptation, Griffith University Australia is no stranger to disasters like droughts, floods, bushfires and heatwaves. The problem is, they’re going to get worse. And then worse again. As the global temperature ratchets up, these disasters will grow ...
A View from Afar – In this podcast, political scientist Paul Buchanan and Selwyn Manning will examine the Implications of the Russia-Ukrainian conflict and how it impacts on regional security architecture. In particular, we will assess Finland and Sweden’s move to become NATO members and whether Turkey will prevent this from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David King, Senior Lecturer in General Practice, The University of Queensland Shutterstock GPs have been sounding the alarm over rising costs of providing care – compounded by the pandemic and more complex demands. Many have said they are abandoning bulk ...
Tomorrow’s Budget 2022 is an opportunity to demonstrate Labour’s values in action and must address the high cost of living faced by working people while increasing investment in public services and committing to return key infrastructure like buses ...
Scrapping pre-departure tests will come "sooner rather than later", and more advice is being sought on whether people with adverse reactions could be exempt from workforce mandates. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kai Riemer, Professor of Information Technology and Organisation, University of Sydney Shutterstock Imagine there is a public speaking square in your city, much like the ancient Greek agora. Here you can freely share your ideas without censorship. But there’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Medicare, Australia’s universal health insurance scheme, provides financial protection against the cost of medical bills, and makes public hospital ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Eltham, Lecturer, School of Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University Shutterstock Mentions of arts and cultural policy have been thin on the ground this election. The Coalition has not released any specific arts policies during the campaign, and Labor’s arts ...
The unelected head of Tauranga wants the city’s next MP to push for progress with some infrastructural projects. We speak of Anne Tolley, the former National Government Minister who chairs the commission which was appointed to govern Tauranga after Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta sacked the democratically elected – but ...
Under the new Retail Payment Systems Act 2022, the Mastercard and Visa credit and debit card networks will be the initial focus of the Commerce Commission’s work to promote competition and efficiency in the retail payment system. The Act allows ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark John Costello, Professor, Nord University Shutterstock Denying the severity of a crisis neither removes nor lessens the problem. Sticking to the status quo because it doesn’t suit our work practices, or social and economic norms, not only delays the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne AAP/Lukas Coch/Mick Tsikas The final Resolve poll for Nine newspapers, conducted May 12-17 from a sample of 2,049, gave Labor just a 52-48 lead by 2019 election ...
We are concerned about the wellbeing of Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor today, after he announced his plans to travel to Thailand this week. He will represent New Zealand at the annual APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting in Bangkok. The last time we recorded ministerial travel plans ...
Tauranga City Council’s commission wants three key infrastructure priorities to be top of mind for candidates at the forthcoming parliamentary byelection. Commission Chair Anne Tolley says the projects involved – Hewletts Road/Hull Road/Totara Street ...
The Government has already spent $34 million designing a reform so badly received they plan to bill water users more than a billion dollars to bring stakeholders on board. Figures released by the Department of Internal Affairs shows that the Government ...
Māori health workers and community leaders are hoping tomorrow's Budget will address urgent social and health needs, with hints at a significant spend for Māori health. ...
SAFE’s petition calling for a Commissioner for Animals in Aotearoa has attained thousands of signatures since its launch on 3 May 2022. The petition highlights the need for an independent voice for animals at the highest level and is supported by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kira Westaway, Associate professor, Macquarie University Fabrice Demeter (University of Copenhagen / CNRS Paris), Author provided What do a finger bone and some teeth found in the frigid Denisova Cave in Siberia’s Altai mountains have in common with fossils from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Arrow, Professor of History, Macquarie University AAP/Diego Fidele Because “women’s issues” have been in the headlines over the last year, it may seem strange they have not been more prominent in the election campaign. Yet it is clear gender ...
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What a “breath of fresh air WHO are as they finally take air pollution seriously” Bravo to World Health Organisation, (WHO).
WHO are also are focusing on the urban residents who are also health effected by “toxic heavy road traffic air pollution” too.
WHO are claiming that even schools and busy traffic routes be redesigned away from schools and suburban areas also.
http://www.who.int/airpollution/events/conference/en/
First WHO Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health, 30 October – 1 November 2018
Improving air quality, combating climate change – saving lives
A schoolboy walks through smoke and fumes emitted from a waste dump in the Nigerian city of Port Harcourt
Air Pollution is “the ‘new tobacco…” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s director general
If you received an invitation to attend the conference and have not yet registered using the INDICO web portal, then please do so before as soon as possible. The link to the INDICO registration web portal can be found in the invitation email message.
The first two days of the conference will present evidence, identify gaps and solutions, and will be targeted at practitioners and other technical and political representatives from the health sector and other sectors relevant to the discourse. The third day will be a High-Level Action Day.
Conference provisional programme – updated 28 October
pdf, 799kb
Live webcast (active from 30 October 2018)
Conference overview agenda
pdf, 205kb
Time to nationalise the banks.
This is well overdue.
Their parasitic behaviour is leeching billions of dollars out of the New Zealand economy.
“ANZ’s New Zealand business made more money than Fonterra, Spark, Fletcher Building, the Warehouse, Air New Zealand and the major supermarkets combined last year and it’s not good enough, according to activist investor Sam Stubbs.
ANZ New Zealand announced a record net profit of $1.98 billion this morning – while its parent company Australia and New Zealand bank made A$6.4b.
But Stubbs, founder and managing director of KiwiSaver provider Simplicity, and a critic of the banks, said ANZ was taking advantage of its dominant position to extract unreasonable profits.
“The ANZ profit is classic rent-seeking behaviour.”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/personal-finance/news/article.cfm?c_id=12&objectid=12152050
Yo Ed.
How are you going to nationalise an Australian bank ?
You don’t really think your own stuff thru do you ?
Yo James – what’s your take on the smashing the National Party has taken over the past few weeks and what do you reckon about the likelihood that they’ve a lot more coming?
Robert. Hardly on topic is it. But since you asked as I have commented a couple of times it was a clusterfuck.
So back to the topic in hand.
Oops typo so other post in holding.
but in reply – not really on topic is it Robert ?
And I’m guessing nationals week is going better than labour’s.
I bet Cindy regrets backing her minister – reading between the lines.
“not really on topic”
This is Open Mike, James. “Open” probably means…open.
National’s disease must be hurting it’s followers something awful, I reckon. They’ve had a shocker! It’s as if a curtain fell and they were all exposed, standing there, trousers around their ankles, looking startled. Paula Bennett, btw, looks permanently startled these days. Judith Collins always did (it’s the arched eyebrows).
Yep. Open mike. But you have problems understanding how threads and reply work huh?
Sorry James, Robert is on to it. You on the other hand are fully exposed, trousers around your ankles…. Daily.
I think Robert thought the topic was not thinking things through so responded accordingly.
You talkin bout the guy the gnatss let stay here jimbo?
Huh
Didn’t he arrived under a Labour government, and granted residency by a Labour minister?
Yo Bobbie fatdude
Why are labour and the greens still hugging garden variety crims and giving them citizenship?
Didn’t Thiele get in under gnattynil tuppy?
He did, but he didn’t distribute large volumes of class b drugs imported for a meth dealing gang though.
Maybe you can check whether a whole bunch of prisoners donated $14k each to the Labour Party?
I checked, It wasn’t 14k each. each was linked with the 14k though
Oh, well I guess a list MP is worth top dollar then. Even for an opposition party.
Maybe National MP’s are worth more than Labour mp’s, which ever side they sit on.
Maybe the Labour MPs weren’t for sale.
Elegant, McFlock.
Oh they are, the price is so low it’s not worth reporting on though.
Cabinet clubs with GR at the wellington club. Donations being solicited in Auckland Restaurants.
JLR may be pointing fingers, but the coalitions silence on this issue is deafening
Wow, Stupid and Nasty in the same comments. You’re not a National MP are you? You’re still happy to support at least one rapist who Woodhouse let stay, Tuppence Shrewsbury supports and loves rapists!!! (judging by her comment)
Who said I support national? not supporting labour or the greens does not equal supporting national. Quite enjoying the JLR train wreck to be honest.
Just as I am enjoying watching the amateurs currently in government make stupid calls on an almost daily basis. It concerned me that the JLR affair was letting them off the hook.
Opposition is back though! yea booiii
Your politics are to the right of National….
You Nationalise their NZ Operations.
There, that wasn’t that hard really was it?
Not really a detail person are you?
See it’s in the detail that the deluded ideas like this fall apart.
@ James,
Explanation necessary
The NZ operations are actually quite standalone from the Australian parent. If the Government so decided it COULD nationalise them. The bigger question is where would it get the cash to do so. Unless of course by nationalise they mean taking ownership without compensation. I believe that is called stealing and will lead to the NZ economy imploding.
Like the taxpayers not being given a full or even fair value for the flogging of its power generators Gossie ? How about those State houses also….
You have little to no evidence that the State did not get full or even fair value for the Electricity companies. They got Market price, which by definition is full and fair value.
Predictable neolib response and State houses ?
And State Houses what?
Except that the market is delusional.
Ed never says what he means by “nationalise” and will only tell you to ask google. I’ve tried to start that conversation with him a number of times.
