I predict that soon people on the Left will hail the Morgan poll out yesterday as indicating the imminent collapse of Key’s government, and will say that Labour is on track to win back the government benches. I also predict that very little comment will be made by these same people when the TV3 and TVNZ polls come out on Sunday night.
Why? There is nothing different in it apart from rugby effects, as I expect the other polls to be as well. But authors write on what they want to. So do commentators with some limits from moderators.
But are you expecting large amounts of variance between polls by different companies? That in itself is pretty interesting bearing in mind that they are meant to be accurately measuring the same voting population.
But I will agree with your implied preposition that the polls from different organisations are quite different and probably highly inaccurate.
Nothing wrong with a bit of tribalism. Much better than pappy Blairism.
The Mad Butcher is a traitor. If he supports John Key then he supports:
The reduction of the state housing stock and tighening of state housing criteria, leading to the creation of slums,
The privatisation and Americanisation of our health system
The weakening of labour laws and protections, which will give employers the power to treat their workers like dirt
The destruction of our social safety net, leading to homelessness across the board
The privatisation of water services by councils, which will hit the poor the hardest
The privatisation of infrstructure, and possible sale to the Chinese
The loosening of standards with regards to air and water quality, leading to poor health among people
The sale of our farms to off shore owners
Etc.
I personally would support a boycott of his stores.
Please do keep going on… I love hearing all the baseless reasoning.
Explaining is losing, you seriously can’t STFU for one minute and reflect to see the wood for the trees.
Just more evidence that you lot might as well be on another planet when it comes to convincing the electorate you should be running the country.
Actually, I think it’s good that the left demonstrates some differences of opinions on such issues.
for better or for worse people like him
What people? I think it may be no accident that the Labour MPs who have been critical of Sir MB are women, and that the guys are more likely to either defend him or to resile from criticising him.
I most like watching rugby union, but also enjoy watching League from time to time, as well as listening to Radio Sport on occasions. I have never taken to the MB and his rants – to me he is an unlikeable irritation. I suspect his appeal is largely to male sports fans and especially male League fans (which probably includes a lot of MSM journalists)… that hardly makes him a popular man of the people generally.
And what about his support for policies that will screw people in those areas?
He. Is. A. Traitor.
I don’t care if he gives to charities. Charities always pick and choose who they help, and make people jump through hoops. Look at Habitat for Humanity. we are better off bringing back Housing Corp mortgages and increasing the state housing stock rather than relying on those clowns. And I bet you that butcher boy has all his workers on a 90-day trial period,
I have never taken to the MB and his rants – to me he is an unlikeable irritation. I suspect his appeal is largely to male sports fans and especially male League fans (which probably includes a lot of MSM journalists)… that hardly makes him a popular man of the people generally.
I despise organised sport generally (I am told that’s a serious character fault somewhat similar to kicking puppies – although I don’t do that) so I assess the MB on the basis of his ‘stores’ (cold, unpleasant and not particularly cheap) and his public persona – that of Shouty Man. I’ve learned by chatting to them, that he doesn’t pay his staff well enough to compensate them for a very unpleasant working environment, and muddled schedules, so I am very unimpressed with the man.
And, I dont think anyone will squeal to my work about it, as I dont tell anyone where I work. My employer will probably laugh anyway, my work holds the position that what goes on in their workers life outside their work is their own business (apart from getting stoned in the morning before coming to work).
That football-hating, Palestinian-hating, Mad Butcher-boosting, mediocrity-loving drip Brett “God I hate Football” Dale seems to have worked himself up into a lather after hearing Louisa Wall criticize his half-witted hero…
this idiot, Louisa Wall wont buy stuff from people who dont vote for her party what an idiot.
You have a track record of posting up crude, foolish, ill-informed rants on a large number of topics. For you to call Louisa Wall, or anyone else for that matter, an “idiot” is irony indeed.
I don’t hate Football, I love my football, go the all whites, and go the phoenix.
I dont hate any Palestinian’s? I dont know any Palestinian’s for that matter, If your talking about that guy who is alleged to have sleazy behavior towards woman, well I hope that gets dealt with, it hasnt nothing to do with where he is from.
If Louisa will only buy from business’s that will vote for her party, then I will call
her an idiot.
Ever since the World Cup started, you have been trumpeting more than normal how much you hate the game.
go the all whites,
Shows how much you know about football. The All Whites have (several seasons ago) transmogrified into the Ospreys. But, yes, they did have a glorious history, including wins over the All Blacks and more recently, the Wallabies…. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/welsh/6088622.stm
and go the phoenix.
That’s a soccer team.
I dont hate any Palestinian’s
Really? Then I invite others to look at what you wrote in January 2009, as Palestinian hospitals and homes and people were being massively and systematically destroyed. As your several comments demonstrate, you were completely in favour of the massacre….
You do but you’re just too insensitive to realize it. I am sure none of them has ever felt that they wanted to reveal their ethnicity to you, if you verbalize the sort of ignorant, hate-filled nonsense that you post on the internet.
If your talking about that guy who is alleged to have sleazy behavior towards woman
What on earth are you talking about?
Yes my spelling and grammar is awful.
Your spelling and grammar errors are trifling, compared to your mean-spirited and spurious comments about football, and, even worse, your callous and repeated statements of support for the perpetrators of mass murder.
Football is played with a round ball; NZ Soccer rebranded as NZ Football abut 6 years ago, you’ll only find ‘soccer’ in the USA.
Rugby, on the other hand, was a game developed at a toff’s school by people who lacked the ability to kick a ball, so picked it up and ran; later the ball became oval shaped.
Football is played with a round ball;
Correct, but not only with a round ball. Several kinds of football use an oval ball, and two (American and Canadian football) even use an “oblate spheroid.”
NZ Soccer rebranded as NZ Football abut 6 years ago,
Soccer New Zealand changed its name to NZ Football in compliance with a mischievous prank by John “Possumhead” O’Neill, the new head of the Australian Soccer Federation, who did the same thing over there—for no other reason than to annoy his erstwhile Australian Rugby Union colleagues, who had just fired him.
FIFA boss Sepp Blatter had been pleading for years with the ASF and Soccer New Zealand to change their names, but he had always been ignored. O’Neill managed to do it with his whimsical decree, however, manipulating Soccer New Zealand just like he did the New Zealand rugby bosses in 2002, when he wrested the hosting of the 2003 RWC off us.
you’ll only find ‘soccer’ in the USA.
And Canada, and Japan, and Korea, and Australia and New Zealand, and throughout the Pacific Islands. And what was the name of the stadium that hosted the final of the World Cup in South Africa last year?
Both New Zealand and Australian soccer bosses realized (and still do) that “football” is a contested term in both countries, though most people mean Rugby football or Australian Rules football.
Rugby, on the other hand, was a game developed at a toff’s school by people who lacked the ability to kick a ball, so picked it up and ran;
Nonsense, Ian. You seem like a bright guy, and I can’t believe that you would be dumb enough to swallow that Webb Ellis myth. That puts you in the same company as boofheads like Murray (“Too Many Dark Faces”) Deaker and the gin-swillers at the International Rugby Board.
later the ball became oval shaped.
That was so it could be drop-kicked further.
Kicking is an integral part of rugby football, as you know perfectly well.
Point of order! In the USA and NZ it’s called soccer, in the rest of the world, it’s football! I loathe team sports, but my son is a Phoenix fanatic, and projectile vomits when he hears people call it “soccer”. (I have been forced to realise that now, 2011, New Zealanders do all “talk American” (as predicted in the Listener in 1986), …Open Orifice’s NZ spell check is exactly the same as American English, and red-lines all the British (formerly NZ) spellings I use, for example….but that doesn’t mean I have to like it…
AFAIK, it’s been soccer in NZ only in the last 7-8 years, since we all started speaking American.. My son doesn’t hate living in NZ (he likes it much more than I do) but he’s even more sensitive to what things are called than I am…
Just the opposite, Vicky32. It’s been soccer since records began (and I know, having contributed to researching the history of the game in my town back to 1923). The move to standardising the game as football began about a decade ago, but has not been forced on the yanks because of the cultural dominance of their version of football (Gridiron). I do like the Guardian football correspondents’ habit of jokingly referring to the USA’s Major League Soccer as SoccerBall! (TM).
I’m comfortable with both versions, though, especially as soccer as a word comes from the abbreviation of Association Football, which clearly indicates it was football before it was soccer.
Have to agree about the bastardisation, sorry, americanisation, of our language though. I cringe every time I see the Jackal post his Asshole of the Week as if we were living in Shitkicker, Missouri or I hear the letter z mispronounced by our maleducated youth. And don’t get me started on the TV weather crew referring to ‘rain on the Westside’ or other such gang related bollocks. Grrrrr!
Have to agree about the bastardisation, sorry, americanisation, of our language though. I cringe every time I see the Jackal post his Asshole of the Week as if we were living in Shitkicker, Missouri or I hear the letter z mispronounced by our maleducated youth. And don’t get me started on the TV weather crew referring to ‘rain on the Westside’ or other such gang related bollocks. Grrrrr!
Thanks for clarifying, VoR! I am glad to be sure..
I first remember hearing ‘z’ mispronounced by the maleducated, in 1996, whilst working in an Intermediate school library… If people talking about their or someone else’s ass I always pretend to believe they mean donkey! 😀 But my un-favourite at the moment is ‘store’. A store is a warehouse. A retail outlet is a shop… online ‘stores’ particularly annoy me as they can’t be a ‘store’ in any sense, without physical premises!
I have tried to do some research on the “Special Honours List” out today, but have been unable to find what triggers the awards dates. They were first legislated for on 20th September 1999, but they appear to be able to be awarded at any time, unlike others such as New Year and Queen’s Birthday. Am I being cynical thinking that this list is in response to deflect the criticism of the SAS being the Afghanistan?
I’m not really keen on the SAS being in Afghanistan, but what I am uneasy about the most is the SAS being portrayed by the media (with approval from the NZDF) as pin-up boys, and tools to attract people into signing up. The NZSAS conduct their missions with strict secrecy, but the coverage of their activities could very well be putting them in danger, ie the photos of Willie Apiata. I am wondering if he has a price placed on his head by Taliban warlords.
I think anyone who steps into the spotlight has to be prepared to take the good with the bad, criticism wise, particularly if they express support for a political party (or its leader).
Exactly, a number of those who munched Sir Mad to millionaire status had better get used to regular sausages and brisket rather than pork roasts if his new chum ShonKey gets back in.
There is an argument that Sir Leitch sold off the shops in 07, but he sure continues to get personal mileage from the brand.
I had a lot of empathy for Peter Leitch during his cancer illness, and as a league fan know of some of the small kindnesses and donations he made that were not publically trumpeted.
His endorsement of ShonKey is a schmooze too far for me however. The kiwi attitude of not knocking ‘benevolent’ wealthy people is false, philanthropy is usually tinged with self aggrandisement, naming rights and “aw shucks”ism. I wonder how many of the tories defending Sir ’Mad now have ever bought one of his low to medium quality meat packs? I have always avoided the chain apart from the original shop due to the meat, but it filled a market gap for sure if you chart the working class areas the shops are consistently sited in.
’Mad is entitled to an opinion but so are the rest of us.
JK’s promise to try to get Coronation Street moved back to its original time slot seems a pretty blatant attempt to curry favour with the electorate. I doubt he even watches Coro, and probably wouldn’t understand it if he did.
I thought Key’s offer to interfere in TV programming was odd too. Coro rescheduling threats are keep coming up – it could be just a cunning way to get the oldies back to watching it some more.
Key would do more goods trying to get TVNZ to show something worth watching.
The irony is that it is his government’s scrapping of the Charter and its instructions for TVNZ to focus on the profit motive most probably contributed to it (though it could be argued that this goes back to 1988 when TVNZ lost its public service mandate — quality declined from there on in).
This is the concequence of a removal of any form of public service mandate from TVNZ – more cheffing shows (and Snookie), and less quality drama and documentaries.
Isn’t TVNZ still NZ’s state-supported broadcaster? What is the current position on the government attempting to interfere with or influence the daily operations of TVNZ channels?
TVNZ has no public service mandate. The only thing it has to do is make a profit and pay a dividend under the SOE Act 1986. The fact that it is state owned is inconsequential.
I am currently travelling overseas (in Helsinki at moment). Therefore I am accessing “The Standard” on an irregular basis.
Perhaps I misunderstand what “The Standard” represents. I thought with the election approaching this would be a forum for informing me on labour policies and how they were going in the election run up (who is perforning well, who is not, is the strategy correct etc). What do I get reading the last few weeks posts – Key this, National that …same old,same old (I appreciate your contributors have a pathological hatred of Key) …..but when if ever are you going to discuss anything labour (even when attacking National, discuss labour alternative policy)
Now maybe the sole reason for your blog is to attack National and any labour policy or actions undertaken by their representatives are largely irrelevant. If so perhaps someone could confirm this.
I write this as reading the Guardian recently (slightly left wing English newspaper) I was reminded how good this paper is. Supportive of labour but frequently critical of policy and party members (especially of the Blair govt) and resonable in assessing other parties (sympathetic to Lib Dems) including Tory govt. Why can’t The Standard at least aspire to this occasionally or have I missed the point – labour cheer leaders whose sole mission is to attack National/Act
[lprent: You have indeed missed the point of the site in both what you think we should do and what you think we are supporting.
Read the about which explains who we are. It is a site authored by various people from the broad labour movement. Only a few (like me) are also members of the Labour party. The most common point of agreement between us is that we don’t like the right and its policies.
We do report Labours policies and the Greens and anyone elses that we are interested in (including Nationals when we find some amongst the PR). But if you really want to look at Labours policies, then try Red Alert. Also look at No Right Turn for a more general left policy basis.
It is nice that you compare us to the Guardian, but they are a news outlet, whereas we are an opinion outlet for the authors and commentators. Quite a different style of operation and at a massively different scale. ]
Memo 310911
From: CT, Wgtn
To: Saturday Shift
Re: Operation Big Butch
In response to various requests I can confirm that all work today is on your normal hourly rate, not T1.5 for the first 3 hours and double time thereafter. You’re not in the bloody union Anthony, so don’t push it.
Thank you for your response to Thursday’s operation Free Speech. Contacting Campbell Larsen’s employer was a stroke of genius, should shut him up in the future. Please note, that in the event that the Warriors lose tomorrow, it was as a result of the coach’s failure to listen to PMJK. A win is of course attributed to PMJK’s changing shed speech before the game.
Is it just me or has Brian Edwards lost the plot in his old age. I’ve just been permanently banned from his blog because I dared challenged him on his views about certain things.
To be fair to Edwards, it wasn’t him that banned you. As your comment has been deleted, it’s hard to know whether you overstepped the mark or not, so perhaps you should outline what you said. Calling BE a Victorian prude earlier on was probably not wise, but I doubt it was for that!
I just challenged him on some of his social views, and the fact that he thinks that a teacher calling a 14 year old girl she ‘looked like a slut’ is somehow acceptable. Its really stuck in my craw since.
Don’t worry, millsy, you’re not the only one to incur the wrath of Brian Edwards. A few months back, the good doctor censored a transcript of mine because it “potentially libeled” that piece of self-regarding trash Paul Holmes.
