Logie97.Of course the anxiety in the USA is the serious fall off of national standards on the international comparisons. Ever since they started the No Child Left Behind program which is made up of many standardised tests, they have slipped down the rankings. So what is their answer? More testing! They must be mad and you are right. Key/Tolley will be scuttling back and forward gathering “me too” misinformation.
I wouldn’t call these moves to monitor teacher performance “educational philosophies” but rather neoliberal ideology.
Under the neoliberalism of the ‘Third Way’, teachers are now positioned as productive workers within this new global service industry. We are mere functionaries and in contrast to a educational culture once imbued with critical democratic values, there is now a commercial managerial culture preoccupied with performativity – what is produced, observed, measured. no longer is it process, but rather product and on the global market homogenised out-put is critical.
As a result of privitisation/globalisation teachers have no control over external (national and international) coercion and pressure – we have become neutral operatives implementing the directives of our political masters – well some still have the nerve to fight as you all know.
Another factor to consider is the right-wing’s refusal to accept that social inequality is the determining factor of educational success: generally we leave school to fulfil social positions that are similar to our parents. Schooling is all about the reproduction of class. The right-wing refuses to tackle poverty – it is after all a necessary part of capitalism – and insists that educational outcomes are solely down to quality teaching. Research clearly refutes this.
More of a concern for me is the loss of critical thinking in a curriculum focused on the three R’s. In the need for a healthy democracy, we must move beyond ideology when it comes to education.
And includes a link to Rob’s post on The Standard about the mythical 170,000 jobs.
I hope some of you will join me in asking National a couple of basic questions during this election campaign.
If your goal is to push 100,000 sick, injured and disabled people – and sole parents – off the welfare rolls, where are the jobs going to come from when we don’t have work for over 271,000 jobless people right now?
Why are you making ultraconservative welfare reform a key part of your election campaign if it’s not simply to appeal to that old New Zealand love of beneficiary bashing?
Any pretence that these reforms are about fairness or compassion is nonsense.
So the all-knowing authorities in Canterbury kept the GNS Science information about the 23% chance of another big quake in the next year from the public.
Yet another evidential example of why nobody should trust authority.
Just like the authorities in Japan re Fukishima (sp?). Just like the authorities re Pike River. Just like the authorities re search and rescue in the immediate aftermath of Chch quake no. 2 (how many people died from not being found in time because there were nt enough people looking? Not one survivor was found in Chch after 26 hours after the quake – pathetic and deadly)
It just bloody goes on and on and on and on and on ………….
Keep the public in the dark and feed them bullshit.
I was really struck by the numbers of searchers at the time too – that there didn’t appear to be nearly enough and they were all in the CBD. No-one talked about it that week. Has there been any actual reporting/writing on this since? Are we training up more searchers now? That quake was a wake up for NZ that we won’t/don’t have the ability to cope with very large disasters in terms of immediate emergency response.
Re the authorities, I think developping skills at when and where to trust is important.
Re the 23% chance of another big quake, is that based on past statistics, or on what’s actually happening in the ground?
Yes Draco. Another example is the disestablishment of undergound mine services (unsure of right name) at the Dept of Labour and the resultant 29 Pike River dead men.
Messrs weka and Critic (below), the question of why no survivors were found after such a short time is a valid and important question. I have not seen it answered, or even asked, anywhere. In fact, when I raise it with people it seems it is not something that has even occurred to most of them.
It is legitimate to ask it and one way of answering it would be to see the coroners reported cause of death for each fatality. Did they die of force from being struck by something? Did they die of hypothermia from being not found in time? (recall the day and following days were cold and drizzly wet!). Did they die from subsequent fire? Did they die from drowning due to putting out fires?
I would like to see it asked and answered. I hope my conjecture is wrong but I have some doubts given the fact that usually after an earthquake in a built up area survivors are found days and days after the event. Why did that not happen in Christchurch?
And re the 23% chance of another big quake imo it will have a dramatic effect on the rebuild timeframes. In fact, if such an event happens I suspect it will be the deathknell for Chch as we know it. Many people will vacate.
Hang in there vto.
The 26 hours thing had me scratching my head, too. I wondered whether it might be due to the unusual nature of the earthquake (timing, depth, proximity to Christchurch) and the design philosophy for the buildings. It occurred to me that most of the buildings that failed either killed people or let them walk out. There were, in my hypothesis, relatively few buildings that trapped people alive when they failed. So the searchers had relatively few people to find trapped and alive.
The other side of the 23% thing is that there is a 77% chance that there won’t be another big quake next year. 🙂 Though the whole unusual nature thing casts doubt on the prediction. I think these earthquakes will result in a rewrite of some of the fundamentals of earthquake theory. Old assumptions may need to be thrown out, based on the data from Christchurch.
I think these earthquakes will result in a rewrite of some of the fundamentals of earthquake theory. Old assumptions may need to be thrown out, based on the data from Christchurch.
I’m sure that’s the case, not just here but also internationally. They will keep learning from major quake events (with all the associated activity), but each is unique and they can never know all the answers.
They said as time goes on the 23% will gradually reduce, but will never get to 0%.
The scientists need to remind everyone that an earthquake is an act of god and unpredictable. The Italian authorities are apparently confused about this despite being in a very religious country. Because a panel of seismologists agreed that an earthquake was unlikely in the near future, they are being sued for negligence or misleading the public by sounding too confident or something because a serious one occurred a week afterwards.
The motto is ‘Expect the unexpected, but remember you can’t depend on it’.
Parallels with the Lotteries Commission here and my winning powerball ticket? This is the week, evidently. Can I sue them if it turns out they are misleading me? .
ha ha smoothies?? There aint no such thing as smoothies these here parts these days.
Roads – buckled as all hell. Bodies and souls – all shook up and nervy. Relationships – same same. Houses – out of square and broken. Tolerance – short and explosive. Conversations – jittery, cracked and all over the place.
But maybe you are right. Maybe some smoothies for brekky are in order. Help to set the scene for the new day.
All the best vto. Hope you have a good day, then month, then year. The settling of the earth after a quake is very unsettling for sure. Are you on the east?
Hawke’s Bay locals say Mr Hughes stayed for about a week at former Breakfast television host Paul Henry’s beach house.
Pictures of Mr Henry, Mr Hughes, and Mr Henry’s partner, Linzi Dryburgh, appear in Woman’s Day and were taken at Easter, just weeks after Mr Hughes resigned after sex allegations against him by an 18-year-old man.
The media stories that construct the politicial-media-celebrity mash-up just gets more surreal.
And what has happened re the Darren Hughes story ? it was big news, then he resigned and Nothing. When are we going to hear if there is even a story here or is it a storm in a teacup???
