Jen, I very much appreciate all of your posts/comments/insight about Syria, they are informative and as a result, am learning more and more about the situation over. Just wanted to say THANKS 🙂
Not sure. I have had a couple of queries about the server responses this morning. I’m not having any problems from Singapore. But I will have a look at the server now that I am awake excessively early.
If it is of any help, I have had the same problem intermittently over the last month or so. I use Vodaphone.
My workaround has been to use the back arrow at top of page to get back to the comment I wrote; select all the comment text and copy it; then open a separate TS in a new tab; go to post and comment I want to reply to or to the comment box for a new comment; paste and quickly submit. Pain in a..e but seems to work most times.
Re the original TS comment that won’t work and times out, I keep that open and recommend copying your comment rather than cutting it, as a backup to losing what you have written.
looking at my rather elderly and overloaded “smart” phone, I wonder if it’s a client-end thing just taking a while to run basic tasks?
Or maybe their cookies need to be cleared and refresh the page?
in other words their device is concentrating so much on sending stuff and reloading the page that it takes too long to process a request to or from the server?
Good to see a bit of pressure being put on these dodgy organisations.
They take 6 billion out of our economy every year.
And they have been found to cheat their customers and lie to officials.
Time to get tough with these crooked groups.
We should nationalise the banks and take money away from the control of private overseas interests
Banks under scrutiny, told to prove they have clean hands.
The country’s leading banks have been ordered to prove they are not ripping off their customers like their Australians counterparts have been doing.
A royal commission into Australia’s financial services sector has found banks have cheated customers and lied to regulators.
The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) and Reserve Bank spoke with the heads of New Zealand banks on Monday seeking concrete evidence the same was not happening here.
“We’ve asked them to provide reassurances to us that they have scrubbed their business models, and they have a basis for being confident that those issues don’t exist here,” FMA chief executive Rob Everett said.
Much of New Zealand’s financial sector is run by local offshoots of the same organisations now in the gun across the Tasman.
“Disability groups are accusing the Health Ministry of being mean-spirited and tight-fisted in its efforts to claw back money it gave out as a result of the pay equity settlement.
About 20,000 staff in the disability sector were included in the historic $2 billion deal that came into force in July.
Since then some employers have been overpaid but argue they should be able to keep the money.
Under the pay equity deal, care and support workers got a 21 percent wage increase.
To help make life easier for employers the ministry decided to pay the money in advance for this financial year to ensure disability services had a buffer of cash on hand to pay the new rates.
But the funding included a 2.2 percent annual inflation adjustment, which some providers have since been paid again in their new 12 monthly government contracts.
The ministry now wants to recoup the double payments by making a one off funding cut.”
For a start…and this is a really, really important point…the New Zealand Disability Support Network, of which Bennie is the Big Cheese, is not a ‘disability group’.
It is an organisation set up to represent the interests of Contracted Providers of government funded disability supports.
“Representing the interests” = ensuring the terms and conditions of the hotly negotiated contracts favour the Provider, who can neglect (in some cases to death), abuse and in some cases torture disabled clients and almost never be held properly to account.
The immediate past CEO formerly worked for the Ministry of Health.
This is not a happy clappy ‘we love the disabled’ group.
This is a hard core lobby group….
“What We Do
We are a network of organisations and individuals involved in providing disability support services.
We provide a strong voice to government on matters of policy, service design and legislation.
We promote innovation, quality services, research and deliver a provider development programme.
We ensure good communication with members and support for regional networks.
We contribute to government working parties and reference groups.
We respond to government requests for advice and input.
Membership Options
Level 1
For organisations with revenue of $10 million or more $6000+GST
Level 2
For organisations with revenue of $5 million to $10 million $4000+GST
Level 3
For organisations with revenue of $3 million to $5 million $3000+GST
Level 4
For organisations with revenue of $1.5 million to $3 million $1500+GST
Level 5
For organisations with revenue of $1 million to $1.5 million $1000+GST
Level 6
For organisations with revenue of $500,000 to $1 million $500+GST”
They linked with the PSA back in 2015 to raise concerns about the push to have more disabled people using Individualised Funding rather than being reliant on the often unreliable Contracted Providers.
Interesting reaction from some of the care workers from the provider organsiations and the PSA when users of IF told of how successful they had found having this control, how satisfying it was to be able to pay their workers up to $20 per hour (remember the providers were largely paying minimum wage at this stage) AND, after meeting all of their employer obligations were still (in some cases) able to return unused portions of their funding to the Ministry of Health at the end of the year.
