A National Government led New Zealand has voted with the majority of the world in Legitimising the Palestinian cause.
While the Labour Government of Australia abstained.
Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr cited “intense pressure” on the Australian government from the US to actively vote against the resolution as the reason for their abstention.
No doubt the same sort of “intense pressure” would have come down on our government too. But instead of buckling and taking the weak and cowardly escape route from this pressure by abstaining. To their credit our government resisted this pressure and came down on the side of justice and decency.
There are questions raised by this anomaly.
How would a Labour Party in office react to such intense US pressure?
Would a Shearer led Labour government have buckled to US pressure as the Australian Labour Government have?
Why has the Labour Leader been silent on this issue?
Why when it has been carried in virtually every other media have there been no posts from The Standard authors on this historic UN vote?
Are the writers for The Standard and the Labour Party so sectarian that they won’t give credit to the government even when it is due?
Is this the reason for The Standard’s silence on this historic event?
If so then it shows why Labour is losing the people’s support. This sort of sectarian pettiness is just boring to most people.
Jenny, “The Standard” doesn’t decide to write or not to write on anything. The Standard is not part of the Labour Party. I have not party voted for Labour for a few elections. Each writer chooses what to write about when they have time. There are many pressing issues relevant to left wing NZ’ers.
Of course celebrate the historic decision. You also should refresh you knowledge of the site policies.
Who would know? As the New Zealand website that has anything to say on the issue, despite two requests for inclusion from myself, has still not been added to The Standard blog roll.
But if you are interested I will provide you some of the latest links.
Fuck off, Jenny. I said it on Twitter when I first saw your comment and I’ll say it again: I, for one, cannot be bothered with the pointless circular flamewar which any post on Israel/Palestine is likely to incite.
Implying that The Standard’s authors are involved in a conspiracy to not post about a certain issue is fucking ludicrous and probably likely to invoke moderator wrath. Didn’t you get a clue on that subject after the Cunliffe leadership beat-up?
Fuck off, Jenny. I said it on Twitter when I first saw your comment and I’ll say it again: I, for one, cannot be bothered with the pointless circular flamewar which any post on Israel/Palestine is likely to incite.
QoT
Thanks Thorns for providing us with your succinct rationalisation for self censorship.
But do you have to be such a potty mouth? This is, after all (hopefully). a family friendly website.
Jenny Jenny Jenny… I now this might come as a surprise to you but the english language includes lots of swear words, swear words that can be used on most blogs within reason to support an argument. As you’re clearly not new to The Standard, you should know that QoT’s clever use of various obscenities is well within the bounds of the moderation policy.
In fact the appropriate use of swear words like QoT’s ‘fuck off’ above is most appropriate and lends itself to the context of the debate by succinctly expressing distaste with your assertions. Fuck is also on the very light side of profanity and these days would only offend those who cannot debate the topic or prudes. Unfortunately your response means I cannot rule you out of fitting comfortably into both these clichés.
I was wondering why the government didn’t cave in to U.S. pressure too. Much as I’m grateful for it doing the right thing the cynic in me sees a trade with the Middle East position here, and a negotiating position with the U.S. – just letting them know that our interests lie in trade. Roll on the TPP.
Yes, while I was pleased to see Palestine get this bit of recognition (though not full member status), my mind yesterday was on some other pressing concerns for Kiwis – like the TPP and Bennett’s nasty little welfare reform bill that started getting submissions.
Agreed, CV. I almost commented that as well, but haven’t seen any MSM comment on how China voted.
Jenny. I signed an on-line petition demanding John Key sign for the UN inclusion of Palestine. The petition was circulated because there was doubt that Key would sign. Perhaps that petition persuaded Key, who knows. By the way, I am a Labour/Green supporter but I don’t see why I should give credit to National for doing a good thing, one of the very few good things they have done, it’s the least they could have done.
Rimutaka Electorate under threat from a weak Labour MP.
SInce Chris Hipkins was handed Paul Swain’s seat in 2008 it has been downhill for Labour and up, up and up for National in the Rimutaka Electorate (Upper Hutt).
Chris Hipkins is letting the National candidate, Jonathan Fletcher, eat his lunch and has no response. Seemingly Chris only likes fighting Labour people at Conferences and on TV. Chris is sitting in his comfort zone, the Parliamentary offices and Bellamy’s, where he previously played at being a staffer for Mallard, while Fletcher is hitting the streets of Upper Hutt.
Have a look at these figures:
The Labour party vote went from 48% in 2005 to 33% in 2011, while National went from 34% to 45% at the same time. The same poor performance also applies to the Electorate vote. Swain’s 55% has become Hipkin’s 51%, while Fletcher took the 2005 30% to 42% in 2011.
Hipkin’s intemperate behaviour at Conference and on TV has lost him much of the little personal local support he had. He never had much experience outside of the isolated space that is the Labour offices.
Maybe Rimutaka needs a more temperate and personable candidate in 2014.
Yes, well I’m a dyed in the wool, never voted for anything else other than Labour votor — and I sure as hell won’t be giving that little creep my vote in the next election!
Hipkins has fallen on his face as a whip, in his rush to get a portfolio. Whips who do not have the respect of the majority of Caucus become ineffectual.
Flunking in the electorate AND in his first adult role is a poor show. Screaming at members at Conference was damaging. Calling Cunliffe a liar on TV was obnoxious.
Was he trying to emulate Mallard? Is there something wrong with him?
Labour Party membership numbers in Rimutaka are not as healthy as they once were.
Not that they have ever been that strong, but according to locals under Hipkins the trend has been less promising. It may mark the over-emphasis he has on internal caucus activities and an under-emphasis on building up the party presence in his own electorate.
Well, I’m a member – what’s the process for getting him pushed from within and getting someone else?
Not even sure what the forum is for gauging local members’ support for dumping him
I’m not sure that I would condone a hostile de-selection of a sitting MP as it is a big step. To be serious, you would want to source a copy of the party’s constitution and become very familiar with all the relevant sections.
I’m assuming that there is some sort of democratic process whereby electorate candidates are selected.
As I say, I don’t know how this works, but surely if the members want a different representative it is their right to vote for a new one.
As for him being a sitting MP, It may well be that after the next election he will be that only if his list position is high enough.
As is said above, he is bleeding support amongst the general population of the electorate. The Nats spent a relatively large amount of resources in the electorate prior to the last election, I think because they smelt blood on the water.
This all adds up to a very tenuous position in what used to be a pretty red seat, both for party vote and electorate.
Adding the fact that he is, in my opinion, not a suitable candidate for me, as a consistent Labour voter to vote for leads me to believe that, should the local members be in the same mindset, he should be removed and replaced.
Actually, fuck it, I just read down comments regarding Tamihere.
If I can make some small contribution to taking out these bastards one at a time – I’m in.
There is a story going around the traps. In the house. Hipkins stands on the half million Ingram report on field. Even then he still comes across as school kid.
“It’s a sad indictment on society that this wee girl, there’s nowhere that she can go to be safe and so we leave her with a mother who is refusing a drug test even after she’s killed the little girl’s elder sister. It makes me feel ill.”
That quote appears to be a complete misrepresentation of the situation. Not surprising though, it’s from the sensible sentencing people. From what I can tell the child is being left with the mother, because to remove her at this stage would be incredibly damaging to the child. The judge made it clear that if that weren’t the case, the woman would go to jail.
Sensible sentencing would be to give the woman prescribed drugs, so she stops having to spend so much money on meth. Give her the support to stabilise her life. Those things will help the child.
Lyndon Hood’s latest, This Movie Sucks: NZ politics is a middle-earth script, and Hood makes a pitch to be a new writer for it.
How do I get a job with this nest of genius satirists?…
The older generation of satirists came out of newsrooms, but there seems to have been some kind of handover to a new team without so much journalistic experience. Bloggers, probably. Artsy types who don’t have that strong a grip of policy issues. Don’t quite grasp how it’s supposed to work. They’ll be the ones who decided to make a renegade German file sharer the most politically effective person in the country.
But they miss important details. Like how the ministers keep talking about the Treasury’s surplus as if that’s the same thing as fixing the national economy. That’s silly….
It’s hardly Shakespearian.
(Speaking of which: ‘Cunliffe wanders mad in the wilderness, giving stirring speeches to trees and rock on the need for economic management that reflect the real needs of the people.’ You can have that one for free.)
Or I could do the media: I have an idea for a subplot where they all start doing policy analysis.
But ultimately I’d like to do an episode of John Key. Who wouldn’t? The legendary postmodern horror story of a PM who only grows stronger the more he is mocked – to the point where his personal embarrassments provide a useful distraction from ongoing trainwrecks around actual policies. Whose actually name is (qui?) a dry multilingual pun. Love your work, Braunias.
No wonder Key is behind NZ doing some Dr Who eps! It’s a rellie of his!
-the VelociRapture (just fooling a round) Rock on The Standard. Live and Thinking Back at ya!
(we’ll be here 24/7 bringing you the best of what the Left has to offer, spinning those Platters 360 with
no interuptions)
So Joe, where do you see it all heading then, if you had to voice more than just some links, and actually put up a projection of how you saw things playing out, say over the nexy 10-30 years?
In a nutshell muzza, human activities appear to be influencing the planets heat sink, the oceans, and warmer water will contribute more moisture to the equatorial atmosphere so larger systems of longer duration pushing further north/south will be generated causing a rising number of severe weather events and dramatic shifts in rainfall distribution that will almost certainly result in agricultural/oceanic resource catastrophes which, when coupled with other resource shortages, will create conflict.
A survey of New Zealand postgraduate students has found that 40% are thinking of giving up studying because their eligibility for the student allowance is being stripped away next year.
That particular issue was raised by Green co-leader Metiria Turei today on Q+A… Both Judith Collins and Peter Dunne scoffed at her. Meanwhile they spread their propaganda on thickly about needing to increase innovation through education, but as I see it their policy changes are at complete odds with ensuring New Zealand has enough trained and skilled graduates to meet demand.
A potential 40% decline in graduations shouldn’t be simply dismissed by saying the research is incorrect. I mean how many times can National say the statistics showing their utter failure as a government are wrong and get away with it?
Fancy that! John Armstrong is praising Labour for getting its act together. And under Mr Shearer’s leadership too: Bold policy is a return to the old ways, and a worry for National.
Housing, a big part of Shearer’s keynote conference speech, is Labour’s bold policy focus as it promises to build 100,000 affordable homes in 10 years.
Housing, a big part of Shearer’s keynote conference speech, is Labour’s bold policy focus as it promises to build 100,000 affordable homes in 10 years. Photo / Mark Mitchell
NZ has been a financial hub for the globally corrupted since 1961 when we were handed over to the IMF/WB and thus those who sit behind those entities!
Most everything that has become wrong with/in NZ, stems from that! We handed over the gold reserves and most likely signed away rights to resources under the “conditions” of the loans received at the time, which would account for the way we the the DI.MI.SI attitude going!
Seeing the handover of our dairy industry now in full flight, farm debt a huge problem, having already lost control of food production by and large, along with the disputed water rights and energy generation, will complete the removal on NZ to ever be able to self sustain, we are at the mercy of foreign controlled entities, and we have not/will not be shown mercy, just look at what is going on to understand.
Personal Debt, City Debt, Farm Debt, Student Debt, National Debt!
New Lows In Broadcasting & Has National Started A Smear Campaign Against Winston Peters/ NZ First?
I saw what I thought was a disgusting news item on TV 3 the other night. At the centre of the headline is NZ First MP Brendan Horan. The story first surfaced on Sunday in print & tv, in all intent & purpose it to appeared to be a family dispute over a late mothers estate not uncommon when $$ involved. Hearing Winston Peters explain a family member had approached him some months ago with allegations against Horan, Peters said “show me some proof of any wrong doing” according to Peters ‘that never happened.’ Then this character goes to the media with a copy of a amendment document to their late Mothers Will, for all in sundry to see. An extremely vexatious & bizarre thing to do to a family member with a such a public profile. It seemed ‘suspect’ to hear she was terminally ill when the amendment was made. Having sadly known people in that state, drugs provides relief from pain, at the price of being mentally muddled as a result. So to me keeping an open mind, an element of duress has to be considered.
Back to the TV 3 news item that was bad taste & what aroused my suspicions of a politically motivated attack. What I found offensive was the filming at the Horan’s families late mothers grave site. In my view this was a bridge too far & breached decency from the broadcaster. Totally unacceptable & disrespectful to a family still morning the death ( died August ) of a loved one.
Secondly the reporter Brooke Sabin appeared to
the group I was watching the item with to show a sycophantic pleasure in covering this story. One of our group said “I wonder if he is related to National, Northland PM Mike Sabin?”
Bingo! It just happens to be the reporter Brook Sabin is Mike Sabin’s son!
Winston Peters & Mike Sabin have a history of bad blood. Without appearing to be a conspiracy theorist is it a coincidence his son took up this story? and is it the start of a politically motived attack to knock Peters out again? Have Crosby Texter had a part to play?
Your Opinions would be great 🙂
Skinny. I had a similar reaction to to about the hounding of Brendan Horan by that twerp on TV3. Seems that those worms like Garner, Gower etc enjoy hounding politicians from all parties EXCEPT National and Act. Biased?
Marsman yes it wouldn’t surprise me if Nat daddy got straight on the blower to his son Brook, had him chase for the story & inflict as much damage as he could milk. NZ First have got a few runs on the board lately against Key & Co. I can recall Horan championing something against the Nats in the House & in the media a few months back, so any opportunity to smear him sounds about right.
Did I not hear/read that Horan’s mother made a codicil a few mnonths before she died, at that same time two Doctor’s signed affidavits that she was fully “complis mentis” to make such a codicil so that nobody could say she was not right in her dottage.
Fox ‘someone’ has obviously put her up to do that. Did that someone call a family meeting to raise their concerns as you would? Or did they choose not too? It appears the later to me which is harsh on a lady dying. Another negative against that person.
Peters has done the right thing in standing Horan down. While a forensic anaylsis of Horan’s mother’s bank account is being done the media will feast on the statements of those involved. If Horan is defamed he can take this further and Peters comes out clean and he can then say it was a media beat up. If Horan has made false statements Peter’s will probably dump him if Horan does not resign. Peters has principles compared to Key.
Horan’s mother is being exploited by the media and family members appear to be in for the cash grab.
I want to know why the family did not appoint a lawyer to arrange the mother’s will when she was alive?
[ deep sigh ] A complete rinse and repeat from the climate change denialists, complete with reverential reference to the “Hockey Stick Illusion”. What is it with these people – do they think that if they repeat their lies often enough the science will disappear? In this instance, though, they are ignoring the science and attempting an “Unsworth” – attack the messenger. I beginning to wonder if perhaps the planet needs a climate catastrophe to bestir the somnamulent.
