Parts of yesterday's Government Kiwisaver announcement make sense, like changing default funds from conservative to balanced – young investors in particular should consider at least a balanced fund, if not a growth fund.
But the headlines were on banning default funds from 'fossil fuels'.
New Zealanders’ savings in KiwiSaver default funds will soon exclude investment in fossil fuels, the Ministers of Finance and Commerce and Consumer Affairs announced today.
“This reflects the Government’s commitment to addressing the impacts of climate change and transitioning to a low-emissions economy,” Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi said.
Climate Change Minister James Shaw said rules set down by previous governments have allowed New Zealanders’ hard-earned money to be used to support the fossil fuels companies that are the leading cause of the climate crisis.
This has been criticised as Government interference in the investments of private individuals, and sets a bad precedent for future governments applying more rules to Kiwisaver for their own policy purposes.
Talking of future governments, it looks likely it will be a future government that actually defines the rules.
There’s no definition of “fossil fuel production” in the Government’s press release. There’s also no information on whether the Government is going to give default KiwiSaver providers guidance on what exactly it means by “excluding investment in fossil fuels”.
When Newsroom asked Kris Faafoi’s office for clarification, spokesman Peter Stevens told us only: “The Government will provide more detail on the threshold and definition of the exclusion before calling for tenders, as part of the process to appoint new KiwiSaver default providers.”
With no details yesterday's announcement looks like more of a PR exercise setting Labour and Greens up for this year's campaign, with the actual rules to be defined by the next government. NZ First did not feature in the announcement.
So the actual rules may be loose and left up to the default Kiwisaver funds.
Or they may be wide ranging and specific, banning investments in fossil fuel extraction (obvious) but also companies who use fossil fuels like energy producers, airlines, shipping and transport, and also plastics. Companies that invest in ‘fossil fuel’ companies like banks?
This could be counter-productive. Some fossil fuel companies are big investors in alternative energy technology and production.
A vague feelgood PR exercise says nothing about it will actually mean.
I presume this is another instance where you have copied and pasted an entire post from your own blog as you have done recently, Pete. Says a lot about those who comment there that they would take it at face value.
… sets a bad precedent for future governments applying more rules to Kiwisaver for their own policy purposes.
Well, yeah, the right is often an ethics-free zone that sees someone doing something on the grounds of ethics and interprets that as a precedent for doing stuff on the grounds of self-interest. Only a concern troll would present that on a thread here as evidence for not doing stuff on ethical grounds, though.
"With no details yesterday's announcement looks like more of a PR exercise"
In fact it shows a government that understands the investment markets, and appreciates that time will be needed to sort out the detail of the policy with the assistance of professional investment managers, including management of the NZ Super Fund. Meanwhile, without any particular companies being names, investment managers have the opportunity to quietly, and without any significant impact on market values, dispose of some obvious investments over a short time. Wanting the prescription before the diagnosis is stupid, wanting policy details without consultation would be stupid, and criticising the government for protecting values for New Zealanders with Kiwisaver accounts is the sort of unthinking knee-jerk response anyone can read most days on Farrar's dog-whistle blog.
This policy is timely, and I believe will be well supported by most New Zealanders. It is an extension of ethical investment rules, which were introduced some years ago with equal professionalism and concern for maintaining orderly markets.
"I presume this is another instance where you have copied and pasted an entire post from your own blog as you have done recently, Pete."
Another false presumption. I haven't.
And if you checked times you would see that yesterday I actually created a post out of a comment I made here because I thought it worth replicating.
Are you aware that replicating and copy and pasting are kind of a features of using the Internet?
You have a habit of nit picking about things that are irrelevant. Is targeting people an attempt to divert from the content? If you really wanted to contribute you could try addressing the issues.
You’re not ‘weighting’ criticisms, you’re often entirely dumping on messengers.
Highly relevant to those of us without unlimited time to spend online. If I want to read the tired right-wing witterings of Farrar, Hartwich, Hosking and co I can go seek them out. Nice try slipping them in here without attribution. Such a service.
I haven't 'slipped' any witterings of Farrar, Hartwich, Hosking in here unattributed. I haven't seen what any of them have said on yesterday's announcement.
If you have limited time perhaps you could focus on the issues rather than run diversions and make false aassumptions.
You still haven't addressed the issue raised.
I thought that when Kiwisaver was introduced apart from providing incentives to join Kiwisaver and organising default providers the Government was supposed to stay out of investment decisions.
Now the intention is to dictate what can't be invested in to some unknown degree. The ban on illegal investments is really just trying to sound good without making any real change (I hope no schemes invest in illegal activities already).
I am not familiar with any of the names you use Gabby; I understand the temptation to use 'nicknames' as a means of attack, but it does backfire – the Right use such posts to justify "Dirty Tricks" by saying "but they are all doing it!", and in any event there is enough to critically comment on without name calling. I'm sorry I don't know who Hartwich is, whether he or she is at home or not.
Please can someone post the link to the interview currently airing on Natrad between Kathryn Ryan and the NZ Midwives?
Their pay parity 'negotiations' span two governments, and they are presenting a petition to parliament prior to the Budget in the hope that the intrinsic worth of community midwives is not dismissed.
Again.
I sense some deep politicking here, and will listen again to previous interviews when I have time.
This is an important issue…one would think the welfare of women and their babies would be paramount.
NZ has a long and chequered history around maternity care, with the power play between competing interests often negatively impacting on service delivery.
In the past two years, more mining applications have been approved on conservation land than in the two years prior to the 2017 announcement there would be no new mines on conservation land.
The proposed ban on mining conservation land is yet another instance of an environmental policy that probably could have gotten past Labour but won't make it past NZ First. People who want the environment taken seriously should vote Green, or Labour if the Greens really piss you off that much. Voting for other parties is a vote for hostility to the environment.
The Winston First party will hopefully disappear at the next election. That the current Labour and Green members were unable to stop this happening on their watch is as I have stated depressing.
It's depressing, but inevitable given the hand the voters dealt. Regional development is a core feature of NZ First's pitch to voters and these mining applications are in places like the West Coast, so what measures would be available to Labour and the Greens to stop NZF opposing a mining ban? Parties don't compromise on the core areas of their appeal to voters.
Well maybe labour and the greens need to come with more than a few token cycle ways for the provinces . We dont all want to leave small town nz for the horrors of the big smoke.
Hang on, again NZ First is to blame? Seriously, is that why labour gone into coalition with them, so they can be the blame game? Have you got any supporting documentation for this, or is this just 'bash NZ First' first policy?
As for the greens, why on earth would anyone currently vote for them? Why?
disclaimer: I voted for the Greens in the last election.
Why do you say that? Again, as i said ' i am tired of voting for the lesser evil'
that does not mean i won't.
I would hold my nose, grab a barge pole, and simply utter 'there goes nothing' and i would cast my vote and i would hate every second of it. Ain't voting grand?
It does say a lot about you tho, that you equate fair critisim with a non vote. But maybe that is the reason why the current lot rather would try to convert a no mates voter then try to appleal the non voter. Again, appealing to the Non voter, the disenfranchised voter, the forgotten voter, the voter no one gives a shit about, and that includes the future voter is in hte too hard basket. And that Robert, is why nothing gets done.
One party in government is focused on protecting the environment, and one party in government is focused on promoting regional development via extractive industries. You don't need me to provide documentation to figure out which is which.
As to why anyone would vote for the only party that’s focused on protecting the environment, is that a serious question?
non of the parties in government is occupied with 'the environment' or else we had already better rules and free public transport. 🙂
But we have parties that have it in their interest to appear to be doing something, paying lip service mainly and a wee bit of tinkering on the fraying edges and of course EV's paid for by the Taxpayer for on of the richest classes in this country.
But if you want to put blame on one of the parties in Goverment as being the one to blame for something then yes, i feel it is ok to ask for a link that would support your claim. Unless of course you are making this claim not because it is based on anything but because you want to bash one party in the current coalition. Btw, you might need that party in the next election to again form a coalition. Just sayin.
As for the Greens, yes my question was totally and utterly honest. I see absolutly no reason to vote for them. Non what so ever. If i want something like the current Green crop in parliament i can vote for labour and get exactly the same, nice words and very little action. Maybe a red ribbon. If they feel generous.
I frankly don't know what they are doing, and sometimes i wonder if they do.
To me it feels that we have a whole bunch of apprentices in the Green Party but no trainers with skills and expertise. So we get a lot of paper signing (meaningless as the Rio Papers, the Paris Papers and all the other dead trees that went into the shredders), meaningless blablabla in the meantime we don't address the current (since at least last year) drought, we don't address our road issues, we do nothing to entice people to live on a smaller foot print, we do nothing to save water, we promote 1 billion trees of whom 20% are natives and there for the keep, and the remaining 80% are for 'harvesting' etc etc etc, but i am to feel good about these guys promoting EV which need fossil fuel mining (lithium is a fossil fuel) and i just can't. That's it.
I have no hope that this current Green Party will do anything but apply a little green blush on what otherwise are simply business decisions that will make good for the few and be disastrous for the many. (I neither have any hope in Labour for that matter, but i do know what the no mates party will do, and fwiw, they will do what they say, they always do – see the US where they have gone back to the 80s and finish what they could not then).
But above all, i am tired of voting for the lesser evil, for giving crumbs to those that needs loaves while giving the whole bakery to those that are already morbidly obese. And that is what currently has been done.
The Green Party was supported by 6.3% of voters at the last election. Given that, what would lead you to expect them to dominate government policy and the parliamentary agenda? Even NZ First, a party promoting regional development via extractive industries, had a higher level of support than the Greens. In other words, the government has no mandate from voters for the things you'd prefer it to have done. The solution to that problem doesn't lie in voting for parties that will see your vote wasted, or in not voting at all.
Sabine: you say you don't know what The Greens are doing, yet you discourage people from voting for them? Curious. You say also, that you're tired of voting for "the lesser evil" (The Greens – sounds more like a Kiwiblog characterisation of the party to me) leaving me wonder which party you will vote for; you will vote, right?
i also don't discourage people from voting for the Greens, again, Robert, don't equate critique with non voting the two have nothing to do with each other.
I was critical of the National government, and i will be critical of the current lot, if 'I" feel that their words outshine their deeds.
People do as they like, i simply see no reason to cast my vote for the Greens this time around, and won't……others will. Such is life in MMP. And besides, if Parties want to get votes, then maybe they should work for them. I am not in anyway to be taken granted for, nor am i obliged to vote for a Party that i feel is lacking in deeds. You do however you want to.
But i shall give no praise when i feel there is no praise due. But feel free to address any of the other points that i have raised to explain my dis-satisfaction with our current overlords.
The Greens are the least powerful group in a coalition that is still better than any national-led government.
If they were the majority member in a grnlab coalition, I might agree with a damn-them-all no-vote (or more precisely, a vote for a trace-element party that more closely matches my ideals, like when I supported the Alliance post-anderton).
But if you want a left wing government, vote for the leftmost party that can hit the threshhold.
How, in practical terms, would the largest party navigate a path that involves getting a coalition partner it relies on for the government's majority to act against its core principles?