Asking Google is a waste of time as there are multiple meanings of the term so Ed is an idiot.
Your logic is impeccable.
It’s a sovereign government with its own currency. Just create the money – done. And, hey, if they leave them as is they’ll make enough profit to cover it.
You don’t allow foreign banks to operate here.
Simple.
By the way, when the Amazon rainforest gets felled to make way for cattle farms, we can thank people who eat beef.
Don’t you care about the world you are leaving your children and grandchildren?
Why would we thank them, Ed? And how would we? Do they all read The Standard?
James always brags about his heavy consumption of steak.
It shows in his constipated commenting style 🙂
Actually it’s mainly in reply to you going nuts over me mentioning a bbq.
As it is – I eat some steak but prefer pork and chicken.
I also love lamb but find it to fatty to eat regularly.
So my steak intake isn’t that high – but when I do eat beef I make sure it’s good quality.
WTF is with “stone grill” steak in a restaurant? I got told it was so I could cook the steak to my satisfaction. If I could cook it perfectly at home, I wouldn’t order it in a restaurant. And why does it cost the same as a cooked steak? WTF does the chef do – make the salad? It totally pisses me off. Steak, medium rare, on a plate. That’s what I want. Not a hot rock and a pile of ingredients.
On this point we are 100% in agreement McFlock. I might have to speak to Lucifer to turn up the heating a tad.
Maybe stonegrill was invented by the devil? Take a prime cut of steak, and give it to someone without the skill to cook it properly, and they paid full price for it so they’ll probably eat the entire thing.
Last time I asked for medium-rare at a restaurant they served me super-rare.
At least you could send it back because someone other than you stuffed it up
Thank You!
While not quite as bad, deconstructed salads really piss me off. Someone putting all the ingredients of a salad on a plate, that you then have to toss yourself like some sort of after work Paula Bennet.
I’m with you 100% on this. I want someone to cook it better than I can – that’s why I pay for the chef
I can pretty safely say I have never eaten any Amazonian beef
And you are aware of the environmental impact of meat, particularly beef, eating?
Imagine if we didn’t eat it! The cattle herds would grow exponentially and cover the face of the earth!
I honestly don’t give a shit.
Yes, James, we discussed constipation resulting from meat-eating earlier.
gold
Ok – that was very funny.
That’s sums your worldview up.
You don’t care.
Me not eating any NZ beef if not going to stop the impact of beef farming in the Amazon.
That’s banning a bank not nationalising it Ed.
Make up your mind.
I eat NZ beef. But you’re welcome none the less.
I thank you for not eating beef Ed, thank you. I am looking forward to Veganuary this year.
Thank the people who own cats and dogs.
I can honestly say that I’m not eating beef grown in the Amazon.
Here’s the thing though: If the world was being economic little to no food would ever be imported/exported. Each country would grow the food that it needs to feed its own people.
This forces sustainability as far as food goes.
Best NZ steak I ever ate was in Papeete Tahiti… but it should have been in NZ . Eat the best and export what is left over .
Tahiti is French, and the French generally cook better than us. The best lamb I have ever eaten was in France, But the French breed their best lambs purely for meat flavour, and do not compromise for quality of wool. Then they cook it better as well.
I doubt if all our best goes to export. Upon returning from France, I was positively impressed with the quality of meat that normal people can buy here.
Whoops – apologies to Ed.
“Each country would grow the food that it needs to feed its own people.”
Environmental factors prevent that. But nice try.
What you’re actually saying is that many countries can’t support themselves.
That’s what’s called unsustainable.
And, no, trade doesn’t fix that. Take Egypt for example. IIRC, it can presently feed 60% of its population from it’s own farms. The rest is a result of import paid for by the export of their oil. Egypt’s oils has Peaked. This means that in a few years, at most, Egypt is going to be in famine and there’s nothing that they can do about it through trade because have pretty much nothing else to export.
Jeez, if only they had some local attractions or a global trade route to leverage ff. Then they might get someone to stump up several billion for a nuclear power plant to offset that emerging energy deficit. As it is, poor Egypt: Land of the Pharked.
It’s not that they have an energy deficit – it’s that they have a resource deficit because they’ve exported all the oil.
Does the Suez Canal and tourism bring in enough to cover the loss of oil exports?
Gross, or compared to their oil imports?
And might Suez be why the Russians are putting $25bill towards a nuke plant?
More specifically, does it provide enough to allow the importation of enough food for 40%+ of their population?
A nuke plant isn’t going to feed them.
Neither is oil.
But energy is a resource, too.
Oh, and they have shedloads of sunshine.
So if they export that energy, or use it to attract energy-intensive industries, they can use the revenue to buy food from countries that have lots of arable land and make lots of food, but possibly want things those industries produces.
And thus we’ve invented global trade.
Sheez, it’s way too early for bickering children.
In keeping with the topic, how many of you use kiwi owned banks for either your home or business?
It’s very very easy to change banks, I highly recommend it.
We had a mortgage with Westpac. Not our choice, but Westpac swallowed up Trustbank who we were originally with. Weren’t happy, but what can you do. The interest rate wasn’t too bad so we stayed, vowing to change when the mortgage went. Remember how they called themselves WestpacTrust . . . for while . . . just to look good! Anyway, when we got some money, discharged the mortgage and were looking for where to invest, Westpac had the best interest rate. So to get something back out of them we put our money there. We are looking to change banks when the investment matures. Our best options look to be Kiwibank or TSB. I hate the fact that WPC is an Ozzie bank with profits going overseas, however we want the best return for money. Quandary. Hate them but want the most out of our money.
If they are making super profits then that must mean Kiwibank is as well. In which case why doesn’t the government just instruct Kiwibank to hoover up all the customers in NZ by undercutting the other majors?
IF you want an answer to your question about kiwibank’s position in the he market, Sam Stubbs was interviewed on RNZ yesterday.
I heard him mention how they were loaded with post shop assets and an obligation to provide relevant sservices…
There was another issue that I didn’t totally grasp but my attention was divided. Ahh, it was undercapitalised.
Both were dampeners on growth.
Each staff member generated approximately$220,000 profit. Profit!
Surely it makes sense to you to have the many billions of dollars profit stay in Aotearoa.
It can only be an ideologue mindset that makes you see otherwise.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018669198
Warning contains talking by Jim Mora and Peter dunne.
Kiwibank is undercapitalised and can’t take advantage of the market. Hmmm… whose fault is that again? I’ll give you a clue, it is the owner of the Bank.
Doogs, what you said about westpac adding the word trust for a while, made me smile, marketing for sure.
Building Societies are awesome, our local Nelson Building Society (NBS) contributes so much to the community.
For example if one is looking for fundraising for a community event and asks around the banks for support, all the big banks will say no, but not the NBS, they often support community events and needs.
Personally I use kiwibank, they’ve been great.
I use a New Zealand bank.
which one?
His mattress
Part of the problem is that it seems, in conversations I’ve had with people, that many have no idea who owns the banks and react with astonishment to discover that banks called Auckland Savings Bank and Bank of New Zealand don’t belong to us!
Precisely why CBA and NAB respectively retained those brands… both very strong in NZ.
100% of my personal and business banking is with a 100% NZ-owned bank. Made the switch when I became aware of how much profit Australian banks were extracting from NZ.
That said, it was easy to do as my business banking needs are largely transactional. If you’re a business that requires significant bank lending, you are stuck with the Aussie-owned banks.
To Cinny at 2.1.4 : To change to kiwi -owned banks IS certainly the glaringly obvious solution, and has been for considerable time….confounds me why they are not totally utilised by New Zealanders. I have aways had the best help one could wish.
Totally agree with you Heather.
Recently the ANZ in Motueka closed it’s doors, some friends who bank with them were complaining, but yet they still didn’t move to either Kiwibank or the NBS.
I think it’s one of those things that people place in the ‘too hard basket’, then when they finally get round to changing banks, say things like, gosh that was easy I should have done it a long time ago.
Went with Kiwibank a few years ago, and refinanced the mortgage last year with them again. We haven’t regretted it. The lack of ability to just rock on up to the bank to discuss things is mitigated by online support and us planning a bit better.
I don’t mind using Australian banks. Equally happy for an Australian to have my dosh as a Kiwi. We’re all Australasians together.
A.
Stalking Ed again James?
Yoo James …. Do you think ANZ appointed Key as a director because they wanted someone who would keep quiet and not dig up or into all the corruption they are involved with …. http://www.sarawakreport.org/2018/03/the-banking-spin-starts-commentary/
“The Panama Papers: ANZ was the leading Australian bank in Mossack’s universe”
” ANZ appears in 7548 of the Mossack documents, reflecting the bank’s extensive work in New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Samoa and Jersey. ”
Crooked hires Bent to be blind.
Don’t bother nationalising them – just out-compete them to the point that they go bankrupt.
1. 0% interest on mortgages
2. 0% interest business loans
3. Ban the private banks from creating money in any way, shape or form.
Result – private banks will collapse pretty much immediately and only Kiwibank will be left standing.
Good, Draco..
Much better than the conversation a few days back which you didn’t substantiate…
Which conversation was that?
Absolutely
If you think they are not providing a suitable service that people are willing to pay for why isn’t Kiwibank doing better then? It is a completely State controlled Bank.
