"In my previous article I set out how the eco-socialist movement is fixated on the claim that we can’t have exponential growth on a finite planet. I argued they are wrong.
Ultimately though it was a technical answer to a stupid question. In this article I will set out why I think the question is stupid, and what I think the important conversations are to have"
"I don’t want to speak for a whole profession here, so I will speak for myself. That said, I think many economists would agree with what I have to say.
I completely accept we live on a planet with finite resources. Thankfully I doubt we will ever use them all because they eventually become too expensive to extract. And usually, thanks to the wonders of human ingenuity, alternatives become available.
Nonetheless, there are two ways that exponential growth is possible even with limited resources: productivity growth and inflation."
Er, yes – we do. It looks like you don't agree that productivity growth and inflation allow exponential growth within a finite system, but he's provided a lengthy explanation for his claim that it does, whereas you've just provided an assertion: "underwhelming….indeed a non event." That doesn't give us much to go on for why you think he's wrong.
he has provided nothing except an unsubstantiated opinion….and contradicts himself into the bargain.
Kindly point to where he has demonstrated that critical resources are not finite or that their extraction can continue ad infinitum or even demonstrated viable substitutes for said critical resources?
"The eco-socialist movement argues that we can’t have exponential growth on a finite planet"….does not refer to finacialisation (as he must know, though given the quality of the articles perhaps he does not) but real resources that underpin the lives and systems of the human economy.
i swear i had read that same creed already, especially this line here '
Capitalism definitely needs a rest, but let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater.
and that phrase along to me indicates taht while he spins a nice yarn (and hopefully gets paid by the word for it) he is still advocating that nothing much should be done, lest we throw out captialism with the bathwater.
What stands out is that the the Eurozone is growing at a very modest 1.6%, while it's the developing nations (lead almost certainly by China, India and parts of Africa) that are leading the charge with growth rates over 4%.
This makes sense, as I said before it's not the top 'golden' 1b people who are expanding rapidly, it's the other 6b who are rapidly catching up. Are you going to go and tell them they have to remain poor?
The other factor that is often overlooked is that the demographics of most developed nations are heavily weighted towards older people, who typically consume less than younger people building families, homes and careers. And overall it's now thought that total human population will peak within a century and decline thereafter. Human growth … once we achieve a certain threshold of development … is absolutely not 'exponential' or 'unlimited'.
Uncritically parroting 'unlimited growth on a finite planet' is a simplistic and inadequate slogan; growth is neither unlimited, nor are resources finite. The far more interesting questions is … what kind of progress do we want?
Because progress and growth are not the same thing. Up until this point in human history because most people were so deeply impoverished, they were usually tightly linked … more of something almost always meant a progressive improvement. Catch one animal good, catch two … feast time! It's bit of instinctive calculus that's deeply embedded in us.
In the past 400 years however a potent mix of science, tech and capitalism have largely solved the impoverishment problem. This means that growth and progress are no longer necessarily so closely coupled. Now it's possible to have too much of what was once considered a good thing. But our instincts and social systems have yet to catch up.
This is the political conversation Geoff is touching on, what do we really mean by progress, and how should we measure it? Especially when 'growth' is no longer the best measure of it.
The conversation I got from Simmons was that the New Zealand economy can look forward to stagnation, so chin up, look at Japan – they haven't grown for decades and the sky hasn't fallen in. If you wanted us to address the economic and therefore chronic social problems in your town, you're out of luck.
In that I suspect Simmons is being a tad pessimistic, of all the developed nations NZ is unusual in three respects; one is that we still have a rectangular demographic pyramid, in other words we still have enough young people to sustain current levels of activity for at least another generation or two.
The other is Kiwisaver; it's impact is cumulative and with time it's impact is going to be felt more deeply on the local economy over the next few decades.
The third factor is our high comparative political and social stability; we will be increasingly seen as a desirable , reliable and trustworthy nation. This is probably our biggest asset.
Still either way you cut it, growth for it's own sake is no longer the ideal. In this I think everyone, Simmons and everyone here would agree. But what do we replace it with? Certainly the Japanese have shown it's possible to have an advanced and functioning society with little to no overt growth; and in that light it would be interesting to see in what ways they have managed to progress in these decades? Did they simply mark time, or have they improved life in other ways?
If growth is no longer the priority, then shifting attention to our chronic social problems could well become a higher priority.
Could it be said that entire species have been lost because of refusal to fund firefighters in rural areas + acknowledge climate change/climate manipulation? I think so.
Heck, ever thought how NZ will fare in a fire like that? Cause our rural fire fighters for the most part are unpaid under appreciated voluntary fire fighters.
And the animals that died, died because of Greed for the most part. The rural vollies just can't keep up. Even if they showered money on them today it would not change a thing.
But then i guess its cheaper for government to expect the population to pick up the slack privatly, hold bake sales for new trucks and such rather then employ, train, and pay them. You can have tax cuts or you can have funded, well trained and well equipped emergency services.
Had a little taster with the recent Nelson Tasman Pigeon Valley fire in February, thousands evacuated and volunteer firefighters brought in from all over.
My partner is a volly 🙂 and we are literally just hanging on barely. One reason so far we got lucky is that we in NZ now tend to throw all resources at a fire to prevent it from spreading. And so far luck has been on our side. So far.
One hopes that the Australian Navy is coming along to the party to help evacuate these people. Cause the only way out for them – it seems – is via the water.
Can't bear to look at your first link A @ 4. Too distressing.
Yesterday Scott Morrison made the most appalling speech ever… apart from his gaffe about the bushfires being a back-drop to the cricket, he also said this – and I quote from memory:
"whether these fires were caused by lightening strikes or some other cause…”
Still denying Climate Change! What is wrong with the Aussie voters. Take your collective heads out of the sand and stop voting neanderthals into power.
Three years back we were driving down the relatively remote Henty Highway in VIC on an extreme fire day. At one point we stopped near a farm gate, I remember leaning on it; it was too hot to touch. The Grampians were barely a km away, yet in the heat driven wind and dust we could barely see them. The eucalypt forest behind us stank of volatile oils; we had this very strong sense we should not be there, one slight spark and it was going to explode. It's not an experience you could have in NZ.
Here is a particularly good article on the conditions that lead up to extreme bushfire days.