Negotiate rather then dictate or worse not even try? Or is that in the too hard basket. Fact is NZ First is part of this government. And fact is also that it might need to be part of the next government. So maybe just drop a bit the attidute and negotiate in good faith. Also please stop pretending that Labour did not know who Winston Peters is, who Shane Jones is, and who the NZ First Party is.
Fact is, without NZFirst, Jacinda would be the Queen of the opposition.
Well, why should NZ First voters give in and not Labour voter? Oh is that the mind of the largest party wins? I have a bridge that says the same thing.
No, that is the whole point about MMP is that the Parties need to negotiate and they need to find common ground. And that does not mean that only one party has to fold all the time, and that also does not mean that only one party is to blame for the all fuck ups of all the parties all the time. That is lazy thinking of the finest. And claims to the sabotage of something by one particular party should be supported with a link that states that these things are happening.
And if they can't work with each other then they need to wake up to the reality that they will end up again in the wilderness. Mind, being on the opposition bench won't affect their pay cheques and perks all courtesy of the tax payer, and that includes their government issued vehicles and gold pleated healthcare.
"Why should NZ First voters give in?" is exactly what I'm saying. They voted for a party that promises to promote extractive industries in the regions, which means there's no mechanism for Labour to "negotiate" a deal in which NZ First has to tell its voters that it's agreed to cutting back extractive industries in the regions.
The solution to the problem of a lack of government commitment to environmental protections isn't to vilify the party that's working to increase environmental protections for its lack of leverage, but to try and encourage people to increase that party's leverage by voting for it.
I am astonished at much in this column today seeming to be deliberately ( but I hope ignorantly) stating that Labour is not committed to environmental issues.
Decades ago I belonged to the Labour Green group in the Labour Party. When Folk broke to Alliance or greens, I , though always of left persuasion decided to stay in the larger bloc and stay in Labour.
I can assure you that issues of sustainability/ environment are an integral part of Labour concern. I have for some years belonged to a flourishing active Environmental branch.
'Green' measures for nurturing soil etc have been known for thousands of years, but forgotten I maintain in the industrialisation and capitalising of the land's produce.
haven't more time presently but i do wonder why the seeming mischief making above.
When I say "one party is focused on protecting the environment," that's exactly what I mean. Labour has elements supportive of envirnomental protection but that's not its core focus and that tends to be reflected in its actions in government. There's only one party for which the environment is its primary focus.
After reaching a certain level (depth) of nesting/threading, the numbering runs out/stops. The comment you’re replying to is by Psycho Milt @ 2 March 2020 at 11:50 am
Labour is large enough to have factions that support green policies and those that oppose them. Decisions reflect a tussle between a caucus coalition of NZF+Lab-faction and Grn+Lab=faction.
[3 day ban for flaming. No prewarning because you know exatly what you are doing. Expect bans to get much longer much more quickly. Yes, I am gearing up for election year, take this a warning – weka]
It amuses me that it is fine to comment and tell someone to F$#@ off on here, but make a comment in the form of a question as per Gabby at 5.2 and you get banned?
Let me know if you have any (specific) questions. Always happy to explain/clarify without getting into a lengthy discussion about (specific) moderation.
Does anyone know if the Government has put out a statement to address the economic shortfall that we will experience, in fact are already experiencing with the lack of tourists arriving at our shores?
I am in tourist land where i am living now, and the hotels are empty, the eatery are empty, the tourist attractions are empty, the freedom campers ain't here to spoil our landscape and use our resources (Yei) ….but in saying that, people have already lost jobs, have had hours cut, and so on.?
Anything? Because i only saw something last week, but it felt that it was more of a care package to the big tourist businesses, nothing on the lower end aka a care package for the workers and small businesses.
I consider myself lucky as i said my small business up to serve the locals rather then tourists, but i know of a few who started up last year, and who are rightfully shitting themselves now with high leases, high compliance costs, and no customers.
The Epidemic Preparedness Act 2006 gives government pretty wide powers to do whatever is required to manage an epidemic, subject to the oversight of Parliament. If shops are required to be closed and movement restricted I would presume the order would also include provisions that would remove the financial imperative for businesses to open.
There’s also clauses in the ADLS lease relating to loss of access to the premises during civil emergency, I’d say an epidemic would qualify. Business interruption insurance will cover civil emergency as well. Just checked ours and I’d say we are covered. Any ensuing civil disturbance might not be.
I am talking about unemployed people that have lost their jobs because the tourists are not coming, will they get extra aid as they have lost the only 3 – 4 month of full time employment.
Will the small businesses that experience hardship have a grant to apply to so as to tide them over and maybe adjust their business model so that they not close and not unemploy everyone who works for them?
As for the government in an epidemic, i consider them to be as awesome as if an earth quake would hit. They shall arrive in a few days …or weeks depending on location, so please stock up on food, water, emergency meds and pray you not get sick. lol.
Business is going to be hit by what is happening everywhere else in the world. Even if we only ever had the one case of the virus, the breakdown in international travel and logistics is going to hit us massively. We will be open for business but there will be no suppliers, or customers for a few months.
For right or wrong, the clear message from central government at the moment is keep calm.
I think that calm is going to be disrupted very soon for the reasons you have outlined above. The tour buses have stopped rolling already. Soon its going to be the trucks and trains when our imported goods can't get into the country. International logistics networks are beginning to break down already. If ships don't sail from China, imports and exports across the globe will suffer.
This is going to be short and sharp, but when businesses have a couple of months of limited income, and start struggling to pay the landlord, bank and IRD, the message of keeping calm will become lost.
It will be in the interest [no pun] of banks and IRD to keep calm and avoid mass panic. A run on the banks is the last thing they’d want. I don’t know what role and/or powers RBNZ has to maintain public confidence in the sector and ensure stability and continuation of ‘BAU’.
The RBNZ has to ensure financial stability,whether the response or the rhetorical mechanisms are correct will be an open questions.
Since the GFC the central banks main mechanism has been increased monetary supply with lower interest rates.
The response by corporates is increased debt,to increase dividends and share buy backs to increase stock value,and little for increased productivity.
It's not just the debt itself. Investors looking for decent yields as bank interest rates plummet have poured trillions of dollars into corporate debt markets.
It is not as though there haven't been warnings. Last October the International Monetary Fund warned that up to $US19 trillion of corporate debt could be "at risk" if there was a sudden downturn even half as severe as the 2008 global financial crisis.
Earnings wouldn't cover the interest bill and so companies could go to the wall, potentially igniting another financial crisis.
The problem with America's corporate debt isn't so much the size, it is that a large portion of the money has been squandered. Rather than investing in new plants and equipment, American companies have been raising cash and handing it straight back to shareholders.
The RBNZ interest rate cuts,will probably do little except reduce the amount of income for savers.It would need to come with significant constraints such as restriction on investors say to buy existing residential investments,as opposed to new developments.
That is a wildly missleading comment. The main action taken by the govt to ensure financial stability was for the govt to guarantee and underwrite the financial systems borrowing. After that it was no problem as lenders knew they would be paid no matter what the state on the bank they were lending to.
Interest rate cuts have been applied to try to return the economy to a state of 2%+ inflation, but largely ineffective. Probably that will be the go to response again despite having poor results for a decade now. But the lending which the RBNZ does is there to provide sufficient funds should a bank need to clear payments. There seems to be no reason to think that a fall in lending will put the interbank market short reserves with which to pay each other. I expect the same to be relevant with cash, people may withdraw more but this will just mean more cash is delivered to the banks and withdrawn. We know banks can function in such an environment and they did so before eftpos was invented. Unlike 2008 bank runs there is no underlying question of bank solvency going on here.
I was out on the roads earlier today (North Shore/Auckland) and noted a sharp drop in the traffic – something I haven't seen in this part of our world in a very long time. I also noted foot traffic was down and less large commercial trucks and vehicles on the roads. It may have been coincidence but somehow I think not.
Here in Motueka we haven't really seen any signs of tourist numbers declining. There are still plenty of freedom campers filling the car parks. Town is still busy.
The tourist demographic that mostly comes through our town is predominatley European, especially Germans.
Interestingly rice has sold out at the supermarket, but not pasta.
Toilet rolls seem to have been the big sell-out on the North Shore. Getting to the stage where locals have to shop around for them. You could say that Shore folk are …. .. …. but I couldn't possibly comment. 😉
Queenstown feels quieter, and it's easier to find a park in the morning, but we're not seeing any change in numbers through the gallery. Turnover is back on same time last year but that was a blinder, so not surprised it's come back. We have minimal exposure to the Chinese though. Those that do aren't happy campers.
But China is only 10% of Queenstown's market, both numbers and dollar wise, and it's an either / or thing for most businesses, if you are in that market it's pretty much all you do, apart from some activity operators that can cover the field with slightly different products for different markets.
Part of it seeming quieter is that there's much less mad acts from rental car drivers, so everyone's more laid back on the road.
Tbh Sabine, if it wasn't a disease impacting their businesses it could also be a global realization that tripping around the world on fossil fuel burning transport is simply not planet sustaining.
Where we're parked up right now in our Bus, there is a sign from a previous guest detailing the cost of accommodation and attractions in the Central North Island tourist hub for themselves and their grandson.
Prices way beyond what the average Kiwi traveler can afford. We're paying $20 per night for access to an ablution block, a kitchen and power should we need it. The only commercial campground in Hamilton wanted $47 per night.
Unaffordable, and if that is the going rate for the swinging tourist hotspot that is Hamilton, wtf are they charging in Rotorua or Taupo?
Seriously, tourist operators have enjoyed unfettered ability to fleece overseas travelers at the expense of their relationship with domestic customers…there's many that will not shed too many tears for those who put all their profit generating eggs in the foreign traveler basket.
To be honest Rosemary, a good large part of the countrys taxpayer depend on income from tourism to pay taxes.
To be honest Rosemary, a good large part of the country is working in tourism because its the only job available.
To be honest Rosemary, i think your attitude is quite callous, these workers in the tourism industry are New Zealanders, they are our brothers, sisters, and so forth, they pay taxes that can then be distributed among our needy, invalids, unemployed, used for funding our infrastructure and so on and so forth and maybe we should keep that in mind, when simply gibly write of a large part of the country simply because they are not you. Oh and pay fancy cars for our ruling class.
To be honest Rosemary, i don't even have an RV, and i don't go on vacation, not in a hotel nor in a park, because i work 6 days a week and so do most if not all of my fellow mum and pop business owners. And thus i have absolutly no idea what you talk about when you talk about parking your RV.
But i know something about a town where over 50 % of the working people only have about 3 – 6 month at best at fulltime employment and they don't have it this year. And people are getting scared because they can't save up that little bit extra they need to get through winter, and i don't see government address that.
I think the welfare issues needs addressing now, maybe someone can look it up?
I have some sympathy for what Rosemary is saying too, although from my pov, being dependent on a benefit and having lived a lot in areas that have transitioned to tourism as a main way of making a living, I think COVID is an opportunity to get to grips with the massively problematic position of making the wellbeing of NZ dependent on an industry that is 1) in utter denial of climate change and 2) is basically not future-proofed because of that (or other reasons eg a pandemic or GFC).
