Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1983 to 1989, Nigel Lawson was in charge of deregulating the London financial markets in 1986, providing a template for the Clinton regime’s decision a decade later to remove the protections of the Glass-Steagall Act. As a radical Friedmanite, Lawson is a stern advocate of chopping welfare for the poor—but in 2008 it was revealed that he had “pulled a Bill English”, claiming £16,000 in overnight allowances by registering his farmhouse in Gascony as his main residence.
Lawson was and is a loud supporter of the disastrous, irresponsible decision to break away from Europe.
He’s also a strident anti-science agitator, serving as chairman of the crazed “Global Warming Policy Foundation”, which was found by the Royal Society to be guilty of “spreading errors” and making “demonstrably inaccurate” statements. The GWPF was deregistered as a charity in 2014 for breaching rules of impartiality.
“People such as Lord Lawson are not sceptical, for if one major peer-reviewed piece of scientific research were ever to be published casting doubt on climate change theory, you just know they’d have it up in neon at Piccadilly Circus. They are only sceptical about what they don’t want to be true.”
—-David Aaronovitch, “Strip away the figleaf and reveal naysayers”, The Times, November 24, 2009.
Perhaps the best summary of Nigel Lawson is that provided a couple of months ago by Will Hutton in the Guardian:
The coming rain must be a huge relief to some on the East coast, but a blow to those who have crops nearly ready. However, with such warm seas we are bound to get more rain.
Ask any farmer, they will tell you it’s getting easier to farm not harder. There is hardly much risk of drought nowadays and the weather is much more predictable than it used to be 🙂
Edit – Better insert the ‘sarc’ tag just to be safe.
I would have to disagree with you, the last two years have been very difficult farming in traditional dairy farming areas, in Taranaki for example we had 18months of almost constant rain, causing massive paddock pugging damage and nutrient losses, followed by 3months of absolutely no rain, causing the government to declare drought in places like Stratford which is unheard of.
Coastal Taranaki farmers have had to dr off cows very early before Christmas and some have had to cull capital,stock and tell workers too find another job, all very stressful as well as having the bankers on there back as loss of income is sending some farms too the wall.
The Dairy factories are running at half capacity due to no milk.
So,no Farming has not become easier!
Apologies read your comment in haste now realise sarcasm.
Those aren’t wasted lines Jimmy, it is good to hear from the ‘horse’s ‘ mouth about conditions. Real people, real information.
And it certainly is hard. The grass dying off like that. What are you thinking up your way. Has Lincoln University got grasses in a mix so that they can cope with variable conditions. Are you going to try having ploughed fields so that they have a rise with a fall drainage effect? What about the ideas of having mixed grass and natural paddocks, just removing the nasties from it. That means that you would get a locally adjusted sort of pasture. I think that if you have enough clover and so in then you get nitrogen fixing. Perhaps hedges of tagates which is a fixer isn’t it. Then the cows wouldn’t be dependent on ground level grazing.
I guess that you realise that there is stuff that you can do beyond just praying for the right sort of weather and conditions. Time for a rethink about a different way of stocking, feeding etc.
I heard a woman farmer sounding very confident saying she fed out over 100 kgs/tonnes this year of palm kernel stuff and only 48 last year. WTF. We shouldn’t be importing stuff like this. We have had research going for years about feed stuff in NZ and also there is research showing that more stock requiring imported feed, is bad for the farmer profit and loss and it is bad for NZ to import this, and bad for the people where the palm trees are grown on land taken over from native forest.
Lincoln is doing some great research intograsses, most encouraging i think is new grasses that can grow in colder climate, possibly producing 20% more feed in the winter months.
Although I’m not sure any grass can survive pugging damage from too much rainfall.
My own farm has fall drainage and mixed grasses, although I am struggling with Giant buttercup and dock in some area, these paddocks also have lots and lots of clover.
Unfortunately the sprays available to combat dock and buttercup also decimate clover, hmmm decisions.
Yes stocking rate always comes up, we try to plan for the best but expect the worst.
We try to have a stocking rate that allows us to produce silage and hay on the milking platform without external supplements.
However in some weather event such as the last 18months this just hasn’t happened.
For the first time in 20years we have used PKE I personally don’t like PKE but decided to use it, because the choice was cull cows, dry off, risk a huge cow empty rate, starve cows or use the ONLY feed available PKE.
No wrapped silage or hay is for sale because no one has been able to make any.
I have been unable to measure a profit from PKE, it’s break even at best.
100 Tonnes might sound a lot, that’s about 10 truck loads.
A cow needs 17kgs dry matter to milk well, she needs 8kgs for body maintanence.
A 300cow farm could easily feed 10tonne in 10 days.
It’s easy to sit on the sideline, but Making the decisions not so easy.
Fonterra have set limits (the only company so far to do it, the test is called FEI) on PKE use.
They are trying to limit it to 3kgs per cow per day, they test for it and financial demerits are to be imposed I think start of next season.
This will impact many farms, some farming systems are based on PKE use.
Do you use electric fencing to limit pugging from the cows? With feedouts of hay? If you couldn’t get enough hay and silage I guess you would have to let them roam. Would tagetes help you planted along near fence lines to keep them from the middle of paddocks? Is there a standing area where you can confine them to limit damage?
Has anyone ever tried to tap into the grass from townies back yards? All that potential feed that the Councils can’t handle – can it be used if the right stuff, by farmers through silage at reasonable rates? If the lawn was surveyed for weeds and good condition they would grow a useful crop which could go into silage? Cheap rates for mowing and use of land for production. Bad weeds not allowed, perhaps no ryegrass, that’s connected to staggers isn’t it – some of weedy grasses that I have to tackle have a lot of rust near the roots.
It’s good to know that Fonterra is limiting PKE. Why have we not made more publicity of our cows eating grass and being freedom-loving outdoor beasts? And I understand that our butter is buttercup yellow indicating Vitamin A and? whereas the Scandinavian, I think Danish, was more the colour of cream. That would give us cred I think but PKE wouldn’t be allowed or actually needed then.
It would be good if the country could have some experienced weed control teams that could be contracted from the government at reasonable rates, that would help out farmers with weed eradication for those you mention and others. And watch out for the ones that are sneaking through from overseas, either blown from Oz or through stretched biosecurity.
Anyway wishing you a better 2018. The likelihood of weather events with cloudbursts etc. isn’t something to cheer. But it can make some good news stories like the beef? cattle stranded after the slip and rescued. But the best news would be steady weather and healthy herds without any of these foreign bugs getting in.
I’ll never forget bovine spongi whatname in Britain. I think we are safe from that sort of thing aren’t we.
Miscanthus dictionary definition | miscanthus defined – YourDictionary http://www.yourdictionary.com › Dictionary Definitions › miscanthus
miscanthus. Noun. (plural miscanthuses) Any of several perennial grasses, of genus Miscanthus, native to subtropical and tropical regions of Africa and southern Asia, which is cultivated as an ornamental plant and is being used as a source of biomass for the production of biofuel.
But it would be good if you answered with a joined up sentence rather than throwing a word at the comment that you knew probably only a few would know.
And I notice with scepticism that it is thought of as a possible biofuel. The growth of this as a new gold rush has been touted. However there is likely to be a continuing shortage of viable food which biofuel would exacerbate, for climate reasons, and because farmers don’t have enough rain, grain, river dried up, rights over their seed, opportunity to use the land without warlords intervening, without bombs blowing them up, snipers sitting each side of their plot shooting like loons at anything that moves, lack of living young family to work in the fields etc.
We don’t understand the other half or three-quarters of the world and shouldn’t grab every new idea like a new-found friend.
Confidence tricksters abound and some people are easy to work with; ‘Have I got a cunning plan for you.’
I’ve spent quite a bit of time looking at climate data in a previous incarnation, and I know the level of variability in it. It takes a lot of signal to stand out from all that noise. More signal than could (in my view) credibly be produced by the relatively minor level of anthropogenic climate change that has occurred in the last few years.
Then you’d be able to refute any suggestion of trends change by pointing to analyses of rainfal data over the last 50 years that found no consistent change in rainfall frequency, intensity or cumulative total.
Yet you prefer belief to knowledge.
Which is weird, because sooner or later someone is going to simply type “rainfall trends nz” into a search engine and skim through the links, and the simplicity of it will simply make your intransigence look like denialism.
If it were laziness, A. would have simply done the google search and STFU.
But now I suspect they’re just waiting for someone to throw up a paper with quotes like “At Dunedin, the CDD index [dry spell duration] has significantly increased over the last 50 years (this is consistent with the earlier analysis)” or “The spatial analysis of the trend in the South Island for several time aggregations showed a negative trend in the eastern side and a positive trend in the south-western side. Moreover, the trend analysis of the different rainfall categories showed a decreasing trend of the middle categories and an increasing trend of the weaker category.” and they’ll suddenly become an expert at statistical quibbling in order to bore everyone to death.
I’m not a denier. My contention is that it is not possible to determine how anthropogenic global warming is currently affecting the climate of any specific region of NZ, and that anyone who thinks they have such knowledge, is essentially kidding themselves.
Thanks. Was just trying to gauge the genuineness of your intention in debate here. Have to say fairly low at this stage.
I gave a list of things in the other thread that influence dryness in regards to vegetation fires. If you want to talk about increased fire risk and climate change, I’d start there. I’m guessing you are focussed on single measures like rainfall, or perhaps you are looking at more complex analyses like definitions of drought. But who would know, because you’re debating in a pretty evasive way.
