I certainly hope not, but s/he is right in the sense that the 23 elections could be a turning point for this country.
On the one hand (the left one) you have a government, however imperfect, that plans for the future and has the interests of all the people as its focus.
Labour has almost got on top of the housing crisis which the Natz exacerbated in their 9 years,
an infra-structure rebuild after nine years of neglect,
a 3 Waters reform which will be essential to secure drinkable water for all in the future,
remodelling of the RMA,
reform of the post-code lottery health system, as well as seeing us through a massive pandemic
and many other ‘future-proofing’ changes.
On the other hand (the right one) we have a ‘government-in-waiting which caused most of the above problems!
underfunding of the police force and closing police stations,
underfunding of health (not even keeping up with inflation for two years),
underfunding of infra-structure with an emphasis on expensive RONs,
education reforms (National Standards) which actually retarded learning,
a social welfare system which punished the already punished and deprived,
frivolous spending on sheep farms in Arabia and a flag referendum.
But, and it’s an important but – managed to give tax cuts to the rich and sell off our assets to their wealthy mates.
Of course I don’t know what ’23 will be like except to say with certainty, climate-wise it will be worse than last year, and ’24 will be exponentially worse again.
The last thing this country needs is a non-interventionist, ‘the market will provide’ sort of government, the sort of government we’d get with a Natz government with the Act tail wagging the dog.
The election this year is crucial for the future of this country. I hope it does not become nasty, but there are a fair number of polarised people out there who will try to make the headlines, and a media who will welcome them.
In more lucid posts, Bomber at TDB puts a list together. Here's one, fairly recent:
Māori going to the Waitangi Tribunal over cancellation of 3 waters: The moment the National/ACT Government scrap 3 Waters, Māoridom will go straight back to the Waitangi Tribunal, win the Court Case and force Luxon into his own Helen Clark moment and be forced to pass law to simply confiscate the water. This will cause an enormous eruption of violent protest.
Mass immigration: National will simply implement John Key’s pump and dump policy of open door immigration to inflate growth rates while causing enormous stress on the groaning underfunded infrastructure and send rents soaring. This will cause enormous social dislocation and a rise in race relation tensions.
Expansion of Oranga Tamariki Big Data Experiment: National created the Oranga Tamariki Frankenstein and wants more welfare decided by algorithm as a means to de-invest welfare. Luxon has already championed this model.
Mass Dairy intensification: It’s all National have as an economic policy.
Mass Property Speculation: They will remove any of the bare tinkering Labour did and help the speculators spin prices higher.
Mutilation of the State: ACT are serious about wanting to amputate the Ministry for Women, Youth, Māori, Pacific People and Ethnic Communities while slashing the Human Rights Commission. The resulting Public Service strikes will gridlock Wellington. If there’s one thing the Public Service can do well, it is protesting for their own interests.
War on Crime: Expect the paramilitary police expansion to occur quickly with a whole dump of new civil liberty breaching powers to supposedly keep us safe but will almost immediately be abused as they increasingly get used on the protesting Left.
Prison riot and explosion in numbers: The war on crime will see far more in prison and National prefers puritan counter productive prisons so expect them to be crammed full and explode in a seething chain reaction of prison riots once National grant Corrections new powers to beat prisoners with. Corrections are very corrupt and once they gain new powers to bash prisoners with, they’ll be some prisoner who gets beaten within an inch of his life which that will trigger prison riots.
Rise of more Mass Surveillance & Political violence: The protests such a radical agenda creates will demand the State turn its attention back on the Left while National supporters clutch their pearls appalled at the aggression the Left are protesting with and rally around Luxon rather than criticise the policy. They will call on Luxon to spy on the radical lefties.
Higher Government Debt: Luxon is no free marketeer, he believes he has 7 properties because Jesus loves him, if debt goes up to pay for the extra prisons, extra Police, extra dairy intensification, extra welfare experiments, extra fake growth, then so be it, he doesn’t care. Oh David Seymour will hate it, but he’ll be so fat and full on his amputation of 6 State agencies that he’ll only be able to mount a burp as a protest.
Agree, they need to be kept in the forefront of our consciousnesses.
As a thought experiment, what would happen if they did get in and Liz-Trussed the whole country? Put up policies so terrible that they lost chunks of support forever? Would that be worse than the left trying to 'bring everyone along together', taking ages and staying cautious?
(Obviously, yes, in the short-term, but long term? Thoughts?)
Nicely put Tony V. As I sip my beer tonight in Extramadura the election seems a long way away but soon it will be all pervasive. I think we will be ok if Winston gets 4.9 per cent. Jacinda is so much more in tune with current thinking than the dinosaur Luxon.
But I will contemplate this more over the bottle of rioja I have in my hostal.
Feliz nuevo año people.
An excellent twitter thread from Michael Wood (yes, I know it was posted on The Standard only a few days ago) which details Natz underinvestment. It bears reposting!
Labour strategists should be preparing a whole series of similar social media posts!
Labour strategists should be preparing a whole series of similar social media posts!
Absolutely and aye Michael Wood …..he sure seems to be "one" of Labours standouts . They sure need to highlight these.
I'd add though….why dont they get Rail more activated? Just seems to be idling…along.
For example, he questions why there’s no rail link between Christchurch and Dunedin.
“The two main centres of the South Island do not have a train despite the fact that even using decrepit rundown rolling stock, in 2002, the timetable between Christchurch and Oamaru was the same speed as driving non-stop, despite the fact the train had to stop.”
It's a sad commentary on the capitalist 'free' world that most action (if this thread is to be believed) comes from an authoritarian, intrusive, genocidal dictatorship!
The 'market' is obsessed with self-interest and will only respond if there's a profit!
Say goodbye to any sort of scientific accuracy and any real information on the basis of sexual reality.
"A recent study purporting to examine the transmission and clinical features of monkeypox in women conducted its research on a sample where nearly half of the participants were male.
This from Professor Garth Cooper, one of the Listener 7 who is Maori, whose has made an outstanding contribution is biochemistry, medicine and educating health professionals and students
”Much of my career has been focussed on kaupapa (Māori agenda) research and teaching aimed at improving Māori health care delivery and Māori science education, on marae and in hospital and medical school/university settings.
That focus has been literal — personally designing, writing, teaching, and executing novel and successful programmes in both Māori health and education. As part of my commitment to these objectives, I served on the national Health Research Council, including six years’ service on Te Komiti Māori with further years advising on Māori health development.
While treating many Māori in diabetes clinics, I turned my focus to kaupapa diabetes research, since this disease is a leading cause of disability and death amongst Māori. Inter alia, this work entailed visiting marae throughout the country to inform and seek endorsement of iwi.
With much dismay, I have been witnessing a recent profound undermining of the meaning of science in New Zealand, now under way with the introduction of mātauranga Māori education as having parity with sciences including mathematics, chemistry, biology, and physics.”
That thing that gave birth to all the humans in the world is nothing.
Nothing that needs a clearly defined word to describe it.
Its nothing more then a feel in mans underpants.
Nothing more then a castration, a drilled hole in the nether regions of some bloke.
It does not need special medical care, it does not need its own studies. It does not need its own spaces.
It is just a thought an ejaculation a thrill in the heart of a man. Funny, that …. cause that is what it always was.
