Key Apologises for Wasting Police Time in Teapot Saga
Prime Minister John Key says he misused his authority when he complained to Police after a tape of a semi-private conversation with ACT Leader, John Banks was given to the media. A microphone was left on the coffee table during a staged ‘cup of tea’ media event in which Mr Key publicly endorsed the ACT Party’s Epsom candidate in the last days of last year’s election campaign. This week Police decided not to lay charges against the the taper, Bradley Ambrose, and Mr Ambrose still maintains that the taping was accidental….
It is clear now that the Government has effectively cut the income tax rate and paid for it by borrowing money overseas, in large part from China. It is an act of economic treason and generational selfishness when a government has decided an already-wealthy part of the population deserves higher incomes paid for by loading foreign debt on future generations of taxpayers.
The charts reveal the results of the cut in the income tax rate from 39 to 33 cents, which was in theory partly paid for by an increase in the GST rate from 12.5 to 15 per cent. They also reveal a massive reversal in a decade-long trend of improvement in New Zealand’s public debt position.
darn you got there before me đ it’s a good april fool’s from JS – mind you the idea of ‘jonkey’ and ‘apology for’ do go together in a number of ways
It certainly seems to me that the Herald on Sunday has decided that the years-long honeymoon for Key and his merry band of neo-lib control freaks is over. Good on them.
Imagine reading the editorial getting stuck into Key’s abuse of the paper for short term political advantage, and all of these reports actually looking beyond the spin and into the facts, a couple of years ago. Wouldn’t have happened.
And is it just me, or is there a change in the photos of Key that many papers tend to run on page two? Gone are the smiley, puppy-holding, baby-kissing, prole-comforting pictures; now we see Key frowning, sweaty, looking worried, just like he has something to hide…..
Gotta admit – I have been enjoying the past few months!!
it’s a funny bug that. one incorrectly written bit of code and the italics carries on through all the comments. it even made the editing buttons in the back of the side italicised.
David Shearer has issued a statement requesting all MPs start setting an example of positive leadership, and has asked all Labour MPs and staffers to set an example of putting the good of the country first, and to stop petty political attacks. Shearer in strong show of leadership.
SOEs Minister Tony Ryall refused to be interviewed about the concerns. But in a written statement he said successful private companies maintained “strong relationships with their stakeholders and customers” because it was “good business”.
Which explains why they had to write a social responsibility clause in the first place. Someone should make Ryall watch Alan Greenspan’s Congressional testimony until he gets it through numb skull that he is talking shit.
Why isn’t there a requirement in the cabinet manual that ministers statements should not be demonstrably deceitful?
Typical of this lot to avoid interviews – another minister diving away, leaving some junior in the media department to knock out a quick statement that says “don’t worry – the market incentives will look after that for us – now stop bothering the minister with things below his super-strategic view”.
It is going to be fun watching the developments at Narrow Neck beach in Auckland. Looks like iwi are about get some prime waterfront land back. So far as I can see, the dispute is about rich capitalist whities, pointing to how “poor” they were in the nineties and in a desperate act of ingenuine socialist solidarity, trying to align themselves with an imaginary aggrieved public. If that doesn’t catch, they then point to the slippery slope argument that marine park fish will be endangered by treaty settlement land on top of a cliff. The consultation process wasn’t transparent enough, they claim. Jesus, they are pretty transparent themsleves. They complain they were hoodwinked by the people they voted into government, even though they knew those people used the same measure of self interest as their lifestyles and attitudes hold dear. Can’t risk maori building “cheap in-fill housing” on prime land, one woman said on TV last night. I assume that’s because we all know how maori and cheap go together… don’t we? No sir, it should be whities doing that, building exclusive residences, keeping the tone of the neighbourhood clean, you know, like they did over the harbour in Okahu bay all those years ago. So a few maori got burned out of their homes, couldn’t they understand the City had a raffle running? Even poor old The-Law-is-Complicated Len has found his voice and come out saying a private consulation “…doesn’t cut the mustard”. Ooh, steady on there Len, your masters will get twitchy! The irony is that after almost 175 years of maori learning the hard way how to be good colonialists, rich whities are being out-whitied by rich maori and can no longer choose their neighbours. Gee, that must sting.
But, those uppity Devonport activists seem to have got the wrong end of the stick and assumed Ngati Whatua have the same motives for acquiring prime coastal real estate:….
Ngati Whatua spokesman Ngarimu Blair said there is a misconception the deal involves the coastal area, sports field and surrounding reserve.
“We’re not buying that. We never were. We’re only talking about the navy barracks, the sheds, carpark areas and building which we are purchasing and is set well back from the coast.”
The RNZ Navy, which leases the land, will be offered a minimum lease of 15 years under the agreement.
Adjoining Takapuna Reserve and Narrow Neck Beach â totalling 11.9ha and covering the shoreline â remains in the public’s possession and unaffected by the deal.
Plans are also under way to formalise a public walkway on the eastern strip of the base. Currently the navy can revoke access at three months’ notice.
“We’re the last people to restrict public access to great pieces of land on the harbour or river. We did the same thing for our land at Bastion Point,” Blair said. “We’re very sensitive to these issues.”
Having been on the periphery of the previous stoush in the late 1990s involviing former environment minister, Nick Smith, I think most people expected the land presently covered by buildings and a car-park would be added to the reserve once the Navy abandoned their barracks. Indeed from memory we were given to understand by the Shipley govt. that is what would happen. Anyone who knows the area intimately can appreciate the significance such an enlarged reserve would have for the whole of Auckland. It has the potential to be a sparkling jewel in our ‘maritime reserve’ crown with magnificent views of the harbour and gulf. The uppity Devonport activists fought a costly court battle to stop all but a very narrow strip along the top of the cliff being sold off to speculators and turned into a rich man’s paradise and they won. I can tell you Nick Smith and his (then) colleagues were thoroughly pissed off with us at the time.
The fact that this latest deal was done behind closed doors without the knowledge of the local community and the community board, hasn’t gone down well and I’m not surprised. I have no wish to deprive Ngati Whatua of their rightful heritage, but I want to know one hell of a lot more about what plans they have for the land once it comes into their possession. Like North Head, it is a very special place with a fascinating history – both Maori and Pakeha.
One small error. We were certainly given to understand that the reserve would be extended after the departure of the Navy but I doubt it came from the govt. of the day. We were not on their Xmas card list. đ
There is another part of that article that also deserves mention
Shortly after the Treaty was signed the Crown purchased 3000 acres of what is now downtown Auckland for 281. Within six months, it had on-sold 90 acres of that land for 24,500.
I don’t often agree with finlayson but I do when he says
In a letter to the community paper, Finlayson called on residents to remember how Maori suffered significant land losses in Auckland and this needs to be addressed. “There is no way the scale of redress to Ngati Whatua Orakei can be anything like what they lost.”
The upset residents should take some time to consider those quotes and the quotes that Carol has put up too. What is the actual fear and where does it spring from? At the moment it seems not far off what uturn has written.
You are talking a load of crap Uturn. Rich capitalist whities? Bullshit! If they hadn’t done their dash nobody would have the land now including Ngati Whatua. It would be covered in dirty great mansions belonging to rich capitalist whities.
Ngati Whatua and the Devonport Trust (which was set up to protect the reserve) worked together last time and I’m sure they will end up doing so again. To categorise Devonport activists and by inference residents – most of whom are behind them – as a bunch of self serving, racist capalist pigs (yep, that’s what you’re saying) just shows up your ignorance of both them and the past and present situation.
Lucky ol’ whitey and his self interest came to Ngati Whatuas aid, huh? People not familiar with Auckland’s North Shore and specifically the area in question will be surprised by the raft of rich man’s mansions on both sides of the land in question – just keeping the land safe, that is, “for all of Auckland” – and the neighbourhood in general. How bewildered visitors will be to find the diversity you suggest exists. I know I was warmly accepted into the multicultural egalitarian environment when I lived there. Then again, I am white. I don’t mind calling my own out as racists and hypocrites, when they are. Like you, they really hate it, though.
