Open Mike 01/04/2017
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6:00 am, April 1st, 2017 - 33 comments
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- Property Rights and the Treaty Principles Bill
Property rights – which enable decisions over tangible and intangible assets – are critical to an economy as Why Nations Fail pointed out. Not just private property rights for, as we shall see, they are more complicated than that. Neoliberals argue that private property rights lead to the maximum economic ...14 hours ago - The Hoon around the week to November 22
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The gift that keeps giving: David Seymour has now opened a split in the coalition over the future of National’s promise to build a new medical school. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / TheKakaKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and ...22 hours ago
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Record Numbers: The Hīkoi mō te Tiriti, which began at the tip of the North, and the tail of the South, on 11 November, culminated outside Parliament on Tuesday, 19 November 2024, in one of the largest demonstrations in New Zealand’s political history.ACCORDING TO TE ARA, the Ministry of Culture ...23 hours ago - The Rush To Blame “The Activists”
Activists are such easy scapegoats. The right and center have been conditioned for decades to roll their eyes at all protests. The left are easily aggravated over students leading movements they see as belonging to grownups, who have more important concerns like the economy and whether the trains come on ...23 hours ago - Cutting Through An Inundation of Dipshit Racists
Hi,Watching New Zealand from afar offers a strange perspective. It can be a good thing — distance from Aotearoa helped keep me sane while I reported on abuse at New Zealand’s biggest megachurch over the course of a year. It helps fuel my silly podcast. But it can also be ...24 hours ago - This is bad news
The speech yesterday by Treasury’s Chief Economic Advisor warning that the books are in worse shape than forecasted looks like it’s part of a softening-up process for either more cuts or a longer wait to get back into surplus. The speech was a highly unusual public preview of Treasury’s Half-Yearly ...1 day ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #47 2024
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Chatting in the supermarket this morning, I found I needed to lunge for the chicken drumsticks.Coping mechanisms: who hasn’t felt a greater need for them lately?When it all gets too much, I turn to demonstrating handy butchery hacks.It wasn’t that she’d said anything wrong, our friend, not at all. We ...2 days ago - The year is 2024 and it’s 1984
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Back in 2022, RNZ took an in-depth look at the "Independent" Police Conduct Authority and its handling of killings by police. These are the most serious test of oversight, and you would expect the police's use of lethal force to receive the most severe scrutiny. But despite the police regularly ...2 days ago
- Thursday 21 November 2024
The Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti arrived at Parliament on Tuesday – the size is being debated but estimates range from 42,000 to 100,000. The Prime Minister is defending not attending due to some of the organisers being affiliated with Te Pāti Māori. The national gang patch ban came into force ...2 days ago - ‘These budget cuts are counter-productive and make no sense’
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- ACT’s Astroturfing & A Co-ordinated Attack on Te Pati Māori
Unity on the Streets / Unity at the TableAfter the Hīkoi, all three right wing Coalition leaders came together to push the idea that the 42,000 - 50,000 + strong Hikoi was somehow less potent and brave, and more illegitimate than the energy and crowd displayed.Prime Minister Christopher Luxon 20-November: ...2 days ago - Durability of carbon dioxide removal is critical for stabilizing temperatures
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- 27% of kids going hungry, up from 21% in a year
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- Young Maori take over
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- National’s support base is wobbling
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I cannot stop grabbing people by the lapels, or shoulders, or similar, and raving at them about the tiny miracles in my ears.I can hear again! There could not be a more satisfied customer in all the world.In a noisy cafe I am even catching words that Karren cannot, she ...6 days ago - Unintended Consequences
Take the baitYou pay the priceIt's much too lateFor good adviceYou know and I know that our good things' throughBecause there's consequences for what we doConsequences for me and youWriters: Kevin Robert Hayes, David Nagier, Bonnie Adele Hayes.Fallout from the first readingOne News began last night by saying that tens ...7 days ago - Thank you, driver!