Fed up with the current political offerings?
Not commited to Labour?
Won’t be voting National or Act?
Uninspired by the alternatives?
Would you like to see something really different? It could happen with a will to make it happen.
Welcome diversity?
Independence from an ideological straightjacket?
Policies adressed on their merits on an ongoing basis, not set in concrete?
Individual political leanings don’t matter, representing a democratic majority does?
The electorate comes first?
Would you like to inject some interest and passion and people power into your electorate?
It could happen if you wanted it to. Really.
It couldn’t be worse than some monkeys trying to always turn the steering wheel right with other monkeys trying to always turn the steering wheel left. In a bulldozer. With the people in front of it.
What if it is abundantly clear to the merit based leader that peak oil is a crisis but sufficient of the electorate refused to believe in it. Should the leader act or put his or head in the sand because that is what some of the electorate is doing?
Our current leader has a conflict, well, several conflicts. Whose interests should he put first:
– the interests of the country?
– the interests of their party?
– the interests of their electorate?
Leaders are expected to put the country first, but that can conflict with the party, and the electorate, well, how does that stand a chance?
And look at the current Minister of Finance, one of the most important jobs in government and lives in Wellington – wouldn’t Clutha be better served by someone who can put decent amount of time in down there?
Or do electorates not matter to parties apart from being a way of getting seats in parliament?
In response to your question – leaders do need to show leadership. They have to make decisions on behalf of the country. So do electorate MPs, but to a lesser extent. But they should also enough information and convincing argument to their electorate to take the electorate with them rather than act in isolation.
Many voters feel like they get some attention during an election year and then get forgotten, unneeded until the next “mandate” is required. I know at least some voters would like to be heard more and talked to more, beyond the election blitz.
The parties have become far too self indulgent and don’t seem to care about people, they only care about votes when they need them.
(I know that’s not entirely the case but it’s a widespread perception).
I think he means that Bill English’s electorate is Clutha-Southland despite his non-resident state there. His family home is in Dipton in the electorate. However he has lived in Wellington for quite some time.
Confused? I think that we all are – especially Bill English… 😈 Just look at how much he thinks he can save in a corporate reorganization. I guess that he has never had a close look at the literature on the actual costs… Either that or he still has a touching faith in Treasuries ability to predict anything accurately – just look at the budgets drug inspired growth figures. Now that is a guy who is severely confused.
I’m just guessing, but he could be saving us thousands by not commuting between work and his more distant home all the time.
And it’d be even cheaper if we weren’t paying for him to rent his family home off of him.
The cheapest and best option would be to build and own outright a 120 unit apartment block that the MPs can stay in when in Wellington. The entire cost then would be rates, power and maintenance rather than rates, someone’s mortgage, their profits, power and more expensive maintenance (yes, Bill charges us for cleaning his own home).
Some stand and miss out in electorates, but do they do anything for those electorates?
Yes they do and even when they didn’t stand for an electorate they quite often help out in electorates.
So kind of you to defend double dip’s honor. Personally I think it is a hit of a dead issue, and Bill lost. But guess you like supporting dead causes. If PeteG thinks he is billshitting, then what can us mere mortals do against that certainty… 😈
I don’t think he’s billshitting, he’s playing by the lose rules bestowed on him by fellow MPs.
I suggest that if he wants to look for efficiencies then he could also look a bit closer to home. The allocation of human resources at the top is nuts.
And what is your esteemed leader going to do when he gets the boot??? I know he will piss off back to Hawaii, join a big bank, and ruin NZ from afar by playing with our currency. he is the original bad smell that no matter what you do it keeps popping up in strange places.
National, and right wing governments, believe the market will solve peak oil.
No leadership as a government ethos.
The Central Americian Ancient Maya had the same leadership philosophy.
Eat the people, because its their fault for not having the backbone to
oust the elite, since the heavens will bring a good harvest.
We’re in a commodities boom and we’re going backwards!
We incentivize welfare sloth that means people give up their
kids to care and move to Australia. fewer tax payers more
criminals in a few years! Welfare needs to do no harm and
incentivize moving OFF welfare, National haven’t got a clue.
Labour will bring in a tax free threshold on income which
makes moving into work far less of a barrier (as it is in Australia).
Why does National whine all the time about the poor state of
matters yet does nothing to rectify them???
You owe it to yourself to give you kids up to care when they
become teenagers and get on a plane to Sydney, its where the
jobs are, get off welfare you bludger!!! Make its Nationals problem,
they want you too! They say it every time they open their mouths,
that you are incompetent, you need to work, you need to change.
Ummm I hate to tell you this PeteG but as usual you have got it wrong. There is NO steering wheel on or in a Bulldozer you use steering rods and pedals to turn the beast. IE stop one track to make it turn. Steering wheels jezuz.
Previously, if a company got caught, its lawyers in many cases would be able to negotiate a financial settlement. The company would write the government a check for a number followed by lots of zeroes and promise not to break the rules again. Often the cost would just get passed on to customers.
Now, on top of fines paid by a company, senior executives can face criminal charges even if they weren’t involved in the scheme but could have stopped it had they known. Furthermore, they can also be banned from doing business with government health programs, a career-ending consequence.
Where I would like to see that same approach followed is in the New Zealand political scene and government.
The government should be subject to the Fair Trading Act for a start, so that they are not able to engage in “misleading and deceptive conduct in (government)”.
And, following your link and opinion p’s b, the people who hold the various offices should be held personally acountable. After all, the sums involved are on an entirely comparable scale to those in that article.
What is good for the goose is good for the gander, no? Any good reason why the government and personal office holders should not be subject to the same?
I dear say Bill English and John Key would instantly cease their lies and deception.
I’ve often thought it would be useful to have party leaders put on the spot before elections.
They like to use a job interview metaphor*, but I think that underplays what’s going on. It’s a unique job. Society seems to need politicians and I think ‘lections are the best way to find them. Part of the ‘job description’ is that these are the people that set the rules. They really do have the power, and we really do give it to them.
Part of the thing that naturally pisses us off is that they don’t do what we thought they told us they were going to do and we get buyers remorse. There are bunches of reasons here.
Sometimes the parliament we collectively elect doesn’t have the mandate to do things an individual voted for. If I vote for the greens, I do so knowing that they are going to have to negotiate for the things they tell me they want to do. Seems churlish of me to punnish them for the fact that they can’t deliver.
Other times, the pollies say things in ways that might me think I’m voting for something that is not quite what they meant, to be as charitable about their motives as I can.
On this point I have a right to be pissed off at them to be sure, but I think the solution, or a part of it, is to get them to be more clear.