So, yes, welfare first, and also let's talk about not going back to BAU after this challenge passes, because there *will be others, and more often.
Last time I was up Ruapehu few of the workers were New Zealanders and even fewer were Maori.
I saw Maori families in particular being turned away from the previously free Happy Valley as they could not afford the cost. So in my lifetime I've seen the locals pushed out of many of the jobs and they be made to pay tourist prices for their own mountain.
I hope Tuwharetoa don't renew the lease when it comes up next.
It's a little hard to have empathy for the principle though easy for the individual people concerned.
And besides Paul Callaghan made the point some time ago about New Zealand won't get ahead on low wage jobs like tourism.
Beyond tourism, and because coronavirus appears to be an occasion to shut down swathes of production across the world, why not take the opportunity on offer to do an inventory and never re-open production facilities that only serve as vehicles for profit? (So, y'know, permanently shut down the "shiny beads and baubles" factories).
To spell it out for the dim of thinking…
AGW is driven by carbon emissions and capitalist modes of production function by producing carbon as a by-product.
Given that most firms intend to make a profit, are you seriously suggesting the end of industrialisation?
Almost certainly the goal will be to get firms back into full production, not to permanently close them.
So no, Covid 19 is not a heaven sent chance for China to reintroduce Maoist communism. They have already tried that. And the CCP decided 40 years ago it was not worth the 20 million dead and the grinding poverty of hundreds of millions.
Give Bill some credit, he will allow loss making companies to continue, so not all factories will close. Then those losses will likely be state funded & their carbon emissions will deemed "non-harmful" as they haven't come from nasty "profit making" entities
No Wayne. I'm not suggesting an end to manufacturing. I'm suggesting we grasp this opportunity to end any industrial activity that produces nothing of social value – that is undertaken just for monetary profit.
Also, fucked if I know where you're getting this idea to shoe-horn in nonsense about Maoism from.
But anyway, you mention large numbers of dead people as a justification for not doing something, which is fair enough. So…you want to ballpark the numbers of people who have already died because of global warming? And then care to add on a further ballpark number for the coming decades?
certainly an opportunity to talk about things like future proofing our economy and then pointing out how this also benefits us in other ways like climate mitigation and ecological restoration.
If we were homo sapien sapiens (wise and discerning my arse! 🙂 ), then COVID 19 would be the reset switch.
But we're not even remotely close to living up to the name we give ourselves as a species.
Our problems are systemic, and as we know, those in positions to make "big decisions" are wed to the very systems that figuratively speaking, have life on this planet by the throat.
why not take the opportunity on offer to do an inventory and never re-open production facilities that only serve as vehicles for profit? (So, y'know, permanently shut down the "shiny beads and baubles" factories).
All the right intentions, but outcomes resulted in unintended consequences. I'm sure all of these people can claim the Metiria Turei defense if caught out.
If you insist on taking this comparison any further you’ll need to first show that they are equivalent. Otherwise I’ll have to treat this as another attempt to derail and to bash a beneficiary as well as a former Green MP.
that's a badly written piece, it's basically a press release from the National Party.
Tell us how many students enrolled, how many enrolled that wouldn't have otherwise, and then compare that to the number who apparently made false declarations. Then tell us what those falsities were, how many were mistakes, how many were outright fraud, and how many fall somewhere in between.
What Incog said too. I take a pretty dim view of bene bashing especially where it invokes poorly informed memes about Turei.
A Nashnull sponsored “bennie bash” basically Indiana, more information and better comparisons are needed to make any real sense of that piece.
In any event, thousands of younger NZer’s lives have been blighted by user pays student loans–for education which should be an investment in the future–rather than a finger wagging accounting exercise.
Biden is likely to benefit more than Bernie. Coz there's quite a few states like Minnesota and Massachusetts where Biden is polling in the mid-teens – meaning he's on the edge of dropping below the 15% threshold and missing out on getting pledged delegates. It would only take a few Buttigieg voters to go to Biden to bump him back over 15%.
I'm not so sure – most are saying "I'm voting Blue – No matter who" When the Dem candidate is finally chosen the majority will swing in behind them no matter what.
Here is further analysis from the Fox Poll.
Donald Trump’s favorite cable news network released their latest poll numbers on Thursday, and it was a disaster for the president as he seeks a second term in the White House.
According to the survey, just 32 percent of voters will “definitely” support Trump in the November general election, while 45 percent will “definitely” back his eventual opponent.
In other words, there are more diehard opponents of the president than there are supporters, regardless of how many folks in red caps show up to his campaign rallies.
The poll also found that, when matched up against any of the top Democratic candidates, Trump would lose. In fact, he can’t even crack 43 percent.
Not sure that realclear link supports your "trending steadily upwards to parity by election day" description. Seems pretty steady for the last couple of years (not that it matters – it's FPP, not MMP).
But frankly any old shit can happen. I reckon Bernie or Warren will give the cheeto-in-chief a good run, Biden will probably run a technically creditable campaign that fizzles in reality.
See what happens when peak deniability takes hold, and instead of taking a long hard look at why a reality TV host was preferred to a career politician, the Democratic Party shoveled and shoved "Russia!!" for 3 years straight and ignored what people were actually worried about in their lives… and then, just to top it off lest there was a chance Trump's popularity would bumble along, they threw in a bullshit impeachment to buoy his popularity.
All that said, Sanders can walk through him. Trump's "anti-establishment" credentials are a non-starter against Bernie and he can't rhetorically tack to Bernie's left.
He could try ye olde "Socialist/communist!!" b/s…but since Obama was apparently a socialist too, that's unlikely to get much, if any, traction
Buttigeig is out. I reckon it will come down to Sanders or Biden. Super Tuesday is likely to have a substantial boost for Biden as a result of South Carolina.
Interesting that Buttigeig decided to announce prior to Super Tuesday. Presumably his name is already on all the ballot papers/ballot machines. He can obviously ask his supporters to vote for someone else, which I presume is Biden. But he will get quite a few votes anyway.
I imagine Bloomberg will be out after Super Tuesday, but Warren could stay for a while yet. March 10 is the next big test. After that it could be shown to just two candidates.
The next interesting question is if and when Buttigieg endorses another candidate, most likely Biden.
Apart from the ongoing primary votes, an endorsement or not makes a difference to the 26 delegates Buttigieg has already won. If he endorses, most of those will will vote for the endorsed candidate. If he doesn't endorse, then most of those are free to vote for whomever they want in the first round.
(I think Nevada law requires the pledged delegates to vote for whomever they are pledged to, so it's only 23 of 26 that would become free agents)
So is Bernie. Fuck me, it's gobsmacking the two most popular candidates are so old they predate the Baby Boomers. With scary old people shit in their medical histories, to boot.
But here we are. I s'pose the upside is they can't really have "OK, Boomer" dumped on them.
Bernie is old enough to have adult memories of the time before the Thatcher-Reagan revolution. That's probably important. Biden doesn't seem to have a functioning memory at all – e.g. claiming that he was arrested in South Africa for trying to see Nelson Mandela on "Robbins"(sic) Island. To be fair, Biden's lies seem like simple beffudlement, rather than like Trump’s deliberate self-aggrandisement.
Meh. Ten minute flight means he can get there, rally, and be on his way to the next place before he would have even gotten there by car.
And smaller planes mean smaller runways mean closer to each venue.
In NZ terms it means he can do Invers, dunners, and chch in one afternoon.
I can give him stick for only managing three bills in his senate career, but this is a reasonable move. US politicians have used the quickest means of covering campaign territory since railway became a thing.
Wait till January–Bernie’s “Airforce” will be yuge!
Sanders flew coach for years, but his travel expanded with security details since 2016. Who cares anyway when the US Presidential Campaign is a financial blowout from start to finish. Small countries run on less. Have a look at Mr Bloomberg’s expenditure–oh thats right–he is not in major contention at the moment…
This is the classic argument used against Green MPs–they should cycle to Wellington apparently or be cast as unauthentic–uh huh, uh huh.
Hypocrisy is often more a charge made of convenience. David Seymour maybe should not use public roads or expect Police protection if he is a staunch libertarian, and refuse any other stipend from the stolen tax take…
For those who like their thinking challenged, do check out Jonathan Boston in Auckland on Thursday on Transforming the Welfare State.
Prof. Jonathan Boston – Transforming the Welfare State – 5 Mar
Professor Jonathan Boston will be speaking on his new BWB book: Transforming the Welfare State
Towards a New Social Contract
‘Eighty years ago, New Zealand’s welfare state was envied by many social reformers around the world. Today it stands in need of urgent repair and renewal.’ One of our leading public policy thinkers asks: What might the contours of a revitalised ‘social contract’ for New Zealand look like?
Jonathan Boston is a Professor of Public Policy in the School of Government at the Victoria University of Wellington. He has written extensively on public management, the welfare state, child poverty, climate change policy, tertiary education funding, and comparative government.
Are you going Ad? I'd be interested in what his take is.
This article, he seems to be saying that lots of NZers don't support egalitarianism now, so to get buy in for a better welfare state we need a reciprocity model/user pays (like ACC).
Landlords say they plan to sell their properties – or focus solely on the high end of the market – if their ability to end their tenancies with 90 days' notice is removed.
lol
Crocodile tears.
House prices go down, or homes in higher-deprivation areas get gentrified, or landlords are forced to act with a bit more fairness. Which do you think is more likely to happen?
Because these landlords choose to cater to the lower end of market with their houses in lower-income areas?
Good luck with that. Either way, there's no reduction in the number of homes, and state houses are increasing by a thousand a year. I reckon renters can do without arsehole landlords like that – I've had my flat sold from under me. A fucking headache.
No because the great majority of landlords who own only one extra flat will figure it's better to hold on just for the equity uplift, then sell after some years.
In many circumstances there will be less grief and more benefit chucking the tenants out and just sitting on the equity uplift until they're ready to take it all and start their new lives.
Because the great majority of landlords who own only one "extra" property can afford to, and will, forego hundreds of dollars per week in rent (for years) just because, and let me check that I've got this correct, they're not allowed to arbitrarily cancel a lease without cause?
I suspect that the number of landlords with "one extra flat" beginning to do it (for fear of not being able to do their damned landlording jobs) is much lower than the property speculators already leaving 30,000-odd Auckland homes vacant.
Fuck 'em. It lowers their profits from the property, so it lowers the value at which they'll sell.
Every person with a mortgage needs to pay the mortgage regularly.
As for your observation that the property market hasn't had a dip in a decade… not the first time speculators have believed yesterday's results are related to tomorrow's. And it's always the debt-ridden non-producing speculators (in this case your mortgagee property owners who are afraid to provide housing) who get worst-bitten by that assumption.
If what you say about people with "one extra flat" is true, then the next economic shock will sort out their house ownership problem. Can you think of anything that might cause such a shock to the NZ property market?
Who needs a "ginormous" shock? The discussion is about whether a drop in income from a property will affect the value of that property. Doesn't even need to be 2008-scale to call BS on the pessimism.
Your position seems to be that a small-scale landlord "with one extra flat" will forego $20k a year of rent for fear of having an annoying tenant who doesn't do enough to warrant eviction for cause.
