Open mike 01/12/2023
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- What’s Been Happening? Political Roundup
For paid subscribersI’m currently writing an article in response to a promise to Bill about where everything is heading - and I included a ‘quick’ snapshot of political updates.However, as that list of updates got longer, I thought it made sense to send out as a separate article.So here it ...2 hours ago - Bitch
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Property rights – which enable decisions over tangible and intangible assets – are critical to an economy as Why Nations Fail pointed out. Not just private property rights for, as we shall see, they are more complicated than that. Neoliberals argue that private property rights lead to the maximum economic ...1 day ago - The Hoon around the week to November 22
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Following the 2022 Brazilian general election, election loser Jair Bolsonaro tried to do a Trump, attempting a coup to overturn the election. It failed. But unlike his American friend, he hasn't been allowed to get away with it: The former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and some of his closest ...1 day ago - Treasury warns deeper recession worsening Budget deficit
The gift that keeps giving: David Seymour has now opened a split in the coalition over the future of National’s promise to build a new medical school. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / TheKakaKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and ...1 day ago
- Weekly Roundup 22-November-2024
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Record Numbers: The Hīkoi mō te Tiriti, which began at the tip of the North, and the tail of the South, on 11 November, culminated outside Parliament on Tuesday, 19 November 2024, in one of the largest demonstrations in New Zealand’s political history.ACCORDING TO TE ARA, the Ministry of Culture ...1 day ago - The Rush To Blame “The Activists”
Activists are such easy scapegoats. The right and center have been conditioned for decades to roll their eyes at all protests. The left are easily aggravated over students leading movements they see as belonging to grownups, who have more important concerns like the economy and whether the trains come on ...1 day ago - Cutting Through An Inundation of Dipshit Racists
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The speech yesterday by Treasury’s Chief Economic Advisor warning that the books are in worse shape than forecasted looks like it’s part of a softening-up process for either more cuts or a longer wait to get back into surplus. The speech was a highly unusual public preview of Treasury’s Half-Yearly ...2 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #47 2024
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Chatting in the supermarket this morning, I found I needed to lunge for the chicken drumsticks.Coping mechanisms: who hasn’t felt a greater need for them lately?When it all gets too much, I turn to demonstrating handy butchery hacks.It wasn’t that she’d said anything wrong, our friend, not at all. We ...2 days ago - The year is 2024 and it’s 1984
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Back in 2022, RNZ took an in-depth look at the "Independent" Police Conduct Authority and its handling of killings by police. These are the most serious test of oversight, and you would expect the police's use of lethal force to receive the most severe scrutiny. But despite the police regularly ...2 days ago
- Thursday 21 November 2024
The Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti arrived at Parliament on Tuesday – the size is being debated but estimates range from 42,000 to 100,000. The Prime Minister is defending not attending due to some of the organisers being affiliated with Te Pāti Māori. The national gang patch ban came into force ...2 days ago - ‘These budget cuts are counter-productive and make no sense’
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- ACT’s Astroturfing & A Co-ordinated Attack on Te Pati Māori
Unity on the Streets / Unity at the TableAfter the Hīkoi, all three right wing Coalition leaders came together to push the idea that the 42,000 - 50,000 + strong Hikoi was somehow less potent and brave, and more illegitimate than the energy and crowd displayed.Prime Minister Christopher Luxon 20-November: ...2 days ago - Durability of carbon dioxide removal is critical for stabilizing temperatures
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With Auckland Transport’s future up in the air under Mayor Wayne Brown’s proposed CCO reform, we’ve dug way back into the archives, to unearth this post originally published in March 2010. As you’ll see, many of the debates that were being had when AT was first proposed continue to ...2 days ago
- Economists call on PM to suspend budget cuts for the sake of the economy
Nicola Willis’ budget cuts are under fire from economists for having no clear rationale and worsening the recession. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, November 21: The news at ...2 days ago
- The end of policing by consent
National has appointed a new police commissioner. And he explicitly rejects policing by consent: Asked if he subscribed to policing by consent, he said he did not. “I don’t talk about policing by consent. I talk about trust and confidence, and it is fundamentally important that the police have ...3 days ago
- The Treaty Principles Bill: A Who’s Who
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NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is calling on the Government to deliver an economic and industrial strategy for regional manufacturing, rather than just expressing sympathy for job losses, following the announced closure of Kinleith mill in Tokoroa. “The closure Kinleith mill in Tokoroa is not just devastating for ...3 days ago
- 27% of kids going hungry, up from 21% in a year
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- Young Maori take over
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Like everyone else (everyone who wasn't there, anyway), I've spent the morning watching the hikoi march on Parliament. The pictures are astounding: parliament grounds and the surrounding streets are full, and there are still people backed up along Lambton Quay. The police are estimating 35,000 people, and that's a floor ...4 days ago