We really need some political satire on public television in this country as we are in an insidious bullying environment where no one is allowed to speak ill of certain public figures or ‘icons’. Anyone daring to criticise is accused of somehow being unpatriotic. For me, this is the first step towards totalitarianism. It shows, for the safety of our democracy, that these people are ripe for satirising, and at the least criticism and questioning. These people include:
the PM
the Mad Butcher
the All Blacks including the very well paid ‘stars’
several cabinet ministers including Joyce, Tolley, Bennett, Brownlee, McCully
For example: you can just imagine the PM as some delirious clown cuddling up to the cleaver- waving, bling-ridden Mad Butcher. The cabinet ministers could be portrayed as a gang of school bullies.
But there is no funding for such entertainment, and in the vacuum they are left to behave as caricatures of themselves.
[lprent: Jumping pseudonyms requires that one of us has to release it from first time moderation. Eventually we stop making the effort and start filing them in spam. ]
The ‘vacuum’ is a credible left-wing opposition movement, not television entertainment. Attacking the mad butcher is just the latest example of stupidity.
Mr Bloggs called Mr Larsen a cockhole and then complains about how nasty the right are. Rather like the school bully reacting with indignation when his victim bloodies his nose.
Oh cry me a river Millsy – I’ve been called far worse on this site, for saying far less offensive things that pondscum Larsen did…
But I’ve never wished death on anyone, least of all someone who’s contributed as much to the working class as Peter Leitch.
Scratch the surface Millsy and you’ll find a whole heap of people from both sides of the political fence who are disgusted at Fenton, Walls, Larsen and that ilk for what they’ve said.
Sir Mad’s stores sold low to medium grade meat products to people at the bottom of the food chain, literally. He became a philanthropist and a walking brand. Facing your own mortality can change people. 80s unionist Rob Campbell jumped the fence after his brush with a nasty cancer, maybe the Butcher did likewise, more likely maybe he is just naive politically, the alternative is not attractive.
You only get flack when you are flying over the target.
Wassa matter bloggs, worried about something? You attempts to discredit or provoke me in this juvenile fashion are starting to look pretty damn desperate.
Wouldn’t it be ironic if you were picked up to do an add for National or the Mad Butcher chain.
[lprent: I don’t think he is an accountant. Perhaps you meant ‘ad’, which itself is short for advertisement. But such complexities are (alas) beyond you. This clown has now been banned for being an idiot troll who writes comments agreeing with his other identity. ]
Can somebody delete the above comment/ban this idiot? One git contacting Cambell’s employer is bad enough, but publicising his workplace is an invitation to the various whackjobs that lurk here to have a go as well, when the matter is completely unrelated to his employment.
[lprent: He was permanently banned earlier in the moderation sweep for being an idiot troll. In particular for using a second identity to support himself. ]
Larsen I very much doubt if his posts will ever look as desperate as a person wishing death on another human.
As Leitch, Fenton and yourself included are held accountable by their words you can never back down on your stupid staement about Leitchs death.
I will also make a stupid statement and suggest to you if I ever see you in public I will plant one right mug and you can spit some teeth out, ps Hayden Mahoney is the name so you it proves that i will stand up to foolish words as well.
Thank you Voice of reason, not partaking of drink at the moment. However i really think it demonstrates the “he said so I can say” type of debate that seems to be used by many in here.
Millsy yes I was threatening violence which you seem to think is very bad and a standard technique, however it is a threat not a wish of death. There is a difference there.
I am in no way saying my words were correct however if a person wishes death on another person then they do need to be receptive to emotive responses in reply.
Hmmm, just as an aside, you do know that threatening violence is a crime, Hayden? And the difference between the assault you are threatening and death is more often than not a matter of luck. Like this, which didn’t even involve hitting someone.
Bashing is not the way to resolve anything like this, it just plants one bad credit on another.
Campbell, your reputation has spread around the blogs quite a bit, and yeah, it’s hard to escape Google. If you stand by what you’ve said and accept any repercussions that’s your choice.
So I should apologize or else I deserve whatever I get? Is that what you are saying?
This little ‘incident’ is starting to reveal just how far some people are prepared to go to supress political commentary.
If butcher is the great guy that people say he is wouldnt he be horrified to know that abuse and threats of violence are being levelled on his behalf at someone who is only having their say.
The haters here seem to think that he would want me beaten up or abused – doesn’t that make them the ones that are bringing sir Peter into disrepute?
It’s not about suppressing political commentary, it’s expressing opinions on someone’s commentary. Has anyone tried to stop you saying or posting anything?
You can say or post what you like, and people can respond as they see fit, as long as the moderators allow it.
One of the things about the internet is that spur of the moment comments are in effect permanently recorded and available worldwide. More than a few will be caught out by that, sometimes a long time later.
Spur of the moment comment – that is precisely why all this supposed outrage is so ridiculous – if only my wishes were enough to change the world.
The discussion that followed was helpful in advancing peoples understanding of celebrity endorsement and the role it is likely to play in this election – not everyone wants that discussion to occur – that is why I have been subjected to such abuse.
I think people were offended by what you said, they weren’t trying to stop the following discussion. Hawk has realised his comments were over the top and inappropriate and followed up with a full apology – good for him for doing that – and you are still trying to divert blame to others “shutting down comment” and trying to pass the outrage off as ridiculous.
Try taking some real responsibility for what you posted. Sir Peter is widely liked and admired, try and understand how offended many people have been.
I hope you can learn something from this., eventually
Whatever Pete – I’m not about to apologize because you think I should. Hawk is a psycho, retraction or no. There is no comparison between his threat and my comment.
What I have learnt from this is that Peter has some very foul mouthed OCD friends who like to troll on blogs – he really should find better friends.
It’s not for me to think you should, your choice entirely whether you apologise or not, but if you keep blaming any subsequent kerfluffle on everyone and everything other than yourself donj’t be surprised if this keeps coming back to bite you on the bum.
I really have no idea who he is apart from occasional advertising of meat and other business and self-promotion (none of which I ever found to be of any particular interest). I gather from what Helen has said at various times that he is a warriors fan.
But I have never seen him say or do anything of any note by my standards. But I learnt that his appearance on anything I was watching was time to change channels
Of course I have never watched much TV, sports, or read the drivel sections of print media, or listened to commercial radio.
Welcome to the world of RWNJs. It is a bit like the borg. The instruction goes out to divert attention from stuff like credit rating downgrades to stuff like … well anything. The worst thing is that your comment was in terms of blogging quite mild, but this does nonstop the wing nuts from their faux angst.
You should see what Slater does. He continuously abuses and insults people but anyone who does the same to him and he then complains about rough treatment.
Commiserations about the idiot who emailed your work.
I just wish that they would realise that the left want a contest of ideas, not a violent winner take all confrontation.
Mr Larsen I stand corrected and realise my comments to you were foolish and wrong. Threating violence is not a wise option and I was wrong to post in such a manner.
I apoligise for my words and wish you the best in your future, I was not commenting on the political stance of yourself but rather the comments on a persons death.
I would not carry out my threat to you and once again present my regret on my statement, I hope that by posting as you did you sufffer no ill fortune through the acts and words of others as I attempted to do you to. As they say two wrongs do not make a right, so I to will stand shamed for my ill thought out remarks.
Did you take it down Hawk? I got this when I followed the link… (I am registered with Badoo, although I don’t bother going there.)
“Pagina non trovata
La pagina che stai cercando potrebbe essere stata rimossa, rinominata o temporaneamente non disponibile.”
(Page not found. The page you are looking for might have been removed or is temporarily not available).
I did indeed and would like to thank Ianupnorth for alerting me to the fact that I was still listed as a registered. That coupled with the fact that it was able to be noticed by people with google.
So a slight heads up that activites you do years ago unless closed down can be still traced. 🙂
So a slight heads up that activites you do years ago unless closed down can be still traced.
True! If I google my real name, the first hit is my having signed the condolence book for John Nathan Turner (Doctor Who producer who died in 2002 or thereabouts!) Not that I mind, but it’s far from the only thing I’ve done before or since.
Worse still, when I google my name, I find stuff has been uploaded with my name attached related to activities long before the advent of the http://WWW... from the 1960s. This includes class photos from the 60s, uploaded to one of those old friends sites, with every member of the class in the photo named. Why on earth does the person who uploaded this think that any of us wanted that kind of public visibility?
Why on earth does the person who uploaded this think that any of us wanted that kind of public visibility?
They just think “well, I don’t mind, so why should they?”. My son has been very firm with me, that I must not put photos of anyone without their express permission, so all my Facebook photos are of those family members who either have given permission or are beyond asking (dead and gone.) No school photos! 🙂
Some of the comments on this thread are so politically correct – meaning the only political stance that is correct (or allowed) is that of the current right wing administration.
Yay more votes to switch to the Greens due to the incompetent Labour clowns thinking that the left vote belongs to them, fancy attacking the Mad Butcher, the words pathetic and vacuous spring to mind.
Keep going Labour supporters, self destruction is a beautiful thing to watch.
Feeling righteous does not serve working class New Zealanders. Every time there has been any progress sticking it to this government over their bad management of the economy, some dickhead like Mallard, Curran or Fenton plants their foot firmly in their mouth. Cheered on by fools.
Maybe the intelligent New Zealanders intending to vote this 26 November will have read the real back stories and will not be swayed by celebrity vote.
As one of those ‘fools’ you have accused of ‘cheering’ people on, I would prefer to use my freedom of expression rights still available to me as and when I please, not when you please.
Sometimes it is more important to have a say than stay silent when so many Key-paid crosby textor ringins are attacking.
Freedom of speech will always be my thing, and I will continue to say that when people like Peter Leitch in 2008 said he didn’t get involved in politics because Helen Clark was the current Prime Minister, yet deliberately politicises his intended vote for Key in 2011, and several posters have steadfastly maintained that he also used his illness for the sympathy vote for Key, I have the right to call his actions hypocritical, irresponsible and reprehensible.
It is also important to remind the populace, that seem to have very short memories, of the vicious, lying attacks on Helen Clark in the leadup to the 2008 election. I haven’t forgotten. That remark of Campbell Larsen was nothing compared to that time when New Zealand politics and religion, thanks to the rightwing parties, drove New Zealand to the baser part of its underbelly when a woman politician became our Prime Minister and a centre-left one at that. That savage ugliness is rearing its head again this year.
You see, this year is very important to the neo-conservatives; it will be the moment, if Key makes it back in, to put the final touches to the sell off of New Zealand and open up the surrounding environment to the mineral hunters, the oil searchers and everything else that will damage my beloved country, with greed the only motivator – jobs being such a small number and the financial benefit to all New Zealanders minute – the future environmental damage irreversible.
How this election eventuates will inform me better than anything else just how many braincells people have got when it comes to making their decisions based on policy or PR. I don’t mean on Key or Goff. I mean on the future impact of both left and right policies and that is always to be examined alongside the influences on left and right and the teams of left and right.
I’m interested in what these trades academy places are that Anne Tolley is talking about?
Have the NActs shut down one successful way of teaching skills for another ‘same’ under a different name, costing us all a mint and achieving nothing new but slowing down progress?
I looked at the completion figures quoted on page 3 and while they were low, at that time there was low unemployment and the mainly up to 25 years participants (61%) would have been changing employment/training not realising the world was going to fall in.
Also, that graph was reflecting 2006 figures.
I will quote a little from it which shows how much was being done for youth in 2007.
‘CONSTRUCTION TASTER IN SCHOOLS
After consultation with the education sector and industry, the BCITO established that there was a need in schools for a construction industry ‘taster’ course. As a result, the Building, Construction and Allied Trade Skills (BCATS) initiative has been developed – two new entry level qualifications being introduced by the BCITO and BETA Group (Built Environment Training Alliance) for year 11 and 12 students.
The qualifications give students an array of skills that can be applied across a broad spectrum of construction sector areas. On top of the newly developed BCATS unit standards that are construction specific, the qualifications will integrate with core areas of the school curriculum and NCEA. By providing construction-related examples in a number of core subjects, they will encourage maths (for example) to be taught in the classroom as well as being reinforced in the workshop.
The BCITO is working with schools throughout the country and aims to roll out the BCATS qualifications in 2008.
Providing an introduction at school to a career in the building and construction industry helps young people to make informed decisions about a career path. They can then enter an apprenticeship with a strong grounding – an attractive proposition for future employers. ‘
I’ve looked up BCITO’s current website; at first sighting it appears they didn’t exist before National appointed them to run the trades academies… until I found this further on:
I was teaching BCAT’s on practicum in 2008. Both schools had been doing similar programs, for quite a few years before, for engineering and motor trades. http://www.mito.org.nz/
ITO’s were first set up in 1992, I think. Part of “Modern Apprenticeships”.
I guess what I am trying to say here is that I and many others are sick of name changing and complaining about a programme that carries on the same under another political party but with a different name; it costs money, people lose faith and youth most importantly feel used.
Can you tell me what is happening now?
I was also encouraged to find a site about Morrinsville College’s plans for years 12 and 13 re transition studies and in general studies to suit all students. Maybe the teachers, parents and school boards are working together on behalf of their students, sons/daughters for a better outcome. That would be nice.
These are actually requirements from the new New Zealand curriculum.
Which was the result of years of consultation, research and reference to worldwide best practice.
Unlike National standards, which was a knee jerk by ideological politicians. And conflicts with most of what we know about effective education.
IEP’s (Individual education plans), to suit students strengths and needs are required for all students.
The ITO and NCEA standards need a good tidy up to meet the new curriculum requirements, as most were written before the curriculum was adopted. This is now in progress. So long as it is not identified for funding cuts.
Trade academy type classes, at least in the schools I have been involved in, are working well. However they have existed for a long time now. Were just called Technology classes in:. Automotive, Engineering, Furniture etc.
Schools get a little annoyed when politicians take credit for things which were initiatives by schools and their communities.
I noticed that when Heatley was interviewed on The Nation this morning he did not disclose to the country that there was an income formula.
Due to being on the Housing New Zealand list I thought that I would go and look at some of the places that I could be offered. I spoke to a person on NZ super who has been in a HNZ 1 bedroom for two decades. The following is a summary of what I was told.
HNZ don’t listen.
People walk through the complex and they don’t live here.
There is no fencing.
There was a home invasion a few months ago and a woman was beaten up.
A car window was broken last week.
A rough guy lives there, he is on his last chance and his mates stay over and sometimes their pit bulls roam.
Stereos are heard all the time.
Bottles are smashed.
One lady moved out because she could not take the addiction problems.
My other observations
One complex is really untidy and families live there.
The properties are close together.
The weeds are over grown.
Rubbish is not picked up.
Old couches are in carports.
HNZ need to supply every six months a huge bin for dumping rubbish and another bin for weeds as a lot of people cannot afford to dispose of rubbish.
Now that the most poor, unwell and aged (providing they meet the income formula) could be housed, I fear that social problems are going to escalate and ghettos (cramping, people living in fear who easily become angered) is the future HNZ.
Heatley is going to subdivide larger properties. For now no one is being turfed out of their HNZ property, no doubt this will occur after the election if National gets back in. The average income for a person in a HNZ property is the minimum wage and where does Heatley think they can afford to live.
Anyone who has played a round of golf on the RNZAF golf course, which runs outside the runways of the military base, will know that if you hit a ball anywhere near the runway you will be subject to prosecution for trespass. Theory has it that there are apparently people on 24 hour surveillance patrol.
And suddenly the runways (through ministerial assent – no doubt as a result of
John’ll-fix-it intervention) are going to be opened up for at least 72 hours for a load of petrol heads to wander around at will.
