Im not an Economist so can anyone explain: given the $7 billion reduction in dairy exports, why is GDP growth still forecasted to be positive?
Given that $7 billion export reduction hasn’t effected GDP growth to any great degree, why do Economists and the MSM think its such an important measure?
GDP measures “productive” economic activity. Some economists think that all productive economic activity is good, and get excited about GDP growth. E.g. Rebuilding Christchurch leads to lots of “productive” activity in the form of construction activity.
Other economists don’t get excited about GDP growth, and look to other measures/indicators, such as Genuine Progress Indicatiors, Happiness Indexes etc. at a national level, and different indicators at a sub-national level: income levels, the distribution of personal income, househol income, household income by number of people in that household etc.
Politicians worldwide have really only had explicit economic growth goals for between 50-100 years.
They think it’s such an important measure because it is a headline indicator, and is conventionally used. I doubt many of them understand what lies beneath it, what it measures or how it is measured.
The $7billion reduction in dairy exports will have significant effects on the NZ economy in the next few years. Dairy farmers will have less money to reinvest, hence less economic activity. There will be a slight lag until these effects are felt. Meanwhile, selling houses in Auckland counts as “productive” economic activity (even though it is deadweight exchange of existing goods – banks profit, but their profits are mainly realised in Australia; government benefits from increased taxes associated with house sales: e.g. Estate agent’s income tax etc).
The govt are being disingenuous when they keep on spouting on about how steady the economy is. It is not really doing so well, as far as I can tell. I cannot see newly emerging innovative industries sprouting all through the land.
I heard an economist on RadioNZ this morning (can’t find it now online) saying that half of the 3% GDP growth in NZ is due to immigration. (My guess is another 1% is due to the Chch rebuild.)
He said that immigration numbers need to be cut so that pressure is taken off the Akl housing market and so that the RB can cut interest rates.
For the life of me I can’t see why the RB isn’t cutting rates since we have some of the highest rates in the world, very low inflation and an over-valued dollar. Other methods than interest rates should be being used to dampen house prices in Akl, either by the RB or the government.
Unfortunately Key and his speculator mates are happy with the housing bubble in Akl, so the rest of the country has to suffer. Talk about lack of vision.
That Devon Funds chap seemed to have some ideas that are new, cf to the usual guff from bank economists.
I think I heard the idea that GDP should be on a population basis so it has more reality and value when analysing the figures. DTB might like to put it better. But it seems to me that some of the stats we are presented with are just measures of a trend in a statistic that never measured the right thing in the right way in the first place.
Like the fun way of telling how a country is doing by studying the price of hamburgers, or the length of women’s skirts (one measure that has been actually posited by objective market watchers, not by finky camera guys)
Sydney taxi on standby, meter running for 9 hours…….$1,248. The arrogance adds up and adds up and adds up. I recall similar from Parata on a one day trip to Sydney a few years ago shortly after appointment as a minister.
And of course smug wee ponce Simon Bridges had ALWAYS planned to come to Northland on ministerial duties in the 10 days prior to the Northland buy-election on 28 March…….”let ‘them’ eat cake” screams.
That is only a little article in the Herald – not the screamer headlines that Labour would have got. Will Mike Hosking denounce Joyce and the Government for this in one of his tedious monologues?
The Taxpayers Union will take the opportunity to pretend they care so when they tout for the ACT party in 2 years time people will think they are impartial.
Agree with it being great work from Unite. As I was trying to explain to Gosman the other day, trying to change a government is not the only way to bring about change. people on the ground, working hard, fighting battles one by one, achieve change.
Mate, there’s so much you missed during your drug addled lost years you’d need a team of historians working in shifts to get you up to date. Best you just start from scratch and just assume your vague memories are as unreliable as your prose is unreadable.
If it’s true, why would I slam it? Phil made an unsubstantiated, anachronistic and inaccurate attack on a trade union. I responded and he doesn’t like it. His issue, not mine. His ignorance, not mine.
Isn’t it funny that most attacks on the union movement come from people who aren’t union members? And in Phil’s case, someone who is not even in the workforce. But no worry, the unions have fought against prejudiced and ignorant attacks for many, many years, wherever they come from.
..and both googled and binged ‘new zealand engineers union activism’..
..yeah..nah..eh..?
..zip/zero/nada..
(and i am not just citing the engineers’ union..
..the union movement in the main – is an example of successful divide and rule by the elites..par excellence..
..self-regulating dissonance..
..and with a history of uncaring/self-interest/outright-perfidy since the mid-80’s..
..which..again..is why the breaking of that ‘consensus’/pattern by unite..
..is both so refreshing..and as i said..a glimpse at the possiblities for good if the union movement removes their collective-heads from their collective-arse-holes..
You’re so out of touch, Phil, it’s mind boggling. I think I’ll take up weka’s suggestion. All the best, anyway. It’s good having you back, even if you’re still not making any sense.
I disagree. Unite union has been well represented at virtually every protest from TPPA, selling State assets, Oil drilling protests, opposing charter schools, defending Glen Innes State housing, etc., supporting Gaza/Palestine.
In fact Unite’s Joe Carolan often speaks to the crowd at these protest rallies and is commonly on a megaphone during the marches. The Unite people have been very visible o social justice issues on all issues of social justice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up6OVzojLNw
isn’t it funny,..no, but I think thats inaccurate,most attacks,as you call it come from other unions ie employers Associations and other organizations.I have been an union organizer, and my reading of history shows sexism, racism, and sometimes even corruption, and of coarse your attack on the underemployed is also unhelpful, but seeing you are an author here as well, and making some good points too, I will dissed from further comment, and read more thoroughly terms and conditions here on TS.
left for deadshark I can’t stand the patronising/sarcastic style either. I think it turns most people right off (they are just so used to it they don’t say anything), so thanks for speaking up.
However, regarding the EMA (Employers and Manufacturers Association) I don’t think that qualifies in any sense as a union. I think it’s just an example of the Right co-opting the language of the Left (and to some extent riding on the reputation of the EPMU given the not-dissimilar initials) to promote itself as some form of expert on employment issues, when it is little more than a right-wing lobby group providing some basic services to its members (businesses) in aid of oppressing and crushing (sorry, “appropriately monitoring, restructuring and right-sizing” as they say) their workforce.
..and tho’ ‘intoxicating’ – heroin/opiates do not make you particularly ‘addled’..
..(hence so many doctors morphine-addicts – but still functioning..
..and i wd cast yr mind back to an aussie tv show called ‘hypothetical’..
..where they once presented a panel of doctors etc. with the scenario of a choice of being operated on by a surgeon under the influence of a variety of intoxicants – both illegal and legal..
..all of those chose the surgeon under the influence of opiates..
..but anyway..i stopped using it long before the clark govt arrived on the scene..
..and i remember well the silences of the union movement during those nine long years of ‘worthy’ poor-people vs. ‘unworthy’ poor-people twisted-bullshit from clark..
..it is clearly you who needs the history-lessons…(‘hic!’..eh..?..)
..and let’s not go near the union response to the neoliberal/rightwing revolution undertaken by both national and labour..eh..?
..a tad embarrassing – given that response was to drop their trousers – and bend over..eh..?
Sorry, Phil, none of what you ‘wrote’ made any sense. Better luck next time. Still, terrific that a dedicated non-worker like yourself is so passionate about workers rights. Sure, you haven’t got a clue what’s been going on in the union movement, but that’s not going to stop you having an ignorant and inaccurate whinge is it?
Almost 10 o’clock, must be time for a mood adjuster. Off you go, the pipes, the pipes are calling, Philly boy.
That’s a point Phillip. The elongated nature of your stream of consciousness style takes up a lot of screen space. Of course that has been mentioned before. But some of us are slow learners, unable to adapt and keep up with the pace of change. But not you I thought Phillip?
FFS it starts again. Grow up, the both of you. Phil, do some research before running your mouth and TRP, if you don’t like what he has to say, don’t make the slapdown personal. Aren’t you a mod on this site? You should know better. Now sort your behaviour out or there won’t be any pudding.
Now, why in the blue fuck would I want to engage so you can throw a huge long diatribe that is only really one paragraph? Go and hit the bong, and pack me one while you’re there 😛
Your attitude to the unemployed would fit well with that of the NAct caucus. Since when is unemployment or underemployment something to use to belittle someone?
You have also not managed to give one example of anything progressive the Engineers’ have done in the last twenty years.
Oh, do piss off you pompous git. I have no ‘attitude’ to the unemployed or unemployed. From what Phil has told us, he doesn’t fit into either category.
I can’t give any examples of what the EU has done because there are none for the simple reason that the EU has ceased to exist, which is the point I was making to Phil right at the start. So, yeah, if you’re going to lecture unions on what you perceive to be their failings (on Mayday, too!) at least try and get the names right. And try and find something to moan about from this century, eh.
And, no, I’m not going to list the achievements of the union that actually is the successor to the EU, except one, which is that it saved Unite from financial collapse. Do your own homework for the rest.
Are you actively lobbying for a grand coalition between Labour and National? You’ve got acting like an arrogant and abusive fool down pat already. Simon Bridges could learn off you.
I have no idea why you even bother being on a “left wing” blog. Your attacks on Phil are almost indistinguishable from those he used to receive on Whalespew.
But yeah, you’ll keep going. Almost never discussing anything in good faith, but always with vicious defence of the right of the labour movement. Did you understand the power imbalance between FJK and Amanda Bailey? The way you attack Phil on here suggests that maybe you didn’t.
I personally do not think you should have any role in moderation of this blog. You are far too abusive. However, I know I don’t get a say.
Oooh, I think I smell burning martyr! Get off your high horse, Murray. Funnily enough, my moderation is pretty, er, moderate. Just a couple of bans so far I think. And it’s pretty easy to tell the difference between moderation and commentary. Moderation is in bold black ink. Commentary is on a blue background. I haven’t moderated anyone in this thread, nor would I, because it’s simply a discussion. Nobody has crossed any line, except you trying to tell TS who should and shouldn’t be a moderator. But even then, you’re not being moderated by me. So, get over yourself, why doncha.
PS, I wrote an post touching on the power imbalance between Key and the cafe worker. You must have missed it.
Saying what I think is not telling TS what to do and I know that TS is not an entity anyway. It is giving an opinion. It’s nothing to do with martyrdom whatsoever. It is at most a call for a better atmosphere in these discussions. When you call Phil drug addled and whatever else, there is no way he can (nor should he) respond in kind, irrespective of the colour of your posts.
With Amanda Bailey, it always would have been in her mind that FJK was PM and had power that was inaccessible to her. He claimed he was being silly to show that he had no power. I didn’t swallow his explanation.
One thing that might help clarify matters is a policy whereby all moderation is done in bold. Sometimes moderators make moderation comments in a comment, which confuses things.
I’d kind of like this exchange to stop about here because it just can’t go anywhere. People will have read the comments being referred to and arrived at their own conclusions.
If, Murray, you don’t appreciate how a given commenter interacts with others, then don’t interact with them. Simple.