Actually, that’s exactly what they think. Or at least if they repeat the lies often enough, the science will be disguised by the impression that there is still fair-minded debate about the basics. So therefore the science that is reported is “balanced” by the other side of the “debate”. So the reality of the situation is disguised from as many people for as long as possible.
Going from LP’s random selective bans for “pointless abuse”, that should be getting you a week McFlock!
The week I got was helpful to appreciate that people just can’t/won’t see what is going on around them, perhaps its all just too much, perhaps they don’t have the faculties, most likely a combo of these, and more…
If my post seem more blunt at times, its because my patience for whats happening to NZ is running way out, and for those who won’t wrap their fat heads around the why, ran out long ago, so blunt it will be, along the way!
RL – No it was a serious question, as I was going to give a first hand account of what I have just seen happen in the AKL district courts but thought better of it, good call!
Frankly its getting too easy to be banned, and the reasons I am getting banned are not remotely evenly applied elsewhere, which indicates someone(s) have a got a beef.
As I said to LP its his sandpit, you guys police it, do what you want.
Just apply some consistancy, it looks like bias otherwise!
[RL: If you were trying to make a serious point you went about it very maladroitly. To the point where it just looked like nasty, unimaginative abuse to me and everyone else. I’ll give you one shot at convincing me there was more to this than what it looked like; otherwise the two weeks stands.
Moderation is not a machine; it’s a loose collective of people trying to read many hundreds of comments a day over a number of active threads. We’ll never be objective or consistent, and I’ve yet to see anyone we’ve ever moderated think we were being’fair’ at the time.]
I didn’t understand muzza’s comment to McFlock (it was completely context-less and then later not explained). But muzza did comment a couple of weeks ago, seriously, about child abuse rings, so I assumed the comment today was from something they have been thinking about.
It’s not my call, but I saw the comment as social ineptness or disconnect rather than tr*lling.
Hi Weka, there a a small number on these boards who have the nous to try take in wider context than any singular days posts, so good on you for that.
@ RL – Short version – For most of this year ive seen affidavits with impacts/links outside AKL to the suspected/known abuses. One particular case continues to be deferred, with the defendant having a 20+ year history of various abuses, “unchecked”. Reasons have been spurious at best, and the prosecution seemingly looking to make it go away and/or stuff it up. NZ is a shit pile of this type of behaviour, which many have the misfortune to be much closer to than they are aware!
Thats all I’m going to say on it, unless there is further which I can link to via the MSM or the LF link, which was in my post Weka pointed out above..
[RL: That’s gives it a better context, I’ll rescind the ban. The original line directed at McFlock was however clumsy and offensive, and on face value was always going to get the wrong kind of attention from a moderator. ]
Reckon you’ll have some more time to appreciate that superior intellect and wisdom you imagine you possess Muzza, when the moderators catch your latest piece of offensive and gratuitous malice. Do think of us, wont you.
And the point is, its got little to nothing to do with intellect, thats the primary issue. Most people are well capable of understanding, if only they started appreciating/accepting that there is likely, very little opportunity left to slow the sinking ship down.
[RL: The “how are the local pedo rings going down there” crack is not acceptable. It’s in the same category of boring old jibes like “your meds need adjusting”; ie unimaginative and gratuitously offensive. ]
Telling Aucklanders which buildings are likely to collapse in a moderate earthquake could generate panic or blacklisting of those properties, says a panel that heard public submissions on a draft earthquake-prone policy.
“The likelihood that the information will be misconstrued is significant as shown in the case of information released to the media earlier this year,” said the panel.
Ms Webster, who chaired the panel, said yesterday it was a difficult call because it involved private property versus the public right to know.
Good to know who contols Auckland then, as if thats not clear enough!
Has there been anything further to this, other the 393 buildings which have been named?
What is with your intrusion into the bedrooms of consenting adults.
If Mckellen wants to marry his beau when what business is it of yours? There are greater threats to society than a couple of old queens wanting to exchange vows.
Wow, Freud would have a field day working out your fixation with “The Gays” and marriage K_P. Whatever gets you up in the morning I suppose. I was surprised after Keys hatred of “Gay” Red Shirts that he was quite cosy mincing down the “Gay” Red Carpet. Anything for Lord Peter Jackson eh.
Good heavens! The NZ Herald is reporting that the NZ Council is letting Tamihere reapply for party membership. It just doesn’t make sense for the Party heirachy to bend over backwards to ensure all natural justice for Tamihere compared with none for David Cunliffe. Maybe they should have spent the money for some decent legal opinions focussing Tamihere’s behaviour and statements against the test for party membership. Probably the Council was more influenced by Shearer’s support for his mate.
But its sure as heck not feeling like the Labour Party is the political party for me anymore.
I have had a gut full of this! A handful of Labour caucus members who do not want the Labour Party to be the Labour Party but do not want to go away either, and determinedly go on making room for their flunkies. Is there something we can do about it as members, apart from get very angry, and work out whether to vote Mana or Green? I can even imagine the Greens beating Labour in the next election, and Labour forming a coalition with National to keep the riff raff out. What lengths will these mediocrities go to in order to keep their places among “the people in the know.”
Is there something we can do about it as members, apart from get very angry, and work out whether to vote Mana or Green?
Hi Olwyn, I enjoy your comments, and its interesting to read the frustration in your words leaping off the screen of this one.
You could try going to police about the fact that there are criminal elements inside the LP, but it would not go very far, because, well the cops are bent too. Of course JT is wanted inside the LP by certain factions, he’s a natural fit given whats currently going on! The bloke is mates and more with Clint Rickards FFS, among others, and supported his application as a duty solicitor.
How is it that these types of people are controlling our world, and they continue to be elevated, or pulled back in, either way, they influence our lives? The answer should be self evident by now surely!
Hearing LP members being driven to consider voting elsewhere is exactly what is wanted, because voting for them, achieves the same thing.
I’m really not sure what the solution is, but I do know that options narrowing, quickly!
Why?, JT appeals to a tremendous amount of people out there, he’s a real asset to Labour.
Get him a seat to run in as soon as possible, the New Lynn seat’s coming free, stick him in that.
Yet when he ran for Mayor in west Auckland, long term mayor Bob Harvey still won – and at a time when many would have gone for someone different and younger, if only they had an alternative to vote for with more cred with the voters than JT.
Because his politics and personal beliefs are obviously “socially conservative”, or (to put it into the patois of the streets) “fucked in the head and a hundred years out of date”.
He should join National, or Density’s front organisation. He’ll get on okay with those equally atavistic folk. But even from a purely practical point of view, why would any party want as a member someone who publicly disenfranchises (even loathes) more than half of its other members and voters?
Left wing, even by pretension only, parties need to display integrity to their policies and principles. Giving jobs to shiny clowns just to get the small-minded vote is what tory parties do (not being as hobbled by principles or adherence to policy, of course).
Having just rejoined after many years in the wilderness I am gutted once again by the blatant disregard of the memberships wants and needs, I’m back off the greens again as an even more committed activist, what next for Labour, maybe Michael Lhaws will be invited to join as well!!
I guess the next thing we’ll hear is that King/Mallard have promised Tamihere the New Lynn seat. Olwyn – I just don’t know what we can do – I feel so powerless to stop Labour heading away from my values.
Strategically, I think I’ll hang on till February in case a member vote on the leadership is triggered. I think such a vote would pull everyone together and we could unite behind the leader whoever that was.
But the Council are a disgrace – they need to stop being so weak. I’d heard Grant Robertson has been stacking his people onto Council and LECs up and down the country – it seems to be coming true. If there is no member vote in the New Year, I’ll walk after that. I’ve had a gutsful too! And this Labour Party has moved too far away for me to embrace.
A swing to the right. A swing to the lowest common denominator. Victory for red-necks. If Robertson thinks that Tamahere will win votes in west Auckland he is a fool. We already have a good voting count. Westies remember that Tamahere walked from the Teust with $190k after tax the last time .
The labour leadership has lost the plot.
As a Westie (one who didn’t vote for Tamihere as mayor – ABT), I am pretty disgusted – well will be if he is selected as a candidate. He abused the Labour Party during the Conference – and indulged in some gleeful gay-baiting. I haven’t seen Cunliffe do anything like that.
When you consider how Cunliffe has been punished for doing so much for Labour, and how Tamihere is being rewarded for blatant destructiveness …. there is only one possible interpretation, deliberate provocation.
I’m thinking that the right-wing caucus faction is quite happy to burn off as much left-wing membership as possible before the February election.
I’m thinking that the right-wing caucus faction is quite happy to burn off as much left-wing membership as possible before the February election.
Well, they’re in for a shock then aren’t they. Everybody is hanging in there for the February election, and there’s even more left-wingers who have just joined the Party.
karol there are two systems of justice in play in the Labour Party at present. The justice meted out to those inside the King/Mallard leadership club, and that imposed on those on the outer. The real pity is that there is no effective check and balance against this by the Labour Party President et al of the Council. Shame on them all. And the Labour Party won’t be a sorted force to be rekoned with in an election until this double standard is weeded out. Unfortunately Shearer is now fully implicated – no hiding behind the King/Mallard apron on this. If you were waiting to see we’re Shearer would lead…..have you got the pattern yet?
Have been wondering why John Armstrong was praising Shearer so cloyingly today in the Herald. Wasn’t Robertson said to be the one Labour person to get on well with The Gallery? Is his relationship with them so good that there some hidden agenda or a ‘reached understanding between certain parties’ such that one David can be so hammered by the media for apparently doing nothing,whilst Shearer is praised to the heights for an average speech by autocue and now Armstrong penning this oddity http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10851136 Not to mention the strange return of JT.
So many things about the caucus since the Labour Conference are beginning to seem ‘not quite right’ or maybe ‘too right’ if you will excuse the pun. Is there a hidden Game (of Thrones) Plan, and why?
I think Grant Robertson’s relationship with the Gallery is actually just a referral from the right faction boss Annette King. King has been “feeding” and “grooming” John Armstrong, Vernon Small and Claire Trevett for a long time.
It is a very interesting exercise to look back on each of these Gallery journalists articles – you can see clear patterns in their reporting. I’ve always considered Small and Trevett to be lightweights but once upon a time I had some respect for John Armstrong. But even he doesn’t seem able to find an original thought in the past year.
Looks like Robertson has decided that he is the embodiment of all the true Labour ideals and so therefore everything he does to ensure his leadership of the party is justified. Omelettes and eggs and so on. He forgets that when you say that the means justifies the end, you forget that the means is the end.
if it is that hard to prize open the grip of those usual suspects in both the Labour caucus and the mainstream media, what is the point of a challenge in February 2014? Surely a loss would be turned into a win, a win turned into a loss.
yes I saw that they have “approved” JT *sigh*. anyway NSW “above normal Max temp and fire season
also,
but then “I’m only happy when it rains…pour your misery down on me…Garbage.
BBC-Assange “Swedes have their heads in the ground”
Senior U.S Republican source-the fiscal cliff regulation agreements (not) “are really going nowhere”
Last minute folks, roll up…roll up…
furthermore on CNN,” disappointing U.S and Eurozone economic figures”
RT-“The Electronic Intifada” hmmmm.
Endgame in the M.E.? Israel on the defensive; and we all know how a dog behaves when it’s cornered.
meanwhile, on SKY; “growing threat of U.S storms occuring; naturally occuring exceptional period of
Hurricanes (“and I’m gettin blown away…I am just a dreamer but you are just a dream…you could have been any thing to me) AND Climate Change, oh well, it’s not like there haven’t been signs!
ol’ Bri-“there goes His Hero…watch him as he burns”
The Breeders? “Cannonball”; is that a Deal Kim?
More Horror Road Crashes…say no more
Tamihere in. Now there is something to think about.
Arm was strong heralding the “power of the state to build houses” as scribed by the Parker Pen
(not a fan of “chippy” but then what would i know)
“Shot down in flames…aint it a shame…to be shot down in flames…yet we could always build a RONs
I’ve made my calls over the last hour and this seems to be correct. Grant Robertson also spoke strongly in favour of giving Tamihere another chance.
In addition to courting the Maori vote, the strategy appears to be to help Labour cast off any remaining image of being ‘bleeding heart’ left wing. Jones and Tamihere to be given wide latitude in this.
I can’t help thinking that this call from the leadership is misguided.
It’s an insult to women and gays for the LP leadership to even consider having Tamihere stand! Definitely misguided. No principles! Anything to get elected and keep their status in the LP.
Yes its part of a concerted strategy by the Leadership team and its puppeteers (King/Mallard) to take Labour to the right. Roger Douglas must be laughing out loud today.
And that silly, weak Moira Coatsworth says its about “the need to be a party in unity and move on together” (TV3 News tonight). When did Tamihere EVER contribute to unity in the Party?!!!!
If that sexist and animal abuser is in the Labour Party then I am no longer a Labour supporter. I will be voting Greens unless David Cunliffe gets in and shows a fraction of the common sense of the idiots in the party at present.
Well, I have been content to vote Green while waiting for Labour to become a credible left wing party again, i.e. promoting social justice for all sections of the community rather than pandering to the middle-class neoliberal media.
So, now, in order to try to attract a section of the community they haven’t supported well-enough fr a while, they want to jettison another section of the community – but not their allegiance to the media & neoliberal consensus. They are truly a confused bunch.
If Tamihere stands as a candidate in West Auckland, I’ll do something I’ve never done before – join a party (the Greens) and go out on the streets campaigning for them. That’s how angry the idea of a return of Tamihere makes me.
Why what’s wrong with Tamihere?
John will be a lifeline for the party when it has it leadership election in February.
As the labour party has got no one else.
well, just for a Rogue opinion, this “Tamihere” thing is not going to end well; might as well have pulled
the pin and placed said pin between teeth; Jesus Wept, but what would he know as Benghazi is suggesting? A big fat diabetic NO to JT is my opionion; this is going to end in tears and that is my last
word on the matter; very sad day, yet he is not a candidate yet God Help us 🙂
meanwhile, Christchurch does not appear well at all, not at all, no Siree Gerry.
meanwhile, a new level of “ruthlessness” in Syria and TPTB have shut the “net” down; suplise suplise.
meanwhile, great infrastructure support for East Timor from China, God Bless China and the CCP
(we look forward to the third-year plan implementation)
🙂
To select Tamahere and demote Cunliffe in the one month is a direct snub to the working class credentials of Labour.
To suggest Tamahere is there to encourage a racially and tolerant image for Labour is a joke. He appeals to pakeha rednecks who will never vote for a left Labour.
This is direct challenge to the ethnic Sector, Carmel Sepuloni, David Cunliffe and all the members who voted for a modern open democratic Labour Party.
Shearer and Robertson must think the Conference was a vote of confidence in their stunning performance of the past year
Shearer and Ribrrtson must think the Caucus 100% vote meant they had won control back from the members!