Lucky us that the left and the right agrees on that, otherwise issues could arise. But rejoice, the all the parties agree that men are women, and people who are not men need to suck it up and shut up. Grin it and bear it. Put up with is. Get used to it. Get on with the program.
IN medicine, sometimes the physical body trumps belief.
Medics are there to diagnose and treat pathology. That is the main purpose they serve for us. Yes bedside manner and considering social factors can be important, but not necessarily where the Dr will focus or have time to focus.
When you define believing that gender is not the same as sex as 'trolling' there is nowhere to go really. It's shame that a labour movement blog has come to this, but here we are.
[“Says a man, to women” <– political point by a feminist
“Whatever makes you feel better.” <– wind up comment from someone who should know better
It’s your behaviour that’s the problem, not your arguments elsewhere in the thread.
As a mod, I don’t care what you think about TS, or gender/sex. I care about the nature of the debate. You’ve said plenty of other things in this conversation that aren’t trolling, but you also drop in these troll comments amongst that. I’m telling you to stop.
I'm increasingly responding to whatever is driving these beliefs rather than the surface content and I apologise that it reads as trolling.
When I said that (biological) sex is relevant in medicine but not as much in other policy areas, you turned that into 'man' vs 'women'. To me those are not the same as male and female, so there is really nowhere productive to go.
I really do wish you and others find more peace this year.
I have no problem you bringing your politics here Sacha, even where I disagree with them. But the windup comments have to stop. If you had a problem with my pointed sound bite comment about men telling women how to do their politics, then say that and address it. The pattern of digs is the trolling.
When I said that (biological) sex is relevant in medicine but not as much in other policy areas, you turned that into ‘man’ vs ‘women’. To me those are not the same as male and female
I think you misunderstood my comment. I didn’t turn your comment into man vs women. I was pointing to you as a man thinking you get to redefine women’s reality.
You know that I use the terms woman and female interchangeably to mean biologically female women (whether talking about biology or social aspects). Most people still use the term woman to refer to female people. That’s how English works.
I know what the differences are between gender and sex. If what you mean is that you can’t tolerate people talking about gender and sex that way, I am simply not willing to give up women’s language because of gender identity ideology.
But this is the problem with sound bite comments, and I will try and not match yours with mine, because it inhibits conversation.
To be very clear, when I said “Says a man, to women” what I meant is that it’s hugely problematic that left wing men now think they get to tell women how to do our own politics. It’s not new, but the number of men doing it is, men who used to be allies. And I’m talking about both sex and gender.
Obviously sex is important in medicine. It’s important in many other areas as well. I pushed back against your comment that it’s not. Men don’t get to tell women what is important to us.
I am sorry I am not sure what you mean by referring to hardware and software in terms of the science Matauranga Maori debate.
Of course the Listener 7 were not trying to have Mataraunga Maori cancelled. They said it was vital for local and cultural practices and had a role in policy (sorry not a direct quote, but its in the article).
One of the Professors , Robert Nola who is now deceased spent 45 years of his career studying, researching and writing about the Philosophy of Science. I take this to mean he focussed on what makes science science (but will stand corrected on this).
Here is a quote from him published in the NZ Herald. I think it relates to the science/Matauranga Maori debate, but also gender ideology and the article you posted earlier Visu (sorry if I have slightly derailed your comment, but I think the issues are related)
In late 2016, soon after Donald Trump won the US Presidency, Dr Nola wrote in the NZ Herald to warn about “post-truth”. As he put it:
“This new, fancy word tells us: ‘Objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.’ No need for truth, it is yesteryear’s notion…
“Insofar as studies in humanities have not resisted the views of post-truthers, too bad for humanities. But what of science? It would be quite alien for science to reject the search for truth and evidence, the core of its critical methods.
“In science we have models of what the rational approach to believingought to be. If followed, they are an important way to keep the post-truth era from engulfing us.”
Less than five years later, it has become clear that Dr Nola’s warning has fallen on deaf ears. As the firestorm over the professors’ letter shows, New Zealand science is indeed being engulfed by the post-modern mantra that there is no such thing as objective truth.’
Less than five years later, it has become clear that Dr Nola’s warning has fallen on deaf ears. As the firestorm over the professors’ letter shows, New Zealand science is indeed being engulfed by the post-modern mantra that there is no such thing as objective truth.’
It is also clear that anyone who dissents must be silenced.
Aren’t these also part of the section you have quoted?
I don't know what you mean by the truth is polticial. Whose truth? Donald Trumps? Christopher Luxon over boot camps?
My interest in this area is science. I am an aethiest and good science is what I trust (afterall we were all told to follow the science during the pandemic). I am not following anyone elses interests.
Politics is just about negotiating power. Always has been. Some people prefer to individualise the collectives involved. I guess it makes the world seem simpler.
You psychic!… in my head I did say that in regarding your effort.
"half-interested" still stands as regarding my response.
(Due to past interactions, there seems little gained to participate in good faith exchanges with you. So "half-interested" is an accurate description of occasionally testing the waters to see if there is improvement.)
Postmodernism developed this idea that the truth is political as a branch of literary criticism, particularly from the concept that the authors intention could be safely ignored and instead the readers interpretation could be taken as the meaning of a text. But there are plenty of areas where such an approach to meaning simply falls apart (basically anything which isn't fiction).
Lets for a moment assume the truth is political has some meaning. Why then do we have a court of appeal? Surely the courts heard the case and made a decision (a political one) on the truth already. What grounds could there possibly be for an appeal?
Well I don't agree with the post modern view that truth is political. It can be I guess, but that is very black and white thinking.
I think Trump is a good example of "truth" being political.
But science provides protection from this. Sceince is about evidence and gathering and researching evidence requires the scientific metholody.
One of the reasons I often quote the Dunedin Longitutidinal study is that there evidence gathering and research approach means their findings are sound.
If you can answer the software hardware question, that would be great, but no problem if you are busy.
Ok well I couldn't get the Herald because its behind the paywall. Just to be clear, I quoted from the blog. Highly likely the Herald edited the article.
The Msm have been remiss in their coverage of this issue (my opinion).
“The decision by the Royal Society not to proceed with its ‘investigation’ is a welcome development. The scientific and philosophical questions remain unresolved – in fact, still largely unaddressed at this point – but at least a measure of political space in which to discuss and debate them has been forced open.” This from James Robb, who happens to be one of the founders of the new Workers now party
“Mauri is a Maori term. The website contains a Glossary which defines mauri as “The vital essence, life force of everything: be it a physical object, living thing or ecosystem. In Chemistry and Biology, mauri refers to the health and life-sustaining capacity of the taiao, on biological, physical, and chemical levels.”
Now, it is fundamentally unscientific to attribute ‘vital essence’ or ‘life force’ to all matter. Life is a particular form of motion of matter which is only present in living things. While life may ultimately be explainable in terms of complex chemical processes, life cannot be reduced to those chemical processes; nor do all chemical processes constitute life. Life has its own laws of motion. This is why biology, the study of living things, is not simply a branch of chemistry. To blur the distinction between chemical and biological forms of motion in nature can only obstruct the study of both disciplines, and of the points of connection between them.”