The way the game is now, we are relying on other politicians to try and hold them to account in the campaign. But all the politcians are playing the same game, and the media are suck at controlling them, for various reasons.
I’d love to see the stupid ‘leaders debate hosted by a view from nowhere idiot’ aboandoned, It teaches us nothing and plays into the horse race, soundbite, nonsense that is a large part of the problem.
Replace it with hour long sessions for each leader currently in parliament getting a going over by someone trained in getting answers. I’m thinking here of QC’s. We could even go pomp and circumastance and raise the somber rating of the thing by having them front up to the supreme court.
“We have a few questions about how you have used, and how you intend to use, this awesome power the people are trusting you with”
That makes some sense but it could be seen through. For example, if the Greens campaigned on something but another thing eventuated then of course a defence for them would be something along the lines of “required negotiations as part of government”.
What I was more getting at is the simple outright dishonesty, which is perhaps best illustrated by example. Key claimed milk prices in New Zealand were set by international prices and not on a cost basis, yet, when the politics suited Key changed that to milk prices being set on a cost basis and not by international prices. He should be charged under my new Fair Trading Act, because clearly one of those statements is “misleading and deceptive conduct in (government)”.
What sort of defence would he have to that?
edit: another recent example is English’s claim that government debt is out of control. He is deceiving with the mixing of private and govt debt.
Make that 6.
I watch and get frustrated – mostly at the opposition’s inability to ask direct questions. Lockjaw constantly chides them but they keep trying to load political clap-trap into the questions. When will they learn to ask questions that cannot be weaseled out of answering directly. Get the Ministers to answer directly and the press will report that.
Key learned a long time ago that Jo Public is not interested in the “across-The -House” banter and furthermore will somehow make an association with that and MMP for the impending referendum.
5 I listen to Parliament, and when I get the printouts of the verbals it has to be quick before NAct gnomes get to them to make those ‘infinitesimal’ changes that seem to alter whole meanings sometimes – the scum.
Don’t read the printouts – you miss the tone and body language which makes up a large part of any verbal conversation. Go here if you want to watch the video which doesn’t include the after effects of ministers changing what they said.
And yes logie I agree they could do a lot better in that regard. Lockwood doesn’t always play straight either but at least if the questions are straight they can pull him up on it.
And you also know when lockwood is going to screw over someone he gets that superior horsey grin, and then starts barking “Order order” like a demented puppy. which he really is, the Nats puppy.
When I said I listen to Parliament, I actually listen when I’m in the car and watch when I am at home, so like I said ‘5’.
Maybe they can devise a way to tell the public what the government is up to other than by referencing info through a question and thereby opening it up to Key’s (insulting to New Zealanders) replies.
Herald, talkback, tv is not on their side.
It’s all about the money honey – the tax cuts these frontmen get from NAct and the selloffs that the printed media whores’ rich shareholders make money out of at NZ’s expense.
“I’ve often thought it would be useful to have party leaders put on the spot before elections.”
Funny that you say that. My boyfriend identified a couple of months ago what he sees as the only redeeming feature of the American political system: primaries.
With primaries, you get various luminaries from each party standing up to say what they think on a national platform. Several of these people will be genuine contenders, whereas others will simply be putting their name forward so that they can publicise the particular issue or policy response that they’re concerned with. But each of them get to stand up and address the broader party and the country with their message; something we simply don’t get in NZ politics.
Future West (the progressive ticket for west Auckland on Auckland Council) dissects Joyce’s pessimistic report on the potential Auckland CBD rail loop:
The analysis is premised on the belief that we are in business as usual mode and that the use of cars will continue to increase. The greatest driver of growth is thought to be job creation in the CBD rather than the possibility that oil price increases will price most people off the road.
[…]
It did not help Auckland Council’s business case that it also presumed business as usual and a gradual increase in road usage. Essentially both the Council and the Government looked in the rear view mirror and based on past events estimated what would happen in the future. They then measured the economic benefit by assessing “decongestion benefits”. They both thought that in 2041 there would still be thousands of cars driving around and that an improved rail system will allow motorists to get to their destinations slightly quicker. But in looking in the rear view mirror they did not see that peak oil had wiped out the bridge ahead of them and that they should have made dramatical alterations to their plans.
Cuts, shrinking kiwisaver, and the export dividend on government services when fed up sane kiwis finally jump the ditch. Is National building a warchest? Another tax cut?
I caught a snip of John Key, probably on the radio, acknowledging that NZ had one of the lowest average tax rates in the OECD (which he said WFF contributed to). So any further tax cuts would be ideologically driven in the extreme.
But if he announced yet another tax cut for his rich mates, surely questions would be asked as he has just spent the last year decreasing the ‘in paid employment’ lists and giving more souls to pudding Bennet to make their now bleak lives bleaker.
And as we all see in the papers ie: Herald and Stuff all the RWNJ’s there that are having fun and bene bashing to their little hearts content, I met a couple yesterday and they were giving it plenty about how me, and all those like me were gonna get it in the next term you know cuts, cuts, cuts. Well I know that 2 of them were public servants, so I happened to just ask how secure did they feel in their jobs now that another Billion has to be cut. That shut them up a bit. But then I had the greatest pleasure of describing to them the hoops and bullshit you have to go through just to get a pittance that is not really enough to live in. And how the standard of living changes completely. I just sat there and watched their superior demeanour just deflate. Shit I even think that 2 of them may just vote Labour this time, because as I said thats your best way of keeping your job.
Someone speaking thoughtfully on the radio recently remarked on how difficult it is for governments, and he was talking of a 4 year British government I think, to look ahead and plan for unproved and uncosted possibilities 20 years ahead. It requires imagination first unlimited, as in brain storming, and then some reference to the past and known behaviours of people and nature.
This approach that regards 5 years ahead as future thinking could be a fatal flaw in our present form of democracy. Particularly with right wing, status quo or theoretical, nostalgic governments (everything was better decades, a century ago, when we had less bureaucracy, less government welfare etc).
The authoritarian mindset they have attempts to make illegal the factors they don’t like with punishment and some form of incarceration for infringement. This approach of course is useless and stupid when dealing with climate change, natural events or known human behaviour traits. It is a policy of diminishing options and resources and they don’t have the nous to think of alternate behaviours, even that of considering an opposite approach to their traditional mindset and policies.
I had the idea that they were but thought the guy said 4 years I like four years actually, five is a bridge too far as the saying goes. Any thoughts on the length of time into the future that a politician can imagine ‘going forward’? Three terms at the most?
National compare unemployment with the 1960’s That seems wrong, because in those days the Government had a much larger railway system with small stations the length of the country with some really big workshops dotted around too (which had quite a few apprenticeships involved).