It's the best parts of Australia that are burning down … we visited the SE Coast a year or so back; we have very fond memories of it. Places like Mallacoota are much loved gems and seeing this happen is tough. And I suspect the sheer intensity of these fires is causing irreparable damage; the landscape is not going to recover quickly or easily.
Still Australians have grown up with bushfires. It's remarkable working with them how unconcerned they can be about them, even ones that are quite local. I remember standing outside our factory looking at one burning about 10km away … no-one was wildly interested. Australia does burn … it's a fact of life here.
What is hard to convey is that the nature of the fire is changing, in scale, intensity and length of season. Some years are just going to be worse than others and there isn't a fixed pattern. Is this year going to be a tipping point? A lot will depend on how well the media handle the aftermath; if they can convince that these fires are not 'normal' and follow up intelligently I think it will be.
Is this year going to be a tipping point? A lot will depend on how well the media handle the aftermath; if they can convince that these fires are not 'normal' and follow up intelligently I think it will be.
I don't think so. There have been worse bushfires. 2009 springs to mind. Bear in mind that Australia accounts for only 1.3% of global emissions so climate change won't be seriously affected by whatever Australia does. If the biggest emitters like China, India, Russia, Japan and the US get their act together, then progress might be possible. But that probably won't happen anytime soon.
Like everything to do with climate change … that 1.3% number is complicated.
I agree no-one can claim unequivocally that this year’s fires will change the political landscape; but there is no doubt that the ground has shifted in the decade since 2009.
Depending on how one arbitrarily groups hundreds or thousands of fires over the season, deadliest is one thing – and like in most types of disasters, the death toll has been reduced due to those hard-earned lessons.
The scale of the fires this season seems to be about the largest on record, though. And that's the bit related to climate change, in all reasonable probability.
Coal is mined in every state of Australia. Mining occurs mainly in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.[citation needed] About 75% of coal mined in Australia is exported, mostly to eastern Asia,[1] and of the balance most is used in electricity generation. Coal production in Australia increased 13.6% between 2005 and 2010 and 5.3% between 2009 and 2010.[2] In 2016, Australia was the biggest net exporter of coal, with 32% of global exports (389 Mt out of 1,213 Mt total), and was the fourth-highest producer with 6.9% of global production (503 Mt out of 7,269 Mt total). 77% of production was exported (389 Mt out of 503 Mt total)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_in_Australia
Pretty much all of the mines are open cut with some underground. so unlike peat bog fires I fail to see how these current bush fires would be bigger.
A lot will depend on how well the media handle the aftermath; if they can convince that these fires are not 'normal' and follow up intelligently I think it will be.
Yes, the Aussie media have a big role to play now. Lets hope they are up to it without fear nor favour.
I recall you telling us that story of the drive through a tinder dry Victoria. If I remember correctly you jumped in the car and got out of there poste haste, hearts in your mouths wondering if you were going to make it.
Yes, there has been complacency in the Aussie psyche over bushfires – the "she'll be right mate. We've been having them since God made little apples. We know how to handle em."
What they have got face up to is there is a new and terrifying element to them now. To begin with, they are going to happen on this scale more frequently than has been the case in the past and – as you rightly point out – over an increasingly lengthy bushfire season. It will eventually reach the point when they are occurring almost all year round.
The first thing they've got to do is toss out this Liberal led govt. Their mindset is such they are not equipped to even understand the situation, let alone take the actions necessary to minimise the effects.
When everyone realised that the phrase "hopes and prayers" was blatantly code for SFA … let's put it this way, it's not just cooked koalas, ScoMo's burned up a lot of political capital these last few weeks.
You can get conditions like that here Red. In 2001 in Marlborough our the fire index hit the mid 1100s, similar to as bad as Australia gets, it is a measure of humidity, fuel, heat, wind and a few other things. On Boxing Day there was two quite large fires, both started by muppets the first one was a out of townie arriving at his block and deciding to mow it with a tractor, something a local would not do in a million years and the biggest one was a casual cigarette butt which took 4 days to control and weeks to extinquish completely.
Our saving grace is that we do not have gum tree forests, which are essentially petroleum fires as it is the oil/air mixture burning ahead of the fire's ground front and that generally we rarely have "dry " thunder storms to start them, as well as a fair few brilliant helicopter pilots to get to them quickly.
BTW, in the biggie US satellite pictures identified the sq metre it started in and the car the cigarette came from but as we don't have number plates on car rooves there wasn't enough evidence for a stupidity charge.
I was looking at https://ourworldindata.org/ just yesterday. Much of what they are saying underpins the case I've been making here for a while now:
Poverty, disease, hunger, climate change, war, existential risks, and inequality: The world faces many great and terrifying problems at the same time. It is these large problems that our work at Our World in Data focuses on.
…
To contribute to positive change, we need to know our world as well as possible. We cannot know our world from the daily news alone. Because the news focuses on current events it largely fails to report the long-lasting, forceful changes that reshape our world, as well as the large, long-standing problems that continue to confront us.
This is a vital point; too much of our political debate is shaped by a media with a warped agenda, driven not by principles or truth, but clicks and eyeballs. Outrage, sex and crime sell advertising dollars, but fail miserably to inform us.
This kind of data is now available in quite a few places, and it will take a bit of time to discover how trustworthy they are. All sources have their biases, even if what they say is true, often its what they leave unspoken which is harder to spot.
Still in principle this is how I see the great debates of the next decade being shaped, driven by global scale data, intelligently analysed and well presented.
Just quietly wondering how many people will see your link and reckon to themselves that you're some kind of Russian stooge spinning Putin fake news. Won't be believed unless and until it's reported by such august bodies as the BBC, CNN, WaPo or NYT…at which point, anything being reported will be believed 🙂
And sorry if that wee speculative observation and rant detracts from you sign posting yet another example of how we've fucked up this wonderful rock in space that's been our world.
I don't actually believe in any of the 'fake news ' bullshit as all news has some aspect of truth to it, and then it has an ideological spin to it. And rather then discuss the actual news we are supposed to discuss the political spin. And i can take your comment and turn it around and say it has to be reported on RT or what nots as some wont believe CNN et al. 🙂
And for what its worth, someone considering me a "Russian stooge spinning Putin fake news' would be a nice counterpoint to the 'globalists' 'killary supporter' indentity politics supporter (aka woman) and all the other shit that some here have thrown at me, simply because what i say might not support their own narrative or simply because outspoken people that don't subscribe to people worship and party worship are 'verboten'.