@Gosman, Kiwibank would do better if it was more a full service bank. Also banking has also come down to relationships and history, so that there are big incentives to stick with the same bank as people’s situation gets more insecure with work.
Aka in NZ massive amount of people now are on contract, gig work or self employed. The history of that becomes a key, in a banking arrangement. Nobody wants to shift all their business, then find out, they have a bad month or months and have the bank breathing down their necks.
So there are many reasons that people stay with their bank. Satisfaction and best deals are not the only factors when you get into the NZ situation of significant proportions of the population are in insecure work and therefore take strategic positions on banking and insurance.
The amount of banking, financial institutions and insurance that has gone out of business also makes people cautious in NZ about new banks and services in that sector.
They are profiting not because they are great banks but because NZ has embraced everything to do with neoliberalism and that is all about profits for the most dominant, which are banks here. And our government does not believe in any sort of financial regulation even bank deposits are not guaranteed nor Kiwisaver.
What do you mean “Full service bank”?
How is Kiwibank not a “Full service bank”?
Not sure if Kiwibank have evolved since I thought about joining them, but standing in a queue at the post office stating your business rather than a private office at a bank or getting a mobile person around takes time with Kiwibank and much longer than if you have an existing relationship with a bank and assigned a personal banker.
Had a friend who was a school principal in a small town, so a bit weird that she was queuing up and stating all the business of the school, while the rest of the community could over hear.
Stuff like that, makes Kiwibank less. a fit for complicated, private and urgent types of banking.
Also anything to do with property in Auckland generally require quick and flexible banking decisions as the market is fast and auction driven. Took me so long to buy a house in Auckland that my 6 months of pre application had expired and then you need to get it back quickly if you see a house to bid on. Therefore you don’t want a new bank that might be slower to make decisions on anything.
So maybe Kiwibank and the co operatives can get more market share if they step up for more complicated, faster decision making banking, with more customer service and privacy for customers and a long term relationship approach with customers.
The offshore banks level of customer service has defiantly got a lot worse over the years, so if NZ banks stepped up, they could win more business.
Of course Kiwibank has interview rooms. Sounds like you are full of shit giving excuses rather than putting your money where your mouth is.
I’ve been a Kiwibank customer since it was founded.
Yes, Kiwibank had private rooms since the day they opened for business. They also have some branches dedicated to business customers.
No idea what they are like with mortgages or why they would be different than the Aussie-owned banks.
Just telling you what people have told me Solka and my own experiences trying to change to Kiwibank a few years ago, maybe you don’t have a business or run an organisation, or have complicated banking, or what ever.
Judging by your stalking of people and the Green Party I’d say you are a unique individual that would probably need a private room in any instance and Kiwibank staff probably usher you straight to one so people don’t overhear your language and tone so you may have never experienced the problems that polite less demanding people might be experiencing.
Face it, you are full of shit. Best to have a think before using the word “hypocrite” again.
Is your accusations of ‘shit’, how you manage the private room, Solka?
Face it, you are full of shit.
Actually, when I made the appointment to see the mortgage person a few years ago we had the option of my place or one of their branches. Small meeting room, 4 chairs, one table, her laptop. Easy as. That was kiwibank.
Shopping around, ANZ went with the open plan, wide spaces between desks idea. Probably had private rooms for people who didn’t need mortgages, though 🙂
to solkta at22.1.1.1: Yes, of course Kiwibank has private rooms and specialists in banking also, friendly at all times. I think some here trying hand at fake news.
Yes, the staff at the local one always seem like they are happy to be there and to help.
My Kiwibank, in Hastings, is a mess. The Carpets are permanently stained, the counter is so banged around it looks like an old pub first thing in the morning, the note counting machine is so temperamental its a running joke, and the manager insists on interviewing people at a table right next to the queue. Its awkward to put it mildly.
if I didn’t know(hope?) better I would think they were purposefully running it into the ground.
+1 Siobhan- Kiwibank needs to look at the details. If a bank looked like you suggest and treated you like that, would you seriously consider it?
A little bird suggests, if you start calling everyone a piece of shit, you might get that private room that a certain poster seems convinced is always offered.
Of course it also might effect that application or have you escorted out too:)
Seriously NZ banks should have an online complaints page for example or even suggestions page at the banks, they might learn a bit more than hiring a marketing firm from Auckland or Wellington who never leave the central suburbs and think they are doing a stellar job at marketing and people are too lazy to change.
There are obstacles to changing and issues with the service levels and criteria levels and types of banking that the NZ banking sectors offers!
Wellsford,s the same Siobhan run by a couple of asian ladies theres often queues and you stand there looking at their static displays of stuff they,d like to sell and cant help thinking “what a load of crap “Heres a relatively large commercial space which presumably the proprietors are renting along with the actual agency but it seems all so halfhearted !?.Why ?Why isnt kiwibank being rolled out in all little towns and villages in nz taking over where the post office used to trade …….buggered if i know ….seems like theres plenty of scope there but not much direction ….or something ….whats holding them back ???
It has very much evolved since then. If you go to most Post shops they have a separate desk and private rooms for Kiwibank customers. I ask again, why isn’t Kiwibank a “Full service Bank”?
@ Gosman, your word ‘most’ is obviously significant. Also more service level might be a recent thing, that people who previously tried to join Kiwibank did not have, at the time. People try to change once, if they don’t have the best experience they may not try again.
P.s. I did not have a bad experience with Kiwibank but it did not work out because I take wholistic approach with banking and even a small house in Aukcland now may require significant amount of debt which you now split loans for and then you have to make sure they all expire at the same time, and then hope that interest rates don’t go up while you are waiting. It’s not that easy to change if you have decent sized loans for business or housing.
I personally hate ANZ and would never bank with them after having a bad experience with them years ago. Also having John Key on the board would put me off. So I would never bank with them.
But they do things like monitor companies house so if you set up a business, voila , you get a friendly letter straight away with free bank fees for your business for 3 years.
That is how they make the money, they are proactive, reel you in, then screw you over with extreme profiteering when they have you tied up.
That’s banking in NZ and the government needs to set higher standards.
And Kiwi bank (or anyone else) never sends a nice letter when they could easily target new businesses like ANZ do.
Kiwibank and other NZ banks needs to understand customers positions and concerns better.
The person who posted about the rural ANZ bank closing but still people don’t change, clearly don’t understand how difficult it is to make money in the rural sector and get loans. It is not easy to change banks in those sectors at all.
Many NZ banks only specialise in retail banking, and have very high, unwieldy criteria for farms and business. NZ banks and regulators don’t seem up to speed or understand that the big OZ banks have those customers screwed over in debt and tied up with few alternatives.
I can’t remember exactly, but somebody posted and I think most of Fletchers? losses, were due to ANZ bank fine print on some refinancing terms of loans they took out.
That’s how those banks get the massive profits.
As for our constant messages on how easy it is to change banks, electrical or telecom companies. Nope… it ain’t… in real terms it often costs you a bundle of time, non productivity, failed services and extra charges. And our regulators do nothing to stop this type of practise of third party fuck ups.
http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=113352
Kiwibank isn’t a state controlled bank and it operates the same way all the other banks do and is artificially constrained so as not to be able to out compete the private banks which it could easily do if the government got in and supported it properly.
The foreign banks treat NZ like the cash cow run from OZ. They are mostly responsible for our 2nd biggest exports out of NZ being profits.
Yep while our government screws up with another bad trade deal of TPPA or what ever they fuck they rebranded it to, (which even the most neoliberal Parker can not describe as a good deal (was it a 7 out of 10 he gave it?). The government also fail to do anything about about banks and the NZ entire economy is always around giving banks more profits aka corporate welfare to construction, more immigration, more immigration to small businesses like petrol attendants and cafe owners (who then support higher rents and prices on commercial property and residential) selling off land assets, privatisation, oil and gas, exports of water…
BTW, the PPP model (also rebranded constantly as an acronym) gives the most profits to banks and the financial sector. https://image.guim.co.uk/sys-files/Society/documents/2004/11/24/PFI.pdf
“our research suggests that PFI may lead to a loss of benefits in kind and a redistribution of income, from the public to the corporate sector. It has boosted the construction industry, many of whose PFI subsidiaries are now the most profitable parts of their enterprises, and led to a significant expansion of the facilities management sector. But the main beneficiaries are likely to be the financial institutions whose loans are effectively underwritten by the taxpayers, as evidenced by the renegotiation of the Royal Armouries PFI (NAO 2001a).”
The public should also ask themselves why the tax working group never recommended financial transaction taxes to tax outward and inward money flows.
In short government wants to continue to transfer profits from the people and assets of NZ to the construction, financial and banking sectors, and are not going to tax the banks and financial industries appropriately for their extreme profits . Nor regulate appropriately to the construction sector or banking to stem the rot right through those sectors.
The NZ banking sector is incredibly competitive including a State controlled Bank. If the banks are making super profits why isn’t the government instructing Kiwibank to undercut them and take a bigger share of the market?
Quite. KB could become our main bank if the political will exists which it doesn’t currently.
But the potential is there thanks to Jim Anderton, Rest In Peace Jim.
Why do you think the political will doesn’t exist?
You claim to understand the world of financials , gosman…
So you should understand why the political will doesn’t exist…
I’d like to hear your version…
Go for it….