Interesting – the next step in denial. AGW exists, but any regional climatic change can’t be attributed to it, even if one would theoretically cause the other. AGW is some sort of hypothetical thing that doesn’t really affect us, by the way aren’t the stretches without rain over summer so lovely and long…
> Interesting – the next step in denial. AGW exists, but any regional climatic change can’t be attributed to it, even if one would theoretically cause the other.
Just because I’m annoying doesn’t mean I’m wrong…
> by the way aren’t the stretches without rain over summer so lovely and long…
Do you really know that the stretches without rain over summer are getting longer (in a long term trend sense)? Or are you bluffing?
That may be the case Antoine, but the 6deg increase in surface sea temperatures to the west of NZ are an anomaly beyond the norm, and point to a fundamental shift which could lead to hurricane like weather and faster sea ice melt.
We are in new and concerning territory, as change is faster than our most pessimistic projections. When 98% of scientists publish open letters about tipping points we need to be taking notice.
But I’m probably just a panicky person, and your “spread over time” view could hopefully be right.
Great, you’ll be able to provide some insight into rainfall, time between rainfall events, how wind is impacting on soil moisture and plants etc. Also land management practices and how they impact on fire risk. Look forward to it.
Just out of interest, how do you use analyses of a longer term series like that in your farm management? Like, do you run your own historic models against NIWA forecasts for, say, the next six months to make management decisions, or is it your copy of data that gets fed back to someone like NIWA and they plonk out the assessments for you?
The day-job nerd in me is always looking for interesting ways data analysis helps folk.
Another bit of failed “Private Enterprise can do it better” scenario. Fun loving tax avoiding beneficiary Branson(Virgin) along with Stagecoach has been given a massive bailout for running Eastern Rail in the UK because it is in the shit.
Once again another sample of “Private Enterprise” whose only motive is profit at any cost failing and the likes of Branson expecting the taxpayer to bail him out.
This is typical of the Tory government, can’t afford to pay decent wages to the nurses, and doing their utmost to run the NHS into the ground and privatising it, telling UK people that there has to be austerity, whilst at the same time dishing out money to the likes of that parasite called Branson.
Reminds me when Air New Zealand had to be bailed out, by the Clark government after Briely and every bloody crook had Bungy Jumped with this company. Then when it was fixed up making money again, the fucking spiv wanted to sell it again to his spiv mates.
Very typical @halfcrown in just about every sector that’s been privatised.
Not only were we told competition would bring down prices, but that they’d be more ‘efficient and effective’. Except that it doesn’t/can’t apply to things that are natural monopolies such as roads, rail, electricity reticulation, water reticulation, etc.
Remember how Prebble used to harp on about how long it took to get a telephone connected? Pretty much the same now applies to getting a fibre connection – and then when it finally gets done, in many cases the work is so shoddy it comes apart in the first high wind.
And once upon a time if you reported a street light out, the local MED would dispatch a truck the same day or the next and it’d be done. Now the Council ‘liaises’ with the local owner of the lines, who then reply to your report telling you to be “rest assured, our team will be onto it” and who schedule a contractor, who comes and surveys the area to ensure the lamp post is fit to climb, or whether a cherry picker is required, and who then schedules the work, reports back to the lines company, who reports back to the Council, and Bob’s you uncle – 3 full weeks later, the work is done. And of course, all along the food chain, clip goes the shears boys, clip, clip, clip. VERY efficient and effective! Sillier still is that mounting the new LED street lamp by the contractor who gets his cut regardless, but who only puts in a single coach screw to hold it to the lamp post, means that after the first storm, the thing has turned upside down and is again rendered useless. Clip go the shears boys, clip clip clip!
OncewasTim
I wear glasses – have macular degeneration in one eye. I can see quite a lot without them, but what a difference in the amount of detail and what I can read when I put them on.
We have been myopic in New Zealand for too long. We need a Fred Hollows to help us out, as many are too pathetic to use the eyes and knowledge they have to see and think out the answers to the problems that they can’t as yet see the hard edges of. Everything is in a misty rosy glow for them.
Bible quote coming on – hasn’t it got some great lines! And I am not a dedicated churchgoer, just find that the Bible in general is great about life before and after Christ, and I like his style. The good Jesus he was all right though you have to look beyond his literally reported words.
@greywarshark
Firstly, if Christianity works for you, that’s great. Despite an upbringing in church schools where I was rapped over the knuckles for writing with my left hand, and have friends/acquaintances who’ve suffered at hands of (SOME OF) its purveyors, whatever faith that works for you is fine by me. Indeed, my sister sometimes plays the church organ and conducts/recruits a choir despite sharing my sentiments on religion.
But secondly, I’ve come to realise that the things we seem to worship these days are actually antithetical to whatever religion or faith you subscribe to be they Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh…..or whatever.
But, thirdly, I realise none of us are perfect. The Catholic or Anglican Priest that abuses, and is simply transferred to some remote Pacific Island, OR the Sikh National Party Minister who seems to have forgotten the 5 virtues and the 5 thieves, and who justifies what he does by ego, and ratinalising it all by thinking ‘well that’s what I had to go through’, OR the Muslim who gets ‘radicalised’ and thinks its OK to murder and maim in some sort of fucked up struggle for supremacy.
(I still can’t work out though, how Bill English, and others – Singh Bakshi even – justify themselves – other than maybe they are just a bit fik, or that their politics transcend their faith)
Oh, btw – seems we may also have similar eye complaints :p It’s a bugger eh?
Once was Tim
Talking about religion and churches is a side issue to what I was saying.
Put them aside and look at what Jesus is reported to have said and you get closer to the pure thought without the layers of theological preferences as to the meaning actually often obscuring them.
We need to see through that glass which is dark, and come face to face with the important ideas that glimmer for those who want to find them. And these will be often separate to whatever the churches are banging on about most.
I don’t disagree. In fact I agree.
EDIT:
It’s just that for me, Jesus isn’t, and wasn’t the only sage in my life and I’m not prepared to elevate any one person, or belief system, or ideology to something that will ‘rule’ or attempt to rule my life, or those of others.
I could probably explain things better, were it not time for my nanna nap
Here’s another metaphor for you: it’s easiest to spot glow worms when it is pitch black outside; when you are a glow worm you lighten the dark even if it is only a tiny glimmer in the vast blackness of the night. Remember that people used to navigate by the light of the stars; it only really works at night.
RNZ should broadcast this episode of ‘Borgen’ for all NZ to learn the importance of MMP.
This is a good read/watch to get all National trolls to get used to the change of government, now that MMP has chosen a “Labour coalition Government.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/346875/2017-mmp-comes-of-age
2017: MMP comes of age
1:25 pm on 23 December 2017
Finlay Macdonald, Contributor
@MacFinlay news@radionz.co.nz
Opinion – As my personal contribution to the smooth functioning of parliamentary democracy, I’d like to suggest the National Party caucus be made to watch all three series of the lauded Danish TV drama Borgen.
the programme follows the rapid rise of a young, charismatic female politician to leader of a minority government, requiring skilful coalition negotiations and the constant management of compromise and competing agendas.
Big issues such as immigration, environmental standards, health care and state pensions force the various parties to balance their political ideals with the pragmatic solutions required to govern and stay in power.
Sound familiar?
Denmark is not a mirror of New Zealand, but the core ingredients of proportional politics in the two countries are broadly similar. Which is why a good old binge-watch of Borgen might be just what certain National MPs and their cheerleaders need to help them adapt to the realities of a new era.
Put simply, 2017 was the year MMP came of age. Yet, like ageing duffers exasperated by new-fangled technology.
The National Party has blamed everything and everyone except itself for the system not working to its liking.
I wondered about what was happening to the refugees that had been flooding into the Greek Islands. I contributed through GiveaLittle to a fund that was helping them when the authorities couldn’t keep up. Then I got sidetracked and looking at the news of course I should have known, it has got worse.
Pikpa is the outcome of the group that I donated to in 2015 and continues.
Here is a September 2017 report on it and at the bottom there is a link and I shall be trying to donate through that, and hope that Christmas generosity will prompt others also, to start a relation ship with this feisty good little organisation. Apparently other Greek Islands haven’t been able to gather enough support and steam to achieve this sort of outcome but continuing the support here is a start. https://asnteamuk.org/2017/09/23/from-pikpa-leros/
Makes you think doesn’t it. All this globalisation with a breakdown of borders and freedom for corporates or vulture businesses to undercut esablished business with funds provided enabling them to make losses while they put businesses out of business. Yet when it comes to people they should know their place, and stay in it, even if it has been ruined by the corporates through their governments. that they back.
We want to trade globally, so does Australia. But want to pick the cherries out of the situation. The dark side of this trading is an externality, and not to be looked at or thought about. It’s SEP and if someone else doesn’t pick it up and assist then it’s left as mass harrassment, displacement, inhumanity and ultimately manslaughter.
It really is just like a global Highland Clearance. People have their houses and their livelihoods and peaceful living conditions taken away and are forced to move because other powerful people want their land and location for something.
It’s an exercise in double standards @greywarshark or, if you’d prefer, total hypocrisy.
Trade in people is apparently OK as long as it allows a continued trade in goods and services.
What’s worse is that people don’t seem to understand just how ‘lil ole NuZull’ is an active participant – i.e. in terms of migration/immigration and exploitation (which is STILL actually getting worse).
It’d be amusing if it wasn’t so sad!
e.g.