Today, Saturday 16th of November, is Auckland Transport’s Bus Driver Appreciation Day! Saturday 16 November marks the third annual Auckland Transport (AT) ‘Bus Driver Appreciation Day’, and this year we are encouraging all of New Zealand to thank their driver or let the bus go first if you are in ...7 days ago
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1 week ago - More lawlessness from National
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Day One of the Treaty Principles Bill…and everyone got what they wanted, and did what they liked. Heated words were exchanged. Culturally appropriate acts of outrage were performed. David Seymour got to play the victim card. Willie Jackson got kicked out of class. A comically red-faced Mr Speaker bellowed “Order, ...1 week ago
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Good morning, and I’m sorry I’ve been away for a couple of days.I’ve been focusing on the Hikoi, and also testing out sentiment on the Treaty Principles Bill. It’s complicated, and the Treaty Principles Bill will be debated in the House today. The Government’s own lawyers have told them the ...1 week ago - Government must vote down ACT Members Bill that would undermine workers’ rights
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As the weight of the world Hangs on your shoulders The weight of the world Starts to take over again And over again All that you once loved, now you hate So slowly relearn how to meditate To have and to hold And never let go Can you feel it ...1 week ago - Thursday 14 November 2024
The Treaty Principles Bill is set to have its First Reading in the House today, as the Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti continues. More than 40 KCs have written to the Prime Minister and Attorney-General outlining their “grave concerns” about the substance of the Treaty Principles Bill, while an academic and ...1 week ago
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Louise Upston has revealed her diminished vision for vulnerable youth against a backdrop of snubbed advice, scrapped priorities, shifted goal posts and thousands more children projected to fall into poverty. ...2 days ago
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When the Government says it has reduced the number of people in emergency housing, what it means is it is stopping people from accessing it in the first place. ...2 days ago
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- Government plan to reinstate live animal exports a “national disgrace”
The Government has taken a giant step backwards by reinstating live animal exports. ...3 days ago
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Parliamentarians from Australia, Canada and New Zealand have written an open letter to their respective Prime Ministers calling on them to recognise Palestine. ...3 days ago
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Today, Hīkoi mō te Tiriti arrived in Wellington, with thousands gathering to march in unity against the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...4 days ago
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The Prime Minister must answer the call from a group of senior lawyers of the King’s Counsel to abandon the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...1 week ago
- Chris Hipkins’ apology statement to state and faith-based care survivors
...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour formally apologises to state and faith-based care survivors
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Today, the Green Party stands alongside the survivors of abuse in state care and faith-based care as the Government issues an historic apology. ...2 weeks ago
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The Green Party has written to the Speaker of the House requesting he enable a personal vote on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
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The Green Party is alarmed by the Government’s move to exclude a journalist from covering this week’s apology for the survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care. ...2 weeks ago
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For tomorrow’s apology to survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care to hold any water, the Government must not pursue the same policies that drove the abuse in the first place. ...2 weeks ago
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Concerns about the tobacco industry’s ability to interfere in government policy making remain, despite the inability of the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate the Government’s decision to halve the excise tax on heated tobacco products. ...2 weeks ago
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The Climate Change Commission’s latest advice indicates Aotearoa needs to be stepping up on climate action. ...2 weeks ago
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- Release: Poroporoaki: Ta Robert (Bom) Gillies
Kua hinga te manawa kairākau o Te Rua Tekau Ma Waru Tiwhatiwha te po! Kakarauru i te po! Ka rapuhia kei hea koe kua riro! Haere e te Ika a Whiro ki o tini hoa kua ngaro atu ki te Pō ...2 weeks ago
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The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principle...