Yeah but there are a hell of lot of petrol heads out there in the west and Whenuapai borders John’ll-fix-it’s electorate. Paula could do with a fillip as well.
Do you remember the protestations from the NATs when Waitakere wanted to push for this to become a commercial airport? “No this is a strategic defensive piece and must remain so…” Ah, well.
I see the bloody useless NZ Herald has got a story on the Warrior’s late Sonny Fai as the number one news story most affecting New Zealand this afternoon.
I see the sense in what you are saying but surely just one media channel could pitch their wares at the large group of New Zealanders who would like to see some substantial news analysis and coverage.
Unfortunately, our journalists aren’t that principled and our television stations aren’t that objective and the average New Zealander really doesn’t give a shit.
Sorry – I wish I could share better news.
PS Channel 7 did that – sort of, but Key is getting rid of it. No one is marching in the street and it appears that Russell Brown has been bought and sold…
I hope people fight Key’s smiling fascism before it is too late.
In the final countdown you cannot wholly blame the media for printing what the mainstream NZers want.
Actually, we can. Their job isn’t to give what people want but what they need which is credible and reliable information at which our MSM completely fails.
Unfortunately, the owners of media don’t want New Zealanders to live the good life because their profits are all that matters and people want to buy those papers that tell them lies. I know you want to believe the best of New Zealanders but quite frankly, Draco T Bastard, those honourable New Zealanders no longer exist in any great number. Why do you think Key got voted in on a smile and a bribe of undelivered $50 tax cuts?
No handle, just a sad understanding from going through the fallout of almost two elections now that tells me people can not believe that John Key could possibly be the massive disappointment he will be.
Also, that the governments including Douglas, Richardson and Key/Douglas have fed people the line that greed is good and objective judgement, critical analysis of policy from parties is bad and celebrity endorsement is all a government needs to run a country.
Your continued indictment of one poster that chooses to air their own opinion is now beginning to worry me. Who are you and what are your reasons for attacking my freedom to have an opinion. We can go on with this ‘conversation’ as long as you like but I generally like to have a useful debate; so far you are not providing that.
On her 8.08pm message it was: “Your contempt for voters is unappealing.” What’s with this person?
My hope is that people will actually concentrate on what is being perpetrated by government upon them. She/he could better spend their time telling Key that his contempt for voters is irresponsible/unappealing.
Easily a million, and millions more globally in support. In several US cities already and starting to spread to Australia. Tomorrow sees a new push.The flashmob in Queens Street today is a hint that it could even reach NZ.
I have an acquaintance of mine – “Al”, an ACT supporter of all things! – who took part in the march. He was handed a loudspeaker and he started chanting some pretty good anti-government slogans.
There’s hope for “Al” yet!
As for the meainstream media not convering the protest… shameful! (I’ll have more on my blog soon. Just waiting for some pics to arrive.)
The Labour MP’s are nothing but a pack of nutters. Imagine having a crowd like that running the country. Thank god for the John Key’s of this world. The national government have kept this country stable, and I hate to think what it would of been like at this stage with the Labour halfwits. The way Darien Fenton and Louisa Wall have put down Peter Leitch is nothing short of disgusting, Phil Goff should be ashamed of himself for allowing types like that out of the kennel.
At one time it was okay for the rich and powerful to fete the politician, and what flowed from that relationship was generally considered of no ill effect. The Prime Minister could also be seen in the company of the successfully wealthy and even be ‘matesy’ with the monied without both coming across as sycophantic or the relationship thought ill advised. And then there was ‘murdoch-gate’ where the relationships were exposed for what they truly were – avenues for corruption.
I have been in the company of the mad butcher, I have even masticated on his meat. He is a decent man – not a god above reproach.
People have every right to criticise the relationship or to make disparaging remarks about the mad butcher or anyone else they an issue with – its called free speech. Dislike the nature of the free speech but it is completely ‘nutty’ from a democratic perspective to not defend the right to free speech no matter how offensive it is found on a personal level. A democracy demands no less.
I have been in the company of the mad butcher, I have even masticated on his meat. He is a decent man – not a god above reproach.
Adele, your wording makes me think of MB’s radio advert, the squickiest jingle in creation … “You can’t beat/The Mad Butcher’s meat”… It’s not just on commercial radio, it’s on the BBC WS! (Which has adverts now, and has for maybe the past 2 years, though not on Sundays!) 🙂
Yeah, Dianne, because Labour didn’t leave this country $16.7 billion in debt; borrowing $380 million a week; cutting taxes twice, when we couldn’t afford it; and seeing unemployment double in three years. No, it was National who achieved that.
Frank its $77billion National are borrowing to buy this election $18 billion a year they are borrowing Dianne interest going up by $600 million really stable i suppose with a personality like yours you could call it stable in the same sort as the Greek stable.
Quite true.. Mik e. I didn’t make my post above as clear as I could have. (That’ll teach me to post at such an ungodly hour, without caffeine in my bloodstream…)
Do you remember posting: “The worst thing is that your comment was in terms of blogging quite mild, but this does nonstop the wing nuts from their faux angst.”
Yes Pete
There is a typo and the sentence is a bit non sensical.
I meant to say
The worst thing is that your comment was in terms of blogging quite mild, but this does not stop the wing nuts from their faux angst
And I am struggling to understand your criticism. Dianne whoever he or she is jumps up and down about a rather muted criticism of Leitch and then essentially calls a couple of Labour MPs dogs. I am merely pointing out the hypocrisy of this.
If you can point out where I have criticised Leitch you might have a point but I am certain that you will not be able to do so.
You find it “disgusting that you should suggest that two respected female Labour MPs are dogs.”
(Actual statement: “Phil Goff should be ashamed of himself for allowing types like that out of the kennel.” which I think is certainly over the top)
And you refer to wishing death on someone as “a rather muted criticism of Leitch”.
Pete George – defending and celebrating the abusive, threatening bullies on blogs.
My ‘retraction’ was posted long ago:
“Obviously I don’t actually wish him an untimely death – after all it’s not like I was threatening to catapult a bus onto him – chortle -”
1. Saying that Goff let the two MPs “out of the kennel” is suggesting they are dogs.
2. You have taken my comment out of context. I said that the comment “was in terms of blogging quite mild” and I stand by that. Just check out the sewer.
3. Please point out where I used the words “a rather muted criticism of Leitch”. I cannot find it and I am pretty sure I did not use these words.
If you are Dianne Foreman, and it sounds exactly like something she would say, you are exactly what keeps women in a subordinate position. I can see why you would want that, given your subordinate position to Don Brash and co, and also as a rotundtable associate, not allowed at the big table of the boys. Still, many National supporter women have stated that there shouldn’t be so many women in parliament which proves the point about NAct women wanting men to make their decisions for them and play the weak little females – pathetic.
We know, if you are Dianne Foreman, that you are as cunning as your phallic symbol John Key, in e.g. arranging special fundraising dinners where rich businessmen in Tower and Talley, etc. the business thieves of the rotundtable that are slavering at the lips over the prospect of finally owning all our precious all-New Zealander-owned assets, tobacco barons helped by the Matthew Hootens and Owen Glenns of New Zealand lobbying to deliberately damage New Zealanders’ health, especially so many young Maori women, under most stress in this society, give John Key and NAct lots of cash because they will get to privatise everything at fire sale prices that once belonged to all-New Zealanders.
Still keeping up Dianne? – Long sentence I know but the list of crimes against you pondscum is growing ever longer. Eventually more New Zealanders will start taking some responsibility in finding this out for themselves. Meanwhile The Standard is doing their work for them. Eventually more New Zealanders will begin to understand what they are sacrificing for their 30 pieces of gold.
Also, you won some business award with your icecream, which is enough to make anyone scream. It was soon after the fundraising dinner and the election you helped Key to win – payback for you. You may actually be a good entrepreneur but when you sell yourself to your particular ‘devil’ – in this case Key – it will never be clear why you won. It doesn’t seem to matter though where greed is involved.
She’s a private hospital owner and will be looking to gain wealth at the expense of New Zealanders when the health system is privatised.
And, if you, ‘Dianne’ are not Dianne Foreman, fine. Being Dianne Foreman is not a compliment and my sincere apologies for thinking you were.
But, I’ve been wanting to say this to Dianne Foreman for a very long time – she’s a disgrace to a New Zealand of social equity. She is a greedy elitist and and she will operate behind the scenes to bring people of the same low calibre of humanity into positions of power and affluence.
That will automatically exclude 90% of New Zealanders from the lifestyle that they work hard to gain and therefore deserve.
The (new) Prime Minister said nobody understands what co-governance means, later modified to that there were so many varying interpretations that there was no common understanding.Co-governance cannot be derived from the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It does not use the word. It refers to ‘government’ on ...
It’s that time of the week again when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kaka. Jump on this link for our chat about the week’s news with special guests Auckland Central MP Chloe Swarbrick and Auckland City Councillor Julie Fairey, including:Auckland’s catastrophic floods, which ...
In March last year, in a panic over rising petrol prices caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the government made a poor decision, "temporarily" cutting fuel excise tax by 25 cents a litre. Of course, it turned out not to be temporary at all, having been extended in May, July, ...
This month’s open thread for climate related topics. Please be constructive, polite, and succinct. The post Unforced variations: Feb 2023 first appeared on RealClimate. ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two fresh press releases had been posted when we checked the Beehive website at noon, both of them posted yesterday. In one statement, in the runup to Waitangi Day, Maori Crown Relations Minister Kelvin Davis drew attention to happenings on a Northland battle site in 1845. ...
It’s that time of the week again when I’m on the site for an hour for a chat in an Ask Me Anything with paying subscribers to The Kaka. Jump in for a chat on anything, including:Auckland’s catastrophic floods, which are set to cost insurers and the Government well over ...
Australia’s Treasurer Jim Chalmers (left) has published a 6,000 word manifesto called ‘Capitalism after the Crises’ arguing for ‘values-based capitalism’. Yet here in NZ we hear the same stale old rhetoric unchanged from the 1990s and early 2000s. Photo: Getty ImagesTLDR: The rest of the world is talking about inflation ...
A couple of weeks ago, after NCEA results came out, my son’s enrolment at Auckland Uni for this year was confirmed - he is doing a BSc majoring in Statistics. Well that is the plan now, who knows what will take his interest once he starts.I spent a bit of ...
Kia ora. What a week! We hope you’ve all come through last weekend’s extreme weather event relatively dry and safe. Header image: stormwater ponds at Hobsonville Point. Image via Twitter. The week in Greater Auckland There’s been a storm of information and debate since the worst of the flooding ...
Hi,At 4.43pm yesterday it arrived — a cease and desist letter from the guy I mentioned in my last newsletter. I’d written an article about “WEWE”, a global multi-level marketing scam making in-roads into New Zealand. MLMs are terrible for many of the same reasons megachurches are terrible, and I ...
Time To Call A Halt: Chris Hipkins knows that iwi leaders possess the means to make life very difficult for his government. Notwithstanding their objections, however, the Prime Minister’s direction of travel – already clearly signalled by his very public demotion of Nanaia Mahuta – must be confirmed by an emphatic ...
Open access notables Via PNAS, Ceylan, Anderson & Wood present a paper squarely in the center of the Skeptical Science wheelhouse: Sharing of misinformation is habitual, not just lazy or biased. The signficance statement is obvious catnip: Misinformation is a worldwide concern carrying socioeconomic and political consequences. What drives ...
Mark White from the Left free speech organisation Plebity looks at the disturbing trend of ‘book burning’ on US campuses In the abstract, people mostly agree that book banning is a bad thing. The Nazis did us the favor of being very clear about it and literally burning books, but ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has undergone a stern baptisim of fire in his first week in his new job, but it doesn’t get any easier. Next week, he has a vital meeting in Canberra with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, where he has to establish ...
As PM Chris Hipkins says, it’s a “no brainer” to extend the fuel tax cut, half price public subsidy and the cut to the road user levy until mid-year. A no braoner if the prime purpose is to ease the burden on people struggling to cope with the cost of ...
Buzz from the Beehive Cost-of-living pressures loomed large in Beehive announcements over the past 24 hours. The PM was obviously keen to announce further measures to keep those costs in check and demonstrate he means business when he talks of focusing his government on bread-and-butter issues. His statement was headed ...
Poor Mike Hosking. He has revealed himself in his most recent diatribe to be one of those public figures who is defined, not by who he is, but by who he isn’t, or at least not by what he is for, but by what he is against. Jacinda’s departure has ...
New Zealand is the second least corrupt country on earth according to the latest Corruption Perception Index published yesterday by Transparency International. But how much does this reflect reality? The problem with being continually feted for world-leading political integrity – which the Beehive and government departments love to boast about ...
TLDR: Including my pick of the news and other links in my checks around the news sites since 4am. Paying subscribers can see them all below the fold.In Aotearoa’s political economyBrown vs Fish Read more ...
TLDR: Including my pick of the news and other links in my checks around the news sites since 4am. Paying subscribers can see them all below the fold.In Aotearoa’s political economyBrown vs Fish Read more ...
In other countries, the target-rich cohorts of swinging voters are given labels such as ‘Mondeo Man’, ‘White Van Man,’ ‘Soccer Moms’ and ‘Little Aussie Battlers.’ Here, the easiest shorthand is ‘Ford Ranger Man’ – as seen here parked outside a Herne Bay restaurant, inbetween two SUVs. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / ...
In other countries, the target-rich cohorts of swinging voters are given labels such as ‘Mondeo Man’, ‘White Van Man,’ ‘Soccer Moms’ and ‘Little Aussie Battlers.’ Here, the easiest shorthand is ‘Ford Ranger Man’ – as seen here parked outside a Herne Bay restaurant, inbetween two SUVs. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / ...
Transport Minister and now also Minister for Auckland, Michael Wood has confirmed that the light rail project is part of the government’s policy refocus. Wood said the light rail project was under review as part of a ministerial refocus on key Government projects. “We are undertaking a stocktake about how ...
Sometime before the new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced that this year would be about “bread and butter issues”, National’s finance spokesperson Nicola Willis decided to move from Wellington Central and stand for Ohariu, which spreads across north Wellington from the central city to Johnsonville and Tawa. It’s an ...
They say a week is a long time in politics. For Mayor Wayne Brown, turns out 24 hours was long enough for many of us to see, quite obviously, “something isn’t right here…”. That in fact, a lot was going wrong. Very wrong indeed.Mainly because it turns ...
One of the most effective, and successful, graphics developed by Skeptical Science is the escalator. The escalator shows how global surface temperature anomalies vary with time, and illustrates how "contrarians" tend to cherry-pick short time intervals so as to argue that there has been no recent warming, while "realists" recognise ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTLDR: Here’s a quick roundup of the news today for paying subscribers on a slightly frantic, very wet, and then very warm day. In Aotearoa’s political economy today Read more ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTLDR: Here’s a quick roundup of the news today for paying subscribers on a slightly frantic, very wet, and then very warm day. In Aotearoa’s political economy today Read more ...
Tomorrow we have a funeral, and thank you all of you for your very kind words and thoughts — flowers, even.Our friend Michèle messaged: we never get to feel one thing at a time, us grownups, and oh boy is that ever the truth. Tomorrow we have the funeral, and ...
Lynn and I have just returned from a news conference where Hipkins, fresh from visiting a relief centre in Mangere, was repeatedly challenged to justify the extension of subsidies to create more climate emissions when the effects of climate change had just proved so disastrous. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The ...