– an expectation that we as NuZullners (often with dual citizenship, OR with parental/grand-parental heritage) that allow us to do big OE’s and ‘off’ to the lands where currencies are worth double, and where we can chock up a few attractive points on a C.V – whilst judging (and penalising) those from the second and third worlds who have the same ambitions. AND, more often than not, from places who’ve suffered the same effects (or not) from the same colonial empires
– creating a chain of immigration consultants, PTE’s, recruitment and labour supply companies, builders, mortgage brokers, home renovation ‘specialists’ – even beauty salons where a temporary ‘skill shortage’ allows an opportunity for the ticket clipper trading in humans to operate.
I’m not sure yet whether it’s that Kiwis are just so laid back and ill-equipped with any means for critical thought, or whether they don’t actually give shit until such time as it all jumps up and bites them in the bum. I suspect it’ll begin to hit when a few more farmers go to the wall having been persuaded to rack up debt to convert to dairy, and that the urban property owners who come to realise they shouldn’t have racked up so much debt on treats and trinkets against the mortgage.
OwTim
I like your comments in the last para. I don’t think that NZs want to spend too much time thinking about things other than the factors that impact on them personally. Their vision is small, and that is important as if you start to expand your vision then you see things that have escaped your notice previously, and it can make you feel uncomfortable. And we don’t want to feel uncomfortable, do we people? No.
So it doesn’t pay to think too hard, and look for facts and so be ready for unpleasant future outcomes for us personally, our rates and so our local entity, and one hopes that the rest of the country are resilient if there are problems and those who don’t appear to have that capacity can in the meantime pull their socks up and get doing something for themselves instead of just moaning about how hard everything is. Nobody gets on who does that, perhaps they will learn that one day by thinking about things better, and putting time into work instead of whining. /sarc
Change of subject. I was reflecting today how it has been 12 years since the National Party attempted one of the biggest electoral deceptions/frauds of living memory. Don Brash and his Exclusive Brethren cash campaign. ‘Honest’ Don on the hustings telling people how trust worthy he was, and how his wife was from Singapore, whilst simultaneously planning with the EBs the roll out of ‘our/your’ campaign.
Who is behind the pamphlets Dr Brash?
‘I am not sure, one things I do know is that’s it not the National Party’
a few days later
‘I didn’t lie. They told me they were putting out pamphlets attacking the government and I said that’s marvellous’
And it was only a year ago that John Key was still PM, Key who ‘met the EBs for prayer’ on several occasions.
I have seen a couple of articles that have got my attention one was saying make sure you get the difference right of race and culture. I say we can interpret culture as we see fit and it is a better word to use than race when discribing unique people as race is a word that divide US so in my view we have many beautiful intelligent inercint unique people around our world Ka pai.
Another was quoting all the achievements of the baby boomers and said we stand on the backs of giants don’t get me wrong I have a lot of respect for our elderly.
But I say they are giant sheep who let the %1 lie cheat and steel off the rest and give them selves impunity our elderly did not have this wonderful 21st century comunacations devices that us younger generation have so it was easy for the 1% to pull the wool over there eyes. I say no more were will get equality for all Kia kaha
Eco maori
Good points. And I think it is a case of keeping on top of the new innovations around computers etc. but not letting go of the basic systems that are still under our control.
The test will be, if the electricity and battery operated systems were out of order, withdrawn, put under sanctions and denied to us, what have the people still got. I’m wondering if we should have a pigeon network, for fun, but with possible future needs in mind. I think these would have to be the imported ones. I don’t know that kereru would take kindly to flying all over the place unless they knew there were going to be berries there!
I’m reading the story of the Cretan way of getting round their mountainous island near Greece that really came into its own in WW2 when the Germans occupied it. Called Natural Born Heroes by Christopher McDougall. The library in your area should have it, and if not, it is worth putting in a request for them to buy it. The Cretans had donkeys I think but not many horses. But they couldn’t have managed what the Cretan men did (don’t know about the women yet). That would be an interesting place for NZ to go to as I understand we were helpful in the war and they don’t forget.
Over the last few years we’ve had RWNJs and even some Lefties telling us that we can’t ban foreign ownership and importation and exportation of other stuff because of FTAs. Well, China is now banning the importation of waste.
When China was going to decrease their export of rare-earths they got taken to the WTO by Europe and the US to force them to continue exporting. Surely the ban on trash imports also impinges upon China’s trading rights obligations.
Reading the SCMP article, it sounds like China is banning importing the shit on bio-security / sanitary grounds. Most trade agreements have let outs for that.
Like Australia with our apples, and us with pretty much everyone else’s honey.
A related point, apparently in the UK they are now sealing roads using plastic rather than bitumen, lasts a lot longer and provides a use for recycled plastic.
(I met Thuli Madonsela – this South African Public Prosecutor in July 2017, at the World Justice Project International Rule of Law Forum at The Hague.)
There is hope that all of Africa and her people will get their Mana back and they will share it to benefit all her people Ka pai Penny bright
Joe 90 you know we have worked out that the 1% know about all the corruption in OUR WORLDs society they chose to keep it to themselves as they are scared they will lose their money.
The neo liberals have tunnel vision on any issues that they disagree.
Climate change is poking US in thee eye and they still denied it existed
There small brains can’t handle admitting to there own flaws typical of neo liberal who self massage there own ego.
Waha whakawhetai to Scott Morrison for making the time to teach our people in prison how to speak Maori this will help them find our Maori culture eco will have to learn more reo to
Kia kaha people
Advanced Leadership
HOME / PEOPLE /
Thulisile Madonsela
Thulisile Madonsela
Prior to ALI, Thulisile Madonsela was the Public Protector of South Africa, and was the first woman to hold this position.
Ms. Madonsela is a human rights lawyer and authority on equality; she helped South Africa’s Constitutional Assembly draft the country’s constitution, and co-developed the policy framework that formed the basis of the establishment of her country’s Ministry for Women, Children and Persons with Disability.
As an ALI Fellow, she hopes to explore new ways for legal systems to promote social justice and eradicate poverty, both in her native South Africa and globally.
___________________
It was a typical November day in New York City. The year: 1959. Robert Dunlop, 50 years old and photographed later as clean-shaven, hair carefully parted, his earnest face donning horn-rimmed glasses, passed under the Ionian columns of Columbia University’s iconic Low Library. He was a guest of honor for a grand occasion: the centennial of the American oil industry.
[…]
Four others joined Dunlop at the podium that day, one of whom had made the journey from California – and Hungary before that. The nuclear weapons physicist Edward Teller had, by 1959, become ostracized by the scientific community for betraying his colleague J. Robert Oppenheimer, but he retained the embrace of industry and government. Teller’s task that November fourth was to address the crowd on “energy patterns of the future,” and his words carried an unexpected warning:
Ladies and gentlemen, I am to talk to you about energy in the future. I will start by telling you why I believe that the energy resources of the past must be supplemented. First of all, these energy resources will run short as we use more and more of the fossil fuels. But I would […] like to mention another reason why we probably have to look for additional fuel supplies. And this, strangely, is the question of contaminating the atmosphere. [….] Whenever you burn conventional fuel, you create carbon dioxide. [….] The carbon dioxide is invisible, it is transparent, you can’t smell it, it is not dangerous to health, so why should one worry about it?
Carbon dioxide has a strange property. It transmits visible light but it absorbs the infrared radiation which is emitted from the earth. Its presence in the atmosphere causes a greenhouse effect [….] It has been calculated that a temperature rise corresponding to a 10 per cent increase in carbon dioxide will be sufficient to melt the icecap and submerge New York. All the coastal cities would be covered, and since a considerable percentage of the human race lives in coastal regions, I think that this chemical contamination is more serious than most people tend to believe.
I see that ECO Maori and the rest of the good people on the standard are having a positive effect on OUR society they are trying to cover it up I won’t say what the effect is but ECO see it many thanks to my te puna for gifting me these skills Ka kite ano
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The other day, Australian Senator Nick McKim issued a warning in the Australian Parliement about the US’s descent into fascim.And of course it’s true, but I lament - that was true as soon as Trump won.What we see is now simply the reification of the intention, planning, and forces behind ...
Among the many other problems associated with Musk/DOGE sending a fleet of teenage and twenty-something cultists to remove, copy and appropriate federal records like social security, medicaid and other supposedly protected data is the fact that the youngsters doing the data-removal, copying and security protocol and filter code over-writing have ...
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tuneBird fly high by the light of the moonOh, oh, oh, JokermanSong by Bob Dylan.Morena folks, I hope this fine morning of the 7th of February finds you well. We're still close to Paihia, just a short drive out of town. Below is the view ...
It’s been an eventful week as always, so here’s a few things that we have found interesting. We also hope everyone had a happy and relaxing Waitangi Day! This week in Greater Auckland We’re still running on summer time, but provided two chewy posts: On Tuesday, a guest ...
Queuing on Queen St: the Government is set to announce another apparently splashy growth policy on Sunday of offering residence visas to wealthy migrants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, February 7:PM Christopher ...
The fact that Waitangi ended up being such a low-key affair may mark it out as one of the most significant Waitangi Days in recent years. A group of women draped in “Toitu Te Tiriti” banners who turned their backs on the politicians’ powhiri was about as rough as it ...
Hi,This week’s Flightless Bird episode was about “fake seizure guy” — a Melbourne man who fakes seizures in order to get members of the public to sit on him.The audio documentary (which I have included in this newsletter in case you don’t listen to Flightless Bird) built on reporting first ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk The 119th Congress comes with a price tag. The oil and gas industry gave about $24 million in campaign contributions to the members of the U.S. House and Senate expected to be sworn in January 3, 2025, according to a ...