If they then interact with you, you could try politely pointing out to them why you don’t wish any interaction with them. I eventually did that with Pete George and it worked out fine for both of us. 😉
Of course, there’s always the option to keep the to and fro going until it reaches it’s almost inevitable conclusion. (shrug)
I’d kind of like this exchange to stop about here because it just can’t go anywhere.
Thanks Bill.
It’s hard to take when two people who make a lot of quality contributions to this site get their knickers in a twist and start blasting one another. It almost always looks like misunderstanding of viewpoints to me. You’re on the same side mates so just agree to differ eh? (Hope I haven’t made things worse)
The Voice of Reason apparently wants people to cough up the acronym EPMU–Engineering Printing and Manufacturing Union–a union whose published early history I happen to have a copy of–“Advocate, Educate, Control, the History of the NZ Engineers Union 1863–1983”. Put together in the 80s by labour movement historian the late Bert Roth. EPMU came about via amalgamations mainly in the ECA era.
It is no secret that most NZ unions sprang from crafts and guilds and even the “goat riders”–masons and were “creatures of legislation” and the award system after the first Labour govt. (oh for an industry award or MECCA system spanning the country now some would say!)
There was only ever a small group of class struggle based unions that drove the renaissance of the Federation of Labour after the brave but disastrous 1951 lockout. The Engineers should not be considered to be part of that group. They supported the ICFTU rather than the communist/non aligned WFTU international centres during the cold war era and were generally pro Anglo and anti Soviet.
The EPMU was a membership raider in the 90s until a concord was reached with other unions. I had personal dealings with many members and officials of the Engineers in the car industry for 20 years so have some insight into these matters. Some diabolical sell outs occurred with officials of that union.
They are a largely conservative union with a changing membership such as migrant workers at telcos, not so much the “tradesmen” of decades back. Aircraft engineers jobs diminishing and cabin crew etc assuming more importance. An amalgamation with the Service and Food Union may happen too. So a mixed record, they represent members well in work sites but are not a campaigning union, and advocate voting Labour basically.
Like an up-himself school prefect, albeit of the Left. Left is cool as long as it’s Right what ? Just a feeling. Shared I suspect by more than a few. You can piss all over me if that spins your wheels……I don’t give two fucks. You bully far too often for me to care. Gimme the honest if imperfect P.Ure any day !
Asking the hard questions eh Phil. They bounce off a complacent impervious surface. And by the way don’t take comments about drugs etc to heart and bother to reply to justify yourself. You know it’s only a smoke-screen to avoid looking clearly at the actual point you are making.
Unions failed us in NZ. But then we all have failed to understand that real democracy is more vulnerable than we realised. So a sham, fake one has replaced the original one. It could be said that it had a back-door fault like Microsoft. They only keep their systems safe with frequent patches. Most of us never thought of attacks to democracy, or weaknesses needing watching and repairing. So the hackers got in, and physically chopped our rights, advantages, and means of living away.
But the fake democracy still fronts up like the background flats or panels to the actors in an old-style western film.
Look behind, there is nothing there but some strong bracing posts.
Hi r-yeshe
Yes I’ll stick to greywarshark for now. I took a break and went into default mode to warbler when I came back. I still am concerned about the rawshark- thing and Hager so I will stick with the name for the present. One day when things get better? I’ll be a chirpy bird again. Might even go to fantail – they are very inspiring – quick and alert. I’d like to be the same.
Interesting point of view. Of course, there are those who say the back door faults were purposely left in Microsoft products. I think unions began with better intentions than those of Bill Gates.
And the comments about drugs could apply to me too. It’s not a very supportive world for people who do get off the stuff, except for those around them who see what they’ve overcome and subsequently achieved. Anyone who beats smack and doesn’t join NAct deserves credit.
MR
I do feel that there are unsung heroes out there who have made a very good life which seems commendable. But if one only knew the lower point they had started from, they have actually climbed an everest of their own.
Now and then I read of a muso or entertainer who has got over drugs and that’s amazing.
I have no idea, however I know of a case of attempted rape and sexual assault. The offending took place in October 2014. He was arrested two days after the complaint was laid and the Police charged him approximately two weeks later. It could have been less. The “alleged” offender will plead not guilty.
My friend whose close relative was the victim has said they have been told the trial will most likely take place in October 2015 – a year on from the crime taking place.
This person by the way no longer has name suppression but the media never reported it. I thought they might have given his former role in the community.
In the case of The Prominent New Zealander, won’t it be over one year? I can’t recall the timeline but it feels like this case has been going on for quite some time, it feels like it is intentionally dragging along.
Very bad system if there are young people involved .. absolute torture for them and favours the accused. Be very good to have a compassionate and faster process for under-age victims.
Hopefully their evidence has already been recorded and they are being supported, leaving the realities of the trial more for the perpetrator than the victims (depending on ages of victims of course).
This person probably 100% believes that whatever they did was not wrong… no way he/she will plead guilty in those circumstances.
Many folks who live their lives viewing their actions ONLY through their own eyes are genuinely oblivious to the consequences/impacts of their actions.
I believe that anyone wanting to be an elected representative needs to be able to display and show evidence of empathy. How else can they adequately represent others?
I guess some just don’t think it is a necessary trait in the first place. For some reason many think having made alot of money in a niche career is all you need to lead a country…
sigh indeed ….. and btw, when I was on silence from here a few weeks back with Murray Rawshark, I read some of the pieces you posted about the Winebox and your representation of Paul White .. how amazing. Have been re-reading the three books by Wishart … what a catastrophic mess. And I do see ugly parallels today with Ben Rachinger … maybe one day you can talk some more about things you knew. I was astonished Wishart did not choose to interview you, or was it rather chose not to interview you ? If ever there is more you can say, I would be deeply interested. There is never a time I pass by that underpass pillar and don’t think about what the truth might have been — it has always haunted me. We suffer a very dirty and well-disguised underbelly.
I would guess that most child molesters think there’s nothing wrong with what they do. It would be hard to see how they’d do it otherwise. I know that many think of themselves as victims, seduced by the wiles of small children. One I came across thought he was doing 12 year olds a favour by grooming them to be “loved” later on. I did him a favour by preparing him for the bashings he would face in prison. Unfortunately the parents of the two girls chose to ignore what he was doing.
They’ll be trying to position the ‘prominent’ trial midway between elections to minimise public response. The longer it’s delayed the more trouble it will cause in 2017…
If the Key junta actually makes it to 2017 – it would only need a handful of Gnats to be run over, ingest a surfeit of lampreys, or spontaneously combust, and we’ll be rid of this odious assemblage of incompetent villains and vermin.
I don’t think there is any ‘conspiracy’ here in terms of the timing of the trial date.
Regrettably, the length of time for a criminal case to get to trial here in NZ is long, particularly a jury trial, and usually takes over a year.
In this instance, while there have obviously been a number of District Court pre-trial hearings already, the case was only transferred from the District Court to the High Court a week or so ago. IIRC from working for some time in the justice sector, the time already taken in relation to these earlier DC hearings would not be taken into account in scheduling the HC trial.
Here is some information from the MOJ website on the factors that may affect the timing of a trial.
As you will see, average waiting times at Auckland High Court are over a year at 390 days, while median times are only slightly under at 341 days.
The National total average and median times are 408/332.
Gisborne is the quickest with 206/206.
Palmerston North is the longest – average at 955 but median is 308.
Whangerei is the second longest at 634/606.
Huh, I was thinking he was being low key enough it might slip under the radar, but you are right, there will probably be people with vested interests keeping an eye out.
…was listening to some old music last night while on the treadmill….. couldn’t help but be struck by this old Pink Floyd jem:
“Sheep”
Harmlessly passing your time in the grassland away
Only dimly aware of a certain unease in the air
You better watch out
There may be dogs about
I’ve looked over Jordan and I have seen
Things are not what they seem.
What do you get for pretending the danger’s not real
Meek and obedient you follow the leader
Down well trodden corridors into the valley of steel
What a surprise!
A look of terminal shock in your eyes
Now things are really what they seem
No, this is no bad dream.
Long-serving [meals on wheels driver] volunteer Dr Terry Hearn, of Dunedin, will quit if the board votes to privatise southern hospital kitchens at its meeting next Thursday.
”I am now certain that the assumption was made – whether casually or deliberately – that Compass could continue to rely on volunteer drivers and allow them to subsidise its profits.[“]…
Meanwhile, HBL, the Government entity that developed the deal with Compass, has admitted the cost of the business case has blown out to $4.1 million…
A protest against the plan will be held tomorrow, in the Octagon, starting at noon.
this is EXACTLY the point… a company is using unpaid labour to create a profit for itself. I am pretty sure in another century we had another word for it. For now it is just plain exploitation. I do hope they vote with their feet… The good folks of Dunedin, I feel sure, would start cooking in their own homes and delivering until Meals on Wheels returns.
Yeh, there didn’t seem to be much I could add to Hearn’s comment. Hopefully the Dunedin Labour MPs will be at the protest tomorrow. It makes sense that King would be commenting as Health spokesperson, but the workers and volunteers also need support from their electorate MPs:
As well as financial cost, it was important to remember the significant personal cost for the kitchen workers enduring years of uncertainty, Mrs King said.
The Service and Food Workers’ Union has threatened possible legal action against the southern board, and Mrs King said that should prompt the board to reject the proposal, as it could not afford a legal fight. Some boards had rejected the proposal, and Southern should do the same.
The problem with the SDHB is that they are likely to have an overseer appointed by the government to supervise cost-saving. It’s all starting to feel a bit like Environment Canterbury when inconvenient democracy threatened private profits.
“Meanwhile, HBL, the Government entity that developed the deal with Compass, has admitted the cost of the business case has blown out to $4.1 million…”
What’s a business case? Surely that can’t be the work done to change the system?
Wasn’t there another interesting bit to the Compass-HBL story? That even after a huge amount of dollar input from the government enabling the HBL to do their important health budget-dieting work, they still have charged all the hospitals they have worked in for their services? If so – Oh the sweet, sweet, non-fattening pleasurable taste of a government sinecure. Especially in the hospital context. A cure for as much sin as you want to indulge in paid by a generous and caring government!
Auckland ratepayers are about to be screwed over by Willis Bond – the Wellington vulture company that makes hay on the privatization of prime publicly owned land.
“SBS supports our Anzacs” — and apparently bars any questioning or criticism of them. That mentality sounds like it came right from North Korea, which is to be expected when a media outlet is prohibited from saying anything that offends high government officials. Any society in which it’s a firing offense for journalists to criticize the military is a sickly and undemocratic one.
This is the type of society that the West is becoming. One where the propaganda of the ‘elite’ can no longer be questioned. The old term for such is Lèse-majesté.
This is one of the developments that really worries me – people losing their jobs for speaking out privately against the obscene madness of the militarisation of our national stories. It has really worrying fascistic undertones.
Not at first. For an hour, I felt nothing. I figured I’d order dinner from room service and return to my more mundane drugs of choice, chardonnay and mediocre-movies-on-demand.
But then I felt a scary shudder go through my body and brain. I barely made it from the desk to the bed, where I lay curled up in a hallucinatory state for the next eight hours. I was thirsty but couldn’t move to get water. Or even turn off the lights. I was panting and paranoid, sure that when the room-service waiter knocked and I didn’t answer, he’d call the police and have me arrested for being unable to handle my candy.