As for the idea in the article they'll all go upmarket, I find the idea that they could have done that already but chose not to rather odd.
But who are they going to sell them to? Your 'lowest quality' tenants are typically people whose lifestyles and choices mean they will unlikely qualify for a mortgage regardless of where prices go. It won't be them who buy, it will be as Ad says either other landlords who are better cashed up, or developers who want to add value to the land.
Or other speculators who are equally cashed up, but are better suited to add property letting to the return on their investment, as well as mere speculation.
This isn't about the tenants. It's about whether someone who wants to invest in property is merely a property gambler, or whether they can complement that with property management.
It's the difference between someone who invests in a company with money and their skill at helping it grow value, versus someone who merely places bets on the stockmarket.
In many circumstances there will be less grief and more benefit chucking the tenants out and just sitting on the equity uplift…
Not if there's a mortgage on the place there won't, and I very much doubt there's a large number of amateur landlords with un-mortgaged rental properties.
Some, certainly not the majority will sell up and they can piss off. The wealthy don't choose to earn less in order to pay less tax, just as the employed who claim beneficiaries are living the life of Riley don’t quit their jobs to go on the dole.
What will happen is that the unscrupulous or paranoid landlords will favour more a fixed term tenancy instead of the standard periodic. Desperate tenants will sign up to shorter term tenancies on the understanding that if they're good little tenants and pay their rent everything will roll over for another term. If the landlord doesn't like the tenant the lease isn't renewed – simple. This shift has been happening for a while – landlords can keep up with 'the market' via a new contract. Landlords feeling spooked by the removal of the no-reason 90 day notice will no doubt enhance the trend to the detriment of security of tenure.
Im sure we have all seen the pundits talking about the king making power of the black vote in the American democratic primary, and how bernies failure to the grab the black vote in SC is a real block for him…
Interestingly he's actually leading in the national polls with black voters, would you have guessed it from the main stream media's coverage?
I see there are more people coming through our airports saying we are doing sweet fuck all about coronavirus compared to other countries they have traveled through.
They are saying you can't even get off the plane in some countries without having your temperature taken and we need to start taking this seriously. Apparently they don't take your temperature here even if you ask them to.
meh …I've been in and out of the USA, Australia and south East Asia a few times in the last couple of months only South East Asia is doing anything significant at airports from what I've seen.
Taking their temperature reassures travellers you're doing something but it's not that useful for screening against Covid-19 which can be infectious while not symptomatic. Devoting health resources to people with unrelated fevers aint smart either.
a comment based on one vox pop on TV3, with one couple.
Obviously many others would have been interviewed (that's what a vox pop reporter does) but were insufficiently grumpy to broadcast. It's called editing, it's how "news" works on TV.
Indeed. Why oh why are we not doing this ineffective and time-consuming thing that is rife with false positives (anyone with a cold or just a bit overheated from a flight and whatever other reason) and false negatives (anyone in the asymptomatic incubation period)?
Also, why aren't we waving jade eggs at travellers so any ethereal interference from the coronavirus demon can be detected?
There are a series of protocols New Zealand recently assigned up to that requires the construction of a much higher degree of security at all domestic facilities.
Auckland Airport is at the start of a billion-dollar upgrade which will integrate its domestic and international terminals, and upgrade its screening.
I am pretty sure this new virus will accelerate whole new layers of biometric testing across New Zealand, but it will take a few years as it costs millions to do.
New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Carereport released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced$802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Carereport in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquirypublished its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone iconon the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
Open access notablesImproving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society:To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum. While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation. “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan. “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests. Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone. Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
Last summer when Matairangi burned, Ginny and Tom stood at the window of their lounge, watching kākā shoot skyward from the burning trees. From the distance, they looked to Ginny like pages torn from books and thrown into a bonfire. It was Tom, voice tight, who told her it was ...
Opinion: The Canadian short story writer Alice Munro – winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 – died in May at the age of 92. Her work was about “the damage people inflict on one another in the name of love”, Deborah Treisman wrote in the New Yorker. ...
This month marks two years since the most powerful telescope ever built sent its first pictures back to earth. From its lofty vantage point, beyond the moon in orbit around the sun, the James Webb Space Telescope was tuned to observe the first stars and galaxies being born soon after ...
Comment: After Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ preview several weeks ago, I had some optimism about the Government’s emissions reduction plan. Now I’ve read the discussion document, that hope has been dashed. How can the Government propose a plan that wants to take New Zealand taxpayers’ hard-earned money, and spend ...
Christopher Luxon: hurdles The little man from National jumps hurdles in his sleep. He’s quite good at it in his dreams and even though the reality doesn’t quite match up you have to give him credit for getting up every morning and crashing into the very first hurdle of the ...
Comment: It was a good two hours into the conversation when Tyrone Marks raised the most basic of questions when I first spoke to him in 2017. “They didn’t explain the things they did to me. They never told me why. And they still haven’t. There’s no explanation for it. ...
Madeleine Chapman rounds out Death Week on The Spinoff with a final recommendation. You can read all of our Death Week coverage here. Nothing forces you to reflect on your life and relationships quite like proximity to death. For those whose nearest and dearest have died, there are reasonably obvious ...
Whitney Greene takes us through her life in television, including the TV character she’d like to plan a funeral for and her cow lung catastrophe on The Traitors NZ. “If the phone rings, I have to answer it,” Whitney Greene from The Traitors NZ warns as we begin our My ...
Maddie Ballard reviews the debut essay collection of Pōneke writer Flora Feltham.In ‘The Raw Material’, the longest essay in Flora Feltham’s dazzling debut collection, the author heads out for a run after hours of weaving and sees the world turn to textile. “Pounding along the Parade, I saw the ...
Andy Christiansen, one half of the experimental rock-pop duo TRiPS, shares the tunes inspiring the band’s perfect weekend and new release. “Good speakers, good food, good music, no distractions”: that’s all you need to enjoy the psychedelic stylings of TRiPS, a new band formed by Fly My Pretties’ Barnaby Weir ...
Celebrating our quadrennial opportunity to become experts in a bunch of sports we never normally watch.The games of the XXXIII Olympiad are upon us. Paris will host this year’s showcase of sporting and athletic prowess, which means some late-night and early-morning viewing for us in Aotearoa.But what sports ...
The photograph is striking and beautiful, but also disturbing – a reminder that my love for John was often entangled in shame.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.In the spring of 1980, in Dunedin, shortly before his death, someone took a photograph ...
Get to know Babushka, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Babu’s humans, Jo and Isabel, for their support. Dog name: Babushka (Babu for short) Age: 2Breed: Border Collie X poodleIf rescued, ...
Pacific Media Watch A Lebanese photojournalist who was severely wounded during an Israeli air strike in south Lebanon carried the Olympic torch in Paris this week in honour of her peers who have been wounded and killed in the field — especially in Gaza and Lebanon. Christina Assi of Agence ...
The first report in a five-part web series focused on the 15th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women taking place in the Marshall Islands this week.SPECIAL REPORT:By Netani Rika in Majuro Women continue to fight for justice 70 years after the first nuclear tests by the United States caused ...
Christopher Luxon has joined with Australia and Canada's leaders in voicing support for US President Joe Biden's ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The 2022 election brought the “teal wave” into parliament. The next election will test whether teals, who occupy what were Liberal seats, and other independents can maintain their momentum. Joining us on the Podcast ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide Pixavri/Shutterstock A major Federal Court class action has been dismissed this week after Justice Michael Lee ruled there was not enough evidence to prove the weedkiller Roundup causes cancer. Plaintiff Kelvin ...
In The Week in Politics: politicians have to decide what to do about child abuse, Health NZ is booked in for major surgery and Darleen Tana returns. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Corbould, Associate Professor, Contemporary Histories Research Group, Deakin University Mainstream media are surprisingly muted at the prospect of the world’s most powerful nation being led for the first time by a woman – specifically a woman of colour, Vice President Kamala ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Bennett, PhD Student, Associate Research Fellow, Deakin University Last week, a drone delivery company called Wing (owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet) started operating in Melbourne. Some 250,000 residents in parts of the city’s eastern suburbs can now order food from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Foo, Lecturer, Physiotherapy, Monash University pikselstock/Shutterstock In the next 40 years in Australia, it’s predicted the number of Australians aged 65 and over will more than double, while the number of people aged 85 and over will more than triple. ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Jones, Program Lead, Food Governance, George Institute for Global Health wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock On Thursday, Australian and New Zealand food ministers at state, federal and national levels met to thrash out what’s next for health star ratings on packaged foods. Now, after ...
The Abuse in Care report found many Pacific survivors lost their connections to their culture and language, resulting in trauma that has been carried from generation to generation. ...
In the regulatory review, ECC intends to suggest that ERO focus on curriculum delivery reviews rather than the Ministry, because it’s not efficient or effective to have two agencies with radically different approaches climbing over each other. ...
Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori invites the current government to work in partnership with them to develop a pathway forward, including the development of a parallel pathway and meaningful policy and strategy for Kura Kaupapa Māori ...
If you haven’t started watching yet, Tara Ward begs you to reconsider. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. In the world of New Zealand reality television, we have many gems in our crown. There’s the delicious second season of the Celebrity Treasure ...
A new poem by Fiona Kidman. The clothes of the dead I did not keep my mother’s furry red beret for long nor the stringy scarves that adorned the necks of my aunts, although I have kept tag ends of gold, the rings and trinkets they wore, the brooches no ...
The government’s announcement that it will re-open the foreshore and seabed controversy by changing the rules on recognising centuries-old Māori customary title for a third time goes against the rule of law and New Zealand values,” Mr Tipa says. ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Lioness by Emily Perkins (Bloomsbury, $25) Roarrrr! Perkins’ brilliant, award-winning, Marian-Keyes anointed, darkly funny, long ...
The 2004 Act vested ownership of the foreshore and seabed in the Crown, extinguishing any Māori claims to ownership and causing widespread outrage and protests among Māori communities. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Antje Deckert, Associate Professor (Criminology), Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Despite the connection between institutional harm and gang membership made clear in this week’s mammoth royal commission abuse-in care report, the government seems unlikely to soften its “get tough on ...
From Lewis Clareburt in the swimming to the start of the rowing – the first seven days of Paris 2024 promise to be big for New Zealand. There are few events that bring the country together quite like an Olympic Games. Nothing quite matches the excitement of getting up in ...
Groundbreaking local science just showed up in the most surprising of places: the season finale of The Kardashians. In the season five finale of The Kardashians last night, several members of the family gathered together in one of their signature empty, cream-coloured rooms to hear test results that had been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University The Middle East is on the brink of a possibly devastating regional war, with hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah reaching an extremely dangerous level. Washington has engaged in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Elizabeth Eades, Rheumatologist, Monash University Lupus is an inflammatory autoimmune illness, where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks itself. Lupus can affect virtually any part of the body, although it most commonly affects the skin, joints and kidneys. The symptoms ...
A law firm that specialises in working with survivors of abuse in State care is disappointed that the Government fails to recognise that its boot camps can be directly compared to previous boot camps from the 1990s and 2000s. ...