“People not familiar with Aucklandâs North Shore and specifically the area in question will be surprised by the raft of rich manâs mansions on both sides of the land in question”
Yeah that’s the point. It is prime awesome land, it would be best for every kiwi if it remained in the public commons. If Ngati Whatua doesn’t guarentee it will be turned into a park for ALL to share, then it will inevitably become more ‘rich man’s’ mansions.
I’ve lived near Narrow Neck Beach since I was born (50 years) had my first swim in a rock pool there. So I claim it as my local beach. I have strong ties here and I sure don’t vote National or Act! All the people who live here have a right to a say, for themselves, their children, their grandchildren, because many people brought up here stay here all their lives. Why are Ngati Whatua the only important ones here? Surely there is other land that can be sold. That land was safe, or so we thought, for future generations as permanent reserve. I can certainly understand that the wealthier residents of the Shore who obviously voted National, especially Devonport, are pretty irate , as am I, and I don’t think that will die down easily. So Maggie Barry, be warned! No seat is safe if you do the dirty on your electorate!
The Brits panic-buying fuel due to a strike that hadn’t been called was encouraged by the government – “re-fuel before it gets too low”, they said, “store petrol in a jerry-can in the garage” one said.
After hours-long queues for days, empty petrol stations and a serious burns incident it’s found to have all been a pre-planned ‘Thatcher Moment’ to break the union. Note that it this news was broken by the Daily Telegraph aka the Torygraph.
But now that I have heard the Conservativesâ private explanation, which is being handed down to constituency associations by MPs, I begin to feel angry.
The private message is as follows. âThis is our Thatcher moment. In order to defeat the coming minersâ strike, she stockpiled coal. When the strike came, she weathered it, and the Labour Party, tarred by the strike, was humiliated. In order to defeat the coming fuel driversâ strike, we want supplies of petrol stockpiled. Then, if the strike comes, we will weather it, and Labour, in hock to the Unite union, will be blamed.â
Absolute contempt is what I have for the people who have engineered this state of affairs.
Looks like someone has threatened Slater with consequences if he doesn’t pull his head in and allow a ceasefire in the Nats’ civil war:
“Thatâs it!
by Whaleoil
Iâm over them. National that isâŚcuddling up to Boag.
I think I will join the Labour party. They seem to be having so much more fun right now.
Plus, since they are the nasty party they should welcome my particular skills.”
Slater, your particular skills are having a mad blog that Lusk sometimes puts interesting things on (which you promptly bury with trash – 4 posts in 2 hours so far, it’s Sunday dude!)
Or is his post his idea of a 1 April joke although it would not surprise me if he had been told to pull his head in. However, that sort of advice usually seems to provoke certain types of people to do the opposite.
When I looked just before seeing your post here, he was up to 5 posts and its not yet 9am.
Ditto – am still interested in the statement in one of yesterday’s posts which appears to claim to have had the Sovereign letter before Close Up in terms of where it may have been leaked from. Here is my earlier comment on this – http://thestandard.org.nz/slaterlusk-goes-off-the-deep-end/#comment-453506
Agreed Rosy. These utterly manipulative scumbags governing the UK only considered how they could turn public opinion against the union – before the union had even voted whether to take action. The result was a public run on fuel; artificially created shortages; worries that emergency services wouldn’t be able to find fuel in an emergency; people storing petrol without understanding the hazards; a woman severely burnt because while decanting petrol for her daughter who had run out of fuel. What do these people stand for? Do they give a damn about the people they are supposed to be governing?
“Often the district health board would also rent back a substantial number of the car parks for its medical staff, on long-term contracts with regular rent reviews, providing a built-in lift in revenue…”
So the upshot is that for a sugar rush of $15.3million the DHB gave away income of at least $2.36million per year for twenty years, plus incurred higher costs for staff parking. We’ve got some real financial wizards in charge of the DHB. A taste of what’s to come methinks.
Yes parking is a juicy earner, especially with a captive market that has nowhere to go. Always was easy money as the structures are concrete shells, require little maintenance, need virtually no staff and you just keep raising the cost.
Parkings been Auckland airports juiciest plum for years and again shows what an ideological lemming Ryall is on top of his lies about doctors and nurse numbers is a nasty and evasive dude…..perfect NACT material.
Are there any escalation clauses or do they just charge what they like?
Don’t know, I’d have thought the hospitals would have some say in the parking levies but maybe not, look at Auck hospitals outrageous charges;
“The car park charges visitors to the hospital $18 for stays of 6-8 hours….”
The main point is the hospital (and other) car parks are publicly owned assets being signed over to profiteering private businesses for twenty year leases when there is no commercial or financial justification for such lengthy terms. The owners, ie us the public, are also losing very substantial sums in income from the asset.
true but NACT consider any public asset ripe for their business mates to profit at the public’s expense, sick and vulnerable even easier kaching.
Ryall’s doing long term damage in health and it goes pretty much unoticed, of of the darkest lords quietly going about the hollowmans business.
As annoying as they are, I guess they promote more efficient public transport in a way.
Of course it is unavoidable when you do need a car, but mostly I think parking charges and tickets are mostly a rich persons tax.
We still have it way better than most parts of the world. In the UK 10pd+ per hour was pretty standard in CBD type areas. Even in the suburbs you needed a ‘pass’ that verified you as a resident or you risked being towed. So pretty much your mates had to pay for temporary passes to park there, even outside YOUR flat. We are nowhere near that bad here.
Even in the suburbs you needed a âpassâ that verified you as a resident or you risked being towed. So pretty much your mates had to pay for temporary passes to park there, even outside YOUR flat. We are nowhere near that bad here.
That is what we have just down the road from me in Grey Lynn.
We all too often forget or don’t know about such people, who are the real leaders of this world albeit in a small way in the overall scheme of things. Leaders is not quite the right word, but brain is not yet functioning fully.
A truly inspiring article – recommend it to other Standard readers.
Thank God for people like Lyn Lusi, who selflessly defied the darkness in the heart of man and brought healing and light to those maimed by human wickedness.Such a heart warming and uplifting life to aspire to.
Rest in eternal peace Lyn Lusi knowing that you faithfully fought the good fight and I thank you for it.
Love the acronym H.E.A.L. standing for health,education, action and love. I wish we could put this into action for our poverty stricken children. Thank you so much for this link lprent, stirring stuff.
Questions of ”cheque book legislation” again arose at Parliaments question time when both Brownlee and Joyce were questioned on whether Skycity had given any favor of any sort to either of the Ministers in the Slippery Sleaze administration,
The method by which Brownlee replied was slightly enlightening, complaining to the House Speaker Lockwood Smith that such a question from the Opposition should not have included the word ”corruption”,
Brownlee once put in His place answered a no to the question as to whether He had ever recieved favor or cash from Skycity as did Joyce,
A forensic psychologist tho would have been all over Joyce as when He rose to answer in the negative to the question of ever having recieved cash or favor from Skycity the first few words of His reply in the negative only managed to escape the constriction in His throat as a girlish squeak,
The real question that should be asked of Joyce in particular is has He set His business interests into a ”blind trust” with no knowledge to him management by others thus giving Joyce the perception of freedom from conflict of interest as a Minister of the Crown and would He be surprised if such a ”managed blind trust” held an amount of Skycity shares???…
Indeed, Jackal. Greg Boyd did surprisingly well, and even Shane Taurima managed to make Key look less confident than he used to be. (Though more to do with the end of the Media Honeymoon, methinks. Just about to blog on it…)
The episode seemed more professional; less show-ponyish; and dealth with the issues (the issues! Oh no, say it ain’t so, ma!)
Just how wide-spread is this little bit of inspired Public/Private business???