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
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The Green Party says the need is greater than ever for Aotearoa New Zealand to pursue an independent foreign policy. ...2 weeks ago
- Child Protection Investigation Unit established
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Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Ka mihi ki te mana whenua ko Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Kia ora and good morning everyone. Thank you Fran and Simon for inviting me here today, and importantly your leadership of this forum over several years now. I want to acknowledge David Gehrenbeck, Deputy ...17 hours ago
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- District Court Judge appointed
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- First arrests made under gang patch ban
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- Improving the lives of young New Zealanders
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- Government continues work to reinstate livestock exports by sea
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Tēnā koutou katoa – it is a pleasure to be here today. I would like to begin by acknowledging the important leadership role you all play in ensuring a quality health system New Zealanders can trust. There is enormous clinical expertise in this room covering a wide range of disciplines. ...3 days ago
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Tēnā koutou katoa. Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. New Zealand, and all nations represented here today, are already dealing with the impacts of climate change. Our households, businesses, and economies are bearing the costs of its effects. The choices we make now will shape the severity of these impacts for generations ...3 days ago
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- Gang crackdown begins at stroke of midnight
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- LGFA increases borrowing capacity to support high growth councils
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- Temporary Traffic Management costs revealed
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- Jurisdiction of Disputes Tribunal to double
Legislation that will double the financial jurisdiction of the Disputes Tribunal from $30,000 to $60,000 has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith. “We need to improve court timeliness and access to justice so that Kiwis and get on with their lives. Court delays affect everyone, the ...4 days ago
- Protecting New Zealand from foreign interference
Legislation that will specifically criminalise foreign interference and strengthen espionage offences has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “It is normal and appropriate for states to interact and work to influence one another. This encourages cooperation and can have mutually beneficial outcomes. “However, the reality ...4 days ago
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Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news that the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board has approved funding towards pre-implementation and early works on the State Highway 1 (SH1) Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass Road of National Significance (RoNS). “Reaching this significant milestone is a reflection of our Government’s ...4 days ago
- Health survey results to help drive change
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says findings from the annual Health Survey highlight the need to continue driving better health outcomes for New Zealanders. The New Zealand Health Survey is an annual snapshot of key metrics measured from July 2023 – July 2024. Findings released this morning include: In 2023/24, ...4 days ago
- Final push needed to get to Smokefree 2025
A renewed effort to get people to quit smoking will build on what has worked to date and target the groups who most need support, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said today. “The latest New Zealand Health Survey results show the daily smoking rate at 6.9 per cent and we ...4 days ago
- New diplomatic appointments
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced four new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign ...4 days ago
- Next steps for Regulatory Standards Bill
Regulation Minister David Seymour has today announced the next steps in the Government’s plan improve the quality of regulation by opening consultation on a proposed Regulatory Standards Bill. “New Zealand's low wages can be blamed on low productivity, and low productivity can be blamed on poor regulation,” says Mr Seymour. ...4 days ago
- Red Tape Tipline goes live
Minister for Regulation David Seymour has today announced that the Ministry for Regulation’s Red Tape Tipline is now live. “We want to hear about your red tape horror stories. From today, New Zealanders will have a say on how they are regulated through an online portal,” says Mr Seymour. The ...4 days ago
- Youth Parliament 2025 announced
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- Police stats show promising change
After nearly a year in Government, Kiwis have seen significant change across law and order with promising early results shown across some Police statistics, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “In August 2023, I told New Zealanders that if they had not started to see a change in public safety within ...5 days ago
- Better coordination of anti-scam efforts
With the launch of Fraud Awareness Week, the Government is committing to new coordination efforts across industry and government to combat online scams, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Online financial scams are a growing problem for New Zealand. New data released today shows that Kiwis lost nearly ...5 days ago
- Minister to consider 7AA select committee report
Minister for Children Karen Chhour will consider the recommendations made by the Social Services and Community Committee in its report back to Parliament on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill. “I want to thank the people who made submissions and those who appeared before the committee in ...5 days ago
- Defence Minister to attend ASEAN meeting
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- Short story: Freefall, by Owen Marshall
Gordon was meant to be with him on that hike. It wasn’t high mountain stuff, but it was rugged, and it’s always sensible to have a companion when that far into the back country. They’d planned to do it in two days and knew each other’s capabilities. But Gordon got ...32 minutes ago - ‘You bring your whole life to watching TV’: Critic Diana Wichtel on a life in review
The veteran reviewer takes us through her life in television, including the allure of property shows, the crushing end of Campbell Live, and the review that got the most hate mail. Having reviewed television for The Listener for over three decades, award-winning critic Diana Wichtel has chronicled the medium through ...1 hour ago - Can poets drive? A sociocultural investigation
Of all the stereotypes about poets, perhaps the most enduring cliche is that poets can’t drive. But what evidence do we have to back that up? A non-driving poet attempts to find out the truth. Bob Dylan said it. Jo Shapcott said it. Wendy Cope said it. Martin Amis said it, ...1 hour ago
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HEATHER DU PLESSIS-ALLANI was driving down the middle of the road and Barry who was sitting next to me said,BARRY SOPER“Watch where you’re going!”HEATHERBy which he meant of course the idiots driving on either side of us, but mainly in the left lane. And he had a good point. Because ...2 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Selma Hedlund, Postdoctoral Associate at Center of Forced Displacement, Boston University History is full of examples of governments using forced segregation against ethnic minorities. From settler colonialists coercing Indigenous peoples into reservations, Nazis forcing Jews into ghettos or the United States ...3 hours ago - Maritime Union joins opposition to live export shipments
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The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
The site will be off line for some hours.