There where also hospitals in many of the small towns with a huge number of workers and supporting industries.
Then there where the ports with there huge work force.
Also there where more freezing works and dairy factories then than now.
And don’t for get the hydro dambs that the government was build at the time and the extra jobs related to that.
In 1960’s it was easy to find work, there where jobs to be had.
So why does this government think that it’s no different now, can’t they see the world has change and there are not plenty of jobs for all.
To attack the weakest people at the bottom of the heap, those on sickness and invalid benefits is cruel. I think this governments actions will increase the suicide rates in this area as people deal with every increasing hopelessness. But I guess that will get them off a benefit and that could be good for Nationals sadistics.
Interesting interview on Kathryn Ryan just now – the Copenhagenisation of Christchurch. Looking at cycling within the city as a way of creating physical and mental health, improving the economy, protecting the environment etc. Lots of very good ideas discussed within a Christchurch context. One of the best things I’ve heard about the Chch rebuild.
‘However, a spokesman for Finance Minister Bill English said the ”implication the Government had been influenced by the hospitality was wrong”.’
Two points: obviously Westpac is just inviting ministers to corporate boxes out of the kindness of their hearts, not because they expect anything. Like the tobacco industry when it said that advertising didn’t encourage smoking, they just liked spending money on advertising.
Secondly, the “I took the favours, but it didn’t effect my decision” defense was tried by Bacon, and it didn’t work.
Bill English as much as anybody else in the country will know that in the arena of conflicts of interest and justice and fairness perception is almost everything.
The tenet ‘Justice must not only be done but be seen to be done’ would apply similarly here.
Very bad form. So bad in fact, on such a simple matter, that his judgment must be called into question.
The altruism of Westpac is admirable.
We seem to have the same “lobbying as entertaining” culture that surrounds Washington.
Worse, it feeds the sense of privilege that so many of the pollies have fallen foul of.
I wonder why we give any government business to a bank that does this:
The Inland Revenue Department is welcoming a ruling from the High Court in Auckland ordering Westpac to pay $961 million in back taxes.
In a decision released today, Justice Rhys Harrison has ruled the “structured finance” transactions were “tax avoidance arrangements entered into for a purpose of avoiding tax,” IRD said.
“The Commissioner has correctly adjusted the deductions claimed by Westpac in order to counteract its tax advantage gained under an avoided arrangement,” he said in the ruling.
The judge added that the total amount of tax at issue was $961 million including voluntary payments of $443 million made by Westpac under protest.
Justice Harrison said the bank was lucky IRD didn’t attack other parts of the transactions in dispute.
“I have rejected Westpac’s primary arguments on all contested issues,” he said.
Deliberately rip the country off but wine and dine the Prime Minister and still get the government’s business.
yes and the titanic was built to pander to the rich. when the ships radio went on the blink the private company who a station on the boat would not let the crew broadcast a mayday.
truth conquers because that which conquers is truth.
That’s interesting. Dr Gluckman reports back that there is no evidence that the Boot camps or Wilderness experiences (and other activities) are effective. The results are not showing effectiveness in helping troubled teens.
John Key says he welcomes the report but he says, “The Boot Camps are working!”
Remember that they will not report the results costs re-offending stats.
So again we get Key denying the science. Instead going for unproven unsupported opinion brought in for political points.
(Type 9. Play dumb. Deny credibility of Gluckman.)
Recommend that you read through this investigation from the pinkos at The Financial Times:
Britain’s care homes face a deepening crisis as some private-sector companies that piled into the sector struggle with their financial miscalculations amid fresh evidence that they provide worse quality care than their non-profit rivals . . .
The private sector pays lower wages on average than the non-profit and public sectors and has higher staff turnover rates, according to industry data . .
The increased financial pressure on the industry coincides with weakened regulatory oversight. The FT investigation found that the CQC, hit by its own financial constraints, reduced inspections by 70 per cent in the six months to March this year compared with the previous six months . . .
“Fundamentally, it’s now got to a point of being dangerous [for residents] – and it’s going to get worse,” said one CQC inspector, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “If I had a relative who needed to go to a care service, I’d be concerned” . .
“At a time when the private sector is being promoted for its astute business strategies, they’ve made a pig’s ear out of it [residential care]” said Margaret Flynn, a senior associate at social care consultancy CPEA.
Whether you’re planting trees, cleaning up a beach or just recycling those dusty things stored in the garage, World Environment Day is an excellent opportunity to do something positive for the Earth. Activities take place all year round but culminate in extensive positive action for the environment on the 5th of June each year. That’s this Sunday folks, so get active and organised.
“Bankrupt Britain is a unique atlas giving a comprehensive picture of the effect of the recession on Britain. In detailed colour maps, it shows how economic, social and environmental fortunes have been affected in different areas in the wake of the 2007 banking crisis, 2008 economic crash and 2009 credit crunch. It is essential reading for a broad audience with detailed local level data and a national snap-shot of Britain during this time.”
Also, click the ‘Additional Materials’ link and get, amongst other things, the excel datasheets behind the maps they present.
left field again dudes but Carterton Post shop is closing for some unannounced reason. now I know there arent that many cow cockies reading this but around Carterton they do contribute more than their share of exports and to foreign exchange and for that effort they need their services to continue and not be taken awayjust because some investor thinks they need more money.
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Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for 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. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
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. ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “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 ...
I was initially resistant to the idea often suggested to me that the Government should deliver an arts strategy. The whole point of the arts and creativity is that people should do whatever the hell they want, unbound by the dictates of politicians in Wellington. Peter Jackson, Kiri Te Kanawa, Eleanor ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
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)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
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The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
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The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
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You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
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Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
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Amanda Thompson doesn’t really do Anzac Day. But what she does do is remember the people she knew who had a lifetime to remember stuff they didn’t really want to, because of a war they didn’t ask for. And she does make Anzac biscuits.First published in 2021.All my ...
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Never mind the scoreboard – in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
I’m on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help! Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,May I start with the least original conversation opener you’re likely to hear around the motu at the moment, particularly in Wellington: ...
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While Anzac Day has experienced a resurgence in recent years, our other day of remembrance has slowly faded from view.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Original illustrations by Hope McConnell.First published in 2022.The high school’s head girl and ...
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A poem by Wellington writer Tayi Tibble.Hoki Mai She kisses him goodbye with her eyes still wet and alight from their last swim in the Awatere river. At the train station celebration, she leads the Kapa Haka but her voice keeps breaking under and over itself like waves. ...