It appears that Housing New Zealand Ltd has a contracted out inspection service where once a year tenants are visited by Housing New Zealand,s privately contracted building inspectors to check on issues of maintainence and/or tenant damage to the property,
It would further appear,and we have as yet not ascertained the numbers,that at least one tenant has had 2 new smoke alarms installed despite the 3 already at the property being in perfect un-damaged working condition,
The tenants in this particular piece of work are not asked for their consent nor are they told that they will be billed for the installation,
3 months later Housing New Zealand sends the tenants an invoice for ”damage” to the property with a claim that the smoke alarms were installed as ”replacements” for damaged alarms supposedly already at the property,
Tenants are given 7 days to pay for this little rort and we wonder just how many of Housing New Zealand,s tenants are being rorted in this manner and how many have meekly paid up thinking that ”they have to”….
Housing NZ Ltd for what should be a government service department. And then this outsourcing of real work to robot arms so that at the centre is just an ugly alien with giant eyes and a flaming mouth, the horror fantasy films come to reality.
We have posted twice here this morning and not wanting to hog the page we are off to spend a little energy on the chores,
What we have posted tho has as an afterthought to us addressed a somewhat intertwined issue that has effects at the top end of society as it does the bottom,
In reality we have simply addressed the issue of the supposed public/private partnership and that reality simply shows us that such a relationship is rotten at its core and should such a dissolution of the line between the role of Public business and Private business continue the rotten core will begin to give off a stench all of its own…
The National led government have in fact increased government debt by over 190% since they gained power in 2008, and such economic bungling will undoubtedly cause problems for New Zealand for decades to come…
I am still trying to figure out what the PM meant with his spiel on Q+A this am, when comparing 2 billion borrowed by National compared to 12 billion from Labour ???
Was he trying to say Nats have only borrowed 2 billion in the first three years ?
Rather disturbing story about a teenager trying to go all Equus on his Dad’s business in the Herald. It’s accompanied by a graphic picture of a dead horse. What caught my eye was the juxtaposition of that photo with one immediately to its right, which illustrates the difficulty a young Philippino woman is having getting bikini shots published on facebook. I think there may be a feminist on the sub’s bench trying to make an obscure point.
Mike Hoskings doing a ‘cash for comments’ deal with a major corporate with an image problem looking for concessions from government is following in a well worn track. See the John Laws link below. Laws’ people went out to recruit a corporate ‘with a big PR problem’: at that time it was the banks, who were in the middle of a major rarking up of fees. So: wonder who esle might be paying off our celebs and shock jocks? Aussie Banks here? ASB bank? Offshore owned utility companies? Super market duopolies?? Mind boggles: suggestions please!!! http://www.multiline.com.au/~johnm/johnlaws.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cash_for_comment_affair
It looks like Boag and Pullar have been utilizing their associations in the National party for personal gain and it is likely that very senior members of the National party (including Key) are implicated in the stand-over tactics of a private insurer and a government department…
It looks like you are trying to utilise old accusations backed by little or nothing. Pullar and Boag have been trying to utilise their National associations, but without much success.
The private insurer said their name drop overkill harmed rtaher than aided their claim there. They could see the “support team” was nonsensical, as could anyone with half a clue.
Nick Smith stuffed up but for nothing, things still haven’t been resolved at ACC so there doesn’t look like any personal gain there.
Key has adamantly discounted any involvement and that seems credible with facts the facts that are known and common sense.
Did you happen to see Q+A this morning Pete George? Fran O’Sullivan disagrees with your and John Keys argument.
I can count the number of times I’ve agreed with O’Sullivan on an amputees hand, but I happen to agree with her that undue influence is wrong even when it’s not successful.
Is a bank robber not a criminal when he doesn’t get away with any money Pete George?
Could you link to where Sovereign Insurance said the support and advocate people listed in the leaked letter was nonsensical?
Wayne Mapp on tv said he organised meeting(s) with pullar’s support people regarding
the claim from soverign insurance,the claim for $14 mil.
She also got closer to the $3 mil amount
according to a tv report.
WTF!!? How can National still be rising in the polls? Even as a strong National supporter, I can’t believe they have escaped so unscathed from all the shit that has gone down.
The problem is that even a damaged National Party still looks more attractive to most voters than Labour. Voters are looking at National in turmoil and still ticking their box. If that’s not a signal that Labour needs to up its game dramatically, then I don’t know what is.
Or change it’s game. A few here Labourites here could take note.
When will they realise that they need to worry less about trying to make Key and National worse (they’ll do that themselves over time), and more effort making Shearer and Labour better?
One news released a poll tonight showing the three big parties up and NZ1 back down to 3% (lols – that’s what they said before the election đ ). Not on the CB site yet.
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On the plus side, that’s 51% all up for the nats government. Error-level shite, and not a spike.
Mostly the poll shows no change. Except this, which puzzled me most:
Voters were also surveyed on their views on the economy, with 50% having an positive outlook, up six percentage points. 32% remain pessimistic, with the reminder believing there will be no change.
 I get annoyed at the constant drone from greenies about everyone getting out cars and biking because its so good for the planet. Yes. But for the individual, it can be very unsafe and some on bikes donât seem to have the cautionary control of a toddler
What angers me most is that they don’t frickin’ wear helmets! A good example of the sheer selfish nature of some cyclists is the 35 year old man who came whizzing, helmetless, across Carrington Road outside Unitec, and down the street on the footpath, missing me by millimetres as he zoomed past me. I called out “idiot!” and he turned around, poked his tongue, screamed an insult about old ladies clogging up the footpath, ‘flipped me the bird’ as I believe the American expression is, and rode on laughing.
Cycles are not legally allowed on footpaths. Many cyclists have told me that the law says they are allowed to not wear helmets if they ride on the footpath. So I made a point of checking with the police. (Who won’t enforce their own law even if an offender is pointed out to them as they are just too damned lazy).
   * Cycling on footpaths is illegal.
   * Riding helmetless is illegal.
   * There is a cycle path on Carrington Road! There’s a big brass plaque pointing that fact out. It’s still ignored even by the Greenie tarts on bikes (I mean frocks on bikes isn’t it? One of them cycles around here, too proud of her expensive hair-do to wear a helmet.)
   * Footpaths are for pedestrians, and with the Segar Ave residence for people with cerebral palsy and Rehab + for brain injured people both off Carrington Road, wheel chair users.
(I put this on the 31.03 Open Mike, and it ended up promptly in moderation. Therefore this is an expoeriment to see if I can find out why. I end up in moderation about once every 2-3 days, and have yet to understand or to be told why.)
Yes, in moderation… one day I may find out why. In the meantime, I get the hint, I have nothing more to say about anything – but you can’t stop me thinking it!
Just watched the 60 minutes on Tv3. The Casino deal was in the gun. Guyon Espiner in good form questioning Joyce over the sweet deal. Joyce unable to answer some fundamental questions and I bet he will be unwilling to face up again. (Guyon said that in Adelaide the same Casino chain sought special privileges in exchange for law change. The Government response there? “You must be dreaming!” Joyce knew nothing about this – and he should have.)
Stuff reported on the Adelaide comparison in August last year. That explains how Joyce had never heard of it: he was lying.
Slippery has also been running the lie about casinos being “safer” despite having no evidence.
Joyce oozes corruption from every pore – he doesn’t even try to hide it. How anyone can imagine that he would make a good party leader is beyond me.
OAB’s policy suggestion: require that Sky City’s owners build the convention centre for free, then confiscate their assets and drive them out of the country.
Requiring 10 year olds on bikes to mix with traffic in Auckland while there is a, mostly unused, footpath available is totally stupid.
Of course if you would rather a cyclist got killed than a pedestrian injured?
Never heard of any pedestrians getting major injuries or killed by cyclists on footpaths.
Many deaths from cyclists being forced to bike on the roads, in places like Petone and Tamaki drive.
Tauranga has mixed bike and footpaths with a speed limit for bikes. Works fine.
Nelson and Mt Maunganui bike lanes would be alright if they did not put you right in the path of opening car doors.