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Despite having no bars or other designated spaces for lesbians, Auckland boasts a small but mighty lesbian museum. So how did it get here? The past 18 months has brought increasing hostility towards the queer community across Aotearoa. Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull’s anti-trans rally in Tamaki Makaurau last March led to a ...
Poneke Antifascist Coalition has invited Wellingtonians to stand in solidarity with the Kanak people at 12pm today outside the French Embassy in Wellington. ...
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Parts of yesterday's Government Kiwisaver announcement make sense, like changing default funds from conservative to balanced – young investors in particular should consider at least a balanced fund, if not a growth fund.
But the headlines were on banning default funds from 'fossil fuels'.
This has been criticised as Government interference in the investments of private individuals, and sets a bad precedent for future governments applying more rules to Kiwisaver for their own policy purposes.
Talking of future governments, it looks likely it will be a future government that actually defines the rules.
Newsroom: Three questions about the KiwiSaver fossil fuels ban
With no details yesterday's announcement looks like more of a PR exercise setting Labour and Greens up for this year's campaign, with the actual rules to be defined by the next government. NZ First did not feature in the announcement.
So the actual rules may be loose and left up to the default Kiwisaver funds.
Or they may be wide ranging and specific, banning investments in fossil fuel extraction (obvious) but also companies who use fossil fuels like energy producers, airlines, shipping and transport, and also plastics. Companies that invest in ‘fossil fuel’ companies like banks?
This could be counter-productive. Some fossil fuel companies are big investors in alternative energy technology and production.
A vague feelgood PR exercise says nothing about it will actually mean.
By whom? Sounds like something that just magically happened when you phrase it like that.
Does it matter? I could do a lengthy comment on criticisms but thought it best to focus on the key questions.
Do you think it is fair criticism?
We can often weight a criticism by knowing who made it, yes.
I presume this is another instance where you have copied and pasted an entire post from your own blog as you have done recently, Pete. Says a lot about those who comment there that they would take it at face value.
By whom? The usual suspects from the Empire @ Sacha
Oliver Hartwich for one.
I saw Oliver's tame economist whinging about it yesterday. The sheer effrontery of a govt thinking it can know better than the sacred market!
And they thank you for faithfully relaying their greenwashing. Tiny fraction of their spend.
… sets a bad precedent for future governments applying more rules to Kiwisaver for their own policy purposes.
Well, yeah, the right is often an ethics-free zone that sees someone doing something on the grounds of ethics and interprets that as a precedent for doing stuff on the grounds of self-interest. Only a concern troll would present that on a thread here as evidence for not doing stuff on ethical grounds, though.
Crikey petey, next thing you know we'll not be trading with ppl who've upset the yankers. Where will it all end?
"With no details yesterday's announcement looks like more of a PR exercise"
In fact it shows a government that understands the investment markets, and appreciates that time will be needed to sort out the detail of the policy with the assistance of professional investment managers, including management of the NZ Super Fund. Meanwhile, without any particular companies being names, investment managers have the opportunity to quietly, and without any significant impact on market values, dispose of some obvious investments over a short time. Wanting the prescription before the diagnosis is stupid, wanting policy details without consultation would be stupid, and criticising the government for protecting values for New Zealanders with Kiwisaver accounts is the sort of unthinking knee-jerk response anyone can read most days on Farrar's dog-whistle blog.
This policy is timely, and I believe will be well supported by most New Zealanders. It is an extension of ethical investment rules, which were introduced some years ago with equal professionalism and concern for maintaining orderly markets.
I can't reply in the thread.
"I presume this is another instance where you have copied and pasted an entire post from your own blog as you have done recently, Pete."
Another false presumption. I haven't.
And if you checked times you would see that yesterday I actually created a post out of a comment I made here because I thought it worth replicating.
Are you aware that replicating and copy and pasting are kind of a features of using the Internet?
You have a habit of nit picking about things that are irrelevant. Is targeting people an attempt to divert from the content? If you really wanted to contribute you could try addressing the issues.
You’re not ‘weighting’ criticisms, you’re often entirely dumping on messengers.
"I actually created a post out of a comment I made here because I thought it worth replicating."
Pete George
Highly relevant to those of us without unlimited time to spend online. If I want to read the tired right-wing witterings of Farrar, Hartwich, Hosking and co I can go seek them out. Nice try slipping them in here without attribution. Such a service.
Oh, and be sure to whinge about this on your blog.
I haven't 'slipped' any witterings of Farrar, Hartwich, Hosking in here unattributed. I haven't seen what any of them have said on yesterday's announcement.
If you have limited time perhaps you could focus on the issues rather than run diversions and make false aassumptions.
You still haven't addressed the issue raised.
I thought that when Kiwisaver was introduced apart from providing incentives to join Kiwisaver and organising default providers the Government was supposed to stay out of investment decisions.
Now the intention is to dictate what can't be invested in to some unknown degree. The ban on illegal investments is really just trying to sound good without making any real change (I hope no schemes invest in illegal activities already).
I'm familiar with Evilgnome and Horeskin, but who's Fartwich when it's at home?
I am not familiar with any of the names you use Gabby; I understand the temptation to use 'nicknames' as a means of attack, but it does backfire – the Right use such posts to justify "Dirty Tricks" by saying "but they are all doing it!", and in any event there is enough to critically comment on without name calling. I'm sorry I don't know who Hartwich is, whether he or she is at home or not.
https://nzinitiative.org.nz/about-us/our-people/oliver-hartwich/
Please can someone post the link to the interview currently airing on Natrad between Kathryn Ryan and the NZ Midwives?
Their pay parity 'negotiations' span two governments, and they are presenting a petition to parliament prior to the Budget in the hope that the intrinsic worth of community midwives is not dismissed.
Again.
I sense some deep politicking here, and will listen again to previous interviews when I have time.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018736528/community-midwives-big-push
Thank you, Anne.
This is an important issue…one would think the welfare of women and their babies would be paramount.
NZ has a long and chequered history around maternity care, with the power play between competing interests often negatively impacting on service delivery.
In the past two years, more mining applications have been approved on conservation land than in the two years prior to the 2017 announcement there would be no new mines on conservation land.
http://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/fourteen-new-mines-on-conservation-land/ar-BB10AORX?ocid=ientp
If correct this is pretty damn depressing.
The proposed ban on mining conservation land is yet another instance of an environmental policy that probably could have gotten past Labour but won't make it past NZ First. People who want the environment taken seriously should vote Green, or Labour if the Greens really piss you off that much. Voting for other parties is a vote for hostility to the environment.
The Winston First party will hopefully disappear at the next election. That the current Labour and Green members were unable to stop this happening on their watch is as I have stated depressing.
It's depressing, but inevitable given the hand the voters dealt. Regional development is a core feature of NZ First's pitch to voters and these mining applications are in places like the West Coast, so what measures would be available to Labour and the Greens to stop NZF opposing a mining ban? Parties don't compromise on the core areas of their appeal to voters.
Well maybe labour and the greens need to come with more than a few token cycle ways for the provinces . We dont all want to leave small town nz for the horrors of the big smoke.
Hang on, again NZ First is to blame? Seriously, is that why labour gone into coalition with them, so they can be the blame game? Have you got any supporting documentation for this, or is this just 'bash NZ First' first policy?
As for the greens, why on earth would anyone currently vote for them? Why?
disclaimer: I voted for the Greens in the last election.
Why would anyone vote for The Greens?
Because without a strong Green vote, Labour voters will fail to get their team into Government.
not good enough a reason Robert, also not supported by evidence.
If you held the deciding vote, Sabine, that would get The Greens in, to govern with Labour only, you wouldn't cast it?
Crikey!
Why do you say that? Again, as i said ' i am tired of voting for the lesser evil'
that does not mean i won't.
I would hold my nose, grab a barge pole, and simply utter 'there goes nothing' and i would cast my vote and i would hate every second of it. Ain't voting grand?
It does say a lot about you tho, that you equate fair critisim with a non vote. But maybe that is the reason why the current lot rather would try to convert a no mates voter then try to appleal the non voter. Again, appealing to the Non voter, the disenfranchised voter, the forgotten voter, the voter no one gives a shit about, and that includes the future voter is in hte too hard basket. And that Robert, is why nothing gets done.
"that does not mean i won't. "
"As for the greens, why on earth would anyone currently vote for them? Why? "
Well now I am puzzled – you won't vote Green, as explained, and you're not planning to abstain from voting, so which party has earned your support?
One party in government is focused on protecting the environment, and one party in government is focused on promoting regional development via extractive industries. You don't need me to provide documentation to figure out which is which.
As to why anyone would vote for the only party that’s focused on protecting the environment, is that a serious question?
non of the parties in government is occupied with 'the environment' or else we had already better rules and free public transport. 🙂
But we have parties that have it in their interest to appear to be doing something, paying lip service mainly and a wee bit of tinkering on the fraying edges and of course EV's paid for by the Taxpayer for on of the richest classes in this country.
But if you want to put blame on one of the parties in Goverment as being the one to blame for something then yes, i feel it is ok to ask for a link that would support your claim. Unless of course you are making this claim not because it is based on anything but because you want to bash one party in the current coalition. Btw, you might need that party in the next election to again form a coalition. Just sayin.
As for the Greens, yes my question was totally and utterly honest. I see absolutly no reason to vote for them. Non what so ever. If i want something like the current Green crop in parliament i can vote for labour and get exactly the same, nice words and very little action. Maybe a red ribbon. If they feel generous.
Do you think it possible, Sabine, that The Greens are thwarting the Government's efforts to protect the environment?
I frankly don't know what they are doing, and sometimes i wonder if they do.
To me it feels that we have a whole bunch of apprentices in the Green Party but no trainers with skills and expertise. So we get a lot of paper signing (meaningless as the Rio Papers, the Paris Papers and all the other dead trees that went into the shredders), meaningless blablabla in the meantime we don't address the current (since at least last year) drought, we don't address our road issues, we do nothing to entice people to live on a smaller foot print, we do nothing to save water, we promote 1 billion trees of whom 20% are natives and there for the keep, and the remaining 80% are for 'harvesting' etc etc etc, but i am to feel good about these guys promoting EV which need fossil fuel mining (lithium is a fossil fuel) and i just can't. That's it.
I have no hope that this current Green Party will do anything but apply a little green blush on what otherwise are simply business decisions that will make good for the few and be disastrous for the many. (I neither have any hope in Labour for that matter, but i do know what the no mates party will do, and fwiw, they will do what they say, they always do – see the US where they have gone back to the 80s and finish what they could not then).
But above all, i am tired of voting for the lesser evil, for giving crumbs to those that needs loaves while giving the whole bakery to those that are already morbidly obese. And that is what currently has been done.
The Green Party was supported by 6.3% of voters at the last election. Given that, what would lead you to expect them to dominate government policy and the parliamentary agenda? Even NZ First, a party promoting regional development via extractive industries, had a higher level of support than the Greens. In other words, the government has no mandate from voters for the things you'd prefer it to have done. The solution to that problem doesn't lie in voting for parties that will see your vote wasted, or in not voting at all.