From James Robb when talking about science and the NCEA syllabus
the concept of mauri applied to western science here might be better understood as the philosophy of science. Unfortunately his link doesn’t go to where what he is quoting, so it’s hard to put his post in context.
the western mind doesn’t easily understand the concept of mauri. I’m doubtful that Robb understands it. You can’t grasp if from a dictionary definition or glossary, although that helps. I can’t see how “it is fundamentally unscientific to attribute ‘vital essence’ or ‘life force’ to all matter” but not also say it is “fundamentally unscientific to say ‘vital essence’ or ‘life force’ isn’t in all matte”. How would we know?
his ideas about what life is come from a specific cultural context and belief system (i.e. western science). I can’t see how he can legitimately claim to be omniscient about what life is, but it’s clear he is using a different definition of life from Māori but he doesn’t realise that he is. Which leaves us with whether it’s ok to introduce different culture’s philosophy of science, or whether we should restrict education to only one, the dominant one.
There’s no reason why his statement about how WS understands life can’t be taught alongside other beliefs. Personally, I think they should be differentiated, but again, I haven’t seen the document he is referring to so it’s hard to say what is going on.
Not sure if you will get this Weka as no reply button under your comment.
I couldn't agree more that MM and science should be differentiated (by this I mean taught separately). This was also what the Listener 7 thought too. There main beef with the NCEA syllabus was that students where being told science colonises so is therefore bad.
Professor Garth Cooper who is Maori, particularly objected to it as he thought it would put Maori students off studying science.
This from Professor Garth Cooper, one of the Listener 7 who is Maori, whose has made an outstanding contribution is biochemistry, medicine and educating health professionals and students
”Much of my career has been focussed on kaupapa (Māori agenda) research and teaching aimed at improving Māori health care delivery and Māori science education, on marae and in hospital and medical school/university settings.
That focus has been literal — personally designing, writing, teaching, and executing novel and successful programmes in both Māori health and education. As part of my commitment to these objectives, I served on the national Health Research Council, including six years’ service on Te Komiti Māori with further years advising on Māori health development.
While treating many Māori in diabetes clinics, I turned my focus to kaupapa diabetes research, since this disease is a leading cause of disability and death amongst Māori. Inter alia, this work entailed visiting marae throughout the country to inform and seek endorsement of iwi.
With much dismay, I have been witnessing a recent profound undermining of the meaning of science in New Zealand, now under way with the introduction of mātauranga Māori education as having parity with sciences including mathematics, chemistry, biology, and physics.”
I couldn’t agree more that MM and science should be differentiated (by this I mean taught separately).
That’s the opposite of what I said. I said that there’s no reason they can’t be taught alongside each other, but recognising both. But it means differentiating WS philosophy from other culture’s philosophy, and for that to happen western scientists would have to recognise that WS science is a specific thing.
Btw, Mātauranga Māori doesn’t mean Māori science. It means Māori knowledge, wisdom, understanding, skill.
MM can be applied across many disciplines. Like WS, it is also its own thing and I would guess that many people in this debate arguing for siloing it don’t in fact understand what that thing is (some apparently also don’t understand what WS is, instead thinking of WS as all science as if sciences don’t have a cultural and historical context).
Your Garth Cooper quote is basically an assertion “western science is being undermined”. In the quote he doesn’t support that assertion with an explanation nor evidence. It’s his belief.
I think there are problems in the changes, but not because Māori knowledge shouldn’t be taught alongside Western ideas. As I’ve said, re the philosophy of science, we could all be learning what mauri is as well as reductionist science methods, tools and frameworks. That would enhance us all.
It appears to me that Mauri is more akin to religion than science.
How so? Isn’t religion about worshipping god? Understanding concepts of mauri doesn’t require one to do that.
As I argued above, one can see it as a philosophy of science sitting alongside other beliefs eg that so called inert things like rocks don’t have a life force.
Not at all …religion is about conforming to social norms and/or the projection of control (power)….gods are incidental.
Religion is a social construct for a purpose (the purpose may be altruistic but not necessarily so)….science (as understood by western concept) is about challenge , the antithesis of doctrine/dogma.
Mauri is the basis of a belief system….a notion undisputed by adherents.
There is no challenge, it is overseen/interpreted by a priesthood.
That is not to say the objectives are not altruistic but it is not subject to dispute by the masses….or subject to proof/replication.
This is a dispute that occured in europe hundreds of years ago during the reformation… the church ultimately lost.
Some, I stress some. Maori are strict adherents of the concept of Mauri, but as with most religions the majority pay lip service….and fair enough too.
As said earlier. I have no problem with individuals choosing their belief system, I do however take issue with a requirement to prescription…as should you…the abortion debate in the US is a prime example of the downside.
I would say that mauri is a concept that describes something about life on earth. Some people make that a religious thing, but it’s not inherently. Some people also make aspects of Western science into a quasi religious thing (eg science is the one true way of knowing), but it’s not inherently.
I think you are describing some of the ways that people interact with the concept, which I think is useful to further understanding. However my interaction with people talking about mauri hasn’t demonstrated dogma, and I’ve never come across the priests who supposedly enforce it and through who it must be interpreted. Who are you referring to exactly?
"I would say that mauri is a concept that describes something about life on earth"
And that description can be applied to any and all religions
"and I’ve never come across the priests who supposedly enforce it and through who it must be interpreted."
As with western society the 'priests' who determine that which is acceptable are the elites…at least in the western concept those 'elites' can be voted out.
And that description can be applied to any and all religions
Can also be applied to philosophy and science /shrug
As with western society the ‘priests’ who determine that which is acceptable are the elites…at least in the western concept those ‘elites’ can be voted out.
Who are you talking about? Without that being specified, it’s just random vague assertions.
Maori society is hierarchical and lineage is paramount….that cannot be in dispute…there is nothing vague about that, If we are to organise our society on the basis of the 'religion' of an unelected elite then we have regressed to aristocratic feudalism.
Whereas we cannot apply the same criticism to 'philosophy' or 'science'…there is no requirement for lineage in those fields in (current) western ideology….only proof.
This highlights why the separation of religion from the state is so important…by all means provide space and freedom of belief, but it must be removed from governance as otherwise we cannot avoid the intrusion of religious belief into others lives…and that is a recipe for conflict….and we already have more than enough provocations for conflict without needlessly adding to them.
I’ve not seen anyone suggest that mauri is about an unelected elite imposing relgion, apart from you. And you’ve yet to bring any evidence to the table.
The basis of philosophy is making a coherent argument that stands up to scrutiny.
We’re not talking governance in this subthread, we’re talking about whether and how Māori knowledge can be taught alongside western science in school curriculums. The argument I’ve seen against this is that Māori knowledge cannot be science, but no ‘proof’ has been provided. Your argument is a tangent.
"I’ve not seen anyone suggest that mauri is about an unelected elite imposing relgion, apart from you. "
Then you obviously havnt been looking…I would be surprised if no one else had equated the concept of Mauri with religion and indeed a 2 minute search found examples.
"But wondering how the effects of wastewater discharges on “mauri” is measured and who does the measuring lands us smack bang in the middle of the science versus mātauranga Māori debate."
And tangental?…hardly, education is highly political and that which is taught (and how) is designed to shape society….I am surprised that you should seek to silo your thinking when we are discussing systems…or perhaps I am not.
There is no issue with examining Ta Ao Maori in our education system just as there is no problem with examining any culture/ belief system but to attempt to make it the foundation of our political process is both foolish and dangerous.