So i post my links, and people can click on it, read it, believe their own eyes or wait for someone to confirm their biases.
The precarious nature of water flow in the Panama Canal has been known for a long time, item below from 2014, and can remember reading about it being a limiting factor when the expansion was happening.
The reasoning behind my comment (if "reasoning" is the right word) was, that like Sabine, I'm completely over the crap of people evaluating the veracity of stuff solely on whether or not it comes from a source that they can connect (in their own minds) back to a Russia/Kremlin/Putin source…before using whatever supposed "Russian connection" they can jig up as a smear against the person presenting "Russian tainted" information/news.
You'll see it all through reactions posted to the standard if a link is from Russia Today, or if an argument/point of view has also, and even coincidentally, been aired by Russia Today or Sputnik or MintPress etc.
Meanwhile, many of those same people will uncritically and forcibly push even the most ridiculous lines that come from any "anonymous sources" used, shared, boosted and merry-go-rounded by the BBC, CNN, Washington Post, NYT Guardian et al
When people cite/quote (here), they’re required to attribute to their source for a number of (good) reasons. One downside, however, is others choosing to disregard and dismiss the content/message for no other reason than the source/messenger.
It far too often goes way beyond simply "ignoring" (which would be fine btw) and is used to launch off on personal attacks and smears that pull in 'support' from a second person and a third person because (and this is an important part of the dynamic) the target is not sufficiently and/or ideologically aligned with the gathering mob, who see an opportunity to gas light and goad that (they hope) will get a reaction that will result in the target copping a ban and never coming back.
I've seen it happen over and over and over again. And protecting a person who is being set upon like that is well nigh impossible. I know that, because I've tried, both as a commentator and as a moderator.
Mob behaviour and pile-on are impossible to predict (except in hindsight!) and control. Yet, they are hugely problematic, as you say, and I find them intensely frustrating.
Because I’m usually not au fait (i.e. completely out of my depth and thus out of my comfort zone) with the topics that are mostly associated with these behaviours, I stay out of these threads, as a commenter and as Moderator.
Banning the usual suspects, who tend to be the mob/mob-leaders and regulars here, would stifle the flow of comments and could kill the TS community. I’m not keen on a totalitarian approach to moderation.
It’s a reoccurring problem that feeds on past exchanges, i.e. there’s usually (a) history and some commenters ‘have form’.
I confess that sometimes it is easiest for me as a Moderator to remove the single commenter (even when they are/play the ‘victim’) from the equation to restore some peace here. I know it is not (always) the right thing to do but ‘pragmatic’ reasons take over sometimes.
Weka also mentioned recently her (unsuccessful) attempts to induce a culture shift and I guess appealing to/for self-moderation is fruitless 🙁
Maybe we should try to discuss it in the back-end. Moderation is very hands-off (light & lenient) and I’d like to think we are in the ‘sweet spot’ but there’s always room for improvement.
Banning the usual suspects, who tend to be the mob/mob-leaders and regulars here, would stifle the flow of comments and could kill the TS community.
The flip side of that coin being that allowing their continued presence has diminished the scope and breadth of political opinion presented on these pages over the years. (Go back and look at the comments beneath old posts. You'll see a marked difference in the quality of individual comments and the vitality of the comments sections in general)
Many commenters of/on this site have been here for a long time and the pool of Authors is smaller too, I reckon. Do we need fresh blood?
I don’t know where we have gone ‘wrong’, if at all, or what we could do better, if anything.
Judging by the comments on other (NZ) blog sites I’d like to think that TS is still (!) one of the better ones – maybe it’s a sign of the times; civic-political engagement, in both numbers and level, is also dwindling and not just here in NZ.
And protecting a person who is being set upon like that is well nigh impossible. I know that, because I've tried, both as a commentator and as a moderator.
Same experience here, it's intensely frustrating and disappointing. The other aspect I always struggled with, that while as a left-wing site, right wingers were always going to face a head wind … in the end it became a scything machine. All but one or two are gone.
I always believed moderation had to be even-handed, in that it must treat people the same regardless of their political orientation or opinions. Or at least to the extent reasonable, perfection being impossible. Certainly I would defend anyone commenting here in good faith, even if I disagreed with them intensely. Can anyone remember the indefatigable 'burt' who could play comment ping pong for days if needed. Aggravating as hell, but he played his end of the game well and it's a shame we've lost people like him.
Or Wayne Mapp, we're fortunate indeed to have someone with his background even bother to comment here, yet far too often the response to him is surly and dismissive, with no attempt to engage the point. Or the ghastly pile-on's that Pete George gets almost every time; again no-one has to agree with him, but he's a long standing blogger in good faith. Yet some people see his name in the thread and behave like dogs fighting over a bloody chunk of meat.
Another way this shows up, extremist comments, sometime advocating violence or mass punishment, from so-called lefties slide under the radar with little to no response. An equivalent comment from a right winger would get jumped on.
Even-handedness is an important aspect of fairness and too often we’ve fallen short.
I’m guilty of the things you mention and I’m not proud of it 🙁
Moderators can’t be everywhere all the time and some things are easier to spot than others (yeah, I know this is a weak ‘excuse’).
Sometimes, others point out bad behaviour/comments and make moderators pay attention. I’ve found this helpful but I know that it has also been used to try shut up others.
I’d like to think that we are quite alert to comments inciting violence but mass punishment is ambiguous to me; can you please provide an example(s)?
I might give this some more thought and possibly do some experimenting with moderation – I have no illusions though as this cannot be solved by one person.
@RL…and I'm not even going to mention he who eventually (in comments, not in real life) filled the monster's shoes many around here fashioned for him to wear. lol – see how self censorship works? 🙂
And that's exactly the type of bullshit and imprecise comment that's not needed. Generally speaking, it's neither smart nor funny to suggest someone is insane or may have succumbed to lunacy. You might contend that what someone says is nuts (and back it up in some way 😉 ), but that's entirely different from seeming to wholesale throw them into a jar marked "lunatic", yes?
If it’s the case you were trying to allude to the lunacy of on-line communities, then really, you need to be more clear on that front given the nature of what you’re saying.