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Apparently Joky Hen’s and Professor Delores Umbridge’s educational philosophies are not home grown after all. Watch this space…
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/24/education/24tests.html?_r=1
Logie97.Of course the anxiety in the USA is the serious fall off of national standards on the international comparisons. Ever since they started the No Child Left Behind program which is made up of many standardised tests, they have slipped down the rankings. So what is their answer? More testing! They must be mad and you are right. Key/Tolley will be scuttling back and forward gathering “me too” misinformation.
I wouldn’t call these moves to monitor teacher performance “educational philosophies” but rather neoliberal ideology.
Under the neoliberalism of the ‘Third Way’, teachers are now positioned as productive workers within this new global service industry. We are mere functionaries and in contrast to a educational culture once imbued with critical democratic values, there is now a commercial managerial culture preoccupied with performativity – what is produced, observed, measured. no longer is it process, but rather product and on the global market homogenised out-put is critical.
As a result of privitisation/globalisation teachers have no control over external (national and international) coercion and pressure – we have become neutral operatives implementing the directives of our political masters – well some still have the nerve to fight as you all know.
Another factor to consider is the right-wing’s refusal to accept that social inequality is the determining factor of educational success: generally we leave school to fulfil social positions that are similar to our parents. Schooling is all about the reproduction of class. The right-wing refuses to tackle poverty – it is after all a necessary part of capitalism – and insists that educational outcomes are solely down to quality teaching. Research clearly refutes this.
More of a concern for me is the loss of critical thinking in a curriculum focused on the three R’s. In the need for a healthy democracy, we must move beyond ideology when it comes to education.
anarch. What you said +1.
And make that +2
Another spot-on post from Sue Bradford on the government’s approach to welfare “reform” & bennie bashing:
http://www.pundit.co.nz/content/john-keys-heart-of-darkness
And includes a link to Rob’s post on The Standard about the mythical 170,000 jobs.
So the all-knowing authorities in Canterbury kept the GNS Science information about the 23% chance of another big quake in the next year from the public.
Yet another evidential example of why nobody should trust authority.
Just like the authorities in Japan re Fukishima (sp?). Just like the authorities re Pike River. Just like the authorities re search and rescue in the immediate aftermath of Chch quake no. 2 (how many people died from not being found in time because there were nt enough people looking? Not one survivor was found in Chch after 26 hours after the quake – pathetic and deadly)
It just bloody goes on and on and on and on and on ………….
Keep the public in the dark and feed them bullshit.
Fuck the authorities.
I was really struck by the numbers of searchers at the time too – that there didn’t appear to be nearly enough and they were all in the CBD. No-one talked about it that week. Has there been any actual reporting/writing on this since? Are we training up more searchers now? That quake was a wake up for NZ that we won’t/don’t have the ability to cope with very large disasters in terms of immediate emergency response.
Re the authorities, I think developping skills at when and where to trust is important.
Re the 23% chance of another big quake, is that based on past statistics, or on what’s actually happening in the ground?
And the reason we don’t is because we’ve been cutting government services in favour of the “free-market” which, of course, never plans for a disaster.
Yes Draco. Another example is the disestablishment of undergound mine services (unsure of right name) at the Dept of Labour and the resultant 29 Pike River dead men.
Messrs weka and Critic (below), the question of why no survivors were found after such a short time is a valid and important question. I have not seen it answered, or even asked, anywhere. In fact, when I raise it with people it seems it is not something that has even occurred to most of them.
It is legitimate to ask it and one way of answering it would be to see the coroners reported cause of death for each fatality. Did they die of force from being struck by something? Did they die of hypothermia from being not found in time? (recall the day and following days were cold and drizzly wet!). Did they die from subsequent fire? Did they die from drowning due to putting out fires?
I would like to see it asked and answered. I hope my conjecture is wrong but I have some doubts given the fact that usually after an earthquake in a built up area survivors are found days and days after the event. Why did that not happen in Christchurch?
And re the 23% chance of another big quake imo it will have a dramatic effect on the rebuild timeframes. In fact, if such an event happens I suspect it will be the deathknell for Chch as we know it. Many people will vacate.
(I sound like such a doomsday addict)
Hang in there vto.
The 26 hours thing had me scratching my head, too. I wondered whether it might be due to the unusual nature of the earthquake (timing, depth, proximity to Christchurch) and the design philosophy for the buildings. It occurred to me that most of the buildings that failed either killed people or let them walk out. There were, in my hypothesis, relatively few buildings that trapped people alive when they failed. So the searchers had relatively few people to find trapped and alive.
The other side of the 23% thing is that there is a 77% chance that there won’t be another big quake next year. 🙂 Though the whole unusual nature thing casts doubt on the prediction. I think these earthquakes will result in a rewrite of some of the fundamentals of earthquake theory. Old assumptions may need to be thrown out, based on the data from Christchurch.
I’m sure that’s the case, not just here but also internationally. They will keep learning from major quake events (with all the associated activity), but each is unique and they can never know all the answers.
They said as time goes on the 23% will gradually reduce, but will never get to 0%.
The scientists need to remind everyone that an earthquake is an act of god and unpredictable. The Italian authorities are apparently confused about this despite being in a very religious country. Because a panel of seismologists agreed that an earthquake was unlikely in the near future, they are being sued for negligence or misleading the public by sounding too confident or something because a serious one occurred a week afterwards.
The motto is ‘Expect the unexpected, but remember you can’t depend on it’.
Parallels with the Lotteries Commission here and my winning powerball ticket? This is the week, evidently. Can I sue them if it turns out they are misleading me? .
Although many people think so, Italy is not as religious a country as you might think… 🙂
Unexpected Earthquake Observation #212;
Breakfast shakes are a particularly bad way to start a day.
vto Try smoothies!
ha ha smoothies?? There aint no such thing as smoothies these here parts these days.
Roads – buckled as all hell. Bodies and souls – all shook up and nervy. Relationships – same same. Houses – out of square and broken. Tolerance – short and explosive. Conversations – jittery, cracked and all over the place.
But maybe you are right. Maybe some smoothies for brekky are in order. Help to set the scene for the new day.
All the best vto. Hope you have a good day, then month, then year. The settling of the earth after a quake is very unsettling for sure. Are you on the east?
Strangest media story of the day:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5082743/Darren-Hughes-stayed-with-Paul-Henry
The media stories that construct the politicial-media-celebrity mash-up just gets more surreal.
And what has happened re the Darren Hughes story ? it was big news, then he resigned and Nothing. When are we going to hear if there is even a story here or is it a storm in a teacup???
Fed up with the current political offerings?
Not commited to Labour?
Won’t be voting National or Act?
Uninspired by the alternatives?
Would you like to see something really different? It could happen with a will to make it happen.