Because the issue with Kiwibank is much more than just a lack of political will. The organisation needs HUGE injection of capital if it has any hope of competing for major work such as being the Government’s banker.
Draco’s solutions would work.
That’s about your level of understanding, Gosman….
So how does that feed into the ‘lack of political will’ , IYO ?
Would love to see government use kiwibank instead of an overseas bank for all their transactions.
Jim Anderton, Grandma rated him very highly, he was one of the good guys.
The dogma is that a large bank that makes huge profits every year is a good safe bank (and safe bet for shareholders). I say dogma, but it is really a myth, as we know too well.
It also is ironic that the bank’s customers contribute a large part to the overall profits.
So, it’s a catch-22 for the people: lower the profits and customers will go elsewhere and the bank goes bust or fleece the customers to increase profit margins and they will flock to your bank and thus increase the ‘financial health’ of the bank.
To a point, this would work well if not for greed and bad business decisions on behalf of the banks (cue: GFC).
There is no evidence for that claim.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_corporate_collapses_and_scandals
Of the ~52 corporates in the “List of a few major corporate collapses”, only a third are/were banking businesses.
Banks feature at the top of the “List of scandals without insolvency” (probably needs regular updating):
There has been plenty of frauds in NZ… so clearly no racial bias here..
Verdict on $9.2 million mortgage fraud
http://www.indiannewslink.co.nz/verdict-on-9-2-million-mortgage-fraud/
Husband and wife named in $50m mortgage fraud case
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11886925
Immigration NZ uncovers “significant, organised” agent fraud in India
https://thepienews.com/news/immigration-nz-uncovers-significant-organised-agent-fraud-in-india/
Ummm… what is this in response to? It certainly does not answer my question about Incognito’s claims.
Which claim?
This one
“So, it’s a catch-22 for the people: lower the profits and customers will go elsewhere and the bank goes bust or fleece the customers to increase profit margins and they will flock to your bank and thus increase the ‘financial health’ of the bank.”
Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence of corruption and rampant profiteering in the banking ‘industry’.
Hypothesis 1. A bank’s profitability will be a contributing factor in determining that bank’s ‘ratings agency grade’ (AAA, AA, A, BBB etc.)
Hypothesis 2. The grades that ratings agencies give banks, and individual bank products/offers/bonds, are factors affecting the (bank/product) choice of some potential customers.
These hypotheses may be false; falsifying evidence (a link or two will do) welcome.
Gosman (>140 of comments on The Standard in the last week; 70 (!) on the “National badly wants Kiwibuild to crash” post alone) often asks for evidence, and seems to have a significant aversion to using Google’s search engine – not a single link or quote in those 70 comments.
Look up burden of proof and get back to me when you understand it.
BTW what was those two hypothesis you posted about? They had nothing to do with the claim i was questioning.
You claim that “They [the two hypotheses] had nothing to do with the claim i [sic] was questioning.”
If you genuinely don’t understand how these hypotheses relate to the claim you quoted/questioned, then I don’t have the means to help you in this forum.
“The burden of proof (philosophy)”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burden_of_proof_(philosophy)
Application> In public discourse>
“Burden of proof is also an important concept in the public arena of ideas. Once participants in discourse establish common assumptions, the mechanism of burden of proof helps to ensure that all parties contribute productively, using relevant arguments.”
Regrettably, the largest political party in parliament has (temporarily) lost its footing and is unable to contribute productively at present.
In your opinion. Given your opinion is quite obviously biased against said political party I don’t think it holds much weight in determining what is or isn’t productive discourse.
I have made no claims regarding my (or your) political bias, or lack thereof, in this particular exchange – such claims are largely unnecessary in this forum (IMO).
Certainly one assumption we can agree on is that we are (both) expressing our opinions.
In my opinion, this recent statement (among others), made by a former 7th-ranked opposition National party MP, has caused said party to (temporarily) lose its footing.
IMO this is a revealing quote, and I thank you Gosman for the opportunity to trot it out again (hopefully not for the last time). The opposition National party really is looking a bit wobbly at the moment (IMO), and will likely recover somewhat (again, IMO) ‘going forward’.
Gosman’s Law: as a discussion thread on TS grows longer, the probability of Gosman deliberately misunderstanding or twisting a comment and then asking for evidence approaches one.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/francescoppola/2013/12/10/big-banks-versus-small-banks-size-doesnt-matter/#4fdb55bd1367
For those following the Khashoggi murder….
Keep an eye on what’s happening within the Saudi royal family, uncle has returned after a long absence.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/10/king-salman-brother-returns-riyadh-khashoggi-crisis-181031094006547.html
One thing I’m curious about is that the 18 apparently arrived on SK1 and SK2 sans baggage, yet I seem to remember seeing the contingent depart with baggage.
(From the images shown on TV in the early stages of it all).
Everything the Saudis have said turns out to be such obfuscation, spin and bullshit, they’d not be out of place as gNat MPs. The latest being that ‘Turkish collaborator’ that they’re so unwilling to identify.
Wonder what was in their luggage then? Didn’t know about that, will check it out, thanks for the info, there are so many dodgy aspects to it all.
The thing with the princes uncle returning is really interesting because he has been away for years, and has never supported the prince being in power.
And uncle does not support the princes ongoing war on Yemen.
I could be wrong @ Cinny though I do recall seeing some of them towing the standard type luggage on wheels. It may take a little more than going thru’ Aljazeera, CNN or BBC footage.
It’s a shame Susie Fergusson didn’t put the idea to Frank Gardiner this morning
Yes you are correct Tim,
They arrived with carry on luggage, then went and brought suitcases with wheels.
Apparently said suitcases were not checked before they went back to Saudi, and there are rumours that said suitcases contained body parts.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/kashoggi-latest-saudi-arabia-murder-turkey-remains-body-parts-consulate-istanbul-cctv-a8598796.html
Duty free, oncey.
Rachel Stewart explains why the election of Bolsonaro is terrible news for life on this planet.
“Bolsonaro has an environmental hit list that is bold and brash. Just when the world needs the “lungs” of the world more than ever, he is planning a paved highway to run right through the Amazon rainforest. And no more will a government commitment to preserving vast areas for indigenous people be tolerated. Bolsonaro has previously said that he will “not give the Indians another inch of land”.
He has also promised to scrap the country’s Environment Ministry altogether, putting it under the scope of the Agriculture Ministry, which is led by agribusiness. Which, to be fair, is only one step further than our own Environment Ministry overseeing regional councils who many — including me — consider to be the biggest enviro rapists on behalf of dairy farming in New Zealand. But, I digress.
……we need the two Americas to work hard on stopping runaway climate change like never before — one being the planet’s biggest emitter and the other holding the massive key to any chance of keeping climate change in check at 1.5C.
Because that’s the Amazon’s job. The rainforest absorbs approximately a quarter of the CO2 absorbed by all the land on earth. Every inch of deforestation matters. And what’s the motive for deforestation in Brazil? Cattle ranching. The billions of us have created a massive consumer demand for beef so that clearing land for cattle ranching is lucrative and with Bolsonaro in charge, now unstoppable.”
So what action can we do ?
Stop eating beef.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=12151404
“
Do “we” eat Brazilian beef?
(Snap, Chris!)
The average NZer is eating less red meat.
No.
We need to stop eating meat in the quantities we do.
Or the planet is doomed.
“The researchers found a global shift to a “flexitarian” diet was needed to keep climate change even under 2C, let alone 1.5C. This flexitarian diet means the average world citizen needs to eat 75% less beef, 90% less pork and half the number of eggs, while tripling consumption of beans and pulses and quadrupling nuts and seeds. This would halve emissions from livestock and better management of manure would enable further cuts.
In rich nations, the dietary changes required are ever more stark. UK and US citizens need to cut beef by 90% and milk by 60% while increasing beans and pulses between four and six times. However, the millions of people in poor nations who are undernourished need to eat a little more meat and dairy.”
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/10/huge-reduction-in-meat-eating-essential-to-avoid-climate-breakdown
Or the world could just have less kids
And less pets. Get rid of pets (especially cats and dogs) before we eat less red meat. Of course tree hugger veges tend to like hugging furry animals so I suspect they won’t want to do that. They are just happy to expect others to give up something.
How very alex jones of you.
fewer
This may be an unworthy thought – but I keep having it. Are those two mountain guides dead at least in part because the Morgan family has too much money and can indulge itself at will?
Since you asked, I think that is a tad harsh.
Yes – I guess you are right. Thanks.
Somehow it seemed doubly sad to me that people die doing something as ultimately pointless as indulging the whims of others.
Depends if they were taking undue risks I guess? Need someone with mountaineering knowledge to see if this was a typical hike, or a freak accident. Very sad nonetheless.
Our letter to Government today stating that our NZ Government must participate in this “first World Health air pollution conference this week in Geneva, in our interests to save our citizens health and wellbeing from health effects of all sources of air pollution.
Protecting our environment & health.
In association with other Community Groups, NHTCF and all Government Agencies since 2001.
• Health and wellbeing.
• East Coast Transport Project.
TO;
Hon Phil Twyford – Minister of Transport.
Hon’ Jacinda Ardern PM.
Hon Winston Peters. Deputy PM.