Personally I think that law should be changed.
+1. Even if it means narrowing some roads to widen shared paths for bikes and pedestrians. Works extremely well where I live. Shared paths are probably not suitable for speed-training cyclists, but for commuting, shopping trips etc, they’re spot-on.
Many cyclists have told me that the law says they are allowed to not wear helmets if they ride on the footpath
They’re correct (however they wreck their case by illegally riding on designated footpaths)The law states that helmets must be worn when cycling on roads.
A person must not ride, or be carried on, a bicycle on a road unless the person is wearing a safety helmet of an approved standard that is securely fastened.
I like the idea on the Tauranga Mt bridge. The mixed path has a speed limit for bikes.
So. If you want to ride safely on the bike/pedestrian path you go at a speed that is not too dangerous for pedestrians.
Kids and late middle age cyclists can stay safe while the members of the lycra brigade, that want to ride fast, have the choice of mixing it with the cars.
There’s a few shared paths in Auckland, too. The path labelled as the North Western cyclway is actually a shared path. There’s loads of signs telling people to keep left. But I’ve come across a minority of pedestrians who think that it is for walkers only. They spread across the path in a group, blocking the way for cyclists.
This also happens on the split pedestrian/cycleway over the southern motorway on Symonds Street, with people walking in both the pedestrian lane and cycle lane at the same time, blocking the way for cyclists.
I’ve also come across a guy walking his dog without a leash on the north western cycleway. This is scary for a cyclist because you don’t know which direction the dog might run.
Theyâre correct (however they wreck their case by illegally riding on designated footpaths)The law states that helmets must be worn when cycling on roads.
So, that means that if they cycle on the footpath, they don’t need helmets? That is not what two police officers told me… I fear that you have interpreted the law the way you want it to be, Rosy.
You should hang around Auckland for a while. (I know you’re overseas atm, but still). People who wear helmets are in the minority, and most of those who don’t are kids whose Daddy has told them to ignore Helen’s nanny state law, (my son was at school with many of those) or kids who whinge that they can’t afford a helmet (when they’re riding expensive bikes, of a like that we could never afford) or 30 somethings who respond with libertarian arguments, or more usually, insults.
I have taught and cared for people with brain injuries, and the Brain Injury trust man was actually in tears, when I spoke to him about this. I could not care less about the well-dressed idiot who nearly hit me, or the ex-colleague who claimed that he couldn’t afford a helmet, (he lied of course, and when I offered him Leon’s old one, had a well of excuses why he wouldn’t accept it. Ironically, I lost my job, he kept his – I can hardly afford to eat, and him?? Little barsteward. Brain damage might make him a nicer man, though I doubt it.) Howebver, I do worry very much about the kids. Even if their libertarian parents are morons, the kids don’t deserve brain damage.
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Requiring 10 year olds on bikes to mix with traffic in Auckland while there is a, mostly unused, footpath available is totally stupid.
Are you responding to my (moderated) post about cyclists and footpaths? (I don’t even know if it left moderation.) Because if you are, you seriously missed my point, which is that footpaths are not unused! Especially not here – Pt Chevalier near Unitec. Rehab + and Segar Ave (residence for people with cerebral palsy), a day care centre and several schools are all in the area. The idiot cyclist I referred to missed me by millimetres, and could easily have bowled a child, an actually old person or a person whose walking is, because of their disability, very unsteady. So, don’t be so stinking selfish! The 10 year olds use the cycle path – only the helmetless teenagers and 30 somethings, use the footpath. (Some actual children use the footpath, infrequently, but I don’t begrudge that as they are careful.)
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Never heard of any pedestrians getting major injuries or killed by cyclists on footpaths.
That you have never heard of it doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.
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You are right that such accidents do happen, V32. In this case it was the cyclist that came off worse, but it could easily have been the pedestrians. Not even a busy path, either, but a fatal collision none the less.
Oh yes. None that I know of have happened here *, but my own near miss shows that they easily could – and the footpath is always thronged with people in manual and power chairs, and a cyclist would not be guaranteed to be the winner if they hit someone in a power chair (I am told by my son the health professional that the term ‘electric wheelchair’ is seriously banned! :D)
Many people at Rehab + are out on their own in manual wheelchairs for the first or one of the first times – I see that even I, a slow and small pedestrian, make them nervous, especially if they’re survivors of disabling car accidents!
That story you linked to is very sad.Â
* Although I do know of many children from Gladstone school who have been killed or injured by motorists nearby. These things are apparently so common that they never make the newspaper, but my son used to go to Gladstone school, and his teachers told me…
Just watched TV1 news, you know the one that has won the Qantas Best News Award (hate to see the losers) News item, says Donkey is still top of the hit parade. Two questions
a, Are the general public thick or,
b, Is it the usual spin and bullshit put out by the right wing MSM. The reason why I ask is, the people I talk to including ones who confess that they voted National, say completely different to what that pathetic news channel called TVNZ One news says.
a) for sure as swinging voters love the beads and coloured glass the nats sprinkle about, we’ve don’t have an electorate that can remember broken promises or actually show up and vote.
b) TVNZ is very NACT friendly, always has been since early 08 when it know they were on the way in, Holmes/Hosking/Sainsbury etc and the endless stream of kid reporters are to serious journalism what chalk is to cheese.
Most of the lines come from high up, they’ll be going flat out to smudge the latest in NACT’s impressive corruption resume.
The nats use carrott/stick very well with those relying on govt funding….just look at the police.
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Governmentâs official website – arrived in Point of Orderâs email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive  Melissa Lee â as may be discerned from the screenshot above â has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Governmentâs focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes –Â Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu â often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the governmentâs readiness to make urgent changes to âthe resource management systemâ through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes donât go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a âmedia summitâ to discuss âthe state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalismâ. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes –Â This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
 Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for âfast trackâ consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill â currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes-Â The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you arenât wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said âSince we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that âNew Zealandâs economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerfulâ. They also believe that âNew Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerfulâ. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
âYou talking about me?âThe neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hallâs âGlide Timeâ caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
Our two-tiered system for veteransâ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veteransâ affairs spokesperson Greg OâConnor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxonâs management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last yearâs severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labourâs environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our countryâs most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Governmentâs Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a âget out of jail freeâ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealandâs good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National governmentâs lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for TÄmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Governmentâs democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Governmentâs proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change thatâs great for the planet and great for consumers after her memberâs bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the countryâs books after Teanau Tuionoâs membersâ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his memberâs bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Todayâs advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Governmentâs newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealandâs urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
Distinguished guests - Â It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Â Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Â Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. âOur Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealandâs hydrogen future, with the opening of the countryâs first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. âI want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealandâs own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealandâs energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. âThe report shows that New Zealandâs emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,â Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where heâll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Governmentâs work to restore law and order. âAttending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealandâs human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the worldâs largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. âThe reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealandâs wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin  NgÄ mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho  Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.  I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. âOur Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealandâs overseas missions.  âOur diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealandâs interests around the world,â Mr Peters says.  âI am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. Â âOver 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. âIt is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. âOur coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
âChina remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,â Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.  Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. âRecently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachersâ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.  âThe Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. âScience, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During todayâs meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. âThe Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in TaupĹ as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the TaupĹ International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. âAnticipation for the ITM TaupĹ Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. âThe coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. âThis project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sectorâs productivity,â Mr Jones says. âThe project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Governmentâs plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. âBenefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Governmentâs commitment to doubling New Zealandâs renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealandâs latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. âOur Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. âNew Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
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Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesnât normally happen in ...
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ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
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Amanda Thompson doesnât really do Anzac Day. But what she does do is remember the people she knew who had a lifetime to remember stuff they didnât really want to, because of a war they didnât ask for. And she does make Anzac biscuits.First published in 2021.All my ...
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Principal reasons for the opposition is the loss of the publicâs democratic right to have âa fair sayâ and the vital need for a government free from corruption, said Casey Cravens of Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater ...
