“a few weeks ago, I wrote a story about the outrageous sexism woven deeply into the culture of the company. We’ve seen it in the company’s PR team discrediting female passengers who accuse drivers of attacking them by whispering that they were “drunk” or “dressed provocatively.”
We’ve seen it in CEO Travis Kalanick’s comments that he calls the company “boober” because of all the tail he gets since running it..”
“When They Compared Their Females Drivers to Hookers
In October, Uber launched an app that promised to pair male customers with sexy female drivers. “Who said women don’t know how to drive?” asked ads for the promotion, which was launched by the company’s office in Lyon, France. The fantasy rides had a 20-minute time limit, for reasons that are unclear.
Thanks to a media backlash, the creepy promo never actually rolled out. “They didn’t anticipate the reaction of Uber US,” said Pierre Garonnaire, co-founder of Avions de Chasse, the escort service that co-sponsored the idea.”In the US, you are more Puritan. For me and most of the people of France, it was a good [idea]. It was fun.”
That point is up for debate, but the promo didn’t do much to quell Uber’s reputation for not giving much of a fuck about the safety of women in its cars. On the flip side of the equation, female customers are still frequently complaining that male drivers are harassing them and somehow managing to learn their identities”….
“Private car services are popular among women who want to stay safe, but reports allege sexual harassment by drivers. Is it time to rethink services like Uber? ”
“Not only has Uber vilified riders accusing their drivers of rape, assault or general bad behavior, they’ve also betrayed all their drivers; Kalanick has said he can’t wait to replace them all with self-driving cars…”
*************************************
I’ve heard a rumour uber are going to step in and buy ‘Gun city ‘ …. thereby saving customers from any regulations or ‘red tape’ ….. about valid firearms licenses and other such unnecessary rules … 😉
Ignoring regulations is ubers business model … uber NZ see military style weapon owners, and semi auto aficionados offering solid consumer support and a enthusiastic customer base for Uber Gun citys … so the rumour goes 😉 😉
Get the uber gun app ….leverage their immunity to improve your gun owning experience….
## I made up the uber gun bit to try and trick James
1. Parking just a few doors down at pickup time, saying you didn’t show and charging the cancellation fee
2. False cleaning fees
3. When a “surge” is approaching they text each other. During a surge they get paid more so be prepared for multiple cancellations from cars that are apparently available during the hour prior, and when you eventually get that Uber it now costs more.
The women were hysterical james ??? … making things up about your loved one ?.
Do you love uber …. because you recognize another immigrant into New Zealand ….even more exploitive and lawless than yourself ?.
I must admit ….As a company it seems like a tailored fit to you ….
“Today, in his horrifying scoop, Smith writes about the the lengths that at least one Uber executive, Emil Michael, was willing to go to discredit anyone– particularly a woman– who may try to question how Uber operates.
https://pando.com/2012/10/24/travis-shrugged/ “If Uber doesn’t have to follow licensing laws, then neither does any Tom, Dick, or Harry who chooses to start offering rides via the Internet”
@TRP- sorry I could reply to you question about TAS in the Labour thread last night. It was very late when I checked back in and I’m about to be going out of internet contact for the next couple of days so can’t give you any detail sorry. But in a nutshull, TAS is what one can qualify for when necessary outgoings (usually rent and ongoing medical costs) can’t be met any other way, ie pretty much everyone on a benefit. You’ve got to provide a load of evidence of no other income/savings/things you can sell/proof of how you’ve changed your spending habits and then reapply every 3 months.
Good luck with your friend and thanks for being his advocate 🙂
TRP, if your friend ends up on a benefit make sure they get the Winter Warmth Payment 1 May to 1 Oct (only $20.42 a week single or $31.82 couple), but it is not taxed and does not affect any other payments .Cheers.
Chris Trotter makes a good point this morning, illuminating the difference between political perceptions and reality. Folks really do get captivated by the froth on the surface. He gives several valid historical examples to prove the point: http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2019/04/dark-matter.html
What really matters is where the electorate is at, en masse. Like the ocean. Those waves may indeed be fascinating, and it’s understandable that media & commentariat get lost in the details, but election results hinge on the tidal flow underneath. Flow to the left, ebb to the right, and where the centrists are at the time of the vote. That’s all that really matters…
“I think those picking up the cudgels – while I take my hat off to them for tenacity – have realised pretty quickly just how hard it is to do all the stuff needed to foot it with those parties that have been hanging about for decades. Others in TOP are just dreamers – think money grows on trees, and have no idea of the work needed,” said Morgan. They seem to be shuffling their deck currently, and struggling with logistics:
“As part of the transition to new leadership, Gareth Morgan set up a board to run the party, consisting of Simmons, 2017 Rangitata candidate Olly Wilson, and 2017 Rongotai candidate Paddy Plunket. But both Wilson and Plunket have now resigned from that board, though have remained involved with the party. Two new people are now on the board, membership representative Donna Pokere-Phillips and Matt Isbister – six and 21 on the 2017 list respectively.”
“Recently elected leader Geoff Simmons says the membership for TOP remains healthy, saying it is “about 4200, at the last count”. Of those members, only slightly more than 1000 voted in the recent leadership election – 678 of whom voted for Simmons – but he says that had more to do with the logistics of communicating details about the election to members than lack of interest. “We actually had a pretty big challenge just to inform our members about that stuff.”
Cullen actually implemented one as the Foreign Investment Fund tax. Which I pay every year. While I’m not bothered by paying income taxes, capital gains taxes, GST or sales taxes, the FIF tax always feels like a maliciously capricious way to levy a tax. It irritates me enough every year that it would turn me into a single-user voter against anyone that proposed it. Indeed, I haven’t voted Labour since it was introduced.
My reaction exactly. I just felt it appropriate to frame it in more dispassionate terms! Dunno if you noticed, but think it was RL who responded (to my initial comment) re his prior involvement with a Morgan enterprise (yesterday or last night).
Guyon Espiner was put in his place by Winston…. again….on morning retort today. Message to Guyon Espiner, give up trying to score points over Winston, at least in public and on air, Winston has knocked you for six so many times you are sounding very desperate to bowl him.
Xi: “Now [the] bilateral relationship faces new opportunities of development, our two sides must trust each other, pursue mutual benefit and strive to open up new grounds in our bilateral relations.”
Begs the question of a basis for such trust, eh? Blind faith doesn’t work. So the political question becomes: how can NZ & China create a basis of trust in their bilateral relationship?
” Talking to reporters after the meeting, Ardern said she had not interpreted Xi’s comments about trust in any pointed way. She saw it as a comment meaning that all relationships were based around trust, “that we have a longstanding relationship where there is good understanding, where there will from time to time be differences”.
“The differences between us certainly should not and will not define the relationship. Our relationship is too long, too great in history and has a layer of depth to it that I don’t think it should be defined by those differences and I don’t believe it will be.”
Audrey Young reports that, on the issue of Huawei failing to get the green light from the GCSB on 5G, she said she had raised it proactively with Xi. She had outlined the clear process in New Zealand’s legislation which dictated how such decisions were made and she set out where the process was at. And she had also raised the issues of human rights “particularly as it relates to Xinjiang”, – a reference to the mass detention of Uighur Muslims.” https://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=12217953
The PM was adroit in pointing out that the relationship ought not to be defined by differences between the two countries. She neglected to point out that common ground is where trust gets built.
We don’t know how she & Xi see such common ground emerging on Huawei. I suspect they tacitly assumed there was no time for indepth discussion. We don’t know how she & Xi see common ground emerging on civil rights. Likewise! So the basis for trust remains tenuous.
Stephen Jacobi always presents as a nice, reasonable man. Talking to Garner this morning he did his China cheerleader thing as usual. Xi’s emphasis on trust slid right by both of them. Garner’s normally good at picking up on nuances, but not today.
With Jacobi, I suspect the omission was deliberate. PR is all about managing perceptions, so bland is good. Ensure that discussion not only avoids getting to the crux of an issue, but heads everywhere but there so that distraction becomes a movable feast for viewers and listeners. The smokescreen.
I’ve quoted trust expert Rachel Botsman once or twice here recently, and her published appraisal of China’s new trust-based system for ranking citizens on their performance is relevant to how kiwis are likely to view our potential for trusting China’s regime.
“Ideas such as China’s Social Credit System show how distributed networks of trust could become national networks of shame and interference, controlled by governments.” That’s from the concluding chapter in her latest book (which examines how trust is formed via participation in online networks, using case studies).
So, given that western countries have had seven or eight decades of distrust of state compulsion deriving from totalitarianism, how we can formulate a basis for trust with the current totalitarian regime in China is an interesting question. I anticipate the towering intellects in the Labour Party providing the answer tout suite. Just kidding!! 😎
“Can she defeat the usa media first ?”
Do you watch any US media? Large swathes have Trump Derangement Syndrome, and will give a virtual free pass to any Democratic candidate. Trump’s a numpty, but he’s headed for a second term based on the Dem’s declared candidates.
Just curious, in the view from Shadworld are there any Democrats that could win? Declared or undeclared? Or are we inevitably getting a second round of the 2.8 Handicap-in-Chief??