Welcome diversity?
Independence from an ideological straightjacket?
Policies adressed on their merits on an ongoing basis, not set in concrete?
Individual political leanings don’t matter, representing a democratic majority does?
The electorate comes first?
Would you like to inject some interest and passion and people power into your electorate?
It could happen if you wanted it to. Really.
Independence from ideological straight jacket = Peter Dunne.
You have to be joking. Without some idea of what you stand for addressing policies on their “merits” = flipping a coin.
You would be better off with monkeys pulling levers.
I didn’t expect you would understand MS.
It couldn’t be worse than some monkeys trying to always turn the steering wheel right with other monkeys trying to always turn the steering wheel left. In a bulldozer. With the people in front of it.
Ok how should independent merit based leaders adress peak oil?
They’d go to the electorate, inform them, discuss with them, try to convince them if they think that is justified, and then act on behalf of them.
What if it is abundantly clear to the merit based leader that peak oil is a crisis but sufficient of the electorate refused to believe in it. Should the leader act or put his or head in the sand because that is what some of the electorate is doing?
Our current leader has a conflict, well, several conflicts. Whose interests should he put first:
– the interests of the country?
– the interests of their party?
– the interests of their electorate?
Leaders are expected to put the country first, but that can conflict with the party, and the electorate, well, how does that stand a chance?
And look at the current Minister of Finance, one of the most important jobs in government and lives in Wellington – wouldn’t Clutha be better served by someone who can put decent amount of time in down there?
Or do electorates not matter to parties apart from being a way of getting seats in parliament?
In response to your question – leaders do need to show leadership. They have to make decisions on behalf of the country. So do electorate MPs, but to a lesser extent. But they should also enough information and convincing argument to their electorate to take the electorate with them rather than act in isolation.
Many voters feel like they get some attention during an election year and then get forgotten, unneeded until the next “mandate” is required. I know at least some voters would like to be heard more and talked to more, beyond the election blitz.
The parties have become far too self indulgent and don’t seem to care about people, they only care about votes when they need them.
(I know that’s not entirely the case but it’s a widespread perception).
What the feck are you on about?
The Minister of Finance lives in DIPTON.
I think he means that Bill English’s electorate is Clutha-Southland despite his non-resident state there. His family home is in Dipton in the electorate. However he has lived in Wellington for quite some time.
Confused? I think that we all are – especially Bill English… 😈 Just look at how much he thinks he can save in a corporate reorganization. I guess that he has never had a close look at the literature on the actual costs… Either that or he still has a touching faith in Treasuries ability to predict anything accurately – just look at the budgets drug inspired growth figures. Now that is a guy who is severely confused.
I’m just guessing, but he could be saving us thousands by not commuting between work and his more distant home all the time.
It would be interesting to know how much time and effort the likes of Key, English, Goff and Hide spend in their electorates.
And where do listies spend all their time? Some stand and miss out in electorates, but do they do anything for those electorates?
And it’d be even cheaper if we weren’t paying for him to rent his family home off of him.
The cheapest and best option would be to build and own outright a 120 unit apartment block that the MPs can stay in when in Wellington. The entire cost then would be rates, power and maintenance rather than rates, someone’s mortgage, their profits, power and more expensive maintenance (yes, Bill charges us for cleaning his own home).
Yes they do and even when they didn’t stand for an electorate they quite often help out in electorates.
No Lynn, he LIVES there.
He said it over and over and so did plenty of other idiots.
He LIVES in Dipton and I won’t have Pete making a liar of him.
So kind of you to defend double dip’s honor. Personally I think it is a hit of a dead issue, and Bill lost. But guess you like supporting dead causes. If PeteG thinks he is billshitting, then what can us mere mortals do against that certainty… 😈
I don’t think he’s billshitting, he’s playing by the lose rules bestowed on him by fellow MPs.
I suggest that if he wants to look for efficiencies then he could also look a bit closer to home. The allocation of human resources at the top is nuts.
Of course he’s not billshitting, he says he lives in Dipton and he does live in Dipton.
Everyone seems to accept that except Pete.
And what is your esteemed leader going to do when he gets the boot??? I know he will piss off back to Hawaii, join a big bank, and ruin NZ from afar by playing with our currency. he is the original bad smell that no matter what you do it keeps popping up in strange places.
National, and right wing governments, believe the market will solve peak oil.
No leadership as a government ethos.
The Central Americian Ancient Maya had the same leadership philosophy.
Eat the people, because its their fault for not having the backbone to
oust the elite, since the heavens will bring a good harvest.
We’re in a commodities boom and we’re going backwards!
We incentivize welfare sloth that means people give up their
kids to care and move to Australia. fewer tax payers more
criminals in a few years! Welfare needs to do no harm and
incentivize moving OFF welfare, National haven’t got a clue.
Labour will bring in a tax free threshold on income which
makes moving into work far less of a barrier (as it is in Australia).
Why does National whine all the time about the poor state of
matters yet does nothing to rectify them???
You owe it to yourself to give you kids up to care when they
become teenagers and get on a plane to Sydney, its where the
jobs are, get off welfare you bludger!!! Make its Nationals problem,
they want you too! They say it every time they open their mouths,
that you are incompetent, you need to work, you need to change.
Ummm I hate to tell you this PeteG but as usual you have got it wrong. There is NO steering wheel on or in a Bulldozer you use steering rods and pedals to turn the beast. IE stop one track to make it turn. Steering wheels jezuz.
Well spotted D_NZ, now read my post again with that knowledge.
’bout time murka. bankers next please.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=136808540
Sic em pup.
Excellent, to a degree.
Where I would like to see that same approach followed is in the New Zealand political scene and government.
The government should be subject to the Fair Trading Act for a start, so that they are not able to engage in “misleading and deceptive conduct in (government)”.
And, following your link and opinion p’s b, the people who hold the various offices should be held personally acountable. After all, the sums involved are on an entirely comparable scale to those in that article.
What is good for the goose is good for the gander, no? Any good reason why the government and personal office holders should not be subject to the same?
I dear say Bill English and John Key would instantly cease their lies and deception.
I’ve often thought it would be useful to have party leaders put on the spot before elections.
They like to use a job interview metaphor*, but I think that underplays what’s going on. It’s a unique job. Society seems to need politicians and I think ‘lections are the best way to find them. Part of the ‘job description’ is that these are the people that set the rules. They really do have the power, and we really do give it to them.
Part of the thing that naturally pisses us off is that they don’t do what we thought they told us they were going to do and we get buyers remorse. There are bunches of reasons here.