Thanks Molly. Yep all good now (in time for xmas). Was put on anti biotics in the end but I have no idea if they worked. Dr also prescribed vitamin D.
It was rubbish at the time, but when you are well again, being sick fades into the past. Don't want to get covid again. I think the pandemic is far from over.
Hope all is well with you and yours!
Happy New Year to you Molly and all on the Standard
As we start 2023, remember that the best things in life are free – a rosy sunset, the sound of wind in the trees, an unexpected act of kindness from a stranger, a visit from a friend.
Hi, for sure ! If I may….I would add riding a Bike. (many are free as give aways) Can be a Time machine..to transport back to those childhood days….of heading off somewhere, on your Bike : )
Couldn't agree more HT ll, but we have a generation or two of young people who are growing up with their eyes permanently glued to bits of plastic held in their hands and who never see the sunset, the trees and society passing by. I fear they will become morose, socially inept adults unable to contemplate anything of real worth.
It does not auger well for a fully rounded and informed future society.
Hi Anne. Happy New year : ) I could add….that for at "least" a decade kids havent really biked to school. (when my boys went..the Bike stands were full ! Seem to be dropped off in cars..or Remue…."tractors". Whether its a safety thing? Convenience? (I dont want to say ..laziness : (
Absolutely – I was involved for a while in efforts to cut down the "chaos at the school gate" as many parents disregarded all safety rules in a desperate attempt to stop "Little Lord Fauntleroy" from having to walk more than 10m from the school gate to the waiting car. They double parked, they waited on the yellow lines beside the pedestrian crossings, and bitterly resented any attempt to move them a little bit up the street. In some cases, the school staff were issued with evidential quality, time and date stamped cameras to record culprits and send the videos off to the local Police.
Many of the children said that they would happily walk, but there were things that worried them. Most of these were easy fixes like cutting back vegetation over footpaths or walkways, or a couple of visits from Animal Control for unfenced dogs. Some required better pedestrian crossings – and also traffic calming on the surrounding residential streets. It required a lot of talking to children, and in some cases actually walking with them.
In the end – we found that walking school buses were one of the best fixes. It worked really well in places where there was a larger immigrant population and there were grandparents or "aunties" who were able to volunteer as drivers and conductors. This was a win/win/win as it integrated them into the local community and with the help of the school, into the school community as well. I visited one school in order to walk back with one of the 3 afternoon "bus" routes. The volunteers gathered in the staffroom before departure and there seemed to be an awful lot going on, in at least 5 languages, as opportunities were taken for distribution of sundry civic and health information to this "captive" audience. The bell rang and everybody filed out to their respective "departure points, the children lined up, and off they went.
The problem we have more is the Year 7&8s. Too “grown up “ for the Walking School Bus, can be too immature for main roads. Secondary school kids, fine.
Breaking shit and disrupting people's lives won't win hearts and minds. Who knew?
/
Extinction Rebellion (XR) says it has taken a decision to "temporarily shift away from public disruption" as a tactic to highlight its cause.
The climate protest group said in a statement entitled "We Quit" that it wanted to become more inclusive by broadening its appeal to focus on the issues affecting the planet rather than alienating people through stunts and direct action.
they weren't trying to win hearts and minds. They were trying to shift the public consciousness on climate. They succeeded. XR have been massively influential in changing awareness of the climate crisis.
Haven't read the full statement yet, but looks like they're shifting focus to those in power (in the gif). Good move.
don't have a citation handy, but I was already writing about climate at TS when XR broke onto the scene and it was easy to track the change. In MSM, on SM, on TS, in my own life, and talking to Brits online.
Not the only influence of course, some MSM (eg the Guardian) were already centering climate in their reporting. SS4C and Thunberg were also very influential. XR in the UK brought a whole new strategy and energy to the public debate, and made people recognise the urgency of the situation.
I think the shift in strategy is well timed (overdue tbh, covid changed people's tolerances). Am guessing that also a factor is the Tory government's law restricting protest.
there's a difference between changes in public consciousness/awareness, and action on emissions and ecology.
Their first sentence is,
When XR burst onto the scene four years ago, few could have imagined the seismic shift it would bring about in the climate movement, the climate conversation, and the world at large.
That's the shift I am talking about. It was necessary and was/is insufficient. That's what they are pointing to.
Now that we have the awareness, the strategy needs to change because it hasn't led to a change in action by those in power (or not enough action).
Reports of a new Covid variant – XBB15 – surging throughout the US and UK (probably elsewhere – but the reports are coming from those countries).
Biggest concern isn't the high infection rate (we've got use to that with Omicron) – but the surge in hospitalization rates.
While XBB15 doesn’t appear to cause different symptoms to other strains, and while there is limited evidence regarding whether it is more severe, it is believed it comes with mutations that may help it evade vaccines and boosters, in turn causing more breakthrough cases.
New York has been suffering the largest Covid-19 hospitalisation in almost a year. And it’s not coming down quickly like in recent Omicron waves.
I was referring to the possibility of further restrictions if the situation deteriorates too much. The need for further mandates or something akin to them.
I note that masks are increasingly being worn again in my local supermarket which is a good thing. I never stopped.
So correct. And PM Jacinda Ardern, Minsters Hipkins and Verral plus numerous health experts spent 2 years constantly trying to get that message through with only middling success.
But when, in statistical terms, nearly half the population have an IQ level of less than the average (which I believe is around 100) then it isn't surprising.
by which I mean meaningful discussion and analysis with respect to the ongoing nature of the pandemic.
There are some bits in this, I hadn't realised our rate of past infection was so high.
We estimate that 81% of people in New Zealand have been infected at least once as of December 12 (Figure 6.1). Effective R, computed using cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, is greater than 1 in 11
countries and five subnational locations. Effective R in New Zealand was 1.2 on December 1 (Figure 7.1)
Struggling to find actual R number data — the reports are simply saying significantly more infectious than Omicron.
However, all of the reports appear to be quoting Eric Feigl Ding – as the expert concerned – based off a tweet of what he claims is unreleased CDC data. [Edit to confirm that CDC have now released the data and it supports his claims]
He doesn't give the actual R figures – but quotes infection rates
in fact, when @JPWeilandfirst modeled #XBB15 before Xmas, the data shows XBB15 was 108% faster than the previously king #BQ1 variant. But with more data, XBB15 has further accelerated to now being 120% faster!
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
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. ...
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. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
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X Socialist is generally a bag of wind and quite misguided politically (S/he intended to vote Act after all) but they did make a prediction yesterday:
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-01-01-2023/#comment-1928942
I certainly hope not, but s/he is right in the sense that the 23 elections could be a turning point for this country.
On the one hand (the left one) you have a government, however imperfect, that plans for the future and has the interests of all the people as its focus.
On the other hand (the right one) we have a ‘government-in-waiting which caused most of the above problems!
Of course I don’t know what ’23 will be like except to say with certainty, climate-wise it will be worse than last year, and ’24 will be exponentially worse again.
The last thing this country needs is a non-interventionist, ‘the market will provide’ sort of government, the sort of government we’d get with a Natz government with the Act tail wagging the dog.
The election this year is crucial for the future of this country. I hope it does not become nasty, but there are a fair number of polarised people out there who will try to make the headlines, and a media who will welcome them.
Someone produced a list of about 20ish ACT policies that would destroy the country about 2 – 3 weeks ago on the standard.