NO, NO. NO.
Shearer and Robertson are in for a wake-up call.
I am afraid you are quite correct Jazzabelle. My gut instinct to turn from Shearer after his unjust and distasteful actions last week is now justified. He showed his true colours then and now others are being revealed to be wearing his mark and it is not the mark or colour of the type of person I can support let alone unite with. Moira Coatsworth is whistling in the wind as far as I am concerned. I feel sure nothing good is going to come of this. If it is possible I will vote accordingly in February.
I’m not so sure they are in for a wake up call! King/Mallard have a very firm and vicious grip. And the Leadership team does whatever they suggest because they don’t actually have the skills to lead.
And why? Because King/Mallard do not qualify for a Parliamentary pension. They cannot afford to leave their Parliamentary incomes for a goodly while.
King/Mallard are poisonous and the Party hierachy needs to grow a spine and rise up and challenge them.
I don’t know about the hierarchy (I do – they don’t have a spine), but the party membership has always had a spine and it did indeed rise up. Fingers crossed for the coming months.
The way we’ve been trained to serve often renders us as little more than machines that do given tasks, and it cuts us off from what it is to truly give of ourselves both to our own beings and to others.
We need to see each other. I really believe that that is the only way to save the planet from whatever mass destructions we can forecast, be they political, economic, or environmental. We need to know each other, and not just the broad, dissociative stuff we put out there to appeal to what we think most people will like most of the time, but what lies beneath that.
Still mulling it over so I’m not going to give any personal insights.
Thanks DTB. I take it to mean we need to know ourselves, and to not be afraid of offending by being who we are, in order to truly communicate with and understand others.
So I don’t feel quite so bad about commenting in anger,re Tamihere and the confused principles of Labour tonight…. though that may just be self-serving.
True Price asks several questions about ubiquitous products, (e.g. food items, clothing and electronics, etc.):
1. Is this item a want or a need?
2. What are the effects of this item, both positive and negative, on you as a consumer, on other people, on animals, and on the environment?
3. What systems perpetuate this item?
4. What would be an alternative that does more good and less harm, and if no such alternatives exist, what systems would need to change to make alternatives commonplace?
All such good questions and likely that most couldn’t answer them but I found this paragraph most interesting:
Almost every time I do this activity at U.S. teachers’ conferences, some audience members feel flummoxed by the challenge of bringing such an activity into their curricula. Forced to teach to seemingly endless standardized tests, many cannot see how such a multidisciplinary, critical and creative thinking activity could fit into the requirements they must fulfill, even though the exploration of these items and the process of answering these questions can fit beautifully and powerfully into language arts, science, math, health and social studies courses. Exploring such questions can also become an elective or add greater educational meaning and purpose to courses in economics, geography, psychology, environmental science, ethics and more.
Because that is exactly where National Standards will take us. To a point where even the teachers won’t be able to comprehend the world around them.
Nice link. I”m trying to think of the last thing I bought and then asking the questions. Defining what is a need and what is a want is tricky. Needs that maintain current standard of living, or needs that ensure survival, or something in between?
There are hundreds of other links on Tamihere but I guess the Labour hierarchy don’t have Google.
The archive on his Radio Live rants will be keeping the Nats’ hit squad busy and happy – some really nasty stuff. The only possible defence would have been “it was a long time ago, he’s turned over a new leaf” – and yes, in theory anybody could .
Except Tamihere was attacking Labour only a few days ago (“headhunters gang” etc). He hasn’t changed, and it’s not even clear that the idiots in charge want him to.
Tamihere has money, staff, volunteers, position, networks, and major media access.
and that winning smile for the girls.
that adds up to the capacity to take Dr Sharples out pretty easy.
Either National or Labour would find him candidate material in those circumstances.
Perhaps like Jones he is more suited to National. So for that reason alone Labour choose to keep them.
Or perhaps rather Shearer needs someone to shore up his numbers once Beaumont replaces Jones after the Auditer-General’s report is out.
Also odd that Twyford is supporting Tamihere throughout. Is Twyford trying to take out Sepulina in Waitakere selection with Tamihere? Quite a darkness in operation there, a chilled dish of revenge served.
*Groan* Twyford is supporting Tamihere? If so, that increases the reasons for me getting active and becoming a Green Party member. Twyford is my MP. Sepuloni is still a more promising candidate for Waitakere than Tamihere, IMO. She came within a whisker last time. And since then all we’ve seen is Bennett’s vicious attacks on the least powerful.
Is Labour just becoming the Men’s Party?
And Tamihere is a big supporter of Charter Schools.
Why is it that no-one in government or in the Treasury will answer two straight forward questions?
1. Why is it acceptable for commercial banks to create money that did not previously exist, out of thin air, but not acceptable for the Bank of England to create that same money, not as a debt, but as a credit?
2. When debt it is what funds the economy, can they explain how you grow the economy whilst cutting debt?
Answer those questions and you are on the way to solving Britain’s financial problems.
Next year is an election year, and Labour needs money to fund its campaign. So naturally, they're selling access:Labour is charging wealthy business figures $1500-a-head to lunch with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at its annual conference later this month. [...] On the weekend beginning November 29th, around 800 delegates will ...
Yesterday the government announced its changes to tenancy laws, including an end to no-cause evictions, limits on rent increases, and anonyminity for tenants who defend their rights against bad landlords (sadly necessary because landlords are scum who maintain blacklists of "uppity" tenants). They're all good moves, and have resulted in ...
In 2003 New Zealand sent a Provincial Reconstruction Team to Afghanistan to support America's doomed war there. While there, they conducted regular weapons practice on local firing ranges, littering the landscape with unexploded ammunition. These ranges weren't secure - they're on land used by locals for animal herding - so ...
Green MP Gareth Hughes has announced he will retire at the election. Its understandable - he's been there ten years, and wants to actually see his children grow up rather than miss it while drowning in the toxic parliamentary sewer. But his departure is also a huge loss for the ...
Words and images by Jacqui GibsonGone are Auckland Museum’s days of doing science using a museum-centric academic approach, after Māori land rights holders Ngāti Kuri gave the museum an ultimatum.Tom Trnski holding a fossilised whale tooth from the Far North.Aussie-born Head of Natural Sciences at Auckland Museum ...
MediaWorks announced in October 2019 that it intended to sell off its struggling television business and cancel or cut back on several popular local programmes, including New Zealand Today, Married at First SightNew Zealand and 7 Days. Its radio and outdoor advertising arms are currently performing well, but MediaWorks’ ...
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Some readers may remember that I mentioned last year that I was applying for NZ citizenship. I filled out the paperwork and had my original citizenship interview in February. Everything went well until they discovered that, because I had spent five months in the US in 2017, I had not ...
by Deirdre O’Neill It is becoming quite acceptable for certain sections of the left to declare that people like me – women who are ‘gender critical’ – should not be allowed in leftist or anarchist spaces. Leaving aside the arrogance and implicit authoritarianism of this claim, its lack of critical ...
There is an article in The Conversation, written by Jeremy P. Shapiro (Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University), about what he sees as the psychologically-based underpinnings of three main matters that seem to vex people all around the planet. The article is titled “The Thinking ...
. . Blogger Martyn Bradbury has won his case against unreasonable search and surveillance against the NZ Police; and subsequent Police attempts to produce evidence in secrecy, in a closed Court. His case highlights a disturbing growing trend in Aotearoa New Zealand for State power to be used against ...
The Committee of Disobedient Women has intercepted an email from Dr Emma Eejut, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Massey University to the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Jan Thomas. Dear Jan, Thank you for your courageous move. I think 10 pages of blether** should tie any of the students game enough to try holding ...
That's the only response to the findings of the Ombudsman's investigation into LGOIMA practices at the Christchurch City Council:My investigation identified serious concerns about the Council’s leadership and culture, and its commitment to openness and transparency. In particular, Council staff raised concerns with me about various methods employed by some ...
NZ First seems to be nakedly trying to enrich itself from public office:A powerful New Zealand First figure helped establish a forestry company that then pushed for money from two key funding streams controlled by a New Zealand First Minister. An RNZ investigation has found Brian Henry, lawyer for Winston ...
Behrouz Boochani is an award winning author and journalist. He is also a refugee, who for the past six years has been detained in Australia's offshore gulag on Manus Island, and in Papua New Guinea. But last night, with the cooperation of the WORD Christchurch festival and Amnesty International, he ...
Different Strokes: If a multicultural immigration policy imposes no obligation on immigrant communities to acknowledge and ultimately embrace their host nation’s most cherished traditions and values, then how is that nation to prevent itself from being reduced to a collection of inward-looking and self-replicating ethnic and cultural enclaves?THE COALITION GOVERNMENT’S ...
Protective Zone: Reading the rules and guidelines released by Massey University, it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that its governing body considers the whole concept of free speech a disruptive threat to the orderly imparting of orthodox academic knowledge.IN TRUE ORWELLIAN fashion, Massey University has announced its commitment to ...
Farmers held a hate-march on Parliament today, complete with MAGA hats, gun-nut signs, and gendered insults. While supposedly about a grab-bag of issues - including, weirdly, mental health - it was clear that the protest was about one thing, and one thing only: climate change. And specifically, forestry "destroying" rural ...
The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security released their annual report today, and I've been busy reading through it. In amongst the usual review of what they've been doing all year, there's a few interesting bits. For example, a discussion on "agency retention and disposal of information", which points out that ...
Recently more than 150 post-graduate students and young scientists presented an open letter to the Green Party via The Spinoff, encouraging them to reconsider their position on genetic modification. Their target is tackling climate change issues.[1] Can any party continue to be dismissive about genetic modification (GM) contributing to ...
by Deirdre O’Neill Under Thatcher and then Blair and continuing up until our contemporary moment, the working class has seen its culture slowly and progressively destroyed. The change from an industrial society to a service society produced a marked shift in focus from the working class as the backbone of ...
Since 2013, the Australian government has detained refugees without trial in Pacific gulags, where they are abused, tortured, and driven to suicide. The policy is not just an abuse of human rights and possible crime against humanity; it has also had a corrosive effect on the states Australia uses as ...
It seems fair to say that we currently live in a problematic political moment in world history. Democracies are in decline and dictatorships are on the rise. Primordial, sectarian and post-modern divisions have re-emerged, are on the rise or have been accentuated by political evolutions of the moment such as ...
Last month, Greenpeace head Russel Norman surrendered his speaking slot at an EPA conference to student climate activist Sorcha Carr, who told the EPA exactly what she thought of them. It was a bold move, which confronted both regulators and polluters (or, as the EPA calls them, "stakeholders") with the ...
The core principle supposedly underlying New Zealand's electoral finance regime is transparency: parties can accept large donations from rich people wanting to buy policy, but only if they tell the public they've been bought. Most parties abide by this, so we know that TOP was wholly-owned by Gareth Morgan, and ...
Today is a Member's Day, probably the second-to-last one of the year, and its a big one, with the Third Reading of David Seymour's End of Life Choice Bill. last Member's Day it was reported back from committee, after MPs voted narrowly to make it subject to a (rules TBA) ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzThe growth of the human population over the last 70 ...
by The Council of Disobedient Women In her excellent oral submission to the Abortion reform select committee on 31st October on behalf of Otago University’s Department of Public Health, historian and public health researcher Hera Cook stated: “We would ask that the committee not use the term ‘pregnant persons’ and ...
by Don Franks In 1957, E M Forster wrote, of his greatest work: “The India described in ‘A Passage to India’ no longer exists either politically or socially. Change had begun even at the time the book was published ( 1924) and during the following quarter of a century it ...
The Referendums Framework Bill was due back from select committee today. But there's no report on it. Instead, the bill has been bounced back to the House under Standing order 29593) because the Committee didn't bother to produce one. They probably tried. But given the membership of the committee (which ...
Two years into New Zealand’s Labour-led government, the long-delayed Zero Carbon Bill became law on 7 November. Passed essentially unanimously, the lengthy public debates and political manoeuvring faded away until the final passage was even anticlimactic: Flipping through the @nzstuff@DomPost I was starting to wonder if I’d dreamt ...
Now the Zero Carbon Bill is law, what's next? Obviously, the ETS changes currently before select committee are going to be the next battleground. But we're also going to get a good idea of where we're going, and if the progress the Zero Carbon Act promises is good enough, during ...
Grant PearceThe effects of the current Australian bushfires in New South Wales and Queensland (and also again in California) are devastating and far-reaching. To date, the fires have resulted in several lives being lost and many homes and properties destroyed. Here in New Zealand, the impacts have been only ...
A passing comment in a post the other day about the labour force participation rates of older people prompted me to pull down the fuller data and see what we could see about various participation rates over the decades since the HLFS began in 1986. As it happens, the ...
Distract And Divert: The rise of what we have come to call “Identity Politics” represents the ideological manifestation of the ruling class’s objective need to destroy class politics, and of the middle-class’s subjective need to justify their participation in the process.THE RELIEF of the ruling class can only be imagined. ...
"I saw a newspaper picture,From the political campaignA woman was kissing a child,Who was obviously in pain.She spills with compassion,As that young child'sFace in her hands she gripsCan you imagine all that greed and avariceComing down on that child's lips?" ...
Dr Matt Boyd, Prof Michael Baker, Prof Nick WilsonThe Global Health Security Index which considers pandemic threats has just been published. Unfortunately, NZ scores approximately half marks (54/100), coming in 35th in the world rankings – far behind Australia. This poor result suggests that the NZ Government needs to ...
The Zero Carbon Act is inadequate, with a weak methane target designed to give farmers a free ride. But it turns out it could have been worse: Climate Change Minister James Shaw was so desperate to get National on board, he wanted to gut that target, and leave it in ...
The Herald reprints an Australian story on a couple of tragic deaths in Bali from drinking cocktails that had methanol in them. The story argues that methanol is likely the result of home distillation. But what the young tourists were experiencing was far from a hangover. They’d consumed a toxic cocktail ...
Last month, the police announced a trial of specialist roaming armed units, which would drive round (poor, brown) areas in armoured SUVs, armed to the teeth. When they announced the trial, they told us it was about having armed police "ready to attend major incidents at any time if needed". ...
Spain went to the polls today in the second elections this year, after the Socialists (who had come to power in a confidence vote, then gone to the polls in April) rejected the offer of a coalition with the left-wing PoDemos, and instead decided to gamble n a better outcome ...
A couple of days ago I attended (and spoke at) the University of Waikato’s “LearnFest” event. There were lots of talks and sessions on very diverse aspects of teaching, mostly at tertiary level. One was by Myra Williamson from Te Piringa Faculty of Law here at Waikato, on Contract Cheating ...