Two weeks of kindness and inclusiveness and we are already back to the same old shit. After some gang chapters were warmly accepted without qualification at Mosques, media soon set up their strawmen. The line was that if gangs really cared, they would hand in their guns – despite the police being the only ones who had firearms to protect worshippers and those expressing condolences. The president of ONE chapter of the Mongrel Mob said they would not be handing in their guns. It is conceivable that his chapter, the largest in the country, may only have legally held firearms and no semi-automatic or military style weapons. Before jumping to the conclusion that this is a naive assumption, the researcher Jarrod Gilbert noted that only one of the chapter’s members is in prison. More explicitly, Black Power made it clear they would not hand over guns that are used for hunting which on the balance of probably would be legally held. Of course, the media, having created the strawman, is now awash with commentary based on the assumption that the high profile gangs have vast numbers of illegal weapons. The dickwit Minister of Police is buying into the sensationalism and grandstanding about how the Police will prejudicially target gangs with only a quietly added afterthought that anyone illegally possessing semi-automatic weapons will be prosecuted. Meanwhile, how much publicity has been given to pro-gun lobbyists who have specifically stated they will not be handing in their military style weapons – bugger all! The media need to take some lessons on love and acceptance from the Muslim leaders and follow the lead of the Prime Minister. Instead they are dog-whistling the sorts of attitudes which were very briefly hidden under a thin veil of acceptance, kindness and inclusiveness.
Be good to have no violence from anyone I’d say because it is there – sometimes hidden by the veneer of respectability. Substance abuse, child abuse, spousal abuse – all there in every circle – every circle Kevin.
Too true..but just a smidgeon more in gangs don’t you think.
We used to do business with The MMM, and the Captains especially, often really nice guys, often pretty smart, and often a lot more relatable than some of the ‘Suits’ I interact with in ‘Legitimate White Guy Businesses’…but NO ONE EVER get patched up for being a nice guy.
Though these days the young lads in out neighbourhood (The ‘Nui) are able to buy their Patches..so who knows, maybe they could transform into a ‘club’..but even then, a club making money from selling drugs and paying off debt with traumatised young girls with drug and mental health issues..and in their own community..nope, if they want to go round ‘Virtue Signaling’ during this crisis they deserve to get the big old finger of accusation pointed right back at them.
I personally wouldn’t make too much of the low imprisonment rate of any Patched up gang members…I’m sure there’s very few Hells Angels inside, all things considered, but that’s because keeping within the law and driving round in white vehicles is simply common sense when your number one reason for existence is selling drugs.
Though, I do totally agree, the intelligent conversation should be, 100% about the Gun lobby..they are the real power, and they are the one that needs to be made to pull their head in so we can lower the number of guns..legal and otherwise, held in New Zealand.
(disclaimer..I actually have no problem at all with restricted gun ownership)
Oh dear Siobhan – pulled on the knowall superiority boots this morning eh? Careful you don’t trip over the laces, “…. often really nice guys, often pretty smart, and often a lot more relatable than some of the ‘Suits’ I interact with ….”. Also, it might pay to take the boots off before you get dragged under the veritable sea of ‘Virtue Signalling’ non-gang members who have just discovered Muslims, the nearest Mosques and a bit of compassion.
(disclaimer..I actually have no problem at all with heavily restricted gun ownership.)
If ‘kindness and inclusiveness’ is your stance;- ‘that is an honourable stand’.
I wished it would also translate to the other ‘elephants in the room’ also eh??
Labour has not been a ‘kind inclusive’ lot to us as their MP’s are as “cold and insular’ to us out there trying to fix nine years of national Party wrecking ball.
As a member of a community group I explained previously that ever since the Labour Coalition took over government, we have sent repeated requests to the minister Phil Twyford as Minister of Transport to meet our committee either in Napier, Gisborne, or Wellington and always get the same message from his office staff, “the Minister is too busy to meet you”.
Where the hell is the “kindness and inclusiveness” in that??
It is so bloody perplexing to our community here.
Get the labour coalition to answer community groups that come asking it meet these quote; “Kind, inclusive” MP’s please.
cg
I reckon Twyford has too much on his plate. Why not write to Jacinda and point out his list of portfolios and say that your region is not hearing much from anyone and point out the gripe you have about Shane Jones settling on a plan that is like a quick grab of something out of the lucky dip, not one tailored for your needs over there.
Thanks for that but Shane and Jacinda always get a copy of our groups request for a meeting with Phil Twyford and we thought that would just get it done.
So I sent a message to our local MP Stuart Nash to intervene but so far his office has not actually requested that Phil Twyford come to Napier and Nash’s PA at his electorate office has been trying to find out why ‘we are facing a wall of opposition’ (PA’s words) to meet Twyford.
So you can see the trouble we face, and it is not only us here.
We discussed this with other community groups who say they also have difficulty getting MP’s to agree to meet him also so it is endemic I am afraid.
Like i said where is the ‘inclusion’ Jacinda promised us?
Write to The Dominion perhaps. That might get read in the beltway.
Or erect a cardboard cutout of a bikini girl at Parliament with sign saying SEX in big caps and Now I have your full attention Twyford I love you and want to have a train with you. Perhaps citizens need to embarrass them to get attention?
A pair of briefs with a cheeky message on them on a sign saying Phil you didn’t leave these in Gisborne because you never came, and we have been waiting and wanting. Or something.
Terrible ideas and we shouldn’t be forced into lowering ourselves to be so vulgar. But he does have some heavy lifting and I think he should have someone else do the other portfolios.
I would of thought being a gang member would automatically exclude you from obtaining a firearms license, therefore all guns in gang members hands would be illegally held.
No Jim – and neither do we, as a society, blatantly discriminate against members of other groups in society if they can meet the requirements for gun ownership. If we were able to, there might be fewer firearms related domestic incidents – something gang members don’t appear to be renowned for.
Jim
You are assuming that all gang members have criminal convictions and that they don’t need guns for their sustainable living – probably many shoot their own meat, pigs etc. Watch the assumptions, there is a bit of truth in most things, so see what it is before you pass your own judgment eh.
Grey, come on.
If the police arms officer, vetting a potential FAL holder, reccomends that a patched gang member should be considered of good character and suitable for any type of FAL, that’s just ridiculous.
Give it a break Jim. Your prejudices have taken you beyond your ability for rational thought. How many cases of gang members killing their partners with firearms in domestic incidents can you confirm? Bet it is less than the number of well heeled horse breeders that have. When did any NZ gang members use a military type weapon to take down 50 people in prayer that can you tell us about? Can you provide evidence of times when gang members have killed either police officers or innocent bystanders? Need one go on? Besides, if you bothered to look, ‘of good character’ is your own invention but admittedly, is only a bit more subjective than the actual requirement in the application process. Thank God that arms officers are more professional and better able to determine facts what than you would be. Incidentally, some gang members have not been approved for FAL’s and there have been occasions when some have been withdrawn – just like with non-gang affiliates when their actions or dispositions have given cause for concern. Actually, licences are probably given more liberally that what they should be, but probably not to gangsters.
Are you seriously suggesting that the gangs can keep the category of semi automatics that are to be banned?
Basically the gangs can keep them but no-one else can?
I doubt whether the Gangs AK 47’s and AR 15’s are legally registered anyway, so they are probably illegal weapons hence they are not eligible for compensation ?
Hence I doubt whether the Gangs will hand them in as they need them for protection in case they are attacked by another Gang who wants to steal their drug stash or their cash ?
On james Casson – to be fair to him he spoke in anger in 2016 this: He agreed that in July 2016 he posted on Facebook after terrorist attacks in Nice and Paris, referring to an invasion of migrants into Europe. He had written that it was “time to get hard, time for retribution, and extreme violence to rid Europe of these scum”. https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/386094/hamilton-councillor-set-to-apologise-to-muslims-for-comments
He is going to apologise to the Muslim community. Perhaps the weight of opinion gives him the message to think about what he feels, and then think whether it is too black and white needing more understanding, and then think before he speaks about what feelings he will arouse in the wider community, and the small bunch of anomic hotheads.
Yeah as my Mum would say: He’s trying! Very trying.
But still if he can bow and be humble, and then take a less aggressive stance on things that are so human and therefore irritating ie be more understanding of the power of emotions on the talker and the listener, your pain may not have been in vain.
For me – it’s all a lie. His views haven’t changed. It is damage control based upon his ego and his fear of losing stuff. As I said I wish he’d stfu and piss off. Insincere white apologists are a waste of time on this site and in real life imo.
Actually marty I’m thinking in pragmatic idealist mode. I hope he will have changed, that’s the ideal. I think he may not have as these attitudes score deep in people’s psyches and it requires enormous effort to get free of them.
I think you are probably right in your summing up. And I fear insincerity. It is very sad when you think that someone has goodwill for what you all seem to be working for but it is just a front; they have other plans.
I liked this from an interview with a young woman in Nelson Mail Friday 3/22/2019.
It is from A Muslim PhD student living in NZ. She says – All together we have failed the terrorist’s plans. But the question still stands there, what can I do? All that you have done is way more generous and beyond expectation and we do not want you to put in that burden, all you need to do is just accept us as we are, ordinary.
We do not need sympathies, we do not need extra attention, and we do not want to be in limelight. We do not need platforms to speak, we just need acceptance, a place to be comfortable under our skin, a place where we have feeling of home, a feeling of co-existence not merely existence.
I’m glad you’re thinking in pragmatic idealist mode @greywarshark and it’d be nice if he really has had some sort of epiphany.
I agree with @ MM however, and that isn’t just because I see him as white apologist, it’s for reasons I’ve made comment over the past few days which include some of the antics and the way he and some of his ilk behave carrying out his job, and having been told how embarrassed one of his own former police colleague’s over their little ‘raids’.
I’m more inclined to Angela Cuming’s view: https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018689140/hamilton-council-complainant-not-surprised-by-racist-remarks
He and Peter Dutton would make great mates I’m sorry to say and perhaps he should consider returning to his former ‘economic refugee’ status
A city girl whose family had no direct connection to farming has made the finals of the Ahuwhenua Young Māori Farmer Award.