I can't find them, they need to be shown every day.
Can somebody find them?
In more lucid posts, Bomber at TDB puts a list together. Here's one, fairly recent:
Thanks
Agree, they need to be kept in the forefront of our consciousnesses.
As a thought experiment, what would happen if they did get in and Liz-Trussed the whole country? Put up policies so terrible that they lost chunks of support forever? Would that be worse than the left trying to 'bring everyone along together', taking ages and staying cautious?
(Obviously, yes, in the short-term, but long term? Thoughts?)
That’s just the start…
Oh and ankle bracelets on children, don’t forget that!
From daily blog
Nicely put Tony V. As I sip my beer tonight in Extramadura the election seems a long way away but soon it will be all pervasive. I think we will be ok if Winston gets 4.9 per cent. Jacinda is so much more in tune with current thinking than the dinosaur Luxon.
But I will contemplate this more over the bottle of rioja I have in my hostal.
Feliz nuevo año people.
An excellent twitter thread from Michael Wood (yes, I know it was posted on The Standard only a few days ago) which details Natz underinvestment. It bears reposting!
Labour strategists should be preparing a whole series of similar social media posts!
https://twitter.com/michaelwoodnz/status/1607955859493228545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1607955859493228545%7Ctwgr%5Ebe62cf598bffb5078563ede1468abcbc75c263bc%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthestandard.org.nz%2Fthe-standards-political-awards-for-2022%2F
Absolutely and aye Michael Wood …..he sure seems to be "one" of Labours standouts . They sure need to highlight these.
I'd add though….why dont they get Rail more activated? Just seems to be idling…along.
2012 !! (incl a PDF )
If not now…When? Along with that and others Labour needs to get motivated….and Motivating. No missteps. FOCUS.!
It's a sad commentary on the capitalist 'free' world that most action (if this thread is to be believed) comes from an authoritarian, intrusive, genocidal dictatorship!
The 'market' is obsessed with self-interest and will only respond if there's a profit!
https://twitter.com/KyleTrainEmoji/status/1604510937557635072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1604510937557635072%7Ctwgr%5E2b5ec67e187c4190147f11cb62ec881ff7f18fcf%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthestandard.org.nz%2Fopen-mike-30-12-2022%2F
Yep, ACT and National being in government will lead to the greatest ratcheting down of NZ living standards since the 1991 ECA/benefit cut combo.
We have seen huge growth in jobs and wages, and NACT will pull out all stops to keep that from happening.
ACT want to flood the country with cheap labour to keep wages down and lock NZers out of job oppurtunities.
Yes, this needs to be published everywhere. Thanks Tony.
Say goodbye to any sort of scientific accuracy and any real information on the basis of sexual reality.
"A recent study purporting to examine the transmission and clinical features of monkeypox in women conducted its research on a sample where nearly half of the participants were male.
https://reduxx.info/study-exploring-monkeypox-in-women-used-sample-of-males/?fbclid=IwAR0nbAnfQiPGJkrkRCQQ72uLrdk6iz5IRgwNhw6rLjRBLEnxNSVLUTtnmNU
Thanks for posting Visu.
In medicine biological realty does trump personal belief (i.e. gender identity).
It concerns me deelply how science is being penetrated by that which is not science.
Here's an article on a different subject Matauranga Maori
https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2022/03/graham-adams-biggest-losers-in.html
This from Professor Garth Cooper, one of the Listener 7 who is Maori, whose has made an outstanding contribution is biochemistry, medicine and educating health professionals and students
”Much of my career has been focussed on kaupapa (Māori agenda) research and teaching aimed at improving Māori health care delivery and Māori science education, on marae and in hospital and medical school/university settings.
That focus has been literal — personally designing, writing, teaching, and executing novel and successful programmes in both Māori health and education. As part of my commitment to these objectives, I served on the national Health Research Council, including six years’ service on Te Komiti Māori with further years advising on Māori health development.
While treating many Māori in diabetes clinics, I turned my focus to kaupapa diabetes research, since this disease is a leading cause of disability and death amongst Māori. Inter alia, this work entailed visiting marae throughout the country to inform and seek endorsement of iwi.
With much dismay, I have been witnessing a recent profound undermining of the meaning of science in New Zealand, now under way with the introduction of mātauranga Māori education as having parity with sciences including mathematics, chemistry, biology, and physics.”
I think it is also about knowing what is a hardware problem and what is a software problem. And having appropriate treatments for each,
And not mistaking software interfaces as a hardware problem.
For the determinedly unaware:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/nov/13/the-female-problem-male-bias-in-medical-trials
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8812498/
Sex is highly relevant in medicine. Less so in other areas, for the wilfully unaware.
Medical context being the initial comment that Anker responded to – albeit – not numbered as a Reply:
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-02-01-2023/#comment-1928965
Hence,
"Thanks for posting Visu.
In medicine biological realty does trump personal belief (i.e. gender identity).
It concerns me deelply how science is being penetrated by that which is not science."
Treating the whole person means taking into account the social relationships they are part of, as well as their physical body.
Let's not miscast the social as some sort of individual 'belief'.
Focus…
Sure. The problem is why this is no longer allowed for female people.
That thing that gave birth to all the humans in the world is nothing.
Nothing that needs a clearly defined word to describe it.
Its nothing more then a feel in mans underpants.
Nothing more then a castration, a drilled hole in the nether regions of some bloke.
It does not need special medical care, it does not need its own studies. It does not need its own spaces.
It is just a thought an ejaculation a thrill in the heart of a man. Funny, that …. cause that is what it always was.
Lucky us that the left and the right agrees on that, otherwise issues could arise. But rejoice, the all the parties agree that men are women, and people who are not men need to suck it up and shut up. Grin it and bear it. Put up with is. Get used to it. Get on with the program.
Cause men are women and sometimes both.
IN medicine, sometimes the physical body trumps belief.
Medics are there to diagnose and treat pathology. That is the main purpose they serve for us. Yes bedside manner and considering social factors can be important, but not necessarily where the Dr will focus or have time to focus.
Says a man, to women
🙄
Whatever makes you feel better.
stop trolling.
When you define believing that gender is not the same as sex as 'trolling' there is nowhere to go really. It's shame that a labour movement blog has come to this, but here we are.
[“Says a man, to women” <– political point by a feminist
“Whatever makes you feel better.” <– wind up comment from someone who should know better
It’s your behaviour that’s the problem, not your arguments elsewhere in the thread.
As a mod, I don’t care what you think about TS, or gender/sex. I care about the nature of the debate. You’ve said plenty of other things in this conversation that aren’t trolling, but you also drop in these troll comments amongst that. I’m telling you to stop.
I’ve moderated you for similar in the past, and that was after noticing a pattern of behaviour over time. You know how this goes. https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-19-11-2022/#comment-1921949 – weka]
mod note.
I'm increasingly responding to whatever is driving these beliefs rather than the surface content and I apologise that it reads as trolling.
When I said that (biological) sex is relevant in medicine but not as much in other policy areas, you turned that into 'man' vs 'women'. To me those are not the same as male and female, so there is really nowhere productive to go.
I really do wish you and others find more peace this year.
I have no problem you bringing your politics here Sacha, even where I disagree with them. But the windup comments have to stop. If you had a problem with my pointed sound bite comment about men telling women how to do their politics, then say that and address it. The pattern of digs is the trolling.