Early morning, the shadows still long, but you can already feel the warmth building. Our motel was across the road from the historic homestead where Henry Williams' family lived. The evening before, we wandered around the gardens, reading the plaques and enjoying the close proximity to the history of the ...
Thanks folks for your feedback, votes and comments this week. I’ll be making the changes soon. Appreciate all your emails, comments and subscriptions too. I know your time is valuable - muchas gracias.A lot is happening both here and around the world - so I want to provide a snippets ...
Data released today by Statistics NZ shows that unemployment rose to 5.1%, with 33,000 more people out of work than last year said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “The latest data shows that employment fell in Aotearoa at its fastest rate since the GFC. Unemployment rose in 8 ...
The December labour market statistics have been released, showing yet another increase in unemployment. There are now 156,000 unemployed - 34,000 more than when National took office. And having thrown all these people out of work, National is doubling down on cruelty. Because being vicious will somehow magically create the ...
Boarded up homes in Kilbirnie, where work on a planned development was halted. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 5 are;Housing Minister Chris Bishop yesterday announcedKāinga Ora would be stripped of ...
This week Kiwirail and Auckland Transport were celebrating the completion of the summer rail works that had the network shut or for over a month and the start of electric trains to Pukekohe. First up, here’s parts of the press release about the shutdown works. Passengers boarding trains in Auckland ...
Through its austerity measures, the coalition government has engineered a rise in unemployment in order to reduce inflation while – simultaneously – cracking down harder and harder on the people thrown out of work by its own policies. To that end, Social Development Minister Louise Upston this week added two ...
This year, we've seen a radical, white supremacist government ignoring its Tiriti obligations, refusing to consult with Māori, and even trying to legislatively abrogate te Tiriti o Waitangi. When it was criticised by the Waitangi Tribunal, the government sabotaged that body, replacing its legal and historical experts with corporate shills, ...
Poor old democracy, it really is in a sorry state. It would be easy to put all the blame on the vandals and tyrants presently trashing the White House, but this has been years in the making. It begins with Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan and the spirit of Gordon ...
The new school lunches came in this week, and they were absolutely scrumptious.I had some, and even though Connor said his tasted like “stodge” and gave him a sore tummy, I myself loved it!Look at the photos - I knew Mr Seymour wouldn’t lie when he told us last year:"It ...
The tighter sanctions are modelled on ones used in Britain, which did push people off ‘the dole’, but didn’t increase the number of workers, and which evidence has repeatedly shown don’t work. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, ...
Catching you up on the morning’s global news and a quick look at the parallels -GLOBALTariffs are backSharemarkets in the US, UK and Europe have “plunged” in response to Trump’s tariffs. And while Mexico has won a one month reprieve, Canada and China will see their respective 25% and 10% ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission. Gondolas are often in the news, with manufacturers of ropeway systems proposing them as a modern option for mass transit systems in New Zealand. However, like every next big thing in transport, it’s hard ...
This is a re-post from The Climate BrinkBoth 2023 and 2024 were exceptionally warm years, at just below and above 1.5C relative to preindustrial in the WMO composite of surface temperature records, respectively. While we are still working to assess the full set of drivers of this warmth, it is clear that ...
Hi,I woke up feeling nervous this morning, realising that this weekend Flightless Bird is going to do it’s first ever live show. We’re heading to a sold out (!) show in Seattle to test the format out in front of an audience. If it works, we’ll do more. I want ...
From the United-For-Now States of America comes the thrilling news that a New Zealander may be at the very heart of the current coup. Punching above our weight on the world stage once more! Wait, you may be asking, what New Zealander? I speak of Peter Thiel, made street legal ...
Even Stevens: Over the 33 years between 1990 and 2023 (and allowing for the aberrant 2020 result) the average level of support enjoyed by the Left and Right blocs, at roughly 44.5 percent each, turns out to be, as near as dammit, identical.WORLDWIDE, THE PARTIES of the Left are presented ...
Back in 2023, a "prominent political figure" went on trial for historic sex offences. But we weren't allowed to know who they were or what political party they were "prominent" in, because it might affect the way we voted. At the time, I said that this was untenable; it was ...
I'm going, I'm goingWhere the water tastes like wineI'm going where the water tastes like wineWe can jump in the waterStay drunk all the timeI'm gonna leave this city, got to get awayI'm gonna leave this city, got to get awayAll this fussing and fighting, man, you know I sure ...
Waitangi Day is a time to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and stand together for a just and fair Aotearoa. Across the motu, communities are gathering to reflect, kōrero, and take action for a future built on equity and tino rangatiratanga. From dawn ceremonies to whānau-friendly events, there are ...
Subscribe to Mountain Tūī ! Where you too can learn about exciting things from a flying bird! Tweet.Yes - I absolutely suck at marketing. It’s a fact.But first -My question to all readers is:How should I set up the Substack model?It’s been something I’ve been meaning to ask since November ...
Here’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s political economy on politics and in the week to Feb 3:PM Christopher Luxon began 2025’s first day of Parliament last Tuesday by carrying on where left off in 2024, letting National’s junior coalition partner set the political agenda and dragging ...
The PSA have released a survey of 4000 public service workers showing that budget cuts are taking a toll on the wellbeing of public servants and risking the delivery of essential services to New Zealanders. Economists predict that figures released this week will show continued increases in unemployment, potentially reaching ...
The Prime Minister’s speech 10 days or so ago kicked off a flurry of commentary. No one much anywhere near the mainstream (ie excluding Greens supporters) questioned the rhetoric. New Zealand has done woefully poorly on productivity for a long time and we really need better outcomes, and the sorts ...
President Trump on the day he announced tariffs against Mexico, Canada and China, unleashing a shock to supply chains globally that is expected to slow economic growth and increase inflation for most large economies. Photo: Getty ImagesLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate ...
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 9 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 3Politics: New Zealand Government cabinet meeting usually held early afternoon with post-cabinet news conference possible at 4 pm, although they have not been ...
Trump being Trump, it won’t come as a shock to find that he regards a strong US currency (bolstered by high tariffs on everything made by foreigners) as a sign of America’s virility, and its ability to kick sand in the face of the world. Reality is a tad more ...
A listing of 24 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, January 26, 2025 thru Sat, February 1, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
What seems to be the common theme in the US, NZ, Argentina and places like Italy under their respective rightwing governments is what I think of as “the politics of cruelty.” Hate-mongering, callous indifference in social policy-making, corporate toadying, political bullying, intimidation and punching down on the most vulnerable with ...
If you are confused, check with the sunCarry a compass to help you alongYour feet are going to be on the groundYour head is there to move you aroundSo, stand in the place where you liveSongwriters: Bill Berry / Michael Mills / Michael Stipe / Peter Buck.Hot in the CityYesterday, ...
Shane Jones announced today he would be contracting out his thinking to a smarter younger person.Reclining on his chaise longue with a mouth full of oysters and Kina he told reporters:Clearly I have become a has-been, a palimpsest, an epigone, a bloviating fossil. I find myself saying such things as: ...
Warning: This post contains references to sexual assaultOn Saturday, I spent far too long editing a video on Tim Jago, the ACT Party President and criminal, who has given up his fight for name suppression after 2 years. He voluntarily gave up just in time for what will be a ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is global warming ...
Our low-investment, low-wage, migration-led and housing-market-driven political economy has delivered poorer productivity growth than the rest of the OECD, and our performance since Covid has been particularly poor. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty this ...
..Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.As far as major government announcements go, a Three Ministers Event is Big. It can signify a major policy development or something has gone Very Well, or an absolute Clusterf**k. When Three Ministers assemble ...
One of those blasts from the past. Peter Dunne – originally neoliberal Labour, then leader of various parties that sought to work with both big parties (generally National) – has taken to calling ...
Completed reads for January: I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson The Black Spider, by Jeremias Gotthelf The Spider and the Fly (poem), by Mary Howitt A Noiseless Patient Spider (poem), by Walt Whitman August Heat, by W.F. Harvey Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White The Shrinking Man, by Richard Matheson ...
Do its Property Right Provisions Make Sense?Last week I pointed out that it is uninformed to argue that the New Zealand’s apparently poor economic performance can be traced only to poor regulations. Even were there evidence they had some impact, there are other factors. Of course, we should seek to ...
Richard Wagstaff It was incredibly jarring to hear the hubris from the Prime Minister during his recent state of the nation address. I had just spent close to a week working though the stories and thoughts shared with us by nearly 2000 working people as part of our annual Mood ...
Odd fact about the Broadcasting Standards Authority: for the last few years, they’ve only been upholding about 5% of complaints. Why? I think there’s a range of reasons. Generally responsible broadcasters. Dumb complaints. Complaints brought under the wrong standard. Greater adherence to broadcasters’ rights to freedom of expression in the ...
And I said, "Mama, mama, mama, why am I so alone"'Cause I can't go outside, I'm scared I might not make it homeWell I'm alive, I'm alive, but I'm sinking inIf there's anyone at home at your place, darlingWhy don't you invite me in?Don't try to feed me'Cause I've been ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ star is on the rise, having just added the Energy, Local Government and Revenue portfolios to his responsibilities - but there is nothing ambitious about the Government’s new climate targets. Photo: SuppliedLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate ...
It may have been a short week but there’s been no shortage of things that caught our attention. Here is some of the most interesting. This week in Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt took a look at public transport ridership in 2024 On Thursday Connor asked some questions ...
The East Is Red: Journalists and commentators are referring to the sudden and disruptive arrival of DeepSeek as a second “Sputnik moment”. (Sputnik being the name given by the godless communists of the Soviet Union to the world’s first artificial satellite which, to the consternation and dismay of the Americans, ...