David Fisher in Herald points out the differences in the Hit and Run and NZDF versions.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11828644
This following excert comes from the report for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan for 2010. The bold type are mine. You can find this on p 27 of the pdf.
https://www.scribd.com/document/81662406/UNAMA-Annual-Report-2010-Protection-of-Civilians-in-Armed-Conflict
Speaking to the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce on Friday, the New Zealand First leader said they would only consider forming a coalition Government with parties that backed his call for “economic nationalism”.
“We are not going to go with any party that wants to run the economy the way it has been now,” he said.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/91052036/winston-peters-calls-for-economic-nationalism
Too bad it is now totally opposed to 1080. And is tacking hard right on law and order.
The Greens are committed to promoting practical alternatives to 1080. But yes, it’s a shame NZF are tacking hard right on law and order.
@ The Chairman (2) … thanks for the link re Winston Peters’ statement in Rotorua …
““We are not going to go with any party that wants to run the economy the way it has been now,” he said.”
So is Peters saying NZF will rule out going with National after the election? Because I honestly can’t see this government changing its economic position, not while staunch bluer than blue Natz supporters are creaming it from globalism at the expense of far too many Kiwis! Besides, Blinglish loves globalism.
I agree with Peter’s call for economic nationalism. However, I still don’t trust him, because if the goodies were suitable to him, I can’t see him sticking to principle in refusing to support another National government. Still that element of doubt there for me, regarding the old Winnie.
“So is Peters saying NZF will rule out going with National after the election?”
He’s made a number of bold bottom lines that seem to infer so.
However, when it comes to party negotiations with NZF, English has stated: “The only thing we’d rule out would be sharing the PM’s job.”
No doubt negotiation outcomes will largely depend on the relative size of each party’s vote, but economic nationalism is at the core of what NZF stand for.
Green Party broadcasting spokesman Gareth Hughes said the party promised to spend at least $6.2m a year of taxpayer’s money on a Public Journalism Fund and restoring RNZ’s frozen budget.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/91065438/claim-distrustful-voters-wont-buy-public-interest-journalism-plan
Hear, hear!
“and was not able to visit the incident site.”
Wonder why not? If they are able to be in the area why could they not enter the villages?
Happy 30th Birthday SOE’s and former SOE’s.
1 April 1987, was the day that most of the government departments got the chop and government owned businesses too their place, laying off thousands of staff.
It was a disaster, but I think that Ruth’s 1991 austerity budget did more damage.
And selling them shouldn’t have happened.
Article on Stuff about it: mainly from the perspective that it was a necessary evil, but could have been done better.
“Towns full of weeping women: Rogernomics, 30 years later”
What “Get some guts” leads to …. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aHUE3flOeM
nicky in danger? i know this is not nice to think about but if the sas can kill women and kids as revenge surely they can you know what. does anyone know if nicky has got any extra security?
~ tui
I suspect even if your first assertion was somewhat true, I can’t imagine a slightly overweight, balding security guard would be much of a protection from a squad of SAS soldiers bent on taking Mr Hager out.
Seriously Tui, I think the SAS soldiers are a little more professional than planning for the murder of Mr Hager.
Take a deep breath, let it out, look out the window and look: the sun is still shining, and the birds singing.
Don’t you feel better now?
Doubt it. The last one I met praised Nicky and said Key should be shot.
Excellent opinion piece by Audrey Young today. Imo she has the picture exactly right.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11829518
It looks like Bill English is NOT going to assent to an Inquiry. Short term political gain and continuation of secrecy and cover-up of botched military raid causing deaths of innocent civilians. They think they can get away with it? With a powerful legal team like the one those civilians have… unlikely.