I think you misunderstood my comment. I didn’t turn your comment into man vs women. I was pointing to you as a man thinking you get to redefine women’s reality.
You know that I use the terms woman and female interchangeably to mean biologically female women (whether talking about biology or social aspects). Most people still use the term woman to refer to female people. That’s how English works.
I know what the differences are between gender and sex. If what you mean is that you can’t tolerate people talking about gender and sex that way, I am simply not willing to give up women’s language because of gender identity ideology.
But this is the problem with sound bite comments, and I will try and not match yours with mine, because it inhibits conversation.
To be very clear, when I said “Says a man, to women” what I meant is that it’s hugely problematic that left wing men now think they get to tell women how to do our own politics. It’s not new, but the number of men doing it is, men who used to be allies. And I’m talking about both sex and gender.
Obviously sex is important in medicine. It’s important in many other areas as well. I pushed back against your comment that it’s not. Men don’t get to tell women what is important to us.
I am sorry I am not sure what you mean by referring to hardware and software in terms of the science Matauranga Maori debate.
Of course the Listener 7 were not trying to have Mataraunga Maori cancelled. They said it was vital for local and cultural practices and had a role in policy (sorry not a direct quote, but its in the article).
One of the Professors , Robert Nola who is now deceased spent 45 years of his career studying, researching and writing about the Philosophy of Science. I take this to mean he focussed on what makes science science (but will stand corrected on this).
Here is a quote from him published in the NZ Herald. I think it relates to the science/Matauranga Maori debate, but also gender ideology and the article you posted earlier Visu (sorry if I have slightly derailed your comment, but I think the issues are related)
In late 2016, soon after Donald Trump won the US Presidency, Dr Nola wrote in the NZ Herald to warn about “post-truth”. As he put it:
“This new, fancy word tells us: ‘Objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.’ No need for truth, it is yesteryear’s notion…
“Insofar as studies in humanities have not resisted the views of post-truthers, too bad for humanities. But what of science? It would be quite alien for science to reject the search for truth and evidence, the core of its critical methods.
“In science we have models of what the rational approach to believing ought to be. If followed, they are an important way to keep the post-truth era from engulfing us.”
Less than five years later, it has become clear that Dr Nola’s warning has fallen on deaf ears. As the firestorm over the professors’ letter shows, New Zealand science is indeed being engulfed by the post-modern mantra that there is no such thing as objective truth.’
It is also clear that anyone who dissents must be silenced.
https://pointofordernz.wordpress.com/2021/08/03/the-attacks-on-seven-eminent-professors-over-a-listener-letter-in-which-they-championed-science-have-missed-their-target/
Thank you for adding the link.
Aren’t these also part of the section you have quoted?
Modernism said there is only one truth. That suited the old white men in power.
Postmodernism basically says the truth is political. People threatened by that have tried to paint it as meaning anything goes. Don't be a tool.
What do YOU say?
(Apart from this: "Don't be a tool."?)
The truth is political. And don't be a tool for other people's interests.
I am afraid this makes no sense to me Sacha.
I don't know what you mean by the truth is polticial. Whose truth? Donald Trumps? Christopher Luxon over boot camps?
My interest in this area is science. I am an aethiest and good science is what I trust (afterall we were all told to follow the science during the pandemic). I am not following anyone elses interests.
I can see you believe that. Go well this year.
That pespective explains a lot.
The determination to ascertain a "political truth" to suit personal politics negates any impediments, and creates political heretics.
Politics is just about negotiating power. Always has been. Some people prefer to individualise the collectives involved. I guess it makes the world seem simpler.
This is pretty vague and generalised.
The burble did not obscure the barely disguised insult though.
You could work harder on either clarity or obfuscation, depending on what your intent is.
eg. Mine was to respond with half-interested dismissal of your effort, and then probably to leave to do other more interesting activities.
How did I do?
half-arsed, you say
You psychic!… in my head I did say that in regarding your effort.
"half-interested" still stands as regarding my response.
(Due to past interactions, there seems little gained to participate in good faith exchanges with you. So "half-interested" is an accurate description of occasionally testing the waters to see if there is improvement.)
Such a selfless sacrifice
Postmodernism developed this idea that the truth is political as a branch of literary criticism, particularly from the concept that the authors intention could be safely ignored and instead the readers interpretation could be taken as the meaning of a text. But there are plenty of areas where such an approach to meaning simply falls apart (basically anything which isn't fiction).
Lets for a moment assume the truth is political has some meaning. Why then do we have a court of appeal? Surely the courts heard the case and made a decision (a political one) on the truth already. What grounds could there possibly be for an appeal?
Well I don't agree with the post modern view that truth is political. It can be I guess, but that is very black and white thinking.
I think Trump is a good example of "truth" being political.
But science provides protection from this. Sceince is about evidence and gathering and researching evidence requires the scientific metholody.
One of the reasons I often quote the Dunedin Longitutidinal study is that there evidence gathering and research approach means their findings are sound.
If you can answer the software hardware question, that would be great, but no problem if you are busy.
Sorry I am not as sophisticated as others on this site in terms of using links.
I generally post the quote first, post my comment and then copy and past the link (even though it has already been published)
I am a bit lost by your question "aren;t. these part of the section you have quoted?"
Yes I quoted Professor Nola from his article after Trump was elected. The whole article is worth reading.
Thanks for explaining.
You have marked the other sentences differently, but not those last two. They are also quoted from the blog, but not the Herald article.
There is a useful quote button on the toolbar in this editor that makes it extra clear the words are quoted, not written by ourselves.
Ok well I couldn't get the Herald because its behind the paywall. Just to be clear, I quoted from the blog. Highly likely the Herald edited the article.
The Msm have been remiss in their coverage of this issue (my opinion).
This is unfortunate
The blog is from August 2021. What makes this topic so relevant to you today?
The issue remains unressolved. Professor Cooper and Robert Nola both resigned from the Royal Society (Professor Nola has since died).
Their free speech and academic freedom was shut down.
I feel very strongly about these issues.
Also my understanding is that Richard Dawkins is coming to NZ this year.
He was highly critical of the Royal Society.
https://convincingreasons.wordpress.com/2022/04/19/how-not-to-conduct-a-scientific-debate-royal-society-university-split-over-matauranga-maori-and-science/
“The decision by the Royal Society not to proceed with its ‘investigation’ is a welcome development. The scientific and philosophical questions remain unresolved – in fact, still largely unaddressed at this point – but at least a measure of political space in which to discuss and debate them has been forced open.” This from James Robb, who happens to be one of the founders of the new Workers now party
“Mauri is a Maori term. The website contains a Glossary which defines mauri as “The vital essence, life force of everything: be it a physical object, living thing or ecosystem. In Chemistry and Biology, mauri refers to the health and life-sustaining capacity of the taiao, on biological, physical, and chemical levels.”
Now, it is fundamentally unscientific to attribute ‘vital essence’ or ‘life force’ to all matter. Life is a particular form of motion of matter which is only present in living things. While life may ultimately be explainable in terms of complex chemical processes, life cannot be reduced to those chemical processes; nor do all chemical processes constitute life. Life has its own laws of motion. This is why biology, the study of living things, is not simply a branch of chemistry. To blur the distinction between chemical and biological forms of motion in nature can only obstruct the study of both disciplines, and of the points of connection between them.”