This year it’s the turn of the sheep and beef sector to be in the spotlight, and the three finalists are all shepherds.
20-year-old Kirsty Roa works on the Hauiti Corporation’s Iwinui Station near Tolaga Bay, her first job after a course run by the Waipaoa Cadet Training Trust.”
Chris Trotter sets out what has been occuring to me recently. That we are working so hard to turn back the clock and recover what we believed we had in NZ and making some small improvements. But why necessary, and why so hard to achieve? How come that we are in this pit, we can see the sky, we climb and slip back – is that it – a cycle of constant sacrifice of time and energy and sometime lives to achieve a better society and when we have, the children of the fighters don’t carry enough of the history of struggle with them, and let it slip away in favour of self-indulgence again. What prevents us from holding onto a society with values, sensible controls allowing all people the time and means to have an enjoyable life, and pass that precious package on to the next generation teaching them how to care for it, as its resilience is limited.
Bowalley Road says: So many on the Left do not appreciate the true dimensions of the vast and immovable cultural-political consensus that allows Capitalism to survive and thrive. If it wasn’t there: or, if it was there, but amenable to reason and love: then Capitalism would long ago have given way to a more human order.
This grim judgement is a lot easier for the Left to accept when reactionary ideas and parties are in the saddle and riding them hard. In those moments, it is easy to convince Capitalism’s enemies that it is, indeed, a monstrous nightmare pressing down upon the lungs of human hope.
A Left without illusions has a much better chance of organising effectively and, on rare occasions, winning.
And now, when we have won some time in the sun of relative goodness, what will the children of the complacent do? Can they take their minds out and check them for rips and weak points, can they limit their meditation, their gym workouts, their marathon training and put those times into skill and community building. Half hour per day to talk about work, school, people met, the day’s news, and some of the weekend into community input for the Council and the strugglers; that’s if they have a weekend.
A left without illusions does not exist, and nor should it.
Sure the workers won big in France in 1968.
And yes de Gaulle resigned the next year which was no accident.
But the biggest win was to the feminist movement. By 1974 they had won national health insurance for contraception. By 1975 they had legalisation of abortion. Also in 1975 they got reform of divorce laws.
Mitterand was a bit of a disaster, but he would not have had a shot at nationalising the entire banking industry without the impetus of 1968 and beyond.
Trotter is a useful writer for the right and for the status quo, because he is profoundly pessimistic. He is the very definition of Left Melancholy.
Trotter revels in the political disasters of the last two years of the Lange-Douglas years, and discounts the effects in our society of our own home-grown revolutions.
Our own revolutions in ecology, feminism, Maori land rights, anti-nuclear and anti-war protests, anti-development protests, and anti-racist Rugby protests, well they are the collective essence of left activism today.
They gave rise to the idealism within Ardern today.
Trotter will realise within 6 months that Ardern is shifting wealth through existing instruments of the state already – in many cases not particularly gradually either. She also has the opportunity to go after the really hard-right and hard-to-reach places in gun ownership and armed criminal conspiracies that have held this country back for decades.
The left led by Ardern is not the problem.
Old, spent commentators like Trotter who remain bereft of hope and trapped by history hold us all back.
Ad, you are so right. He is hidebound and Trots out the same sour notes.
If we are in, “Watch out it won’t last because…..” If we are out “We lack….”
Jacinda Ardern is such a consummate conductor, it is a pity Trots can’t learn the new tune.
She knows how to blend the best of each instrument to make hopeful strong music.
Each person who takes part grows in courage and belief. She is a force for good. She is growing seemlessly into the role.
Ad
I think you are holding back. Trotter is looking at ways Labour Coalition can achieve in the three year period of power which seems to be zooming along.
Good for doing things of yesterday. They and any other work didn’t prevent us from being up the creek, if we can find some water that hasn’t been utilised by some incomer for profit. We were without a paddle till Labour got back in.
People need to understand that Labour are doing their best but need to know they are limited by their bureaucracy and their financiers, and the fickle prejudiced, emotional market pretending to be staunch. School of fish rather. it might be better if thethe Labour Coalition ask the nation to help them carry out the good things for the country. Get the poor people involved on something in every community.
And it would be good for the public to read the Good Man of NZ’s effort to tell it like it is so they understand the huge reality of all those men with power and money who look through people like an X-ray. They are like a black hole in space, sucking everything into their giant schemes. It is too hard to comprehend for most people and if we can be kept busy enough always short of money, and have enough tragedies one after the other, and television to take our mind off the tragedies, then we may never have time to think.
Ad
Just thinking. Everyone has different ideas. Good if everyone thinks. My thinking – We are all on a hunt for the idea/s that are best for a near-future NZ.
It could be interesting and a ‘fun question’ to have a game of Where’s NZ. A sort of improv session for weekend participants who would put up scenarios, and then have an economist like Rosenberg or someone from BERL, Brian Easton, Max Rashbrooke etc give us scenarios using computer graphs of how they would work under different variables. (Something different and independent like this budget from 2018 – https://www.union.org.nz/bill-rosenberg-and-ganesh-nana-deliver-independent-budget-analysis/)
Say, what would happen if f the inflation level was eased and the base level came up from 2-4%?
(The fundamentalist economist – Inflation — a thief in your wallet 3m:43s
Head of Economics, John McDermott, explains how inflation is measured and how it manifests itself in everyday life. He also explains the importance of maintaining price stability.) https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/monetary-policy/inflation (think this is 2019) Since 2000, New Zealand CPI (Consumers Price Index) inflation has averaged around 2.7 percent. This compares with averages of 2.4 percent in the 1990s, and averages of over 11 percent for the previous two decades. Since September 2002, the inflation target has been to keep inflation within a range of 1–3 percent on average over the medium term.
Discussions would take place with ideas coming from the floor .
– on monetary policy for the average person, why some have worked at different times.
– on how the import-export balance of trade works on employment levels and job stability.
– on how low wages and rising house rates keep the domestic flow of money from the average person low, and insufficient to power retail businesses and pay for the mostly imported goods they bring in, so that tourists are propping up the economy and exports have to be kept high just to keep us in business etc. –
With lots of questions and groups putting forward scenarios to see what could be done, how it would be regarded internationally, how self-sufficient we can be, how much we make that stays in NZ from large overseas businesses coming here, how they undercut and swamp our own initiatives, how the country is being stolen from us brick by brick and we don’t notice it till it doesn’t pass an earthquake inspection.
We need to understand what our dark matter is, find it, feed it, get cohesive, with our feet firmly on the ground.
Try not to pooh pooh this, I can’t bear too much cynicism.
I like that!: “Left Melancholy”. I hope you don’t mind if I use it from time to time @Ad. It could catch on, but we’d better be careful the Soimon or the shock jocks don’t get hold of it.
Will we ever be mature enough to act on our horrendous road toll ?
People will continue to die on the roads as they always have because
Excessive speed
No respect for the law
No respect for other road users
No police enforcement
Weak driver education and licence rules.
No serious punishment for driver misdemeanors.
Poor roads including the condition of most of them.
The mentality that before action is taken to make a road safer there has to be multiple deaths before anything is done.
Total failure right across the board from government to local authorities and the public who behave like they own the road and can speed doing 80MPH down a residential rd which has a limit of 50 ! despite the possibility that they could kill a child at the speed they choose to drive at.
And the attitude that it is the kids fault for being there not their speed that is the problem.
Mosa
Yesterday I sent a letter to ‘Minister of Transport Phil Twyford, to get passenger and freight rail going in all provinces again, – as used to be using some of the taxes.
Indeed, and that’s probably if they stick to the speed limit, which they don’t – because they’re trying to earn a living under arduous and impossible circumstances.
(And all that’s allowing for the margin of speedometer over-read, and all that shit about “this vehicle is governed…….etc.”)
Given that complete fuckup of a 4 lane tolled road that ends in Paengaroa (they call it an Expressway I think, but in reality, the ‘truckies rest break’ where they can travel while having a snooze because there’s fuck all else going in the same direction, and it doesn’t matter if they cross the centre line from time-to-time). Imagine if the money spent on that white elephant had been spent on something useful. (Like maybe double tracking where necessary in that “Golden Triangle”).
Thank Christ Joyce never got near the place – he’d have been trying to sell off as much of the existing rail corridors as possible in the area.
Jeremy Corbyn on the latest shambles: “On a point of order, it is disappointing that no solution has won a majority this evening but I remind the House that the prime minister’s unacceptable deal has been overwhelmingly rejected three times.”
“If it is good enough for the prime minister to have three chances at her deal, then I suggest that possibly the House should have a chance to consider again the options that we had before us today, in a debate on Wednesday, so that the House can succeed where the prime minister has failed; in presenting a credible economic relationship with Europe for the future that prevents us crashing out with no deal.”
Diffident as he is, he seems to be giving a vote of confidence to their parliament. If he’s right to assume that the narrow defeat of a non-May motion is the basis upon which to proceed, then I endorse his political judgment in suggesting they take that opportunity.
“The option that came closest to being passed, which was defeated by just three votes, was remaining in a customs union with the EU – a key plank of the so-called “soft Brexit” option, under which the UK would leave the EU but retain very close trading links with the bloc.”
“Its supporters say it would mitigate the damage caused to the British economy by Brexit, particularly if combined with staying in the EU’s single market. Detractors say such an option in effect means not really leaving at all, as the UK would be subject to EU rules and regulations it had no say over – and would have no right to strike its own trade deals with non-EU countries.”