Wonder how long before Hollywood will do a re-release of Reefer Madness? Some people do have a bad reaction to THC, but then some have a bad reaction to political criticism as well.
That would take care of it ! Not much chance tho the way this govt sells residence status to many who should not have it. .. always available if you have the millions in your bank account … and absurdly with no with need to prove you have it in the same account the next day ! Recipe for corruption isn ‘t it ?
No, but they might need it when they get back. For some people it’s not just a house, it’s a home.
And if they sell to someone who turns it into a rental, how is that any different than the person going overseass renting it out?
They might already be a landlord. If I was renting off them and they’re good landlords, I’d prefer that they didn’t have to sell when they go work overseas for a year, esp if they sell to someone who then ends the tenancy.
I can think of any number of scenarios where it makes sense to not force NZ citizens (and people with residency) to sell.
I’m also thinking about the impact on housing prices in NZ if every person that owns a property that goes overseas for a time has to sell, and then rebuy when they come back.
I didn’t say anything about Kiwis having to sell their house when they leave. I have no idea where you got that idea from. Not being able to buy is not the same as being forced to sell.
Thanks for that rawsharke y. About the sale to overseas interests. Do you know who sold Whatuwhwhi? Who were the owners who sold the camp? I wondered if it was the Maori interests who had big debts after a business failure.
I didn’t realise how well embedded we were in the English speaking Quinad till I heard about the Five Eyes spying.
Now while looking at wikipedia on passports I see –
“the Five Nations Passport Group, an international forum for cooperation between the passport issuing authorities in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States “.
I thought it was three 6’s that were supposed to be the mark of a coming bad end. Five seems to be getting bad connotations also.
Also Carter’s disdain and vile shouting rudeness yesterday at Green MP Catherine Delahunty as she tried ( in vain) to have a document tabled in the house. Carter yelled and became so angry, he is just unsuitable for the role. He looks miserable always, until someone on the right tries to make ‘a funny’ of some kind, but he metes out his worst acerbic and furious misery on Greens, Winston and various Labour front benchers. He is an impatient and and acidic angry man.
His divisive partisan behaviour shames the office and betrays us all.
Metiria did try with her excellent point of order .. but Carter should apologise for the ‘unbecoming of the house’ manner in which he yelled at Catherine.
Can you imagine this man as our Ambassador in London ? OMFG.
It’s not a competition for worse, worserer or worserest although it can surely look like it. Each of them is an unmitigated disaster for Aotearoa with Groser about to become yet another in Washington. ( Bet Helen can’t wait sarc.)
But it does seem to be a competition, rawshark-yeshe. And, Key now heads their international conservative organisation – May there name never pass my lips.
I commented about this somewhere else this morning. IN Australia they swallowed the misogynistic anti-Gillard schpiel from CT but very quickly have realised their error, Same in UK, but here… 3 terms later…
Radionz
We like a good chinwag at radionz.co.nz and now we want you to join the conversation too.
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Bernie Sanders, independent democratic socialist US Senator, has announced a run for President. On the Democratic ticket – he will be battling Clinton.
He refuses all corporate donations. I think he can take on the billionaire class – or at least give them a good scare. He’s probably to the left of Elizabeth Warren.
He wants to take on Wall Street and break up the banks, truly tax the wealthy, move America to a universal single-payer health system, make universities debt-free, vastly reduce poverty by expanding benefits, double the minimum wage, take on tax evasion by corporations and the rich, oppose US intervention in the middle east, oppose the TPP (and all corporate trade deals), empower unions, expand worker cooperatives, and take on corporate money in politics truly address climate change, etc.
He was a founding member of the Progressive Caucus which is composed of the left/’progressive’ of the Democratic Party. And himself, who is an independent.
He might not win the primary, but he will shake the establishment and confront Hillary Clinton on these issues. The progressive wing of the Party is growing in influence. (i.e. Bill Clinton would *not* get chosen as a nominee today), and she’ll need to make it clear that she’ll appease them. Although I would hope that he could win outright.
Michael. Last night I watched the Russell Brand/Millibrand interview.
The summary from Russell http://www.thepaepae.com/russell-brands-quieter-ed-milibrand-interview/35954/ at about 13:25 was so like your post from Bernie Sanders:
“He wants to take on Wall Street and break up the banks, truly tax the wealthy, move America to a universal single-payer health system, make universities debt-free, vastly reduce poverty by expanding benefits, double the minimum wage, take on tax evasion by corporations and the rich, oppose US intervention in the middle east, oppose the TPP (and all corporate trade deals), empower unions, expand worker cooperatives, and take on corporate money in politics truly address climate change, etc.”
And will we have a similar call from our MPs?
Mind you, Russell reckons it is the power of the people who cause changes.
Yes, well it would be the power of the people that would get Bernie elected. Bernie refuses all corporate donations – not a single cent comes from corporations. 60+% of his funding comes from small, individual donations and the remainder comes mostly from labour, environmental, and civil liberties groups.
This is in contrast to the establishment US politicians who need corporate money to win. Hillary Clinton will raise nearly us$3 billion. The Koch Brothers, billionaire oil barons, are planning on spending nearly $1 billion of their own money to fix the election for the Republican Party.
Bernie would need to be elected via a grassroots movement – first, to overcome Hillary who has the backing of moneyed interests, and then to win the election against a Republican candidate who will receive billions in corporate donations. It would take a mobilisation of ordinary people – a politician that represents people.
How much longer before the police decide they need to act on Gloriavale? Last nights segments confirmed sexual, physical and emotional as well as possibly financial abuse.
As yet I don’t think we have a Waco in the making, but given their disregard for the law when it comes to underage sex and their determination in isolating rebels, I wonder how they would react to the Police turning up with CYFS in force?
Talking of Court costs I would love to know the legal status of this, not to mention the ethics… http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11437454
In effect the “cult” are wanting a road to them closed, the local Council has agreed BUT the Council is likely to go to court to defnd their action against other parties. Here’s the dubious bit. The “cult” are going to pay the Councils court costs. In other words an interested party is paying the council to defend a decision against other interested parties. How bent is that?
Must have heard you Robert.
On the Herald: “A free phone line has been set up by police for people wanting to discuss experiences at the secretive Christian community Gloriavale.
One allegation on the TV3 program which wold be easy to investigate is that somebody at Gloriavale received a benefit from WINZ without the knowledge of the person they were claiming for. The person the benefit was claimed for only found out when thy were sent a demand for overpayment. That is fraud, theft, using somebodies identity for criminal purposes…you name it.
Why the blue dresses? Does blue have some religious significance?
Modesty of dress for our men and women led us to design a standard dress code for each sex. We chose blue because it’s a colour that goes well with any skin colour or complexion.
It’s one of those times, when the Christian left and right need to stop fighting. And go look at this community, and see how far off the path it really is. I think many will be shocked at how far off they are.
Personally I’m convinced it’s christian in name only – as some of the utterance of Neville Cooper make him a cult figure not a christian. I find it abhorrent he says his group is based on christianity, to somehow justify that he is not a cult. Indeed the whole Cooperite Community is a cult – just look at this video.
Can I make a couple of suggestions? When addressing commenters who also are at times moderators, think of them as commenters unless they explicitly say they are moderating. I took everything trp said upthread to be him as a commenter, not an author (which means he can be as rude/obnoxious as everyone else, including phil).
The other thing is to stick to the issue and if necessary the behaviour. Your comment comparing trp to Simon Bridges strikes me as rude/abusive as anything trp said to phil. We don’t have to get personal like that (I was on the verge of calling trp out for the druggie put downs), but can instead either focus on the issue (unions), or the behaviour (keep it neutral).
In the end I think we have to take our cues from the authors, and that is going to vary from author to author hugely. I have no problem calling trp out on things, but there is going to be a limit and the authors are the ones that get to say where that limit is for them. I respect that because they are the ones that do the hard yards here, and without them I/we wouldn’t have a place like this to hang out in.
Sorry, that probably doesn’t help a lot, but I sense your frustration and hope there is a way that being here on ts can be ok for you. Lots of people value your input, myself included.
” When addressing commenters who also are at times moderators, think of them as commenters unless they explicitly say they are moderating. I took everything trp said upthread to be him as a commenter, not an author ”
That sounds a bit like something despicable key would say about which hat he was wearing at the time. I think we should expect a higher standard from those with power, even if it is only the power to ban a commenter.
Except in this instance there are two distinct hats. There is a boundary between trp the author/moderator and trp the commenter. I’m kind of surprised that this isn’t obvious, or is a problem for some people. It’s why I’ve suggested upthread that a policy of moderation only happening in bold would make things clearer (the boundary gets blurred when moderators moderate in a comment).
For me personally, when trp is commenting in Open Mike or on a post he didn’t write, he doesn’t have any more power over me than anyone else. Ditto the other day when I was arguing with CV and Red on a post they didn’t write. That they are also sometimes authors was irrelevant and we just argued quite vehemently about the politics. Sometimes it was quite heated and rude. That’s the kaupapa of the place (robust debate).
I really don’t get the issue about power here. It’s not like trp is going to hold it against you if you argue with him (although I think he will eventually reach a limit were he is being harassed as an author/moderator). If anyone else had been relating with phil like he did today, they would have been told off as well by other commenters. What’s the problem?
(btw, JK used the hats thing as a way of avoiding responsibility. I’d like to see how you think I’ve just done that, or trp).
edit, in the end I think it comes down to people not being comfortable with the power imbalance, and I’m kind of curious why it’s coming up so much in the past few months. It’s not like this is new, afaik it’s always been like this on ts.
You’re missing my point, trp is further up the food chain on the standard than most of us so should behave in a manner fitting the position of moderator.
Most here IMO come here in the hope that in some small way it might make a difference so having it degenerate into pointless and pointed abuse will drive people away.
trp isn’t further up the food chain in the way you imply, and people might want to take a step back and consider why they see him that way. His behaviour today is entirely consistent with the rules and culture of the place. Have a go at his behaviour by all means, but there’s not need to have a go at him more because he is sometimes also an author with moderating responsibilities. He wasn’t in that role today and there is no onus on him to behave any better than you or me or phil or Murray etc. as long as he’s relating within the general rules and kaupapa.
I understand and empathize with your comments, MR. I am not about to stir up a hornets’ nest in returning to past events, but I watched from the sidelines and said nothing – not through cowardice but through anger. If I had said my piece, I would not be here now. I totally respect Lprent’s right to moderate as he sees fit; certain others, not so. Time will tell; but I am looking for alternatives.
weka. I am happy to do so, but not tonight. Its been a heavy week, and its Friday night so I am going to enjoy a few wines with friends in town for the weekend. Also, I want my response to be a considered one, not a reaction. I don;t always agree with you, but I respect you so want to respond, so it may take a day or so.
Moderation can’t be removed completely. For example, think of the case where someone might mention Sabin in a legally dubious context. That needs moderating or TS could end up being prosecuted.