No doubt in my mind that the roll out of IF was negatively impacted by poor administration and support by the Contracted Providers hosting the IF $$$…because of course it wouldn’t be proper for there not to be a commercial opportunity in the scheme somewhere, the more snouts in the trough the better…but the folk making best use of IF had managed to largely bypass these troughers.
The new System Transformation for disability supports has a strong emphasis on IF or Personal Budgets, which the NZDSN and the PSA are not entirely ecstatic about.
The new Labour govt in New Zealand decided to appeal the Human Rights Tribunal ruling that former Attorney General acted unlawfully by withholding evidence in my case.
@nzlabour is now officially defending what National did to my family. Increasing cost and prolonging injustice.”
I am interested in the Human Rights aspect of this case and was wondering if anyone else has come across anything through the media about the Crown’s appeal of the Human Rights Tribunal ruling that former Attorney General acted unlawfully by withholding evidence in Kim Dotcom’s case.
Having read the Human Rights Tribunal ruling I am interested on what basis the Crown has grounded their appeal.
Disgusting, lawyers out of control again, no wonder NZ productivity is down and we can’t pick out own apples or build a house anymore, too many lawyers (we have about 26% more practising lawyers per person that the UK which is supposedly a financial hub, why do we need so many lawyers in NZ, when we seem to be a mostly agricultural and construction economy?).
Even a Moron should be able to work out that not releasing Dot coms information held about him from government agencies when he was being publicly persecuted in a bizarre inappropriate and ultimately found illegal police/cops/FBI shakedown…. was wrong. Now to waste more taxpayers money on lawyers appealing it… outrageous.
What’s the legal bill so far for NZ taxpayers – 5 million and counting just on the lawyers… because Hollywood is too cheap to fight it’s own battles and our over represented NZ lawyers are only too keen to be troughers at the government purse and now wasting more money on appeals that show Kiwis citizens that our government love harassment and lack decency to see even the most basic of issues effecting privacy…
Whether this is a decision by the new “Labour Government “, as suggested by KDC and Bradbury is questionable, however.
As you know from reading the Human Rights Review Tribunal ruling, the “Crown” as the original defendant in this case comprised Crown Law as First Defendant and then in order, the Attorney-General, DPMC, Immigration, MBIE, MFAT, MOJ, and NZ Police as the other 2nd to 8th Defendents.
The Solicitor-General as Chief Executive of the Crown Law Office, and the Attorney-General are the two main Law Officers of the Crown.
The Attorney-General has two roles in government – one as the senior Law Officer of the Crown requiring the A-G to act independently free of political considerations on some matters; and the other as a Minister of the Crown with ministerial responsibilities with its associated political partisanship.
The Attorney-General as senior Law Officer has principle responsibility for the Government’s administration of the law which is exercised in conjunction with the Solicitor- General as is the junior Law Officer.
OTOH: “Subject only to the Attorney-General, the Solicitor-General is the government’s chief legal adviser and advocate in the courts. In practice, the Solicitor-General provides advice directly to Ministers, departments and agencies of government and will appear as Senior Counsel for government interests in litigation and in particular appellate court matters. A key responsibility is to advise the government on constitutional questions.
The Solicitor-General also exercises a number of specific functions within the Crown’s prosecution process. These include responsibility for the prosecution of criminal jury trials and Crown representation in appeals against conviction and sentences.
By statute the Solicitor-General can exercise almost all of the statutory functions conferred on the Attorney-General. As the non-political Law Officer, the Solicitor-General has traditionally assumed responsibility for the exercise of those functions that should be undertaken independently of the political process, most notably the prosecution functions.
However, it has long been recognised that the nature and value of the office within government lies in part on the Solicitor-General’s duty to give independent advice and, in relation to certain functions, to act independently. That independence is of considerable constitutional importance. Such impartial advice can be seen to be given without political direction, even on politically contentious issues.”
In terms of the role of the Solicitor-General as the chief adviser and advocate in relation to the courts and the specific functions of this role in respect of the prosecution process, it could be that this decision to appeal the KDC HRRT ruling has been made by the Solicitor-General acting independently.
Please note that this is conjecture on my part, but I would be really interested to know whether this has been the case. If so, it cannot be sheeted to the “Government” per se – of whatever political persuasion or composition.
I will be following this appeal with interest, both from this aspect and the one you raised – the grounds that the appeal is being based on.
“The Crown” certainly did not make a great impression on the HRRT in terms of their original actions and the presentation of their defence to the Tribunal.
Sections (8) to (13) summarise the Tribunal’s impressions re KDC versus the Crown as witnesses rather succinctly.