Hon’ Shane Jones. Minister of Regional Development.
Hon’ Grant Robertson. Minister of Finance.
Hon’ Stuart Nash. MP For Napier Wairoa/ Matawai regions.
Hon’ Megan Woods. Minister of Energy.
URGENT PRESS RELEASE; – ACTION NEEDED HERE BY – Transport Minister Twyford.
1st November 2018.
Dear Ministers, Local civic authorities & rail stakeholders,
Subject; http://www.who.int/airpollution/events/conference/en/ First WHO Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health, 30 October – 1 November 2018
What a “breath of fresh air WHO are as they finally take air pollution seriously” Bravo to World Health Organisation, (WHO).
WHO are also are focusing on the urban residents who are also health effected by “toxic heavy road traffic air pollution” too.
WHO are claiming that even schools and busy traffic routes be redesigned away from schools and suburban areas also.
We have written to you all multiple times since becoming our new Government requesting to restore our railway to Gisborne that was damaged after a storm in March 2012; – and caused by a lack of rail funding maintenance in 2011 on after funding was cut by Minister of transport Steven Joyce; – http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1302/S00183/kiwirail-admits-lack-of-maintenance-led-to-wash-out.htm
Rail services restoration will make a dramatic reduction of ‘road based freight’ now ruining our residential areas and the health of our urban communities.
Now World Health Organisation (WHO) are holding a ‘first’ conference over several days in Geneva on ‘urban air quality health effects to humans finally so we need to observe and act in our residential communities best interests for their health and wellbeing, and we advocate all rail services be restored to our cities around NZ and truck routes be realigned away from our current locations wrongly placed close to residential areas such as Napier’s controversial ‘HB Expressway’ which was originally designated as a “commuter road for Hastings residents to get to the new Napier Airport in 1963”.
Sadly the residents living alongside this road were not considered as to the effects to their health and wellbeing, but this road was pushed as a solution to become the principal truck freight route through Napier to the Port and the rest of NZ, without any resulting noise effects or air pollution mitigation was ever planned to be given the affected residents in the final stages of the HB Expressway’s development.
Gisborne has the same issues of loss of rail and using heavy truck fleets to run right through Gisborne city to the Eastland port and destroying the health and wellbeing of its residents too.
What a “breath of fresh air WHO are as they finally take air pollution seriously” Bravo to World Health Organisation, (WHO).
WHO are also are focusing on the urban residents who are also health effected by “toxic heavy road traffic air pollution” too.
WHO are claiming that even schools and busy traffic routes be redesigned away from schools and suburban areas also.
http://www.who.int/airpollution/events/conference/en/
First WHO Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health, 30 October – 1 November 2018
Improving air quality, combating climate change – saving lives
A schoolboy walks through smoke and fumes emitted from a waste dump in the Nigerian city of Port Harcourt
Air Pollution is “the ‘new tobacco…” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s director general
If you received an invitation to attend the conference and have not yet registered using the INDICO web portal, then please do so before as soon as possible. The link to the INDICO registration web portal can be found in the invitation email message.
The first two days of the conference will present evidence, identify gaps and solutions, and will be targeted at practitioners and other technical and political representatives from the health sector and other sectors relevant to the discourse. The third day will be a High-Level Action Day.
Conference provisional programme – updated 28 October
pdf, 799kb
Live webcast (active from 30 October 2018)
Conference overview agenda
pdf, 205kb
Your response to our call is requested please email
@cleangreen, the NZ taxpayers are subsidising public organisations that subcontract to corporates that do things such as change from trolley buses to diesel and increasing emissions to the public for the next 10 years…http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=113048
While in Auckland our taxes are there to escalate and provide for more polluting cruise ships, some of which apparently can release more emissions than 1million cars in emissions in one day.
So as yet, NZ, not interested in worrying about air pollution. Apart from ways to tax end consumers of course and get that little extra tax in the pocket while pretending it was all to save the planet.
The government and council treatment of corporate polluters and policy around that shows that air pollution is just not on the agenda and that the RMA is woefully inadequate to provide quality decisions, long term risk assessments, regulation , enforcement or penalty around environmental damage in this country.
This type of hypocrisy really does my head in…..
Re the war in Yemen….
US defence chief demands Yemen ceasefire; peace talks in 30 days
‘James Mattis says the US has watched the bloody conflict ‘long enough’ and he wants ‘dropping of bombs’ to stop.’
Meanwhile trump continues to sell weapons to the saudis so they can keep bombing Yemen.
WTF?
This type of hypocrisy really does my head in.
http://auckland.scoop.co.nz/2018/10/privatisation-of-public-land-a-broken-promise-by-government/
https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/108240059/Housing-New-Zealand-selling-super-block-of-Crown-land-in-Jacinda-Arderns-Mt-Albert-electorate
@BM shocking the government are selling off more state land and NZ assets. Of course that does not excuse the Natz who demolished the state houses on it in 2015. The people of NZ are punched from the left and punched from the right. They seem to share the same neoliberal Thatcher driven sell off state housing and land, policies on housing.
This government is Clarks 4th term.
That was Ponyboy wasn’t it BMmer.
The difference is the current government is naively and lazily benefiting neoliberal policy while the Natz engineered it further, post Clark.
Interesting conflation you have made there. I mean, I am sure your not deliberately diminishing the thousands who are being killed in Yemen by comparing it to local beltway politics. It sure does look that way though.
Did that action cause mass murder, genocide or starvation BM?
So, the story is that a block of land in Auckland had a series of State houses demolished in 2015 and part of that land is being developed with new state houses. Another portion is to be sold.
I quote the purpose as stated by the manager of the project from the the third of BM’s reference.
“Housing New Zealand asset development general manager Patrick Dougherty said the development was not part of the KiwiBuild programme but part of the Auckland Housing Programme (AHP).
The AHP started in June 2016 and will deliver 5200 new state homes and about 12,800 new affordable and market homes over 10 years.
The sale of the 20 market sites would enable Housing New Zealand to build more state houses in other high demand parts of Auckland, he said.”
Two things. First, the money goes towards providing more housing. It is after all houses that are required, not land.
Secondly, since it is a stated intention by the Minister that the types of housing should be indistinguishable from the outside, it makes sense to me that the housing provided be of a ‘mixed’ style to avoid the stigmatisation of being a State House tenant. The former ‘pepperpot’ strategy of earlier decades was also expected to help the problem of stigmatising and slums.
Well do I remember my school days of the Sixties when over the northern fence was “The Settlement”.
Aka Labour are selling off state land.
But they could be developing all the land itself and then using the state controlled rents to keep rents down while paying off the debt over time.
As in the UK examples, selling state housing and land to the private sector does not work, because the rising population demands more cheap rents and social housing to keep up with the population growth, and then the state rents start to rise because the state has less housing to work with to keep afloat and has to pay more to the private sector to rent the houses that they previously owned.
The Mt Albert decision was made by the previous National government. It was subject to considerable public consultation at the time. The number of HNZ dwellings is about the same, and the extra land sales will fund further HNZ properties. HNZ could not get the density they needed with the zoning in Mt Albert.
Patients are still begging for Ministry of Health funding for high dose vitamin C infusions.
Absolutely no doubt that vitamin C at the very least improves the quality of life for many cancer patients and research indicates that it can accentuate radiotherapy efficacy…so why not fund the stuff?
Its not as if its expensive or demands superskills to administer.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/northland/108205433/cancer-patients-call-for-vitamin-c-infusion-to-be-affordable
Or, could it be that our Beloved Misery is waiting for some enterprising start up to get their shit together and qualify for a license to profit….https://www.nzherald.co.nz/health/news/article.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=12152055
SSDD
And what is the evidence that you have no doubt about…?
https://www.otago.ac.nz/christchurch/research/vitamin-c/studies/
Plus….personal accounts from ordinary people who feel vitamin C (and other less mainstream medicinals) have improved their quality of life.
But of course those people don’t count….do they?
I had a quick look at the link provided and could not find a single RCT amongst the citations. One report involved a single patient. Most were reports that concluded bycalling for more clinical studies. “Personal accounts ” represent evidence of the very weakest kind.
One would need to do far better than this to gain public funding. Did you even read the reports that were linked?
“One would need to do far better than this to gain public funding.”
You jest? Surely?
Not at all, why would I be jesting?
I am wondering if you think it would be acceptable for health treatments that are not supported by any RCTs , but by ” personal accounts”, should be publicly funded ?
Have you heard of the placebo effect?
“I am wondering if you think it would be acceptable for health treatments that are not supported by any RCTs , but by ” personal accounts”, should be publicly funded ? ”
Hmmm…a conundrum indeed.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/science/105257599/cannabis-shows-no-benefit-for-chronic-pain-major-study-finds
yet…
https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/regulation-health-and-disability-system/medicines-control/medicinal-cannabis/prescribing-cannabis-based-products
Science…eh?
Vitamin C was my secret ingredient for recovery from strength training, and especially after a real workout like we good for nothin’ poor folks are wont to do e.g. 12 hours loading trucks*…
I digress.
If you work/train like a lunatic, try Vitamin C straight after. Faster recovery. It’s good stuff.
*I so want to see the working class collectively go on strike. Haha the world stops, the lights go out. Watch the deluded rich tossers ‘run the place’ then.