Never mind the scoreboard â in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
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âNever again - No AUKUSâ was the message of the wreath laid at this morningâs national ANZAC Day commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this morning by the Stop AUKUS group. ...
Until this month, Auckland swimmer Hazel Ouwehand had never met a qualifying time in an Olympic event for a New Zealand team, even as a junior. Now sheâs very likely off to the Paris Olympics after swimming well under the qualifying standard in the 100m butterfly twice â both in ...
While Anzac Day has experienced a resurgence in recent years, our other day of remembrance has slowly faded from view.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Original illustrations by Hope McConnell.First published in 2022.The high schoolâs head girl and ...
Australian and New Zealand volunteers fought together in the Waikato War, yet still its place in the Anzac tradition is unacknowledged by our defence forces or Returned Services Association.First published in 2018.When I was a boy cub I attended Anzac Day services in the South Auckland suburb of ...
A poem by Wellington writer Tayi Tibble. Â Hoki Mai She kisses him goodbye with her eyes still wet and alight from their last swim in the Awatere river. At the train station celebration, she leads the Kapa Haka but her voice keeps breaking under and over itself like waves. ...
A poem from Bill Manhireâs 2017 book of verse Some Things to Place in a Coffin.  My World War I Poem  Inside each trench, the sound of prayer. Inside each prayer, the sound of digging.  Image courtesy of Auckland War Memorial Museum. ...
There are three books I have wolfed down in one sitting over the last two years. Colleen Maria Lenihanâs gorgeous and sad debut KĹhine, Noelle McCarthyâs memoir Grand about becoming her mother and then unbecoming her, and now Hine Toa, a staunch yet gentle self-portrait by living legend NgÄhuia te ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 25 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
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Books editor Claire Mabey reviews poet Louise Wallaceâs debut novel. A famous poet once said to me that heâs always suspicious when a poet publishes a novel. I never really understood why but maybe itâs something to do with cheating on your first form. Louise Wallace is a poet. Sheâs ...
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How will the recent wave of job cuts impact ethnic diversity in the media? In November last year, I was working a very busy day in the newsroom of a large online news site, interviewing whÄnau about their concerns over the imminent closure of one of the few puna reo ...
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A new survey says âoutlook not greatâ for those charged with building infrastructure, while RMA changes delight farmers and depress environmentalists, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoffâs morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. First RMA changes announced ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day on April 25, itâs not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also ...
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
Key Apologises for Wasting Police Time in Teapot Saga
Prime Minister John Key says he misused his authority when he complained to Police after a tape of a semi-private conversation with ACT Leader, John Banks was given to the media. A microphone was left on the coffee table during a staged ‘cup of tea’ media event in which Mr Key publicly endorsed the ACT Party’s Epsom candidate in the last days of last year’s election campaign. This week Police decided not to lay charges against the the taper, Bradley Ambrose, and Mr Ambrose still maintains that the taping was accidental….
I’m not entirely sure if this is supposed to be a joke or not, since the link just goes to the herald and I can’t find any such story there. There is this though: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10795827.
I also found this interesting (and damning):
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10795790
First, moderators I think I neglected to turn off the italics in my comment above. It’s beyond my editing window, but it needs turned off.
Lanth, check the date.
[Fixed..RL]
Good one JS
Ah. For some reason I was thinking it was the 31st.
Indeed… http://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2012/03/31/ross-dependency-4-sale/
I’m told that one person on a social media thought it was real. And went on to suggest it might be a good thing… *rolls eyes*
darn you got there before me đ it’s a good april fool’s from JS – mind you the idea of ‘jonkey’ and ‘apology for’ do go together in a number of ways
good link Lanth – Bernard Hickey right on the button
Yes some excellent reading in todays HoS
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10795827
Brilliant well stated summary of events of the teacup saga.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/headlines.cfm?c_id=466
Give credit where credit due…Labour getting some good press.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10795790
Always great to have the tax cuts for the wealthy revisited and results exposed!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10795811
Another person puzzling over and trying to make sense of the whole ACC saga
Read these all before realsing the date! Please tell me the HoS isn’t in on it too!
Thanks Lyn. Read ’em all though Coddington is a bit mean- as usual.
It certainly seems to me that the Herald on Sunday has decided that the years-long honeymoon for Key and his merry band of neo-lib control freaks is over. Good on them.
Imagine reading the editorial getting stuck into Key’s abuse of the paper for short term political advantage, and all of these reports actually looking beyond the spin and into the facts, a couple of years ago. Wouldn’t have happened.
And is it just me, or is there a change in the photos of Key that many papers tend to run on page two? Gone are the smiley, puppy-holding, baby-kissing, prole-comforting pictures; now we see Key frowning, sweaty, looking worried, just like he has something to hide…..
Gotta admit – I have been enjoying the past few months!!
just saying’s comment seems to have caused everything to slant to the right.
[Fixed…all straight again. RL]
best comment you’ve ever made pete –
for people who read this after the italics are fixed…. pg cracked a funny!
đ
đ (y)
My first attempt to use emoticons…
mmmm the y is meant to be a thumbs up!
it’s a funny bug that. one incorrectly written bit of code and the italics carries on through all the comments. it even made the editing buttons in the back of the side italicised.
[Fixed…all straight again. RL]
Straight down the middle now, great!
David Shearer has issued a statement requesting all MPs start setting an example of positive leadership, and has asked all Labour MPs and staffers to set an example of putting the good of the country first, and to stop petty political attacks. Shearer in strong show of leadership.
Latest document to be leaked from the donkey’s office.
http://www.lynchs.com/cat–Costumes-For-Clowns–clowncostumes12.html
Maybe “Lynchs” is going a bit far?
What are the chances this is an April Fools Day prank?
It’s fun to watch the civil war within the National Party. The National Party’s civil war on New Zealand? Not so much.
No ‘social responsibility’ clause. That’s good, innit? Wonder how many ‘earth hours’ electricity companies will claim credit for?
Which explains why they had to write a social responsibility clause in the first place. Someone should make Ryall watch Alan Greenspan’s Congressional testimony until he gets it through numb skull that he is talking shit.
Why isn’t there a requirement in the cabinet manual that ministers statements should not be demonstrably deceitful?
Typical of this lot to avoid interviews – another minister diving away, leaving some junior in the media department to knock out a quick statement that says “don’t worry – the market incentives will look after that for us – now stop bothering the minister with things below his super-strategic view”.
It is going to be fun watching the developments at Narrow Neck beach in Auckland. Looks like iwi are about get some prime waterfront land back. So far as I can see, the dispute is about rich capitalist whities, pointing to how “poor” they were in the nineties and in a desperate act of ingenuine socialist solidarity, trying to align themselves with an imaginary aggrieved public. If that doesn’t catch, they then point to the slippery slope argument that marine park fish will be endangered by treaty settlement land on top of a cliff. The consultation process wasn’t transparent enough, they claim. Jesus, they are pretty transparent themsleves. They complain they were hoodwinked by the people they voted into government, even though they knew those people used the same measure of self interest as their lifestyles and attitudes hold dear. Can’t risk maori building “cheap in-fill housing” on prime land, one woman said on TV last night. I assume that’s because we all know how maori and cheap go together… don’t we? No sir, it should be whities doing that, building exclusive residences, keeping the tone of the neighbourhood clean, you know, like they did over the harbour in Okahu bay all those years ago. So a few maori got burned out of their homes, couldn’t they understand the City had a raffle running? Even poor old The-Law-is-Complicated Len has found his voice and come out saying a private consulation “…doesn’t cut the mustard”. Ooh, steady on there Len, your masters will get twitchy! The irony is that after almost 175 years of maori learning the hard way how to be good colonialists, rich whities are being out-whitied by rich maori and can no longer choose their neighbours. Gee, that must sting.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10792849
But, those uppity Devonport activists seem to have got the wrong end of the stick and assumed Ngati Whatua have the same motives for acquiring prime coastal real estate:….