Sabine: you say you don't know what The Greens are doing, yet you discourage people from voting for them? Curious. You say also, that you're tired of voting for "the lesser evil" (The Greens – sounds more like a Kiwiblog characterisation of the party to me) leaving me wonder which party you will vote for; you will vote, right?
i also don't discourage people from voting for the Greens, again, Robert, don't equate critique with non voting the two have nothing to do with each other.
I was critical of the National government, and i will be critical of the current lot, if 'I" feel that their words outshine their deeds.
People do as they like, i simply see no reason to cast my vote for the Greens this time around, and won't……others will. Such is life in MMP. And besides, if Parties want to get votes, then maybe they should work for them. I am not in anyway to be taken granted for, nor am i obliged to vote for a Party that i feel is lacking in deeds. You do however you want to.
But i shall give no praise when i feel there is no praise due. But feel free to address any of the other points that i have raised to explain my dis-satisfaction with our current overlords.
The Greens are the least powerful group in a coalition that is still better than any national-led government.
If they were the majority member in a grnlab coalition, I might agree with a damn-them-all no-vote (or more precisely, a vote for a trace-element party that more closely matches my ideals, like when I supported the Alliance post-anderton).
But if you want a left wing government, vote for the leftmost party that can hit the threshhold.
…and the largest (Labour) party in government should be able to navigate a better path forward for the environment.
How, in practical terms, would the largest party navigate a path that involves getting a coalition partner it relies on for the government's majority to act against its core principles?
Negotiate rather then dictate or worse not even try? Or is that in the too hard basket. Fact is NZ First is part of this government. And fact is also that it might need to be part of the next government. So maybe just drop a bit the attidute and negotiate in good faith. Also please stop pretending that Labour did not know who Winston Peters is, who Shane Jones is, and who the NZ First Party is.
Fact is, without NZFirst, Jacinda would be the Queen of the opposition.
How, in practical terms, could Labour negotiate NZ First into going against its core pitch to voters? It's not a trick question.
Well, why should NZ First voters give in and not Labour voter? Oh is that the mind of the largest party wins? I have a bridge that says the same thing.
No, that is the whole point about MMP is that the Parties need to negotiate and they need to find common ground. And that does not mean that only one party has to fold all the time, and that also does not mean that only one party is to blame for the all fuck ups of all the parties all the time. That is lazy thinking of the finest. And claims to the sabotage of something by one particular party should be supported with a link that states that these things are happening.
And if they can't work with each other then they need to wake up to the reality that they will end up again in the wilderness. Mind, being on the opposition bench won't affect their pay cheques and perks all courtesy of the tax payer, and that includes their government issued vehicles and gold pleated healthcare.
"Why should NZ First voters give in?" is exactly what I'm saying. They voted for a party that promises to promote extractive industries in the regions, which means there's no mechanism for Labour to "negotiate" a deal in which NZ First has to tell its voters that it's agreed to cutting back extractive industries in the regions.
The solution to the problem of a lack of government commitment to environmental protections isn't to vilify the party that's working to increase environmental protections for its lack of leverage, but to try and encourage people to increase that party's leverage by voting for it.
I am astonished at much in this column today seeming to be deliberately ( but I hope ignorantly) stating that Labour is not committed to environmental issues.
Decades ago I belonged to the Labour Green group in the Labour Party. When Folk broke to Alliance or greens, I , though always of left persuasion decided to stay in the larger bloc and stay in Labour.
I can assure you that issues of sustainability/ environment are an integral part of Labour concern. I have for some years belonged to a flourishing active Environmental branch.
'Green' measures for nurturing soil etc have been known for thousands of years, but forgotten I maintain in the industrialisation and capitalising of the land's produce.
haven't more time presently but i do wonder why the seeming mischief making above.
When I say "one party is focused on protecting the environment," that's exactly what I mean. Labour has elements supportive of envirnomental protection but that's not its core focus and that tends to be reflected in its actions in government. There's only one party for which the environment is its primary focus.
to PM ( can't read the number of your comment) Thank you…I understand what you mean.
After reaching a certain level (depth) of nesting/threading, the numbering runs out/stops. The comment you’re replying to is by Psycho Milt @ 2 March 2020 at 11:50 am
Labour is large enough to have factions that support green policies and those that oppose them. Decisions reflect a tussle between a caucus coalition of NZF+Lab-faction and Grn+Lab=faction.
Aren't you heartened stunted?
[3 day ban for flaming. No prewarning because you know exatly what you are doing. Expect bans to get much longer much more quickly. Yes, I am gearing up for election year, take this a warning – weka]
Fuck off Gabby you pointless troll
Are you 'concerned' at the continuation of mining stunted munter?
I'm guessing only when the left do it
It amuses me that it is fine to comment and tell someone to F$#@ off on here, but make a comment in the form of a question as per Gabby at 5.2 and you get banned?
Calling someone names oft leads to the naughty corner, as most toddlers know.
TS is just one big amusement park.
I thought under the commenting rules you weren't supposed to abuse each other. I will re-read them sometime perhaps they have been amended.
Let me know if you have any (specific) questions. Always happy to explain/clarify without getting into a lengthy discussion about (specific) moderation.
Does anyone know if the Government has put out a statement to address the economic shortfall that we will experience, in fact are already experiencing with the lack of tourists arriving at our shores?
I am in tourist land where i am living now, and the hotels are empty, the eatery are empty, the tourist attractions are empty, the freedom campers ain't here to spoil our landscape and use our resources (Yei) ….but in saying that, people have already lost jobs, have had hours cut, and so on.?
Anything? Because i only saw something last week, but it felt that it was more of a care package to the big tourist businesses, nothing on the lower end aka a care package for the workers and small businesses.
I consider myself lucky as i said my small business up to serve the locals rather then tourists, but i know of a few who started up last year, and who are rightfully shitting themselves now with high leases, high compliance costs, and no customers.
The Epidemic Preparedness Act 2006 gives government pretty wide powers to do whatever is required to manage an epidemic, subject to the oversight of Parliament. If shops are required to be closed and movement restricted I would presume the order would also include provisions that would remove the financial imperative for businesses to open.
http://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2006/0085/latest/whole.html#DLM404464
There’s also clauses in the ADLS lease relating to loss of access to the premises during civil emergency, I’d say an epidemic would qualify. Business interruption insurance will cover civil emergency as well. Just checked ours and I’d say we are covered. Any ensuing civil disturbance might not be.
I am not talking about that at all.
I am talking about unemployed people that have lost their jobs because the tourists are not coming, will they get extra aid as they have lost the only 3 – 4 month of full time employment.
Will the small businesses that experience hardship have a grant to apply to so as to tide them over and maybe adjust their business model so that they not close and not unemploy everyone who works for them?
As for the government in an epidemic, i consider them to be as awesome as if an earth quake would hit. They shall arrive in a few days …or weeks depending on location, so please stock up on food, water, emergency meds and pray you not get sick. lol.
I saw something last week too, mostly about the part of the tourism serving the Chinese market?
I think I also saw something about making access to welfare easier, but that might have been about future actual pandemic in the country issues.
Like you I expect the same level of response as in a quake. Good front line responses (emergency people), but the other stuff to be pretty uneven.
Business is going to be hit by what is happening everywhere else in the world. Even if we only ever had the one case of the virus, the breakdown in international travel and logistics is going to hit us massively. We will be open for business but there will be no suppliers, or customers for a few months.
For right or wrong, the clear message from central government at the moment is keep calm.
I think that calm is going to be disrupted very soon for the reasons you have outlined above. The tour buses have stopped rolling already. Soon its going to be the trucks and trains when our imported goods can't get into the country. International logistics networks are beginning to break down already. If ships don't sail from China, imports and exports across the globe will suffer.
https://www.interest.co.nz/news/103836/sharon-zollner-chief-economist-nzs-biggest-bank-says-economic-impact-coronavirus-rises
This is going to be short and sharp, but when businesses have a couple of months of limited income, and start struggling to pay the landlord, bank and IRD, the message of keeping calm will become lost.
It will be in the interest [no pun] of banks and IRD to keep calm and avoid mass panic. A run on the banks is the last thing they’d want. I don’t know what role and/or powers RBNZ has to maintain public confidence in the sector and ensure stability and continuation of ‘BAU’.
The RBNZ has to ensure financial stability,whether the response or the rhetorical mechanisms are correct will be an open questions.
Since the GFC the central banks main mechanism has been increased monetary supply with lower interest rates.
The response by corporates is increased debt,to increase dividends and share buy backs to increase stock value,and little for increased productivity.
It's not just the debt itself. Investors looking for decent yields as bank interest rates plummet have poured trillions of dollars into corporate debt markets.
It is not as though there haven't been warnings. Last October the International Monetary Fund warned that up to $US19 trillion of corporate debt could be "at risk" if there was a sudden downturn even half as severe as the 2008 global financial crisis.
Earnings wouldn't cover the interest bill and so companies could go to the wall, potentially igniting another financial crisis.
The problem with America's corporate debt isn't so much the size, it is that a large portion of the money has been squandered. Rather than investing in new plants and equipment, American companies have been raising cash and handing it straight back to shareholders.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-02/coronavirus-shook-stock-market-after-boom-built-by-debt/12015192
The RBNZ interest rate cuts,will probably do little except reduce the amount of income for savers.It would need to come with significant constraints such as restriction on investors say to buy existing residential investments,as opposed to new developments.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/410758/covid-19-could-force-hefty-reserve-bank-rate-cut
That is a wildly missleading comment. The main action taken by the govt to ensure financial stability was for the govt to guarantee and underwrite the financial systems borrowing. After that it was no problem as lenders knew they would be paid no matter what the state on the bank they were lending to.
Interest rate cuts have been applied to try to return the economy to a state of 2%+ inflation, but largely ineffective. Probably that will be the go to response again despite having poor results for a decade now. But the lending which the RBNZ does is there to provide sufficient funds should a bank need to clear payments. There seems to be no reason to think that a fall in lending will put the interbank market short reserves with which to pay each other. I expect the same to be relevant with cash, people may withdraw more but this will just mean more cash is delivered to the banks and withdrawn. We know banks can function in such an environment and they did so before eftpos was invented. Unlike 2008 bank runs there is no underlying question of bank solvency going on here.
Interesting hypothesis E is E.
I was out on the roads earlier today (North Shore/Auckland) and noted a sharp drop in the traffic – something I haven't seen in this part of our world in a very long time. I also noted foot traffic was down and less large commercial trucks and vehicles on the roads. It may have been coincidence but somehow I think not.
Here in Motueka we haven't really seen any signs of tourist numbers declining. There are still plenty of freedom campers filling the car parks. Town is still busy.
The tourist demographic that mostly comes through our town is predominatley European, especially Germans.
Interestingly rice has sold out at the supermarket, but not pasta.
Toilet rolls seem to have been the big sell-out on the North Shore. Getting to the stage where locals have to shop around for them. You could say that Shore folk are …. .. …. but I couldn't possibly comment. 😉
Anne 🙂 🙂 🙂
Queenstown feels quieter, and it's easier to find a park in the morning, but we're not seeing any change in numbers through the gallery. Turnover is back on same time last year but that was a blinder, so not surprised it's come back. We have minimal exposure to the Chinese though. Those that do aren't happy campers.