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There were urgent moves yesterday at Parliament to try and defuse the tension building up over ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill. The Bill’s author, ACT leader David Seymour, told reporters that he understood the Justice Select Committee met yesterday to discuss how long it should take to consider submissions on the ...5 days ago
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- National’s support base is wobbling
If ACT leader David Seymour intended the Treaty Principles Bill to drive a wedge into National’s support base, he may well already be succeeding. By midnight on Thursday after the Maori Party haka in Parliament, National MPs were being deluged with emails and messages from their members calling them out ...6 days ago
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- Grifter Eftpos Tamaki at it again
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I cannot stop grabbing people by the lapels, or shoulders, or similar, and raving at them about the tiny miracles in my ears.I can hear again! There could not be a more satisfied customer in all the world.In a noisy cafe I am even catching words that Karren cannot, she ...6 days ago - Unintended Consequences
Take the baitYou pay the priceIt's much too lateFor good adviceYou know and I know that our good things' throughBecause there's consequences for what we doConsequences for me and youWriters: Kevin Robert Hayes, David Nagier, Bonnie Adele Hayes.Fallout from the first readingOne News began last night by saying that tens ...1 week ago - Thank you, driver!
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1 week ago - More lawlessness from National
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Day One of the Treaty Principles Bill…and everyone got what they wanted, and did what they liked. Heated words were exchanged. Culturally appropriate acts of outrage were performed. David Seymour got to play the victim card. Willie Jackson got kicked out of class. A comically red-faced Mr Speaker bellowed “Order, ...1 week ago
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Good morning, and I’m sorry I’ve been away for a couple of days.I’ve been focusing on the Hikoi, and also testing out sentiment on the Treaty Principles Bill. It’s complicated, and the Treaty Principles Bill will be debated in the House today. The Government’s own lawyers have told them the ...1 week ago - Government must vote down ACT Members Bill that would undermine workers’ rights
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Louise Upston has revealed her diminished vision for vulnerable youth against a backdrop of snubbed advice, scrapped priorities, shifted goal posts and thousands more children projected to fall into poverty. ...2 days ago
- Release: National’s lack of climate action taking NZ backwards
National Government’s backward-looking climate policy has seen New Zealand fall seven places on the Climate Change Performance Index to 41 out of 63 countries measured. ...2 days ago
- Release: Simple reason for drop in emergency housing
When the Government says it has reduced the number of people in emergency housing, what it means is it is stopping people from accessing it in the first place. ...2 days ago
- Govt’s child wellbeing strategy ‘shallow and shameful’
The Government is turning its back on children by not only weakening child poverty reduction targets, but also removing child mental wellbeing as a priority focus in their Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy. ...2 days ago
- Release: A historic win for Samoan communities
Labour warmly welcomes the Restoring Samoan Citizenship Bill as it passes its third reading, before becoming law. ...2 days ago
- Government plan to reinstate live animal exports a “national disgrace”
The Government has taken a giant step backwards by reinstating live animal exports. ...3 days ago
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Teanau Tuiono’s Member’s Bill, the Citizenship (Western Samoa Restoration) Amendment Bill, has passed its third reading and will become law. ...3 days ago
- Release: Minister of Education thinks New Zealand ends at the Bombay Hills
The Minister of Education has shown complete disregard for rural communities and their school bus routes in Question Time today. ...3 days ago
- Economists sound alarm on Government’s slash-and-burn approach
A group of prominent economists has released an open letter to the Government, raising grave concerns about the far-reaching consequences of its fiscal policy. ...3 days ago
- Release: Smoking numbers up under Costello’s watch
National’s repeal of Labour’s smokefree legislation has taken New Zealand further away from achieving a Smokefree 2025 and a smokefree generation. ...3 days ago
- Release: Call for Palestine recognition by NZ, Australian and Canadian MPs
Parliamentarians from Australia, Canada and New Zealand have written an open letter to their respective Prime Ministers calling on them to recognise Palestine. ...3 days ago
- Justice Select Committee opens floor for Treaty Principles submissions
Today, the Justice Select Committee has decided to officially open submissions for the controversial Treaty Principles Bill. ...4 days ago
- Power of the people on full display as hīkoi approaches Parliament
Today, Hīkoi mō te Tiriti arrived in Wellington, with thousands gathering to march in unity against the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...4 days ago
- Hypocrisy as Te Whatu Ora contractor bill balloons
Te Whatu Ora’s bill for contracting and consulting staff has ballooned by nearly 20 percent under the National Government, breaking a promise they made during the election campaign to cut contractors. ...5 days ago
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- Government’s move to monetise access to nature a slippery slope
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- Green Party condemns the passage of Treaty Principles Bill
The Green Party condemns the passing of the Treaty Principles Bill at first reading, and is clear that the fight is not over. ...1 week ago