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6673729/Angry-residents-threaten-to-take-over-naval-base
Having been on the periphery of the previous stoush in the late 1990s involviing former environment minister, Nick Smith, I think most people expected the land presently covered by buildings and a car-park would be added to the reserve once the Navy abandoned their barracks. Indeed from memory we were given to understand by the Shipley govt. that is what would happen. Anyone who knows the area intimately can appreciate the significance such an enlarged reserve would have for the whole of Auckland. It has the potential to be a sparkling jewel in our ‘maritime reserve’ crown with magnificent views of the harbour and gulf. The uppity Devonport activists fought a costly court battle to stop all but a very narrow strip along the top of the cliff being sold off to speculators and turned into a rich man’s paradise and they won. I can tell you Nick Smith and his (then) colleagues were thoroughly pissed off with us at the time.
The fact that this latest deal was done behind closed doors without the knowledge of the local community and the community board, hasn’t gone down well and I’m not surprised. I have no wish to deprive Ngati Whatua of their rightful heritage, but I want to know one hell of a lot more about what plans they have for the land once it comes into their possession. Like North Head, it is a very special place with a fascinating history – both Maori and Pakeha.
One small error. We were certainly given to understand that the reserve would be extended after the departure of the Navy but I doubt it came from the govt. of the day. We were not on their Xmas card list. đ
There is another part of that article that also deserves mention
I don’t often agree with finlayson but I do when he says
The upset residents should take some time to consider those quotes and the quotes that Carol has put up too. What is the actual fear and where does it spring from? At the moment it seems not far off what uturn has written.
Man that’s a solid wall of words Uturn. l
You are talking a load of crap Uturn. Rich capitalist whities? Bullshit! If they hadn’t done their dash nobody would have the land now including Ngati Whatua. It would be covered in dirty great mansions belonging to rich capitalist whities.
Ngati Whatua and the Devonport Trust (which was set up to protect the reserve) worked together last time and I’m sure they will end up doing so again. To categorise Devonport activists and by inference residents – most of whom are behind them – as a bunch of self serving, racist capalist pigs (yep, that’s what you’re saying) just shows up your ignorance of both them and the past and present situation.
Lucky ol’ whitey and his self interest came to Ngati Whatuas aid, huh? People not familiar with Auckland’s North Shore and specifically the area in question will be surprised by the raft of rich man’s mansions on both sides of the land in question – just keeping the land safe, that is, “for all of Auckland” – and the neighbourhood in general. How bewildered visitors will be to find the diversity you suggest exists. I know I was warmly accepted into the multicultural egalitarian environment when I lived there. Then again, I am white. I don’t mind calling my own out as racists and hypocrites, when they are. Like you, they really hate it, though.
“People not familiar with Aucklandâs North Shore and specifically the area in question will be surprised by the raft of rich manâs mansions on both sides of the land in question”
Yeah that’s the point. It is prime awesome land, it would be best for every kiwi if it remained in the public commons. If Ngati Whatua doesn’t guarentee it will be turned into a park for ALL to share, then it will inevitably become more ‘rich man’s’ mansions.
(my emphasis)
How would it be best for NgÄti WhÄtua?
Why not get some of the ‘rich men’ to turn their mansions into parks for all to share?
The second question is rhetorical of course – we know the answer to that one – we know the system we live within and where the privilege is held.
Actually, it was Ngati Whatua who came to ol’ whitey’s aid. You would do well to remove that chip on your shoulder mate.
I’ve lived near Narrow Neck Beach since I was born (50 years) had my first swim in a rock pool there. So I claim it as my local beach. I have strong ties here and I sure don’t vote National or Act! All the people who live here have a right to a say, for themselves, their children, their grandchildren, because many people brought up here stay here all their lives. Why are Ngati Whatua the only important ones here? Surely there is other land that can be sold. That land was safe, or so we thought, for future generations as permanent reserve. I can certainly understand that the wealthier residents of the Shore who obviously voted National, especially Devonport, are pretty irate , as am I, and I don’t think that will die down easily. So Maggie Barry, be warned! No seat is safe if you do the dirty on your electorate!
http://promos.airnz.co.nz/gas/straightup/
Airnz promo
The Brits panic-buying fuel due to a strike that hadn’t been called was encouraged by the government – “re-fuel before it gets too low”, they said, “store petrol in a jerry-can in the garage” one said.
After hours-long queues for days, empty petrol stations and a serious burns incident it’s found to have all been a pre-planned ‘Thatcher Moment’ to break the union. Note that it this news was broken by the Daily Telegraph aka the Torygraph.
Absolute contempt is what I have for the people who have engineered this state of affairs.
Looks like someone has threatened Slater with consequences if he doesn’t pull his head in and allow a ceasefire in the Nats’ civil war:
“Thatâs it!
by Whaleoil
Iâm over them. National that isâŚcuddling up to Boag.
I think I will join the Labour party. They seem to be having so much more fun right now.
Plus, since they are the nasty party they should welcome my particular skills.”
Slater, your particular skills are having a mad blog that Lusk sometimes puts interesting things on (which you promptly bury with trash – 4 posts in 2 hours so far, it’s Sunday dude!)
Or is his post his idea of a 1 April joke although it would not surprise me if he had been told to pull his head in. However, that sort of advice usually seems to provoke certain types of people to do the opposite.
When I looked just before seeing your post here, he was up to 5 posts and its not yet 9am.
Time for a shower.
I’m keeping closer tabs on wo through rss than normal because of the nats civil war. the sheer quantity of dross is amazing. ten posts in 4 hours
Ditto – am still interested in the statement in one of yesterday’s posts which appears to claim to have had the Sovereign letter before Close Up in terms of where it may have been leaked from. Here is my earlier comment on this – http://thestandard.org.nz/slaterlusk-goes-off-the-deep-end/#comment-453506
Agreed Rosy. These utterly manipulative scumbags governing the UK only considered how they could turn public opinion against the union – before the union had even voted whether to take action. The result was a public run on fuel; artificially created shortages; worries that emergency services wouldn’t be able to find fuel in an emergency; people storing petrol without understanding the hazards; a woman severely burnt because while decanting petrol for her daughter who had run out of fuel. What do these people stand for? Do they give a damn about the people they are supposed to be governing?
Decanting petrol in the kitchen while cooking…
Nope, they only care about themselves and the power and wealth that they can accumulate using the rules that they’ve put in place over the centuries.
yeah sunday should be an amphetamine free day over at the whaleweightstation.
Go Winston! This is fantastic! http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-earthquake/6673678/Winston-Peters-takes-up-red-zone-cause
I bet if Jim Anderton were in parliament, or mayor, he’d be on this case too.
More privatisation madness that’s slipped under the radar
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/6673557/Car-parking-The-ticket-for-returns
Get this bit….
“Often the district health board would also rent back a substantial number of the car parks for its medical staff, on long-term contracts with regular rent reviews, providing a built-in lift in revenue…”
So the upshot is that for a sugar rush of $15.3million the DHB gave away income of at least $2.36million per year for twenty years, plus incurred higher costs for staff parking. We’ve got some real financial wizards in charge of the DHB. A taste of what’s to come methinks.
Yes parking is a juicy earner, especially with a captive market that has nowhere to go. Always was easy money as the structures are concrete shells, require little maintenance, need virtually no staff and you just keep raising the cost.
Parkings been Auckland airports juiciest plum for years and again shows what an ideological lemming Ryall is on top of his lies about doctors and nurse numbers is a nasty and evasive dude…..perfect NACT material.
Are there any escalation clauses or do they just charge what they like?
Don’t know, I’d have thought the hospitals would have some say in the parking levies but maybe not, look at Auck hospitals outrageous charges;
“The car park charges visitors to the hospital $18 for stays of 6-8 hours….”