@ WeTheBleeple (9.1.1.2) … what form of Vitamin C is best? Food … eg fruit, vegs, or liquid, tablet or powder?
Agree with the rest of your comments there comrade 🙂
Also high dose vit c three times a day at the first sign of a head cold.
Lessens the severity of the event and usually shortens it.
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/patient/vitamin-c-pdq
It was a mere nine years ago this day that I wrote my first post for the Standard. It contains one of the most polarising, but accurate lines I have ever written:
“To put it simply, you cannot be a socialist, a greenie or any kind of progressive and eat meat.”
Cheers to every Standarnista who skips the roast flesh today and big ups to Ed and others who occupy the moral high ground every day.
Oh, and then there’s this, which I’ll dedicate to first bloke Clarke Gayford, NZ’s most prominent fish torturer:
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/oct/30/are-we-wrong-to-assume-fish-cant-feel-pain
Better living, everyone!
Good to see you care about animals. So what’s your take on governments hounding, terrorizing and imprisoning journalists?
Like you, Moz, I’m all in favour. In my opinion, the best way to terrorize journalists is to write pointless and inaccurate transcripts of their shows and post them on the interwebs. That’ll show ’em.
Not a serious answer. No surprises there.
I note that you are overflowing in your praise of my transcripts and critiques whenever they align with your own thoughts.
By no conscious decision other than living with a vegetarian I have nearly weaned myself off this year.
Also getting rid of milk has helped get back to the weight I was at 30.
so true, what part of meat is to like really?
Animal cruelty towards sentient beings, slaughter, worker exploitation, gross desensitising conditions for meatworkers, life long health issues, inefficient land use and other negative environmental and climate effects…
…which for more and more people trump the fleeting pleasure some get from deadly chemical saturated processed meats, and charred slabs of “bogus bovis” beef which supermarkets are virtually giving away at the moment
forsaking meat–you and the planet are worth it!
Good one. And I sorta agree but after 38 years yege I’ve got a bit more bias and a bit less judgment.
Looking on that post I found this quote from me
“Time to walk the green walk not just talk the green talk.”
And today I wrote on the conference post
“Time to get serious labour – walk the walk not just talk about it please.”
Some things don’t change much…
Thank you.
It was an epiphany for me the day I discovered the amorality of eating animals.
Like Ad, stopping eating meat and dairy sawxme shed the kilos.
So it’s a decision for the sake of animals, for the sake of the environment and, as a side benefit, it’s good for your health !
“A self-administration of a death, which we’re calling ‘assisted dying.'”
RNZ National, Thursday 1 November 2018, 9:10 a.m.
This morning Kathryn Ryan employed her most serious, slow talking register, clearly enunciating every word to show how serious she is. One question she never asked was: Who’s going to “administer” this killing of the old and disabled and sick? The army? Will they bring back the institution of executioner?
Interesting question. I am sure they could get soldiers to do it. Perhaps just line them up and use them during weapons qualifying. Or… I know this is crazy but hear me out … it could be done by a doctor who is familiar with the patient and is aware of their needs.
Yes that doctor would possibly be aware of the financial needs (and greed) of the family of the ‘patient’, ‘client’, ‘victim’…
done by a doctor…
?????
Doctors can’t kill their patients.
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/greek/greek_oath.html
I didn’t realise Dr’s were still making the oath to Greek gods.
There is a modern version https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/hippocratic-oath-today/.
I note from the article only 14% of modern oaths prevent Euthanasia. The argument could be made that by swearing to do no harm a Dr would be required to meet a patients wishes to end suffering.
I agree there are concerns around introduction of Euthanasia. The risk for abuse may mean that it really can’t be viably legalised. I of course wouldn’t make some ridiculous argument about having to get the military or executioners to carry out suicide assistance. Feel free to make a reasoned argument against though. I am always keen to learn.
Full kudos to Iain Lees-Gallaway for recognising and openly stating, that he may have made an unsound decision over the Czech guy and is now proceeding to put it right.
As opposed to the b.s. and bluster we’re hearing from Slimon Bridges.
Why was a criminal drug dealer currently in prison even considered eligible for permanent residency?
There’s something super smelly about this.
Who knew Woodlouse and Lazy Galloway share a love of the noble art of kickboxdrugdealing BMmer?
They need to deport the drug lord asap. Also begs the question why the government granted the drug lord residency in NZ, when he had previously taken trips back to the EU?
Will anybody be held to account, aka the person that compelled the report aka probably his lawyer missing out the pertinent facts??? Also the naivety of our government that falls for a sob story from known liars every time… while being hard of heart to their own people in tents or working 3 jobs to keep these drug lords in prison and the results of their crimes…
Weak. Stone him he is filth. Stone the filthy drug dealing out of him. Stone the drug lord but only after I’ve had a beer and some chaser preloads cos I throw straighter after a few – just ask my pets he he ha ha burp.
//sarc
Weird, you are the only ones talking about stoning him. The Druglord can have lovely life back in the EU and NZ are well rid of him and hopefully the government can make sure he doesn’t come back under another false passport.
Also he is just as likely, if not more, to be in danger from his drug mates in NZ for narking,( if that is how he managed to help grease his residency application here). Win win to get rid of him where he can be anonymous in the EU unlike in NZ where he is now very well known.
you are the only ones talking about stoning him.
Do you think Marty has a dissociative personality disorder?
Nope, do you? Save us from pop psychologists or people who have attended too much therapy and therefore feel the need to throw conditions around as insults instead of taking mental health seriously.
I was not insulting Marty or suggesting he had such a condition or making any judgement on those who do but rather making a statement about your incoherent language. Thought that would have been obvious.
I got it.
I’m using humour to show the frothy nature of your responses. The stoners are more stoned than the stonee being stoned for being stoned.
“narking,( if that is how he managed to help grease his residency application here)”
Could be.
Lol
That is impressive
Try to down play a complete balls up by Labour. While also making a dismal attempt to divert from the topic and criticise the opposition
When did the offending occur christy? When did he fly home for a visit?
Slick Bodges is outraged at discovering the turd he deposited on the doorstep. Why hasn’t that been cleared up? It’s outrageous.
It’s almost like officials didn’t give Ian all the info at the time.
Something feels off about this whole situation, feels like a set up by the nats.
Why are the nats targeting this particular individual/case/situation?
Especially after we discover the nat’s were happy to let some sex offenders stay in the country when they were in power.
Yep, apparently Eugenie Sage, didn’t feel there was any options apart from grant the Chinese the offshore water permits…. then looked like a hypocrite and fool and untrustworthy for doing so. I’m not sure how Ian made such a botch up on the drug lord residency, but labour campaigned on cleaning up immigration only to be caught granting it to a convicted criminal drug lord who enjoys trips back to his mates in the EU ???
The message to politicians seems to be to WAKE up and do a bit of research themselves and stick to their guns, rather that look like untrustworthy hypocritical fools and rely on reports and advice that are not fit for purpose.
You have an error in your first sentence. It should read:
“To fools she looked like a hypocrite.”
@Solka, Greens campaign on not selling off overseas water rights then one of their MP’s signs off water rights once getting elected. I think you are the fool for not understanding what hypocrite means.
The Greens also campaigned and stand for good process. Changing laws under urgency is bad practice that the Greens were very vocal criticising National for. Passing retrospective legislation is extremely bad practice and contrary to the principles of natural justice.
They also need to work with their partners and at a pace that allows for competing legislative priorities.
AND, Eugenie did not take this action as a Green MP but as a Crown Minister who is obliged to follow the law.
As usual you just prattle on with your own bigoted view of things totally impervious to the actual details of the matter.
It is not the law to approve the application that is why it went to her. She approved it instead of stopping it. Its very simple.
Also after 1 year in office, where is the new laws on stopping practice, from the Greens?
The Minister’s job is to make the final decision based on the law. It really is that simple.
It’s not the law. It was her subjective position that got the consent through.
The whole point is that the Minister is supposed to be objective based on the law. The law as it stands does not allow for a subjective judgement.
subjective
adjective
1Based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.
‘his views are highly subjective’
Contrasted with objective
You’re the fool who doesn’t understand how the rule of law works.
I’m with solkta and well expressed that … solkta!
Really, SaveNZ? Eugenie, selling out at the first opportunity?
Hardly. Have you met the woman? Not a sell-out, by any stretch of (your) imagination.
I wonder if the official who didn’t disclose all the info, disclosed that fact to a slick bodger mate.
I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about
What turd?
https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/l/f/i/z/s/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620×349.1lfi0o.png/1504501119377.jpg
Nats have played one of their get-out-of-jail-free cards.
First, they must pass “Go” and pay their street repairs bill.. There is also a small matter of the sale of the railway stations and the electric utilities!
Mrs Mac1 told me that Guyon Espiner on RNZ this morning really put Simon Bridges and his bluster firmly in place.
Along the lines of
Espiner-“Well, in your time in office you didn’t deport the man.”
Bridges- “Well, the Minister acted on the advice given.”
Espiner- “Well, what’s different, now?”
And the bit I heard at the end- again well-paraphrased.
Espiner-“You want the Minister to resign. Will Mr Woodhouse resign?”
Bridges- “But he’s not the Minister.”