Hi Murray yes I agree but was not referring to there being no moderation
My response was in reference to the personal abuse you mentioned as it is my observation there has shown to be a lack of suitability for moderator status in recent appointments
[Drop it. I believe points of concern, various unhappinesses etc, have been proffered in a number of comments. But self martydom offenses includes “including telling us how to run our site or…” ]- Bill
“Privatisation of three Auckland suburbs through the transferal of 2,800 State houses.”
“The Housing Lobby believe the messages being portrayed over Bill English and Nick Smith’s announcement on the transferal of 2,800 State houses from Housing NZ to the Tamaki Redevelopment Company (TRC), is both misleading and untrue,” says Housing Lobby Spokesperson Sue Henry.
“In letters delivered by Housing NZ to every tenants’ household on Thursday
29 April 2015, it states ‘nothing will change for tenants’.”
“The situation will drastically change for tenants, if the management and ownership of 2,800 State houses are transferred to a wholly commercial enterprise.”
“Two main changes will be that the Tamaki Redevelopment Company will be able to sell or borrow against a freehold asset already paid for and owned by the public.”
“The impression tenants have is that the Tamaki Redevelopment Company can offer transfers and allocations.”
“It needs to be made clear that it is the Ministry of Social Development that now has this responsibility.”
“One question that needs to be asked is if the Tamaki Redevelopment Company have no experience with tenants why are they there?
Is their real role to assist with the transferal of this State Housing asset directly into the hands of private property development companies?
The other question – is there any truth in the allegation that the Tamaki Redevelopment Company has already applied to Auckland Council to reconfigure massive tracts of reserve lands, parks, and school grounds for intensified housing?”
“What exactly was discussed under ‘CONFIDENTIAL’ session at the Auckland Council Governing Body meeting held behind closed doors with the public excluded, on Thursday 30 April 2015?
Any chance people could lessen the embedding of video in comments? The space takes up half my laptop screen, so doubles the amount of scrolling. The Roger Waters one today is also freezing my iphone screen. I don’t mind the odd embed, but there seems to have been a spate of them in the past few days.
Not sure how to avoid embedding them, weka. I put a link in to a vid the other day and the full clip turned up, much to my surprise. Might be something to do with the wordpress upgrade the other day that also changed the emojis.
It has been mooted here in the recent past that the revelation the GCSB have been spying on South Pacific neighbours and other friendly nations – including China – for the NSA may have had a bearing on his decision to resign well before his term was up.
Sources said the medical examiner found Gray’s catastrophic injury was caused when he slammed into the back of the police transport van, apparently breaking his neck; a head injury he sustained matches a bolt in the back of the van.
If the police don’t change their attitude to people of colour especially men then the whole place is going to burn. I cannot accept these men getting shot and killed by police just because of the colour of their skin. Change now police because people are not taking this shit and they never will again.
“a head injury he sustained matches a bolt in the back of the van” (my emphasis added)
Reminds me of the time my hands were cuffed behind my back in the back of a police van. When they entered the cop shop yard they jumped on the brakes…real hard. Luckily I’d sidled up to the back of the cab and merely got pressed to the metal…otherwise I’d have gone flying with no way to put my hands out in order to lessen any impact.
Hmm….so maybe Gray’s death was a result of ‘standard practice and procedure’?
Waikeria to the mount in the back of a Kingswood maria is something I’d rather forget. Never forget the soup and toast* (and pisspot) when I arrived though.
(The late great Lou Sherwin had the kitchen screw by the shorts*.)
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A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara Solomon Islands’ incumbent prime minister Manasseh Sogavare has been re-elected in the East Choiseul constituency. It is the opening move in the political chess match to form the country’s next government. Returning officer Christopher Makoni made the declaration late last night after ...
Headline: The moment of friction. – 36th Parallel Assessments In strategic studies “friction” is a term that it is used to describe the moment when military action encounters adversary resistance. “Friction” is one of four (along with an unofficial fifth) “F’s” in military strategy, which includes force (kinetic mass), ...
The Fast-track Bill, if passed, would allow three Ministers, unchallenged and unchecked, to approve the immediate extraction and exhaustion of one-off resources. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne iamharin/Shutterstock For many people, the term “bulk billed” refers to a GP visit they don’t have to pay ...
Emmas Hislop, Sidnam and Wehipeihana discuss what’s in a name. Emma Sidnam: Hello Emmas! Thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me. My first question for you is related to what’s been on my mind for a while. It’s very important. You see we’ve recently had some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Sievers, Research Fellow, Global Wetlands Project, Australia Rivers Institute, Griffith University Chris Brown Humans love the coast. But we love it to death, so much so we’ve destroyed valuable coastal habitat – in the case of some types of habitat, ...
Josh Thomson on the 80s milk ad jingle he can’t stop singing, the beauty of The Simpsons, why Jersey Shore is as good as Shakespeare and more. For someone who spends a lot of time on our screens, popping up in everything from 7 Days to Taskmaster, Educators to Good ...
In apparent defiance of the Biden administration, the Netanyahu government has now initiated missile strikes against Iran. Last Saturday night (Sunday morning in New Zealand) Iran launched more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets. With the assistance of US, UK and possibly French forces, ...
Māori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of Māori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao Māori (the Māori ...
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, ‘We’re here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment that’s thriving, ...
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didn’t find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. “I thought, ...
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
Zoë Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
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A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)Hot off the press, this debut ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
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The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
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Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
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The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
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Residents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously.The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...
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Hineaupounamu ‘Missy’ Nuku has been scaling mountains in Canada for her college basketball team, the Lakeland Rustlers. Alberta is currently home for the 20-year-old point guard, who is in her first year of a scholarship at Lakeland College, where she is studying for a business degree. She has certainly made ...
Im not an Economist so can anyone explain: given the $7 billion reduction in dairy exports, why is GDP growth still forecasted to be positive?
Given that $7 billion export reduction hasn’t effected GDP growth to any great degree, why do Economists and the MSM think its such an important measure?
GDP measures “productive” economic activity. Some economists think that all productive economic activity is good, and get excited about GDP growth. E.g. Rebuilding Christchurch leads to lots of “productive” activity in the form of construction activity.
Other economists don’t get excited about GDP growth, and look to other measures/indicators, such as Genuine Progress Indicatiors, Happiness Indexes etc. at a national level, and different indicators at a sub-national level: income levels, the distribution of personal income, househol income, household income by number of people in that household etc.
Politicians worldwide have really only had explicit economic growth goals for between 50-100 years.
They think it’s such an important measure because it is a headline indicator, and is conventionally used. I doubt many of them understand what lies beneath it, what it measures or how it is measured.
The $7billion reduction in dairy exports will have significant effects on the NZ economy in the next few years. Dairy farmers will have less money to reinvest, hence less economic activity. There will be a slight lag until these effects are felt. Meanwhile, selling houses in Auckland counts as “productive” economic activity (even though it is deadweight exchange of existing goods – banks profit, but their profits are mainly realised in Australia; government benefits from increased taxes associated with house sales: e.g. Estate agent’s income tax etc).
The govt are being disingenuous when they keep on spouting on about how steady the economy is. It is not really doing so well, as far as I can tell. I cannot see newly emerging innovative industries sprouting all through the land.
I heard an economist on RadioNZ this morning (can’t find it now online) saying that half of the 3% GDP growth in NZ is due to immigration. (My guess is another 1% is due to the Chch rebuild.)
He said that immigration numbers need to be cut so that pressure is taken off the Akl housing market and so that the RB can cut interest rates.
For the life of me I can’t see why the RB isn’t cutting rates since we have some of the highest rates in the world, very low inflation and an over-valued dollar. Other methods than interest rates should be being used to dampen house prices in Akl, either by the RB or the government.
Unfortunately Key and his speculator mates are happy with the housing bubble in Akl, so the rest of the country has to suffer. Talk about lack of vision.
Paul Glass of Devon Funds Management was the guy (not sure if he is an economist). It’s here and worth a listen:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201752603
That Devon Funds chap seemed to have some ideas that are new, cf to the usual guff from bank economists.
I think I heard the idea that GDP should be on a population basis so it has more reality and value when analysing the figures. DTB might like to put it better. But it seems to me that some of the stats we are presented with are just measures of a trend in a statistic that never measured the right thing in the right way in the first place.
Like the fun way of telling how a country is doing by studying the price of hamburgers, or the length of women’s skirts (one measure that has been actually posited by objective market watchers, not by finky camera guys)
This comment of mine seems to apply:
Steven Joyce – http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11441346
Sydney taxi on standby, meter running for 9 hours…….$1,248. The arrogance adds up and adds up and adds up. I recall similar from Parata on a one day trip to Sydney a few years ago shortly after appointment as a minister.
And of course smug wee ponce Simon Bridges had ALWAYS planned to come to Northland on ministerial duties in the 10 days prior to the Northland buy-election on 28 March…….”let ‘them’ eat cake” screams.
Was there only one taxi operating in Sydney that day?
Where are the headlines about this wasteful behaviour in the Herald. That is more than a month’s income for a disabled person.
That is only a little article in the Herald – not the screamer headlines that Labour would have got. Will Mike Hosking denounce Joyce and the Government for this in one of his tedious monologues?
The Taxpayers Union will take the opportunity to pretend they care so when they tout for the ACT party in 2 years time people will think they are impartial.
Here it is re Parata and the Sydney limo’ –
http://thestandard.org.nz/parata-wont-quit-key-wont-sack-her/#comment-565050
big ups! to the unite union – eh..?
– for their david vs. goliath zero-hours-contracts victory over the fast-food behemoths..
unite – showing what a union can/should do..
the (rightwing) engineers union..?..following their long (self-interest-driven?) tradition ?
– not so much..eh..?
Agree with it being great work from Unite. As I was trying to explain to Gosman the other day, trying to change a government is not the only way to bring about change. people on the ground, working hard, fighting battles one by one, achieve change.
There hasn’t been a ‘right wing’ EU for twenty years, Phil. Do try and keep up.
‘twenty-yrs’..eh..?
i must be imagining their long-silences during that poor-bashing clark labour govt time..eh..?
when/what changed..?..
..what did i miss..?
..do tell..!
Mate, there’s so much you missed during your drug addled lost years you’d need a team of historians working in shifts to get you up to date. Best you just start from scratch and just assume your vague memories are as unreliable as your prose is unreadable.
pointless abuse TPR
I agree, that’s why I called Phil on it.
@ TPR,..Head shake…
That should read TRP,..i’m dyslexic.
or are you going too slam that to.
If it’s true, why would I slam it? Phil made an unsubstantiated, anachronistic and inaccurate attack on a trade union. I responded and he doesn’t like it. His issue, not mine. His ignorance, not mine.
Isn’t it funny that most attacks on the union movement come from people who aren’t union members? And in Phil’s case, someone who is not even in the workforce. But no worry, the unions have fought against prejudiced and ignorant attacks for many, many years, wherever they come from.
“..an unsubstantiated, anachronistic and inaccurate attack on a trade union’..
..really..?..do educate me/others on the glowing-history of activism of the engineers union since the douglas/rightwing-revolution started..eh..?
..and of course an interesting compare/contrast is with the australian union movement – who refused to unbuckle..
..and yr sneers @ ‘non-workers’ as others – is symptomatic of all that is/has been wrong with the union movement..