Lynn and I have just returned from a news conference where Hipkins, fresh from visiting a relief centre in Mangere, was repeatedly challenged to justify the extension of subsidies to create more climate emissions when the effects of climate change had just proved so disastrous. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The ...
A new Prime Minister, a revitalised Cabinet, and possibly revised priorities – but is the political and, importantly, economic landscape much different? Certainly some within the news media were excited by the changes which Chris Hipkins announced yesterday or – before the announcement – by the prospect of changes in ...
Currently the government's strategy for reducing transport emissions hinges on boosting vehicle fuel-efficiency, via the clean car standard and clean car discount, and some improvements to public transport. The former has been hugely successful, and has clearly set us on the right path, but its also not enough, and will ...
Buzz from the Beehive Before he announced his Cabinet yesterday, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced he would be flying to Australia next week to meet that country’s Prime Minister. And before Kieran McAnulty had time to say “Three Waters” after his promotion to the Local Government portfolio, he was dishing ...
The quarterly labour market statistics were released this morning, showing that unemployment has risen slightly to 3.4%. There are now 99,000 people unemployed - 24,000 fewer than when Labour took office. So, I guess the Reserve Bank's plan to throw people out of work to stop wage rises "inflation", and ...
Another night of heavy rain, flooding, damage to homes, and people worried about where the hell all this water is going to go as we enter day twenty two of rain this year.Honestly if the government can’t sell Three Waters on the back of what has happened with storm water ...
* Dr Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Chris Hipkins continues to be the new broom in Government, re-setting his Government away from its problem areas in his Cabinet reshuffle yesterday, and trying to convince voters that Labour is focused on “bread and butter” issues. The ministers responsible for unpopular ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins continues to be the new broom in Government, re-setting his Government away from its problem areas in his Cabinet reshuffle yesterday, and trying to convince voters that Labour is focused on “bread and butter” issues. The ministers responsible for unpopular reforms in water and DHB centralisation ...
Hi,It’s weird to me that in 2023 we still have people falling for multi-level marketing schemes (MLMs for short). There are Netflix documentaries about them, countless articles, and last year we did an Armchaired and Dangerous episode on them.Then you check a ticketing website like EventBrite and see this shit ...
Nanaia Mahuta fell the furthest in the Cabinet reshuffle. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: PM Chris Hipkins unveiled a Cabinet this afternoon he hopes will show wavering voters that a refreshed Labour Government is focused on ‘bread and butter cost of living’ issues, rather than the unpopular, unwieldy and massively centralising ...
Nanaia Mahuta fell the furthest in the Cabinet reshuffle. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: PM Chris Hipkins unveiled a Cabinet this afternoon he hopes will show wavering voters that a refreshed Labour Government is focused on ‘bread and butter cost of living’ issues, rather than the unpopular, unwieldy and massively centralising ...
Shortly, the absolute state of Wayne Brown. But before that, something I wrote four years ago for the council’s own media machine. It was a day-in-the-life profile of their many and varied and quite possibly unnoticed vital services. We went all over Auckland in 48 hours for the story, the ...
Completed reads for January Lilith, by George MacDonald The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (poem), by Samuel Taylor Coleridge Christabel (poem), by Samuel Taylor Coleridge The Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok, by Anonymous The Lay of Kraka (poem), by Anonymous 1066 and All That, by W.C. Sellar and R.J. ...
Pity the poor Brits. They just can’t catch a break. After years of reporting of lying Boris Johnson, a change to a less colourful PM in Rishi Sunak has resulted in a smooth media pivot to an end-of-empire narrative. The New York Times, no less, amplifies suggestions that Blighty ...
On that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And rain fell on the earth.Genesis 6:11-12THE TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS that dumped a record-breaking amount of rain on Auckland this anniversary weekend will reoccur with ever-increasing frequency. The planet’s atmosphere is ...
Buzz from the Beehive There has been plenty to keep the relevant Ministers busy in flood-stricken Auckland over the past day or two. But New Zealand, last time we looked, extends north of Auckland into Northland and south of the Bombay Hills all the way to the bottom of the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters When early settlers came to the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers before the California Gold Rush, Indigenous people warned them that the Sacramento Valley could become an inland sea when great winter rains came. The storytellers described water filling the ...
Wayne Brown managed a smile when meeting with Remuera residents, but he was grumpy about having to deal with “media drongos”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: In my pick of the news links found in my rounds since 4am for paying subscribers below the paywall:Wayne Brown moans about the media and ...
Wayne Brown managed a smile when meeting with Remuera residents, but he was grumpy about having to deal with “media drongos”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: In my pick of the news links found in my rounds since 4am for paying subscribers below the paywall:Wayne Brown moans about the media and ...
Dr Bryce Edwards writes – Last night’s opinion polls answered the big question of whether a switch of prime minister would really be a gamechanger for election year. The 1News and Newshub polls released at 6pm gave the same response: the shift from Jacinda Ardern to Chris Hipkins ...
Hipkins’ aim this year will be to present a ‘low target’ for those seeking to attack Labour’s policies and spending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: Anyone dealing with Government departments and councils who wants some sort of big or long-term decision out of officials or politicians this year should brace for ...
Hipkins’ aim this year will be to present a ‘low target’ for those seeking to attack Labour’s policies and spending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: Anyone dealing with Government departments and councils who wants some sort of big or long-term decision out of officials or politicians this year should brace for ...
Last night’s opinion polls answered the big question of whether a switch of prime minister would really be a gamechanger for election year. The 1News and Newshub polls released at 6pm gave the same response: the shift from Jacinda Ardern to Chris Hipkins has changed everything, and Labour is back ...
Over the last few years, it’s seemed like city after city around the world has become subject to extreme flooding events that have been made worse by impacts from climate change. We’ve highlighted many of them in our Weekly Roundup series. Sadly, over the last few days it’s been Auckland’s ...
And so the first month of the year draws to a close. It rained in Auckland on 21 out of the 31 days in January. Feels like summer never really happened this year. It’s actually hard to believe there were 10 days that it didn’t rain. Was it any better where ...
A ‘small target’ strategy is not going to cut it anymore if National want to win the upcoming election. The game has changed and the game plan needs to change as well. Jacinda Ardern’s abrupt departure from the 9th floor has the potential to derail what looked to be an ...
When Grant Robertson talks about how the economy might change post-covid, one of the things he talks about is what he calls an unsung but interesting white paper on science. “It’s really important,” he says. The Minister in charge of the White Paper — Te Ara Paerangi, Future Pathways ...
The clean up has begun but more rain is on the way. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: Auckland’s floods over the last three days are turning into a macroeconomic event, with losses from Aotearoa’s biggest-ever climate event estimated at around $500 million and Auckland’s schools all closed for a week until ...
The clean up has begun but more rain is on the way. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: Auckland’s floods over the last three days are turning into a macroeconomic event, with losses from Aotearoa’s biggest-ever climate event estimated at around $500 million and Auckland’s schools all closed for a week until ...
The news media were at one ceremony by the looks of things. The Governor-General, the Prime Minister and his deputy were at another. The news media were at a swearing-in ceremony. The country’s leaders were at an appointment ceremony. The New Zealand Gazette record of what transpired says: Appointment of ...
I n some alternative universe, Auckland mayor Efeso Collins readily grasped the scale of Friday’s deluge, and quickly made the emergency declaration that enabled central government to immediately throw its resources behind the rescue and remediation effort. As Friday evening became night, Mayor Collins seemed to be everywhere: talking with ...
They called it an “atmospheric river”, the weather bombardment which hit NZ’s northern region at the weekend. It exacted a terrible toll on metropolitan Auckland and the rest of the region. Few living there may have noted a statement from electricity generator Mercury Energy labelled “WET, WET, WET!” This was ...
I know, that is a pretty corny title but given the circumstances here in the Auckland region, I just had to say it. The more oblique reference embedded in the title is to the leadership failures exhibited by Mayor Wayne Brown and his so-called leadership team when confronted by the ...
How much confidence should the public have in authorities managing natural disasters? Not much, judging by the farcical way in which the civil defence emergence in Auckland has played out. The way authorities dealt with Auckland’s extreme weather on Friday illustrated how hit-and-miss our civil defence emergency system is. In ...
TLDR: Here’s the key news links and useful longer reads I’ve spotted since 4 am this morning, including:calls for a more ‘spongey’ urban infrastructure after Auckland’s floods;demands for an inquiry into Auckland Council’s communications failure;the latest on Chris Hipkins’ plans for Three Waters; inside the PR trainwreck that is Wayne ...
TLDR: Here’s the key news links and useful longer reads I’ve spotted since 4 am this morning, including:calls for a more ‘spongey’ urban infrastructure after Auckland’s floods;demands for an inquiry into Auckland Council’s communications failure;the latest on Chris Hipkins’ plans for Three Waters; inside the PR trainwreck that is Wayne ...
Mayor Wayne Brown, under fire for his communication failures, quietly visited the scene of the fatal Remuera slip on Sunday, with his staff taking photos for social media updates. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: The cleanup and the post-mortem have begun, even though the rain just keeps falling in Auckland after ...
Mayor Wayne Brown, under fire for his communication failures, quietly visited the scene of the fatal Remuera slip on Sunday, with his staff taking photos for social media updates. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: The cleanup and the post-mortem have begun, even though the rain just keeps falling in Auckland after ...
Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.The recent leadership change in the governing Labour party resulted in a very strange response from National’s (current) leader, Christopher Luxon. Mr Luxon berated Labour for it’s change of leader, citing no actual change.As ...
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 22, 2023 thru Sat, Jan 28, 2023. Story of the Week New Study Reveals Arctic Ice, Tracked Both Above and Below, Is Freezing LaterClimate change is affecting the timing of both ...
There once was a mayor called WayneWho observed there was terrible rainHe said - we really need this to stopI’m no good with bucket and mopPerhaps it will just go down the drainRNZHis council said call an emergencyHe replied, what’s with all the urgency?I’m having a nice cuppa of teaThen ...
We’ve just announced a massive infrastructure investment to kick-start new housing developments across New Zealand. Through our Infrastructure Acceleration Fund, we’re making sure that critical infrastructure - like pipes, roads and wastewater connections - is in place, so thousands more homes can be built. ...
The Green Party is joining more than 20 community organisations to call for an immediate rent freeze in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, after reports of landlords intending to hike rents after flooding. ...
When Chris Hipkins took on the job of Prime Minister, he said bread and butter issues like the cost of living would be the Government’s top priority – and this week, we’ve set out extra support for families and businesses. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to provide direct support to low-income households and to stop subsidising fossil fuels during a climate crisis. ...
The tools exist to help families with surging costs – and as costs continue to rise it is more urgent than ever that we use them, the Green Party says. ...
Over $10 million infrastructure funding to unlock housing in Whangārei The purchase of a 3.279 hectare site in Kerikeri to enable 56 new homes Northland becomes eligible for $100 million scheme for affordable rentals Multiple Northland communities will benefit from multiple Government housing investments, delivering thousands of new homes for ...
A memorial event at a key battle site in the New Zealand land wars is an important event to mark the progress in relations between Māori and the Crown as we head towards Waitangi Day, Minister for Te Arawhiti Kelvin Davis said. The Battle of Ohaeawai in June 1845 saw ...
More Police officers are being deployed to the frontline with the graduation of 54 new constables from the Royal New Zealand Police College today. The graduation ceremony for Recruit Wing 362 at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua was the first official event for Stuart Nash since his reappointment as Police ...
The Government is unlocking an additional $700,000 in support for regions that have been badly hit by the recent flooding and storm damage in the upper North Island. “We’re supporting the response and recovery of Auckland, Waikato, Coromandel, Northland, and Bay of Plenty regions, through activating Enhanced Taskforce Green to ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has welcomed the announcement that Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, will visit New Zealand this month. “Princess Anne is travelling to Aotearoa at the request of the NZ Army’s Royal New Zealand Corps of Signals, of which she is Colonel in Chief, to ...
A new Government and industry strategy launched today has its sights on growing the value of New Zealand’s horticultural production to $12 billion by 2035, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said. “Our food and fibre exports are vital to New Zealand’s economic security. We’re focussed on long-term strategies that build on ...
25 cents per litre petrol excise duty cut extended to 30 June 2023 – reducing an average 60 litre tank of petrol by $17.25 Road User Charge discount will be re-introduced and continue through until 30 June Half price public transport fares extended to the end of June 2023 saving ...
The strong economy has attracted more people into the workforce, with a record number of New Zealanders in paid work and wages rising to help with cost of living pressures. “The Government’s economic plan is delivering on more better-paid jobs, growing wages and creating more opportunities for more New Zealanders,” ...
The Government is providing a further $1 million to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Auckland following flooding, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced today. “Cabinet today agreed that, given the severity of the event, a further $1 million contribution be made. Cabinet wishes to be proactive ...
The new Cabinet will be focused on core bread and butter issues like the cost of living, education, health, housing and keeping communities and businesses safe, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has announced. “We need a greater focus on what’s in front of New Zealanders right now. The new Cabinet line ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins will travel to Canberra next week for an in person meeting with Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. “The trans-Tasman relationship is New Zealand’s closest and most important, and it was crucial to me that my first overseas trip as Prime Minister was to Australia,” Chris Hipkins ...
The Government is providing establishment funding of $100,000 to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Auckland following flooding, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced. “We moved quickly to make available this funding to support Aucklanders while the full extent of the damage is being assessed,” Kieran McAnulty ...
As the Mayor of Auckland has announced a state of emergency, the Government, through NEMA, is able to step up support for those affected by flooding in Auckland. “I’d urge people to follow the advice of authorities and check Auckland Emergency Management for the latest information. As always, the Government ...
Ka papā te whatitiri, Hikohiko ana te uira, wāhi rua mai ana rā runga mai o Huruiki maunga Kua hinga te māreikura o te Nota, a Titewhai Harawira Nā reira, e te kahurangi, takoto, e moe Ka mōwai koa a Whakapara, kua uhia te Tai Tokerau e te kapua pōuri ...
Carmel Sepuloni, Minister for Social Development and Employment, has activated Enhanced Taskforce Green (ETFG) in response to flooding and damaged caused by Cyclone Hale in the Tairāwhiti region. Up to $500,000 will be made available to employ job seekers to support the clean-up. We are still investigating whether other parts ...
The 2023 General Election will be held on Saturday 14 October 2023, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. “Announcing the election date early in the year provides New Zealanders with certainty and has become the practice of this Government and the previous one, and I believe is best practice,” Jacinda ...
Jacinda Ardern has announced she will step down as Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party. Her resignation will take effect on the appointment of a new Prime Minister. A caucus vote to elect a new Party Leader will occur in 3 days’ time on Sunday the 22nd of ...
The Government is maintaining its strong trade focus in 2023 with Trade and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor visiting Europe this week to discuss the role of agricultural trade in climate change and food security, WTO reform and New Zealand agricultural innovation. Damien O’Connor will travel tomorrow to Switzerland to attend the ...
The Government has extended its medium-scale classification of Cyclone Hale to the Wairarapa after assessing storm damage to the eastern coastline of the region. “We’re making up to $80,000 available to the East Coast Rural Support Trust to help farmers and growers recover from the significant damage in the region,” ...
Iwi leaders have accused National and ACT of "fanning the flames of racism", urging the prime minister to be brave and not walk away from partnership on three waters. ...