Before I rebuked Burt, I did look into his recent history here, including moderation, as I did not recognise him as a commenter. In other words, I took my lead from other Moderators …
I suspect burt was channeling the infamous Michael Cullen remark from at least a decade ago using the same words. Burt was probably being too clever by half and his reference lost in the mists of time, which is why it looked so out of place … just suggesting.
Which leads me to question, how is it something considered safe and saleable in one place be dangerous and requiring possible jail in another perhaps the law is an ass.
And further in a country such as our with the usage being quite common that none of those responsible for maintaining law were not at some function this festive season and not see a number of the group step out , form a circle and pass around a smoke, did they just turn away and deny that its happening, yet later this year take pleasure in destroying the life of some young person doing the same thing .
I find this quite confusing in a country that prides it's self on the low level of corruption.
Ah, but which law is the ass – the one legalising, or the one prohibiting?
The "low level of corruption" thing is a joke – we have loads of it, we just are "perceived" as having low levels. Not just mj, but everything from under-the-table contractors to big companies being let off charges because they're also big political donors. Small companies get pummelled for shit large companies have done for decades, and at worst view the (bargained-down) fines as still being cheaper than running an honest and safe operation.
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Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Where some saw the worst press conference given by the government to date, Anna Rawhiti-Connell recognised girl maths game.Nicola Willis, recently exasperated by comparisons to Ruth Richardson, said she was “a bit sick of being compared with every female finance minister that’s ever been out there.”Some think that’s ...
The March results are reported against forecasts based on the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update 2023 (HYEFU 2023), published on 20 December 2023 and the results for the same period for the previous year. ...
Jamie Arbuckle, the district councillor who became an MP but decided to keep getting paid for both roles, will instead donate one salary to charity. ...
Adding gender to the Human Rights Act would simply make the implicit explicit. So why is it so controversial? Paul Thistoll explain. At present, Aotearoa’s 1993 Human Rights Act (HRA) includes sex, marital status, religious belief, ethical belief (meaning a lack of religious belief), colour, race, ethnicity or national origin, ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, an 18-year-old who’s studying and working in hospo shares their approach to spending and saving. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Transmasc Age: 18 Ethnicity: Pākehā/Māori Role: Student, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Kelsey, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Resources Minister Shane Jones has reportedly asked officials for advice on whether oil and gas companies could be offered “bonds” as compensation if drilling rights offered by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Gleeson, Associate Professor of Law, Macquarie University Shutterstock The Albanese government is weighing up the costs of delivering an election promise to protect religious people from discrimination in Commonwealth law. Such protections were relatively uncontroversial when included in state anti-discrimination ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yen Ying Lim, Associate Professor, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio Dementia is often described as “the long goodbye”. Although the person is still alive, dementia slowly and irreversibly chips away at their memories and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Judy Bush, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, The University of Melbourne Adam Calaitzis/Shutterstock I met with a friend for a walk beside Merri Creek, in inner Melbourne. She had lived in the area for a few years, and as we walked ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Throsby, Distinguished Professor of Economics, Macquarie University Arts companies and individual artists in Australia are supported by government arts agencies, philanthropists, industry bodies, private donors and patrons. However, it is frequently overlooked that a major source of support for the arts ...
Harm Reduction Coalition Aotearoa, a new incorporated society dedicated to ending harmful drug policies, officially launched today, seeks a new fit-for-purpose drug law for Aotearoa New Zealand, rooted in science, experience and evidence. ...
The Corrections Minister admits he "muddied the water" after he and the Prime Minister repeatedly provided incorrect information about a $1.9 billion prison spend-up. ...
It took a post-post-cabinet statement to confirm that 810 new beds will be built at Waikeria, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
Lili Tokaduadua was only 15 when she left her family in Fiji to pursue her netball dream in New Zealand. She’d been playing the sport for 10 years and was offered a netball scholarship at Auckland’s Howick College. Now, in her first year out of high school, the 19-year-old defender ...
The beloved local grocers lost a legal challenge to stop a new cycleway outside their store. Joel MacManus reports. In the annals of New Zealand legal history, there are a few brave people who have dared to stand up to the powers that be, no matter how bleak the odds ...
How what we produce and what we eat connects us to the world beyond our shores, visualised. Walking around a supermarket or vege shop, it might be obvious that everything on the shelves came from somewhere. But you might ...
Highly pathogenic avian influenza – H5N1, or bird flu – has been flying around the world since the late 1990s. New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands are so far free of it, but now it’s been discovered in mainland Antarctica and scientists say it’s only a matter of time ...
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The following interview with auto electrician and former caver Stu Berendt, 68, of Charleston on the West Coast, came about because he was part of the caving team that found the rare and amazing fossil remains of the giant Haast eagle, the subject of one of the year’s best books, ...
A $1.8b funding boost for Pharmac still won’t enable it to buy more drugs, raising questions about the Government’s approach to the agency The post Can Pharmac do more with the same pot of money? appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Professor Jemma Geoghegan, of the University of Otago, Otakou Whakaihu Waka, co-leads a Te Niwha project aimed at understanding how and where avian influenza could affect Aotearoa New Zealand, as the highly infectious H5N1 virus spreads globally. The virus has now spread to all continents except Oceania and was recently ...
Thirty years on from Rwanda’s genocide, is guilt over the atrocities is blinding the world to the true nature of its current leadership? The post The repressive underside of Rwanda’s regime appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: Last week, important recommendations for our criminal justice system were made by the international community. Every five years, each member of the United Nations has its human rights practices reviewed. This rolling event – the Universal Periodic Review – is the culmination of a government reporting on its human ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eric Stokan, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Maryland, Baltimore County If you live in one of the most economically deprived neighborhoods in your city, you might think the government is directing a smaller share of public funds to your community. ...
Wansolwara The news media’s crucial role in climate change and environment journalism was the focus of The University of the South Pacific’s Journalism Programme 2024 World Press Freedom Day celebrations. The European Union Ambassador to the Pacific, Barbara Plinkert, and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Henry Puna were the chief ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Adams, Professor of Corporate Law & Academic Director of UNE Sydney campus, University of New England Last August, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched legal proceedings against Qantas. The consumer watchdog accused the airline of selling thousands of tickets ...