..in that if you are not ‘one of us’/part of that particular union..
..they couldn’t give a fuck about you..
..unions have become covens of self-interest..
..groups of people looking up their own arses..
..do tell how the history of the engineers union does not fit that profile..?
Educate yourself, Phil. Start with the name of the union, then go forward from there.
while I appreciate you needing to keep it real here trp, any chance you could not drag this out all day?
i took yr suggestion..
..and both googled and binged ‘new zealand engineers union activism’..
..yeah..nah..eh..?
..zip/zero/nada..
(and i am not just citing the engineers’ union..
..the union movement in the main – is an example of successful divide and rule by the elites..par excellence..
..self-regulating dissonance..
..and with a history of uncaring/self-interest/outright-perfidy since the mid-80’s..
..which..again..is why the breaking of that ‘consensus’/pattern by unite..
..is both so refreshing..and as i said..a glimpse at the possiblities for good if the union movement removes their collective-heads from their collective-arse-holes..
..and got their act together..
..and thought/worked for the collective-good..
..and not just for themselves/their members..
..and screw everyone else..
..eh..?..
You’re so out of touch, Phil, it’s mind boggling. I think I’ll take up weka’s suggestion. All the best, anyway. It’s good having you back, even if you’re still not making any sense.
and if looking for ideas of what to do..?
..they could start with a three-fer..
..no more zero contracts – for anyone..
..a living wage for all workers..
..and a universal basic income…for all citizens..
..that three-fer will end the evils of child-poverty etc..
..in one fell swoop..
..no more just pissing around the edges of these problems/ills..
..what are you waiting for..?
I disagree. Unite union has been well represented at virtually every protest from TPPA, selling State assets, Oil drilling protests, opposing charter schools, defending Glen Innes State housing, etc., supporting Gaza/Palestine.
In fact Unite’s Joe Carolan often speaks to the crowd at these protest rallies and is commonly on a megaphone during the marches. The Unite people have been very visible o social justice issues on all issues of social justice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up6OVzojLNw
If thats true,.. ?
isn’t it funny,..no, but I think thats inaccurate,most attacks,as you call it come from other unions ie employers Associations and other organizations.I have been an union organizer, and my reading of history shows sexism, racism, and sometimes even corruption, and of coarse your attack on the underemployed is also unhelpful, but seeing you are an author here as well, and making some good points too, I will dissed from further comment, and read more thoroughly terms and conditions here on TS.
left for deadshark I can’t stand the patronising/sarcastic style either. I think it turns most people right off (they are just so used to it they don’t say anything), so thanks for speaking up.
However, regarding the EMA (Employers and Manufacturers Association) I don’t think that qualifies in any sense as a union. I think it’s just an example of the Right co-opting the language of the Left (and to some extent riding on the reputation of the EPMU given the not-dissimilar initials) to promote itself as some form of expert on employment issues, when it is little more than a right-wing lobby group providing some basic services to its members (businesses) in aid of oppressing and crushing (sorry, “appropriately monitoring, restructuring and right-sizing” as they say) their workforce.
Well said TRP Ake Ake Ake
Good on you TRP. Nice to hear defence of a union from the real world.
Tautoko. I can’t see any need for it either. I also agree with Phil about the Engineers’ Union.
so..ad homs all ya got..eh..?
..and tho’ ‘intoxicating’ – heroin/opiates do not make you particularly ‘addled’..
..(hence so many doctors morphine-addicts – but still functioning..
..and i wd cast yr mind back to an aussie tv show called ‘hypothetical’..
..where they once presented a panel of doctors etc. with the scenario of a choice of being operated on by a surgeon under the influence of a variety of intoxicants – both illegal and legal..
..all of those chose the surgeon under the influence of opiates..
..but anyway..i stopped using it long before the clark govt arrived on the scene..
..and i remember well the silences of the union movement during those nine long years of ‘worthy’ poor-people vs. ‘unworthy’ poor-people twisted-bullshit from clark..
..it is clearly you who needs the history-lessons…(‘hic!’..eh..?..)
..and let’s not go near the union response to the neoliberal/rightwing revolution undertaken by both national and labour..eh..?
..a tad embarrassing – given that response was to drop their trousers – and bend over..eh..?
..and/but anyway – ad homs all ya got..eh..?
Sorry, Phil, none of what you ‘wrote’ made any sense. Better luck next time. Still, terrific that a dedicated non-worker like yourself is so passionate about workers rights. Sure, you haven’t got a clue what’s been going on in the union movement, but that’s not going to stop you having an ignorant and inaccurate whinge is it?
Almost 10 o’clock, must be time for a mood adjuster. Off you go, the pipes, the pipes are calling, Philly boy.
do keep up..!
vapouriser dear boy – vapouriser..
so..still just ad homs..eh..?
(me a ‘non-worker’..?..eh..?..whoar..!
http://whoar.co.nz/ )
..i actually view what unite have done/achieved as a wake-up call as to the possibilities..
..to a largely comotose/moribund/self-interest-driven/ riven union movement..
..eh..?
..so good news in general..
..so..how about the union movement seek/find some testicular-fortitude..?
..and swing in behind a drive to make zero-hour contracts illegal in all industries..?
..eh..?
..and if not..why fucken not..?
I think you two need to get a room and make mad, passionate love or something.
+1
…. and do you think unites success would have been achieved without the support/reporting of the issue by the right-wing msm?
i agree that campbell live deserve their kudos in helping bring about this change..
..their publicity/coverage has been invaluable..
..in articulating the public disgust/disquiet at this clear abrogation of any civil/human-rights..
..of a marker that a society/culture has got something very very wrong..
You are blog-clogging again Phillip
That’s a point Phillip. The elongated nature of your stream of consciousness style takes up a lot of screen space. Of course that has been mentioned before. But some of us are slow learners, unable to adapt and keep up with the pace of change. But not you I thought Phillip?
FFS it starts again. Grow up, the both of you. Phil, do some research before running your mouth and TRP, if you don’t like what he has to say, don’t make the slapdown personal. Aren’t you a mod on this site? You should know better. Now sort your behaviour out or there won’t be any pudding.
what have i said that is inaccurate..?
Now, why in the blue fuck would I want to engage so you can throw a huge long diatribe that is only really one paragraph? Go and hit the bong, and pack me one while you’re there 😛
Your attitude to the unemployed would fit well with that of the NAct caucus. Since when is unemployment or underemployment something to use to belittle someone?
You have also not managed to give one example of anything progressive the Engineers’ have done in the last twenty years.
Oh, do piss off you pompous git. I have no ‘attitude’ to the unemployed or unemployed. From what Phil has told us, he doesn’t fit into either category.
I can’t give any examples of what the EU has done because there are none for the simple reason that the EU has ceased to exist, which is the point I was making to Phil right at the start. So, yeah, if you’re going to lecture unions on what you perceive to be their failings (on Mayday, too!) at least try and get the names right. And try and find something to moan about from this century, eh.
And, no, I’m not going to list the achievements of the union that actually is the successor to the EU, except one, which is that it saved Unite from financial collapse. Do your own homework for the rest.
Are you actively lobbying for a grand coalition between Labour and National? You’ve got acting like an arrogant and abusive fool down pat already. Simon Bridges could learn off you.
I have no idea why you even bother being on a “left wing” blog. Your attacks on Phil are almost indistinguishable from those he used to receive on Whalespew.
But yeah, you’ll keep going. Almost never discussing anything in good faith, but always with vicious defence of the right of the labour movement. Did you understand the power imbalance between FJK and Amanda Bailey? The way you attack Phil on here suggests that maybe you didn’t.
I personally do not think you should have any role in moderation of this blog. You are far too abusive. However, I know I don’t get a say.
Oooh, I think I smell burning martyr! Get off your high horse, Murray. Funnily enough, my moderation is pretty, er, moderate. Just a couple of bans so far I think. And it’s pretty easy to tell the difference between moderation and commentary. Moderation is in bold black ink. Commentary is on a blue background. I haven’t moderated anyone in this thread, nor would I, because it’s simply a discussion. Nobody has crossed any line, except you trying to tell TS who should and shouldn’t be a moderator. But even then, you’re not being moderated by me. So, get over yourself, why doncha.
PS, I wrote an post touching on the power imbalance between Key and the cafe worker. You must have missed it.
Saying what I think is not telling TS what to do and I know that TS is not an entity anyway. It is giving an opinion. It’s nothing to do with martyrdom whatsoever. It is at most a call for a better atmosphere in these discussions. When you call Phil drug addled and whatever else, there is no way he can (nor should he) respond in kind, irrespective of the colour of your posts.
With Amanda Bailey, it always would have been in her mind that FJK was PM and had power that was inaccessible to her. He claimed he was being silly to show that he had no power. I didn’t swallow his explanation.
One thing that might help clarify matters is a policy whereby all moderation is done in bold. Sometimes moderators make moderation comments in a comment, which confuses things.
Moderation is done in bold. I am not complaining about moderation.
I’d kind of like this exchange to stop about here because it just can’t go anywhere. People will have read the comments being referred to and arrived at their own conclusions.
If, Murray, you don’t appreciate how a given commenter interacts with others, then don’t interact with them. Simple.
If they then interact with you, you could try politely pointing out to them why you don’t wish any interaction with them. I eventually did that with Pete George and it worked out fine for both of us. 😉
Of course, there’s always the option to keep the to and fro going until it reaches it’s almost inevitable conclusion. (shrug)
Fair enough, Bill. The comments are there, as you say. Stopping here.
Meant for Bill (not MR)
I’d kind of like this exchange to stop about here because it just can’t go anywhere.
Thanks Bill.
It’s hard to take when two people who make a lot of quality contributions to this site get their knickers in a twist and start blasting one another. It almost always looks like misunderstanding of viewpoints to me. You’re on the same side mates so just agree to differ eh? (Hope I haven’t made things worse)
The Voice of Reason apparently wants people to cough up the acronym EPMU–Engineering Printing and Manufacturing Union–a union whose published early history I happen to have a copy of–“Advocate, Educate, Control, the History of the NZ Engineers Union 1863–1983”. Put together in the 80s by labour movement historian the late Bert Roth. EPMU came about via amalgamations mainly in the ECA era.
It is no secret that most NZ unions sprang from crafts and guilds and even the “goat riders”–masons and were “creatures of legislation” and the award system after the first Labour govt. (oh for an industry award or MECCA system spanning the country now some would say!)
There was only ever a small group of class struggle based unions that drove the renaissance of the Federation of Labour after the brave but disastrous 1951 lockout. The Engineers should not be considered to be part of that group. They supported the ICFTU rather than the communist/non aligned WFTU international centres during the cold war era and were generally pro Anglo and anti Soviet.
The EPMU was a membership raider in the 90s until a concord was reached with other unions. I had personal dealings with many members and officials of the Engineers in the car industry for 20 years so have some insight into these matters. Some diabolical sell outs occurred with officials of that union.
They are a largely conservative union with a changing membership such as migrant workers at telcos, not so much the “tradesmen” of decades back. Aircraft engineers jobs diminishing and cabin crew etc assuming more importance. An amalgamation with the Service and Food Union may happen too. So a mixed record, they represent members well in work sites but are not a campaigning union, and advocate voting Labour basically.