There will be a transit of Mercury – the planet Mercury will pass across the face of the Sun – taking place at sunrise in New Zealand on Tuesday, 12th November. It was by observing such an event 250 years ago that James Cook and his scientist colleagues were able ...
Since becoming the world’s first openly transexual mayor and member of parliament, Georgina Beyer has been recognised as a trailblazer for trans rights. Daphna Whitmore talks with her about where she sees the current trans movement We start out talking about legislation the government put on hold that would have ...
If FFNZ really put their faith in “Top Medical Journals” they would now be amending their billboards to recognise new research results. Image from FFNZ but updated to agree with the latest research. ...
National Messiah? Chris Luxon identifies himself as an evangelical Christian. If he is genuine in this self-characterisation, then he will take every opportunity his public office provides to proselytise on behalf of his faith. He will also feel obliged to bear witness against beliefs and practices he believes to be ...
I'm going to make a Reckless Prediction™ that the Tories have 'topped out' in the 'poll of polls' / Britain Elects multipoll tracker at about 38%, and in the next week we will start to see Labour creep up on them.In fact, we might just be seeing the start of ...
by The Council of Disobedient Women Lizzie Marvelly: “I may have missed this… has @afterellen gone all terf-y? Or am I reading something incorrectly? “ https://twitter.com/LizzieMarvelly/status/1191840059105742849 After Ellen is a lesbian website that is unashamedly pro-lesbian, as you’d expect. So why is Ms Marvelly so bothered about lesbians having their ...
Did you know there once was a time when it was illegal to be a gypsy (aka Romani) in Britain?That was between 1530, when the Egyptians Act was passed, and 1856, when it was repealed.Amongst other things, the act forbade the entry of 'Egyptians' into England, ordered those already there ...
Some days I sit and think, “what will I write…?” What do you say when you get to 1000 posts? Maybe you just start where you are, diverge to where this all began, then offer a collection of reader’s favourite posts, and a few of your own? (And throw in ...
Counter-Puncher: The “activists” and “radicals” (his own words) from the Indian community who took such strong exception to Shane Jones’ remarks about Immigration NZ’s treatment of arranged marriages, may end up bitterly regretting their intervention. Jones is not the sort of person who turns the other cheek to his critics.SHANE ...
In the spirit of Remember, remember the fifth of November, let's keep this in mind FOREVER.
Oh dear. Extraordinary interview on PM with Andrew Bridgen and @EvanHD just now. Bridgen was defending Jacob Rees Mogg’s Grenfell comments. Evan asked him if JRM had meant to say he would have left ...
Collision Course? In conditions of ideological white-out, the international bankers’ “Woop-Woop! Pull Up!” warning may have come too late to save global capitalism.WHAT DOES IT MEAN when international bankers are more willing to embrace radical solutions than our politicians and their electors? At both the International Monetary Fund and the ...
Pertussis (whooping cough) is a conundrum. It is a disease that was described hundreds of years ago and the bacteria that causes it (Bordetella pertussis) isolated in 1906. We have had vaccines for about 80 years but this disease is defiant in the face of human immunity. I wanted to ...
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Dr Lindsay Robertson, Dr Jerram Bateman, Professor Janet HoekMembers of the public health community hold divergent views on how access to vaping products or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) products should be arranged. Some believe ENDS should be as widely available as smoked tobacco and argue for liberal ...
When the Police were trying to cover up for the National Party over Dirty Politics, they went all-in with their abuses of power. They illegally search Nicky Hager's house, violating his journalistic privilege and invading his privacy. They unlawfully acquired Hager's bank records. They did the same to left-wing blogger ...
Last month, in response to a wave of protests by Extinction Rebellion, the British government purported to ban their protests from the whole of London. It was a significant interference with the freedoms of expression and assembly, and another sign of the country's decline into tyranny. But now, a court ...
Last year, the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security reported on significant problems with the intelligence warrant system. While they were unwilling to declare any warrant "irregular" (meaning unlawful) due to the recent law change, they were also not willing to give the system a clean bill of health. Now, they've ...
The National Party has come out in support of encouraging greater vaccination uptake. But it sure isn’t the way I’d do it. National’s suggested docking the benefits of those on benefit whose kids aren’t keeping up with their vaccinations. Some in National have suggested extending that to payments under Working ...
Feeding The Flames: It is simply not enough to demand an end to “corruption”, or “inequality”, or the overbearing influence of the authorities in Beijing. These are just “lowest common denominator” demands: the sort of slogans that pull people onto the streets. They are not a plan.WHERE’S THE PLAN? Across ...
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The Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee has called for submissions on Andrew Little's tyrannicalTerrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill. Normally I encourage participation in the democratic process. I am not doing so in this case. Instead, I encourage all of you to boycott this submissions process, and to post ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzIf tiny concentrations of carbon dioxide can hold enough heat ...
Aviation is one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and within it, one of the fastest sources is elite travel: billionaires flitting around the world in their private jets, spewing excessive pollution into the atmosphere just so they can avoid mixing with us dirty peasants. But in ...
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by Phil Duncan Here’s just a few of the kind of threats issued day in and day out against gender-critical women – feminists, marxists, etc – overwhelmingly by MEN (albeit men identifying as women). “Kill all Terfs”. “Shoot a Terf today”. “All terfs deserve to be shot in the head”. ...
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Tom MooreTraditionally a food source and cutting tool, freshwater mussels/kākahi are now widely valued as water filters that help clean our waterbodies and maintain ecosystem health throughout Aotearoa. The improvement they provide in water quality can make it easier for other animals to live in streams and rivers, as ...
And to think he gave all the potential goodwill away with that moronic, cult-like statement (repeated ad nauseam by many National hardliners) that Key is quite simply “the greatest PM we ever had”…Installation complete: this was nothing ...
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The chairman of the Upper North Island Supply Chain Strategy (UNISCS) working group, Wayne Brown, has hit back at critics of his group’s recommendations to relocate the Ports of Auckland cargo operations to Whangarei’s deepwater port of Northport. The working group's recommendation to close Auckland waterfront to all but cruise ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First backs the public to decide on the End of Life Choice Bill via a referendum at the 2020 General Election. The Bill, with New Zealand First’s referendum provision incorporated, passed its final reading in Parliament this evening. New Zealand First Spokesperson for ...
Darroch Ball, Spokesperson for Justice New Zealand First is proud that a key Coalition Agreement commitment which will provide for a more transparent and effective criminal justice system has been realised. Legislation to establish the Criminal Cases Review Commission, an independent body focused on identifying and responding to possible miscarriages of ...
"Today we have made a choice that will leave a legacy... I hope that means that future generations will see that we, in New Zealand, were on the right side of history." - Jacinda Ardern, Third Reading of the Zero Carbon Bill ...
Darroch Ball, New Zealand First List MP A Member’s bill has been proposed that would provide income tax exemptions for all New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel while on operational deployment overseas. The Income Tax (Exemption for Salary or Wages of NZDF Members on Active Deployment) Amendment Bill proposed by New Zealand First ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First is proud to have brought common sense to the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill, which passed its final reading in Parliament today. Party Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters says months of hard work went into negotiating a balanced ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First has listened to calls to recognise paramedics as registered health professionals under the Health Practitioners’ Competence Assurance Act (the Act).Today, the Coalition Government announced plans for paramedics to be registered as health practitioners under the Act, and the establishment of a ...
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In October I was sworn in as the Mayor of Lower Hutt.It’s the privilege of my life to serve Hutt people as their Mayor. There is something really special to be able to serve the community where I was raised, and where I live. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Racing Racing Minister Winston Peters met with Korea Racing Authority Chairperson Nak Soon Kim in Seoul today to discuss closer cooperation between the New Zealand and Korean horse racing industries. As part of the visit to the Seoul Racecourse, Mr Peters witnessed ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $10 million to establish Otago as the centre of New Zealand’s creative digital industry over the next ten years, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “The initiative will bring us closer to the vision of ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF)’s skills and employment programme will help young Otago people into long-term forestry careers, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. Te Ara Mahi will invest $63,000 in the 2020 school year to support eight 17 and 18 ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) will support local plans to revitalise and stimulate economic development opportunities in Otago, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The four Regional Economic Development Ministers have approved an in-principle investment of $19.9 million towards the region’s ...
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First is pleased to have received the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) report on the Coalition Government’s Mycoplasma bovis eradication efforts, which shows significant progress in the fight against the disease. New Zealand First Spokesperson for Primary Industries, Mark Patterson, says the report’s findings ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development Hon David Parker, Minister for Trade and Export Growth The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing to support economic growth opportunities for Otago’s engineering and manufacturing sectors, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Trade and Export Minister David Parker announced today. Almost $20 million ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Minister Winston Peters and his South Korean counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha, discussed in Seoul today opportunities to work more closely in the Pacific and the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Mr Peters and Minister Kang confirmed New Zealand and the ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development Hon Nanaia Mahuta, Minister for Māori Development The three marae in the historic Parihaka Pa complex in Taranaki have been upgraded to high speed broadband with the support of the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF), Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Connecting the ...
Minister of State Services Chris Hipkins today introduced into Parliament a Bill that will make it easier for the public service to tackle the biggest challenges facing Governments. The Bill represents the most significant change in the public service in 30 years. The State Sector Act 1988 will be repealed ...
The families of more than 416,000 students will be better off next year as their schools have signed up to the Government’s donations scheme, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said today. The scheme will see almost $62.5 million in additional Government funding go to schools nationwide next year. “I’m really pleased ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced further support as the Government of Samoa responds to a serious measles outbreak. “New Zealand will deploy a further 18 vaccination nurses, bringing the total to 30 working in Samoa over the next four weeks,” Mr Peters said. “A New Zealand Medical Assistance ...
Fa’atalofa atu, malo e lelei, Kia ora koutou katoa Thank you to the Child Poverty Action Group for asking me to be here today to provide an update on some of the things that have been happening across my the social development portfolio. Can I firstly acknowledge the vast ...
***Please check against delivery*** Good morning everyone. It is a pleasure to be with you this morning to open this year’s New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Conference and AGM. Firstly, thank you Dr Alan Jackson, NZTR Chair for your introduction. And let us acknowledge also: The NZTR Board; Dean McKenzie, Chair ...
The Government has delivered on its promise to the over one million New Zealanders who now rent to make it fairer and more secure, Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing) Kris Faafoi has announced today. Both renters and landlords will benefit from the suite of practical changes to the Residential ...
A marine conservation milestone - the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Te Tapuwae o Rongokako Marine Reserve - is being celebrated today at a community event in Tairāwhiti/East Coast attended by the Minister of Conservation, Eugenie Sage. “The creation of this marine reserve in November 1999 was a game ...
The Government is asking the food industry to step up work to tackle obesity including reducing sugar, fat and salt in their products, better information for consumers, and tighter restrictions on advertising to children. Health Minister David Clark and Food Safety Minister Damien O’Connor have responded to a ...
ew, modern emergency department and outpatient facilities at Queenstown’s Lakes District Hospital mean better emergency care for the growing tourist mecca’s visitors and locals, says Health Minister David Clark. Today Dr Clark officially opened the hospital’s redeveloped Emergency Department and Outpatient facilities. The new facilities include: • An extended Emergency Department ...
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter says today’s release of sexual and reproductive health data reinforces the significance of the Government’s commitment to providing free or very low-cost contraception. The Ministry of Health today published statistics from the Ministry of Health’s 2014/15 Health Survey. “It is important people can make ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced that at the request of the Samoan Government, New Zealand will be providing further support to Samoa as it faces a worsening measles outbreak. “In response to a request from the people of Samoa, New Zealand is providing 3000 measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) ...
“The new Disability Action Plan 2019–2023 moves us towards the inclusive and accessible New Zealand that this government has committed to,” Minister for Disability Issues Carmel Sepuloni announced today. “The Action Plan was designed by disabled people, their family and supporters, the disability sector and government agencies. It will ensure ...
Third Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting 14 November 2019 Joint Statement 1. Defence Ministers Ron Mark and Dr Ng Eng Hen today conducted their third annual Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Singapore. 2. Building on the Enhanced Partnership signed between both countries in May this year, this annual meeting ...
A Bill to improve the court system’s response to sexual violence has passed its first reading in Parliament today. Justice Minister Andrew Little says the Sexual Violence Legislation Bill will reduce the trauma sexual violence complainants experience in court, while maintaining defendants’ fundamental rights and making sure the trial process ...
Streamlined payment practices are a step closer for Kiwi businesses with the formal launch of New Zealand’s e-Invoicing framework. Small Business Minister Stuart Nash says the government has now established the structure to enable automated and direct data exchange between the accounting systems of buyers and sellers. “The move to ...
Another 51 quarantine officers and four new biosecurity detector dog teams will help protect New Zealand from invasive pests and diseases this summer, says Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor. “The Government is delivering on its commitment to strengthen New Zealand’s biosecurity system and support our valuable primary sector “New Zealand’s flora, fauna ...
A new report has found New Zealand’s space sector contributed $1.69 billion to the economy in the last financial year and employs 12,000 people, Minister for Economic Development Phil Twyford announced today. The report by Deloitte was commissioned by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and shows New Zealand ...
Judge Coral Shaw has been appointed as the new Chair of the Royal Commission into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions, Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin announced today. "Judge Shaw, who is currently one of the inquiry commissioners, is extremely well qualified for the ...
The Government has confirmed its third major mental health facility upgrade since the Budget, this time at Palmerston North Hospital. The Prime Minister and Health Minister today visited MidCentral DHB to announce that $30 million has been allocated to upgrade its acute mental health facility. It follows earlier announcements in ...
The roll out of the National Bowel Screening Programme has reached the halfway mark, with 10 out of 20 District Health Boards now part of the programme. MidCentral DHB, which covers Palmerston North, Manawatu and surrounding districts, this week became the latest to DHB to offer free bowel screening to ...
The Government welcomes PHARMAC’s decision to fund a vaccine to protect young people from meningococcal disease from 1 December this year. “Meningococcal disease is a serious threat which people at higher risk should be protected from,” says Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter. “The combined pharmaceutical budget was increased by ...
Groups involved with innovative fisheries research projects are encouraged to apply for government support in the latest funding round from the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures programme. Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash says the SFF Futures funding is designed to be flexible enough to support small or large projects across a ...
The Government has fixed an issue affecting how Immigration New Zealand has processed visa applications for culturally arranged marriages, which will now see a consistent process applied which ensures people with legitimate arranged marriages can visit New Zealand while also preventing any rorting of the system. Earlier this year Immigration ...
The Royal Commission into the Attacks on Christchurch Mosques will report back on 30 April 2020 to give it more time to hear submissions and consider information, Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin announced today. The Royal Commission was originally scheduled to report back to Government by 10 December 2019. “There has ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Washington DC today to attend a ministerial meeting focused on defeating ISIS, and to continue pursuing New Zealand’s trade opportunities. Mr Peters will participate in a meeting of Foreign and Defence Ministers from key countries contributing to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. ...