“False Clarke Gayford rumours: Police and PM Jacinda Ardern respond to widely circulated fake slurs” by David Fisher.
Jacinda via Clarke is the victim of false news and Dirty Tricks are alive and well. Yuck!
Jacinda Ardern’s partner Clarke Gayford has been under an unprecedented assault of baseless rumour and false innuendo with the apparent intent of dragging down the Prime Minister.
For the past seven months, Gayford has been the subject – on social media and via word of mouth – of untrue allegations and accusations.
The sheer scale and nature of the claims have led to Police Commissioner Mike Bush taking the extraordinary step of signing off a media release that rejects the speculation.
One News last night had a disturbing story about allegations that Corrections officers had sexually assaulted prisoners – and that Corrections was for some reason not bothering to track these allegations:
How do Labour and Green supporters here feel about it being years before the welfare overhaul comes about?
Anecdotally, I know most weren’t expecting changes over night, but now that Labour have indicated it may not come about until after the next election, how do you feel about the delay?
Personally, considering some of the horror stories coming out of WINZ one would have thought Labour would have made the overhaul a priority.
The Green Party seem rather silent on the matter. Especially so now they have Marama as co-leader.
Maybe the poor would get more welfare if they banded together and formed a religion…. see Gloriavale below, but I don’t think they are the only ones who can gather substantial government benefits in this way… funny how the tinder date women got her benefit cut, but this sort of practise is ok, (maybe because they are rich and a harder target?).
“The problem is that poor families really can’t wait until the deliberations of a welfare working group, they’ve already had to wait far too long and we’re picking up the social cost of that every day, we’re hearing from the sector about how … things have got worse.” – Susan St John.
Seeing as the welfare overhaul was part of Labour’s confidence and supply deal with the Greens, it’s surprising the Greens have nothing to say on the delay.
So much for the notion of the Greens keeping Labour in check. I’m starting to think my vote for the Greens was a waste of time.
Sue Bradford? She understood that time is something you don’t have when you are hungry and homeless….
Welfare has been allowed to get into a mess and a lot of people who don’t need benefits get them, while working people increasingly need them because the wages are so low, while those who need benefits them don’t get them, so that the costs overrun and more and more ‘reforms’ can be justified, at the same time this means less left people vote left (because their lives have got worse) and more right people vote right (because welfare feels like a bottomless pit)…
Yes, savenz, Sue Bradford understands that time is something you don’t have when you are hungry and homeless.
A lot of people I know that voted left have given up on so-called left wing parties and no longer partake in elections. In fact, I’ve yet to meet a right-winger that doesn’t vote.
10. Overhaul the welfare system, ensure access to entitlements, remove excessive sanctions and review Working For Families so that everyone has a standard of living and income that enables them to live in dignity and participate in their communities, and lifts children and their families out of poverty.
a. Safe sleeping environment devices will be made available for vulnerable families.
Nothing about timing but if there is nothing immediate in the Budget in a couple of weeks, then yes the left have cause to be concerned.
The drawn-out timing (up to 3 years from now) was announced by Labour’s Social Development Minister on the last episode of the Nation.
What blew me away was there was nothing from the Greens on this drawn-out timing, yet when it came to the less well off subsidising those that can afford a new EV, the Greens were quick to publicly announce they are considering it. Despite it going against their social justice stance.
So instead of speaking up on the drawn-out timing to help the less well off, they decided to speak up on a policy proposal that will benefit the well to do at the expense of the less well off.
Due to their lack of the vote, I don’t expect the Greens to enforce all the changes they campaigned on. However, I do expect them to speak up and show us how they are working on trying to secure more.
What we’ve got is them gifting questions to the opposition and telling us they are considering getting the less well off to subsidise the well to do.
I dont actually. I know enough about them to understand they do not indulge in the tail wagging the dog and will abide by the letter and intent of agreements they sign.
“They do not indulge in the tail wagging the dog and will abide by the letter and intent of agreements they sign.”
And in saying that, are you implying speaking up and showing us how they are working on trying to secure more doesn’t abide by the letter and intent of agreements they’ve signed? Because that would be incorrect, despite what you claim to know.
Addionally, Tracey, your question reminds me of the stance some centrist take. We don’t have to worry and cater to the left as they have nowhere else to turn too.
One of the issues of welfare seems to be some unusual arrangements allowed, such as the Gloriavale community who seem to have copious amounts of children who apparently need government welfare support, giving their WFF’s (estimated over 3 million a year in WFF welfare payments to the families who then put it in the wealthy community leaders bank accounts)… God provides in mysterious ways… someone was also complaining how they got such a good ero report when they are segregated and girls taught women’s work. I believe Gloriavale also qualify for some education funding for their own schools from the tax payer to the tune of $200,000… to teach that sort of stuff… God via the tax payers provides again, it seems.