“Nick Boles, the Conservative MP who proposed the EFTA/EEA motion – the so-called “Common Market 2.0″ option – resigned from the party immediately after the vote results were announced.” https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-47776512
“The Metropolitan Police said it had arrested 12 people on suspicion of outraging public decency, while officers had “negotiated” with one naked protester who had successfully glued themselves to a window.”
You may be wondering at the political relevance of elephant masks. Google provides some insight into this: “In West and Central Africa, the elephant is a potent image of political force and the accumulation of wealth by those in power. This is true for the art of the Cameroon Grasslands… The Kuosi, members of a society that served as the king’s representatives, and at times the king, wore this mask and headdress as they performed the prestigious elephant dance during rituals, festivals, and funerals.”
Have you put up a comment with link to the Norway deal with the EU? I don’t know anything about it. I heard something on the radio this morning and it sounded a possibility. I may have missed it here.
No, didn’t hear that. Just looked online & found a Politico report from last year with this interesting bit from their PM: “Solberg said there is a “problem with referendums” for solving the EU membership question because voters engage with the question on an emotional level rather than making an assessment based on economic pros and cons. Norway has had two votes on EU membership, opting both times to stay outside.”
“The Thames-Coromandel District Council has outraged local environmental advocates by voting against signing the Local Government Leader’s Climate Change Declaration.
The move at a packed council meeting in Thames saw the councillors rejected impassioned pleas from school children and locals to show environmental leadership by voting six to three against signing the document.
The vote led to loud booing and cries of “shame on you” from about 30 protesters in the public seating area, who had earlier gathered outside the building in the hope that councillors would support the declaration.”
Thames-Coromandel District Council https://www.tcdc.govt.nz/
Official website of the Thames-Coromandel District Council. Find out why Coromandel is the best place in New Zealand to work, live and play.
Re crossing the line on hate speech, Pablo gets it right: “When it comes to free versus hate speech the issue is simple: any speech that incites, encourages, supports, applauds or otherwise instigates or excuses violence against individuals or collectivities because of who (as opposed to anything they have done, although even there the call to violence is debatable), has crossed the line from protected speech into hate speech. Offensive speech remains protected, but the urging of violence is not. The issue is not about causing offence; it is about causing harm.” http://www.kiwipolitico.com/
Then he ventures into this interesting social context: “I have been told by informed community members that Islamophobia is very much a staple part of sermons in some Pacifika Christian churches.”
“Assorted talkback hosts and politicians are now in full “whataboutism?” mode, trying to equate the evils of Muslim extremists with those of other fanatics. Sensing an opportunity, people with agendas are in full throat, be it as purported experts on gangs and terrorism or pushing lines such as that the 1881 assault on Parihaka is a comparable atrocity (in which no one died).”
minimum wage risen,as also the living,wage,these wage rises,i as a imigrant in new zealand,1972,where wages paid minimum wage rate for Trademen,at that now proper progress Trades Person,that took how long,only to be capital bastered to traddies,Trades extent to skill level five years training,Trade Person,you going to let your in most exploiter call you one of my traddies.as his top dollar wage was paid back in 1972.
1972,THESE WAGE RATES AROUND,WHATS THE BIG DEAL OR LIE.bringing back who how old these new bread property ivested politicians who understand capitals exploit of their how control profit max your investment.Shame,yous labour carers,unemployed on the state support,single care one ninty,how much your rent cost 260 a week,ok landlord get your exploited profit exploit for and most are slums,how much left for you the unemployed state cared for,well my rent is 260,the state gives me 290,power food and trouble looks ahead.
Government forced to buy KiwiBuild houses that weren’t selling
Anna Bracewell-Worrall
For the first time, the Government has been forced to purchase KiwiBuild homes off a developer because the houses weren’t selling.
The Housing Minister insists the homes will still be snapped up by KiwiBuild buyers….
….For the first time in KiwiBuild’s short history, the Government had to purchase homes off the developer. Four of the homes are still unsold nearly six months after being balloted to first home buyers.
But Twyford says this is not a problem.
“We are not struggling to sell them. Those houses have only been completed for a few weeks so they are on the market.”
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. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina Grant, Research Associate, Power Institute for Arts and Visual Culture, University of Sydney Jonas Åkerström’s 1790 work, Session of the Accademia dell’Arcadia on August 17 1788.Nationalmuseum/Cecilia Heisser Ever wondered whether you’d have a better chance at winning an Olympic gold ...
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. ...
Dying is a natural part of life, like updating your Wof or seeing your hairdresser, but without the word-of-mouth recs that help guarantee a good service. What if we changed that? Dying Reviews received by The Spinoff have had the names of organisations redacted while Hospice NZ collects further data. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Mike Lewinski/Flickr, CC BY On any clear night, if you gaze skywards long enough, chances are you’ll see a meteor streaking through the sky. Some nights, however, are better than others. At ...
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. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University Drones are the signature technology of the Ukraine war. A few miniature aircraft designs were used in the war’s early days, but an incredible array of drones have now evolved. There are different types, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Slee, Associate Professor, Clinical Academic Neurologist, Flinders University Francisco Gonzelez/Unsplash Migraine is many things, but one thing it’s not is “just a headache”. “Migraine” comes from the Greek word “hemicrania”, referring to the common experience of migraine being predominantly ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lee White, Senior Lecturer and Horizon Fellow, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Sydney Australia was slow to introduce minimum building standards for energy efficiency. The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) only came into force in 2003. Older homes ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Sherwood, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney The past century of human-induced warming has increased rainfall variability over 75% of the Earth’s land area – particularly over Australia, Europe and eastern North America, new research shows. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Heynen, Program Coordinator, Sustainable Energy, The University of Queensland A temporary stadium in the Champ-de-Mars, ParisEkaterina Pokrovsky/Shutterstock As Paris prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the sustainability of the event is coming under scrutiny. The organisers have promoted ...
A night of karaoke and community in a pub that feels like a memory. You’d barely even notice it, unless you knew to look. Tucked away behind a liquor store on busy Constable Street is the capital’s last great pub. Newtown Sports Bar is an emblem of the pub culture ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Wright, Professor in Marine Geology, University of Canterbury Louise Corcoran/Getty Images The decline in the number of doctoral candidates at New Zealand universities is a worrying sign for the country’s effort to build a knowledge-based economy. Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laurie Berg, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney defotoberg/Shutterstock Migrant worker exploitation is entrenched in workplaces across Australia. Tragically, a deep fear of immigration consequences means most unlawful employer conduct goes unreported. On Wednesday, however, the government officially launched a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vaughan Cruickshank, Senior Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, University of Tasmania Paris is about to host its third summer Olympics. While we don’t yet know what the legacy of this year’s games will be, let’s take the opportunity to reflect on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hugh Breakey, Deputy Director, Institute for Ethics, Governance & Law, Griffith University In the wake of the assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump, there were calls from bothsides of US politics, as well as internationally, to reduce the brutal, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keith Rathbone, Senior Lecturer, Modern European History and Sports History, Macquarie University Two high-profile assaults on Australians in Paris have raised concerns about security ahead of the Olympic Games. On Saturday evening, a young woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by a ...
Dying is inevitable and, so it seems, is it costing a lot, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.The cost of dying ...
The government took Joyce Harris's first baby and sent her off to a girls' home. Half a century on - and out of oceans of hurt - it asked her to be a mother figure. ...
It’s the deadliest fictional town in the country, but which death has been the most bonkers? Alex Casey looks back at 10 seasons of The Brokenwood Mysteries to find out. Warning: The following ranking story contains famous New Zealand actors appearing to be dead (not alive). The Spinoff has been ...
Water cremation is the biggest thing to happen to the death industry in the last 100 years. Alex Casey meets the people trying to bring it to Aotearoa. Through a set of mirrored doors down the industrial end of Christchurch’s St Asaph Street, death is getting a new lease on ...
The Department of Conservation is in greater need of a commissioner than Health NZ, a veteran scientist says The post The risks and rewards of remaking DoC appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Zuzana Caputova, the female and quite progressive lawyer, is now Prime Minister of Slovakia.
https://www.dw.com/en/slovakia-liberal-lawyer-zuzana-caputova-wins-election/a-48131765
Her campaign headline:
“Stand Up To Evil”
How could she possibly stand up to usa foreign policy …. Gangster / Mafi death threats …. literally
Rubio threatens Lynching … its a USA tradition among the Masters
https://pando.com/2014/11/17/the-moment-i-learned-just-how-far-uber-will-go-to-silence-journalists-and-attack-women/
“a few weeks ago, I wrote a story about the outrageous sexism woven deeply into the culture of the company. We’ve seen it in the company’s PR team discrediting female passengers who accuse drivers of attacking them by whispering that they were “drunk” or “dressed provocatively.”
We’ve seen it in CEO Travis Kalanick’s comments that he calls the company “boober” because of all the tail he gets since running it..”
uber https://www.vice.com/en_au/article/exm7za/all-the-reasons-why-uber-is-the-worst-1118
“When They Compared Their Females Drivers to Hookers
In October, Uber launched an app that promised to pair male customers with sexy female drivers. “Who said women don’t know how to drive?” asked ads for the promotion, which was launched by the company’s office in Lyon, France. The fantasy rides had a 20-minute time limit, for reasons that are unclear.
Thanks to a media backlash, the creepy promo never actually rolled out. “They didn’t anticipate the reaction of Uber US,” said Pierre Garonnaire, co-founder of Avions de Chasse, the escort service that co-sponsored the idea.”In the US, you are more Puritan. For me and most of the people of France, it was a good [idea]. It was fun.”