The recently crowned Bird of the Year, the hoiho/yellow eyed penguin, is getting a much needed helping hand alongside more than 168 other community conservation projects announced Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage today. 168 community conservation projects throughout New Zealand are benefiting from $8 million in government grants, including $500,000 ...
Controls on assault rifles and semi-automatic firearms are to be broadened to include some types of pistols, under changes to a bill currently making its way through Parliament. Police Minister Stuart Nash has tabled a Supplementary Order Paper to the Arms Legislation Bill, which is currently before a Select Committee ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark will travel to Singapore today to conduct a counterpart visit and to co-chair the third annual Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting with his counterpart, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen. “Singapore is one of our most important defence partners in the region, and our ...
Nelson’s Salisbury School is to be rebuilt, creating a modern and suitable learning environment for students at the residential special school, Education Minister Chris Hipkins and Associate Education Minister Tracey Martin announced today. The school for girls aged 8-15, in Richmond, was earmarked for closure by National until the process ...
The panel undertaking a comprehensive review of the Resource Management Act has identified the main issues to be addressed and options for reform and is calling for feedback to inform its final report. In July the Government announced the comprehensive review of the resource management system, including the RMA - ...
An important safety valve has been added to New Zealand’s criminal justice system with the third reading of the Criminal Cases Review Commission Bill today. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) will investigate claimed miscarriages of justice. “We’ve seen how our justice system can very occasionally get things spectacularly wrong, ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters welcomes the tabling of the Racing Industry Transition Agency (RITA) 2019 Annual Report in Parliament today. He says the 2019 Annual Report marks the point when New Zealand’s racing industry’s decline was arrested and a turnaround started. RITA’s 2019 Annual Report recorded an industry net profit ...
The New Zealand Government is today sending 21 firefighters to help fight the ongoing catastrophic Australian bushfires. “The fires in Australia are in some of the toughest, most challenging conditions ever,” says Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin. “As of yesterday morning, there were 100 active bushfire-related incidents across Queensland and ...
More frontline support for schools through a new education agency, as part of a redesigned Ministry of Education More support for principals and school boards including through a new centre of leadership and local leadership advisor roles New independent disputes panels for parents and students Management of school property ...
The Government’s reform of the Tomorrow’s Schools system is a watershed moment in education and an opportunity to create meaningful change for ākonga Māori and their whānau, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis said today. “Last year through Kōrero Mātauranga | Education Conversation, Māori teachers, parents, ākonga, whānau, hapū and iwi ...
Infrastructure Minister is welcoming the first of many updated project pipelines from the newly established New Zealand Infrastructure Commission today. The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga, has released an expanded pipeline of major capital projects – another crucial step towards delivering better infrastructure outcomes. “The first iteration of the ...
Tougher gun laws designed to improve public safety through firearms prohibition orders are proposed in a new document released for public input. Police Minister Stuart Nash says firearms prohibition orders (FPOs) would give new powers to Police to ensure high-risk individuals come nowhere near firearms. “We have already prohibited the ...
Andy Coupe has been confirmed as TVNZ’s new Board Chair. “Mr Coupe has strong commercial and capital markets experience and TVNZ has benefited from his technical knowledge of business and finance, as well as his extensive governance experience,” the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Kris Faafoi said. Andy ...
Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter today officially opened a separated pathway, following the completion of the Kaiwharawhara Stream bridge, which will improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians along Hutt Road. The $6.8m Hutt Road project provides a separated path for cycling and pedestrians, the replacement of informal parking ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today announced the appointment of career diplomat Si’alei van Toor as New Zealand’s next Ambassador to Russia. “I’m pleased to appoint Ms van Toor to this position. She brings a wealth of experience to the role having previously served as Senior Trade Adviser to the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Clarke, Associate Professor, National Security College, Australian National University This past weekend, The New York Times’ China correspondents, Chris Buckley and Austin Ramzy, published an expose of over 400 internal Chinese government documents relating to Beijing’s mass detentions of Uighurs, Kazakhs ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Clarke, Associate Professor, National Security College, Australian National University This past weekend, The New York Times’ China correspondents, Chris Buckley and Austin Ramzy, published an expose of over 400 internal Chinese government documents relating to Beijing’s mass detentions of Uighurs, Kazakhs ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janet Stanley, Associate professor/Principal Research Fellow, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne It’s hard to comprehend why someone would deliberately light a bushfire. Yet this behaviour regularly occurs in Australia and other countries. We would go a long way to preventing ...
There are 540,000 dwellings in Auckland and 580,000 households. The result is misery no matter how you try to square things through tenancy regulation. ...
The PM says she's set a very clear expectation that the clearing of firing ranges in Afghanistan will be sped up, but says it's not possible to conclude NZ is responsible for civilian deaths. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Former prime minister Paul Keating has launched a scathing attack on the Australian media for its coverage of China, denouncing “the nominally pious belchings of ‘do-gooder’ journalists” who live on leaks from security agencies. Keating ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vincent Ho, Senior Lecturer and clinical academic gastroenterologist, Western Sydney University A parasite is an organism that lives in or on an organism of another species. Three main classes of parasites can cause disease in humans: protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites. Protozoa and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Lilburn, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Melbourne You’re driving down an unfamiliar street on a clear spring evening. You’ve been invited to a friend of a friend’s party, at a house you’ve never been to before. Tracking the street numbers, you ...
Crimestoppers New Zealand launched its updated website www.crimestoppers-nz.org today. As well as catering for traditional anonymous reports the site now supports mobile users and allows files and images to be attached. The changes support people of all ...
Prince Andrew has spoken for the first time in public about his friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. What did he say to create such a media storm, and how did he get into this mess in the first place? First thing’s first: who is Prince Andrew? Prince Andrew, Duke ...
Sam Brooks interviews the three guest curators of the New Zealand Festival of Arts: Bret McKenzie, Laurie Anderson and Lemi Ponifasio.An Oscar-winning Conchord, the world’s most beloved multimedia artist, and a world-renowned director and choreographer with an attitude. Three weeks, three unique visions of what a festival can and should ...
Plans are being put in place to increase methyl bromide monitoring following a theoretical modelling report about how the log fumigant disperses into the environment after use. ...
It’s the most beautiful time of the year! Comedian Sera Devcich joins Emily Writes to share the joy and investigate the top 10 toys your ungrateful kids will want this Christmas.It’s November which means it’s officially time for your kids to start bugging you day in and day out about ...
Proposed changes to tenancy rights are trickle down, not transformational, change says the Manawatu Tenants’ Union (MTU). There are however improvements for renters, and these efforts must be commended according to the MTU. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Stokes, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Deakin University “To be dead,” wrote the 20th century French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, “is to be a prey for the living.” Even Sartre, though, would have struggled to imagine casting James Dean in a movie 64 ...
The Good Citizen podcast focuses on the way good design – and good people – can change cities for the better. In this episode, Jeremy Hansen talks to architect Richard Goldie about his bold idea for a partially submerged stadium on Auckland’s waterfront, a project that’s now a finalist in ...
Former prime minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer QC has published two books with Andrew Butler calling for a written, codified constitution that sets out ‘in an accessible form and a single document the fundamental rules and principles under which New Zealand is to be governed’. A road trip and consultation attracted ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Housing Luke Malpass and Henry Cooke (Stuff): Government hikes claims thresholds for bad landlords, increases ...
People with intellectual disabilities and their families are struggling to access support more than ever before, as the disability sector faces a now $574 million annual funding shortfall, says IHC. ...
The Labour-led coalition may have to generate a second wave of Jacindamania if it is to win another term in the Beehive. Re-election is not an impossible dream, despite the failure of Labour to deliver what many of those who voted for it in 2017 expected. Retiring Green MP Gareth Hughes ...
A corporate undertaker talks top tips for making sure you get paid, reining in rogue liquidators, and having a heart for those who’ve lost money.PwC’s John Fisk has handled high profile company failures from Pike River to Lombard Finance and the Ross Asset Management Ponzi scheme. He also chairs the ...
Armed police represent a serious cause for concern, especially for the most vulnerable, writes the chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation.The Mental Health Foundation has publicly condemned the police trial of special armed response teams patrolling three districts around New Zealand. We’re extremely worried these trials will result in ...
International crime rings are increasingly targeting New Zealanders’ bank accounts to launder proceeds from scams and fraud. Bronwyn Groot, Fraud Education Manager at the Commission for Financial Capability (CFFC) is highlighting the rising incidence ...
A just-released report shows that the food industry wants to stay in a business-as-usual mode with a few minor tweaks around the edges. In response, the New Zealand Government appeared comfortable with that approach, and provided no Government plans for comprehensive ...
New Zealand consumers will be left in the dark about foods grown in Australia that have been created using gene editing techniques. On the 13 November the Australian Senator Rice put up a motion to disallow, or overturn, the recently passed Gene Technology ...
As Aotearoa plans for festive season celebrations, The Salvation Army is preparing to make its house a home to hundreds of men, women and children who have nowhere else to stay. ...
Landlords say they feel under siege with the government planning to make it tougher for them to boot out troublesome tenants; and skilled immigrants waiting for a residents visa say its unfair officials are fast tracking applications for those on salaries over $105,000. ...
Standing with the farmers, New Conservative is committed to pushing back against the lunacy of the ETS and Carbon Zero commitments by this government. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tomas Trescak, Senior Lecturer in Intelligent Systems, Western Sydney University Just a few years ago, virtual reality (VR) was being showered with very real money. The industry raised an estimated US$900 million in venture capital in 2016, but by 2018 that figure ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rowena Maguire, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Institute for Future Environments, Queensland University of Technology Over the past two weeks, bushfires have raged across New South Wales and Queensland. While the narrative appears focused on potential causes and political point-scoring, what’s lost ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Davis, Chair of Women’s Health, Monash University At menopause, a woman’s ovaries lose their reproductive function. Eggs are no longer released and the production of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone falls. It’s the lowered levels of oestrogen after menopause that gives ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julian Bolleter, Deputy Director, Australian Urban Design Research Centre, University of Western Australia Around the world, the vast majority of people are flocking to cities not to dwell in their centres but to live in the new suburbs expanding their outer limits. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dr Natalya Saldanha, Academic, RMIT University Like any eight-year-old, Ryan Kaji loves to play with toys. But when Ryan plays, millions watch. Since the age of four he’s been the star of his own YouTube channel. All up his videos have gained ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kieran Wong, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Monash University Indigenous voices are finally being acknowledged as important voices in Australian galleries and museums. Since 2014, I have worked as an advisor to Western Australia’s New Museum, a A$450 million project and one of ...
Retiring Green MP Gareth Hughes says the pace of change in the current Government is not fast enough for his liking but that is not the reason he is quitting politics. ...
The Superdiversity Institute for Law, Policy and Business is releasing its latest report today on Culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse parties in the Courts: A Chinese case study . The Report’s author, Mai Chen, Chair of the Superdiversity ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Doubts emerge about Auckland port move, NZDF leaves death-causing material behind in Afghanistan, and laws around renting to be shaken up.Over the last week, the ramifications of moving most of the operations of Auckland’s port north to Whangarei have been ...
An ambitious new partnership between Sky Sports and more than 50 sports promises more free sport for Kiwis. Suzanne McFadden looks at how it will change the way we see female athletes ...
Catriona MacLennan helped conduct a survey of the top NZ companies to establish the ethnicity of their directors. The results were not surprising, but also far from encouraging. ...
Episode 1 in a series on the trials of injured animals as they’re rescued, rehabilitated and released back into the wild follows the rescue of a yellow-eyed penguin. ...
New Zealand Defence Force's failed to clean up properly after itself in Afghanistan - with the result that seven children have been killed and another 10 civilians injured. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Chinese embassy has lashed out at two Liberal members of parliament, Andrew Hastie and James Paterson, saying they would need to “repent and redress their mistakes” before they would be welcome in China. The ...
Tim Costley National’s new candidate in Otaki Local party members have selected Tim Costley as National’s candidate in Ōtaki for the 2020 General Election. Mr Costley is replacing retiring MP Nathan Guy, who is standing down after five terms. ...
“Compelling research out of the UK reaffirms vaping’s life-saving role. Here’s hoping our Government’s pending legislation reflects vaping’s increasingly documented health benefits for smokers,” say Ben Pryor, co-owner of the largest Kiwi-owned ...
Government has announced a raft of changes to the Residential Tenancies Act. The Minister has said he does not want to be seen to unduly punishing landlords. These changes do more than punish landlords however. They will punish anyone living next ...
Democracy under Fire on Firearms Law Reform - COLFO SUNDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2019 The Government supposedly wants to “hear from all New Zealanders” about firearms law reform – unless you happen to be a licenced firearms owner. ...
From Monday 18 November New Zealand women are working for free until the end of the year because of the gender pay imbalance between men and women. ...
Award-winning investigative team Stuff Circuit is releasing its most hard-hitting documentary yet, exposing a secret the NZ Defence Force doesn’t want Kiwis to know. ...
The government has announced a suite of practical changes to the Residential Tenancies Act in its bid to make renting fairer and more secure. Here’s what you need to know. What’s happening?A number of changes to the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) has just been announced by associate minister of housing Kris ...
US Trumpian Inspired Rhetoric From Anti-Trans Group Not a Good Fit with Nz Society Trans-rights support groups around the country have been dismayed by recent divisive and repellent comments by Stand Up For Women (SUFW), a group calling itself feminist ...
Sam Brooks reviews the third season of The Crown, a show that can’t decide whether it wants to humanise the monarchy or tear it all down.This review contains very mild spoilers for world history, 1964-1977.Three seasons in, there’s no doubt that The Crown is the, well, crown jewel in Netflix’s ...
An easy, flavour-packed noodle recipe from Bounty – Cooking With Vegetables, the new cookbook from national food education charity the Garden to Table Trust.The fresh flavours of these noodles are less complex than many Thai dishes, as the simple spice paste uses just a few ingredients. If you’d rather not ...
Part 2: In this excerpt from the evidence of Sir Maarten Wevers in the High Court case of Winston Peters over his superannuation leak, the former head of the Prime Minister's Department explains what ministers should be told by public servants ...
In this excerpt from the evidence of Sir Maarten Wevers in the High Court case of Winston Peters over his superannuation leak, the former head of the Prime Minister's Department summarises our governing arrangements. ...
With the 2020 cannabis referendum fast approaching, New Zealanders have a unique opportunity to let the government know what they want from drug reform. It will then be up to our policy makers to decide whether drug reform will focus on changing outcomes for those struggling under historically racist policy.By ...