Espiner-“Will he resign as the shadow Minister?”
Bridges-“Rant rant rant”
Bridges never ‘heard’ the Espiner call for Woodhouse’s resignation even though he made it twice.
Chris T, a dismal attempt to attack the government and divert criticism of his own time in power, in all its lacking.
Lets face it, the Natz helped with policy decisions to keep the drugs moving into NZ, created one of the highest immigration in the world for nearly a decade of low skilled people coming here to work in supermarkets, and bakeries and then created committees to put forward policy to evict tenants on Meth tests, and create the shock doctrine housing crisis….
… meanwhile Labour and Greens were blind to it and campaigned on higher taxes, middle class rental standards for people who can’t even afford rental with the above climate created by the Natz, and legalising drugs (Greens)… then they wonder why people can’t choose who to vote for????
People with your view make this country unsafe imo. Drugs are rife idiot. At every sector and height in society. That is why it is a health issue imo. You’d chuck people in jail and that EXPANDS the drug relationships with criminals. Wake up like your name says.
Actually I’m suggesting deport the drug lord, not have our taxes and judicial system spending hundreds of thousands on his prison stay and sentencing, and any further ones, based on his current crime record, it’s not going to be the last time Kiwi tax payers will support his arse in prison where as you say, the prison system “EXPANDS the drug relationships with criminals”.
Now they have the benefit of EU drug lords helping the expansion, yippee!
Well now a gnat has rolled I’m sure he’ll be on the first flight out. You must be so proud that you’ve saved us all from a baddie.
It’d be a win for NZ
A.
That Espiner/Bridges interview is a Must Listen, IMO.
It is the hardest I have ever seen Espiner go on Bridges and raised some excellent questions and points that need to be followed up.
Here is the link.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018669287/czech-criminal-s-case-did-not-come-before-national-minister-bridges
Am just listening to the midday news, and there is a lot still to go on this issue.
Question Time today has only one question on it from Woodhouse to Lees-Galloway. There are no questions from Bridges or Bennett to the PM or Deputy PM so it is probable that neither Bridges or Bennett will be in the House.
Thanks for the link, veutoviper. I’ll hear how close my paraphrased versions actually were………
Heh, Bridges might have thrown Woodhouse under a bus there. Jeez Guyon, that was bloody good.
Please can Bridges remain as National Party leader.
Yes mac1. I heard Bridges stammer and dodge. He had the gall to say, ” The Minister cannot become a detective and go out and detect.”
But says Guyon, “How is that different from the present case?”
Mumble, deflect mumble.
Very funny Simon.
I agree on the kudos to the minister.
However his reasoning made a mockery of Winston the day before at question time.
Winston made a lot out of Galloway making the decision himself, rather than relying/blaming officials.
Remember, gsays, that Peters made a lot of the Minjster’s decision making by comparing it to the previous government which after 2014 gave the responsibility away to the officials. In this case, Minister Lees-Galloway acted on advice given by officials who did not have for whatever reason the same information that became available to National. That the decision was made by Lees-Galloway was Peter’s point. The quality of advice is another issue and does not reflect at all upon Peters.
Fair enough.
Today’s mentioning of the officials as part of a ‘reconsideration’ jarred with the ‘vibe’ I picked up from ‘Winston’ at QT.
The PM and her deputy have been made to look like fools over this.
They both arrogantly and smuggly defended the decision on Tuesday. By Wednesday “new evidence” was discovered which reopened the case.
Tomorrow the decision will be reversed to get this out of the headlines next week.
What a monumental cluster fuck and embarrassing u turn.
It’s actually not that bad – you’re catastrophying it imo.
Not really
One of National’s attack lines since day 1 has been this government is soft on crime. Why feed into that narrative by giving them an example like this on a plate.
Australia exports criminals who have lived in Australia their whole lives. New Zealand imports lying fraudulent drug dealers. That is what the National trolls will be yelling as a result of this cock up.
That’s not a cock up. This is a cock up.
Yep good points.
Which is exactly why the nats abrogated responsibility to the ministry for several years.
You get the big pay packet, you make the hard call.
The only real problem is that the increased publicity seems to have uncovered the contradictory information, which in turn could well make it look like the minister caved under pressure rather than simply acting on information received.
At least there is hope they will u turn and make sure that the embarrassment goes away, rather than have him served up next election as the government being the reason he is one of our new residents.
No decent human being should ever defend an action as ‘maintaining the integrity of the process’ nuffy nuffy, be his/her arse ever so smooth.
Iain has made a complete idiot of himself. Would love a photo of him to appear hiding behind the pillar to avoid reporters.
The Czech needs to leave the country immediately.
Jimmy, so it’s wrong to change ones mind when presented with new information?
The “new info” will be the excuse for changing the decision. He has clearly not done due diligence in the first place (or made a very big error of judgement). Both National and Labour have been reluctant to send people packing IMO.
Maybe we will find out more soon?
‘Immigration NZ is investigating claims that contradict the reasons why Iain Lees-Galloway granted residency to convicted drug smuggler Karel Sroubek.’
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12152730
Jimmy is an ideologue.
No, not really. Just a practical person. Would you want the Czech living next door to you?
As for ILG, I think its hard to say he’s handled the situation well.
I’m not following the Kiwibuild story as too depressing, but someone told me that the couple in the media who got ballot for the house, are a final year doctor who stands to make a lot of money in the future and they got a 4 bedroom house, when they are just a couple.
Good luck to the people as it is very hard to get a house and they are probably riddled with student debts and being a doctor is of great benefit to society, but it does seem a bit sad that those 3 extra bedrooms will be empty when there are families with a lot more kids living in one bedroom emergency housing, that could have benefited from those extra bedrooms and a new secure house.
And I would have preferred my taxes spent on helping families renting and state housing and land still owned by the state for future generations, rather than helping better resourced people up the property ladder.
Even if the land was leasehold to the state, it would have been better. Maybe removing his student loans in return for staying in NZ for 10 years might also be of more benefit to the public than a house that they can sell in 3 years.
Surprise, KiwiBuy working the way everyone thought it would.
That lovely young couple were bragging on the news hub facebook page about making 50 k already.
People took offence to that and went on the attack, that’s why they deleted their social media accounts, nothing to do with Judith Collins.
Not that you’d ever read that on such unbiased media outlets like TVNZ and Radio Pravda.
Da, comrade BM – Radio Pravda?
“those 3 extra bedrooms will be empty” – doesn’t it seem way more likely they will have some boarders?
Excellent not only do this deserving couple get given 50 k by the taxpayer, but they can also rent out the other three rooms and get themselves some good extra income.
Certainly, help pay for all those overseas trips.
Oh I would rather see any 4 brm homes go to families. But then I don’t set the rules.
I doubt there would have been many families in the draw
99% of the people would have been childless young couples with high earning jobs or young people financed by Mum and Dad looking for quick capital gain.
Kiwi Buy is nothing more than a taxpayer subsidy for young New Zealanders who have come from the middle to upper classes.
You’d say anything to bad mouth the government – similar to your mate bridges in that.
More tribal rubbish from Mars.
You are fake – fake caring and fake tears – you’re full of it.
Off topic but deep breathes’ time – a couple of links at 15 you may be interested in. The second is re home schooling.
Another (genuine) laugh out loud BM comment – please keep ’em coming.
It is just envy. Your mob denied there was a even a problem lol. The problem is big. It will take multiple initiativess to sort. 1 year into this government and things are starting to happen on this one initiative. Somehow some people would prefer the gnats to still be there cos labour aren’t fixing things fast enough – more fool them I say.
They’re not fixing anything they’re actually making the housing situation a lot worse.
Croc tears cos you don’t care.
In 2007, honest John Key said NZ was facing an urgent housing crisis.
Is it too late to ask the now Right Honourable Sir John Key his advice on how to stop “making the housing situation a lot worse”? Or maybe the opposition National party has a productive contribution?
Or kids.
Well hey Sacha, with a few tweaks on the 4 bedroom house plan they could comfortably house a family with three kids.
https://mclennan.co.nz/mclennan-kiwibuild/
Be heaps more betterer than this…https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/107874921/bucket-toilet-for-garage-tenants-the-vulnerable-kiwis-reforms-wont-help …. they’d have a proper flush toilet and everything!!!!
“I’m not following the Kiwibuild story as too depressing”
With you there savenz. The argument for the cheerleading seems to be be, – well National created the mess…
Pretty low bar, and even that is not easily cleared, given the previous Clark government had the wheels in motion for the current house crisis.
Folk have really short memories Molly.
I’ve yet to see compelling evidence that this current manifestation of the New Zealand Labour Party is appreciably different.
Politics of envy, NZs talkback radio fav fodder, tall poppy syndrome etc… divide and conquer, one doesn’t dare stick ones head above the parapet, esp if one wins a KB raffle, how dare they!!! Nek minute, Collins claims innocent, well her fan proxies do…
@ I feel love, The point is, should tax payer money and state land be a raffle? Or should it be means tested and fairly apportioned based on need?
But there is no taxpayer money involved. The houses are sold at cost.
They are giving away free prime state house land as part of the deal. They could retain both the houses and land for the state and future generations. Instead they are doing financial engineering and doublespeak which clearly fools quite a few so called leftie supporters of the Thatcher based scheme, but not all.