About this time last week it had become apparent that Auckland was in for a bit more than just a wet Friday. While the state of emergency remains in place for another seven days, it appears the worst should now be behind us. Last night, Niwa shared a fascinating thread ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra ShutterstockIndigenous Australians are respectfully advised that the following includes the names and images of some people who are now deceased. The Reserve Bank of Australia ...
The government has confirmed the money will be spent in Northland, including unlocking greenfields land and transport upgrades like a new bridge in Kamo. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gabrielle Appleby, Professor, UNSW Law School, UNSW Sydney Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed that sometime between August and November this year, the Australian people will go to a referendum for the first time since 1999. We’ll be asked whether we support ...
Viewers across the United States were today shown a slice of New Zealand, with a reporter for Good Morning America broadcasting live from Rotorua. Robin Roberts, a co-anchor for the popular morning TV show, has been touring the country this week. During her visit to Rotorua’s Te Puia centre, she ...
They can be environmentally unsound and are a symbol used to shame millennials, but everyone still loves an avo. I love avocados, always have, always will. The buttery golden-green flesh from a perfectly ripe avocado is a culinary blessing. Today I’d love to simply wax poetic about twisting open a ...
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.AUCKLAND1The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin (Penguin Press, $50) The beautiful ...
A new poem by Robin Peace. To the kahikatea I see from my bed Thinking inside the square, the ellipse, the round of what life is, I only see the trees. Not only as if that were the only thing I see, but only as if the tree matters more. ...
A week ago, Elton John’s first Auckland show was called off at the last minute. What was it like getting there, being there, and trying to return home afterwards?Elton John has long been a blessing for our ears, but in recent years his Auckland shows have been cursed. His ...
For Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, sorry seems to be the hardest word to say The mayoral chains must have been heavy this week for Auckland’s Wayne Brown, as his response to last week’s flood garnered its own veritable torrent of scandals and media scrutiny. Almost exactly one week on from ...
For Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, sorry seems to be the hardest word to say The mayoral chains must have been heavy this week for Auckland’s Wayne Brown, as his response to last week’s flood garnered its own veritable torrent of scandals and media scrutiny. Almost exactly one week on from ...
Ours Not Mines is cautiously excited about reporting that the Government is drafting legislation to ban new mines on conservation land. The anti-mining group's spokesperson, Morgan Donoghue says: "The Government has been promising us some action for ...
People who enjoy the outdoors for recreation, fishing and hunting will lose rights under the Natural and Built Environments Bill. Fish & Game New Zealand chief executive Corina Jordan says the proposed replacement for the Resource Management ...
Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has conceded he “dropped the ball” during last Friday’s major flooding event. The state of emergency in the super city has today been extended for a further seven days, though Brown said he expects it will be lifted early. After a week of defensiveness over his ...
As the reality TV juggernaut returns for a new season, Tara Ward steps into the minds of the show’s relationship experts to assess the compatibility of this year’s brides and grooms. Married at First Sight: Australia returns on Monday night, and by season ten, you’d think the show’s relationship experts ...
Auckland’s state of emergency is expected to be extended for another seven days, according to the Herald. It was due to expire overnight after being declared a week ago, the day of the worst flooding in the super city. While weather conditions have improved, the city is continuing to experience ...
Proposed pay equity claim settlements for school librarians and science technicians have been reached between the Ministry of Education and NZEI Te Riu Roa, Secretary for Education, Iona Holsted and NZEI Te Riu Roa president, Mark Potter, announced ...
Members of NZEI Te Riu Roa negotiating on behalf of school librarians, library assistants and science technicians are excited to announce that proposed pay equity settlements are ready to be voted on by their colleagues. They include pay increases of up to ...
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) is calling for Michael Wood, the Minister of Transport, and now Auckland, to cancel the light rail project immediately. Auckland Light Rail was never going to happen, as our group has repeatedly said dozens of ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has been asked to intervene following confirmation today that the Government plans to implement a ban on all extractive sector activities on the conservation estate. Wayne Scott, CEO of the Aggregate and Quarry Association, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato Getty Images The heated (and often confused) debate about “co-governance” in Aotearoa New Zealand inevitably leads back to its source, Te Tiriti o Waitangi. But, as its long-contested meanings demonstrate, very little ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Hunter, Lecturer in Art and Performance, Deakin University Jodie Hutchinson/Red StitchReview: Wittenoom, directed by Susie Dee, Red Stitch Deep in the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia, the town of Wittenoom lies empty, desolate … and contaminated. Wittenoom ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Oliver Bown, Postdoctoral fellow, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock The past few years have seen an explosion in applications of artificial intelligence to creative fields. A new generation of image and text generators is delivering impressiveresults. Now AI has also found ...
New Zealand’s egg shortage is hitting cruise ships too – forcing the crew of one vessel to hatch a poaching plan. This story was first published on Stuff. On the hunt for eggs, a crew from a luxury cruise ship got cracking and hatched a cunning plan. Earlier this week, Stuff ...
Now demolished, the First Church of Christ Scientist was a masterclass of architectural imagination. Kate Linzey visits the site on which it once stood, to learn more. The object is delicate and small. Small enough to sit in the palm of my hand and weighing less than 300 grams. It ...
When your food parcel arrives before the emergency alert, you know something’s not working properly.This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. I’ve spent the last week desperately and at times fruitlessly attempting to drain and then sweep my whānau home of knee-deep water, pull up ...
Drongo-gate continues for another day with the Herald reporting that Auckland’s mayor has been caught out using the slang term for a second time. It comes this time from a former minor mayoral candidate, Mike Kampkes, who said he received a message from Brown in response to a media release ...
How does Aotearoa stop relying so heavily on agriculture to prop up our economy? Online tax and accounting service Hnry just raised $35m to grow its software on-demand service across the globe. Bernard Hickey talks with AirTree partner Jackie Vullinghs about how venture capitalists are funding Aotearoa’s fastest growing, least-polluting ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Guastella, Professor and Clinical Psychologist, Michael Crouch Chair in Child and Youth Mental Health, University of Sydney Shutterstock With childcare and schools starting the new year, parents might be anxiously wondering how their child will adapt in a new ...
I am delighted to announce the appointment of John Price ONZM as the new Director Civil Defence Emergency Management and Deputy Chief Executive Emergency Management for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). John has been a member of the ...
Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki are calling on the new Prime Minister and new Minister of Conservation Willow Jean Prime to immediately implement the 2017 promise to ban new mining activity on conservation lands. “ The mining industry group Straterra ...
How does Aotearoa stop relying so heavily on agriculture to prop up our economy? Online tax and accounting service Hnry just raised $35m to grow its software on-demand service across the globe. In the latest episode of When the Facts Change, Bernard Hickey talks with AirTree partner Jackie Vullinghs about how ...
There’s a fear that highlighting menopause will undermine women, especially at work. But what have centuries of secrecy achieved for us? Are you sick of hearing about menopause? Kim Hill is. The living legend of Aotearoa broadcasting told actor Robyn Malcolm (also a legend) on her Saturday Morning show on RNZ ...
Dunedin city council has reached an agreement to save Foulden Maar from commercial mining. The maar is the site of a crater lake from 23 million years ago with the diatomite of the lake preserving fossils and a climate record covering 100,000 years from that period. It is fantastic news for Otago University ...
Some are speculating whether the Auckland Mayor's leadership is circling the drain. James Elliott hopes they're right. There’s never been a week quite like it. It was the week when the rains came. All of them. Even the rain from Spain that was supposed to fall mainly on the plain, came. ...
The Bus and Coach Association supports the Government’s decision to continue half-price fares on public transport services. The fare reduction was set to expire on 31 March 2023, but will now continue to 30 June 2023. “Half-price fares have cost ten-times ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: Hipkins’ bread and butter reshufflePolitical scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins continues to be the new broom in Government, re-setting his Government away from its problem areas in his Cabinet reshuffle yesterday, and trying to convince voters that Labour is focused ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: Chris Hipkins hires a lobbyist to run the BeehiveNew Zealand Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins, speaking when Minister of Education, at NZEI Te Riu Roa strike rally on the steps of the New Zealand Parliament, 15th August 2018. Image; Wiki Commons. New Zealand is ...
New Zealand Politics Daily is a collation of the most prominent issues being discussed in New Zealand. It is edited by Dr Bryce Edwards of The Democracy Project. Items of interest and importance todayCO-GOVERNANCE, WAITANGI, THREE WATERS Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Blowing Off The Froth: Why Chris Hipkins Must Ditch ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brian Tweed, Senior lecturer, Massey University Shutterstock/Renata Apanaviciene As we approach another Waitangi Day, we should be thinking again about what Te Tiriti o Waitangi means. As the late Moana Jackson commented, the meaning of Te Tiriti will be ...
Even prime ministers get caught in bad weather. It’s a week on from the devastating flooding that hit Auckland and Northland and Chris Hipkins has been forced to drive north for the start of Waitangi weekend commemorations after his plan was turned away from Kerikeri airport (twice). Today will see ...
Less than a year ago, co-governance had a future, at least as potentially accepted terminology. Now some iwi leaders want the label removed and replaced, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
“The decision by the Reserve Bank of Australia to not replace the late Queen with Charles on the Aussie $5 note should indicate to our Reserve Bank that it’s time to change the NZ $20 note” said Lewis Holden, campaign chair of New ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Wolf, Associate Professor, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Australian National University Somchat Parkaythong/Shutterstock Black holes are bizarre things, even by the standards of astronomers. Their mass is so great, it bends space around them so tightly that nothing can escape, even ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Revell, Associate Professor in Environmental Physics, University of Canterbury Getty Images The ozone layer is on track to heal within four decades, according to a recent UN report, but this progress could be undone by an upsurge in rocket ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Clune, Honorary Associate, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney At the New South Wales election on March 25 a 12-year-old Coalition government will be seeking re-election. Hoping to return as premier is Liberal leader Dominic Perrottet – a political conservative ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Trauer, Associate Professor, Monash University Anastelfy/Shutterstock The XBB.1.5 subvariant, known informally as “Kraken”, is the latest in a menagerie of Omicron subvariants to dominate the headlines, following increasing detection in the United States and United Kingdom. But there ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madeline Combe, Doctoral student, University of Technology Sydney Shutterstock As the economist Herman Daly pithily said, the economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment – not the reverse. Nature makes our lives possible through what scientists call ecosystem ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Jefferson, Lecturer in Education, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock Grit. Don’t quit. That’s the mantra many parents may have in mind when they, like me, spend what feels like years ferrying children to a seemingly endless variety of sports and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Humphery-Jenner, Associate Professor of Finance, UNSW Sydney Sam Shere/Wikimedia Commons A few weeks ago, Gautam Adani was indisputably India’s richest man. Now his fortune is slipping away as the stocks of his many companies crash, thanks to the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Divna Haslam, Senior Research Fellow, Queensland University of Technology Shutterstock Have you ever found yourself scrolling through social media and noticed you felt a bit down? Maybe a little envious? Why aren’t you on a yacht? Running a startup? Looking ...
The science of ‘event attribution’ is growing, with researchers working to accelerate their assessments. A leading NZ climate scientist tells Toby Manhire how it works, how climate change impacted the ‘off the chart’ weekend downpours, and why we can’t put a number on it tomorrow. Brutal, unexpected, record-breaking, destructive, tragic. ...
Those lockdown vibes are back – and maybe they never really went away. We were supposed to be organised. For a while there, we were. A uniform, purchased across a frenzied weekend dashing between specialist stores, was spread out over our son’s bed. Tags removed, shirts folded, socks in balls, ...
Establishing a Truth, Reconciliation and Justice Commission and recognising Māori tino rangatiratanga are among several recommendations in two pivotal reports released today (Friday 3 February) by Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission. The ...
Losing her mum at an early age, Ivari Christie found strength in netball. The explosive teen midcourter has now burst into the Southern Steel, with help from a couple of Silver Ferns legends, Suzanne McFadden writes. It was the biggest moment in Ivari Christie’s netball career; just 18 years old ...
The latest Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list, described by Steve BrauniasFICTION 1 Kāwai by Monty Soutar (David Bateman, $39.99) Huzzah to Monty Soutar, huzzah to his publishers, and huzzah to the three wise judges of the fiction prize at the 2023 Ockham New Zealand national book awards for ...
James Shaw says his Labour colleagues need to work with him to plug the emissions gap created by extending the fuel tax cuts Less than a week after a climate-fuelled storm laid waste to wide swathes of Auckland, the Government resurrected fossil fuel subsidies in the form of an extension ...
Jacinda Ardern was treated like royalty at Waitangi with people coming from near and far to see her every February. Newly minted Prime Minister Chris Hipkins isn’t a familiar face in the Far North and will have his work cut out this weekend, writes political editor Jo Moir.Analysis: About ...
By extending the fuel excise duty cut, the Government is encouraging people to drive more, which will only worsen the climate challenges we face in the very near futureOpinion: By most accounts, the storms that have been wreaking havoc in Auckland and Northland are fuelled by climate change. The ...
Is a sponge city the answer to Auckland's flooding woes? The Detail finds out what the concept is all about. With the cleanup in full swing all over Auckland after this week's catastrophic flooding, people are starting to talk about throwing out the old building rules and "unengineering" our city - ...
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Airstrikes ordered against civilian targets, destruction of thousands of buildings, millions displaced, nearly 3000 civilians murdered, more than 13,000 jailed, the country’s independent media banished, and the country locked in a deadly nationwide civil war. Myanmar civilians now ask what else must happen before they receive international support in line ...
By Nick Young of Greenpeace My family and I are lucky to have come through it unscathed, but my neighbourhood in Titirangi has been ravaged. Many people here and around the wider region have lost their homes altogether. I’ve seen people’s belongings out on the streets in piles ruined beyond ...
By Jonty Dine, RNZ News reporter While Auckland residents enjoy a brief reprieve from the rain, the rubbish continues to pile up as the full cost of the New Zealand flash floods continues to be counted. Some streets in Auckland are littered with items damaged and discarded from Friday’s freak ...
I predict that soon people on the Left will hail the Morgan poll out yesterday as indicating the imminent collapse of Key’s government, and will say that Labour is on track to win back the government benches. I also predict that very little comment will be made by these same people when the TV3 and TVNZ polls come out on Sunday night.
We can probably expect to see a sizable dent in the “Country heading in the right direction” in the next poll due to the credit downgrade, I think.
Why? There is nothing different in it apart from rugby effects, as I expect the other polls to be as well. But authors write on what they want to. So do commentators with some limits from moderators.
But are you expecting large amounts of variance between polls by different companies? That in itself is pretty interesting bearing in mind that they are meant to be accurately measuring the same voting population.
But I will agree with your implied preposition that the polls from different organisations are quite different and probably highly inaccurate.
Did you see this ?? Only one question was even minutely questioning Key. Just another smile and wave day.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/video.cfm?c_id=280&gal_objectid=10755634&gallery_id=121853
John Key actually performed pretty well in that interview, I think. None of his usual smarmy bullshit and didn’t mangle any of his words.
Dear Labour,
Please stop attacking the Mad Butcher, for better or for worse people like him, and you come across like a bunch of dicks.
Also let a bad story die, don’t reignite it.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10755757
The Herald editorial has a say on it too. It makes a general observation:
A few of the old school here might like to ponder on that.
Nothing wrong with a bit of tribalism. Much better than pappy Blairism.