That point is up for debate, but the promo didn’t do much to quell Uber’s reputation for not giving much of a fuck about the safety of women in its cars. On the flip side of the equation, female customers are still frequently complaining that male drivers are harassing them and somehow managing to learn their identities”….
https://www.thedailybeast.com/ubers-biggest-problem-isnt-surge-pricing-what-if-its-sexual-harassment-by-drivers
“Private car services are popular among women who want to stay safe, but reports allege sexual harassment by drivers. Is it time to rethink services like Uber? ”
“Not only has Uber vilified riders accusing their drivers of rape, assault or general bad behavior, they’ve also betrayed all their drivers; Kalanick has said he can’t wait to replace them all with self-driving cars…”
*************************************
I’ve heard a rumour uber are going to step in and buy ‘Gun city ‘ …. thereby saving customers from any regulations or ‘red tape’ ….. about valid firearms licenses and other such unnecessary rules … 😉
Ignoring regulations is ubers business model … uber NZ see military style weapon owners, and semi auto aficionados offering solid consumer support and a enthusiastic customer base for Uber Gun citys … so the rumour goes 😉 😉
Get the uber gun app ….leverage their immunity to improve your gun owning experience….
## I made up the uber gun bit to try and trick James
He loves his uber ….
https://pando.com/2014/10/22/the-horrific-trickle-down-of-asshole-culture-at-a-company-like-uber/
Uber isn’t just creepy drivers and guns 🙂
Watch out for
1. Parking just a few doors down at pickup time, saying you didn’t show and charging the cancellation fee
2. False cleaning fees
3. When a “surge” is approaching they text each other. During a surge they get paid more so be prepared for multiple cancellations from cars that are apparently available during the hour prior, and when you eventually get that Uber it now costs more.
Not tricking anyone – its a pathetic post the borders on hysterical.
But you are right. I love Uber and use it multiple times per week.
The women were hysterical james ??? … making things up about your loved one ?.
Do you love uber …. because you recognize another immigrant into New Zealand ….even more exploitive and lawless than yourself ?.
I must admit ….As a company it seems like a tailored fit to you ….
“Today, in his horrifying scoop, Smith writes about the the lengths that at least one Uber executive, Emil Michael, was willing to go to discredit anyone– particularly a woman– who may try to question how Uber operates.
Ruining her life? Manufacturing lies? Going after her family? Apparently it’s all part of what Uber has described as its “political campaign” to build a $30 billion (and counting) tech company.” https://pando.com/2014/11/17/the-moment-i-learned-just-how-far-uber-will-go-to-silence-journalists-and-attack-women/
https://pando.com/2014/10/22/the-horrific-trickle-down-of-asshole-culture-at-a-company-like-uber/
https://pando.com/2012/10/24/travis-shrugged/ “If Uber doesn’t have to follow licensing laws, then neither does any Tom, Dick, or Harry who chooses to start offering rides via the Internet”
@TRP- sorry I could reply to you question about TAS in the Labour thread last night. It was very late when I checked back in and I’m about to be going out of internet contact for the next couple of days so can’t give you any detail sorry. But in a nutshull, TAS is what one can qualify for when necessary outgoings (usually rent and ongoing medical costs) can’t be met any other way, ie pretty much everyone on a benefit. You’ve got to provide a load of evidence of no other income/savings/things you can sell/proof of how you’ve changed your spending habits and then reapply every 3 months.
Good luck with your friend and thanks for being his advocate 🙂
Cheers, Kay. I can’t say I’m looking forward to it, but I’ll do my best.
TRP, if your friend ends up on a benefit make sure they get the Winter Warmth Payment 1 May to 1 Oct (only $20.42 a week single or $31.82 couple), but it is not taxed and does not affect any other payments .Cheers.
That payment occurs automatically for anyone eligible, so no need
Will Jacinda take the call to help Australia?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/111669826/aussie-comedy-sketch-pokes-fun-at-having-pm-jacinda-ardern-as-their-next-leader
Culture and humor alert…….Public broadcaster at work….Remember those.
Shatpant would be a better fit.
Chris Trotter makes a good point this morning, illuminating the difference between political perceptions and reality. Folks really do get captivated by the froth on the surface. He gives several valid historical examples to prove the point: http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2019/04/dark-matter.html
What really matters is where the electorate is at, en masse. Like the ocean. Those waves may indeed be fascinating, and it’s understandable that media & commentariat get lost in the details, but election results hinge on the tidal flow underneath. Flow to the left, ebb to the right, and where the centrists are at the time of the vote. That’s all that really matters…
Spinoff examines “How TOP plans to rebuild”: https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/31-03-2019/gareth-morgan-gone-for-good-how-top-plans-to-rebuild/
“I think those picking up the cudgels – while I take my hat off to them for tenacity – have realised pretty quickly just how hard it is to do all the stuff needed to foot it with those parties that have been hanging about for decades. Others in TOP are just dreamers – think money grows on trees, and have no idea of the work needed,” said Morgan. They seem to be shuffling their deck currently, and struggling with logistics:
“As part of the transition to new leadership, Gareth Morgan set up a board to run the party, consisting of Simmons, 2017 Rangitata candidate Olly Wilson, and 2017 Rongotai candidate Paddy Plunket. But both Wilson and Plunket have now resigned from that board, though have remained involved with the party. Two new people are now on the board, membership representative Donna Pokere-Phillips and Matt Isbister – six and 21 on the 2017 list respectively.”
“Recently elected leader Geoff Simmons says the membership for TOP remains healthy, saying it is “about 4200, at the last count”. Of those members, only slightly more than 1000 voted in the recent leadership election – 678 of whom voted for Simmons – but he says that had more to do with the logistics of communicating details about the election to members than lack of interest. “We actually had a pretty big challenge just to inform our members about that stuff.”
Fascinating… wise move from Garfield.
Even if TOP fades, I think their ideas have taken root, particularly the RFRM tax and the UBI.
Hate to burst someone’s bubble but the UBI, was around long before, TOP.
So was an RFRM tax.
Cullen actually implemented one as the Foreign Investment Fund tax. Which I pay every year. While I’m not bothered by paying income taxes, capital gains taxes, GST or sales taxes, the FIF tax always feels like a maliciously capricious way to levy a tax. It irritates me enough every year that it would turn me into a single-user voter against anyone that proposed it. Indeed, I haven’t voted Labour since it was introduced.
Who the fuck plugs 2mill into a party for one election, then shafts everyone when he doesn’t get his way?
Morgan quit because the country didn’t vote him into parliament on the first attempt.
And if he was so fucking awesome, why are the new team having to redo party infrastructure?
My reaction exactly. I just felt it appropriate to frame it in more dispassionate terms! Dunno if you noticed, but think it was RL who responded (to my initial comment) re his prior involvement with a Morgan enterprise (yesterday or last night).
Guyon Espiner was put in his place by Winston…. again….on morning retort today. Message to Guyon Espiner, give up trying to score points over Winston, at least in public and on air, Winston has knocked you for six so many times you are sounding very desperate to bowl him.
Xi: “Now [the] bilateral relationship faces new opportunities of development, our two sides must trust each other, pursue mutual benefit and strive to open up new grounds in our bilateral relations.”
Begs the question of a basis for such trust, eh? Blind faith doesn’t work. So the political question becomes: how can NZ & China create a basis of trust in their bilateral relationship?
” Talking to reporters after the meeting, Ardern said she had not interpreted Xi’s comments about trust in any pointed way. She saw it as a comment meaning that all relationships were based around trust, “that we have a longstanding relationship where there is good understanding, where there will from time to time be differences”.
“The differences between us certainly should not and will not define the relationship. Our relationship is too long, too great in history and has a layer of depth to it that I don’t think it should be defined by those differences and I don’t believe it will be.”
Audrey Young reports that, on the issue of Huawei failing to get the green light from the GCSB on 5G, she said she had raised it proactively with Xi. She had outlined the clear process in New Zealand’s legislation which dictated how such decisions were made and she set out where the process was at. And she had also raised the issues of human rights “particularly as it relates to Xinjiang”, – a reference to the mass detention of Uighur Muslims.” https://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=12217953
The PM was adroit in pointing out that the relationship ought not to be defined by differences between the two countries. She neglected to point out that common ground is where trust gets built.
We don’t know how she & Xi see such common ground emerging on Huawei. I suspect they tacitly assumed there was no time for indepth discussion. We don’t know how she & Xi see common ground emerging on civil rights. Likewise! So the basis for trust remains tenuous.
Stephen Jacobi always presents as a nice, reasonable man. Talking to Garner this morning he did his China cheerleader thing as usual. Xi’s emphasis on trust slid right by both of them. Garner’s normally good at picking up on nuances, but not today.
With Jacobi, I suspect the omission was deliberate. PR is all about managing perceptions, so bland is good. Ensure that discussion not only avoids getting to the crux of an issue, but heads everywhere but there so that distraction becomes a movable feast for viewers and listeners. The smokescreen.
I’ve quoted trust expert Rachel Botsman once or twice here recently, and her published appraisal of China’s new trust-based system for ranking citizens on their performance is relevant to how kiwis are likely to view our potential for trusting China’s regime.
“Ideas such as China’s Social Credit System show how distributed networks of trust could become national networks of shame and interference, controlled by governments.” That’s from the concluding chapter in her latest book (which examines how trust is formed via participation in online networks, using case studies).
So, given that western countries have had seven or eight decades of distrust of state compulsion deriving from totalitarianism, how we can formulate a basis for trust with the current totalitarian regime in China is an interesting question. I anticipate the towering intellects in the Labour Party providing the answer tout suite. Just kidding!! 😎
Learn’t his skills from Hone Shonkey, as smooth as silk ?