Just watching (over months)……and taking it in……I end up with the feeling that you’re the prime pompous (and hectoring) git around here TRP.
P.Ure sticks his neck out. You lecture……interminably……superior being you. (Hah !)
Like an up-himself school prefect, albeit of the Left. Left is cool as long as it’s Right what ? Just a feeling. Shared I suspect by more than a few. You can piss all over me if that spins your wheels……I don’t give two fucks. You bully far too often for me to care. Gimme the honest if imperfect P.Ure any day !
Asking the hard questions eh Phil. They bounce off a complacent impervious surface. And by the way don’t take comments about drugs etc to heart and bother to reply to justify yourself. You know it’s only a smoke-screen to avoid looking clearly at the actual point you are making.
Unions failed us in NZ. But then we all have failed to understand that real democracy is more vulnerable than we realised. So a sham, fake one has replaced the original one. It could be said that it had a back-door fault like Microsoft. They only keep their systems safe with frequent patches. Most of us never thought of attacks to democracy, or weaknesses needing watching and repairing. So the hackers got in, and physically chopped our rights, advantages, and means of living away.
But the fake democracy still fronts up like the background flats or panels to the actors in an old-style western film.
Look behind, there is nothing there but some strong bracing posts.
a friendly question, please, are you greywarshark returned to your original name ?
Hi r-yeshe
Yes I’ll stick to greywarshark for now. I took a break and went into default mode to warbler when I came back. I still am concerned about the rawshark- thing and Hager so I will stick with the name for the present. One day when things get better? I’ll be a chirpy bird again. Might even go to fantail – they are very inspiring – quick and alert. I’d like to be the same.
🙂 thx grey !
Interesting point of view. Of course, there are those who say the back door faults were purposely left in Microsoft products. I think unions began with better intentions than those of Bill Gates.
And the comments about drugs could apply to me too. It’s not a very supportive world for people who do get off the stuff, except for those around them who see what they’ve overcome and subsequently achieved. Anyone who beats smack and doesn’t join NAct deserves credit.
MR
I do feel that there are unsung heroes out there who have made a very good life which seems commendable. But if one only knew the lower point they had started from, they have actually climbed an everest of their own.
Now and then I read of a muso or entertainer who has got over drugs and that’s amazing.
Now this is interesting. Why a whole years’ delay ? What’s going on here ?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/68156461/prominent-new-zealander-will-stand-trial-on-indecent-assault-charges-in-2016
Cos he has a 1 year fixed contract which requires him to travel????(sarc)
I think it is normal for more than a year to pass before a not guilty pleader faces trial?
I have no idea, however I know of a case of attempted rape and sexual assault. The offending took place in October 2014. He was arrested two days after the complaint was laid and the Police charged him approximately two weeks later. It could have been less. The “alleged” offender will plead not guilty.
My friend whose close relative was the victim has said they have been told the trial will most likely take place in October 2015 – a year on from the crime taking place.
This person by the way no longer has name suppression but the media never reported it. I thought they might have given his former role in the community.
In the case of The Prominent New Zealander, won’t it be over one year? I can’t recall the timeline but it feels like this case has been going on for quite some time, it feels like it is intentionally dragging along.
investigation august last year, first appearance jan this year I think.
I suspect we need more high court judges and staff in this country, if a year is not an unusual period to await trial.
We could always stop the idiotic war on drugs. That would free up a lot of court time.
yeah, but this lot would just cut the budget accordingly…
Very bad system if there are young people involved .. absolute torture for them and favours the accused. Be very good to have a compassionate and faster process for under-age victims.
Hopefully their evidence has already been recorded and they are being supported, leaving the realities of the trial more for the perpetrator than the victims (depending on ages of victims of course).
a decent man mighty plead guilty to save further harm … oh, that’s right ….. no possibility here.
This person probably 100% believes that whatever they did was not wrong… no way he/she will plead guilty in those circumstances.
Many folks who live their lives viewing their actions ONLY through their own eyes are genuinely oblivious to the consequences/impacts of their actions.
fair comment Tracey .. it’s all perception after all.
I believe that anyone wanting to be an elected representative needs to be able to display and show evidence of empathy. How else can they adequately represent others?
So how can we measure that ? Some voters seem able to fooled a lot of the time …
SIGH – I know…
I guess some just don’t think it is a necessary trait in the first place. For some reason many think having made alot of money in a niche career is all you need to lead a country…
sigh indeed ….. and btw, when I was on silence from here a few weeks back with Murray Rawshark, I read some of the pieces you posted about the Winebox and your representation of Paul White .. how amazing. Have been re-reading the three books by Wishart … what a catastrophic mess. And I do see ugly parallels today with Ben Rachinger … maybe one day you can talk some more about things you knew. I was astonished Wishart did not choose to interview you, or was it rather chose not to interview you ? If ever there is more you can say, I would be deeply interested. There is never a time I pass by that underpass pillar and don’t think about what the truth might have been — it has always haunted me. We suffer a very dirty and well-disguised underbelly.
I would guess that most child molesters think there’s nothing wrong with what they do. It would be hard to see how they’d do it otherwise. I know that many think of themselves as victims, seduced by the wiles of small children. One I came across thought he was doing 12 year olds a favour by grooming them to be “loved” later on. I did him a favour by preparing him for the bashings he would face in prison. Unfortunately the parents of the two girls chose to ignore what he was doing.
They’ll be trying to position the ‘prominent’ trial midway between elections to minimise public response. The longer it’s delayed the more trouble it will cause in 2017…
If the Key junta actually makes it to 2017 – it would only need a handful of Gnats to be run over, ingest a surfeit of lampreys, or spontaneously combust, and we’ll be rid of this odious assemblage of incompetent villains and vermin.
LOL
I don’t think there is any ‘conspiracy’ here in terms of the timing of the trial date.
Regrettably, the length of time for a criminal case to get to trial here in NZ is long, particularly a jury trial, and usually takes over a year.
In this instance, while there have obviously been a number of District Court pre-trial hearings already, the case was only transferred from the District Court to the High Court a week or so ago. IIRC from working for some time in the justice sector, the time already taken in relation to these earlier DC hearings would not be taken into account in scheduling the HC trial.
Here is some information from the MOJ website on the factors that may affect the timing of a trial.
https://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/from/statistics/annual-statistics/june-2011/high-court-waiting-times-1
The links at the bottom are to old 2011 waiting times.
Here are the latest High Court waiting times as at Dec 2014.
https://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/from/statistics/annual-statistics/latest-december-2014/high-court/high-court-criminal-trial-waiting-time-for-scheduled-hearing-by-courts-as-at-31-december-2014
As you will see, average waiting times at Auckland High Court are over a year at 390 days, while median times are only slightly under at 341 days.
The National total average and median times are 408/332.
Gisborne is the quickest with 206/206.
Palmerston North is the longest – average at 955 but median is 308.
Whangerei is the second longest at 634/606.
EDIT – and Jan Logie on this subject, from the side bar, is worth reading.
https://blog.greens.org.nz/2015/05/01/justice-delayed-and-delayed-and-delayed/
thanks veuto, that’s what I was wondering, so good to have some information.
A trial in the middle of next year, and then an appeal may take this close to the election. The slower the better.
Justice delayed is justice denied
Interestingly the guy who killed the WINZ workers in September was due to start his trial today but it was delayed. So that’s 7 months.
I note Alex Swney, former head of Heart of the City had his sentencing delayed yesterday to a “future time” due to the Judge being ill.
Thanks VV, helpful as ever 🙂
An interesting link in this blog post 😉
https://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2015/04/30/tick-tick-tick-countdown-for-national-begins/
very interesting, well done him 😀 Might not stay up indefinitely so get in while you can.
The last link has been up for a long time – its an Australian site, not NZ.
I meant Frank linking it. He’s breaking name suppression by doing so.
My thought too Weka… Someone will be feverishly advising the Court… you know, for the sake of justice 😉
Huh, I was thinking he was being low key enough it might slip under the radar, but you are right, there will probably be people with vested interests keeping an eye out.
Mind you… any publicity will just send folks a googlin again
Wow! Thanks Hateatea
Thats it said then………..
I hope Frank stays safe.
saw this on that site;
https://fmacskasy.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/its-never-ok-to-touch-someone-without-their-consent.jpg?w=595
…was listening to some old music last night while on the treadmill….. couldn’t help but be struck by this old Pink Floyd jem:
“Sheep”
Harmlessly passing your time in the grassland away
Only dimly aware of a certain unease in the air
You better watch out
There may be dogs about
I’ve looked over Jordan and I have seen
Things are not what they seem.
What do you get for pretending the danger’s not real
Meek and obedient you follow the leader
Down well trodden corridors into the valley of steel
What a surprise!
A look of terminal shock in your eyes
Now things are really what they seem
No, this is no bad dream.
excellent find
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYSIniURqqk
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/340733/meals-wheels-volunteer-will-not-subsidise-compass
this is EXACTLY the point… a company is using unpaid labour to create a profit for itself. I am pretty sure in another century we had another word for it. For now it is just plain exploitation. I do hope they vote with their feet… The good folks of Dunedin, I feel sure, would start cooking in their own homes and delivering until Meals on Wheels returns.
Yeh, there didn’t seem to be much I could add to Hearn’s comment. Hopefully the Dunedin Labour MPs will be at the protest tomorrow. It makes sense that King would be commenting as Health spokesperson, but the workers and volunteers also need support from their electorate MPs:
The problem with the SDHB is that they are likely to have an overseer appointed by the government to supervise cost-saving. It’s all starting to feel a bit like Environment Canterbury when inconvenient democracy threatened private profits.
“Meanwhile, HBL, the Government entity that developed the deal with Compass, has admitted the cost of the business case has blown out to $4.1 million…”
What’s a business case? Surely that can’t be the work done to change the system?
Go Terry Hearn!!
Wasn’t there another interesting bit to the Compass-HBL story? That even after a huge amount of dollar input from the government enabling the HBL to do their important health budget-dieting work, they still have charged all the hospitals they have worked in for their services? If so – Oh the sweet, sweet, non-fattening pleasurable taste of a government sinecure. Especially in the hospital context. A cure for as much sin as you want to indulge in paid by a generous and caring government!
See: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/video.cfm?c_id=1503079&gal_cid=1503079&gallery_id=149812
Auckland ratepayers are about to be screwed over by Willis Bond – the Wellington vulture company that makes hay on the privatization of prime publicly owned land.
* David Cameron makes gaffe in first breath over tax credits ‘raid’
* Furious voter skewers David Cameron over foodbanks saying ‘people have died’
Furious voter skewers David Cameron over foodbanks saying ‘people have died’
Link :
http://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/politics
If Cameron has been skewered twice he may have died. A suitable end to someone who should get roasted and not as Hollywood does it either.
Cowardly Firing of Australian State-Funded TV Journalist Highlights the West’s Real Religion
This is the type of society that the West is becoming. One where the propaganda of the ‘elite’ can no longer be questioned. The old term for such is Lèse-majesté.