Young takes a middle road between Hit and Run and the NZDF – because, you know, Nicky Hager can never be shown to be correct. For Young, the “truth” must be found to be elsewhere, and the NZDF, while making some errors, should not be totally disparaged.
And it’s still March in the US.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/03/31/president-donald-j-trump-proclaims-april-2017-national-sexual-assault
Nikki Macdonald writes an in-depth portrait of Nicky. Pretty even/fair.
“National Portrait: Nicky Hager – investigative journalist.”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/91008472/national-portrait-nicky-hager–investigative-journalist
I’ve edited the anti war clip ….. to include OUR poor little Fatima at the beginning
… and Abdulrahman al-Awlaki with his little sister at the end …
All the children in the Video would be friends …
War is an Adults disease … which hurts, cripples and kills children.
The kids never deserve this.
“War is an Adults disease … which hurts, cripples and kills children.”
Well that was annoying.
Had to finally get around to rebooting the server only to have an issue with a permission on a section of the database.
Couple more reboots in the future as I upgrade the kernel
Ok. Now running the Linux 4.10 kernel (upgraded from a 4.4 kernel) which amongst other things has good support for Ryzen processors.
The site is running far better for me today, thanks.
Who the hell did (former) Defence Force chief Lt General Rhys Jones think he was?
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11829518
“….The relationship between the military and Government is one of the most difficult ones, and the strains have been evident in previous governments as well.
The military have long resisted the concept that they are servants of the government of the day.
They have a sense of independence and autonomy which translates into a culture of introversion, an aversion of scrutiny and lack of accountability.
They think they discipline themselves well enough, thank you very much.
It was epitomised in former Defence Force chief Lt General Rhys Jones who invited the United States to exercise in New Zealand – after a long absence because of the anti-nuclear rift – without consulting the Government.
….”
Penny Bright
Check for yourselves the background of Rhys Jones:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhys_Jones_(soldier)
Lieutenant General Richard Rhys Jones, CNZM (born 2 May 1960) is a retired senior New Zealand Army officer, who was the Chief of the New Zealand Defence Force from 2011 to 2014. He was succeeded by Lieutenant General Tim Keating.[1][2]
So former NZ Prime Minister John Key appointed former Chief of Defence Rhys Jones.
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11126020
“….Defence Force chief Lieutenant General Rhys Jones will not have his role extended and he will stand down in January, the Government has confirmed.
Defence Force Minister Jonathan Coleman confirmed he had told the Defence Force his decision not to extend the role last week, but it was only after he was questioned by media today that he made the announcement publicly.
The seasoned officer has been in the role since January 2011 when Prime Minister John Key appointed him for a three-year term in order to monitor progress in a major review of Defence Force spending.
…”
I wonder why Karl Pearce’s story on Ministry of Vulnerable Children “CYFS – Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing” has been pulled from TDB? Legal threats? There were some very scary accusations in that story regarding a CYFS manager who is prominent in the new organisation. I was going to discuss it with my wife as we knew a child who was involved in the HVHS fiasco.
Page now has a 404.
Perhaps the HDCA is being used there as well. 🙁
In 175 days Chicken will be PM. Just testing April 1st.
It only counts if you do it before midday.
Was the NZ Defence Force ‘tail’ effectively ‘wagging’ the New Zealand Government by unilaterally engaging in ‘regular combat exercises’ with the USA, without prior NZ Government authorisation?
So, Minister of Defence Jonathan Coleman and NZ Chief of Defence Lt-General Rhys Jones, meet US Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta at the Pentagon, to sign the Washington Declaration on 20 June 2012.
So on what lawful authority had ‘regular combat exercises by troops’ resumed a month earlier, before the signing of this ‘Washington Agreement’?
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10814135
“…Humanitarian naval exercises resumed in the past two years and regular combat exercises by troops resumed only in April this year.”
Emo Trump. Suddenly it all makes more sense.
Unless you’re swivel-eyed you’ll need to watch it twice, the second time for the scroll bar across the bottom.
genius – and funny