She may have noticed the demand for trust is pretty much in the one direction franky and thought xi needx to praxis what he preaxes.
To finish my posting today on a positive note ……
Imagine having this brave woman as your first female leader of your country …
Listen to her short speach
Trump beater ????
Can she defeat the usa media first ?
“Can she defeat the usa media first ?”
Do you watch any US media? Large swathes have Trump Derangement Syndrome, and will give a virtual free pass to any Democratic candidate. Trump’s a numpty, but he’s headed for a second term based on the Dem’s declared candidates.
Just curious, in the view from Shadworld are there any Democrats that could win? Declared or undeclared? Or are we inevitably getting a second round of the 2.8 Handicap-in-Chief??
“…are there any Democrats that could win? ”
None that I’m aware of. I stand to be corrected. In fact I really hope to be!
The trumpatsies will note she’s a she and doesn’t hate immigrants reasy. They won’t hear a word she says.
Two weeks of kindness and inclusiveness and we are already back to the same old shit. After some gang chapters were warmly accepted without qualification at Mosques, media soon set up their strawmen. The line was that if gangs really cared, they would hand in their guns – despite the police being the only ones who had firearms to protect worshippers and those expressing condolences. The president of ONE chapter of the Mongrel Mob said they would not be handing in their guns. It is conceivable that his chapter, the largest in the country, may only have legally held firearms and no semi-automatic or military style weapons. Before jumping to the conclusion that this is a naive assumption, the researcher Jarrod Gilbert noted that only one of the chapter’s members is in prison. More explicitly, Black Power made it clear they would not hand over guns that are used for hunting which on the balance of probably would be legally held. Of course, the media, having created the strawman, is now awash with commentary based on the assumption that the high profile gangs have vast numbers of illegal weapons. The dickwit Minister of Police is buying into the sensationalism and grandstanding about how the Police will prejudicially target gangs with only a quietly added afterthought that anyone illegally possessing semi-automatic weapons will be prosecuted. Meanwhile, how much publicity has been given to pro-gun lobbyists who have specifically stated they will not be handing in their military style weapons – bugger all! The media need to take some lessons on love and acceptance from the Muslim leaders and follow the lead of the Prime Minister. Instead they are dog-whistling the sorts of attitudes which were very briefly hidden under a thin veil of acceptance, kindness and inclusiveness.
+ 1 great comment – I totally agree with your analysis.
So they took a day off from pushing P and synthetics. Whoopdy fucking do.
I look forward to no longer reading about gang-related violence in Hawkes Bay but not holding my breath.
Be good to have no violence from anyone I’d say because it is there – sometimes hidden by the veneer of respectability. Substance abuse, child abuse, spousal abuse – all there in every circle – every circle Kevin.
Too true..but just a smidgeon more in gangs don’t you think.
We used to do business with The MMM, and the Captains especially, often really nice guys, often pretty smart, and often a lot more relatable than some of the ‘Suits’ I interact with in ‘Legitimate White Guy Businesses’…but NO ONE EVER get patched up for being a nice guy.
Though these days the young lads in out neighbourhood (The ‘Nui) are able to buy their Patches..so who knows, maybe they could transform into a ‘club’..but even then, a club making money from selling drugs and paying off debt with traumatised young girls with drug and mental health issues..and in their own community..nope, if they want to go round ‘Virtue Signaling’ during this crisis they deserve to get the big old finger of accusation pointed right back at them.
I personally wouldn’t make too much of the low imprisonment rate of any Patched up gang members…I’m sure there’s very few Hells Angels inside, all things considered, but that’s because keeping within the law and driving round in white vehicles is simply common sense when your number one reason for existence is selling drugs.
Though, I do totally agree, the intelligent conversation should be, 100% about the Gun lobby..they are the real power, and they are the one that needs to be made to pull their head in so we can lower the number of guns..legal and otherwise, held in New Zealand.
(disclaimer..I actually have no problem at all with restricted gun ownership)
Oh dear Siobhan – pulled on the knowall superiority boots this morning eh? Careful you don’t trip over the laces, “…. often really nice guys, often pretty smart, and often a lot more relatable than some of the ‘Suits’ I interact with ….”. Also, it might pay to take the boots off before you get dragged under the veritable sea of ‘Virtue Signalling’ non-gang members who have just discovered Muslims, the nearest Mosques and a bit of compassion.
(disclaimer..I actually have no problem at all with heavily restricted gun ownership.)
aom; –
If ‘kindness and inclusiveness’ is your stance;- ‘that is an honourable stand’.
I wished it would also translate to the other ‘elephants in the room’ also eh??
Labour has not been a ‘kind inclusive’ lot to us as their MP’s are as “cold and insular’ to us out there trying to fix nine years of national Party wrecking ball.
As a member of a community group I explained previously that ever since the Labour Coalition took over government, we have sent repeated requests to the minister Phil Twyford as Minister of Transport to meet our committee either in Napier, Gisborne, or Wellington and always get the same message from his office staff, “the Minister is too busy to meet you”.
Where the hell is the “kindness and inclusiveness” in that??
It is so bloody perplexing to our community here.
Get the labour coalition to answer community groups that come asking it meet these quote; “Kind, inclusive” MP’s please.
cg
I reckon Twyford has too much on his plate. Why not write to Jacinda and point out his list of portfolios and say that your region is not hearing much from anyone and point out the gripe you have about Shane Jones settling on a plan that is like a quick grab of something out of the lucky dip, not one tailored for your needs over there.
Greywarshark;
Thanks for that but Shane and Jacinda always get a copy of our groups request for a meeting with Phil Twyford and we thought that would just get it done.
So I sent a message to our local MP Stuart Nash to intervene but so far his office has not actually requested that Phil Twyford come to Napier and Nash’s PA at his electorate office has been trying to find out why ‘we are facing a wall of opposition’ (PA’s words) to meet Twyford.
So you can see the trouble we face, and it is not only us here.
We discussed this with other community groups who say they also have difficulty getting MP’s to agree to meet him also so it is endemic I am afraid.
Like i said where is the ‘inclusion’ Jacinda promised us?
Write to The Dominion perhaps. That might get read in the beltway.
Or erect a cardboard cutout of a bikini girl at Parliament with sign saying SEX in big caps and Now I have your full attention Twyford I love you and want to have a train with you. Perhaps citizens need to embarrass them to get attention?
A pair of briefs with a cheeky message on them on a sign saying Phil you didn’t leave these in Gisborne because you never came, and we have been waiting and wanting. Or something.
Terrible ideas and we shouldn’t be forced into lowering ourselves to be so vulgar. But he does have some heavy lifting and I think he should have someone else do the other portfolios.
I would of thought being a gang member would automatically exclude you from obtaining a firearms license, therefore all guns in gang members hands would be illegally held.
No Jim – and neither do we, as a society, blatantly discriminate against members of other groups in society if they can meet the requirements for gun ownership. If we were able to, there might be fewer firearms related domestic incidents – something gang members don’t appear to be renowned for.
Really??? I was sure that being “of good character” was part of the license process, which excluded gang members from obtains a FAL.
Jim
You are assuming that all gang members have criminal convictions and that they don’t need guns for their sustainable living – probably many shoot their own meat, pigs etc. Watch the assumptions, there is a bit of truth in most things, so see what it is before you pass your own judgment eh.
Grey, come on.
If the police arms officer, vetting a potential FAL holder, reccomends that a patched gang member should be considered of good character and suitable for any type of FAL, that’s just ridiculous.
Give it a break Jim. Your prejudices have taken you beyond your ability for rational thought. How many cases of gang members killing their partners with firearms in domestic incidents can you confirm? Bet it is less than the number of well heeled horse breeders that have. When did any NZ gang members use a military type weapon to take down 50 people in prayer that can you tell us about? Can you provide evidence of times when gang members have killed either police officers or innocent bystanders? Need one go on? Besides, if you bothered to look, ‘of good character’ is your own invention but admittedly, is only a bit more subjective than the actual requirement in the application process. Thank God that arms officers are more professional and better able to determine facts what than you would be. Incidentally, some gang members have not been approved for FAL’s and there have been occasions when some have been withdrawn – just like with non-gang affiliates when their actions or dispositions have given cause for concern. Actually, licences are probably given more liberally that what they should be, but probably not to gangsters.
AOM
Are you seriously suggesting that the gangs can keep the category of semi automatics that are to be banned?
Basically the gangs can keep them but no-one else can?
Presumably not, but that is how your post read.
Are you seriously that lacking in comprehension skills? NO!
Wayne
Perhaps you are knee-jerking again from the conservative POV – which aspect seems to need updated glasses.
I doubt whether the Gangs AK 47’s and AR 15’s are legally registered anyway, so they are probably illegal weapons hence they are not eligible for compensation ?
Hence I doubt whether the Gangs will hand them in as they need them for protection in case they are attacked by another Gang who wants to steal their drug stash or their cash ?
Did gilby point out the ganger in prison prolly isn’t armed aomy?
On james Casson – to be fair to him he spoke in anger in 2016 this:
He agreed that in July 2016 he posted on Facebook after terrorist attacks in Nice and Paris, referring to an invasion of migrants into Europe. He had written that it was “time to get hard, time for retribution, and extreme violence to rid Europe of these scum”.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/386094/hamilton-councillor-set-to-apologise-to-muslims-for-comments
He is going to apologise to the Muslim community. Perhaps the weight of opinion gives him the message to think about what he feels, and then think whether it is too black and white needing more understanding, and then think before he speaks about what feelings he will arouse in the wider community, and the small bunch of anomic hotheads.