Hi,Back on inauguration day we launched a ridiculous RFK Jr. “brain worms” tee on the Webworm store, and I told you I’d be throwing my profits over to Mutual Aid LA and Rainbow Youth New Zealand. Just to show I am not full of shit, here are the receipts. I ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump over Gaza and Ukraine.Health expert and author David Galler ...
In an uncompromising paper Treasury has basically told the Government that its plan for a third medical school at Waikato University is a waste of money. Furthermore, the country cannot afford it. That advice was released this week by the Treasury under the Official Information Act. And it comes as ...
Back in November, He Pou a Rangi provided the government with formal advice on the domestic contribution to our next Paris target. Not what the target should be, but what we could realistically achieve, by domestic action alone, without resorting to offshore mitigation. Their answer was startling: depending on exactly ...
Photo by Mauricio Fanfa on UnsplashKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with myself , plus regular guest David Patman and ...
I don't like to spend all my time complaining about our government, so let me complain about the media first.Senior journalistic Herald person Thomas Coughlan reported that Treasury replied yeah nah, wrong bro to Luxon's claim that our benighted little country has been in recession for three years.His excitement rose ...
Back in 2022, when the government was consulting internally about proactive release of cabinet papers, the SIS opposed it. The basis of their opposition was the "mosaic effect" - people being able to piece together individual pieces of innocuous public information in a way which supposedly harms "national security" (effectively: ...
With The Stroke Of A Pen:Populism, especially right-wing populism, invests all the power of an electoral/parliamentary majority in a single political leader because it no longer trusts the bona fides of the sprawling political class among whom power is traditionally dispersed. Populism eschews traditional politics, because, among populists, traditional politics ...
I’ve spent the last week writing a fairly substantial review of a recent book (“Australia’s Pandemic Exceptionalism: How we crushed the curve but lost the race”) by a couple of Australian academic economists on Australia’s pandemic policies and experiences. For all its limitations, there isn’t anything similar in New Zealand. ...
Mr Mojo Rising: Economic growth is possible, Christopher Luxon reassures us, but only under a government that is willing to get out of the way and let those with drive and ambition get on with it.ABOUT TWELVE KILOMETRES from the farm on the North Otago coast where I grew up stands ...
You're nearly a good laughAlmost a jokerWith your head down in the pig binSaying, 'Keep on digging.'Pig stain on your fat chinWhat do you hope to findDown in the pig mine?You're nearly a laughYou're nearly a laughBut you're really a crySongwriter: Roger Waters.NZ First - Kiwi Battlers.Say what you like ...
This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Climate denial is dead. Renewable energy denial is here. As “alternative facts” become the norm, it’s worth looking at what actual facts tell us about how renewable energy sources like solar and wind are lowering the price of electricity. As ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
Labour is relieved to see Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has woken up to reality and reversed her government’s terrible decisions to cut funding from frontline service providers – temporarily. ...
It is the first week of David Seymour’s school lunch programme and already social media reports are circulating of revolting meals, late deliveries, and mislabelled packaging. ...
The Green Party says that with no-cause evictions returning from today, the move to allow landlords to end tenancies without reason plunges renters, and particularly families who rent, into insecurity and stress. ...
The Government’s move to increase speed limits substantially on dozens of stretches of rural and often undivided highways will result in more serious harm. ...
In her first announcement as Economic Growth Minister, Nicola Willis chose to loosen restrictions for digital nomads from other countries, rather than focus on everyday Kiwis. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to stand firm and work with allies to progress climate action as Donald Trump signals his intent to pull out of the Paris Climate Accords once again. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
For the Government, 2025 will bring a relentless focus on unleashing the growth we need to lift incomes, strengthen local businesses and create opportunity. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today laid out the Government’s growth agenda in his Statement to Parliament. “Just over a year ago this Government was elected by ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes students back to school with a call to raise attendance from last year. “The Government encourages all students to attend school every day because there is a clear connection between being present at school and setting yourself up for a bright future,” says Mr ...
The Government is relaxing visitor visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting New Zealand, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism Minister Louise Upston say. “The change is part of the Government’s plan to unlock New Zealand’s potential by shifting the country onto ...
The opening of Kāinga Ora’s development of 134 homes in Epuni, Lower Hutt will provide much-needed social housing for Hutt families, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I’ve been a strong advocate for social housing on Kāinga Ora’s Epuni site ever since the old earthquake-prone housing was demolished in 2015. I ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will travel to Australia today for meetings with Australian Trade Minister, Senator Don Farrell, and the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF). Mr McClay recently hosted Minister Farrell in Rotorua for the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Ministers’ meeting, where ANZLF presented on ...
A new monthly podiatry clinic has been launched today in Wairoa and will bring a much-needed service closer to home for the Wairoa community, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.“Health New Zealand has been successful in securing a podiatrist until the end of June this year to meet the needs of ...
The Judicial Conduct Commissioner has recommended a Judicial Conduct Panel be established to inquire into and report on the alleged conduct of acting District Court Judge Ema Aitken in an incident last November, Attorney-General Judith Collins said today. “I referred the matter of Judge Aitken’s alleged conduct during an incident ...
Students who need extra help with maths are set to benefit from a targeted acceleration programme that will give them more confidence in the classroom, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Last year, significant numbers of students did not meet the foundational literacy and numeracy level required to gain NCEA. To ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced three new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ...
Ki te kahore he whakakitenga, ka ngaro te Iwi – without a vision, the people will perish. The Government has achieved its target to reduce the number of households in emergency housing motels by 75 per cent five years early, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The number of households ...
The opening of Palmerston North’s biggest social housing development will have a significant impact for whānau in need of safe, warm, dry housing, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The minister visited the development today at North Street where a total of 50 two, three, and four-bedroom homes plus a ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced the new membership of the Public Advisory Committee on Disarmament and Arms Control (PACDAC), who will serve for a three-year term. “The Committee brings together wide-ranging expertise relevant to disarmament. We have made six new appointments to the Committee and reappointed two existing members ...
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora, good morning, talofa, malo e lelei, bula vinaka, da jia hao, namaste, sat sri akal, assalamu alaikum. It’s so great to be here and I’m ready and pumped for 2025. Can I start by acknowledging: Simon Bridges – CEO of the Auckland ...
The Government has unveiled a bold new initiative to position New Zealand as a premier destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) that will create higher paying jobs and grow the economy. “Invest New Zealand will streamline the investment process and provide tailored support to foreign investors, to increase capital investment ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced the largest reset of the New Zealand science system in more than 30 years with reforms which will boost the economy and benefit the sector. “The reforms will maximise the value of the $1.2 billion in government funding that goes into ...
Turbocharging New Zealand’s economic growth is the key to brighter days ahead for all Kiwis, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. In the Prime Minister’s State of the Nation Speech in Auckland today, Christopher Luxon laid out the path to the prosperity that will affect all aspects of New Zealanders’ lives. ...
The latest set of accounts show the Government has successfully checked the runaway growth of public spending, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “In the previous government’s final five months in office, public spending was almost 10 per cent higher than for the same period the previous year. “That is completely ...
The Government’s welfare reforms are delivering results with the number of people moving off benefits into work increasing year-on-year for six straight months. “There are positive signs that our welfare reset and the return consequences for job seekers who don't fulfil their obligations to prepare for or find a job ...
Jon Kroll and Aimee McCammon have been appointed to the New Zealand Film Commission Board, Arts Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “I am delighted to appoint these two new board members who will bring a wealth of industry, governance, and commercial experience to the Film Commission. “Jon Kroll has been an ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has hailed a drop in the domestic component of inflation, saying it increases the prospect of mortgage rate reductions and a lower cost of living for Kiwi households. Stats NZ reported today that inflation was 2.2 per cent in the year to December, the second consecutive ...
Two new appointed members and one reappointed member of the Employment Relations Authority have been announced by Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden today. “I’m pleased to announce the new appointed members Helen van Druten and Matthew Piper to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) and welcome them to ...
The new minister of transport has opened the door for public consultation on at least some of the speed limit changes the government said would be automatic. ...
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Thatcher’s Henchmen
No. 3: NIGEL LAWSON
Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1983 to 1989, Nigel Lawson was in charge of deregulating the London financial markets in 1986, providing a template for the Clinton regime’s decision a decade later to remove the protections of the Glass-Steagall Act. As a radical Friedmanite, Lawson is a stern advocate of chopping welfare for the poor—but in 2008 it was revealed that he had “pulled a Bill English”, claiming £16,000 in overnight allowances by registering his farmhouse in Gascony as his main residence.
Lawson was and is a loud supporter of the disastrous, irresponsible decision to break away from Europe.
He’s also a strident anti-science agitator, serving as chairman of the crazed “Global Warming Policy Foundation”, which was found by the Royal Society to be guilty of “spreading errors” and making “demonstrably inaccurate” statements. The GWPF was deregistered as a charity in 2014 for breaching rules of impartiality.
Perhaps the best summary of Nigel Lawson is that provided a couple of months ago by Will Hutton in the Guardian:
The coming rain must be a huge relief to some on the East coast, but a blow to those who have crops nearly ready. However, with such warm seas we are bound to get more rain.
NZ is in fact getting drier due to climate change (weka says)
[not quite what I said, here’s the link and context (where you talk about different dryness than I do) https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-01-01-2018/#comment-1431538 – weka]
Did you bother looking it up yourself? You have an internet connection…
I haven’t tried, because I don’t believe that there’s yet enough information to know how the climate in any particular region of NZ is changing.
A.
You haven’t looked yet you believe……….