The Mad Butcher is a traitor. If he supports John Key then he supports:
The reduction of the state housing stock and tighening of state housing criteria, leading to the creation of slums,
The privatisation and Americanisation of our health system
The weakening of labour laws and protections, which will give employers the power to treat their workers like dirt
The destruction of our social safety net, leading to homelessness across the board
The privatisation of water services by councils, which will hit the poor the hardest
The privatisation of infrstructure, and possible sale to the Chinese
The loosening of standards with regards to air and water quality, leading to poor health among people
The sale of our farms to off shore owners
Etc.
I personally would support a boycott of his stores.
Wow, just….wow…..
What do you find so “wow” exactly?
Anything in that list you’d like to challenge?
Or are you just having trouble with the jarring contrast between Key’s PR and his politics?
Please do keep going on… I love hearing all the baseless reasoning.
Explaining is losing, you seriously can’t STFU for one minute and reflect to see the wood for the trees.
Just more evidence that you lot might as well be on another planet when it comes to convincing the electorate you should be running the country.
What baseless reasoning? John Key has either already implemented those policies or said that they will be implemented next term.
“explaining is losing”.
Smile, wave, and say “thankyou sir, may I have another?” There’s a winning strategy.
Actually, I think it’s good that the left demonstrates some differences of opinions on such issues.
for better or for worse people like him
What people? I think it may be no accident that the Labour MPs who have been critical of Sir MB are women, and that the guys are more likely to either defend him or to resile from criticising him.
I most like watching rugby union, but also enjoy watching League from time to time, as well as listening to Radio Sport on occasions. I have never taken to the MB and his rants – to me he is an unlikeable irritation. I suspect his appeal is largely to male sports fans and especially male League fans (which probably includes a lot of MSM journalists)… that hardly makes him a popular man of the people generally.
I’d say most of Louisa’s electorate like him, men and women. I take it you aren’t from South Auckland?
It’s just a stupid issue to focus on when you are trying to win an election.
And what about his support for policies that will screw people in those areas?
He. Is. A. Traitor.
I don’t care if he gives to charities. Charities always pick and choose who they help, and make people jump through hoops. Look at Habitat for Humanity. we are better off bringing back Housing Corp mortgages and increasing the state housing stock rather than relying on those clowns. And I bet you that butcher boy has all his workers on a 90-day trial period,
I despise organised sport generally (I am told that’s a serious character fault somewhat similar to kicking puppies – although I don’t do that) so I assess the MB on the basis of his ‘stores’ (cold, unpleasant and not particularly cheap) and his public persona – that of Shouty Man. I’ve learned by chatting to them, that he doesn’t pay his staff well enough to compensate them for a very unpleasant working environment, and muddled schedules, so I am very unimpressed with the man.
“Darien should have stood by her comments. The world needs more people like her, who would stick it to the powerful in the name of the powerless.
Mad Butcher, you are dirty stinking flithy traitor.”
Unlike Darien, I stand by my comments.
And, I dont think anyone will squeal to my work about it, as I dont tell anyone where I work. My employer will probably laugh anyway, my work holds the position that what goes on in their workers life outside their work is their own business (apart from getting stoned in the morning before coming to work).
So let me get this right, this idiot, Louisa Wall wont buy stuff from people who dont vote for her party? what an idiot.
That football-hating, Palestinian-hating, Mad Butcher-boosting, mediocrity-loving drip Brett “God I hate Football” Dale seems to have worked himself up into a lather after hearing Louisa Wall criticize his half-witted hero…
this idiot, Louisa Wall wont buy stuff from people who dont vote for her party what an idiot.
You have a track record of posting up crude, foolish, ill-informed rants on a large number of topics. For you to call Louisa Wall, or anyone else for that matter, an “idiot” is irony indeed.
By the way, you mis-spelled don’t and won’t.
Morrisey:
I don’t hate Football, I love my football, go the all whites, and go the phoenix.
I dont hate any Palestinian’s? I dont know any Palestinian’s for that matter, If your talking about that guy who is alleged to have sleazy behavior towards woman, well I hope that gets dealt with, it hasnt nothing to do with where he is from.
If Louisa will only buy from business’s that will vote for her party, then I will call
her an idiot.
Yes my spelling and grammar is awful.
Brett Dale is still bewildered.
I don’t hate Football, I love my football,
Ever since the World Cup started, you have been trumpeting more than normal how much you hate the game.
go the all whites,
Shows how much you know about football. The All Whites have (several seasons ago) transmogrified into the Ospreys. But, yes, they did have a glorious history, including wins over the All Blacks and more recently, the Wallabies….
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/welsh/6088622.stm
and go the phoenix.
That’s a soccer team.
I dont hate any Palestinian’s
Really? Then I invite others to look at what you wrote in January 2009, as Palestinian hospitals and homes and people were being massively and systematically destroyed. As your several comments demonstrate, you were completely in favour of the massacre….
I dont know any Palestinian’s for that matter
You do but you’re just too insensitive to realize it. I am sure none of them has ever felt that they wanted to reveal their ethnicity to you, if you verbalize the sort of ignorant, hate-filled nonsense that you post on the internet.
If your talking about that guy who is alleged to have sleazy behavior towards woman
What on earth are you talking about?
Yes my spelling and grammar is awful.
Your spelling and grammar errors are trifling, compared to your mean-spirited and spurious comments about football, and, even worse, your callous and repeated statements of support for the perpetrators of mass murder.
Football is played with a round ball; NZ Soccer rebranded as NZ Football abut 6 years ago, you’ll only find ‘soccer’ in the USA.
Rugby, on the other hand, was a game developed at a toff’s school by people who lacked the ability to kick a ball, so picked it up and ran; later the ball became oval shaped.
Football is played with a round ball;
Correct, but not only with a round ball. Several kinds of football use an oval ball, and two (American and Canadian football) even use an “oblate spheroid.”
NZ Soccer rebranded as NZ Football abut 6 years ago,
Soccer New Zealand changed its name to NZ Football in compliance with a mischievous prank by John “Possumhead” O’Neill, the new head of the Australian Soccer Federation, who did the same thing over there—for no other reason than to annoy his erstwhile Australian Rugby Union colleagues, who had just fired him.
FIFA boss Sepp Blatter had been pleading for years with the ASF and Soccer New Zealand to change their names, but he had always been ignored. O’Neill managed to do it with his whimsical decree, however, manipulating Soccer New Zealand just like he did the New Zealand rugby bosses in 2002, when he wrested the hosting of the 2003 RWC off us.
you’ll only find ‘soccer’ in the USA.
And Canada, and Japan, and Korea, and Australia and New Zealand, and throughout the Pacific Islands. And what was the name of the stadium that hosted the final of the World Cup in South Africa last year?
Both New Zealand and Australian soccer bosses realized (and still do) that “football” is a contested term in both countries, though most people mean Rugby football or Australian Rules football.
Rugby, on the other hand, was a game developed at a toff’s school by people who lacked the ability to kick a ball, so picked it up and ran;
Nonsense, Ian. You seem like a bright guy, and I can’t believe that you would be dumb enough to swallow that Webb Ellis myth. That puts you in the same company as boofheads like Murray (“Too Many Dark Faces”) Deaker and the gin-swillers at the International Rugby Board.
later the ball became oval shaped.
That was so it could be drop-kicked further.
Kicking is an integral part of rugby football, as you know perfectly well.
Point of order! In the USA and NZ it’s called soccer, in the rest of the world, it’s football! I loathe team sports, but my son is a Phoenix fanatic, and projectile vomits when he hears people call it “soccer”. (I have been forced to realise that now, 2011, New Zealanders do all “talk American” (as predicted in the Listener in 1986), …Open Orifice’s NZ spell check is exactly the same as American English, and red-lines all the British (formerly NZ) spellings I use, for example….but that doesn’t mean I have to like it…
Point of order! In the USA and NZ it’s called soccer,
Invalid. You forgot, or neglected, to add Canada, and Japan, and Korea, and Australia, and the islands of the Pacific.
my son is a Phoenix fanatic, and projectile vomits when he hears people call it “soccer”.
Your son must hate being alive then. Perhaps he needs to realize what country he lives in.
AFAIK, it’s been soccer in NZ only in the last 7-8 years, since we all started speaking American.. My son doesn’t hate living in NZ (he likes it much more than I do) but he’s even more sensitive to what things are called than I am…
Just the opposite, Vicky32. It’s been soccer since records began (and I know, having contributed to researching the history of the game in my town back to 1923). The move to standardising the game as football began about a decade ago, but has not been forced on the yanks because of the cultural dominance of their version of football (Gridiron). I do like the Guardian football correspondents’ habit of jokingly referring to the USA’s Major League Soccer as SoccerBall! (TM).
I’m comfortable with both versions, though, especially as soccer as a word comes from the abbreviation of Association Football, which clearly indicates it was football before it was soccer.
Have to agree about the bastardisation, sorry, americanisation, of our language though. I cringe every time I see the Jackal post his Asshole of the Week as if we were living in Shitkicker, Missouri or I hear the letter z mispronounced by our maleducated youth. And don’t get me started on the TV weather crew referring to ‘rain on the Westside’ or other such gang related bollocks. Grrrrr!
Thanks for clarifying, VoR! I am glad to be sure..
I first remember hearing ‘z’ mispronounced by the maleducated, in 1996, whilst working in an Intermediate school library… If people talking about their or someone else’s ass I always pretend to believe they mean donkey! 😀 But my un-favourite at the moment is ‘store’. A store is a warehouse. A retail outlet is a shop… online ‘stores’ particularly annoy me as they can’t be a ‘store’ in any sense, without physical premises!
I have tried to do some research on the “Special Honours List” out today, but have been unable to find what triggers the awards dates. They were first legislated for on 20th September 1999, but they appear to be able to be awarded at any time, unlike others such as New Year and Queen’s Birthday. Am I being cynical thinking that this list is in response to deflect the criticism of the SAS being the Afghanistan?
I’m not really keen on the SAS being in Afghanistan, but what I am uneasy about the most is the SAS being portrayed by the media (with approval from the NZDF) as pin-up boys, and tools to attract people into signing up. The NZSAS conduct their missions with strict secrecy, but the coverage of their activities could very well be putting them in danger, ie the photos of Willie Apiata. I am wondering if he has a price placed on his head by Taliban warlords.
I think anyone who steps into the spotlight has to be prepared to take the good with the bad, criticism wise, particularly if they express support for a political party (or its leader).
The butcher built his empire on the back of poor working class people now he’s in the ranks of the elite .
Exactly, a number of those who munched Sir Mad to millionaire status had better get used to regular sausages and brisket rather than pork roasts if his new chum ShonKey gets back in.
There is an argument that Sir Leitch sold off the shops in 07, but he sure continues to get personal mileage from the brand.
I had a lot of empathy for Peter Leitch during his cancer illness, and as a league fan know of some of the small kindnesses and donations he made that were not publically trumpeted.
His endorsement of ShonKey is a schmooze too far for me however. The kiwi attitude of not knocking ‘benevolent’ wealthy people is false, philanthropy is usually tinged with self aggrandisement, naming rights and “aw shucks”ism. I wonder how many of the tories defending Sir ’Mad now have ever bought one of his low to medium quality meat packs? I have always avoided the chain apart from the original shop due to the meat, but it filled a market gap for sure if you chart the working class areas the shops are consistently sited in.
’Mad is entitled to an opinion but so are the rest of us.
Yeah but our opinions don’t create negative stories in the paper taking the spotlight off National’s massive screw ups.
I see John Key has his Election Posters on sale.
that’s a dead link sukie :[
JK’s promise to try to get Coronation Street moved back to its original time slot seems a pretty blatant attempt to curry favour with the electorate. I doubt he even watches Coro, and probably wouldn’t understand it if he did.
I thought Key’s offer to interfere in TV programming was odd too. Coro rescheduling threats are keep coming up – it could be just a cunning way to get the oldies back to watching it some more.
Key would do more goods trying to get TVNZ to show something worth watching.
Er, not all Coro fans are old! My 25 year old niece and her friends are serious watchers..
The irony is that it is his government’s scrapping of the Charter and its instructions for TVNZ to focus on the profit motive most probably contributed to it (though it could be argued that this goes back to 1988 when TVNZ lost its public service mandate — quality declined from there on in).
This is the concequence of a removal of any form of public service mandate from TVNZ – more cheffing shows (and Snookie), and less quality drama and documentaries.
Apart from Coronation Street, does TV1 have anything worth watching these days?
Um..no.
That’s why I had to cross over to the dark side and get sky. Now I pay $70 a month for 100-odd channels of nothing worth watching 🙂
It does occasionally, but they don’t exactly promote their good stuff, it’s more a mattter of chance discovering it..
Isn’t TVNZ still NZ’s state-supported broadcaster? What is the current position on the government attempting to interfere with or influence the daily operations of TVNZ channels?
TVNZ has no public service mandate. The only thing it has to do is make a profit and pay a dividend under the SOE Act 1986. The fact that it is state owned is inconsequential.
A Labour mistake.
Colonial Viper,
that Labour should correct as soon as possible.
Yep.
By not correcting it they have created a media smashing machine aimed at themselves.
I am currently travelling overseas (in Helsinki at moment). Therefore I am accessing “The Standard” on an irregular basis.
Perhaps I misunderstand what “The Standard” represents. I thought with the election approaching this would be a forum for informing me on labour policies and how they were going in the election run up (who is perforning well, who is not, is the strategy correct etc). What do I get reading the last few weeks posts – Key this, National that …same old,same old (I appreciate your contributors have a pathological hatred of Key) …..but when if ever are you going to discuss anything labour (even when attacking National, discuss labour alternative policy)
Now maybe the sole reason for your blog is to attack National and any labour policy or actions undertaken by their representatives are largely irrelevant. If so perhaps someone could confirm this.
I write this as reading the Guardian recently (slightly left wing English newspaper) I was reminded how good this paper is. Supportive of labour but frequently critical of policy and party members (especially of the Blair govt) and resonable in assessing other parties (sympathetic to Lib Dems) including Tory govt. Why can’t The Standard at least aspire to this occasionally or have I missed the point – labour cheer leaders whose sole mission is to attack National/Act
[lprent: You have indeed missed the point of the site in both what you think we should do and what you think we are supporting.
Read the about which explains who we are. It is a site authored by various people from the broad labour movement. Only a few (like me) are also members of the Labour party. The most common point of agreement between us is that we don’t like the right and its policies.
We do report Labours policies and the Greens and anyone elses that we are interested in (including Nationals when we find some amongst the PR). But if you really want to look at Labours policies, then try Red Alert. Also look at No Right Turn for a more general left policy basis.
It is nice that you compare us to the Guardian, but they are a news outlet, whereas we are an opinion outlet for the authors and commentators. Quite a different style of operation and at a massively different scale. ]
Whats wrong with attacking National/ACT?
Nothing – if you leave yourself open to criticism mean you deserve to receive it.
Memo 310911
From: CT, Wgtn
To: Saturday Shift
Re: Operation Big Butch
In response to various requests I can confirm that all work today is on your normal hourly rate, not T1.5 for the first 3 hours and double time thereafter. You’re not in the bloody union Anthony, so don’t push it.
Thank you for your response to Thursday’s operation Free Speech. Contacting Campbell Larsen’s employer was a stroke of genius, should shut him up in the future. Please note, that in the event that the Warriors lose tomorrow, it was as a result of the coach’s failure to listen to PMJK. A win is of course attributed to PMJK’s changing shed speech before the game.