I wish he’d shut up and piss off. I’ve heard enough from that person tbh.
Yeah as my Mum would say: He’s trying! Very trying.
But still if he can bow and be humble, and then take a less aggressive stance on things that are so human and therefore irritating ie be more understanding of the power of emotions on the talker and the listener, your pain may not have been in vain.
This on Radionz this a.m.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018689150/lone-actor-terrorists-a-behavioural-analysis
It is good you have a kind heart.
For me – it’s all a lie. His views haven’t changed. It is damage control based upon his ego and his fear of losing stuff. As I said I wish he’d stfu and piss off. Insincere white apologists are a waste of time on this site and in real life imo.
Actually marty I’m thinking in pragmatic idealist mode. I hope he will have changed, that’s the ideal. I think he may not have as these attitudes score deep in people’s psyches and it requires enormous effort to get free of them.
I think you are probably right in your summing up. And I fear insincerity. It is very sad when you think that someone has goodwill for what you all seem to be working for but it is just a front; they have other plans.
I liked this from an interview with a young woman in Nelson Mail Friday 3/22/2019.
It is from A Muslim PhD student living in NZ. She says –
All together we have failed the terrorist’s plans. But the question still stands there, what can I do? All that you have done is way more generous and beyond expectation and we do not want you to put in that burden, all you need to do is just accept us as we are, ordinary.
We do not need sympathies, we do not need extra attention, and we do not want to be in limelight. We do not need platforms to speak, we just need acceptance, a place to be comfortable under our skin, a place where we have feeling of home, a feeling of co-existence not merely existence.
I’m glad you’re thinking in pragmatic idealist mode @greywarshark and it’d be nice if he really has had some sort of epiphany.
I agree with @ MM however, and that isn’t just because I see him as white apologist, it’s for reasons I’ve made comment over the past few days which include some of the antics and the way he and some of his ilk behave carrying out his job, and having been told how embarrassed one of his own former police colleague’s over their little ‘raids’.
I’m more inclined to Angela Cuming’s view:
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018689140/hamilton-council-complainant-not-surprised-by-racist-remarks
He and Peter Dutton would make great mates I’m sorry to say and perhaps he should consider returning to his former ‘economic refugee’ status
Need to stop pushing this lone wolf fantasy. The guy had cheerleaders.
The Lone Wolf will have been guided over the years no doubt about that, whether we ever get the full story is anybody’s guess ?
Great work in so many ways.
https://www.waateanews.com/waateanews/x_news/MjE0NDE/Shepherd's-life-draws-in-wahine
Chris Trotter sets out what has been occuring to me recently. That we are working so hard to turn back the clock and recover what we believed we had in NZ and making some small improvements. But why necessary, and why so hard to achieve? How come that we are in this pit, we can see the sky, we climb and slip back – is that it – a cycle of constant sacrifice of time and energy and sometime lives to achieve a better society and when we have, the children of the fighters don’t carry enough of the history of struggle with them, and let it slip away in favour of self-indulgence again. What prevents us from holding onto a society with values, sensible controls allowing all people the time and means to have an enjoyable life, and pass that precious package on to the next generation teaching them how to care for it, as its resilience is limited.
Bowalley Road says:
So many on the Left do not appreciate the true dimensions of the vast and immovable cultural-political consensus that allows Capitalism to survive and thrive. If it wasn’t there: or, if it was there, but amenable to reason and love: then Capitalism would long ago have given way to a more human order.
This grim judgement is a lot easier for the Left to accept when reactionary ideas and parties are in the saddle and riding them hard. In those moments, it is easy to convince Capitalism’s enemies that it is, indeed, a monstrous nightmare pressing down upon the lungs of human hope.
A Left without illusions has a much better chance of organising effectively and, on rare occasions, winning.
The real danger comes when events conspire to make it appear as though the Left has already won.
https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2019/04/dark-matter.html
And now, when we have won some time in the sun of relative goodness, what will the children of the complacent do? Can they take their minds out and check them for rips and weak points, can they limit their meditation, their gym workouts, their marathon training and put those times into skill and community building. Half hour per day to talk about work, school, people met, the day’s news, and some of the weekend into community input for the Council and the strugglers; that’s if they have a weekend.
A left without illusions does not exist, and nor should it.
Sure the workers won big in France in 1968.
And yes de Gaulle resigned the next year which was no accident.
But the biggest win was to the feminist movement. By 1974 they had won national health insurance for contraception. By 1975 they had legalisation of abortion. Also in 1975 they got reform of divorce laws.
Mitterand was a bit of a disaster, but he would not have had a shot at nationalising the entire banking industry without the impetus of 1968 and beyond.
Trotter is a useful writer for the right and for the status quo, because he is profoundly pessimistic. He is the very definition of Left Melancholy.
Trotter revels in the political disasters of the last two years of the Lange-Douglas years, and discounts the effects in our society of our own home-grown revolutions.
Our own revolutions in ecology, feminism, Maori land rights, anti-nuclear and anti-war protests, anti-development protests, and anti-racist Rugby protests, well they are the collective essence of left activism today.
They gave rise to the idealism within Ardern today.
Trotter will realise within 6 months that Ardern is shifting wealth through existing instruments of the state already – in many cases not particularly gradually either. She also has the opportunity to go after the really hard-right and hard-to-reach places in gun ownership and armed criminal conspiracies that have held this country back for decades.
The left led by Ardern is not the problem.
Old, spent commentators like Trotter who remain bereft of hope and trapped by history hold us all back.
Time to dare.
“The left led by Ardern is not the problem.
Old, spent commentators like Trotter who remain bereft of hope and trapped by history hold us all back.
Time to dare.”
+ 1 well said
Ad, you are so right. He is hidebound and Trots out the same sour notes.
If we are in, “Watch out it won’t last because…..” If we are out “We lack….”
Jacinda Ardern is such a consummate conductor, it is a pity Trots can’t learn the new tune.
She knows how to blend the best of each instrument to make hopeful strong music.
Each person who takes part grows in courage and belief. She is a force for good. She is growing seemlessly into the role.
Ad
I think you are holding back. Trotter is looking at ways Labour Coalition can achieve in the three year period of power which seems to be zooming along.
Good for doing things of yesterday. They and any other work didn’t prevent us from being up the creek, if we can find some water that hasn’t been utilised by some incomer for profit. We were without a paddle till Labour got back in.
People need to understand that Labour are doing their best but need to know they are limited by their bureaucracy and their financiers, and the fickle prejudiced, emotional market pretending to be staunch. School of fish rather. it might be better if thethe Labour Coalition ask the nation to help them carry out the good things for the country. Get the poor people involved on something in every community.
And it would be good for the public to read the Good Man of NZ’s effort to tell it like it is so they understand the huge reality of all those men with power and money who look through people like an X-ray. They are like a black hole in space, sucking everything into their giant schemes. It is too hard to comprehend for most people and if we can be kept busy enough always short of money, and have enough tragedies one after the other, and television to take our mind off the tragedies, then we may never have time to think.
People need to do exactly the opposite of what you suggest.
I think it was Stendahl that said
“Where the danger lies, there the saving power also grows.”
We are going through a liberative moment, led by charismatic, principled leadership.
Always obstacles. Always.
But each win catalyses another.
Each grows in speed.
The only question is how she deploys this political capital.
Always a fun question.
Ad
Just thinking. Everyone has different ideas. Good if everyone thinks. My thinking – We are all on a hunt for the idea/s that are best for a near-future NZ.
It could be interesting and a ‘fun question’ to have a game of Where’s NZ. A sort of improv session for weekend participants who would put up scenarios, and then have an economist like Rosenberg or someone from BERL, Brian Easton, Max Rashbrooke etc give us scenarios using computer graphs of how they would work under different variables. (Something different and independent like this budget from 2018 –
https://www.union.org.nz/bill-rosenberg-and-ganesh-nana-deliver-independent-budget-analysis/)
Say, what would happen if f the inflation level was eased and the base level came up from 2-4%?
(The fundamentalist economist – Inflation — a thief in your wallet 3m:43s
Head of Economics, John McDermott, explains how inflation is measured and how it manifests itself in everyday life. He also explains the importance of maintaining price stability.)
https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/monetary-policy/inflation (think this is 2019)
Since 2000, New Zealand CPI (Consumers Price Index) inflation has averaged around 2.7 percent. This compares with averages of 2.4 percent in the 1990s, and averages of over 11 percent for the previous two decades. Since September 2002, the inflation target has been to keep inflation within a range of 1–3 percent on average over the medium term.
Discussions would take place with ideas coming from the floor .
– on monetary policy for the average person, why some have worked at different times.
– on how the import-export balance of trade works on employment levels and job stability.
– on how low wages and rising house rates keep the domestic flow of money from the average person low, and insufficient to power retail businesses and pay for the mostly imported goods they bring in, so that tourists are propping up the economy and exports have to be kept high just to keep us in business etc. –
With lots of questions and groups putting forward scenarios to see what could be done, how it would be regarded internationally, how self-sufficient we can be, how much we make that stays in NZ from large overseas businesses coming here, how they undercut and swamp our own initiatives, how the country is being stolen from us brick by brick and we don’t notice it till it doesn’t pass an earthquake inspection.
We need to understand what our dark matter is, find it, feed it, get cohesive, with our feet firmly on the ground.
Try not to pooh pooh this, I can’t bear too much cynicism.