The main point is the hospital (and other) car parks are publicly owned assets being signed over to profiteering private businesses for twenty year leases when there is no commercial or financial justification for such lengthy terms. The owners, ie us the public, are also losing very substantial sums in income from the asset.
true but NACT consider any public asset ripe for their business mates to profit at the public’s expense, sick and vulnerable even easier kaching.
Ryall’s doing long term damage in health and it goes pretty much unoticed, of of the darkest lords quietly going about the hollowmans business.
As annoying as they are, I guess they promote more efficient public transport in a way.
Of course it is unavoidable when you do need a car, but mostly I think parking charges and tickets are mostly a rich persons tax.
We still have it way better than most parts of the world. In the UK 10pd+ per hour was pretty standard in CBD type areas. Even in the suburbs you needed a ‘pass’ that verified you as a resident or you risked being towed. So pretty much your mates had to pay for temporary passes to park there, even outside YOUR flat. We are nowhere near that bad here.
That is what we have just down the road from me in Grey Lynn.
Bespoke custom pets – just press print.
http://www.economist.com/node/21551450?frsc=dg%7Ca
Ah I was almost half way through before I realized the date.
There was a great obituary as well
http://www.economist.com/node/21551439?frsc=dg%7Ca
Which wasn’t a joke.
Well worth reading, thanks for the link.
We all too often forget or don’t know about such people, who are the real leaders of this world albeit in a small way in the overall scheme of things. Leaders is not quite the right word, but brain is not yet functioning fully.
A truly inspiring article – recommend it to other Standard readers.
Ditto Very inspiring
Thank God for people like Lyn Lusi, who selflessly defied the darkness in the heart of man and brought healing and light to those maimed by human wickedness.Such a heart warming and uplifting life to aspire to.
Rest in eternal peace Lyn Lusi knowing that you faithfully fought the good fight and I thank you for it.
Love the acronym H.E.A.L. standing for health,education, action and love. I wish we could put this into action for our poverty stricken children. Thank you so much for this link lprent, stirring stuff.
Questions of ”cheque book legislation” again arose at Parliaments question time when both Brownlee and Joyce were questioned on whether Skycity had given any favor of any sort to either of the Ministers in the Slippery Sleaze administration,
The method by which Brownlee replied was slightly enlightening, complaining to the House Speaker Lockwood Smith that such a question from the Opposition should not have included the word ”corruption”,
Brownlee once put in His place answered a no to the question as to whether He had ever recieved favor or cash from Skycity as did Joyce,
A forensic psychologist tho would have been all over Joyce as when He rose to answer in the negative to the question of ever having recieved cash or favor from Skycity the first few words of His reply in the negative only managed to escape the constriction in His throat as a girlish squeak,
The real question that should be asked of Joyce in particular is has He set His business interests into a ”blind trust” with no knowledge to him management by others thus giving Joyce the perception of freedom from conflict of interest as a Minister of the Crown and would He be surprised if such a ”managed blind trust” held an amount of Skycity shares???…
Wasn’t Q+A better without Holmes, and Fran O’Sullivan even made some sense for once… I’m almost lost for words.
Indeed, Jackal. Greg Boyd did surprisingly well, and even Shane Taurima managed to make Key look less confident than he used to be. (Though more to do with the end of the Media Honeymoon, methinks. Just about to blog on it…)
The episode seemed more professional; less show-ponyish; and dealth with the issues (the issues! Oh no, say it ain’t so, ma!)
Just how wide-spread is this little bit of inspired Public/Private business???
It appears that Housing New Zealand Ltd has a contracted out inspection service where once a year tenants are visited by Housing New Zealand,s privately contracted building inspectors to check on issues of maintainence and/or tenant damage to the property,
It would further appear,and we have as yet not ascertained the numbers,that at least one tenant has had 2 new smoke alarms installed despite the 3 already at the property being in perfect un-damaged working condition,
The tenants in this particular piece of work are not asked for their consent nor are they told that they will be billed for the installation,
3 months later Housing New Zealand sends the tenants an invoice for ”damage” to the property with a claim that the smoke alarms were installed as ”replacements” for damaged alarms supposedly already at the property,
Tenants are given 7 days to pay for this little rort and we wonder just how many of Housing New Zealand,s tenants are being rorted in this manner and how many have meekly paid up thinking that ”they have to”….
Housing NZ Ltd for what should be a government service department. And then this outsourcing of real work to robot arms so that at the centre is just an ugly alien with giant eyes and a flaming mouth, the horror fantasy films come to reality.
We have posted twice here this morning and not wanting to hog the page we are off to spend a little energy on the chores,
What we have posted tho has as an afterthought to us addressed a somewhat intertwined issue that has effects at the top end of society as it does the bottom,
In reality we have simply addressed the issue of the supposed public/private partnership and that reality simply shows us that such a relationship is rotten at its core and should such a dissolution of the line between the role of Public business and Private business continue the rotten core will begin to give off a stench all of its own…
I see Airnz has new strap hanging stand-up-straight cheap offers going. Maybe just for 1st April.
National’s economic treason
The National led government have in fact increased government debt by over 190% since they gained power in 2008, and such economic bungling will undoubtedly cause problems for New Zealand for decades to come…
It always seems strange that Bill English’s litany of, “All Labour does is borrow and spend.”
But who has been borrowing us into huge debt since 2008?
I am still trying to figure out what the PM meant with his spiel on Q+A this am, when comparing 2 billion borrowed by National compared to 12 billion from Labour ???
Was he trying to say Nats have only borrowed 2 billion in the first three years ?
Rather disturbing story about a teenager trying to go all Equus on his Dad’s business in the Herald. It’s accompanied by a graphic picture of a dead horse. What caught my eye was the juxtaposition of that photo with one immediately to its right, which illustrates the difficulty a young Philippino woman is having getting bikini shots published on facebook. I think there may be a feminist on the sub’s bench trying to make an obscure point.
Mike Hoskings doing a ‘cash for comments’ deal with a major corporate with an image problem looking for concessions from government is following in a well worn track. See the John Laws link below. Laws’ people went out to recruit a corporate ‘with a big PR problem’: at that time it was the banks, who were in the middle of a major rarking up of fees. So: wonder who esle might be paying off our celebs and shock jocks? Aussie Banks here? ASB bank? Offshore owned utility companies? Super market duopolies?? Mind boggles: suggestions please!!! http://www.multiline.com.au/~johnm/johnlaws.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cash_for_comment_affair
Full independent inquiry required
It looks like Boag and Pullar have been utilizing their associations in the National party for personal gain and it is likely that very senior members of the National party (including Key) are implicated in the stand-over tactics of a private insurer and a government department…
It looks like you are trying to utilise old accusations backed by little or nothing. Pullar and Boag have been trying to utilise their National associations, but without much success.
The private insurer said their name drop overkill harmed rtaher than aided their claim there. They could see the “support team” was nonsensical, as could anyone with half a clue.
Nick Smith stuffed up but for nothing, things still haven’t been resolved at ACC so there doesn’t look like any personal gain there.
Key has adamantly discounted any involvement and that seems credible with facts the facts that are known and common sense.
Did you happen to see Q+A this morning Pete George? Fran O’Sullivan disagrees with your and John Keys argument.
I can count the number of times I’ve agreed with O’Sullivan on an amputees hand, but I happen to agree with her that undue influence is wrong even when it’s not successful.
Is a bank robber not a criminal when he doesn’t get away with any money Pete George?
Could you link to where Sovereign Insurance said the support and advocate people listed in the leaked letter was nonsensical?
Wayne Mapp on tv said he organised meeting(s) with pullar’s support people regarding
the claim from soverign insurance,the claim for $14 mil.
She also got closer to the $3 mil amount
according to a tv report.
WTF!!? How can National still be rising in the polls? Even as a strong National supporter, I can’t believe they have escaped so unscathed from all the shit that has gone down.
Have ask TS. Which poll are you writing about?