Ask any farmer, they will tell you it’s getting easier to farm not harder. There is hardly much risk of drought nowadays and the weather is much more predictable than it used to be 🙂
Edit – Better insert the ‘sarc’ tag just to be safe.
I would have to disagree with you, the last two years have been very difficult farming in traditional dairy farming areas, in Taranaki for example we had 18months of almost constant rain, causing massive paddock pugging damage and nutrient losses, followed by 3months of absolutely no rain, causing the government to declare drought in places like Stratford which is unheard of.
Coastal Taranaki farmers have had to dr off cows very early before Christmas and some have had to cull capital,stock and tell workers too find another job, all very stressful as well as having the bankers on there back as loss of income is sending some farms too the wall.
The Dairy factories are running at half capacity due to no milk.
So,no Farming has not become easier!
Apologies read your comment in haste now realise sarcasm.
Those aren’t wasted lines Jimmy, it is good to hear from the ‘horse’s ‘ mouth about conditions. Real people, real information.
And it certainly is hard. The grass dying off like that. What are you thinking up your way. Has Lincoln University got grasses in a mix so that they can cope with variable conditions. Are you going to try having ploughed fields so that they have a rise with a fall drainage effect? What about the ideas of having mixed grass and natural paddocks, just removing the nasties from it. That means that you would get a locally adjusted sort of pasture. I think that if you have enough clover and so in then you get nitrogen fixing. Perhaps hedges of tagates which is a fixer isn’t it. Then the cows wouldn’t be dependent on ground level grazing.
I guess that you realise that there is stuff that you can do beyond just praying for the right sort of weather and conditions. Time for a rethink about a different way of stocking, feeding etc.
I heard a woman farmer sounding very confident saying she fed out over 100 kgs/tonnes this year of palm kernel stuff and only 48 last year. WTF. We shouldn’t be importing stuff like this. We have had research going for years about feed stuff in NZ and also there is research showing that more stock requiring imported feed, is bad for the farmer profit and loss and it is bad for NZ to import this, and bad for the people where the palm trees are grown on land taken over from native forest.
Lincoln is doing some great research intograsses, most encouraging i think is new grasses that can grow in colder climate, possibly producing 20% more feed in the winter months.
Although I’m not sure any grass can survive pugging damage from too much rainfall.
My own farm has fall drainage and mixed grasses, although I am struggling with Giant buttercup and dock in some area, these paddocks also have lots and lots of clover.
Unfortunately the sprays available to combat dock and buttercup also decimate clover, hmmm decisions.
Yes stocking rate always comes up, we try to plan for the best but expect the worst.
We try to have a stocking rate that allows us to produce silage and hay on the milking platform without external supplements.
However in some weather event such as the last 18months this just hasn’t happened.
For the first time in 20years we have used PKE I personally don’t like PKE but decided to use it, because the choice was cull cows, dry off, risk a huge cow empty rate, starve cows or use the ONLY feed available PKE.
No wrapped silage or hay is for sale because no one has been able to make any.
I have been unable to measure a profit from PKE, it’s break even at best.
100 Tonnes might sound a lot, that’s about 10 truck loads.
A cow needs 17kgs dry matter to milk well, she needs 8kgs for body maintanence.
A 300cow farm could easily feed 10tonne in 10 days.
It’s easy to sit on the sideline, but Making the decisions not so easy.
Fonterra have set limits (the only company so far to do it, the test is called FEI) on PKE use.
They are trying to limit it to 3kgs per cow per day, they test for it and financial demerits are to be imposed I think start of next season.
This will impact many farms, some farming systems are based on PKE use.
Jimmy thanks for very full comment.
Do you use electric fencing to limit pugging from the cows? With feedouts of hay? If you couldn’t get enough hay and silage I guess you would have to let them roam. Would tagetes help you planted along near fence lines to keep them from the middle of paddocks? Is there a standing area where you can confine them to limit damage?
Has anyone ever tried to tap into the grass from townies back yards? All that potential feed that the Councils can’t handle – can it be used if the right stuff, by farmers through silage at reasonable rates? If the lawn was surveyed for weeds and good condition they would grow a useful crop which could go into silage? Cheap rates for mowing and use of land for production. Bad weeds not allowed, perhaps no ryegrass, that’s connected to staggers isn’t it – some of weedy grasses that I have to tackle have a lot of rust near the roots.
It’s good to know that Fonterra is limiting PKE. Why have we not made more publicity of our cows eating grass and being freedom-loving outdoor beasts? And I understand that our butter is buttercup yellow indicating Vitamin A and? whereas the Scandinavian, I think Danish, was more the colour of cream. That would give us cred I think but PKE wouldn’t be allowed or actually needed then.
It would be good if the country could have some experienced weed control teams that could be contracted from the government at reasonable rates, that would help out farmers with weed eradication for those you mention and others. And watch out for the ones that are sneaking through from overseas, either blown from Oz or through stretched biosecurity.
Anyway wishing you a better 2018. The likelihood of weather events with cloudbursts etc. isn’t something to cheer. But it can make some good news stories like the beef? cattle stranded after the slip and rescued. But the best news would be steady weather and healthy herds without any of these foreign bugs getting in.
I’ll never forget bovine spongi whatname in Britain. I think we are safe from that sort of thing aren’t we.
Miscanthus is an interesting option….
Okay I looked that up cricklewood.
Miscanthus dictionary definition | miscanthus defined – YourDictionary
http://www.yourdictionary.com › Dictionary Definitions › miscanthus
miscanthus. Noun. (plural miscanthuses) Any of several perennial grasses, of genus Miscanthus, native to subtropical and tropical regions of Africa and southern Asia, which is cultivated as an ornamental plant and is being used as a source of biomass for the production of biofuel.
But it would be good if you answered with a joined up sentence rather than throwing a word at the comment that you knew probably only a few would know.
And I notice with scepticism that it is thought of as a possible biofuel. The growth of this as a new gold rush has been touted. However there is likely to be a continuing shortage of viable food which biofuel would exacerbate, for climate reasons, and because farmers don’t have enough rain, grain, river dried up, rights over their seed, opportunity to use the land without warlords intervening, without bombs blowing them up, snipers sitting each side of their plot shooting like loons at anything that moves, lack of living young family to work in the fields etc.
We don’t understand the other half or three-quarters of the world and shouldn’t grab every new idea like a new-found friend.
Confidence tricksters abound and some people are easy to work with; ‘Have I got a cunning plan for you.’
Why don’t you believe that? Have you looked?
I’ve spent quite a bit of time looking at climate data in a previous incarnation, and I know the level of variability in it. It takes a lot of signal to stand out from all that noise. More signal than could (in my view) credibly be produced by the relatively minor level of anthropogenic climate change that has occurred in the last few years.
A.
Then you’d be able to refute any suggestion of trends change by pointing to analyses of rainfal data over the last 50 years that found no consistent change in rainfall frequency, intensity or cumulative total.
Yet you prefer belief to knowledge.
Which is weird, because sooner or later someone is going to simply type “rainfall trends nz” into a search engine and skim through the links, and the simplicity of it will simply make your intransigence look like denialism.
I’m starting to think denialism too.
As I pointed out to Antoine yesterday, ‘dryness’ can be measured in many different ways. He ignored that and went with his own beliefs.
If it were laziness, A. would have simply done the google search and STFU.
But now I suspect they’re just waiting for someone to throw up a paper with quotes like “At Dunedin, the CDD index [dry spell duration] has significantly increased over the last 50 years (this is consistent with the earlier analysis)” or “The spatial analysis of the trend in the South Island for several time aggregations showed a negative trend in the eastern side and a positive trend in the south-western side. Moreover, the trend analysis of the different rainfall categories showed a decreasing trend of the middle categories and an increasing trend of the weaker category.” and they’ll suddenly become an expert at statistical quibbling in order to bore everyone to death.
Waste of energy arguing with a denialist. More deserving fish to fry.
I’m not a denier. My contention is that it is not possible to determine how anthropogenic global warming is currently affecting the climate of any specific region of NZ, and that anyone who thinks they have such knowledge, is essentially kidding themselves.
A.
> As I pointed out to Antoine yesterday, ‘dryness’ can be measured in many different ways. He ignored that and went with his own beliefs.
Hi Weka
Can you point to any one region of NZ, which has become drier in terms of any metric of your choosing, demonstrably as a result of climate change?
If you do, I’m happy to debate that on your terms.
If not, I’m done with this conversation, and will depart muttering “you got nothing”.
A.
Do you think we are having more extreme weather events?
I don’t have a strong view about that
Do you have a strong view about McFlock exposing your lazy weasel character?
It’s not laziness, it’s cynicism about the extent of human knowledge
A.
“I don’t have a strong view about that”
Thanks. Was just trying to gauge the genuineness of your intention in debate here. Have to say fairly low at this stage.
I gave a list of things in the other thread that influence dryness in regards to vegetation fires. If you want to talk about increased fire risk and climate change, I’d start there. I’m guessing you are focussed on single measures like rainfall, or perhaps you are looking at more complex analyses like definitions of drought. But who would know, because you’re debating in a pretty evasive way.
I now depart muttering ‘you got nothing’, as set out above
A.
Interesting – the next step in denial. AGW exists, but any regional climatic change can’t be attributed to it, even if one would theoretically cause the other. AGW is some sort of hypothetical thing that doesn’t really affect us, by the way aren’t the stretches without rain over summer so lovely and long…
> Interesting – the next step in denial. AGW exists, but any regional climatic change can’t be attributed to it, even if one would theoretically cause the other.