Open mike 01/12/2012 
Next year is an election year, and Labour needs money to fund its campaign. So naturally, they're selling access:Labour is charging wealthy business figures $1500-a-head to lunch with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at its annual conference later this month. [...] On the weekend beginning November 29th, around 800 delegates will ...14 hours ago
Words and images by Jacqui Gibson Gone are Auckland Museum’s days of doing science using a museum-centric academic approach, after Māori land rights holders Ngāti Kuri gave the museum an ultimatum.
MediaWorks announced in October 2019 that it intended to sell off its struggling television business and cancel or cut back on several popular local programmes, including New Zealand Today, Married at First Sight New Zealand and 7 Days. Its radio and outdoor advertising arms are currently performing well, but MediaWorks’ ...21 hours ago
Some readers may remember that I mentioned last year that I was applying for NZ citizenship. I filled out the paperwork and had my original citizenship interview in February. Everything went well until they discovered that, because I had spent five months in the US in 2017, I had not ...2 days ago
by Deirdre O’Neill It is becoming quite acceptable for certain sections of the left to declare that people like me – women who are ‘gender critical’ – should not be allowed in leftist or anarchist spaces. Leaving aside the arrogance and implicit authoritarianism of this claim, its lack of critical ...2 days ago
There is an article in The Conversation, written by Jeremy P. Shapiro (Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University), about what he sees as the psychologically-based underpinnings of three main matters that seem to vex people all around the planet. The article is titled “The Thinking ...2 days ago
. . Blogger Martyn Bradbury has won his case against unreasonable search and surveillance against the NZ Police; and subsequent Police attempts to produce evidence in secrecy, in a closed Court. His case highlights a disturbing growing trend in Aotearoa New Zealand for State power to be used against ...3 days ago
Different Strokes: If a multicultural immigration policy imposes no obligation on immigrant communities to acknowledge and ultimately embrace their host nation’s most cherished traditions and values, then how is that nation to prevent itself from being reduced to a collection of inward-looking and self-replicating ethnic and cultural enclaves?THE COALITION GOVERNMENT’S ...4 days ago
by The Council of Disobedient Women In her excellent oral submission to the Abortion reform select committee on 31st October on behalf of Otago University’s Department of Public Health, historian and public health researcher Hera Cook stated: “We would ask that the committee not use the term ‘pregnant persons’ and ...6 days ago
If FFNZ really put their faith in “Top Medical Journals” they would now be amending their billboards to recognise new research results. Image from FFNZ but updated to agree with the latest research. ... 1 week ago
And to think he gave all the potential goodwill away with that moronic, cult-like statement (repeated ad nauseam by many National hardliners) that Key is quite simply “the greatest PM we ever had”…
Installation complete: this was nothing ... 2 weeks ago
The chairman of the Upper North Island Supply Chain Strategy (UNISCS) working group, Wayne Brown, has hit back at critics of his group’s recommendations to relocate the Ports of Auckland cargo operations to Whangarei’s deepwater port of Northport. The working group's recommendation to close Auckland waterfront to all but cruise ...11 hours ago
We're setting our young people up for success, investing in education around the country. ...18 hours ago
Minister of State Services Chris Hipkins today introduced into Parliament a Bill that will make it easier for the public service to tackle the biggest challenges facing Governments. The Bill represents the most significant change in the public service in 30 years. The State Sector Act 1988 will be repealed ...10 hours ago
"Mum and Dad" landlords are likely to turn to property managers, or even exit the market ...6 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Clarke, Associate Professor, National Security College, Australian National University This past weekend, The New York Times’ China correspondents, Chris Buckley and Austin Ramzy, published an expose of over 400 internal Chinese government documents relating to Beijing’s mass detentions of Uighurs, Kazakhs ...7 hours ago
A parliamentary hearing on gun reforms was cut short when a submitter alleged he sold ammunition to the accused Christchurch gunman. ...8 hours ago
The Govt wants to crack down on exports that could be used to commit human rights abuses - but NZ universities say the proposal is "unworkable". ...8 hours ago
The State Services Minister has introduced legislation to make what he describes as the most significant change to the public sector in 30 years. ...9 hours ago
There are 540,000 dwellings in Auckland and 580,000 households. The result is misery no matter how you try to square things through tenancy regulation. ...9 hours ago
Internet Service Providers relied on ad hoc tools, including Google Docs, to coordinate blocking access to the Christchurch shooting video. ...10 hours ago
The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) is seeking feedback on its proposed energy levy-funded activities for the 2020/21 year. ...10 hours ago
Prince Andrew has spoken for the first time in public about his friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. What did he say to create such a media storm, and how did he get into this mess in the first place? First thing’s first: who is Prince Andrew? Prince Andrew, Duke ...11 hours ago
Hamilton Press Club life president Steve Braunias on the next guest speaker - embattled TV3 employee Patrick Gower. ...11 hours ago
Pay TV operator Sky Television expects its revenue and earnings to fall after investing in new content, new services and sponsorship deals. ...12 hours ago
Air New Zealand has cancelled some of its international flights due to ongoing issues with its Rolls-Royce engines. ...14 hours ago
Air New Zealand has cancelled some of its international flights due to ongoing issues with its Rolls-Royce engines. ...15 hours ago
The Labour-led coalition may have to generate a second wave of Jacindamania if it is to win another term in the Beehive. Re-election is not an impossible dream, despite the failure of Labour to deliver what many of those who voted for it in 2017 expected. Retiring Green MP Gareth Hughes ...15 hours ago
Landlords say they feel under siege with the government planning to make it tougher for them to boot out troublesome tenants; and skilled immigrants waiting for a residents visa say its unfair officials are fast tracking applications for those on salaries over $105,000. ...18 hours ago
Retiring Green MP Gareth Hughes says the pace of change in the current Government is not fast enough for his liking but that is not the reason he is quitting politics. ...18 hours ago
Labour is charging wealthy business figures $1500-a-pop to lunch with Jacinda Ardern; and NZ First-linked forestry company pushed for govt funds. ...19 hours ago
An ambitious new partnership between Sky Sports and more than 50 sports promises more free sport for Kiwis. Suzanne McFadden looks at how it will change the way we see female athletes ...21 hours ago
Catriona MacLennan helped conduct a survey of the top NZ companies to establish the ethnicity of their directors. The results were not surprising, but also far from encouraging. ...21 hours ago
Episode 1 in a series on the trials of injured animals as they’re rescued, rehabilitated and released back into the wild follows the rescue of a yellow-eyed penguin. ...21 hours ago
Steve Braunias reviews the as-told-to book of All Blacks skipper Kieran Read, and fully expects it to suck. ...21 hours ago
The disastrous impact of banks selling risky financial derivatives to farmers is still being felt in rural communities more than a decade later. ...22 hours ago
New Zealand Defence Force's failed to clean up properly after itself in Afghanistan - with the result that seven children have been killed and another 10 civilians injured. ...22 hours ago
Many fund managers are overconfident and the public buy the illusion. ...2 days ago
Part 2: In this excerpt from the evidence of Sir Maarten Wevers in the High Court case of Winston Peters over his superannuation leak, the former head of the Prime Minister's Department explains what ministers should be told by public servants ...2 days ago
In this excerpt from the evidence of Sir Maarten Wevers in the High Court case of Winston Peters over his superannuation leak, the former head of the Prime Minister's Department summarises our governing arrangements. ...2 days ago
New Zealand's coroners learnt lessons of cultural competency and communication from March 15. ...2 days ago
A National Government led New Zealand has voted with the majority of the world in Legitimising the Palestinian cause.
While the Labour Government of Australia abstained.
Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr cited “intense pressure” on the Australian government from the US to actively vote against the resolution as the reason for their abstention.
No doubt the same sort of “intense pressure” would have come down on our government too. But instead of buckling and taking the weak and cowardly escape route from this pressure by abstaining. To their credit our government resisted this pressure and came down on the side of justice and decency.
There are questions raised by this anomaly.
How would a Labour Party in office react to such intense US pressure?
Would a Shearer led Labour government have buckled to US pressure as the Australian Labour Government have?
Why has the Labour Leader been silent on this issue?
Why when it has been carried in virtually every other media have there been no posts from The Standard authors on this historic UN vote?
Are the writers for The Standard and the Labour Party so sectarian that they won’t give credit to the government even when it is due?
Is this the reason for The Standard’s silence on this historic event?
If so then it shows why Labour is losing the people’s support. This sort of sectarian pettiness is just boring to most people.
Jenny, “The Standard” doesn’t decide to write or not to write on anything. The Standard is not part of the Labour Party. I have not party voted for Labour for a few elections. Each writer chooses what to write about when they have time. There are many pressing issues relevant to left wing NZ’ers.
Of course celebrate the historic decision. You also should refresh you knowledge of the site policies.
Plus all ts authors are vounteers. Jenny, why not write a post and ask for it be put up as a guest?
Well. Credit where credit is due.
All credit to who-ever in the NACT Government decided to do the right thing in this case.
Done
Let’s see if this or any other post on this vote appears on The Standard, or whether the sectarian cone of silence will persist.
Why claim it’s sectarian? Seems to me it’s just a bit boring actually. Folks are waiting to see what it means. What actually happens.
Though I realise that you think posting overwrought propaganda is the most important thing in the world.
how’s Syria going, anyhoo?
Who would know? As the New Zealand website that has anything to say on the issue, despite two requests for inclusion from myself, has still not been added to The Standard blog roll.
But if you are interested I will provide you some of the latest links.
http://kiaoragaza.wordpress.com/2012/11/30/sunni-leaders-gaining-clout-in-mideast-impacting-gaza/
http://kiaoragaza.wordpress.com/2012/11/30/us-weighs-supplying-weapons-to-syria-rebels-and-turkey/
http://kiaoragaza.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/syrian-rebels-turn-looted-missiles-on-assads-aircraft/
Fuck off, Jenny. I said it on Twitter when I first saw your comment and I’ll say it again: I, for one, cannot be bothered with the pointless circular flamewar which any post on Israel/Palestine is likely to incite.
Implying that The Standard’s authors are involved in a conspiracy to not post about a certain issue is fucking ludicrous and probably likely to invoke moderator wrath. Didn’t you get a clue on that subject after the Cunliffe leadership beat-up?
You must be fucking new around here.
lol
Your support for self censorship around the Palestinian cause. Doesn’t apply to the use of pointless profanity and personal abuse.
I find your support for both of these things offensive.
[popcorn + hopes to learn new words]
Wait a minute, I’ve got a reply for you somewhere … oh, here it is.
(Sorry, McFlock, but Jenny ain’t deserving shit else in terms of a response from me.)
well, it is the end of a weekday 🙂
Jenny Jenny Jenny… I now this might come as a surprise to you but the english language includes lots of swear words, swear words that can be used on most blogs within reason to support an argument. As you’re clearly not new to The Standard, you should know that QoT’s clever use of various obscenities is well within the bounds of the moderation policy.
In fact the appropriate use of swear words like QoT’s ‘fuck off’ above is most appropriate and lends itself to the context of the debate by succinctly expressing distaste with your assertions. Fuck is also on the very light side of profanity and these days would only offend those who cannot debate the topic or prudes. Unfortunately your response means I cannot rule you out of fitting comfortably into both these clichés.
I was wondering why the government didn’t cave in to U.S. pressure too. Much as I’m grateful for it doing the right thing the cynic in me sees a trade with the Middle East position here, and a negotiating position with the U.S. – just letting them know that our interests lie in trade. Roll on the TPP.
China.
Yes, China as well. A whole lot of trade bang for the vote buck.
Yes, while I was pleased to see Palestine get this bit of recognition (though not full member status), my mind yesterday was on some other pressing concerns for Kiwis – like the TPP and Bennett’s nasty little welfare reform bill that started getting submissions.
Agreed, CV. I almost commented that as well, but haven’t seen any MSM comment on how China voted.
How countries voted here.
Jenny. I signed an on-line petition demanding John Key sign for the UN inclusion of Palestine. The petition was circulated because there was doubt that Key would sign. Perhaps that petition persuaded Key, who knows. By the way, I am a Labour/Green supporter but I don’t see why I should give credit to National for doing a good thing, one of the very few good things they have done, it’s the least they could have done.
Propagandist Jeffrey Goldberg has an idea.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-26/how-palestinians-can-finally-achieve-independence.html
Personally I dont find the idea of ghettoing the Palestinians in their own little corrall is acceptable.
A single fedrative state for both Isreali Jews and Palestinian Arabs is the way to go.
Rimutaka Electorate under threat from a weak Labour MP.
SInce Chris Hipkins was handed Paul Swain’s seat in 2008 it has been downhill for Labour and up, up and up for National in the Rimutaka Electorate (Upper Hutt).
Chris Hipkins is letting the National candidate, Jonathan Fletcher, eat his lunch and has no response. Seemingly Chris only likes fighting Labour people at Conferences and on TV. Chris is sitting in his comfort zone, the Parliamentary offices and Bellamy’s, where he previously played at being a staffer for Mallard, while Fletcher is hitting the streets of Upper Hutt.
Have a look at these figures:
The Labour party vote went from 48% in 2005 to 33% in 2011, while National went from 34% to 45% at the same time. The same poor performance also applies to the Electorate vote. Swain’s 55% has become Hipkin’s 51%, while Fletcher took the 2005 30% to 42% in 2011.
Hipkin’s intemperate behaviour at Conference and on TV has lost him much of the little personal local support he had. He never had much experience outside of the isolated space that is the Labour offices.
Maybe Rimutaka needs a more temperate and personable candidate in 2014.
Yes, well I’m a dyed in the wool, never voted for anything else other than Labour votor — and I sure as hell won’t be giving that little creep my vote in the next election!
Chris Hipkins, the ‘Accidental’ Labour MP – sounds like National has another very very good friend in the Labour caucus ?
Hipkins should be given a $40,000 bonus.
Hipkins has fallen on his face as a whip, in his rush to get a portfolio. Whips who do not have the respect of the majority of Caucus become ineffectual.
Flunking in the electorate AND in his first adult role is a poor show. Screaming at members at Conference was damaging. Calling Cunliffe a liar on TV was obnoxious.
Was he trying to emulate Mallard? Is there something wrong with him?
Labour Party membership numbers in Rimutaka are not as healthy as they once were.
Not that they have ever been that strong, but according to locals under Hipkins the trend has been less promising. It may mark the over-emphasis he has on internal caucus activities and an under-emphasis on building up the party presence in his own electorate.
Well, I’m a member – what’s the process for getting him pushed from within and getting someone else?
Not even sure what the forum is for gauging local members’ support for dumping him
I’m not sure that I would condone a hostile de-selection of a sitting MP as it is a big step. To be serious, you would want to source a copy of the party’s constitution and become very familiar with all the relevant sections.
I’m assuming that there is some sort of democratic process whereby electorate candidates are selected.
As I say, I don’t know how this works, but surely if the members want a different representative it is their right to vote for a new one.