This is one of the developments that really worries me – people losing their jobs for speaking out privately against the obscene madness of the militarisation of our national stories. It has really worrying fascistic undertones.
+1
Aww, helicopter ride.
What could go wrong with a bite or two?
Everything, as it turned out.
Not at first. For an hour, I felt nothing. I figured I’d order dinner from room service and return to my more mundane drugs of choice, chardonnay and mediocre-movies-on-demand.
But then I felt a scary shudder go through my body and brain. I barely made it from the desk to the bed, where I lay curled up in a hallucinatory state for the next eight hours. I was thirsty but couldn’t move to get water. Or even turn off the lights. I was panting and paranoid, sure that when the room-service waiter knocked and I didn’t answer, he’d call the police and have me arrested for being unable to handle my candy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/04/opinion/dowd-dont-harsh-our-mellow-dude.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/04/opinion/dowd-dont-harsh-our-mellow-dude.html
And you could write several articles identical to that on alcohol every day.
Wonder how long before Hollywood will do a re-release of Reefer Madness? Some people do have a bad reaction to THC, but then some have a bad reaction to political criticism as well.
Happy May Day everyone. Great news as Maccas comes to its senses over zero hour contracts.
excellent! well done everyone involved in that.
+1
Look how much we have just sold again to overseas buyers !! Surely it’s time for a review and radical change to the OIO system.
Oh, and look see what Mike Sabin’s new corporate role has achieved? Selling to Chinese one of the loveliest holiday camps in Northland.
We are goneburgers at this rate. sigh …..
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11441306
Yes. Abolish it as it is a waste of money.
I agree. Get rid of it and stop land sales to non-residents.
That would take care of it ! Not much chance tho the way this govt sells residence status to many who should not have it. .. always available if you have the millions in your bank account … and absurdly with no with need to prove you have it in the same account the next day ! Recipe for corruption isn ‘t it ?
“Get rid of it and stop land sales to non-residents.”
Do you mean people without residency status, or people that don’t live here?
I mean people who don’t live in Aotearoa.
How about NZ Citizens who live overseas? I think would have to be exempt.
Why? So they can be landlords? They don’t need the house to live in if they’re living overseas.
No, but they might need it when they get back. For some people it’s not just a house, it’s a home.
And if they sell to someone who turns it into a rental, how is that any different than the person going overseass renting it out?
They might already be a landlord. If I was renting off them and they’re good landlords, I’d prefer that they didn’t have to sell when they go work overseas for a year, esp if they sell to someone who then ends the tenancy.
I can think of any number of scenarios where it makes sense to not force NZ citizens (and people with residency) to sell.
Yes and…
In most of the countries these NZ citizens might be living in, they don’t have the option of buying a house as well as their house in NZ
I’m also thinking about the impact on housing prices in NZ if every person that owns a property that goes overseas for a time has to sell, and then rebuy when they come back.
I didn’t say anything about Kiwis having to sell their house when they leave. I have no idea where you got that idea from. Not being able to buy is not the same as being forced to sell.
Ok, sorry, I thought you were meaning land ownership.
Thanks for that rawsharke y. About the sale to overseas interests. Do you know who sold Whatuwhwhi? Who were the owners who sold the camp? I wondered if it was the Maori interests who had big debts after a business failure.
I didn’t realise how well embedded we were in the English speaking Quinad till I heard about the Five Eyes spying.
Now while looking at wikipedia on passports I see –
“the Five Nations Passport Group, an international forum for cooperation between the passport issuing authorities in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States “.
I thought it was three 6’s that were supposed to be the mark of a coming bad end. Five seems to be getting bad connotations also.
Was listening to this – The Russel Norman questions
http://www.radionz.co.nz/radionz/programmes/parliament/audio/201752350/question-time-for-29-april-2015
Is it just me or, was there a rising level of contempt from the government benches for Mr Norman when ask questions from the public.
The disdain has been there for a long time, imho.
Also Carter’s disdain and vile shouting rudeness yesterday at Green MP Catherine Delahunty as she tried ( in vain) to have a document tabled in the house. Carter yelled and became so angry, he is just unsuitable for the role. He looks miserable always, until someone on the right tries to make ‘a funny’ of some kind, but he metes out his worst acerbic and furious misery on Greens, Winston and various Labour front benchers. He is an impatient and and acidic angry man.
His divisive partisan behaviour shames the office and betrays us all.
I was waiting for the point of order on When he yelled at Catherine
Point of order: When did the PM ‘s abusive style of bluster, become the norm for the speaker of the house, Mr Speaker.
Of course the member would be ejected – but hey be worth it.
Metiria did try with her excellent point of order .. but Carter should apologise for the ‘unbecoming of the house’ manner in which he yelled at Catherine.
Can you imagine this man as our Ambassador in London ? OMFG.
Would it be any worse than having JK as our PM?
Actually, if you look around the media a bit (except the MSM in NZ) it’s obvious that conservatives around the world are losing the plot.
It’s not a competition for worse, worserer or worserest although it can surely look like it. Each of them is an unmitigated disaster for Aotearoa with Groser about to become yet another in Washington. ( Bet Helen can’t wait sarc.)
But it does seem to be a competition, rawshark-yeshe. And, Key now heads their international conservative organisation – May there name never pass my lips.
I bet they are feeling chuffed about that.
adam .. not sure which one you mean ? maybe try some initials as a clue for me ? I don t think you mean Security Council .. so then pse ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Democrat_Union
The Brazilian branch is a development of ARENA, the fake party that supported the Brazilian military government. They are very close to fascism.
omg! Is Key really the new head ? oh dear, oh dear. Hope they all have short hair.
DTB
I commented about this somewhere else this morning. IN Australia they swallowed the misogynistic anti-Gillard schpiel from CT but very quickly have realised their error, Same in UK, but here… 3 terms later…
These Tories, have become full blown with their women hating of late. it’s just Sick.
The *real* game of thrones in Saudi Arabia while Key was there ..
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/29/saudi-arabia-mohammed-bin-nayef-crown-prince
Radio nz had this – has everyone heard about it? Get the links here –
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/272520/invitation-to-our-discussion-forums
Radionz
We like a good chinwag at radionz.co.nz and now we want you to join the conversation too.
Today we’re trialling a new forums feature – rnztalk. You will also find it at the foot of this piece and on today’s weekly political column, Power Play.
We are starting small so we can see what you think. We won’t be adding forums to everything we publish but we will, depending what you say, start steadily increasing their use over time.
Rnztalk uses a platform called Discourse – a 100 percent open source system – which, like us, wants to encourage a better level of discussion.
This means things are a little bit different from your normal commenting systems. Comments are post-moderated, placing the onus on you to be mature, considered, caring and reasonable in what you write.
My bold. It’s not a place for keyboard warriors to unleash hell and fury. We want people to feel safe and respected on our forums. Before you hit the publish button stop, pause and think. Play the issue never the person.
Click here for some guidelines which should help with that process.
Joining is easy – simply use your existing Facebook or Twitter account or sign up separately.
And, let us know what you think. Thanks.
Cool, another place for people to say “what they reckon”
Interesting they are going for post-moderation. Good on them.
As long as they are even handed in what they let through
“what they let through”
what they take out. They’re not moderating until after the comments have been published.
okee dokee, sorry. you mean moderation after comment not moderation of posts?.
yep. It’s pretty progressive of them. I hope it works.
http://www.janes.com/article/51081/expatriates-face-rising-threat-of-militant-attacks-outside-of-secure-facilities-in-saudi-arabia
Bernie Sanders, independent democratic socialist US Senator, has announced a run for President. On the Democratic ticket – he will be battling Clinton.
https://berniesanders.com/issues/
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/apr/30/bernie-sanders-election-challenge-hillary-clinton
He refuses all corporate donations. I think he can take on the billionaire class – or at least give them a good scare. He’s probably to the left of Elizabeth Warren.
He wants to take on Wall Street and break up the banks, truly tax the wealthy, move America to a universal single-payer health system, make universities debt-free, vastly reduce poverty by expanding benefits, double the minimum wage, take on tax evasion by corporations and the rich, oppose US intervention in the middle east, oppose the TPP (and all corporate trade deals), empower unions, expand worker cooperatives, and take on corporate money in politics truly address climate change, etc.
He was a founding member of the Progressive Caucus which is composed of the left/’progressive’ of the Democratic Party. And himself, who is an independent.
He might not win the primary, but he will shake the establishment and confront Hillary Clinton on these issues. The progressive wing of the Party is growing in influence. (i.e. Bill Clinton would *not* get chosen as a nominee today), and she’ll need to make it clear that she’ll appease them. Although I would hope that he could win outright.
Michael. Last night I watched the Russell Brand/Millibrand interview.
The summary from Russell
http://www.thepaepae.com/russell-brands-quieter-ed-milibrand-interview/35954/ at about 13:25 was so like your post from Bernie Sanders:
“He wants to take on Wall Street and break up the banks, truly tax the wealthy, move America to a universal single-payer health system, make universities debt-free, vastly reduce poverty by expanding benefits, double the minimum wage, take on tax evasion by corporations and the rich, oppose US intervention in the middle east, oppose the TPP (and all corporate trade deals), empower unions, expand worker cooperatives, and take on corporate money in politics truly address climate change, etc.”
And will we have a similar call from our MPs?
Mind you, Russell reckons it is the power of the people who cause changes.
It’s not politicians who made zero contracts go away for certain NZ workers… in fact they allowed them to surface in the first place.
Yes, well it would be the power of the people that would get Bernie elected. Bernie refuses all corporate donations – not a single cent comes from corporations. 60+% of his funding comes from small, individual donations and the remainder comes mostly from labour, environmental, and civil liberties groups.
This is in contrast to the establishment US politicians who need corporate money to win. Hillary Clinton will raise nearly us$3 billion. The Koch Brothers, billionaire oil barons, are planning on spending nearly $1 billion of their own money to fix the election for the Republican Party.
Bernie would need to be elected via a grassroots movement – first, to overcome Hillary who has the backing of moneyed interests, and then to win the election against a Republican candidate who will receive billions in corporate donations. It would take a mobilisation of ordinary people – a politician that represents people.
How much longer before the police decide they need to act on Gloriavale? Last nights segments confirmed sexual, physical and emotional as well as possibly financial abuse.
As yet I don’t think we have a Waco in the making, but given their disregard for the law when it comes to underage sex and their determination in isolating rebels, I wonder how they would react to the Police turning up with CYFS in force?
The problem might be in obtaining evidence that would stand up in court.
CYFS can still get involved though.
Is Gloriavale that community on the West Coast that’s been there for decades, or is it a new one?
across from Lake Haupiri on the West Coast
http://www.gloriavale.org.nz/
They started life in North Canterbury – then moved to a more isolated spot.
Yup, Rangiora. If you read their website they don’t name their founder or any Leader.
Tv3 did an expose in the early 90s of a similar community on the west coast, just wondering if it’s the same one.
Talking of Court costs I would love to know the legal status of this, not to mention the ethics…
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11437454
In effect the “cult” are wanting a road to them closed, the local Council has agreed BUT the Council is likely to go to court to defnd their action against other parties. Here’s the dubious bit. The “cult” are going to pay the Councils court costs. In other words an interested party is paying the council to defend a decision against other interested parties. How bent is that?