Sometimes the parliament we collectively elect doesn’t have the mandate to do things an individual voted for. If I vote for the greens, I do so knowing that they are going to have to negotiate for the things they tell me they want to do. Seems churlish of me to punnish them for the fact that they can’t deliver.
Other times, the pollies say things in ways that might me think I’m voting for something that is not quite what they meant, to be as charitable about their motives as I can.
On this point I have a right to be pissed off at them to be sure, but I think the solution, or a part of it, is to get them to be more clear.
The way the game is now, we are relying on other politicians to try and hold them to account in the campaign. But all the politcians are playing the same game, and the media are suck at controlling them, for various reasons.
I’d love to see the stupid ‘leaders debate hosted by a view from nowhere idiot’ aboandoned, It teaches us nothing and plays into the horse race, soundbite, nonsense that is a large part of the problem.
Replace it with hour long sessions for each leader currently in parliament getting a going over by someone trained in getting answers. I’m thinking here of QC’s. We could even go pomp and circumastance and raise the somber rating of the thing by having them front up to the supreme court.
“We have a few questions about how you have used, and how you intend to use, this awesome power the people are trusting you with”
That makes some sense but it could be seen through. For example, if the Greens campaigned on something but another thing eventuated then of course a defence for them would be something along the lines of “required negotiations as part of government”.
What I was more getting at is the simple outright dishonesty, which is perhaps best illustrated by example. Key claimed milk prices in New Zealand were set by international prices and not on a cost basis, yet, when the politics suited Key changed that to milk prices being set on a cost basis and not by international prices. He should be charged under my new Fair Trading Act, because clearly one of those statements is “misleading and deceptive conduct in (government)”.
What sort of defence would he have to that?
edit: another recent example is English’s claim that government debt is out of control. He is deceiving with the mixing of private and govt debt.
There’ll be parliamentary questions on that topic next week.
And Key will lie, obfuscate, and contradict himself. On record.
And myself and the 3 other people in NZ who listen to parliament will be outraged.
4 I listen and get outraged as well.
Make that 6.
I watch and get frustrated – mostly at the opposition’s inability to ask direct questions. Lockjaw constantly chides them but they keep trying to load political clap-trap into the questions. When will they learn to ask questions that cannot be weaseled out of answering directly. Get the Ministers to answer directly and the press will report that.
Key learned a long time ago that Jo Public is not interested in the “across-The -House” banter and furthermore will somehow make an association with that and MMP for the impending referendum.
5 I listen to Parliament, and when I get the printouts of the verbals it has to be quick before NAct gnomes get to them to make those ‘infinitesimal’ changes that seem to alter whole meanings sometimes – the scum.
Don’t read the printouts – you miss the tone and body language which makes up a large part of any verbal conversation. Go here if you want to watch the video which doesn’t include the after effects of ministers changing what they said.
Ha, I knew it was me and three others!
And yes logie I agree they could do a lot better in that regard. Lockwood doesn’t always play straight either but at least if the questions are straight they can pull him up on it.
And you also know when lockwood is going to screw over someone he gets that superior horsey grin, and then starts barking “Order order” like a demented puppy. which he really is, the Nats puppy.
Felix and Draco T Bastard,
When I said I listen to Parliament, I actually listen when I’m in the car and watch when I am at home, so like I said ‘5’.
Maybe they can devise a way to tell the public what the government is up to other than by referencing info through a question and thereby opening it up to Key’s (insulting to New Zealanders) replies.
Herald, talkback, tv is not on their side.
It’s all about the money honey – the tax cuts these frontmen get from NAct and the selloffs that the printed media whores’ rich shareholders make money out of at NZ’s expense.
I’d like to see something like that, it would be far better than the current circus mentality.
It may peeve the current media celebrities a bit though.
“I’ve often thought it would be useful to have party leaders put on the spot before elections.”
Funny that you say that. My boyfriend identified a couple of months ago what he sees as the only redeeming feature of the American political system: primaries.
With primaries, you get various luminaries from each party standing up to say what they think on a national platform. Several of these people will be genuine contenders, whereas others will simply be putting their name forward so that they can publicise the particular issue or policy response that they’re concerned with. But each of them get to stand up and address the broader party and the country with their message; something we simply don’t get in NZ politics.
Future West (the progressive ticket for west Auckland on Auckland Council) dissects Joyce’s pessimistic report on the potential Auckland CBD rail loop:
http://networkedblogs.com/iyjO4
Cuts, shrinking kiwisaver, and the export dividend on government services when fed up sane kiwis finally jump the ditch. Is National building a warchest? Another tax cut?
I caught a snip of John Key, probably on the radio, acknowledging that NZ had one of the lowest average tax rates in the OECD (which he said WFF contributed to). So any further tax cuts would be ideologically driven in the extreme.
But if he announced yet another tax cut for his rich mates, surely questions would be asked as he has just spent the last year decreasing the ‘in paid employment’ lists and giving more souls to pudding Bennet to make their now bleak lives bleaker.
And as we all see in the papers ie: Herald and Stuff all the RWNJ’s there that are having fun and bene bashing to their little hearts content, I met a couple yesterday and they were giving it plenty about how me, and all those like me were gonna get it in the next term you know cuts, cuts, cuts. Well I know that 2 of them were public servants, so I happened to just ask how secure did they feel in their jobs now that another Billion has to be cut. That shut them up a bit. But then I had the greatest pleasure of describing to them the hoops and bullshit you have to go through just to get a pittance that is not really enough to live in. And how the standard of living changes completely. I just sat there and watched their superior demeanour just deflate. Shit I even think that 2 of them may just vote Labour this time, because as I said thats your best way of keeping your job.
Someone speaking thoughtfully on the radio recently remarked on how difficult it is for governments, and he was talking of a 4 year British government I think, to look ahead and plan for unproved and uncosted possibilities 20 years ahead. It requires imagination first unlimited, as in brain storming, and then some reference to the past and known behaviours of people and nature.
This approach that regards 5 years ahead as future thinking could be a fatal flaw in our present form of democracy. Particularly with right wing, status quo or theoretical, nostalgic governments (everything was better decades, a century ago, when we had less bureaucracy, less government welfare etc).
The authoritarian mindset they have attempts to make illegal the factors they don’t like with punishment and some form of incarceration for infringement. This approach of course is useless and stupid when dealing with climate change, natural events or known human behaviour traits. It is a policy of diminishing options and resources and they don’t have the nous to think of alternate behaviours, even that of considering an opposite approach to their traditional mindset and policies.
UK governments are elected for 5 years.
I had the idea that they were but thought the guy said 4 years I like four years actually, five is a bridge too far as the saying goes. Any thoughts on the length of time into the future that a politician can imagine ‘going forward’? Three terms at the most?