TV One – “poll kick in the pants for Labour”
http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/tim-watkin-poll-kick-in-pants-labour-4810215
http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/national-s-popularity-undented-in-new-poll-4810211
Tim Watkin says:
Or change it’s game. A few here Labourites here could take note.
When will they realise that they need to worry less about trying to make Key and National worse (they’ll do that themselves over time), and more effort making Shearer and Labour better?
The day the labour party needs popularity advice from UF would be the day it should shut up shop.
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One news released a poll tonight showing the three big parties up and NZ1 back down to 3% (lols – that’s what they said before the election đ ). Not on the CB site yet.
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On the plus side, that’s 51% all up for the nats government. Error-level shite, and not a spike.
It was the colmar brunton poll,what the hell is wrong with people,it was taken in the
midst of the acc debacle too,i give up.
Mostly the poll shows no change. Except this, which puzzled me most:
Sorry, folks, but no – National is not as high up in the polls as what Colmar Brunton would have us believe. It’s more BS polling, and the math is quite simple; http://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2012/04/01/bugger-the-polls/
Colmar Brunton is trying to pull a fast one – the same BS figures they gave us last year.
My money is on a change of government in 2014 (if not earlier).
Yes, in moderation… one day I may find out why. In the meantime, I get the hint, I have nothing more to say about anything – but you can’t stop me thinking it!
Just watched the 60 minutes on Tv3. The Casino deal was in the gun. Guyon Espiner in good form questioning Joyce over the sweet deal. Joyce unable to answer some fundamental questions and I bet he will be unwilling to face up again. (Guyon said that in Adelaide the same Casino chain sought special privileges in exchange for law change. The Government response there? “You must be dreaming!” Joyce knew nothing about this – and he should have.)
Hope some clever Standardista can follow this up?
Stuff reported on the Adelaide comparison in August last year. That explains how Joyce had never heard of it: he was lying.
Slippery has also been running the lie about casinos being “safer” despite having no evidence.
Joyce oozes corruption from every pore – he doesn’t even try to hide it. How anyone can imagine that he would make a good party leader is beyond me.
OAB’s policy suggestion: require that Sky City’s owners build the convention centre for free, then confiscate their assets and drive them out of the country.
Personally I think that law should be changed.
Requiring 10 year olds on bikes to mix with traffic in Auckland while there is a, mostly unused, footpath available is totally stupid.
Of course if you would rather a cyclist got killed than a pedestrian injured?
Never heard of any pedestrians getting major injuries or killed by cyclists on footpaths.
Many deaths from cyclists being forced to bike on the roads, in places like Petone and Tamaki drive.
Tauranga has mixed bike and footpaths with a speed limit for bikes. Works fine.
Nelson and Mt Maunganui bike lanes would be alright if they did not put you right in the path of opening car doors.
Personally I think that law should be changed.
+1. Even if it means narrowing some roads to widen shared paths for bikes and pedestrians. Works extremely well where I live. Shared paths are probably not suitable for speed-training cyclists, but for commuting, shopping trips etc, they’re spot-on.
Many cyclists have told me that the law says they are allowed to not wear helmets if they ride on the footpath
They’re correct (however they wreck their case by illegally riding on designated footpaths)The law states that helmets must be worn when cycling on roads.
I like the idea on the Tauranga Mt bridge. The mixed path has a speed limit for bikes.
So. If you want to ride safely on the bike/pedestrian path you go at a speed that is not too dangerous for pedestrians.
Kids and late middle age cyclists can stay safe while the members of the lycra brigade, that want to ride fast, have the choice of mixing it with the cars.
There’s a few shared paths in Auckland, too. The path labelled as the North Western cyclway is actually a shared path. There’s loads of signs telling people to keep left. But I’ve come across a minority of pedestrians who think that it is for walkers only. They spread across the path in a group, blocking the way for cyclists.
This also happens on the split pedestrian/cycleway over the southern motorway on Symonds Street, with people walking in both the pedestrian lane and cycle lane at the same time, blocking the way for cyclists.
I’ve also come across a guy walking his dog without a leash on the north western cycleway. This is scary for a cyclist because you don’t know which direction the dog might run.
So, that means that if they cycle on the footpath, they don’t need helmets? That is not what two police officers told me… I fear that you have interpreted the law the way you want it to be, Rosy.
You should hang around Auckland for a while. (I know you’re overseas atm, but still). People who wear helmets are in the minority, and most of those who don’t are kids whose Daddy has told them to ignore Helen’s nanny state law, (my son was at school with many of those) or kids who whinge that they can’t afford a helmet (when they’re riding expensive bikes, of a like that we could never afford) or 30 somethings who respond with libertarian arguments, or more usually, insults.
I have taught and cared for people with brain injuries, and the Brain Injury trust man was actually in tears, when I spoke to him about this. I could not care less about the well-dressed idiot who nearly hit me, or the ex-colleague who claimed that he couldn’t afford a helmet, (he lied of course, and when I offered him Leon’s old one, had a well of excuses why he wouldn’t accept it. Ironically, I lost my job, he kept his – I can hardly afford to eat, and him?? Little barsteward. Brain damage might make him a nicer man, though I doubt it.) Howebver, I do worry very much about the kids. Even if their libertarian parents are morons, the kids don’t deserve brain damage.
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Yet another helmetless cyclist… Typical of the breed? (The headline is misleading, but that’s not unusual.)
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Are you responding to my (moderated) post about cyclists and footpaths? (I don’t even know if it left moderation.) Because if you are, you seriously missed my point, which is that footpaths are not unused! Especially not here – Pt Chevalier near Unitec. Rehab + and Segar Ave (residence for people with cerebral palsy), a day care centre and several schools are all in the area. The idiot cyclist I referred to missed me by millimetres, and could easily have bowled a child, an actually old person or a person whose walking is, because of their disability, very unsteady. So, don’t be so stinking selfish! The 10 year olds use the cycle path – only the helmetless teenagers and 30 somethings, use the footpath. (Some actual children use the footpath, infrequently, but I don’t begrudge that as they are careful.)
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That you have never heard of it doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.
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You are right that such accidents do happen, V32. In this case it was the cyclist that came off worse, but it could easily have been the pedestrians. Not even a busy path, either, but a fatal collision none the less.
http://www.wanganuichronicle.co.nz/news/cyclist-dies-in-freak-accident/1112431/
Oh yes. None that I know of have happened here *, but my own near miss shows that they easily could – and the footpath is always thronged with people in manual and power chairs, and a cyclist would not be guaranteed to be the winner if they hit someone in a power chair (I am told by my son the health professional that the term ‘electric wheelchair’ is seriously banned! :D)
Many people at Rehab + are out on their own in manual wheelchairs for the first or one of the first times – I see that even I, a slow and small pedestrian, make them nervous, especially if they’re survivors of disabling car accidents!
That story you linked to is very sad.Â
* Although I do know of many children from Gladstone school who have been killed or injured by motorists nearby. These things are apparently so common that they never make the newspaper, but my son used to go to Gladstone school, and his teachers told me…
Just watched TV1 news, you know the one that has won the Qantas Best News Award (hate to see the losers) News item, says Donkey is still top of the hit parade. Two questions
a, Are the general public thick or,
b, Is it the usual spin and bullshit put out by the right wing MSM. The reason why I ask is, the people I talk to including ones who confess that they voted National, say completely different to what that pathetic news channel called TVNZ One news says.
about 5% bias for b, and a bit of a.
a) for sure as swinging voters love the beads and coloured glass the nats sprinkle about, we’ve don’t have an electorate that can remember broken promises or actually show up and vote.
b) TVNZ is very NACT friendly, always has been since early 08 when it know they were on the way in, Holmes/Hosking/Sainsbury etc and the endless stream of kid reporters are to serious journalism what chalk is to cheese.
Most of the lines come from high up, they’ll be going flat out to smudge the latest in NACT’s impressive corruption resume.
The nats use carrott/stick very well with those relying on govt funding….just look at the police.