This episode of A View From Afar was recorded LIVE on May 6, 2024 (NZST) which is Sunday evening, May 5, 2024 at 8:30pm (USEST). In an analytical essay titled ‘A moment of friction’ political scientist Dr Paul Buchanan wrote how we are living within a decisive moment ...
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Well that was underwhelming….indeed a non event.
https://www.interest.co.nz/opinion/103141/top-leader-geoff-simmons-wants-us-focus-meaningful-issues-when-we-talk-about
Would you like to share why it's no good.
Hes making good sense to me .
Capitalism is just a tool for getting things done we just need government to set good boundaries and find ways to redistribute the goodies.
Why?….
"In my previous article I set out how the eco-socialist movement is fixated on the claim that we can’t have exponential growth on a finite planet. I argued they are wrong.
Ultimately though it was a technical answer to a stupid question. In this article I will set out why I think the question is stupid, and what I think the important conversations are to have"
https://www.interest.co.nz/opinion/103140/top-leader-geoff-simmons-argues-eco-socialist-claim-we-cant-we-cant-keep-growing
https://www.interest.co.nz/opinion/103141/top-leader-geoff-simmons-wants-us-focus-meaningful-issues-when-we-talk-about
"I don’t want to speak for a whole profession here, so I will speak for myself. That said, I think many economists would agree with what I have to say.
I completely accept we live on a planet with finite resources. Thankfully I doubt we will ever use them all because they eventually become too expensive to extract. And usually, thanks to the wonders of human ingenuity, alternatives become available.
Nonetheless, there are two ways that exponential growth is possible even with limited resources: productivity growth and inflation."
…..you need to ask?
Er, yes – we do. It looks like you don't agree that productivity growth and inflation allow exponential growth within a finite system, but he's provided a lengthy explanation for his claim that it does, whereas you've just provided an assertion: "underwhelming….indeed a non event." That doesn't give us much to go on for why you think he's wrong.
he has provided nothing except an unsubstantiated opinion….and contradicts himself into the bargain.
Kindly point to where he has demonstrated that critical resources are not finite or that their extraction can continue ad infinitum or even demonstrated viable substitutes for said critical resources?
"The eco-socialist movement argues that we can’t have exponential growth on a finite planet"….does not refer to finacialisation (as he must know, though given the quality of the articles perhaps he does not) but real resources that underpin the lives and systems of the human economy.
Good grief
Why ? it had some salient points and was not meant to be an economic thesis
i swear i had read that same creed already, especially this line here '
and that phrase along to me indicates taht while he spins a nice yarn (and hopefully gets paid by the word for it) he is still advocating that nothing much should be done, lest we throw out captialism with the bathwater.
and not one of those points addressed exponential growth on a finite planet
Take a look at the tables on this page, particularly where it breaks down the numbers between the advanced/eurozone/developing economies:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_world_product
What stands out is that the the Eurozone is growing at a very modest 1.6%, while it's the developing nations (lead almost certainly by China, India and parts of Africa) that are leading the charge with growth rates over 4%.
This makes sense, as I said before it's not the top 'golden' 1b people who are expanding rapidly, it's the other 6b who are rapidly catching up. Are you going to go and tell them they have to remain poor?
The other factor that is often overlooked is that the demographics of most developed nations are heavily weighted towards older people, who typically consume less than younger people building families, homes and careers. And overall it's now thought that total human population will peak within a century and decline thereafter. Human growth … once we achieve a certain threshold of development … is absolutely not 'exponential' or 'unlimited'.
Uncritically parroting 'unlimited growth on a finite planet' is a simplistic and inadequate slogan; growth is neither unlimited, nor are resources finite. The far more interesting questions is … what kind of progress do we want?
Because progress and growth are not the same thing. Up until this point in human history because most people were so deeply impoverished, they were usually tightly linked … more of something almost always meant a progressive improvement. Catch one animal good, catch two … feast time! It's bit of instinctive calculus that's deeply embedded in us.
In the past 400 years however a potent mix of science, tech and capitalism have largely solved the impoverishment problem. This means that growth and progress are no longer necessarily so closely coupled. Now it's possible to have too much of what was once considered a good thing. But our instincts and social systems have yet to catch up.
This is the political conversation Geoff is touching on, what do we really mean by progress, and how should we measure it? Especially when 'growth' is no longer the best measure of it.
The conversation I got from Simmons was that the New Zealand economy can look forward to stagnation, so chin up, look at Japan – they haven't grown for decades and the sky hasn't fallen in. If you wanted us to address the economic and therefore chronic social problems in your town, you're out of luck.
In that I suspect Simmons is being a tad pessimistic, of all the developed nations NZ is unusual in three respects; one is that we still have a rectangular demographic pyramid, in other words we still have enough young people to sustain current levels of activity for at least another generation or two.
The other is Kiwisaver; it's impact is cumulative and with time it's impact is going to be felt more deeply on the local economy over the next few decades.
The third factor is our high comparative political and social stability; we will be increasingly seen as a desirable , reliable and trustworthy nation. This is probably our biggest asset.
Still either way you cut it, growth for it's own sake is no longer the ideal. In this I think everyone, Simmons and everyone here would agree. But what do we replace it with? Certainly the Japanese have shown it's possible to have an advanced and functioning society with little to no overt growth; and in that light it would be interesting to see in what ways they have managed to progress in these decades? Did they simply mark time, or have they improved life in other ways?
If growth is no longer the priority, then shifting attention to our chronic social problems could well become a higher priority.
Orange glow and hazy yellow skys.
It seems that the smog from OZ is creeping up the North Island.
And up into the Pacific
https://twitter.com/nzdodo/status/1212460307034988544
Half a billion animals perish in Australian fires and now one hell of a picture of a humanitarian crisis as thousands have been given 24hr notice to leave – no food, water, or power
Could it be said that entire species have been lost because of refusal to fund firefighters in rural areas + acknowledge climate change/climate manipulation? I think so.
Heck, ever thought how NZ will fare in a fire like that? Cause our rural fire fighters for the most part are unpaid under appreciated voluntary fire fighters.
And the animals that died, died because of Greed for the most part. The rural vollies just can't keep up. Even if they showered money on them today it would not change a thing.
But then i guess its cheaper for government to expect the population to pick up the slack privatly, hold bake sales for new trucks and such rather then employ, train, and pay them. You can have tax cuts or you can have funded, well trained and well equipped emergency services.