As for him being a sitting MP, It may well be that after the next election he will be that only if his list position is high enough.
As is said above, he is bleeding support amongst the general population of the electorate. The Nats spent a relatively large amount of resources in the electorate prior to the last election, I think because they smelt blood on the water.
This all adds up to a very tenuous position in what used to be a pretty red seat, both for party vote and electorate.
Adding the fact that he is, in my opinion, not a suitable candidate for me, as a consistent Labour voter to vote for leads me to believe that, should the local members be in the same mindset, he should be removed and replaced.
Actually, fuck it, I just read down comments regarding Tamihere.
If I can make some small contribution to taking out these bastards one at a time – I’m in.
carry on please
There is a story going around the traps. In the house. Hipkins stands on the half million Ingram report on field. Even then he still comes across as school kid.
“It’s a sad indictment on society that this wee girl, there’s nowhere that she can go to be safe and so we leave her with a mother who is refusing a drug test even after she’s killed the little girl’s elder sister. It makes me feel ill.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10851182
That quote appears to be a complete misrepresentation of the situation. Not surprising though, it’s from the sensible sentencing people. From what I can tell the child is being left with the mother, because to remove her at this stage would be incredibly damaging to the child. The judge made it clear that if that weren’t the case, the woman would go to jail.
Sensible sentencing would be to give the woman prescribed drugs, so she stops having to spend so much money on meth. Give her the support to stabilise her life. Those things will help the child.
Who Made Who HS?
Lyndon Hood’s latest, This Movie Sucks: NZ politics is a middle-earth script, and Hood makes a pitch to be a new writer for it.
No wonder Key is behind NZ doing some Dr Who eps! It’s a rellie of his!
Peter Sinclair interviews Dr. Kerry Emanuel of MIT and Dr. Jason Box of the Byrd Polar Center: Sandy and the Age of Superstorms.
Meanwhile…..the idiots persist…..
it sure is one “world of ruptured communion” joe, wonder how long the great unravelling will take…
http://www.amazon.com/Living-Word-Resisting-World-Paternoster/dp/1842270532
yet, round and round we go, where it stops, no body knows…
-the VelociRapture (just fooling a round) Rock on The Standard. Live and Thinking Back at ya!
(we’ll be here 24/7 bringing you the best of what the Left has to offer, spinning those Platters 360 with
no interuptions)
So Joe, where do you see it all heading then, if you had to voice more than just some links, and actually put up a projection of how you saw things playing out, say over the nexy 10-30 years?
In a nutshell muzza, human activities appear to be influencing the planets heat sink, the oceans, and warmer water will contribute more moisture to the equatorial atmosphere so larger systems of longer duration pushing further north/south will be generated causing a rising number of severe weather events and dramatic shifts in rainfall distribution that will almost certainly result in agricultural/oceanic resource catastrophes which, when coupled with other resource shortages, will create conflict.
Anyone else having problems with everything taking forever to load on this site? (But not other sites)
A couple of times this morning I got stalls, and had to press reload, but not too bad.
Ah..
Thanks for the tip. I didn’t know “reload” could be used in this way.
Students may give up: survey
Could put a bit of a crimp in Joyce’s demand for more engineering students.
That particular issue was raised by Green co-leader Metiria Turei today on Q+A… Both Judith Collins and Peter Dunne scoffed at her. Meanwhile they spread their propaganda on thickly about needing to increase innovation through education, but as I see it their policy changes are at complete odds with ensuring New Zealand has enough trained and skilled graduates to meet demand.
A potential 40% decline in graduations shouldn’t be simply dismissed by saying the research is incorrect. I mean how many times can National say the statistics showing their utter failure as a government are wrong and get away with it?
Fancy that! John Armstrong is praising Labour for getting its act together. And under Mr Shearer’s leadership too:
Bold policy is a return to the old ways, and a worry for National.
Housing, a big part of Shearer’s keynote conference speech, is Labour’s bold policy focus as it promises to build 100,000 affordable homes in 10 years.
Housing, a big part of Shearer’s keynote conference speech, is Labour’s bold policy focus as it promises to build 100,000 affordable homes in 10 years. Photo / Mark Mitchell
For the first time in a very long time, Labour has come up with something radical on the policy front which may grab the public’s attention, if not imagination – and which National cannot really get away with copying.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10851136
Surely one has to wonder why Ian mac, before getting too excited?
Casinos & Brothels = AKL CBD
Way to make the city “world class” I guess!
Gambling markets and brothels? Sounds like a haven for Wall St bankers.
Yeah it seems to be at odds with the “worlds most liveable city” aspiration..
Which of course is total BS, and is set to get worse, it will not get better.
Corruption has already ensured that the outcomes are “priced in”
Well John Key did say some time ago he wanted to make NZ some kind of international financial hub.
NZ has been a financial hub for the globally corrupted since 1961 when we were handed over to the IMF/WB and thus those who sit behind those entities!
Most everything that has become wrong with/in NZ, stems from that! We handed over the gold reserves and most likely signed away rights to resources under the “conditions” of the loans received at the time, which would account for the way we the the DI.MI.SI attitude going!
Seeing the handover of our dairy industry now in full flight, farm debt a huge problem, having already lost control of food production by and large, along with the disputed water rights and energy generation, will complete the removal on NZ to ever be able to self sustain, we are at the mercy of foreign controlled entities, and we have not/will not be shown mercy, just look at what is going on to understand.
Personal Debt, City Debt, Farm Debt, Student Debt, National Debt!
New Lows In Broadcasting & Has National Started A Smear Campaign Against Winston Peters/ NZ First?
I saw what I thought was a disgusting news item on TV 3 the other night. At the centre of the headline is NZ First MP Brendan Horan. The story first surfaced on Sunday in print & tv, in all intent & purpose it to appeared to be a family dispute over a late mothers estate not uncommon when $$ involved. Hearing Winston Peters explain a family member had approached him some months ago with allegations against Horan, Peters said “show me some proof of any wrong doing” according to Peters ‘that never happened.’ Then this character goes to the media with a copy of a amendment document to their late Mothers Will, for all in sundry to see. An extremely vexatious & bizarre thing to do to a family member with a such a public profile. It seemed ‘suspect’ to hear she was terminally ill when the amendment was made. Having sadly known people in that state, drugs provides relief from pain, at the price of being mentally muddled as a result. So to me keeping an open mind, an element of duress has to be considered.
Back to the TV 3 news item that was bad taste & what aroused my suspicions of a politically motivated attack. What I found offensive was the filming at the Horan’s families late mothers grave site. In my view this was a bridge too far & breached decency from the broadcaster. Totally unacceptable & disrespectful to a family still morning the death ( died August ) of a loved one.
Secondly the reporter Brooke Sabin appeared to
the group I was watching the item with to show a sycophantic pleasure in covering this story. One of our group said “I wonder if he is related to National, Northland PM Mike Sabin?”
Bingo! It just happens to be the reporter Brook Sabin is Mike Sabin’s son!
Winston Peters & Mike Sabin have a history of bad blood. Without appearing to be a conspiracy theorist is it a coincidence his son took up this story? and is it the start of a politically motived attack to knock Peters out again? Have Crosby Texter had a part to play?
Your Opinions would be great 🙂
NZ First has been a threat to the polictical establishment, and this story surfacing is no surprise. Of course its a smear campaign.
Skinny. I had a similar reaction to to about the hounding of Brendan Horan by that twerp on TV3. Seems that those worms like Garner, Gower etc enjoy hounding politicians from all parties EXCEPT National and Act. Biased?
Marsman yes it wouldn’t surprise me if Nat daddy got straight on the blower to his son Brook, had him chase for the story & inflict as much damage as he could milk. NZ First have got a few runs on the board lately against Key & Co. I can recall Horan championing something against the Nats in the House & in the media a few months back, so any opportunity to smear him sounds about right.
Skinny
Did I not hear/read that Horan’s mother made a codicil a few mnonths before she died, at that same time two Doctor’s signed affidavits that she was fully “complis mentis” to make such a codicil so that nobody could say she was not right in her dottage.
Fox ‘someone’ has obviously put her up to do that. Did that someone call a family meeting to raise their concerns as you would? Or did they choose not too? It appears the later to me which is harsh on a lady dying. Another negative against that person.
Peters has done the right thing in standing Horan down. While a forensic anaylsis of Horan’s mother’s bank account is being done the media will feast on the statements of those involved. If Horan is defamed he can take this further and Peters comes out clean and he can then say it was a media beat up. If Horan has made false statements Peter’s will probably dump him if Horan does not resign. Peters has principles compared to Key.
Horan’s mother is being exploited by the media and family members appear to be in for the cash grab.
I want to know why the family did not appoint a lawyer to arrange the mother’s will when she was alive?
.
[ deep sigh ] A complete rinse and repeat from the climate change denialists, complete with reverential reference to the “Hockey Stick Illusion”. What is it with these people – do they think that if they repeat their lies often enough the science will disappear? In this instance, though, they are ignoring the science and attempting an “Unsworth” – attack the messenger. I beginning to wonder if perhaps the planet needs a climate catastrophe to bestir the somnamulent.
Actually, that’s exactly what they think. Or at least if they repeat the lies often enough, the science will be disguised by the impression that there is still fair-minded debate about the basics. So therefore the science that is reported is “balanced” by the other side of the “debate”. So the reality of the situation is disguised from as many people for as long as possible.
Don’t fear BliP, when the time is right you will be able to jump onto the options offered, and say you contributed to “saving the planet”
You may not like the options put forward but you won’t actually get a choice in the metter either, and they won’t be what you hope, or would want!
But none the less, it will be for the planet, so it will just teach those bottom dwellers whose in charge!
Hey McFlock, hows the local pedo rings going down your way?
Wow, that personality is more of a deranged prick than most of your others, muzz.
Going from LP’s random selective bans for “pointless abuse”, that should be getting you a week McFlock!
The week I got was helpful to appreciate that people just can’t/won’t see what is going on around them, perhaps its all just too much, perhaps they don’t have the faculties, most likely a combo of these, and more…
If my post seem more blunt at times, its because my patience for whats happening to NZ is running way out, and for those who won’t wrap their fat heads around the why, ran out long ago, so blunt it will be, along the way!
So why were you asking about pedo rings?
Because they’re a huge part of the problem, up and down the country.
[RL: I have to assume that this is an unfunny and nasty form of pointless abuse. Two week ban.]
Paedophilia rings are a huge part of the climate-change denier problem in NZ?
doxplox.
RL – No it was a serious question, as I was going to give a first hand account of what I have just seen happen in the AKL district courts but thought better of it, good call!
Frankly its getting too easy to be banned, and the reasons I am getting banned are not remotely evenly applied elsewhere, which indicates someone(s) have a got a beef.
As I said to LP its his sandpit, you guys police it, do what you want.
Just apply some consistancy, it looks like bias otherwise!
[RL: If you were trying to make a serious point you went about it very maladroitly. To the point where it just looked like nasty, unimaginative abuse to me and everyone else. I’ll give you one shot at convincing me there was more to this than what it looked like; otherwise the two weeks stands.
Moderation is not a machine; it’s a loose collective of people trying to read many hundreds of comments a day over a number of active threads. We’ll never be objective or consistent, and I’ve yet to see anyone we’ve ever moderated think we were being’fair’ at the time.]
I didn’t understand muzza’s comment to McFlock (it was completely context-less and then later not explained). But muzza did comment a couple of weeks ago, seriously, about child abuse rings, so I assumed the comment today was from something they have been thinking about.
It’s not my call, but I saw the comment as social ineptness or disconnect rather than tr*lling.
Muzza, a proper explanation to McFlock when asked for might have helped.
[RL: To make it clear, I agree with weka. I’ll rescind the ban if you have a proper explanation.]
Hi Weka, there a a small number on these boards who have the nous to try take in wider context than any singular days posts, so good on you for that.
@ RL – Short version – For most of this year ive seen affidavits with impacts/links outside AKL to the suspected/known abuses. One particular case continues to be deferred, with the defendant having a 20+ year history of various abuses, “unchecked”. Reasons have been spurious at best, and the prosecution seemingly looking to make it go away and/or stuff it up. NZ is a shit pile of this type of behaviour, which many have the misfortune to be much closer to than they are aware!
Thats all I’m going to say on it, unless there is further which I can link to via the MSM or the LF link, which was in my post Weka pointed out above..
[RL: That’s gives it a better context, I’ll rescind the ban. The original line directed at McFlock was however clumsy and offensive, and on face value was always going to get the wrong kind of attention from a moderator. ]
Reckon you’ll have some more time to appreciate that superior intellect and wisdom you imagine you possess Muzza, when the moderators catch your latest piece of offensive and gratuitous malice. Do think of us, wont you.
What are you on about JS?
And the point is, its got little to nothing to do with intellect, thats the primary issue. Most people are well capable of understanding, if only they started appreciating/accepting that there is likely, very little opportunity left to slow the sinking ship down.
[RL: The “how are the local pedo rings going down there” crack is not acceptable. It’s in the same category of boring old jibes like “your meds need adjusting”; ie unimaginative and gratuitously offensive. ]
are you really that oblivious?
This must have been on the boards previously, but I just came across it….
Auckland Council asked to keep quake-risk buildings secret
Good to know who contols Auckland then, as if thats not clear enough!
Has there been anything further to this, other the 393 buildings which have been named?
Great, more pro gay marriage propaganda, yet again some “star” or “celebrity”.
This time its Gandalf wanting to get married in Middle Earth.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10851222
Granted, the fantasy fiction theme is very appropriate for the gay ‘marriage’ cause.
Hate to tell you this, but he’s not really Gandalf.
If gays want to get married then good on them
What is with your intrusion into the bedrooms of consenting adults.
If Mckellen wants to marry his beau when what business is it of yours? There are greater threats to society than a couple of old queens wanting to exchange vows.
So you think one of the world’s greatest actors isn’t really a celebrity because he’s gay. Interesting.
If gay people want to get married, what business is it of yours to say they cant.
Wow, Freud would have a field day working out your fixation with “The Gays” and marriage K_P. Whatever gets you up in the morning I suppose. I was surprised after Keys hatred of “Gay” Red Shirts that he was quite cosy mincing down the “Gay” Red Carpet. Anything for Lord Peter Jackson eh.
MCKellan is a very, very talented man, and after checking out the MSM papers, it is always
uplifting to read The Standard.
-Shelley
Good heavens! The NZ Herald is reporting that the NZ Council is letting Tamihere reapply for party membership. It just doesn’t make sense for the Party heirachy to bend over backwards to ensure all natural justice for Tamihere compared with none for David Cunliffe. Maybe they should have spent the money for some decent legal opinions focussing Tamihere’s behaviour and statements against the test for party membership. Probably the Council was more influenced by Shearer’s support for his mate.