From James Robb when talking about science and the NCEA syllabus
All matter is energy (e=mc2). He's not being very scientific.
But not all energy is life force.
I see three main things about this.
There’s no reason why his statement about how WS understands life can’t be taught alongside other beliefs. Personally, I think they should be differentiated, but again, I haven’t seen the document he is referring to so it’s hard to say what is going on.
Not sure if you will get this Weka as no reply button under your comment.
I couldn't agree more that MM and science should be differentiated (by this I mean taught separately). This was also what the Listener 7 thought too. There main beef with the NCEA syllabus was that students where being told science colonises so is therefore bad.
Professor Garth Cooper who is Maori, particularly objected to it as he thought it would put Maori students off studying science.
This from Professor Garth Cooper, one of the Listener 7 who is Maori, whose has made an outstanding contribution is biochemistry, medicine and educating health professionals and students
”Much of my career has been focussed on kaupapa (Māori agenda) research and teaching aimed at improving Māori health care delivery and Māori science education, on marae and in hospital and medical school/university settings.
That focus has been literal — personally designing, writing, teaching, and executing novel and successful programmes in both Māori health and education. As part of my commitment to these objectives, I served on the national Health Research Council, including six years’ service on Te Komiti Māori with further years advising on Māori health development.
While treating many Māori in diabetes clinics, I turned my focus to kaupapa diabetes research, since this disease is a leading cause of disability and death amongst Māori. Inter alia, this work entailed visiting marae throughout the country to inform and seek endorsement of iwi.
With much dismay, I have been witnessing a recent profound undermining of the meaning of science in New Zealand, now under way with the introduction of mātauranga Māori education as having parity with sciences including mathematics, chemistry, biology, and physics.”
That’s the opposite of what I said. I said that there’s no reason they can’t be taught alongside each other, but recognising both. But it means differentiating WS philosophy from other culture’s philosophy, and for that to happen western scientists would have to recognise that WS science is a specific thing.
Btw, Mātauranga Māori doesn’t mean Māori science. It means Māori knowledge, wisdom, understanding, skill.
https://maoridictionary.co.nz/search?idiom=&phrase=&proverb=&loan=&histLoanWords=&keywords=matauranga
MM can be applied across many disciplines. Like WS, it is also its own thing and I would guess that many people in this debate arguing for siloing it don’t in fact understand what that thing is (some apparently also don’t understand what WS is, instead thinking of WS as all science as if sciences don’t have a cultural and historical context).
Your Garth Cooper quote is basically an assertion “western science is being undermined”. In the quote he doesn’t support that assertion with an explanation nor evidence. It’s his belief.
I think there are problems in the changes, but not because Māori knowledge shouldn’t be taught alongside Western ideas. As I’ve said, re the philosophy of science, we could all be learning what mauri is as well as reductionist science methods, tools and frameworks. That would enhance us all.
It appears to me that Mauri is more akin to religion than science.
We have religious freedom so if anyone desires to adhere to a dogma that is fine, so long as it dosnt become a requirement.
How so? Isn’t religion about worshipping god? Understanding concepts of mauri doesn’t require one to do that.
As I argued above, one can see it as a philosophy of science sitting alongside other beliefs eg that so called inert things like rocks don’t have a life force.
"It appears…"
It does.
"How so? Isn’t religion about worshipping god? "
Not at all …religion is about conforming to social norms and/or the projection of control (power)….gods are incidental.
Religion is a social construct for a purpose (the purpose may be altruistic but not necessarily so)….science (as understood by western concept) is about challenge , the antithesis of doctrine/dogma.
And ne'er the twain shall meet
how does the concept of mauri fit into your definition of religion?
Mauri is the basis of a belief system….a notion undisputed by adherents.
There is no challenge, it is overseen/interpreted by a priesthood.
That is not to say the objectives are not altruistic but it is not subject to dispute by the masses….or subject to proof/replication.
This is a dispute that occured in europe hundreds of years ago during the reformation… the church ultimately lost.
Some, I stress some. Maori are strict adherents of the concept of Mauri, but as with most religions the majority pay lip service….and fair enough too.
As said earlier. I have no problem with individuals choosing their belief system, I do however take issue with a requirement to prescription…as should you…the abortion debate in the US is a prime example of the downside.
where’s the prescription happening?
I would say that mauri is a concept that describes something about life on earth. Some people make that a religious thing, but it’s not inherently. Some people also make aspects of Western science into a quasi religious thing (eg science is the one true way of knowing), but it’s not inherently.
I think you are describing some of the ways that people interact with the concept, which I think is useful to further understanding. However my interaction with people talking about mauri hasn’t demonstrated dogma, and I’ve never come across the priests who supposedly enforce it and through who it must be interpreted. Who are you referring to exactly?
"I would say that mauri is a concept that describes something about life on earth"
And that description can be applied to any and all religions
"and I’ve never come across the priests who supposedly enforce it and through who it must be interpreted."
As with western society the 'priests' who determine that which is acceptable are the elites…at least in the western concept those 'elites' can be voted out.
Can also be applied to philosophy and science /shrug
Who are you talking about? Without that being specified, it’s just random vague assertions.
Maori society is hierarchical and lineage is paramount….that cannot be in dispute…there is nothing vague about that, If we are to organise our society on the basis of the 'religion' of an unelected elite then we have regressed to aristocratic feudalism.
Whereas we cannot apply the same criticism to 'philosophy' or 'science'…there is no requirement for lineage in those fields in (current) western ideology….only proof.
This highlights why the separation of religion from the state is so important…by all means provide space and freedom of belief, but it must be removed from governance as otherwise we cannot avoid the intrusion of religious belief into others lives…and that is a recipe for conflict….and we already have more than enough provocations for conflict without needlessly adding to them.
it’s completely vague. That or you are in the 1800s. Iwi have elections and everything now. Here’s Kāi Tahu’s governance structure https://ngaitahu.iwi.nz/te-runanga-o-ngai-tahu/ngai-tahu-governance/
I’ve not seen anyone suggest that mauri is about an unelected elite imposing relgion, apart from you. And you’ve yet to bring any evidence to the table.
The basis of philosophy is making a coherent argument that stands up to scrutiny.
We’re not talking governance in this subthread, we’re talking about whether and how Māori knowledge can be taught alongside western science in school curriculums. The argument I’ve seen against this is that Māori knowledge cannot be science, but no ‘proof’ has been provided. Your argument is a tangent.
"I’ve not seen anyone suggest that mauri is about an unelected elite imposing relgion, apart from you. "
Then you obviously havnt been looking…I would be surprised if no one else had equated the concept of Mauri with religion and indeed a 2 minute search found examples.
"But wondering how the effects of wastewater discharges on “mauri” is measured and who does the measuring lands us smack bang in the middle of the science versus mātauranga Māori debate."
https://pointofordernz.wordpress.com/2022/01/11/we-can-gauge-volumes-of-water-and-count-contaminants-but-measuring-the-mauri-may-be-challenging-for-modern-scientists/
and
https://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff-nation/125940471/science-cant-be-pkeh-or-mori-its-just-science
And tangental?…hardly, education is highly political and that which is taught (and how) is designed to shape society….I am surprised that you should seek to silo your thinking when we are discussing systems…or perhaps I am not.