Had a little taster with the recent Nelson Tasman Pigeon Valley fire in February, thousands evacuated and volunteer firefighters brought in from all over.
yep.
My partner is a volly 🙂 and we are literally just hanging on barely. One reason so far we got lucky is that we in NZ now tend to throw all resources at a fire to prevent it from spreading. And so far luck has been on our side. So far.
WE should all be scared.
One hopes that the Australian Navy is coming along to the party to help evacuate these people. Cause the only way out for them – it seems – is via the water.
Can't bear to look at your first link A @ 4. Too distressing.
Yesterday Scott Morrison made the most appalling speech ever… apart from his gaffe about the bushfires being a back-drop to the cricket, he also said this – and I quote from memory:
Still denying Climate Change! What is wrong with the Aussie voters. Take your collective heads out of the sand and stop voting neanderthals into power.
Three years back we were driving down the relatively remote Henty Highway in VIC on an extreme fire day. At one point we stopped near a farm gate, I remember leaning on it; it was too hot to touch. The Grampians were barely a km away, yet in the heat driven wind and dust we could barely see them. The eucalypt forest behind us stank of volatile oils; we had this very strong sense we should not be there, one slight spark and it was going to explode. It's not an experience you could have in NZ.
Here is a particularly good article on the conditions that lead up to extreme bushfire days.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-24/what-makes-a-horror-fire-danger-day/10685918
It's the best parts of Australia that are burning down … we visited the SE Coast a year or so back; we have very fond memories of it. Places like Mallacoota are much loved gems and seeing this happen is tough. And I suspect the sheer intensity of these fires is causing irreparable damage; the landscape is not going to recover quickly or easily.
Still Australians have grown up with bushfires. It's remarkable working with them how unconcerned they can be about them, even ones that are quite local. I remember standing outside our factory looking at one burning about 10km away … no-one was wildly interested. Australia does burn … it's a fact of life here.
What is hard to convey is that the nature of the fire is changing, in scale, intensity and length of season. Some years are just going to be worse than others and there isn't a fixed pattern. Is this year going to be a tipping point? A lot will depend on how well the media handle the aftermath; if they can convince that these fires are not 'normal' and follow up intelligently I think it will be.
Is this year going to be a tipping point? A lot will depend on how well the media handle the aftermath; if they can convince that these fires are not 'normal' and follow up intelligently I think it will be.
I don't think so. There have been worse bushfires. 2009 springs to mind. Bear in mind that Australia accounts for only 1.3% of global emissions so climate change won't be seriously affected by whatever Australia does. If the biggest emitters like China, India, Russia, Japan and the US get their act together, then progress might be possible. But that probably won't happen anytime soon.
https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/each-countrys-share-co2-emissions
Like everything to do with climate change … that 1.3% number is complicated.
I agree no-one can claim unequivocally that this year’s fires will change the political landscape; but there is no doubt that the ground has shifted in the decade since 2009.
Do you mean the 2009/10 fire season that was something like 15% the size of fires this year?
I'm surprised you're unsure of what bushfires I'm referring to, the deadliest in Australian history. But, yes, there have been others.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Saturday_bushfires
https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/science-environment/2011/11/the-worst-bushfires-in-australias-history/
Depending on how one arbitrarily groups hundreds or thousands of fires over the season, deadliest is one thing – and like in most types of disasters, the death toll has been reduced due to those hard-earned lessons.
The scale of the fires this season seems to be about the largest on record, though. And that's the bit related to climate change, in all reasonable probability.
And yet Australia is the largest exporter of coal
If they left it lying around the fires could be even bigger! 🙂
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_in_Australia
Pretty much all of the mines are open cut with some underground. so unlike peat bog fires I fail to see how these current bush fires would be bigger.
Smiley means smile.
Yes, the Aussie media have a big role to play now. Lets hope they are up to it without fear nor favour.
I recall you telling us that story of the drive through a tinder dry Victoria. If I remember correctly you jumped in the car and got out of there poste haste, hearts in your mouths wondering if you were going to make it.
Yes, there has been complacency in the Aussie psyche over bushfires – the "she'll be right mate. We've been having them since God made little apples. We know how to handle em."
What they have got face up to is there is a new and terrifying element to them now. To begin with, they are going to happen on this scale more frequently than has been the case in the past and – as you rightly point out – over an increasingly lengthy bushfire season. It will eventually reach the point when they are occurring almost all year round.
The first thing they've got to do is toss out this Liberal led govt. Their mindset is such they are not equipped to even understand the situation, let alone take the actions necessary to minimise the effects.
Aussie media have been playing their part all along.
https://twitter.com/MrKRudd/status/1212155056763486211
When everyone realised that the phrase "hopes and prayers" was blatantly code for SFA … let's put it this way, it's not just cooked koalas, ScoMo's burned up a lot of political capital these last few weeks.
You can get conditions like that here Red. In 2001 in Marlborough our the fire index hit the mid 1100s, similar to as bad as Australia gets, it is a measure of humidity, fuel, heat, wind and a few other things. On Boxing Day there was two quite large fires, both started by muppets the first one was a out of townie arriving at his block and deciding to mow it with a tractor, something a local would not do in a million years and the biggest one was a casual cigarette butt which took 4 days to control and weeks to extinquish completely.
Our saving grace is that we do not have gum tree forests, which are essentially petroleum fires as it is the oil/air mixture burning ahead of the fire's ground front and that generally we rarely have "dry " thunder storms to start them, as well as a fair few brilliant helicopter pilots to get to them quickly.
BTW, in the biggie US satellite pictures identified the sq metre it started in and the car the cigarette came from but as we don't have number plates on car rooves there wasn't enough evidence for a stupidity charge.
https://twitter.com/mitchest/status/1211628654632960001
Measuring the meme moments,signal to noise.
https://twitter.com/MaxCRoser/status/1210869412544290816
I was looking at https://ourworldindata.org/ just yesterday. Much of what they are saying underpins the case I've been making here for a while now:
This is a vital point; too much of our political debate is shaped by a media with a warped agenda, driven not by principles or truth, but clicks and eyeballs. Outrage, sex and crime sell advertising dollars, but fail miserably to inform us.