National compare unemployment with the 1960’s That seems wrong, because in those days the Government had a much larger railway system with small stations the length of the country with some really big workshops dotted around too (which had quite a few apprenticeships involved).
There where also hospitals in many of the small towns with a huge number of workers and supporting industries.
Then there where the ports with there huge work force.
Also there where more freezing works and dairy factories then than now.
And don’t for get the hydro dambs that the government was build at the time and the extra jobs related to that.
In 1960’s it was easy to find work, there where jobs to be had.
So why does this government think that it’s no different now, can’t they see the world has change and there are not plenty of jobs for all.
To attack the weakest people at the bottom of the heap, those on sickness and invalid benefits is cruel. I think this governments actions will increase the suicide rates in this area as people deal with every increasing hopelessness. But I guess that will get them off a benefit and that could be good for Nationals sadistics.
Interesting interview on Kathryn Ryan just now – the Copenhagenisation of Christchurch. Looking at cycling within the city as a way of creating physical and mental health, improving the economy, protecting the environment etc. Lots of very good ideas discussed within a Christchurch context. One of the best things I’ve heard about the Chch rebuild.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/20110601 (as 11.47)
Just when I thought the ACT Party couldn’t get more dominated by wealthy, bigoted, elderly white men, Bob “Left Testicle” Clarkson joins up.
Apparently, cabinet ministers have been getting all sorts of “hospitality” from Westpac, while a contract between the bank and the government is under review.
‘However, a spokesman for Finance Minister Bill English said the ”implication the Government had been influenced by the hospitality was wrong”.’
Two points: obviously Westpac is just inviting ministers to corporate boxes out of the kindness of their hearts, not because they expect anything. Like the tobacco industry when it said that advertising didn’t encourage smoking, they just liked spending money on advertising.
Secondly, the “I took the favours, but it didn’t effect my decision” defense was tried by Bacon, and it didn’t work.
Exactly McFlock,
Bill English as much as anybody else in the country will know that in the arena of conflicts of interest and justice and fairness perception is almost everything.
The tenet ‘Justice must not only be done but be seen to be done’ would apply similarly here.
Very bad form. So bad in fact, on such a simple matter, that his judgment must be called into question.
This is Taito Phillip Field all over again…
The altruism of Westpac is admirable.
We seem to have the same “lobbying as entertaining” culture that surrounds Washington.
Worse, it feeds the sense of privilege that so many of the pollies have fallen foul of.
I wonder why we give any government business to a bank that does this:
The Inland Revenue Department is welcoming a ruling from the High Court in Auckland ordering Westpac to pay $961 million in back taxes.
In a decision released today, Justice Rhys Harrison has ruled the “structured finance” transactions were “tax avoidance arrangements entered into for a purpose of avoiding tax,” IRD said.
“The Commissioner has correctly adjusted the deductions claimed by Westpac in order to counteract its tax advantage gained under an avoided arrangement,” he said in the ruling.
The judge added that the total amount of tax at issue was $961 million including voluntary payments of $443 million made by Westpac under protest.
Justice Harrison said the bank was lucky IRD didn’t attack other parts of the transactions in dispute.
“I have rejected Westpac’s primary arguments on all contested issues,” he said.
Deliberately rip the country off but wine and dine the Prime Minister and still get the government’s business.
Should all go to Kiwibank.
Last Sunday there was some discussion about the Titanic. Today it is 100 years since the Titanic was launched in Belfast.
Due to international time difference 31 May is the actual day.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43227754/ns/world_news-europe/
Randal much can be learnt from the politics of the Titanic.
yes and the titanic was built to pander to the rich. when the ships radio went on the blink the private company who a station on the boat would not let the crew broadcast a mayday.
truth conquers because that which conquers is truth.
That’s interesting. Dr Gluckman reports back that there is no evidence that the Boot camps or Wilderness experiences (and other activities) are effective. The results are not showing effectiveness in helping troubled teens.
John Key says he welcomes the report but he says, “The Boot Camps are working!”
Remember that they will not report the results costs re-offending stats.
So again we get Key denying the science. Instead going for unproven unsupported opinion brought in for political points.
(Type 9. Play dumb. Deny credibility of Gluckman.)
Recommend that you read through this investigation from the pinkos at The Financial Times:
Britain’s care homes face a deepening crisis as some private-sector companies that piled into the sector struggle with their financial miscalculations amid fresh evidence that they provide worse quality care than their non-profit rivals . . .
The private sector pays lower wages on average than the non-profit and public sectors and has higher staff turnover rates, according to industry data . .
The increased financial pressure on the industry coincides with weakened regulatory oversight. The FT investigation found that the CQC, hit by its own financial constraints, reduced inspections by 70 per cent in the six months to March this year compared with the previous six months . . .
“Fundamentally, it’s now got to a point of being dangerous [for residents] – and it’s going to get worse,” said one CQC inspector, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “If I had a relative who needed to go to a care service, I’d be concerned” . .
“At a time when the private sector is being promoted for its astute business strategies, they’ve made a pig’s ear out of it [residential care]” said Margaret Flynn, a senior associate at social care consultancy CPEA.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/307bbd3e-8af5-11e0-b2f1-00144feab49a.html#ixzz1NuDa9sTFU
Help the Planet on World Environment Day
http://thejackalman.blogspot.com/2011/06/help-planet-on-world-environment-day.html
Whether you’re planting trees, cleaning up a beach or just recycling those dusty things stored in the garage, World Environment Day is an excellent opportunity to do something positive for the Earth. Activities take place all year round but culminate in extensive positive action for the environment on the 5th of June each year. That’s this Sunday folks, so get active and organised.
Some very good work done here, by the look of it, on ‘Bankrupt Britain’ –
“Bankrupt Britain is a unique atlas giving a comprehensive picture of the effect of the recession on Britain. In detailed colour maps, it shows how economic, social and environmental fortunes have been affected in different areas in the wake of the 2007 banking crisis, 2008 economic crash and 2009 credit crunch. It is essential reading for a broad audience with detailed local level data and a national snap-shot of Britain during this time.”
Also, click the ‘Additional Materials’ link and get, amongst other things, the excel datasheets behind the maps they present.
Australia’s economic miracle falters – largest quarterly GDP drop in 20 years
http://www.smh.com.au/business/national-economy-shrinks-12-20110601-1ffjw.html
One more quarter of similar and the knock on effects are going to hurt NZ
left field again dudes but Carterton Post shop is closing for some unannounced reason. now I know there arent that many cow cockies reading this but around Carterton they do contribute more than their share of exports and to foreign exchange and for that effort they need their services to continue and not be taken awayjust because some investor thinks they need more money.