Just because I’m annoying doesn’t mean I’m wrong…
> by the way aren’t the stretches without rain over summer so lovely and long…
Do you really know that the stretches without rain over summer are getting longer (in a long term trend sense)? Or are you bluffing?
A.
That may be the case Antoine, but the 6deg increase in surface sea temperatures to the west of NZ are an anomaly beyond the norm, and point to a fundamental shift which could lead to hurricane like weather and faster sea ice melt.
We are in new and concerning territory, as change is faster than our most pessimistic projections. When 98% of scientists publish open letters about tipping points we need to be taking notice.
But I’m probably just a panicky person, and your “spread over time” view could hopefully be right.
try this
Not hard to find from here.
Then here
The first link makes a really interesting connection to ozone depletion – never knew that affected the climate
A.
Great, you’ll be able to provide some insight into rainfall, time between rainfall events, how wind is impacting on soil moisture and plants etc. Also land management practices and how they impact on fire risk. Look forward to it.
I’ve got rainfall and temperature data for every day since 1914 for the Taranaki region.
Just out of interest, how do you use analyses of a longer term series like that in your farm management? Like, do you run your own historic models against NIWA forecasts for, say, the next six months to make management decisions, or is it your copy of data that gets fed back to someone like NIWA and they plonk out the assessments for you?
The day-job nerd in me is always looking for interesting ways data analysis helps folk.
Another bit of failed “Private Enterprise can do it better” scenario. Fun loving tax avoiding beneficiary Branson(Virgin) along with Stagecoach has been given a massive bailout for running Eastern Rail in the UK because it is in the shit.
Once again another sample of “Private Enterprise” whose only motive is profit at any cost failing and the likes of Branson expecting the taxpayer to bail him out.
This is typical of the Tory government, can’t afford to pay decent wages to the nurses, and doing their utmost to run the NHS into the ground and privatising it, telling UK people that there has to be austerity, whilst at the same time dishing out money to the likes of that parasite called Branson.
Reminds me when Air New Zealand had to be bailed out, by the Clark government after Briely and every bloody crook had Bungy Jumped with this company. Then when it was fixed up making money again, the fucking spiv wanted to sell it again to his spiv mates.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/31/tom-watson-calls-on-chris-grayling-to-quit-over-grubby-east-coast-rail-deal
Very typical @halfcrown in just about every sector that’s been privatised.
Not only were we told competition would bring down prices, but that they’d be more ‘efficient and effective’. Except that it doesn’t/can’t apply to things that are natural monopolies such as roads, rail, electricity reticulation, water reticulation, etc.
Remember how Prebble used to harp on about how long it took to get a telephone connected? Pretty much the same now applies to getting a fibre connection – and then when it finally gets done, in many cases the work is so shoddy it comes apart in the first high wind.
And once upon a time if you reported a street light out, the local MED would dispatch a truck the same day or the next and it’d be done. Now the Council ‘liaises’ with the local owner of the lines, who then reply to your report telling you to be “rest assured, our team will be onto it” and who schedule a contractor, who comes and surveys the area to ensure the lamp post is fit to climb, or whether a cherry picker is required, and who then schedules the work, reports back to the lines company, who reports back to the Council, and Bob’s you uncle – 3 full weeks later, the work is done. And of course, all along the food chain, clip goes the shears boys, clip, clip, clip. VERY efficient and effective! Sillier still is that mounting the new LED street lamp by the contractor who gets his cut regardless, but who only puts in a single coach screw to hold it to the lamp post, means that after the first storm, the thing has turned upside down and is again rendered useless. Clip go the shears boys, clip clip clip!
OncewasTim
I wear glasses – have macular degeneration in one eye. I can see quite a lot without them, but what a difference in the amount of detail and what I can read when I put them on.
We have been myopic in New Zealand for too long. We need a Fred Hollows to help us out, as many are too pathetic to use the eyes and knowledge they have to see and think out the answers to the problems that they can’t as yet see the hard edges of. Everything is in a misty rosy glow for them.
Bible quote coming on – hasn’t it got some great lines! And I am not a dedicated churchgoer, just find that the Bible in general is great about life before and after Christ, and I like his style. The good Jesus he was all right though you have to look beyond his literally reported words.
1 Corinthians 13:12 KJV – For now we see through a glass, darkly …
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13%3A12…KJV
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face:
now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
@greywarshark
Firstly, if Christianity works for you, that’s great. Despite an upbringing in church schools where I was rapped over the knuckles for writing with my left hand, and have friends/acquaintances who’ve suffered at hands of (SOME OF) its purveyors, whatever faith that works for you is fine by me. Indeed, my sister sometimes plays the church organ and conducts/recruits a choir despite sharing my sentiments on religion.
But secondly, I’ve come to realise that the things we seem to worship these days are actually antithetical to whatever religion or faith you subscribe to be they Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh…..or whatever.
But, thirdly, I realise none of us are perfect. The Catholic or Anglican Priest that abuses, and is simply transferred to some remote Pacific Island, OR the Sikh National Party Minister who seems to have forgotten the 5 virtues and the 5 thieves, and who justifies what he does by ego, and ratinalising it all by thinking ‘well that’s what I had to go through’, OR the Muslim who gets ‘radicalised’ and thinks its OK to murder and maim in some sort of fucked up struggle for supremacy.
(I still can’t work out though, how Bill English, and others – Singh Bakshi even – justify themselves – other than maybe they are just a bit fik, or that their politics transcend their faith)
Oh, btw – seems we may also have similar eye complaints :p It’s a bugger eh?
Once was Tim
Talking about religion and churches is a side issue to what I was saying.
Put them aside and look at what Jesus is reported to have said and you get closer to the pure thought without the layers of theological preferences as to the meaning actually often obscuring them.
We need to see through that glass which is dark, and come face to face with the important ideas that glimmer for those who want to find them. And these will be often separate to whatever the churches are banging on about most.
I don’t disagree. In fact I agree.
EDIT:
It’s just that for me, Jesus isn’t, and wasn’t the only sage in my life and I’m not prepared to elevate any one person, or belief system, or ideology to something that will ‘rule’ or attempt to rule my life, or those of others.
I could probably explain things better, were it not time for my nanna nap
Hi greywarshark,
Best wishes for the new year.
Here’s another metaphor for you: it’s easiest to spot glow worms when it is pitch black outside; when you are a glow worm you lighten the dark even if it is only a tiny glimmer in the vast blackness of the night. Remember that people used to navigate by the light of the stars; it only really works at night.
Incognito
One to remember in the darkest night.
Happy new year for 2018 folks.
RNZ should broadcast this episode of ‘Borgen’ for all NZ to learn the importance of MMP.
This is a good read/watch to get all National trolls to get used to the change of government, now that MMP has chosen a “Labour coalition Government.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/346875/2017-mmp-comes-of-age
2017: MMP comes of age
1:25 pm on 23 December 2017
Finlay Macdonald, Contributor
@MacFinlay news@radionz.co.nz
Opinion – As my personal contribution to the smooth functioning of parliamentary democracy, I’d like to suggest the National Party caucus be made to watch all three series of the lauded Danish TV drama Borgen.
If you haven’t seen it, https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2013/nov/16/borgen-recap-season-three-episodes-one-two
the programme follows the rapid rise of a young, charismatic female politician to leader of a minority government, requiring skilful coalition negotiations and the constant management of compromise and competing agendas.
Big issues such as immigration, environmental standards, health care and state pensions force the various parties to balance their political ideals with the pragmatic solutions required to govern and stay in power.
Sound familiar?
Denmark is not a mirror of New Zealand, but the core ingredients of proportional politics in the two countries are broadly similar. Which is why a good old binge-watch of Borgen might be just what certain National MPs and their cheerleaders need to help them adapt to the realities of a new era.
Put simply, 2017 was the year MMP came of age. Yet, like ageing duffers exasperated by new-fangled technology.
The National Party has blamed everything and everyone except itself for the system not working to its liking.
Thanks for that cleangreen – I had read about Borgen and now must take your recommendation and watch it.
I wondered about what was happening to the refugees that had been flooding into the Greek Islands. I contributed through GiveaLittle to a fund that was helping them when the authorities couldn’t keep up. Then I got sidetracked and looking at the news of course I should have known, it has got worse.
It is hard with problems coming all ways such as attacks.
http://www.lsn.gr/2017/05/announcement-from-the-dodecanese-network-of-solidarity-groups/
Things being done:
https://sea-watch.org/en/leros-a-gleam-of-hope-in-the-aegean/
Some English information amongst the Greek and videos of happenings
https://www.facebook.com/lerossn/
http://www.lsn.gr/2017/02/childrens-costume-party/
Pikpa is the outcome of the group that I donated to in 2015 and continues.
Here is a September 2017 report on it and at the bottom there is a link and I shall be trying to donate through that, and hope that Christmas generosity will prompt others also, to start a relation ship with this feisty good little organisation. Apparently other Greek Islands haven’t been able to gather enough support and steam to achieve this sort of outcome but continuing the support here is a start.
https://asnteamuk.org/2017/09/23/from-pikpa-leros/
A huge list of humanists from the 99% – doing to alleviate distress:
https://www.greecevol.info/experience.list.php?organisationID=182
A book about the epic story.
https://refugeeobservatory.aegean.gr/el/node/416
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/22/this-isnt-europe-life-greece-worst-refugee-camps
https://reliefweb.int/report/greece/greece-intends-move-5000-refugees-mainland-thousands-still-trapped-islands-oxfam
Makes you think doesn’t it. All this globalisation with a breakdown of borders and freedom for corporates or vulture businesses to undercut esablished business with funds provided enabling them to make losses while they put businesses out of business. Yet when it comes to people they should know their place, and stay in it, even if it has been ruined by the corporates through their governments. that they back.