This kind of data is now available in quite a few places, and it will take a bit of time to discover how trustworthy they are. All sources have their biases, even if what they say is true, often its what they leave unspoken which is harder to spot.
Still in principle this is how I see the great debates of the next decade being shaped, driven by global scale data, intelligently analysed and well presented.
oh look, it seems like the panama canal is broken. Its running out of water
https://sputniknews.com/amp/latam/202001011077917429-panama-canal-reportedly-suffering-from-major-water-shortage-lacks-over-40-of-needed-volume/?__twitter_impression=true
Just quietly wondering how many people will see your link and reckon to themselves that you're some kind of Russian stooge spinning Putin fake news. Won't be believed unless and until it's reported by such august bodies as the BBC, CNN, WaPo or NYT…at which point, anything being reported will be believed 🙂
And sorry if that wee speculative observation and rant detracts from you sign posting yet another example of how we've fucked up this wonderful rock in space that's been our world.
I don't actually believe in any of the 'fake news ' bullshit as all news has some aspect of truth to it, and then it has an ideological spin to it. And rather then discuss the actual news we are supposed to discuss the political spin. And i can take your comment and turn it around and say it has to be reported on RT or what nots as some wont believe CNN et al. 🙂
And for what its worth, someone considering me a "Russian stooge spinning Putin fake news' would be a nice counterpoint to the 'globalists' 'killary supporter' indentity politics supporter (aka woman) and all the other shit that some here have thrown at me, simply because what i say might not support their own narrative or simply because outspoken people that don't subscribe to people worship and party worship are 'verboten'.
So i post my links, and people can click on it, read it, believe their own eyes or wait for someone to confirm their biases.
“All news has an aspect of truth to it” except for the moon landings never happening because they were filmed in a studio !
Here's a more "worthy" rendering of the same report, presume AFP will suffice.
https://www.france24.com/en/20191231-panama-marks-20-years-in-charge-of-canal-faces-climate-threat
The precarious nature of water flow in the Panama Canal has been known for a long time, item below from 2014, and can remember reading about it being a limiting factor when the expansion was happening.
https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2014/aug/14/climate-change-panama-canal-water-shipping-closures
Oh. I know it's been reported by various outlets.
The reasoning behind my comment (if "reasoning" is the right word) was, that like Sabine, I'm completely over the crap of people evaluating the veracity of stuff solely on whether or not it comes from a source that they can connect (in their own minds) back to a Russia/Kremlin/Putin source…before using whatever supposed "Russian connection" they can jig up as a smear against the person presenting "Russian tainted" information/news.
You'll see it all through reactions posted to the standard if a link is from Russia Today, or if an argument/point of view has also, and even coincidentally, been aired by Russia Today or Sputnik or MintPress etc.
Meanwhile, many of those same people will uncritically and forcibly push even the most ridiculous lines that come from any "anonymous sources" used, shared, boosted and merry-go-rounded by the BBC, CNN, Washington Post, NYT Guardian et al
When people cite/quote (here), they’re required to attribute to their source for a number of (good) reasons. One downside, however, is others choosing to disregard and dismiss the content/message for no other reason than the source/messenger.
Yeah, nah.
It far too often goes way beyond simply "ignoring" (which would be fine btw) and is used to launch off on personal attacks and smears that pull in 'support' from a second person and a third person because (and this is an important part of the dynamic) the target is not sufficiently and/or ideologically aligned with the gathering mob, who see an opportunity to gas light and goad that (they hope) will get a reaction that will result in the target copping a ban and never coming back.
I've seen it happen over and over and over again. And protecting a person who is being set upon like that is well nigh impossible. I know that, because I've tried, both as a commentator and as a moderator.
Very good points, thank you.
Mob behaviour and pile-on are impossible to predict (except in hindsight!) and control. Yet, they are hugely problematic, as you say, and I find them intensely frustrating.
Because I’m usually not au fait (i.e. completely out of my depth and thus out of my comfort zone) with the topics that are mostly associated with these behaviours, I stay out of these threads, as a commenter and as Moderator.
Banning the usual suspects, who tend to be the mob/mob-leaders and regulars here, would stifle the flow of comments and could kill the TS community. I’m not keen on a totalitarian approach to moderation.
It’s a reoccurring problem that feeds on past exchanges, i.e. there’s usually (a) history and some commenters ‘have form’.
I confess that sometimes it is easiest for me as a Moderator to remove the single commenter (even when they are/play the ‘victim’) from the equation to restore some peace here. I know it is not (always) the right thing to do but ‘pragmatic’ reasons take over sometimes.
Weka also mentioned recently her (unsuccessful) attempts to induce a culture shift and I guess appealing to/for self-moderation is fruitless 🙁
Maybe we should try to discuss it in the back-end. Moderation is very hands-off (light & lenient) and I’d like to think we are in the ‘sweet spot’ but there’s always room for improvement.
Banning the usual suspects, who tend to be the mob/mob-leaders and regulars here, would stifle the flow of comments and could kill the TS community.
The flip side of that coin being that allowing their continued presence has diminished the scope and breadth of political opinion presented on these pages over the years. (Go back and look at the comments beneath old posts. You'll see a marked difference in the quality of individual comments and the vitality of the comments sections in general)
Yes, I know what you mean, I think.
Many commenters of/on this site have been here for a long time and the pool of Authors is smaller too, I reckon. Do we need fresh blood?
I don’t know where we have gone ‘wrong’, if at all, or what we could do better, if anything.
Judging by the comments on other (NZ) blog sites I’d like to think that TS is still (!) one of the better ones – maybe it’s a sign of the times; civic-political engagement, in both numbers and level, is also dwindling and not just here in NZ.
And protecting a person who is being set upon like that is well nigh impossible. I know that, because I've tried, both as a commentator and as a moderator.
Same experience here, it's intensely frustrating and disappointing. The other aspect I always struggled with, that while as a left-wing site, right wingers were always going to face a head wind … in the end it became a scything machine. All but one or two are gone.
I always believed moderation had to be even-handed, in that it must treat people the same regardless of their political orientation or opinions. Or at least to the extent reasonable, perfection being impossible. Certainly I would defend anyone commenting here in good faith, even if I disagreed with them intensely. Can anyone remember the indefatigable 'burt' who could play comment ping pong for days if needed. Aggravating as hell, but he played his end of the game well and it's a shame we've lost people like him.