- Stand Up for Te Tiriti
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is our country’s founding document. It forms the basis of the relationship between Māori and the Crown – and the Aotearoa New Zealand we live in today. ...1 week ago
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The fast-track legislation passing its second reading in Parliament is another step towards environmental ruin. ...1 week ago
- Greens join King’s Counsel in calling for Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned
The Prime Minister must answer the call from a group of senior lawyers of the King’s Counsel to abandon the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...1 week ago
- Chris Hipkins’ apology statement to state and faith-based care survivors
...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour formally apologises to state and faith-based care survivors
Labour joins with the Government in unreservedly apologising for the abuse, neglect and trauma including torture in state and faith-based care and for ignoring the voices of survivors for too long. ...2 weeks ago
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Today, the Green Party stands alongside the survivors of abuse in state care and faith-based care as the Government issues an historic apology. ...2 weeks ago
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The Green Party has written to the Speaker of the House requesting he enable a personal vote on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
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The Green Party is alarmed by the Government’s move to exclude a journalist from covering this week’s apology for the survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care. ...2 weeks ago
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For tomorrow’s apology to survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care to hold any water, the Government must not pursue the same policies that drove the abuse in the first place. ...2 weeks ago
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Concerns about the tobacco industry’s ability to interfere in government policy making remain, despite the inability of the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate the Government’s decision to halve the excise tax on heated tobacco products. ...2 weeks ago
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The Climate Change Commission’s latest advice indicates Aotearoa needs to be stepping up on climate action. ...2 weeks ago
- Green MP’s Meme-ber’s Bill set to save the world
Break out the punchlines and dust off your meme folder: Green Party MP Kahurangi Carter’s Copyright (Parody and Satire) Amendment Bill was pulled from the Ballot yesterday. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Poroporoaki: Ta Robert (Bom) Gillies
Kua hinga te manawa kairākau o Te Rua Tekau Ma Waru Tiwhatiwha te po! Kakarauru i te po! Ka rapuhia kei hea koe kua riro! Haere e te Ika a Whiro ki o tini hoa kua ngaro atu ki te Pō ...2 weeks ago
- Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principles Bill
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principle...
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ must pursue independent foreign policy
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- Child Protection Investigation Unit established
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Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Ka mihi ki te mana whenua ko Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Kia ora and good morning everyone. Thank you Fran and Simon for inviting me here today, and importantly your leadership of this forum over several years now. I want to acknowledge David Gehrenbeck, Deputy ...1 day ago
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- District Court Judge appointed
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- New diplomatic appointments
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- Police stats show promising change
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- Better coordination of anti-scam efforts
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- Minister to consider 7AA select committee report
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The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
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The new team.
So National's intelligentsia thinks it will improve health and education while transferring scarce national resources into the pockets of the landlord and employer class and it diminishes the rights of workers and tenants.
How historic are their ambitions
Oh so lifestyles of poor people will be an excuse … for any failure.
https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/
Why not Greg O'Connor for the police portfolio. He seems an obvious choice being a former police officer and, later, spokesperson for the police union.
I suspect he is not very popular with the hierarchy of the party. He is Labour of fifty years ago when they actually tried to represent the working people.
He didn't go on the list. He was probably offered position 95 or so. I doubt if Hipkins would have minded in the slightest if he had lost his seat. H also admitted before the election that Labour were going to get badly beaten.
https://www.thepost.co.nz/politics/350076455/labour-mp-concedes-his-party-will-likely-lose-election
I suspect that pretty much covers it.
Why is Christopher Penk without Ministerial position? Is your reckon that he is not popular within the party or otherwise the new leader?
He's thoroughly administered: 5 portfolios. https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/penk-chris/
Outside of cabinet was all I had noted.
So Building and Construction Minister is outside of Cabinet … just like the Climate Change Minister … Environment Minister …Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills … Minister of State for Trade
The landlords will be happy at the low status of that minister. A lower importance to new building leads to shortages and higher property values.
Greg O’Connor was not an MP until 2017.
His first priority has been to win the electorate seat and secure it for Labour – after the Dunne era.
He is now age 65.