But its sure as heck not feeling like the Labour Party is the political party for me anymore.
/facepalm
The world is either being run by some very clever people who are taking the piss; or imbeciles who mean it.
I’m assuming Mr ‘Front Bum’ will get rushed into an electorate seat to bolster David Shearer’s numbers.
Rushed to the top of the list, more like.
I have had a gut full of this! A handful of Labour caucus members who do not want the Labour Party to be the Labour Party but do not want to go away either, and determinedly go on making room for their flunkies. Is there something we can do about it as members, apart from get very angry, and work out whether to vote Mana or Green? I can even imagine the Greens beating Labour in the next election, and Labour forming a coalition with National to keep the riff raff out. What lengths will these mediocrities go to in order to keep their places among “the people in the know.”
Hi Olwyn, I enjoy your comments, and its interesting to read the frustration in your words leaping off the screen of this one.
You could try going to police about the fact that there are criminal elements inside the LP, but it would not go very far, because, well the cops are bent too. Of course JT is wanted inside the LP by certain factions, he’s a natural fit given whats currently going on! The bloke is mates and more with Clint Rickards FFS, among others, and supported his application as a duty solicitor.
How is it that these types of people are controlling our world, and they continue to be elevated, or pulled back in, either way, they influence our lives? The answer should be self evident by now surely!
Hearing LP members being driven to consider voting elsewhere is exactly what is wanted, because voting for them, achieves the same thing.
I’m really not sure what the solution is, but I do know that options narrowing, quickly!
Labour going into coalition with National, wow, what a great moment in NZ history that would be.
We can only dream.
Benghazi@4.23pm my son said the same thing to me today too. He’s only voted twice, the third time he will apparently party vote Green.
I’d vote for Mr ‘Front Bum”
I like the cut of his jib.
Exactly why his application should have been turned down.
Why?, JT appeals to a tremendous amount of people out there, he’s a real asset to Labour.
Get him a seat to run in as soon as possible, the New Lynn seat’s coming free, stick him in that.
Yet when he ran for Mayor in west Auckland, long term mayor Bob Harvey still won – and at a time when many would have gone for someone different and younger, if only they had an alternative to vote for with more cred with the voters than JT.
Because his politics and personal beliefs are obviously “socially conservative”, or (to put it into the patois of the streets) “fucked in the head and a hundred years out of date”.
He should join National, or Density’s front organisation. He’ll get on okay with those equally atavistic folk. But even from a purely practical point of view, why would any party want as a member someone who publicly disenfranchises (even loathes) more than half of its other members and voters?
Left wing, even by pretension only, parties need to display integrity to their policies and principles. Giving jobs to shiny clowns just to get the small-minded vote is what tory parties do (not being as hobbled by principles or adherence to policy, of course).
Having just rejoined after many years in the wilderness I am gutted once again by the blatant disregard of the memberships wants and needs, I’m back off the greens again as an even more committed activist, what next for Labour, maybe Michael Lhaws will be invited to join as well!!
I guess the next thing we’ll hear is that King/Mallard have promised Tamihere the New Lynn seat. Olwyn – I just don’t know what we can do – I feel so powerless to stop Labour heading away from my values.
Strategically, I think I’ll hang on till February in case a member vote on the leadership is triggered. I think such a vote would pull everyone together and we could unite behind the leader whoever that was.
But the Council are a disgrace – they need to stop being so weak. I’d heard Grant Robertson has been stacking his people onto Council and LECs up and down the country – it seems to be coming true. If there is no member vote in the New Year, I’ll walk after that. I’ve had a gutsful too! And this Labour Party has moved too far away for me to embrace.
A swing to the right. A swing to the lowest common denominator. Victory for red-necks. If Robertson thinks that Tamahere will win votes in west Auckland he is a fool. We already have a good voting count. Westies remember that Tamahere walked from the Teust with $190k after tax the last time .
The labour leadership has lost the plot.
As a Westie (one who didn’t vote for Tamihere as mayor – ABT), I am pretty disgusted – well will be if he is selected as a candidate. He abused the Labour Party during the Conference – and indulged in some gleeful gay-baiting. I haven’t seen Cunliffe do anything like that.
Yes, that has to be the point.
When you consider how Cunliffe has been punished for doing so much for Labour, and how Tamihere is being rewarded for blatant destructiveness …. there is only one possible interpretation, deliberate provocation.
I’m thinking that the right-wing caucus faction is quite happy to burn off as much left-wing membership as possible before the February election.
According to Scott Hamilton, it is more a clique than a faction:
“Where a faction organises in the open, and tries to win a majority of a party to its views, a clique operates secretly and undemocratically.”
http://www.readingthemaps.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/labour-and-f-word.html
These people know that they cannot win on argument, so they resort to bullying and manipulation.
Well, they’re in for a shock then aren’t they. Everybody is hanging in there for the February election, and there’s even more left-wingers who have just joined the Party.
karol there are two systems of justice in play in the Labour Party at present. The justice meted out to those inside the King/Mallard leadership club, and that imposed on those on the outer. The real pity is that there is no effective check and balance against this by the Labour Party President et al of the Council. Shame on them all. And the Labour Party won’t be a sorted force to be rekoned with in an election until this double standard is weeded out. Unfortunately Shearer is now fully implicated – no hiding behind the King/Mallard apron on this. If you were waiting to see we’re Shearer would lead…..have you got the pattern yet?
+1 karol and jazzabelle and Benghazi @17.
Have been wondering why John Armstrong was praising Shearer so cloyingly today in the Herald. Wasn’t Robertson said to be the one Labour person to get on well with The Gallery? Is his relationship with them so good that there some hidden agenda or a ‘reached understanding between certain parties’ such that one David can be so hammered by the media for apparently doing nothing,whilst Shearer is praised to the heights for an average speech by autocue and now Armstrong penning this oddity http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10851136 Not to mention the strange return of JT.
So many things about the caucus since the Labour Conference are beginning to seem ‘not quite right’ or maybe ‘too right’ if you will excuse the pun. Is there a hidden Game (of Thrones) Plan, and why?
I think Grant Robertson’s relationship with the Gallery is actually just a referral from the right faction boss Annette King. King has been “feeding” and “grooming” John Armstrong, Vernon Small and Claire Trevett for a long time.
It is a very interesting exercise to look back on each of these Gallery journalists articles – you can see clear patterns in their reporting. I’ve always considered Small and Trevett to be lightweights but once upon a time I had some respect for John Armstrong. But even he doesn’t seem able to find an original thought in the past year.
Looks like Robertson has decided that he is the embodiment of all the true Labour ideals and so therefore everything he does to ensure his leadership of the party is justified. Omelettes and eggs and so on. He forgets that when you say that the means justifies the end, you forget that the means is the end.
if it is that hard to prize open the grip of those usual suspects in both the Labour caucus and the mainstream media, what is the point of a challenge in February 2014? Surely a loss would be turned into a win, a win turned into a loss.
yes I saw that they have “approved” JT *sigh*. anyway NSW “above normal Max temp and fire season
also,
but then “I’m only happy when it rains…pour your misery down on me…Garbage.
BBC-Assange “Swedes have their heads in the ground”
Senior U.S Republican source-the fiscal cliff regulation agreements (not) “are really going nowhere”
Last minute folks, roll up…roll up…
furthermore on CNN,” disappointing U.S and Eurozone economic figures”
RT-“The Electronic Intifada” hmmmm.
Endgame in the M.E.? Israel on the defensive; and we all know how a dog behaves when it’s cornered.
meanwhile, on SKY; “growing threat of U.S storms occuring; naturally occuring exceptional period of
Hurricanes (“and I’m gettin blown away…I am just a dreamer but you are just a dream…you could have been any thing to me) AND Climate Change, oh well, it’s not like there haven’t been signs!
ol’ Bri-“there goes His Hero…watch him as he burns”
The Breeders? “Cannonball”; is that a Deal Kim?
More Horror Road Crashes…say no more
Tamihere in. Now there is something to think about.
Arm was strong heralding the “power of the state to build houses” as scribed by the Parker Pen
(not a fan of “chippy” but then what would i know)
“Shot down in flames…aint it a shame…to be shot down in flames…yet we could always build a RONs
I hear Shearer strongly supports Tamihere. Reckon Shearer’s game plan is he needs a Maori on his front bench and Tamihere is the one.
I’ve made my calls over the last hour and this seems to be correct. Grant Robertson also spoke strongly in favour of giving Tamihere another chance.
In addition to courting the Maori vote, the strategy appears to be to help Labour cast off any remaining image of being ‘bleeding heart’ left wing. Jones and Tamihere to be given wide latitude in this.
I can’t help thinking that this call from the leadership is misguided.
It’s an insult to women and gays for the LP leadership to even consider having Tamihere stand! Definitely misguided. No principles! Anything to get elected and keep their status in the LP.
Yes its part of a concerted strategy by the Leadership team and its puppeteers (King/Mallard) to take Labour to the right. Roger Douglas must be laughing out loud today.
And that silly, weak Moira Coatsworth says its about “the need to be a party in unity and move on together” (TV3 News tonight). When did Tamihere EVER contribute to unity in the Party?!!!!
If that sexist and animal abuser is in the Labour Party then I am no longer a Labour supporter. I will be voting Greens unless David Cunliffe gets in and shows a fraction of the common sense of the idiots in the party at present.
Well, I have been content to vote Green while waiting for Labour to become a credible left wing party again, i.e. promoting social justice for all sections of the community rather than pandering to the middle-class neoliberal media.
So, now, in order to try to attract a section of the community they haven’t supported well-enough fr a while, they want to jettison another section of the community – but not their allegiance to the media & neoliberal consensus. They are truly a confused bunch.
If Tamihere stands as a candidate in West Auckland, I’ll do something I’ve never done before – join a party (the Greens) and go out on the streets campaigning for them. That’s how angry the idea of a return of Tamihere makes me.
Why what’s wrong with Tamihere?
John will be a lifeline for the party when it has it leadership election in February.
As the labour party has got no one else.
well, just for a Rogue opinion, this “Tamihere” thing is not going to end well; might as well have pulled
the pin and placed said pin between teeth; Jesus Wept, but what would he know as Benghazi is suggesting? A big fat diabetic NO to JT is my opionion; this is going to end in tears and that is my last
word on the matter; very sad day, yet he is not a candidate yet God Help us 🙂
meanwhile, Christchurch does not appear well at all, not at all, no Siree Gerry.
meanwhile, a new level of “ruthlessness” in Syria and TPTB have shut the “net” down; suplise suplise.
meanwhile, great infrastructure support for East Timor from China, God Bless China and the CCP
(we look forward to the third-year plan implementation)
🙂
To select Tamahere and demote Cunliffe in the one month is a direct snub to the working class credentials of Labour.
To suggest Tamahere is there to encourage a racially and tolerant image for Labour is a joke. He appeals to pakeha rednecks who will never vote for a left Labour.
This is direct challenge to the ethnic Sector, Carmel Sepuloni, David Cunliffe and all the members who voted for a modern open democratic Labour Party.
Shearer and Robertson must think the Conference was a vote of confidence in their stunning performance of the past year
Shearer and Ribrrtson must think the Caucus 100% vote meant they had won control back from the members!
NO, NO. NO.
Shearer and Robertson are in for a wake-up call.
They ate arrogant fools.
I am afraid you are quite correct Jazzabelle. My gut instinct to turn from Shearer after his unjust and distasteful actions last week is now justified. He showed his true colours then and now others are being revealed to be wearing his mark and it is not the mark or colour of the type of person I can support let alone unite with. Moira Coatsworth is whistling in the wind as far as I am concerned. I feel sure nothing good is going to come of this. If it is possible I will vote accordingly in February.
I’m not so sure they are in for a wake up call! King/Mallard have a very firm and vicious grip. And the Leadership team does whatever they suggest because they don’t actually have the skills to lead.
And why? Because King/Mallard do not qualify for a Parliamentary pension. They cannot afford to leave their Parliamentary incomes for a goodly while.
King/Mallard are poisonous and the Party hierachy needs to grow a spine and rise up and challenge them.
I don’t know about the hierarchy (I do – they don’t have a spine), but the party membership has always had a spine and it did indeed rise up. Fingers crossed for the coming months.
Found this an interesting read:
Still mulling it over so I’m not going to give any personal insights.
Thanks DTB. I take it to mean we need to know ourselves, and to not be afraid of offending by being who we are, in order to truly communicate with and understand others.
So I don’t feel quite so bad about commenting in anger,re Tamihere and the confused principles of Labour tonight…. though that may just be self-serving.
Agree but I think it goes some what beyond the classic Know Thyself to also say Be Thyself.
Interesting article on the Egyptian constitution.
Why is Egypt’s draft constitution so controversial?.
Let’s Be the Best FOR the World, Not IN the World
All such good questions and likely that most couldn’t answer them but I found this paragraph most interesting:
Because that is exactly where National Standards will take us. To a point where even the teachers won’t be able to comprehend the world around them.
Nice link. I”m trying to think of the last thing I bought and then asking the questions. Defining what is a need and what is a want is tricky. Needs that maintain current standard of living, or needs that ensure survival, or something in between?
John Tamihere, the “candidate from hell” …
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/141128/Candidate-from-hell-Tamihere-linked-with-Nats
There are hundreds of other links on Tamihere but I guess the Labour hierarchy don’t have Google.
The archive on his Radio Live rants will be keeping the Nats’ hit squad busy and happy – some really nasty stuff. The only possible defence would have been “it was a long time ago, he’s turned over a new leaf” – and yes, in theory anybody could .
Except Tamihere was attacking Labour only a few days ago (“headhunters gang” etc). He hasn’t changed, and it’s not even clear that the idiots in charge want him to.
Tamihere has money, staff, volunteers, position, networks, and major media access.
and that winning smile for the girls.
that adds up to the capacity to take Dr Sharples out pretty easy.
Either National or Labour would find him candidate material in those circumstances.
Perhaps like Jones he is more suited to National. So for that reason alone Labour choose to keep them.
Or perhaps rather Shearer needs someone to shore up his numbers once Beaumont replaces Jones after the Auditer-General’s report is out.
Also odd that Twyford is supporting Tamihere throughout. Is Twyford trying to take out Sepulina in Waitakere selection with Tamihere? Quite a darkness in operation there, a chilled dish of revenge served.
*Groan* Twyford is supporting Tamihere? If so, that increases the reasons for me getting active and becoming a Green Party member. Twyford is my MP. Sepuloni is still a more promising candidate for Waitakere than Tamihere, IMO. She came within a whisker last time. And since then all we’ve seen is Bennett’s vicious attacks on the least powerful.
Is Labour just becoming the Men’s Party?
And Tamihere is a big supporter of Charter Schools.
There are many a true saying!
The same goes for NZ.