I like that!: “Left Melancholy”. I hope you don’t mind if I use it from time to time @Ad. It could catch on, but we’d better be careful the Soimon or the shock jocks don’t get hold of it.
Will we ever be mature enough to act on our horrendous road toll ?
People will continue to die on the roads as they always have because
Excessive speed
No respect for the law
No respect for other road users
No police enforcement
Weak driver education and licence rules.
No serious punishment for driver misdemeanors.
Poor roads including the condition of most of them.
The mentality that before action is taken to make a road safer there has to be multiple deaths before anything is done.
Total failure right across the board from government to local authorities and the public who behave like they own the road and can speed doing 80MPH down a residential rd which has a limit of 50 ! despite the possibility that they could kill a child at the speed they choose to drive at.
And the attitude that it is the kids fault for being there not their speed that is the problem.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/04/01/malcolm-evans-tolerable-death/
Mosa
Yesterday I sent a letter to ‘Minister of Transport Phil Twyford, to get passenger and freight rail going in all provinces again, – as used to be using some of the taxes.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1903/S00323/the-hidden-trucking-industry-subsidy.htm
That should lower the road deaths if these folks all had a good rail system to carry them along the tracks avoiding the roads entirely.
Great work CG
CG you are on to it an efficient rail and public transport network may get a lot of lunatics off the roads ?
Indeed, and that’s probably if they stick to the speed limit, which they don’t – because they’re trying to earn a living under arduous and impossible circumstances.
(And all that’s allowing for the margin of speedometer over-read, and all that shit about “this vehicle is governed…….etc.”)
And how about this:
https://thespinoff.co.nz/the-bulletin/02-04-2019/the-bulletin-tauranga-moves-closer-to-golden-triangle-train-dream/
Given that complete fuckup of a 4 lane tolled road that ends in Paengaroa (they call it an Expressway I think, but in reality, the ‘truckies rest break’ where they can travel while having a snooze because there’s fuck all else going in the same direction, and it doesn’t matter if they cross the centre line from time-to-time). Imagine if the money spent on that white elephant had been spent on something useful. (Like maybe double tracking where necessary in that “Golden Triangle”).
Thank Christ Joyce never got near the place – he’d have been trying to sell off as much of the existing rail corridors as possible in the area.
Jeremy Corbyn on the latest shambles: “On a point of order, it is disappointing that no solution has won a majority this evening but I remind the House that the prime minister’s unacceptable deal has been overwhelmingly rejected three times.”
Three strikes and you’re out!!! “The margin of defeat for one of the options tonight was very narrow indeed and the prime minister’s deal has been rejected by very large majorities on three occasions.” https://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/live/2019/apr/01/brexit-latest-live-news-indicative-votes–brexiters-dismiss-customs-union-plan-as-unacceptable-as-mps-prepare-for-more-indicative-votes-live-new
“If it is good enough for the prime minister to have three chances at her deal, then I suggest that possibly the House should have a chance to consider again the options that we had before us today, in a debate on Wednesday, so that the House can succeed where the prime minister has failed; in presenting a credible economic relationship with Europe for the future that prevents us crashing out with no deal.”
Diffident as he is, he seems to be giving a vote of confidence to their parliament. If he’s right to assume that the narrow defeat of a non-May motion is the basis upon which to proceed, then I endorse his political judgment in suggesting they take that opportunity.
“The option that came closest to being passed, which was defeated by just three votes, was remaining in a customs union with the EU – a key plank of the so-called “soft Brexit” option, under which the UK would leave the EU but retain very close trading links with the bloc.”
“Its supporters say it would mitigate the damage caused to the British economy by Brexit, particularly if combined with staying in the EU’s single market. Detractors say such an option in effect means not really leaving at all, as the UK would be subject to EU rules and regulations it had no say over – and would have no right to strike its own trade deals with non-EU countries.”
“Nick Boles, the Conservative MP who proposed the EFTA/EEA motion – the so-called “Common Market 2.0″ option – resigned from the party immediately after the vote results were announced.” https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-47776512
The naked truth, rarely seen in politics, was almost evident: “Protesters stood in a line with their backsides pressed against the security glass of the public gallery. Most were only wearing knickers or underpants, while two were dressed in elephant masks.” https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/nude-protest-parliament-commons-naked-latest-a8849866.html
“The Metropolitan Police said it had arrested 12 people on suspicion of outraging public decency, while officers had “negotiated” with one naked protester who had successfully glued themselves to a window.”
You may be wondering at the political relevance of elephant masks. Google provides some insight into this: “In West and Central Africa, the elephant is a potent image of political force and the accumulation of wealth by those in power. This is true for the art of the Cameroon Grasslands… The Kuosi, members of a society that served as the king’s representatives, and at times the king, wore this mask and headdress as they performed the prestigious elephant dance during rituals, festivals, and funerals.”
The Brooklyn Museum features this example: https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/4852 but it remains to be seen whether the protestors were making a deep philosophical point about political hierarchies…
Have you put up a comment with link to the Norway deal with the EU? I don’t know anything about it. I heard something on the radio this morning and it sounded a possibility. I may have missed it here.
No, didn’t hear that. Just looked online & found a Politico report from last year with this interesting bit from their PM: “Solberg said there is a “problem with referendums” for solving the EU membership question because voters engage with the question on an emotional level rather than making an assessment based on economic pros and cons. Norway has had two votes on EU membership, opting both times to stay outside.”
“We have lost twice. We accept that,” said Solberg, whose Conservative Party is in favor of being inside the bloc. Solberg has been Norway’s prime minister since 2013.” https://www.politico.eu/article/norwegian-pm-uk-cannot-cherry-pick-eu-membership/
Also the guy who resigned was the Tory whip. He was pushing the Norway model: https://www.businessinsider.com.au/what-is-the-norway-model-brexit-2018-4?r=US&IR=T
There’s an overview of the scenario here: http://theconversation.com/brexit-a-norwegian-view-on-the-norway-plus-model-and-why-it-wouldnt-be-easy-for-the-uk-109981
Cracking flounce.
https://twitter.com/matthewchampion/status/1112827184593428480
Dismiss these turkeys they are worthless
“The Thames-Coromandel District Council has outraged local environmental advocates by voting against signing the Local Government Leader’s Climate Change Declaration.
The move at a packed council meeting in Thames saw the councillors rejected impassioned pleas from school children and locals to show environmental leadership by voting six to three against signing the document.
The vote led to loud booing and cries of “shame on you” from about 30 protesters in the public seating area, who had earlier gathered outside the building in the hope that councillors would support the declaration.”
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/111706502/thamescoromandel-district-council-vote-against-climate-change-declaration
Gorillas have real chests to thump.
Pretend ones as in Thames-Coromandel councillors are just at their level of
incompetence.
https://www.tcdc.govt.nz/Your-Council/Councillors-and-Community-Board-Members/
Thames-Coromandel District Council
https://www.tcdc.govt.nz/
Official website of the Thames-Coromandel District Council. Find out why Coromandel is the best place in New Zealand to work, live and play.
Coastal – insurance 1.47m
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yErH6JttB4
Insurance retreat 5.12m
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVeggCODEFM
Classic David Seymour here folks, spent so long bigging up his stance against the gun laws under urgency that he missed the vote.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-shooting/111727631/act-will-force-government-to-pass-new-gun-legislation-under-urgency
premature procrastination?
Re crossing the line on hate speech, Pablo gets it right: “When it comes to free versus hate speech the issue is simple: any speech that incites, encourages, supports, applauds or otherwise instigates or excuses violence against individuals or collectivities because of who (as opposed to anything they have done, although even there the call to violence is debatable), has crossed the line from protected speech into hate speech. Offensive speech remains protected, but the urging of violence is not. The issue is not about causing offence; it is about causing harm.” http://www.kiwipolitico.com/
Then he ventures into this interesting social context: “I have been told by informed community members that Islamophobia is very much a staple part of sermons in some Pacifika Christian churches.”
“Assorted talkback hosts and politicians are now in full “whataboutism?” mode, trying to equate the evils of Muslim extremists with those of other fanatics. Sensing an opportunity, people with agendas are in full throat, be it as purported experts on gangs and terrorism or pushing lines such as that the 1881 assault on Parihaka is a comparable atrocity (in which no one died).”
minimum wage risen,as also the living,wage,these wage rises,i as a imigrant in new zealand,1972,where wages paid minimum wage rate for Trademen,at that now proper progress Trades Person,that took how long,only to be capital bastered to traddies,Trades extent to skill level five years training,Trade Person,you going to let your in most exploiter call you one of my traddies.as his top dollar wage was paid back in 1972.
And in other news baseline level for child poverty reduction has been released.
23% of our kids in poverty after housing costs are paid.
That’s where we start. This government will be judged on where we are about now (June 2019 data will be reported in 2020).
And in 2020 we will see whether honest attempts to reach clear goals actually get support from the electorate.
1972,THESE WAGE RATES AROUND,WHATS THE BIG DEAL OR LIE.bringing back who how old these new bread property ivested politicians who understand capitals exploit of their how control profit max your investment.Shame,yous labour carers,unemployed on the state support,single care one ninty,how much your rent cost 260 a week,ok landlord get your exploited profit exploit for and most are slums,how much left for you the unemployed state cared for,well my rent is 260,the state gives me 290,power food and trouble looks ahead.
‘
Government forced to buy KiwiBuild houses that weren’t selling
Anna Bracewell-Worrall
Give it up Phil. Keep them as State Housing, (which they should have been in the first place).
Here’s an idea; Stop trying to bail out the failed private housing market, rent them to needy families instead.
John A. Lee, John A. Lee, John A. Lee