There is no issue with examining Ta Ao Maori in our education system just as there is no problem with examining any culture/ belief system but to attempt to make it the foundation of our political process is both foolish and dangerous.
Hey, Anker.
Hope you have recovered from Covid, and managed to have a good celebratory Christmas and New Year.
Thanks Molly. Yep all good now (in time for xmas). Was put on anti biotics in the end but I have no idea if they worked. Dr also prescribed vitamin D.
It was rubbish at the time, but when you are well again, being sick fades into the past. Don't want to get covid again. I think the pandemic is far from over.
Hope all is well with you and yours!
Happy New Year to you Molly and all on the Standard
Glad to hear. All the best for 2023!
And for you too Molly!
Greetings to all TS contributors.
As we start 2023, remember that the best things in life are free – a rosy sunset, the sound of wind in the trees, an unexpected act of kindness from a stranger, a visit from a friend.
Let's keep hold of the things that matter.
Hi, for sure ! If I may….I would add riding a Bike. (many are free as give aways) Can be a Time machine..to transport back to those childhood days….of heading off somewhere, on your Bike : )
Couldn't agree more HT ll, but we have a generation or two of young people who are growing up with their eyes permanently glued to bits of plastic held in their hands and who never see the sunset, the trees and society passing by. I fear they will become morose, socially inept adults unable to contemplate anything of real worth.
It does not auger well for a fully rounded and informed future society.
Hi Anne. Happy New year : ) I could add….that for at "least" a decade kids havent really biked to school. (when my boys went..the Bike stands were full ! Seem to be dropped off in cars..or Remue…."tractors". Whether its a safety thing? Convenience? (I dont want to say ..laziness : (
Anyway…some of us are trying
The kids I teach would be more likely to ride to school if it was safer.
My wish is for separate cycle lanes on major roads within 2 km of every sch.
Absolutely – I was involved for a while in efforts to cut down the "chaos at the school gate" as many parents disregarded all safety rules in a desperate attempt to stop "Little Lord Fauntleroy" from having to walk more than 10m from the school gate to the waiting car. They double parked, they waited on the yellow lines beside the pedestrian crossings, and bitterly resented any attempt to move them a little bit up the street. In some cases, the school staff were issued with evidential quality, time and date stamped cameras to record culprits and send the videos off to the local Police.
Many of the children said that they would happily walk, but there were things that worried them. Most of these were easy fixes like cutting back vegetation over footpaths or walkways, or a couple of visits from Animal Control for unfenced dogs. Some required better pedestrian crossings – and also traffic calming on the surrounding residential streets. It required a lot of talking to children, and in some cases actually walking with them.
In the end – we found that walking school buses were one of the best fixes. It worked really well in places where there was a larger immigrant population and there were grandparents or "aunties" who were able to volunteer as drivers and conductors. This was a win/win/win as it integrated them into the local community and with the help of the school, into the school community as well. I visited one school in order to walk back with one of the 3 afternoon "bus" routes. The volunteers gathered in the staffroom before departure and there seemed to be an awful lot going on, in at least 5 languages, as opportunities were taken for distribution of sundry civic and health information to this "captive" audience. The bell rang and everybody filed out to their respective "departure points, the children lined up, and off they went.
Walking School Buses are brilliant.
The problem we have more is the Year 7&8s. Too “grown up “ for the Walking School Bus, can be too immature for main roads. Secondary school kids, fine.
Yes please.
Having healthy happy people round a table with enough to share, and good music.
Have a great 2023.
Good riddance.
https://twitter.com/shailjapatel/status/1609282521845608448
https://web.archive.org/web/20090309192701/https://time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1883598,00.html
Breaking shit and disrupting people's lives won't win hearts and minds. Who knew?
/
Extinction Rebellion (XR) says it has taken a decision to "temporarily shift away from public disruption" as a tactic to highlight its cause.
The climate protest group said in a statement entitled "We Quit" that it wanted to become more inclusive by broadening its appeal to focus on the issues affecting the planet rather than alienating people through stunts and direct action.
https://news.sky.com/story/extinction-rebellion-to-temporarily-shift-away-from-public-disruption-12777788
they weren't trying to win hearts and minds. They were trying to shift the public consciousness on climate. They succeeded. XR have been massively influential in changing awareness of the climate crisis.
Haven't read the full statement yet, but looks like they're shifting focus to those in power (in the gif). Good move.
https://twitter.com/XRebellionUK/status/1609349854391635968
Cite?
don't have a citation handy, but I was already writing about climate at TS when XR broke onto the scene and it was easy to track the change. In MSM, on SM, on TS, in my own life, and talking to Brits online.
Not the only influence of course, some MSM (eg the Guardian) were already centering climate in their reporting. SS4C and Thunberg were also very influential. XR in the UK brought a whole new strategy and energy to the public debate, and made people recognise the urgency of the situation.
I think the shift in strategy is well timed (overdue tbh, covid changed people's tolerances). Am guessing that also a factor is the Tory government's law restricting protest.
Or after four years, and by their own admission, very little has changed. Emissions continue to rise and our planet is dying at an accelerated rate.
there's a difference between changes in public consciousness/awareness, and action on emissions and ecology.
Their first sentence is,
That's the shift I am talking about. It was necessary and was/is insufficient. That's what they are pointing to.
Now that we have the awareness, the strategy needs to change because it hasn't led to a change in action by those in power (or not enough action).
Reports of a new Covid variant – XBB15 – surging throughout the US and UK (probably elsewhere – but the reports are coming from those countries).
Biggest concern isn't the high infection rate (we've got use to that with Omicron) – but the surge in hospitalization rates.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/experts-raise-concerns-as-new-xbb15-covid-strain-rips-through-us-and-uk/53LISVYUYJGF7EUP572K5XYA3I/
Shit! So it's about to start all over again.
never stopped, most places are just in denial.
I was referring to the possibility of further restrictions if the situation deteriorates too much. The need for further mandates or something akin to them.
I note that masks are increasingly being worn again in my local supermarket which is a good thing. I never stopped.
good to hear. Hardly anyone wears a mask here.
Not sure about further mandates/restrictions. Nor what's happening with filtering air inside. Many places globally seem to be in heavy denial.
Helps to think of them as protections rather than restrictions.
So correct. And PM Jacinda Ardern, Minsters Hipkins and Verral plus numerous health experts spent 2 years constantly trying to get that message through with only middling success.
But when, in statistical terms, nearly half the population have an IQ level of less than the average (which I believe is around 100) then it isn't surprising.
Media quickly adopted the right-wing framing of 'restrictions', with no visible pushback.
have you seen anything about the R number?
by which I mean meaningful discussion and analysis with respect to the ongoing nature of the pandemic.
There are some bits in this, I hadn't realised our rate of past infection was so high.
https://www.healthdata.org/sites/default/files/covid_briefs/72_briefing_New_Zealand.pdf
Struggling to find actual R number data — the reports are simply saying significantly more infectious than Omicron.
However, all of the reports appear to be quoting Eric Feigl Ding – as the expert concerned – based off a tweet of what he claims is unreleased CDC data. [Edit to confirm that CDC have now released the data and it supports his claims]
https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1608704548536975360
He doesn't give the actual R figures – but quotes infection rates
https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1608706233460228101