We want to trade globally, so does Australia. But want to pick the cherries out of the situation. The dark side of this trading is an externality, and not to be looked at or thought about. It’s SEP and if someone else doesn’t pick it up and assist then it’s left as mass harrassment, displacement, inhumanity and ultimately manslaughter.
It really is just like a global Highland Clearance. People have their houses and their livelihoods and peaceful living conditions taken away and are forced to move because other powerful people want their land and location for something.
It’s an exercise in double standards @greywarshark or, if you’d prefer, total hypocrisy.
Trade in people is apparently OK as long as it allows a continued trade in goods and services.
What’s worse is that people don’t seem to understand just how ‘lil ole NuZull’ is an active participant – i.e. in terms of migration/immigration and exploitation (which is STILL actually getting worse).
It’d be amusing if it wasn’t so sad!
e.g.
– an expectation that we as NuZullners (often with dual citizenship, OR with parental/grand-parental heritage) that allow us to do big OE’s and ‘off’ to the lands where currencies are worth double, and where we can chock up a few attractive points on a C.V – whilst judging (and penalising) those from the second and third worlds who have the same ambitions. AND, more often than not, from places who’ve suffered the same effects (or not) from the same colonial empires
– creating a chain of immigration consultants, PTE’s, recruitment and labour supply companies, builders, mortgage brokers, home renovation ‘specialists’ – even beauty salons where a temporary ‘skill shortage’ allows an opportunity for the ticket clipper trading in humans to operate.
I’m not sure yet whether it’s that Kiwis are just so laid back and ill-equipped with any means for critical thought, or whether they don’t actually give shit until such time as it all jumps up and bites them in the bum. I suspect it’ll begin to hit when a few more farmers go to the wall having been persuaded to rack up debt to convert to dairy, and that the urban property owners who come to realise they shouldn’t have racked up so much debt on treats and trinkets against the mortgage.
OwTim
I like your comments in the last para. I don’t think that NZs want to spend too much time thinking about things other than the factors that impact on them personally. Their vision is small, and that is important as if you start to expand your vision then you see things that have escaped your notice previously, and it can make you feel uncomfortable. And we don’t want to feel uncomfortable, do we people? No.
So it doesn’t pay to think too hard, and look for facts and so be ready for unpleasant future outcomes for us personally, our rates and so our local entity, and one hopes that the rest of the country are resilient if there are problems and those who don’t appear to have that capacity can in the meantime pull their socks up and get doing something for themselves instead of just moaning about how hard everything is. Nobody gets on who does that, perhaps they will learn that one day by thinking about things better, and putting time into work instead of whining. /sarc
End of rant. Whoooo.
Change of subject. I was reflecting today how it has been 12 years since the National Party attempted one of the biggest electoral deceptions/frauds of living memory. Don Brash and his Exclusive Brethren cash campaign. ‘Honest’ Don on the hustings telling people how trust worthy he was, and how his wife was from Singapore, whilst simultaneously planning with the EBs the roll out of ‘our/your’ campaign.
Who is behind the pamphlets Dr Brash?
‘I am not sure, one things I do know is that’s it not the National Party’
a few days later
‘I didn’t lie. They told me they were putting out pamphlets attacking the government and I said that’s marvellous’
And it was only a year ago that John Key was still PM, Key who ‘met the EBs for prayer’ on several occasions.
Of recent times I have had occasion to look into the EBs and was disturbed by their dismissive attitudes to the society that I hold dear.
I have seen a couple of articles that have got my attention one was saying make sure you get the difference right of race and culture. I say we can interpret culture as we see fit and it is a better word to use than race when discribing unique people as race is a word that divide US so in my view we have many beautiful intelligent inercint unique people around our world Ka pai.
Another was quoting all the achievements of the baby boomers and said we stand on the backs of giants don’t get me wrong I have a lot of respect for our elderly.
But I say they are giant sheep who let the %1 lie cheat and steel off the rest and give them selves impunity our elderly did not have this wonderful 21st century comunacations devices that us younger generation have so it was easy for the 1% to pull the wool over there eyes. I say no more were will get equality for all Kia kaha
Eco maori
Good points. And I think it is a case of keeping on top of the new innovations around computers etc. but not letting go of the basic systems that are still under our control.
The test will be, if the electricity and battery operated systems were out of order, withdrawn, put under sanctions and denied to us, what have the people still got. I’m wondering if we should have a pigeon network, for fun, but with possible future needs in mind. I think these would have to be the imported ones. I don’t know that kereru would take kindly to flying all over the place unless they knew there were going to be berries there!
I’m reading the story of the Cretan way of getting round their mountainous island near Greece that really came into its own in WW2 when the Germans occupied it. Called Natural Born Heroes by Christopher McDougall. The library in your area should have it, and if not, it is worth putting in a request for them to buy it. The Cretans had donkeys I think but not many horses. But they couldn’t have managed what the Cretan men did (don’t know about the women yet). That would be an interesting place for NZ to go to as I understand we were helpful in the war and they don’t forget.
Over the last few years we’ve had RWNJs and even some Lefties telling us that we can’t ban foreign ownership and importation and exportation of other stuff because of FTAs. Well, China is now banning the importation of waste.
Wouldn’t this, too, go against those same FTAs?
Depends on the FTA obviously. But the two are not necessarily related.
Really?
When China was going to decrease their export of rare-earths they got taken to the WTO by Europe and the US to force them to continue exporting. Surely the ban on trash imports also impinges upon China’s trading rights obligations.
Reading the SCMP article, it sounds like China is banning importing the shit on bio-security / sanitary grounds. Most trade agreements have let outs for that.
Like Australia with our apples, and us with pretty much everyone else’s honey.
We did take Australia to the WTO and won on the apples.
Still, you do have a point.
A related point, apparently in the UK they are now sealing roads using plastic rather than bitumen, lasts a lot longer and provides a use for recycled plastic.
Happy 2018 folks!
Seen this?
NZ WHISTLE-BLOWER ALERT!
(2 January 2018)
Who in NZ has heard of the form of corruption known as ‘State Capture’?
(Where vested interests get their way at the ‘policy’ level – before the law is made /changes are made which serve their vested interest$.)
Seems that the country leading the fightback against ‘State Capture’ is South Africa!
A new ‘civil society’ organisation has been formed – spearheading the fight against corruption and State Capture – called ‘Save Our South Africa’.
State Capture: Madonsela ‘happy’ with court ruling on Zuma | News24
https://m.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/state-capture-madonsela-happy-with-court-ruling-on-zuma-20171213
(I met Thuli Madonsela – this South African Public Prosecutor in July 2017, at the World Justice Project International Rule of Law Forum at The Hague.)
Penny Bright
Penny
I guess it follows what seems to be a human universal failing –
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely.
Any weak judge can stand up and look righteous once the leader has been deposed.
Much more interesting to see what the new government leadership will actually do.
There is hope that all of Africa and her people will get their Mana back and they will share it to benefit all her people Ka pai Penny bright
Joe 90 you know we have worked out that the 1% know about all the corruption in OUR WORLDs society they chose to keep it to themselves as they are scared they will lose their money.
The neo liberals have tunnel vision on any issues that they disagree.
Climate change is poking US in thee eye and they still denied it existed
There small brains can’t handle admitting to there own flaws typical of neo liberal who self massage there own ego.
Waha whakawhetai to Scott Morrison for making the time to teach our people in prison how to speak Maori this will help them find our Maori culture eco will have to learn more reo to
Kia kaha people
Thuli Madonsela – an impressive South African woman.
She stood up to and exposed President Zuma.
She exposed ‘State Capture’ in South Africa.
Good on her.
https://advancedleadership.harvard.edu/people/thulisile-madonsela
Advanced Leadership
HOME / PEOPLE /
Thulisile Madonsela
Thulisile Madonsela
Prior to ALI, Thulisile Madonsela was the Public Protector of South Africa, and was the first woman to hold this position.
Ms. Madonsela is a human rights lawyer and authority on equality; she helped South Africa’s Constitutional Assembly draft the country’s constitution, and co-developed the policy framework that formed the basis of the establishment of her country’s Ministry for Women, Children and Persons with Disability.
As an ALI Fellow, she hopes to explore new ways for legal systems to promote social justice and eradicate poverty, both in her native South Africa and globally.
___________________
The pricks have known for sixty years.
It was a typical November day in New York City. The year: 1959. Robert Dunlop, 50 years old and photographed later as clean-shaven, hair carefully parted, his earnest face donning horn-rimmed glasses, passed under the Ionian columns of Columbia University’s iconic Low Library. He was a guest of honor for a grand occasion: the centennial of the American oil industry.
[…]
Four others joined Dunlop at the podium that day, one of whom had made the journey from California – and Hungary before that. The nuclear weapons physicist Edward Teller had, by 1959, become ostracized by the scientific community for betraying his colleague J. Robert Oppenheimer, but he retained the embrace of industry and government. Teller’s task that November fourth was to address the crowd on “energy patterns of the future,” and his words carried an unexpected warning:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2018/jan/01/on-its-hundredth-birthday-in-1959-edward-teller-warned-the-oil-industry-about-global-warming
I see that ECO Maori and the rest of the good people on the standard are having a positive effect on OUR society they are trying to cover it up I won’t say what the effect is but ECO see it many thanks to my te puna for gifting me these skills Ka kite ano