I believe Greg O'Connor is Assistant Speaker in the new parliament, which probably precludes him from having spokespersons roles. I may be wrong and stand to be corrected.
Deputy Speaker in the former parliament 2022-2023.
Those are yet to be elected but you are correct that it precludes spokesperson roles.
Standard practice is to elect at least one assistant speaker each from Labour and National (Jacqui Dean was the National MP in the last Parliament) – will be interesting to see which Labour MP is elected as assistant speaker.
Latest bout of US corporate infighting has been fun, and there's even top-level foreign policy mixed in:
Playing the radical chic card. The idea that media ought to be balanced is an unusually clever notion from the yahoo – almost worth pondering the possibility that Elon took it on board as sage advice.
I am not sure because
For mine at least one person thought he might have done it again
When she moves to another jobs, she'll have on her CV, carried fresh nappies for a billionaire.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67574396
How's X faring as a money-making machine? Seems okay according to this market appraisal: https://www.searchlogistics.com/learn/statistics/twitter-user-statistics/
So they dropped 13%, no big deal really. Those who threw a tanty about Elon will seek out some other media icon to worship.
Such loyalty to the boss is so traditional it almost brings tears to one's eyes. Hipkins may even be so inspired by it he'll issue another random reflex captain's call.
X generates revenue from advertising, not numbers of users.
Yeah so that $4.4 billion will get compared with the 2023 revenue to assess the effect of selective rejection of advertisers, which is the strategy behind the mouth (even if inadvertent). Accountants must do their thing re cost/income ratio to report whatever corporate profit to the market. My guess is that any dent in Elon's reputation for gambling will emerge in a few months from now. Dunno if they do march end-of-financial-year like us (bequeathed by pagans long ago).
A precedent has been set.
If backdating stuff is now OK, why not backdate a future CGT to the original purchase?
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO2311/S00204/christmas-coming-early-for-landlords-with-an-extra-900-million-present-from-nact.htm
Estimate number of months it will take to put out Shane McGowan's cremation.
That's in dubious taste but really funny
.
Political prediction:
Question time is going to become appointment-viewing..
(I might start doing commentaries on it…again…
There is often much humour to be had ..)
The Natzos and NActFirst as a group are back to SirKey’s trick of not fronting up for RNZ interviews.
Neither Baldrick, Peters, or Health Minister Dr Cigareti deigned to appear this morning when asked to talk about the WHO provision in the Coalition agreement.
“New Zealand's new government has urgently lodged a reservation–a letter saying the country would not sign up yet–for amendments to WHO health regulations. It was part of National's agreement with New Zealand First”
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/503646/coalition-s-who-policy-leaves-public-health-expert-baffled
Told you so ….
https://thestandard.org.nz/mergers-and-acquisitions/#comment-1977269
One of Cindy’s policies National hasn’t reversed then … avoiding certain early morning radio interviews… you should he happy
Can we please get shot of this misogynist troll?
So you didn't like Ardern doing it but your mobs ok, pull ya skirt down ya hypocrisy is showing
Jack's just having his daily snicker.
Be better if he took a long kit kat.
The Government is a corner overWHO. The system is that when a warning is put out, NZ signs it then considers if it is in the National interest then if so, Ratifies it and acts on it.
What Luxon wants to do is consider the WHO info to considers if it is in the National interest and if so ratify it. So complicated.
I'm busy stocking up my supply of popcorn 😊
Woops, that's supposed to a reply to Philip Ure's comment.
The first one is a Thursday, Phil.
Traditionally, the PM won't be there.
Winston will be taking the role 🙂
Let the good times roll.
Heh..!…chrs…I'll be there..
And I am feeling confident that the new speaker will be worthy of observing…
I actually missed the last speaker…I understand he was pretty good..
And has probably left the bar too high for brownlee…
Labour will also provide fodder..(plenty of room for acerbic quips at their words there..versus their record of (in) action when in power..
It is all grist to the mill..
I sometimes watch US political comment all they way through and was pleased I watched all of 'Orange Jesus: Media still not ready to cover Trump after years of his lies." Comments are pertinent to how our media, and specifically our political media operates. It also has some blunt historical stuff.
Brian Klass is quoted
The true cost of the Government's tobacco policy, the true cost of returning interest deductibility to landlords, the effectiveness of boot camps? Nah, let's talk about Tory Whanau.
The stupidity is mind boggling:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/503646/coalition-s-who-policy-leaves-public-health-expert-baffled
A “National Interest” test? So, just in case they’re planning to harm the entire population a security service investigation must be conducted first?