Or Wayne Mapp, we're fortunate indeed to have someone with his background even bother to comment here, yet far too often the response to him is surly and dismissive, with no attempt to engage the point. Or the ghastly pile-on's that Pete George gets almost every time; again no-one has to agree with him, but he's a long standing blogger in good faith. Yet some people see his name in the thread and behave like dogs fighting over a bloody chunk of meat.
Another way this shows up, extremist comments, sometime advocating violence or mass punishment, from so-called lefties slide under the radar with little to no response. An equivalent comment from a right winger would get jumped on.
Even-handedness is an important aspect of fairness and too often we’ve fallen short.
I’m guilty of the things you mention and I’m not proud of it 🙁
Moderators can’t be everywhere all the time and some things are easier to spot than others (yeah, I know this is a weak ‘excuse’).
Sometimes, others point out bad behaviour/comments and make moderators pay attention. I’ve found this helpful but I know that it has also been used to try shut up others.
I’d like to think that we are quite alert to comments inciting violence but mass punishment is ambiguous to me; can you please provide an example(s)?
I might give this some more thought and possibly do some experimenting with moderation – I have no illusions though as this cannot be solved by one person.
@RL…and I'm not even going to mention he who eventually (in comments, not in real life) filled the monster's shoes many around here fashioned for him to wear. lol – see how self censorship works? 🙂
I don't know about a burt on here but used to see a burt online somewhere else. I don't if he/she is still there or the lunacy got her/him.
Burt has been here recently (if it is the same Burt) and received a rebuke (from me – was fed up): https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-14-12-2019/#comment-1673197.
@ Peter.
And that's exactly the type of bullshit and imprecise comment that's not needed. Generally speaking, it's neither smart nor funny to suggest someone is insane or may have succumbed to lunacy. You might contend that what someone says is nuts (and back it up in some way 😉 ), but that's entirely different from seeming to wholesale throw them into a jar marked "lunatic", yes?
If it’s the case you were trying to allude to the lunacy of on-line communities, then really, you need to be more clear on that front given the nature of what you’re saying.
Yes, good comment, Bill!
Before I rebuked Burt, I did look into his recent history here, including moderation, as I did not recognise him as a commenter. In other words, I took my lead from other Moderators …
This song from 1973 by the Scottish group Stealers Wheels immediately springs to mind .
Posting for the enjoyment of all moderators this hot sunny afternoon:
Ta 🙂
@Incognito. Good grief man … your doing a fine job, better than I managed.
[deep bow]
Oh and I looked at that Burt comment you hammered https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-14-12-2019/#comment-1673197.
I suspect burt was channeling the infamous Michael Cullen remark from at least a decade ago using the same words. Burt was probably being too clever by half and his reference lost in the mists of time, which is why it looked so out of place … just suggesting.
No-one expects moderators to be omniscient 🙂
Roll another one,
Just like the other one.
You been holding onto it,
And I sure would like a hit!
https://twitter.com/CNN/status/1212520413814808576
Which leads me to question, how is it something considered safe and saleable in one place be dangerous and requiring possible jail in another perhaps the law is an ass.
And further in a country such as our with the usage being quite common that none of those responsible for maintaining law were not at some function this festive season and not see a number of the group step out , form a circle and pass around a smoke, did they just turn away and deny that its happening, yet later this year take pleasure in destroying the life of some young person doing the same thing .
I find this quite confusing in a country that prides it's self on the low level of corruption.
Ah, but which law is the ass – the one legalising, or the one prohibiting?
The "low level of corruption" thing is a joke – we have loads of it, we just are "perceived" as having low levels. Not just mj, but everything from under-the-table contractors to big companies being let off charges because they're also big political donors. Small companies get pummelled for shit large companies have done for decades, and at worst view the (bargained-down) fines as still being cheaper than running an honest and safe operation.
Sometimes, buying time is the best option.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/117059423/kauri-dieback-11-waitkere-ranges-tracks-to-open-this-summer
Single issue nutters.
https://twitter.com/SethCotlar/status/1212526435929214976
Nothing on [the] BBC, CNN, WaPo or NYT …
/
https://twitter.com/SputnikInt/status/1212609464529911808
https://sputniknews.com/viral/202001011077917612-cigar-shaped-ufo-video-arizona/
…oh..
/
https://twitter.com/GoodyearBlimp/status/1210963613227184128
While PM Scott Morrison plays with his balls at the Cricket, Australia burns.
Yothu Yindi – Timeless Land
(Music Video)
Scott Morrison criticised for hosting cricket match while fires rage.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2020/01/australia-bushfires-scott-morrison-criticised-for-hosting-cricket-match-while-fires-rage.html
https://twitter.com/samim/status/872837672439611392?lang=en
Kia Ora Newshub.
Condolences to all the Tangata who lost Whanau in the Bush fires.
Flooding in Indonesia climate change global warming.
It looked like the Great White Shark was caught in a net I could see the lines on its head from the net there are callous people everywhere.
Some tourists are quite careless while on holiday in Aotearoa.
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
I could smell fire a few days ago.????
The Cook Islands experiencing flooding global warming is part of the cause.
That's the way Origin Earth selling milk the old way in Glass bottles.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Newshub.
That's awesome people saving Torohara.
I remember that hailstorm. Maybe in times of plenty they should donate some 2 grade fruit to the poor people.
That's great the endangered blackbilled Gull making a colony in a Ahurri estuary.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Wainakua great idea big whare were all whanau can live together.
The Chinese were treated badly by the Crown in the early days. Yes Maori Culture and Chinese Culture has a lot in common.
Korone marae having a whanau day they had a Pa Wars sports event at Pokai I wanted to go but no.
Ka kite Ano
https://youtu.be/qQfetkoGrpU
Kia Ora Newshub.
I got a tx and photo from Taramaki Makaru of the black out from the smoke.
We only have one environment.
Looks like PEE fueled hate going down in Tauranga.
The way that they fixed the Railways in Wellington is awesome. That's how all road work should be run.????.
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Yes we must look after our mother Earth's environment.
Its good to see the Australian natives waiata.
Kawarau sounds like they need to up grade there town water supply infrastructure.
That’s a good idea a charity for the tamariki in need up North.
Ka kite Ano