That is all.
Is it just me or has Brian Edwards lost the plot in his old age. I’ve just been permanently banned from his blog because I dared challenged him on his views about certain things.
Nah, it’s just you and your putrescent cant.
To be fair to Edwards, it wasn’t him that banned you. As your comment has been deleted, it’s hard to know whether you overstepped the mark or not, so perhaps you should outline what you said. Calling BE a Victorian prude earlier on was probably not wise, but I doubt it was for that!
I just challenged him on some of his social views, and the fact that he thinks that a teacher calling a 14 year old girl she ‘looked like a slut’ is somehow acceptable. Its really stuck in my craw since.
Don’t worry, millsy, you’re not the only one to incur the wrath of Brian Edwards. A few months back, the good doctor censored a transcript of mine because it “potentially libeled” that piece of self-regarding trash Paul Holmes.
Whilst moderating earlier, I had cause to add a note on your comment for behavior. Perhaps you need to look closer to home for a reason?
We really need some political satire on public television in this country as we are in an insidious bullying environment where no one is allowed to speak ill of certain public figures or ‘icons’. Anyone daring to criticise is accused of somehow being unpatriotic. For me, this is the first step towards totalitarianism. It shows, for the safety of our democracy, that these people are ripe for satirising, and at the least criticism and questioning. These people include:
the PM
the Mad Butcher
the All Blacks including the very well paid ‘stars’
several cabinet ministers including Joyce, Tolley, Bennett, Brownlee, McCully
For example: you can just imagine the PM as some delirious clown cuddling up to the cleaver- waving, bling-ridden Mad Butcher. The cabinet ministers could be portrayed as a gang of school bullies.
But there is no funding for such entertainment, and in the vacuum they are left to behave as caricatures of themselves.
We do have political satire in this country.
http://blog.labour.org.nz/
[lprent: Jumping pseudonyms requires that one of us has to release it from first time moderation. Eventually we stop making the effort and start filing them in spam. ]
You cant have political satire anymore, aunty helen made sure of that.
The ‘vacuum’ is a credible left-wing opposition movement, not television entertainment. Attacking the mad butcher is just the latest example of stupidity.
The mad butcher claims to be a working class hero can you get your handle around that.
Hence Labour’s crude smear techniques whereby its opponents must forever be dismissed as morally compromised.
Pointing out the truth is not a smear.
Go on Hilary – clearly you’re in the mood for Fentonesque satire – have a go at Sir Peter Blake. Why not have a go at knocking Sir Ed Hilary?
How about some pearls of ‘wisdom’ from Mills? Or that cockhole Larsen?
That’d be in keeping with the tone set by the emetic liberal-left this last week.
Sir Ed is a bit of a hero of mine, but he was also human and so was not perfect. He did have the wisdom to realise that himself.
Mr Bloggs called Mr Larsen a cockhole and then complains about how nasty the right are. Rather like the school bully reacting with indignation when his victim bloodies his nose.
Sorry I mean, how nasty the left are…
Oh cry me a river Millsy – I’ve been called far worse on this site, for saying far less offensive things that pondscum Larsen did…
But I’ve never wished death on anyone, least of all someone who’s contributed as much to the working class as Peter Leitch.
Scratch the surface Millsy and you’ll find a whole heap of people from both sides of the political fence who are disgusted at Fenton, Walls, Larsen and that ilk for what they’ve said.
Sir Mad’s stores sold low to medium grade meat products to people at the bottom of the food chain, literally. He became a philanthropist and a walking brand. Facing your own mortality can change people. 80s unionist Rob Campbell jumped the fence after his brush with a nasty cancer, maybe the Butcher did likewise, more likely maybe he is just naive politically, the alternative is not attractive.
You are trolling Joe Bloggs. You call Larsen pond scum and then protest indignantly about someone saying something not very nice.
So transparent, so hypocritical, so trollish …
Leaving the others out of it, for goodness’ sake, what did Fenton say that was so bad? Really?
Isn’t telling the truth a absolute defense vs defamation ?
Mr Larsen is clearly a cockhole………… or perhaps he is a cunt ?
You only get flack when you are flying over the target.
Wassa matter bloggs, worried about something? You attempts to discredit or provoke me in this juvenile fashion are starting to look pretty damn desperate.
You only get flack when you are flying over the target.
[deleted]
Thanks for the free promotion : )
Wouldn’t it be ironic if you were picked up to do an add for National or the Mad Butcher chain.
[lprent: I don’t think he is an accountant. Perhaps you meant ‘ad’, which itself is short for advertisement. But such complexities are (alas) beyond you. This clown has now been banned for being an idiot troll who writes comments agreeing with his other identity. ]
Can somebody delete the above comment/ban this idiot? One git contacting Cambell’s employer is bad enough, but publicising his workplace is an invitation to the various whackjobs that lurk here to have a go as well, when the matter is completely unrelated to his employment.
[lprent: He was permanently banned earlier in the moderation sweep for being an idiot troll. In particular for using a second identity to support himself. ]
Larsen I very much doubt if his posts will ever look as desperate as a person wishing death on another human.
As Leitch, Fenton and yourself included are held accountable by their words you can never back down on your stupid staement about Leitchs death.
I will also make a stupid statement and suggest to you if I ever see you in public I will plant one right mug and you can spit some teeth out, ps Hayden Mahoney is the name so you it proves that i will stand up to foolish words as well.
Now we see the good old fashioned Tory tactic of threatening violence.
Bit early to be on the piss, Hayden. Good luck with your anger management issues though.
Thank you Voice of reason, not partaking of drink at the moment. However i really think it demonstrates the “he said so I can say” type of debate that seems to be used by many in here.
Millsy yes I was threatening violence which you seem to think is very bad and a standard technique, however it is a threat not a wish of death. There is a difference there.
I am in no way saying my words were correct however if a person wishes death on another person then they do need to be receptive to emotive responses in reply.
Hmmm, just as an aside, you do know that threatening violence is a crime, Hayden? And the difference between the assault you are threatening and death is more often than not a matter of luck. Like this, which didn’t even involve hitting someone.
Point taken VOF and I had posted a statement of retraction before I read your post.
Sweet as.
Bashing is not the way to resolve anything like this, it just plants one bad credit on another.
Campbell, your reputation has spread around the blogs quite a bit, and yeah, it’s hard to escape Google. If you stand by what you’ve said and accept any repercussions that’s your choice.
So I should apologize or else I deserve whatever I get? Is that what you are saying?
This little ‘incident’ is starting to reveal just how far some people are prepared to go to supress political commentary.
If butcher is the great guy that people say he is wouldnt he be horrified to know that abuse and threats of violence are being levelled on his behalf at someone who is only having their say.
The haters here seem to think that he would want me beaten up or abused – doesn’t that make them the ones that are bringing sir Peter into disrepute?
It’s not about suppressing political commentary, it’s expressing opinions on someone’s commentary. Has anyone tried to stop you saying or posting anything?
You can say or post what you like, and people can respond as they see fit, as long as the moderators allow it.
One of the things about the internet is that spur of the moment comments are in effect permanently recorded and available worldwide. More than a few will be caught out by that, sometimes a long time later.
Spur of the moment comment – that is precisely why all this supposed outrage is so ridiculous – if only my wishes were enough to change the world.
The discussion that followed was helpful in advancing peoples understanding of celebrity endorsement and the role it is likely to play in this election – not everyone wants that discussion to occur – that is why I have been subjected to such abuse.
I think people were offended by what you said, they weren’t trying to stop the following discussion. Hawk has realised his comments were over the top and inappropriate and followed up with a full apology – good for him for doing that – and you are still trying to divert blame to others “shutting down comment” and trying to pass the outrage off as ridiculous.
Try taking some real responsibility for what you posted. Sir Peter is widely liked and admired, try and understand how offended many people have been.
I hope you can learn something from this., eventually
Whatever Pete – I’m not about to apologize because you think I should. Hawk is a psycho, retraction or no. There is no comparison between his threat and my comment.
What I have learnt from this is that Peter has some very foul mouthed OCD friends who like to troll on blogs – he really should find better friends.
It’s not for me to think you should, your choice entirely whether you apologise or not, but if you keep blaming any subsequent kerfluffle on everyone and everything other than yourself donj’t be surprised if this keeps coming back to bite you on the bum.
Sir Peter is widely liked and admired
By whom?
I really have no idea who he is apart from occasional advertising of meat and other business and self-promotion (none of which I ever found to be of any particular interest). I gather from what Helen has said at various times that he is a warriors fan.
But I have never seen him say or do anything of any note by my standards. But I learnt that his appearance on anything I was watching was time to change channels
Of course I have never watched much TV, sports, or read the drivel sections of print media, or listened to commercial radio.
Essentially to me he is a non-entity.
By whom?
By ex Labour voters. The Labour Party risks becoming the non-entity.
What in the hell does that have to do with my comment? Just evidence that you’re a bit of vacuous loudmouth?
Pete George is worried about Labour becoming a “non entity”?
Dude you better look in the mirror and see what party you are standing for lol
Hi Campbell.
Welcome to the world of RWNJs. It is a bit like the borg. The instruction goes out to divert attention from stuff like credit rating downgrades to stuff like … well anything. The worst thing is that your comment was in terms of blogging quite mild, but this does nonstop the wing nuts from their faux angst.
You should see what Slater does. He continuously abuses and insults people but anyone who does the same to him and he then complains about rough treatment.
Commiserations about the idiot who emailed your work.
I just wish that they would realise that the left want a contest of ideas, not a violent winner take all confrontation.
Mr Larsen I stand corrected and realise my comments to you were foolish and wrong. Threating violence is not a wise option and I was wrong to post in such a manner.
I apoligise for my words and wish you the best in your future, I was not commenting on the political stance of yourself but rather the comments on a persons death.
I would not carry out my threat to you and once again present my regret on my statement, I hope that by posting as you did you sufffer no ill fortune through the acts and words of others as I attempted to do you to. As they say two wrongs do not make a right, so I to will stand shamed for my ill thought out remarks.
Had any luck Hawk? http://badoo.com/01096401528
On none at all, such is life. LOL…
I did indeed and would like to thank Ianupnorth for alerting me to the fact that I was still listed as a registered. That coupled with the fact that it was able to be noticed by people with google.
So a slight heads up that activites you do years ago unless closed down can be still traced. 🙂
True! If I google my real name, the first hit is my having signed the condolence book for John Nathan Turner (Doctor Who producer who died in 2002 or thereabouts!) Not that I mind, but it’s far from the only thing I’ve done before or since.
Worse still, when I google my name, I find stuff has been uploaded with my name attached related to activities long before the advent of the http://WWW... from the 1960s. This includes class photos from the 60s, uploaded to one of those old friends sites, with every member of the class in the photo named. Why on earth does the person who uploaded this think that any of us wanted that kind of public visibility?
They just think “well, I don’t mind, so why should they?”. My son has been very firm with me, that I must not put photos of anyone without their express permission, so all my Facebook photos are of those family members who either have given permission or are beyond asking (dead and gone.) No school photos! 🙂
Some of the comments on this thread are so politically correct – meaning the only political stance that is correct (or allowed) is that of the current right wing administration.
Yay more votes to switch to the Greens due to the incompetent Labour clowns thinking that the left vote belongs to them, fancy attacking the Mad Butcher, the words pathetic and vacuous spring to mind.
Keep going Labour supporters, self destruction is a beautiful thing to watch.
As a green supporter I thank you…
******************************P.S. Can anyone advise me if ‘myspace’ is a greenie
Feeling righteous does not serve working class New Zealanders. Every time there has been any progress sticking it to this government over their bad management of the economy, some dickhead like Mallard, Curran or Fenton plants their foot firmly in their mouth. Cheered on by fools.
handle.
Maybe the intelligent New Zealanders intending to vote this 26 November will have read the real back stories and will not be swayed by celebrity vote.
As one of those ‘fools’ you have accused of ‘cheering’ people on, I would prefer to use my freedom of expression rights still available to me as and when I please, not when you please.
Sometimes it is more important to have a say than stay silent when so many Key-paid crosby textor ringins are attacking.
Freedom of speech will always be my thing, and I will continue to say that when people like Peter Leitch in 2008 said he didn’t get involved in politics because Helen Clark was the current Prime Minister, yet deliberately politicises his intended vote for Key in 2011, and several posters have steadfastly maintained that he also used his illness for the sympathy vote for Key, I have the right to call his actions hypocritical, irresponsible and reprehensible.
It is also important to remind the populace, that seem to have very short memories, of the vicious, lying attacks on Helen Clark in the leadup to the 2008 election. I haven’t forgotten. That remark of Campbell Larsen was nothing compared to that time when New Zealand politics and religion, thanks to the rightwing parties, drove New Zealand to the baser part of its underbelly when a woman politician became our Prime Minister and a centre-left one at that. That savage ugliness is rearing its head again this year.
You see, this year is very important to the neo-conservatives; it will be the moment, if Key makes it back in, to put the final touches to the sell off of New Zealand and open up the surrounding environment to the mineral hunters, the oil searchers and everything else that will damage my beloved country, with greed the only motivator – jobs being such a small number and the financial benefit to all New Zealanders minute – the future environmental damage irreversible.
How this election eventuates will inform me better than anything else just how many braincells people have got when it comes to making their decisions based on policy or PR. I don’t mean on Key or Goff. I mean on the future impact of both left and right policies and that is always to be examined alongside the influences on left and right and the teams of left and right.
Very well said!
Mouthing off about ‘rights’ may make a certain type of person feel better but it does nothing to win elections.
handle, if you have to sell your soul to ‘win’ the election it hasn’t been worth it.
Jum, superb words!
Absolutely fascinating the news is:
First I read this headline:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/5714576/Southland-a-great-place-to-raise-kids-parents
Then I read this one:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/5714575/ES-urged-to-speak-up-on-dirty-lignite
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1109/S00619/folly-of-governments-hands-off-approach-to-lifting-skills.htm
I’m interested in what these trades academy places are that Anne Tolley is talking about?
Have the NActs shut down one successful way of teaching skills for another ‘same’ under a different name, costing us all a mint and achieving nothing new but slowing down progress?
The first trades academy type classes were individual school initiatives, which started before National was in power.
Tech teachers concentrating on BCITO, BCATS and other pre trade qualifications is not new.
KJT,
Thank you very much for that information.
Jum
KJT,
I found this site:
http://www.branz.co.nz/cms_show_download.php?id=fb36baaea67856c30dd169b6bece6e68759c288e
(BUILD October/November 2007)
the piece was published in 2007.
I looked at the completion figures quoted on page 3 and while they were low, at that time there was low unemployment and the mainly up to 25 years participants (61%) would have been changing employment/training not realising the world was going to fall in.
Also, that graph was reflecting 2006 figures.
I will quote a little from it which shows how much was being done for youth in 2007.
‘CONSTRUCTION TASTER IN SCHOOLS
After consultation with the education sector and industry, the BCITO established that there was a need in schools for a construction industry ‘taster’ course. As a result, the Building, Construction and Allied Trade Skills (BCATS) initiative has been developed – two new entry level qualifications being introduced by the BCITO and BETA Group (Built Environment Training Alliance) for year 11 and 12 students.