But China is only 10% of Queenstown's market, both numbers and dollar wise, and it's an either / or thing for most businesses, if you are in that market it's pretty much all you do, apart from some activity operators that can cover the field with slightly different products for different markets.
Part of it seeming quieter is that there's much less mad acts from rental car drivers, so everyone's more laid back on the road.
Tbh Sabine, if it wasn't a disease impacting their businesses it could also be a global realization that tripping around the world on fossil fuel burning transport is simply not planet sustaining.
Where we're parked up right now in our Bus, there is a sign from a previous guest detailing the cost of accommodation and attractions in the Central North Island tourist hub for themselves and their grandson.
Prices way beyond what the average Kiwi traveler can afford. We're paying $20 per night for access to an ablution block, a kitchen and power should we need it. The only commercial campground in Hamilton wanted $47 per night.
Unaffordable, and if that is the going rate for the swinging tourist hotspot that is Hamilton, wtf are they charging in Rotorua or Taupo?
Seriously, tourist operators have enjoyed unfettered ability to fleece overseas travelers at the expense of their relationship with domestic customers…there's many that will not shed too many tears for those who put all their profit generating eggs in the foreign traveler basket.
Simple law of gravity…what goes up…
To be honest Rosemary, a good large part of the countrys taxpayer depend on income from tourism to pay taxes.
To be honest Rosemary, a good large part of the country is working in tourism because its the only job available.
To be honest Rosemary, i think your attitude is quite callous, these workers in the tourism industry are New Zealanders, they are our brothers, sisters, and so forth, they pay taxes that can then be distributed among our needy, invalids, unemployed, used for funding our infrastructure and so on and so forth and maybe we should keep that in mind, when simply gibly write of a large part of the country simply because they are not you. Oh and pay fancy cars for our ruling class.
To be honest Rosemary, i don't even have an RV, and i don't go on vacation, not in a hotel nor in a park, because i work 6 days a week and so do most if not all of my fellow mum and pop business owners. And thus i have absolutly no idea what you talk about when you talk about parking your RV.
But i know something about a town where over 50 % of the working people only have about 3 – 6 month at best at fulltime employment and they don't have it this year. And people are getting scared because they can't save up that little bit extra they need to get through winter, and i don't see government address that.
I think the welfare issues needs addressing now, maybe someone can look it up?
I have some sympathy for what Rosemary is saying too, although from my pov, being dependent on a benefit and having lived a lot in areas that have transitioned to tourism as a main way of making a living, I think COVID is an opportunity to get to grips with the massively problematic position of making the wellbeing of NZ dependent on an industry that is 1) in utter denial of climate change and 2) is basically not future-proofed because of that (or other reasons eg a pandemic or GFC).
So, yes, welfare first, and also let's talk about not going back to BAU after this challenge passes, because there *will be others, and more often.
Last time I was up Ruapehu few of the workers were New Zealanders and even fewer were Maori.
I saw Maori families in particular being turned away from the previously free Happy Valley as they could not afford the cost. So in my lifetime I've seen the locals pushed out of many of the jobs and they be made to pay tourist prices for their own mountain.
I hope Tuwharetoa don't renew the lease when it comes up next.
It's a little hard to have empathy for the principle though easy for the individual people concerned.
And besides Paul Callaghan made the point some time ago about New Zealand won't get ahead on low wage jobs like tourism.
Beyond tourism, and because coronavirus appears to be an occasion to shut down swathes of production across the world, why not take the opportunity on offer to do an inventory and never re-open production facilities that only serve as vehicles for profit? (So, y'know, permanently shut down the "shiny beads and baubles" factories).
To spell it out for the dim of thinking…
AGW is driven by carbon emissions and capitalist modes of production function by producing carbon as a by-product.
Bill,
Given that most firms intend to make a profit, are you seriously suggesting the end of industrialisation?
Almost certainly the goal will be to get firms back into full production, not to permanently close them.
So no, Covid 19 is not a heaven sent chance for China to reintroduce Maoist communism. They have already tried that. And the CCP decided 40 years ago it was not worth the 20 million dead and the grinding poverty of hundreds of millions.
Wayne
Give Bill some credit, he will allow loss making companies to continue, so not all factories will close. Then those losses will likely be state funded & their carbon emissions will deemed "non-harmful" as they haven't come from nasty "profit making" entities
No Wayne. I'm not suggesting an end to manufacturing. I'm suggesting we grasp this opportunity to end any industrial activity that produces nothing of social value – that is undertaken just for monetary profit.
Also, fucked if I know where you're getting this idea to shoe-horn in nonsense about Maoism from.
But anyway, you mention large numbers of dead people as a justification for not doing something, which is fair enough. So…you want to ballpark the numbers of people who have already died because of global warming? And then care to add on a further ballpark number for the coming decades?
Thank you weka and Bill for getting part of what I was trying to convey and expanding and clarifying.
We simply cannot keep on the way we have been for the past 50 years.
Maybe COVID 19 is the reset switch?
certainly an opportunity to talk about things like future proofing our economy and then pointing out how this also benefits us in other ways like climate mitigation and ecological restoration.
If we were homo sapien sapiens (wise and discerning my arse! 🙂 ), then COVID 19 would be the reset switch.
But we're not even remotely close to living up to the name we give ourselves as a species.
Our problems are systemic, and as we know, those in positions to make "big decisions" are wed to the very systems that figuratively speaking, have life on this planet by the throat.
why not take the opportunity on offer to do an inventory and never re-open production facilities that only serve as vehicles for profit? (So, y'know, permanently shut down the "shiny beads and baubles" factories).
the ivory towers being an example?
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/410760/coronavirus-universities-warn-more-staff-cuts-on-the-horizon
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/119925194/uni-fee-rorters-get-off-scot-free
All the right intentions, but outcomes resulted in unintended consequences. I'm sure all of these people can claim the Metiria Turei defense if caught out.
What is the “Metiria Turei defense” and how does this apply to those students?
Didn't work, whatever it was.
Was she charged with fraud and has she paid the money back?
She was never charged AFAIK and yes, she intended to pay back the money.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11895318
If you insist on taking this comparison any further you’ll need to first show that they are equivalent. Otherwise I’ll have to treat this as another attempt to derail and to bash a beneficiary as well as a former Green MP.
that's a badly written piece, it's basically a press release from the National Party.
Tell us how many students enrolled, how many enrolled that wouldn't have otherwise, and then compare that to the number who apparently made false declarations. Then tell us what those falsities were, how many were mistakes, how many were outright fraud, and how many fall somewhere in between.
What Incog said too. I take a pretty dim view of bene bashing especially where it invokes poorly informed memes about Turei.
A Nashnull sponsored “bennie bash” basically Indiana, more information and better comparisons are needed to make any real sense of that piece.
In any event, thousands of younger NZer’s lives have been blighted by user pays student loans–for education which should be an investment in the future–rather than a finger wagging accounting exercise.
lol TYT reporting that Buttigeig is gone!
Meanwhile, Warren is behind in the polls of her own state and Klober whassername isn't exactly secure 🙂
There were reports that Bloomberg offer Yang a VP position. Seriously.
I wonder if wee Pete is bobbing up and down pleading with Bloomberg – "Pick me. Pick me!!"
Good stuff, Bernie for the win 🙂
Biden is likely to benefit more than Bernie. Coz there's quite a few states like Minnesota and Massachusetts where Biden is polling in the mid-teens – meaning he's on the edge of dropping below the 15% threshold and missing out on getting pledged delegates. It would only take a few Buttigieg voters to go to Biden to bump him back over 15%.
Whoever the Democrat Presidential candidate is, they are going to have a hard time shifting Trump now.
His Unfavourable numbers are now trending steadily upwards to parity by election day.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/trump_favorableunfavorable-5493.html
The economic numbers that get well reported are strong – probably strong enough to handle a Corona Virus hit to GDP and employment levels.
https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/indicators
The peace deal his military has signed with the Afghani Taliban will bear fruit once tv images of the serried ranks of army troop off the planes.
The Demcoratic candidate has a mighty fight ahead of them if they are to win against Trump.
… and then there's the Senate …
I'm not so sure – most are saying "I'm voting Blue – No matter who" When the Dem candidate is finally chosen the majority will swing in behind them no matter what.
Here is further analysis from the Fox Poll.
Not sure that realclear link supports your "trending steadily upwards to parity by election day" description. Seems pretty steady for the last couple of years (not that it matters – it's FPP, not MMP).
But frankly any old shit can happen. I reckon Bernie or Warren will give the cheeto-in-chief a good run, Biden will probably run a technically creditable campaign that fizzles in reality.
See what happens when peak deniability takes hold, and instead of taking a long hard look at why a reality TV host was preferred to a career politician, the Democratic Party shoveled and shoved "Russia!!" for 3 years straight and ignored what people were actually worried about in their lives… and then, just to top it off lest there was a chance Trump's popularity would bumble along, they threw in a bullshit impeachment to buoy his popularity.
All that said, Sanders can walk through him. Trump's "anti-establishment" credentials are a non-starter against Bernie and he can't rhetorically tack to Bernie's left.
He could try ye olde "Socialist/communist!!" b/s…but since Obama was apparently a socialist too, that's unlikely to get much, if any, traction
Buttigeig is out. I reckon it will come down to Sanders or Biden. Super Tuesday is likely to have a substantial boost for Biden as a result of South Carolina.
Interesting that Buttigeig decided to announce prior to Super Tuesday. Presumably his name is already on all the ballot papers/ballot machines. He can obviously ask his supporters to vote for someone else, which I presume is Biden. But he will get quite a few votes anyway.
I imagine Bloomberg will be out after Super Tuesday, but Warren could stay for a while yet. March 10 is the next big test. After that it could be shown to just two candidates.
The next interesting question is if and when Buttigieg endorses another candidate, most likely Biden.
Apart from the ongoing primary votes, an endorsement or not makes a difference to the 26 delegates Buttigieg has already won. If he endorses, most of those will will vote for the endorsed candidate. If he doesn't endorse, then most of those are free to vote for whomever they want in the first round.
(I think Nevada law requires the pledged delegates to vote for whomever they are pledged to, so it's only 23 of 26 that would become free agents)
Biden is looking super old of late, I think the campaign is really taking it's toll on him.
So is Bernie. Fuck me, it's gobsmacking the two most popular candidates are so old they predate the Baby Boomers. With scary old people shit in their medical histories, to boot.
But here we are. I s'pose the upside is they can't really have "OK, Boomer" dumped on them.
To be fair, though, since Bernie has been 78 for the last three decades, it might be less noticeable on him since the change isn't as dramatic.
https://slate.com/human-interest/2020/02/when-did-bernie-turn-78-investigation.html
78? Really? He's almost up to Trump's IQ!
Bernie is old enough to have adult memories of the time before the Thatcher-Reagan revolution. That's probably important. Biden doesn't seem to have a functioning memory at all – e.g. claiming that he was arrested in South Africa for trying to see Nelson Mandela on "Robbins"(sic) Island. To be fair, Biden's lies seem like simple beffudlement, rather than like Trump’s deliberate self-aggrandisement.