Must have heard you Robert.
On the Herald: “A free phone line has been set up by police for people wanting to discuss experiences at the secretive Christian community Gloriavale.
The line will be answered by Tasman District Police and has been established to manage the growing number of people wanting to discuss Gloriavale, police said.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11441715
One allegation on the TV3 program which wold be easy to investigate is that somebody at Gloriavale received a benefit from WINZ without the knowledge of the person they were claiming for. The person the benefit was claimed for only found out when thy were sent a demand for overpayment. That is fraud, theft, using somebodies identity for criminal purposes…you name it.
Wonder how much they donate to the National Party?
“Wonder how much they donate to the National Party?” – indeed!
From their FAQ:
Yeah that’s pretty important with this level of diversity: http://www.gloriavale.org.nz/images/icethumbs/960×380/95/images//sampledata//iceslideshow//image1.jpg
It’s one of those times, when the Christian left and right need to stop fighting. And go look at this community, and see how far off the path it really is. I think many will be shocked at how far off they are.
Personally I’m convinced it’s christian in name only – as some of the utterance of Neville Cooper make him a cult figure not a christian. I find it abhorrent he says his group is based on christianity, to somehow justify that he is not a cult. Indeed the whole Cooperite Community is a cult – just look at this video.
http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/campbelllive/gloriavale-more-revelations-from-ex-members-2015042219#axzz3YqS95NQb
This is by definition cultish behaviour.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11436904
Time for the Bishops and the other church leaders to step up and challenge this group.
I hope you don’t mean Bishop Tamaki 🙂
OH my goodness no.
That man is in all probability leading a cult as well. He has crossed the line a few times.
Making himself a bishop, was just odd.
Here is a Friday afternoon giggle – time for a wine.
English on being Acting Prime Minister.
https://twitter.com/felixmarwick/status/593944226301259776
https://twitter.com/VernonSmall/status/593944631185805312
When moderators are making personal attacks on commenters, I feel something has gone very wrong. I have no idea what we can do about it.
Can I make a couple of suggestions? When addressing commenters who also are at times moderators, think of them as commenters unless they explicitly say they are moderating. I took everything trp said upthread to be him as a commenter, not an author (which means he can be as rude/obnoxious as everyone else, including phil).
The other thing is to stick to the issue and if necessary the behaviour. Your comment comparing trp to Simon Bridges strikes me as rude/abusive as anything trp said to phil. We don’t have to get personal like that (I was on the verge of calling trp out for the druggie put downs), but can instead either focus on the issue (unions), or the behaviour (keep it neutral).
In the end I think we have to take our cues from the authors, and that is going to vary from author to author hugely. I have no problem calling trp out on things, but there is going to be a limit and the authors are the ones that get to say where that limit is for them. I respect that because they are the ones that do the hard yards here, and without them I/we wouldn’t have a place like this to hang out in.
Sorry, that probably doesn’t help a lot, but I sense your frustration and hope there is a way that being here on ts can be ok for you. Lots of people value your input, myself included.
” When addressing commenters who also are at times moderators, think of them as commenters unless they explicitly say they are moderating. I took everything trp said upthread to be him as a commenter, not an author ”
That sounds a bit like something despicable key would say about which hat he was wearing at the time. I think we should expect a higher standard from those with power, even if it is only the power to ban a commenter.
Except in this instance there are two distinct hats. There is a boundary between trp the author/moderator and trp the commenter. I’m kind of surprised that this isn’t obvious, or is a problem for some people. It’s why I’ve suggested upthread that a policy of moderation only happening in bold would make things clearer (the boundary gets blurred when moderators moderate in a comment).
For me personally, when trp is commenting in Open Mike or on a post he didn’t write, he doesn’t have any more power over me than anyone else. Ditto the other day when I was arguing with CV and Red on a post they didn’t write. That they are also sometimes authors was irrelevant and we just argued quite vehemently about the politics. Sometimes it was quite heated and rude. That’s the kaupapa of the place (robust debate).
I really don’t get the issue about power here. It’s not like trp is going to hold it against you if you argue with him (although I think he will eventually reach a limit were he is being harassed as an author/moderator). If anyone else had been relating with phil like he did today, they would have been told off as well by other commenters. What’s the problem?
(btw, JK used the hats thing as a way of avoiding responsibility. I’d like to see how you think I’ve just done that, or trp).
edit, in the end I think it comes down to people not being comfortable with the power imbalance, and I’m kind of curious why it’s coming up so much in the past few months. It’s not like this is new, afaik it’s always been like this on ts.
You’re missing my point, trp is further up the food chain on the standard than most of us so should behave in a manner fitting the position of moderator.
Most here IMO come here in the hope that in some small way it might make a difference so having it degenerate into pointless and pointed abuse will drive people away.
trp isn’t further up the food chain in the way you imply, and people might want to take a step back and consider why they see him that way. His behaviour today is entirely consistent with the rules and culture of the place. Have a go at his behaviour by all means, but there’s not need to have a go at him more because he is sometimes also an author with moderating responsibilities. He wasn’t in that role today and there is no onus on him to behave any better than you or me or phil or Murray etc. as long as he’s relating within the general rules and kaupapa.
I understand and empathize with your comments, MR. I am not about to stir up a hornets’ nest in returning to past events, but I watched from the sidelines and said nothing – not through cowardice but through anger. If I had said my piece, I would not be here now. I totally respect Lprent’s right to moderate as he sees fit; certain others, not so. Time will tell; but I am looking for alternatives.
veuto, would you mind saying why you are ok with Lynn moderating as he sees fit but not some others?
weka. I am happy to do so, but not tonight. Its been a heavy week, and its Friday night so I am going to enjoy a few wines with friends in town for the weekend. Also, I want my response to be a considered one, not a reaction. I don;t always agree with you, but I respect you so want to respond, so it may take a day or so.
thanks veuto, no worries, have a good night.
Using threats of banning to extort ‘evidence’ then when provided with ‘evidence’ still issue a ban…
Any level of responsibility is too much for certain personality types which is why the sort of behaviour looks set to continue
The answer to the question Murray is remove the responsibility of moderation because it was too much to expect it would not go the way it has
Moderation can’t be removed completely. For example, think of the case where someone might mention Sabin in a legally dubious context. That needs moderating or TS could end up being prosecuted.
Hi Murray yes I agree but was not referring to there being no moderation
My response was in reference to the personal abuse you mentioned as it is my observation there has shown to be a lack of suitability for moderator status in recent appointments
[Drop it. I believe points of concern, various unhappinesses etc, have been proffered in a number of comments. But self martydom offenses includes “including telling us how to run our site or…” ]- Bill
Your false narratives are not “evidence”. That would be a link or two, which you didn’t supply.
http://thestandard.org.nz/finally/#comment-986005
Absolute
FYI
______________________________________________________________________________________
1 May 2015
“Privatisation of three Auckland suburbs through the transferal of 2,800 State houses.”
“The Housing Lobby believe the messages being portrayed over Bill English and Nick Smith’s announcement on the transferal of 2,800 State houses from Housing NZ to the Tamaki Redevelopment Company (TRC), is both misleading and untrue,” says Housing Lobby Spokesperson Sue Henry.
http://www.tamakitrc.co.nz/
“In letters delivered by Housing NZ to every tenants’ household on Thursday
29 April 2015, it states ‘nothing will change for tenants’.”
“The situation will drastically change for tenants, if the management and ownership of 2,800 State houses are transferred to a wholly commercial enterprise.”
“Two main changes will be that the Tamaki Redevelopment Company will be able to sell or borrow against a freehold asset already paid for and owned by the public.”
“The impression tenants have is that the Tamaki Redevelopment Company can offer transfers and allocations.”
“It needs to be made clear that it is the Ministry of Social Development that now has this responsibility.”
http://www.housing.msd.govt.nz/forms/factsheets/social-housing-changes.html
“One question that needs to be asked is if the Tamaki Redevelopment Company have no experience with tenants why are they there?
Is their real role to assist with the transferal of this State Housing asset directly into the hands of private property development companies?
The other question – is there any truth in the allegation that the Tamaki Redevelopment Company has already applied to Auckland Council to reconfigure massive tracts of reserve lands, parks, and school grounds for intensified housing?”
“What exactly was discussed under ‘CONFIDENTIAL’ session at the Auckland Council Governing Body meeting held behind closed doors with the public excluded, on Thursday 30 April 2015?
http://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2015/04/GB_20150430_AGN_5790_AT.PDF (Pg 93)
“C1 Additional New Special Housing Area Request – April 2015 Auckland Development Committee Recommendation ”
“What didn’t they want the public to know?”
“State houses in Tamaki should remain under Housing NZ stewardship – end of story.”
Sue Henry
Spokesperson
Housing Lobby
…………………..
Any chance people could lessen the embedding of video in comments? The space takes up half my laptop screen, so doubles the amount of scrolling. The Roger Waters one today is also freezing my iphone screen. I don’t mind the odd embed, but there seems to have been a spate of them in the past few days.
Not sure how to avoid embedding them, weka. I put a link in to a vid the other day and the full clip turned up, much to my surprise. Might be something to do with the wordpress upgrade the other day that also changed the emojis.
Yep Lynn said something the other day about youtube links now embedding by default until he gets around to fixing it.
ok, thanks you two.
excuse me for being behind the times but is there anything Fletcher says here that has been proven correct!http://www.nzherald.co.nz/national/news/video.cfm?c_id=1503075&gal_cid=1503075&gallery_id=139509
Do you mean proven incorrect les? Hard to believe that no one here or in 5 Eyes is collecting data of any sort on NZers.
Of course is it possible that Fletcher resigned because the “rules” were in fact being broken? Just wondering.
It has been mooted here in the recent past that the revelation the GCSB have been spying on South Pacific neighbours and other friendly nations – including China – for the NSA may have had a bearing on his decision to resign well before his term was up.
On it goes.
Sources said the medical examiner found Gray’s catastrophic injury was caused when he slammed into the back of the police transport van, apparently breaking his neck; a head injury he sustained matches a bolt in the back of the van.
http://www.wjla.com/articles/2015/04/breaking-news-no-evidence-found-that-freddie-gray-s-death-was-result-of-police-who-arrested-him-prob.html
If the police don’t change their attitude to people of colour especially men then the whole place is going to burn. I cannot accept these men getting shot and killed by police just because of the colour of their skin. Change now police because people are not taking this shit and they never will again.
“a head injury he sustained matches a bolt in the back of the van” (my emphasis added)
Reminds me of the time my hands were cuffed behind my back in the back of a police van. When they entered the cop shop yard they jumped on the brakes…real hard. Luckily I’d sidled up to the back of the cab and merely got pressed to the metal…otherwise I’d have gone flying with no way to put my hands out in order to lessen any impact.
Hmm….so maybe Gray’s death was a result of ‘standard practice and procedure’?
Waikeria to the mount in the back of a Kingswood maria is something I’d rather forget. Never forget the soup and toast* (and pisspot) when I arrived though.
(The late great Lou Sherwin had the kitchen screw by the shorts*.)