The qualifications give students an array of skills that can be applied across a broad spectrum of construction sector areas. On top of the newly developed BCATS unit standards that are construction specific, the qualifications will integrate with core areas of the school curriculum and NCEA. By providing construction-related examples in a number of core subjects, they will encourage maths (for example) to be taught in the classroom as well as being reinforced in the workshop.
The BCITO is working with schools throughout the country and aims to roll out the BCATS qualifications in 2008.
Providing an introduction at school to a career in the building and construction industry helps young people to make informed decisions about a career path. They can then enter an apprenticeship with a strong grounding – an attractive proposition for future employers. ‘
I’ve looked up BCITO’s current website; at first sighting it appears they didn’t exist before National appointed them to run the trades academies… until I found this further on:
http://www.bcito.org.nz/sites/bcito.org.nz/files/file_attachments/2008-issue-1.pdf
talking about Gateway.
I was teaching BCAT’s on practicum in 2008. Both schools had been doing similar programs, for quite a few years before, for engineering and motor trades. http://www.mito.org.nz/
ITO’s were first set up in 1992, I think. Part of “Modern Apprenticeships”.
The building and construction ITO was one of the first. http://www.bcito.org.nz/
Schools were using ITO materials previously for tech students.
KJT,
I guess what I am trying to say here is that I and many others are sick of name changing and complaining about a programme that carries on the same under another political party but with a different name; it costs money, people lose faith and youth most importantly feel used.
Can you tell me what is happening now?
I was also encouraged to find a site about Morrinsville College’s plans for years 12 and 13 re transition studies and in general studies to suit all students. Maybe the teachers, parents and school boards are working together on behalf of their students, sons/daughters for a better outcome. That would be nice.
These are actually requirements from the new New Zealand curriculum.
Which was the result of years of consultation, research and reference to worldwide best practice.
Unlike National standards, which was a knee jerk by ideological politicians. And conflicts with most of what we know about effective education.
IEP’s (Individual education plans), to suit students strengths and needs are required for all students.
The ITO and NCEA standards need a good tidy up to meet the new curriculum requirements, as most were written before the curriculum was adopted. This is now in progress. So long as it is not identified for funding cuts.
Trade academy type classes, at least in the schools I have been involved in, are working well. However they have existed for a long time now. Were just called Technology classes in:. Automotive, Engineering, Furniture etc.
Schools get a little annoyed when politicians take credit for things which were initiatives by schools and their communities.
KJT said: ‘Schools get a little annoyed when politicians take credit for things which were initiatives by schools and their communities.’
I’ll bet they do!
I noticed that when Heatley was interviewed on The Nation this morning he did not disclose to the country that there was an income formula.
Due to being on the Housing New Zealand list I thought that I would go and look at some of the places that I could be offered. I spoke to a person on NZ super who has been in a HNZ 1 bedroom for two decades. The following is a summary of what I was told.
HNZ don’t listen.
People walk through the complex and they don’t live here.
There is no fencing.
There was a home invasion a few months ago and a woman was beaten up.
A car window was broken last week.
A rough guy lives there, he is on his last chance and his mates stay over and sometimes their pit bulls roam.
Stereos are heard all the time.
Bottles are smashed.
One lady moved out because she could not take the addiction problems.
My other observations
One complex is really untidy and families live there.
The properties are close together.
The weeds are over grown.
Rubbish is not picked up.
Old couches are in carports.
HNZ need to supply every six months a huge bin for dumping rubbish and another bin for weeds as a lot of people cannot afford to dispose of rubbish.
Now that the most poor, unwell and aged (providing they meet the income formula) could be housed, I fear that social problems are going to escalate and ghettos (cramping, people living in fear who easily become angered) is the future HNZ.
Heatley is going to subdivide larger properties. For now no one is being turfed out of their HNZ property, no doubt this will occur after the election if National gets back in. The average income for a person in a HNZ property is the minimum wage and where does Heatley think they can afford to live.
This item of news contradicts the folklore that builds around institutions.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10755731
V8 Supercars to race at Whenuapai.
Anyone who has played a round of golf on the RNZAF golf course, which runs outside the runways of the military base, will know that if you hit a ball anywhere near the runway you will be subject to prosecution for trespass. Theory has it that there are apparently people on 24 hour surveillance patrol.
And suddenly the runways (through ministerial assent – no doubt as a result of
John’ll-fix-it intervention) are going to be opened up for at least 72 hours for a load of petrol heads to wander around at will.
Well, who would have thought it?
Hey, it’s the North Shore; hopefully Ben can get in and put a dampner on this drivel. What’s wrong with using Hampton Downs or Taupo?
Yeah but there are a hell of lot of petrol heads out there in the west and Whenuapai borders John’ll-fix-it’s electorate. Paula could do with a fillip as well.
Do you remember the protestations from the NATs when Waitakere wanted to push for this to become a commercial airport? “No this is a strategic defensive piece and must remain so…” Ah, well.
I see the bloody useless NZ Herald has got a story on the Warrior’s late Sonny Fai as the number one news story most affecting New Zealand this afternoon.
Fucking ingrates posing as media journalism.
Colonial Viper,
In the final countdown you cannot wholly blame the media for printing what the mainstream NZers want.
They still seem happy to read the ‘stuff’ that the same type of people who paid for murder victim’s phones to be hacked… are continuing to spew out.
I would happily sue them but nobody wants to support that – yet.
I see the sense in what you are saying but surely just one media channel could pitch their wares at the large group of New Zealanders who would like to see some substantial news analysis and coverage.
Colonial Viper – agree 100 per cent.
Unfortunately, our journalists aren’t that principled and our television stations aren’t that objective and the average New Zealander really doesn’t give a shit.
Sorry – I wish I could share better news.
PS Channel 7 did that – sort of, but Key is getting rid of it. No one is marching in the street and it appears that Russell Brown has been bought and sold…
I hope people fight Key’s smiling fascism before it is too late.
Actually, we can. Their job isn’t to give what people want but what they need which is credible and reliable information at which our MSM completely fails.
Draco T Bastard,
True; that is the utopian New Zealand thinking.
Unfortunately, the owners of media don’t want New Zealanders to live the good life because their profits are all that matters and people want to buy those papers that tell them lies. I know you want to believe the best of New Zealanders but quite frankly, Draco T Bastard, those honourable New Zealanders no longer exist in any great number. Why do you think Key got voted in on a smile and a bribe of undelivered $50 tax cuts?
Your contempt for voters is irresponsible.
No handle, just a sad understanding from going through the fallout of almost two elections now that tells me people can not believe that John Key could possibly be the massive disappointment he will be.
Also, that the governments including Douglas, Richardson and Key/Douglas have fed people the line that greed is good and objective judgement, critical analysis of policy from parties is bad and celebrity endorsement is all a government needs to run a country.
Your continued indictment of one poster that chooses to air their own opinion is now beginning to worry me. Who are you and what are your reasons for attacking my freedom to have an opinion. We can go on with this ‘conversation’ as long as you like but I generally like to have a useful debate; so far you are not providing that.
Yes, it’s all about you, dear.
CONdescending little prick
whaa…?
On her 8.08pm message it was: “Your contempt for voters is unappealing.” What’s with this person?
My hope is that people will actually concentrate on what is being perpetrated by government upon them. She/he could better spend their time telling Key that his contempt for voters is irresponsible/unappealing.
Just another anonymous, bored little troll, Jum. To be forgotten in a day…
That attitude just typifies Labour’s failings. What an embarrassment you lot are.
handle – two sentences with something resembling a purpose; see if you can handle that.
Rihanna’s emergency bikini wax is news (TV1, Stuff) but Occupy Wall Street doesn’t get a mention? Shame on our news media.
Di:
No MSM is covering the wall street protests it would seem.
If it got to be a million people, then they might.
How about 46 million people on Food Stamps.
Is that enough, or is the MSM going to ignore all of them too?
Easily a million, and millions more globally in support. In several US cities already and starting to spread to Australia. Tomorrow sees a new push.The flashmob in Queens Street today is a hint that it could even reach NZ.
This was covered by the Dompost today,
“Navy marches through Wellington”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5716264/Navy-marches-through-Wellington?comment_msg=posted#post_comment
This was not – except on the National Radio website,
“March against police surveillance bill”
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/87042/march-against-police-surveillance-bill
I have an acquaintance of mine – “Al”, an ACT supporter of all things! – who took part in the march. He was handed a loudspeaker and he started chanting some pretty good anti-government slogans.
There’s hope for “Al” yet!
As for the meainstream media not convering the protest… shameful! (I’ll have more on my blog soon. Just waiting for some pics to arrive.)
The Labour MP’s are nothing but a pack of nutters. Imagine having a crowd like that running the country. Thank god for the John Key’s of this world. The national government have kept this country stable, and I hate to think what it would of been like at this stage with the Labour halfwits. The way Darien Fenton and Louisa Wall have put down Peter Leitch is nothing short of disgusting, Phil Goff should be ashamed of himself for allowing types like that out of the kennel.
Dianne
At one time it was okay for the rich and powerful to fete the politician, and what flowed from that relationship was generally considered of no ill effect. The Prime Minister could also be seen in the company of the successfully wealthy and even be ‘matesy’ with the monied without both coming across as sycophantic or the relationship thought ill advised. And then there was ‘murdoch-gate’ where the relationships were exposed for what they truly were – avenues for corruption.
I have been in the company of the mad butcher, I have even masticated on his meat. He is a decent man – not a god above reproach.
People have every right to criticise the relationship or to make disparaging remarks about the mad butcher or anyone else they an issue with – its called free speech. Dislike the nature of the free speech but it is completely ‘nutty’ from a democratic perspective to not defend the right to free speech no matter how offensive it is found on a personal level. A democracy demands no less.
Adele, your wording makes me think of MB’s radio advert, the squickiest jingle in creation … “You can’t beat/The Mad Butcher’s meat”… It’s not just on commercial radio, it’s on the BBC WS! (Which has adverts now, and has for maybe the past 2 years, though not on Sundays!) 🙂
Vicky,
I got the notion to play with the theme ‘meat’ from an earlier post of yours. So thank you for the initial prompt. 🙂
It’s good, thanks! 😀
Yeah, Dianne, because Labour didn’t leave this country $16.7 billion in debt; borrowing $380 million a week; cutting taxes twice, when we couldn’t afford it; and seeing unemployment double in three years. No, it was National who achieved that.
Thank god for the John Keys of this world, huh?
So far, this is the debt John Key is leaving us: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/5106876/Government-debt-rises-to-71-6-billion?comment_msg=posted#post_comment
And this has been John Key’s legacy in job creation: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10692801
Enjoy.
Frank its $77billion National are borrowing to buy this election $18 billion a year they are borrowing Dianne interest going up by $600 million really stable i suppose with a personality like yours you could call it stable in the same sort as the Greek stable.
Quite true.. Mik e. I didn’t make my post above as clear as I could have. (That’ll teach me to post at such an ungodly hour, without caffeine in my bloodstream…)
To back up your comments; http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/5106876/Government-debt-now-71-6-billion?comment_msg=posted#post_comment
Just imagine if Labour had borrowed that amount of money. The rightwing blogosphere would be in melt-down, and calling for armed revolution.
But when National does it – well, that’s ok, chaps, would you like fries with that $77 billion?
Dianne foreman I presume
Dianne I find it even more disgusting that you should suggest that two respected female Labour MPs are dogs.
Care to apologise?
Double standards Greg? Do you remember posting:
“The worst thing is that your comment was in terms of blogging quite mild, but this does nonstop the wing nuts from their faux angst.”
Do you remember posting:
“The worst thing is that your comment was in terms of blogging quite mild, but this does nonstop the wing nuts from their faux angst.”
Yes Pete
There is a typo and the sentence is a bit non sensical.
I meant to say
The worst thing is that your comment was in terms of blogging quite mild, but this does not stop the wing nuts from their faux angst
And I am struggling to understand your criticism. Dianne whoever he or she is jumps up and down about a rather muted criticism of Leitch and then essentially calls a couple of Labour MPs dogs. I am merely pointing out the hypocrisy of this.
If you can point out where I have criticised Leitch you might have a point but I am certain that you will not be able to do so.
I’ll spell it out.
You find it “disgusting that you should suggest that two respected female Labour MPs are dogs.”
(Actual statement: “Phil Goff should be ashamed of himself for allowing types like that out of the kennel.” which I think is certainly over the top)
And you refer to wishing death on someone as “a rather muted criticism of Leitch”.
Pete George – defending and celebrating the abusive, threatening bullies on blogs.
My ‘retraction’ was posted long ago:
“Obviously I don’t actually wish him an untimely death – after all it’s not like I was threatening to catapult a bus onto him – chortle -”
There will not be an apology.
Stop wasting peoples time and trying my patience.
Oh Pete
1. Saying that Goff let the two MPs “out of the kennel” is suggesting they are dogs.
2. You have taken my comment out of context. I said that the comment “was in terms of blogging quite mild” and I stand by that. Just check out the sewer.
3. Please point out where I used the words “a rather muted criticism of Leitch”. I cannot find it and I am pretty sure I did not use these words.
I did use those words but in describing Fenton’s statement about Leitch. Way to take phrases out of contex Pete Squirrel.
If you want to imply someone is a bitch Dianne, please look in the mirror.
If you are Dianne Foreman, and it sounds exactly like something she would say, you are exactly what keeps women in a subordinate position. I can see why you would want that, given your subordinate position to Don Brash and co, and also as a rotundtable associate, not allowed at the big table of the boys. Still, many National supporter women have stated that there shouldn’t be so many women in parliament which proves the point about NAct women wanting men to make their decisions for them and play the weak little females – pathetic.
We know, if you are Dianne Foreman, that you are as cunning as your phallic symbol John Key, in e.g. arranging special fundraising dinners where rich businessmen in Tower and Talley, etc. the business thieves of the rotundtable that are slavering at the lips over the prospect of finally owning all our precious all-New Zealander-owned assets, tobacco barons helped by the Matthew Hootens and Owen Glenns of New Zealand lobbying to deliberately damage New Zealanders’ health, especially so many young Maori women, under most stress in this society, give John Key and NAct lots of cash because they will get to privatise everything at fire sale prices that once belonged to all-New Zealanders.
Still keeping up Dianne? – Long sentence I know but the list of crimes against you pondscum is growing ever longer. Eventually more New Zealanders will start taking some responsibility in finding this out for themselves. Meanwhile The Standard is doing their work for them. Eventually more New Zealanders will begin to understand what they are sacrificing for their 30 pieces of gold.
Also, you won some business award with your icecream, which is enough to make anyone scream. It was soon after the fundraising dinner and the election you helped Key to win – payback for you. You may actually be a good entrepreneur but when you sell yourself to your particular ‘devil’ – in this case Key – it will never be clear why you won. It doesn’t seem to matter though where greed is involved.
She’s a private hospital owner and will be looking to gain wealth at the expense of New Zealanders when the health system is privatised.
And, if you, ‘Dianne’ are not Dianne Foreman, fine. Being Dianne Foreman is not a compliment and my sincere apologies for thinking you were.
But, I’ve been wanting to say this to Dianne Foreman for a very long time – she’s a disgrace to a New Zealand of social equity. She is a greedy elitist and and she will operate behind the scenes to bring people of the same low calibre of humanity into positions of power and affluence.
That will automatically exclude 90% of New Zealanders from the lifestyle that they work hard to gain and therefore deserve.
thats SO fukdup
Dan Carter out of entire RWC
That can’t be good.