They are not giving anything away. It doesn’t cost $650,000 to build one of those houses.
The site is ex-defense force and has never been state housing.
when it suits the right wingers and woke lefties house prices are so high because of the cost of the land, (not lazy immigration in fact we need more immigration because who is going to build the houses cheaply the, the Kiwis are drugged out hopeless types) , however it seems to suit woke lefties to now say that state land is not needed for state housing and rightfully given away in return for middle class housing with all the mod cons… a percentage sold off raffle style to those on $180k and without children in a 4 bedroom house.
Clearly logic was at work. I understand the right wingers being on board with the privatisation of state land, but the woke lefties seem just as eager.
And they say, the voters are stupid….
rightfully given away
Nothing has been given away. Spinning yourself around in circles won’t change that fact.
Approx 2/3 of the land is no longer owned by the public and according to the woke lefties and righties once upon a time, they said it was the land that was worth all the money. Now suddenly the land is not worth much and they will swap it for building 1/3 houses.
Confused. Well I guess that’s he point but it all end up as state assets sell offs, disguised.
Now somehow the state no longer owns 2/3 of it’s valuable land because it has been non transparently taken through third parties and the state is left with approx 1/3 of the land it once had often with a similar amount of state houses it once had.
And the houses built are only affordable for the top 40% of people who would have got a house anyway.
Yes i think you are confused. I can’t make sense of any of that.
Wokey savey? That a Star Wars thingy?
Just some grammatical incoherence.
+1 Molly
Thinking about the new 4 bedroom house that will not house a family in need, I wonder what happened to that poor homeless family and little girl who narrowly missed out on a scholarship at St Cuthbert’s. That was a heart wrenching story.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11653678
Sorry I can only find the Granny link, but John Campbell lead the story for TV3 or radio NZ
“Over the next 10 years, 100,000 “affordable” homes will be built around the country.
But they’re not for low-income people, they’re not a gift from taxpayers and – in the end, anyway – the price the houses sell for is not the most important aspect of the scheme.
Here are five common myths about KiwiBuild.” ;
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/108210155/Five-myths-about-KiwiBuild-and-who-its-meant-to-help
This piece may go someway to cover a few misconceptions ….
JC: “But they’re not for low-income people, they’re not a gift from taxpayers and – in the end, anyway – the price the houses sell for is not the most important aspect of the scheme.”
The Kiwibuild could never help people under say $40,000. Never intended to. The rebuilding of State houses are the best option for the working poor.
Imagine if Donald Trump was a rock star
He’d be named Gene, and he’d be even worse than he is now….
https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2017/12/general_debate_23_december_2017.html/comment-page-1#comment-2105352
I’d hate to be a musician in his band. The lead singer (what else?) wouldn’t listen to the band, he’d have a different drummer in his head, and the songs (who else would be permitted to write them?) would be disassociated ramblings full of the first person singular.
Wonder what the band would be called? Probably none. Full billing to the lead singer only. No lead breaks for the guitarist and as for the vocal chorus, we won’t go there.
How many members of the family would be involved? What style of music? A little mix of punk, country, and hillbilly, but no blues, Mex or reggae for sure.
And guess who’d own the venues he played at?
He’d be something like THIS godawful singer….
EDUCATION
On RNZ Nine to Noon there were two very interesting interviews on education.
The first was with Hamish Brewer, a NZer who “now calls Virginia home where his mission is to turn around ailing schools. He is tattooed, he skateboards and he tells the students he loves them, in case no one else in their lives is telling them that. Hamish has won many awards and given speeches about his work.”
This guy was compelling in a “Ted Talks” way – which I don’t usually connect with. We really should be getting him back here, even if just temporarily, for some good ‘out of the box’ thinking. He was actually very supportive of the education he received here and the NZ system overall, but he certainly could give some educators here a bit of a shake-up.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018669306/hamish-brewer-disrupting-education-with-love
Calling marty mars and other home schoolers (or those interested in home schooling) in relation to the second interview.
I recommend listening to it if you didn’t hear it. It was with Natalie Donaldson and Siobhan Porter, both part of Auckland Home Educators, a support and advocacy group for parent educators. They have five children each and have home-schooled them all.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018669313/home-schooling-pros-and-cons
{As an aside but also in relation to this morning’s Nine to Noon, the description of the interview with Jessica Young, University of Otago, at 11 above on attitudes to assisted dying earlier on in the programme was well off the mark. The interview did cover the restrictions etc on who could carry out or assist in an assisted death in detail – the person themself or a doctor, but not family members. ]
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018669299/majority-support-some-form-of-euthanasia
Ta. Forwarding
A.
I assume one “veutoviper” is referring to my contribution at 9:25 am when he/she writes:
As an aside but also in relation to this morning’s Nine to Noon, the description of the interview with Jessica Young, University of Otago, at 11 above on attitudes to assisted dying earlier on in the programme was well off the mark.
How was I “off the mark” in pointing out the deceitful, anodyne language used (“self-administration of a death”) and the fact that Kathryn Ryan had failed to ask the obvious question, viz., Who is going to kill these people?
The interview did cover the restrictions etc on who could carry out or assist in an assisted death in detail – the person themself [sic] or a doctor, but not family members.
Doctors take an oath to look after people. “Look after” is not a synonym for “kill”.
She DID ask the question you claim she didn’t raise. As I said above, the answer was that the only people who would legally be allowed to carry out or assist in an assisted death would be the person themselves and/or a doctor; no-one else including family members would be allowed to.
But par for the course for you. Perhaps we (and Kiwiblog) should set up a Give A Little page for hearing aids for you.
the answer was that the only people who would legally be allowed to carry out or assist in an assisted death
To “carry out an assisted death” is a deceitful, euphemistic way of saying “to kill a dying person.” I am correct when I state that Ms. Ryan accepted this distortion of plain language, and failed to ask the pertinent question.
would be the person themselves [sic] and/or a doctor
Doctors take an oath to look after their patients. Palliative care, as in a hospice is assisting the dying; it is a world away from putting someone to death.
I’ll skip your witless little sortie into personal abuse.
Leaving someone in agony for the sake of it is not a caring thing.
And killing that person is?
That option is refuted by palliative care doctors and nurses.
When i see a bird dying in my garden i put a spade through its neck. When my old dog was so close to death that he was just suffering i took him for a final visit to the vet. These things to most people seem humane and sensible. When i do these things i feel like i am caring.
Human beings are not like stray birds. Leading humanitarian philosophers like Michael Laws and David Seymour would no doubt appreciate your analogy though.
My dog on the other hand was the best natured person i have ever known.
I’ll be there for ya solka, you stay the fuck away from me though.
lol
Thanks
WOO HOO!
Letting fees are toast 😀
This will help the working poor amongst others AWW. Yay!
yei. excellent news.
Cracker read for aviation tragics and fearful fliers.
15:30:21 Capt got any ideas?
15:30:23 F/O actually not.
15:30:38 Capt we’re gonna brace.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/10/14/1577211/-The-A320-and-the-Hudson
Some Eco Maori Music For The Minute
This is hope fully a good out come for the common people of Yemen Peace and diplomacy is what is best for All Kia kaha
It has taken three years, 14 million people on the brink of starving to death and 10,000 dead civilians before the US finally asked for the chaos in Yemen to stop.
But it may be too late for the impoverished Arab nation, which borders Saudi Arabia, as it faces effectively being wiped off the Earth as more than half its population starve due to a sickening Saudi war tactic.
It was already one of the world’s poorest countries before a brutal civil war began in 2015 when rebel Houthi fighters seized the presidential compound in the country’s capital Sana’a and overthrew the government. Ka kite ano Link is below.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12152869
New Neighbour the last lot were sandflys contracted Actors and now it looks like a single wahine is moving in she will be a sandfly payed actor trying to set me up I know they are listening to everything in the house the perverts . So if anything happen its a sandfly set up. The muppets will try anything Ka kite ano
Eco Maori Give A ka pai to the Google employees who have made a stand to back up there wahine employees Equality is what the new generation wants and need.
We not stupid Equality for all and environmentally friendly.Hundreds of Google engineers and other workers around the world walked off the job Thursday (Friday NZ time) to protest the internet company’s lenient treatment of executives accused of sexual misconduct.Kia kaha people ka kite ano link is below.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/108297125/google-employees-walk-out-to-protest-treatment-of-women
Eco Maori did warn MP that there staff could be pro national and set them up and the immigration issue that Labour is having at the minute sure looks like a SET UP JOB.
‘ looking like the Government has made an embarrassing stuff-up over the controversial decision to allow a Czech criminal to stay in the country after he finishes his prison sentence. SET UP Ka kite ano link is below. P.S I will give the turned lefty a bit of a ——–
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12153476
I say trump and the gop are going to need a huge box of tissue in about 5 days
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/31/trump-abandoned-civility-republican-party
Kia ora Te Kaea the water isuses I say we need to audit all country’s council and legerslate to make them clean up our water.
That was awesome that the sights of the Southern right whale off Ohope Bay of plenty.
The Maori All Blacks will have a good team playing in Chicago this weekend.
Ka kite ano P.S Maori does some thing wrong no name suppression it’s gets plastered in the media???????.