Bernie is old enough to have adult memories of the time before the Thatcher-Reagan revolution.
He turned 78 while it was happening.
Methuselah Bernie – awesome!
Bernie has his own airforce.
https://twitter.com/izzybelle1964/status/1232857013190832128
Too good to fly coach.
Meh. Ten minute flight means he can get there, rally, and be on his way to the next place before he would have even gotten there by car.
And smaller planes mean smaller runways mean closer to each venue.
In NZ terms it means he can do Invers, dunners, and chch in one afternoon.
I can give him stick for only managing three bills in his senate career, but this is a reasonable move. US politicians have used the quickest means of covering campaign territory since railway became a thing.
Wait till January–Bernie’s “Airforce” will be yuge!
Sanders flew coach for years, but his travel expanded with security details since 2016. Who cares anyway when the US Presidential Campaign is a financial blowout from start to finish. Small countries run on less. Have a look at Mr Bloomberg’s expenditure–oh thats right–he is not in major contention at the moment…
This is the classic argument used against Green MPs–they should cycle to Wellington apparently or be cast as unauthentic–uh huh, uh huh.
Hypocrisy is often more a charge made of convenience. David Seymour maybe should not use public roads or expect Police protection if he is a staunch libertarian, and refuse any other stipend from the stolen tax take…
Speed is of the essence in this late stage of the campaign. If you applied your criticism across the board people would take more notice of you.
For those who like their thinking challenged, do check out Jonathan Boston in Auckland on Thursday on Transforming the Welfare State.
Prof. Jonathan Boston – Transforming the Welfare State – 5 Mar
Professor Jonathan Boston will be speaking on his new BWB book:
Transforming the Welfare State
Towards a New Social Contract
‘Eighty years ago, New Zealand’s welfare state was envied by many social reformers around the world. Today it stands in need of urgent repair and renewal.’ One of our leading public policy thinkers asks: What might the contours of a revitalised ‘social contract’ for New Zealand look like?
Jonathan Boston is a Professor of Public Policy in the School of Government at the Victoria University of Wellington. He has written extensively on public management, the welfare state, child poverty, climate change policy, tertiary education funding, and comparative government.
See: https://www.bwb.co.nz/books/transforming-welfare-state Copies of the book will be on sale by eftpos.
When
5 March – 6.30pm
Where
Owen Glenn Building, University of Auckland
12 Grafton Road
Are you going Ad? I'd be interested in what his take is.
This article, he seems to be saying that lots of NZers don't support egalitarianism now, so to get buy in for a better welfare state we need a reciprocity model/user pays (like ACC).
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/118063308/we-need-a-step-change-to-transform-the-welfare-state
Sorry it's just not my field.
Jesse Mulligan interviewed Prof Boston on RNZ National this afternoon – very interesting although I must relisten as I was interrupted by a visitor.
Here is the link and audio – 16'13" minutes
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018736571/is-the-welfare-state-fit-for-purpose
https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/119937094/landlords-threaten-to-throw-out-bad-quality-tenants-ahead-of-rental-reforms
Great news. The sooner these kinds of landlords sling their hook the better.
lol
Crocodile tears.
House prices go down, or homes in higher-deprivation areas get gentrified, or landlords are forced to act with a bit more fairness. Which do you think is more likely to happen?
Mostly just more gentrification.
Because these landlords choose to cater to the lower end of market with their houses in lower-income areas?
Good luck with that. Either way, there's no reduction in the number of homes, and state houses are increasing by a thousand a year. I reckon renters can do without arsehole landlords like that – I've had my flat sold from under me. A fucking headache.
No because the great majority of landlords who own only one extra flat will figure it's better to hold on just for the equity uplift, then sell after some years.
In many circumstances there will be less grief and more benefit chucking the tenants out and just sitting on the equity uplift until they're ready to take it all and start their new lives.
That's when the gentrifying developers come in.
Because the great majority of landlords who own only one "extra" property can afford to, and will, forego hundreds of dollars per week in rent (for years) just because, and let me check that I've got this correct, they're not allowed to arbitrarily cancel a lease without cause?
Not even the linked article goes that far.
It's happening already, especially in Auckland suburbs that are on their way to gentrifying.
I suspect that the number of landlords with "one extra flat" beginning to do it (for fear of not being able to do their damned landlording jobs) is much lower than the property speculators already leaving 30,000-odd Auckland homes vacant.
Fuck 'em. It lowers their profits from the property, so it lowers the value at which they'll sell.
Lowering the value?
Not so far. We haven't had much of a dip for over a decade.
And most I know are simply Buy And Holds. Call that speculation if you will, but:
The entire mortgage industry is based on speculation. Every single person with a mortgage relies on it.
That, and tax.
Every person with a mortgage needs to pay the mortgage regularly.
As for your observation that the property market hasn't had a dip in a decade… not the first time speculators have believed yesterday's results are related to tomorrow's. And it's always the debt-ridden non-producing speculators (in this case your mortgagee property owners who are afraid to provide housing) who get worst-bitten by that assumption.
If what you say about people with "one extra flat" is true, then the next economic shock will sort out their house ownership problem. Can you think of anything that might cause such a shock to the NZ property market?
I appear to have run out of Reply thingies.
Plenty have been waiting for a ginormous property shock since 1988. We appear to have run out of long-wave cycles.
Sure, a propoerty-base-altering shock possible. But even things like a virus or two will just cool things for a bit.
I don't see our home ownership decline turning around much.
Who needs a "ginormous" shock? The discussion is about whether a drop in income from a property will affect the value of that property. Doesn't even need to be 2008-scale to call BS on the pessimism.
Your position seems to be that a small-scale landlord "with one extra flat" will forego $20k a year of rent for fear of having an annoying tenant who doesn't do enough to warrant eviction for cause.
As for the idea in the article they'll all go upmarket, I find the idea that they could have done that already but chose not to rather odd.
But who are they going to sell them to? Your 'lowest quality' tenants are typically people whose lifestyles and choices mean they will unlikely qualify for a mortgage regardless of where prices go. It won't be them who buy, it will be as Ad says either other landlords who are better cashed up, or developers who want to add value to the land.
Or other speculators who are equally cashed up, but are better suited to add property letting to the return on their investment, as well as mere speculation.
This isn't about the tenants. It's about whether someone who wants to invest in property is merely a property gambler, or whether they can complement that with property management.
It's the difference between someone who invests in a company with money and their skill at helping it grow value, versus someone who merely places bets on the stockmarket.
In many circumstances there will be less grief and more benefit chucking the tenants out and just sitting on the equity uplift…
Not if there's a mortgage on the place there won't, and I very much doubt there's a large number of amateur landlords with un-mortgaged rental properties.
It's those Boomers again, they get in early everywhere.
Some, certainly not the majority will sell up and they can piss off. The wealthy don't choose to earn less in order to pay less tax, just as the employed who claim beneficiaries are living the life of Riley don’t quit their jobs to go on the dole.
What will happen is that the unscrupulous or paranoid landlords will favour more a fixed term tenancy instead of the standard periodic. Desperate tenants will sign up to shorter term tenancies on the understanding that if they're good little tenants and pay their rent everything will roll over for another term. If the landlord doesn't like the tenant the lease isn't renewed – simple. This shift has been happening for a while – landlords can keep up with 'the market' via a new contract. Landlords feeling spooked by the removal of the no-reason 90 day notice will no doubt enhance the trend to the detriment of security of tenure.
Jack off comedian points out how Krystal Ball deals with a gaslighting surrogate.
https://theintercept.com/2020/03/01/south-carolina-results-biden-black-vote-sanders-msnbc/
Im sure we have all seen the pundits talking about the king making power of the black vote in the American democratic primary, and how bernies failure to the grab the black vote in SC is a real block for him…
Interestingly he's actually leading in the national polls with black voters, would you have guessed it from the main stream media's coverage?
I see there are more people coming through our airports saying we are doing sweet fuck all about coronavirus compared to other countries they have traveled through.
They are saying you can't even get off the plane in some countries without having your temperature taken and we need to start taking this seriously. Apparently they don't take your temperature here even if you ask them to.
meh …I've been in and out of the USA, Australia and south East Asia a few times in the last couple of months only South East Asia is doing anything significant at airports from what I've seen.
Taking their temperature reassures travellers you're doing something but it's not that useful for screening against Covid-19 which can be infectious while not symptomatic. Devoting health resources to people with unrelated fevers aint smart either.
"There are more people"
a comment based on one vox pop on TV3, with one couple.
Obviously many others would have been interviewed (that's what a vox pop reporter does) but were insufficiently grumpy to broadcast. It's called editing, it's how "news" works on TV.
Critical faculties required.
And this is why I gave up "News" a long time ago, it really does make you stupid.
And anxious.
Indeed. Why oh why are we not doing this ineffective and time-consuming thing that is rife with false positives (anyone with a cold or just a bit overheated from a flight and whatever other reason) and false negatives (anyone in the asymptomatic incubation period)?
Also, why aren't we waving jade eggs at travellers so any ethereal interference from the coronavirus demon can be detected?
Hey! Careful with the jade egg references. People might get ideas about where to put them.
Feel free to hand one to Shane Jones.
Def wouldn't want it back afterwards.
Porno Jones probably has his own collection.
There are a series of protocols New Zealand recently assigned up to that requires the construction of a much higher degree of security at all domestic facilities.
Auckland Airport is at the start of a billion-dollar upgrade which will integrate its domestic and international terminals, and upgrade its screening.
I am pretty sure this new virus will accelerate whole new layers of biometric testing across New Zealand, but it will take a few years as it costs millions to do.
Kia Ora The Am Show.
The Olympics games being affected by the virus.
I have been telling my Tamariki that rents and housing prices are only going up to get them to plan for that phenomenon.
I know A place that has nice weather that doesn't get to hot.
Birds are quite special and intelligent.
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Newshub.
Global warming is making stronger storm system.
Kea the world's most intelligent birds I lived in a whare that had them flying around it a few years ago.
That's the way strike for the climate you people do good mahi kia kaha .
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
The festivals of Pacific people being cancelled that would have been awesome to watch.
I think that a good idea stopping Te hongi with this virus threat.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora The Am Show.
The fertilisers company's should be looking hard at providing organic products that feed the organic matter that doesn't leach into our water ways.
Its good to see new cancer drugs being funded.
That's sad all those Koala bear dieing.
The new technologies is amazing virtual reality design simulation and 5G.
Ka kite Ano
The fucken sis sandflys are stuffing with my Wahine mokopuna
https://youtu.be/g_D5vzqBVWo
Kia Ora Newshub.
Jamie and his Ebike is saving him time and lowering his carbon footprint heaps cool.
That health unit needs to be cleaned up.
Shearing was a big mainstay employer in Te Tairawhiti.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
That's is cool a home made native plant sanitisation products.
That's the way networking with other indigenous Wahine in Las Vegas with native Americans.
Weres kim kiore
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora The Am Show.
I say that using a phone is fine just not all the time.
The new joke is Old people say young people are living on there phones. It's the only place that they can afford to live.
I would go to Eco Inn in Taranaki
Condolences to Jennet Fitzsimmons whanau for their loss.
Ka kite Ano