Professor Baker calls it incoherent. That is the nice way of putting it.
Nothing to fear from a national interest test for signing up to such multilateral agreements.
It's how NZ has and continues to function for over a century, and those tests are routine.
What Verrall etc will need to be vigilant over is crappy public health medical facts being inserted by tinfoil-hatted morons.
Are there any examples of ones we have not signed up to previously?
Not aware of any in international public health.
But I claim no expertise in this field.
So it isn't really how we've functioned?
I'm bemused as to the point of the legislative changed wanted,
"But, no. One of the later acts of the dying Labour Government was, having said we couldn't just 'turn the tap on' again to inbound migration, then itself turning on every tap in view and leaving them all on."
https://www.interest.co.nz/personal-finance/125426/david-hargreaves-has-look-economic-developments-past-year-and-lines-these
Which begs the question…. has the election result had any more than a marginal impact?
Yeah it's tempting.
But let's wait for Speech from the Throne next week and mini-budget week after that.
The mini budget may contain some interesting details but do you think the general direction of the NZ economy will be fundamentally changed..i.e. a substantial reduction in migration?
Anything short of a fundamental change to the economic drivers will have no more than a marginal impact on how we fare in the near term future and I see nothing in the coalition agreement that changes the economic fundamentals.
The tap was turned on a lot, but could have been turned on a lot more. One change signalled by the new government is the removal of the median wage minimum for work visas, which could significantly increase migration.
Given we have had record immigration in the 12 months prior to the election (118,000 net) the application of median wage minimum for work visas appears not to have been applied in any case.
As the reports from within Immigration NZ appear to support with staff being told to rubber stamp applications.
Elon's not the only gambler on the global stage:
Betting on human survival in such an organised way is helpful, I guess. Helps victims while the problem-producing behaviour is unaffected…
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/503648/cop28-kicks-off-with-climate-disaster-fund-victory
How many countries have funded their previous committments …
It's another pretence of momentum, they are not even trying to hide it any more.
I should expand.
There have been past promises to fund assistance to the third world for renewables etc. But the money has not been forthcoming in the amounts promised (GFC and pandemic since etc).
Last year at 27, they talked about setting up a fund to assist nations suffering from "weather/climate change – flood or drought" related events.
The US is wary of it being seen as an admission of liability (little wonder they are not with the ICC). And offer an amount as risible as their honouring of a promise back in the 1970's to provide 0.7% GDP in foreign aid (one of many nations in this category).
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-67581277
The US offer of $17m says a lot, we could afford to do more ourselves but the landlords got all the money.
It was worth the effort to contextualise the UN `climate victory' framing as you did. Tokenism can be overly cynical but this context does give it partial basis.
admission of liability
Yank paranoia is rational inasmuch as they took over from the Brits as primary culprit, yet China took over from them as primary culprit this century.
However it's technically possible for each of those 3 to grow up & act like adults on a better late than never rational basis. The UN could ask the 3 reps to all join hands and wish upon a star for instant transformation in front of a media cabal with live global coverage. The UN guys could stand by with 3 conical dunce hats with the word dunce in bold capitals as brand labelling so neolibs get the message if any or all 3 wimp out when encountering this challenge in front of the global audience.
Watching all three dorks simultaneously trying to stop the UN dunce hats being placed upon their heads would entertain kiddies everywhere.
Labour were the last of the big spenders? Farrar gets specific about it:
Is he right about that amount? I don't recall govts being rated on weekly spending increases before so it could be an accountancy spin thing.
Well obviously that's due to allowing Labour & National to be in govt way too long past their use-by date. These leopards don't change their spots. Only way to improve is to delete both options. System re-boot!
Ever noted an Auditor-General (or any auditor) asking for less meaningful and comprehensive measuring what difference is being made; and less systems in place to assessing the stewardship, oversight, and monitoring functions of departments?
This has nothing to do with political parties and their coming and going, but the increasing bureaucratisation of governance itself in all areas subject to a regulatory compliance regime.
The problem I have with his concern about integrity when process is rushed is that government is responsible for acting in emergency situations – and might well need to develop an alternative process in that circumstance.
PS DPF’s billion dollar figure does not come from the link, he is once again slipping in a misrepresentation aside – and way out of context.
When do governments expand spending like that – GFC, pandemic …
Thanks, I wondered if he was finagling the data somehow. If he was accurate someone in the media would have spotted it due to headline appeal, I suspected.
Yeah pandemic spending is a credible dimension too. Re A-G wish-list, I'm agnostic about the realism. Efficiency & accountability are excellent aspirations but politicians are slippery fish…