Just a wee heads up on the ‘news’ that hemp is good food, and being permitted as food, and kiwi farmers might move into it as an alternate income to milking.
This is all true. BUT, and it’s a biggie…
Hemp is an accumulator of heavy metals. Cadmium, that comes with many Phosphate fertilisers, is a widespread problem on Dairy (and other) land, with levels threatening to shut certain land from production, or out of specific markets (EU). Our Councils are already fully aware of this issue.
So, here’s what actually needs to happen.
We identify the (so much) polluted land, and grow Hemp for FIBRE, until the land is cleared for food. The Hemp will detoxify the land while making a profit for Farmers. Talk about a gift horse. Now let’s see if anyone’s listening.
It’s an elegant solution to an enormous potential screw up.
I think there’s a project in Australia looking to use a salt bush for a similar use, specifically for heavy metails and radioactive stuff. The idea being that the salt bush absorbs the pollutants, and it’s then taken and burned and the metals collected (radioactive rope might be an issue).
These types of plants are called hyperaccumulators, and were initially discovered as inhabitants of serpentine soils and mine tailings. Unfortunately most grew too small or too slow to be of use but science continues the search. Did you know some clever folks have found a strain of Brassica juncea to harvest gold from tailings?
The Am Show Mark I would not have liked to be in your shoes when that bomb went off
on the Black Caps tour of Pakistan in 2002 that would have been unexpected and made me ——-my pants.
We should be great full that OUR Tipunas had the forsight to use diplomacy and intelligence to work together to leave us all this beautiful country Aoteraroa .
One phenomenon about this school PEE description is that it confirms my concerns that there is heaps of PEE out there and there is good reason to call out people using the word CRACK in any way in public is not acceptable.Duncan there need to be a advertising campaign showing what PEE does to you as soon as I heard about PEE we talked to our children about the bad side affects of PEE it is easy to see PEE users some people just don’t know how easy it is to see all addicts.
Gossip is a human trait everyone does it I take all information with a grain of salt untill I get it confirmed from other sources some people take gossip as a fact and use it to harm other people Good name like the sandflies are doing to me but are thats OK Eco Maori is just a broke brown person with no rights. Ka kite ano P.S its good that my———– know that I am innocent
I say that what happen in that NZ School is unacceptable and who ever dreamt that up should be canned full stop P.S we should never let it be accepted that PEE becomes a common thing in New Zealand as this type of behavior will do make it the norm. I wonder what that principal career was before he started teaching I think I know what it was
The Am Show Negative gearing is not just used by house owners business use it to structure there business to avoid paying tax that’s a fact we need to even the playing feild for all If they middle class are worried about there retirement they should join that great Labour invention Kiwi saver Ka kite ano
Good evening Newshub tangata I agree with that drug councler its insane to expose te Mokopunas to that information on PEEEEE.
ITS obvious that the fuel companies are running campaign to maximise their profits. The Queen horses
Phil and Tyrone are magnificently beautiful animals I will be getting me A horse or 2 soon as I build my Pa back home.
Nice tie Mike many thanks to the good Tangata Sea cleaner for there great work Ka pai
There is a lot of different foods we eat that can cause harm to animals like chocolate is never to be fed to dogs as it hypes them up and could cause more damage to the dog good on the Australian for putting there foot down on this issue. Ka kite ano
Newshub you would think the sandflys would spend there time chasing the PEEEEE dealers instead of wasting there time and resources harrsing ECO MAORI knowing how much is on the street and that the Mokopunas are using the poison Ana to kai Ka kite ano P.S I think they have there priorities worng
The Crowd goes Wild Mulls and Melissa you will be a good team I have a hard time with the sandflys always harresmeing me on the roads to keep my self control I just tell myself that they are trying to minupulate my behaviour and calm down I’m not letting them change my behaviour muppets.
Monty Betham is a excellent ambassador for Rugby League and the Warriors many thanks from ECO MAORI Monty for your good work Ka kite ano Wairangi is going to be brused after that Monty
The Crowd goes Wild To admit one needs glass is to admit one is getting long in the tooth Melissa it took me a couple of years to admit I needed glasses lol Ka kite ano
A listing of 25 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 15, 2024 thru Sat, December 21, 2024. Based on feedback we received, this week's roundup is the first one published soleley by category. We are still interested in ...
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I don't knowHow to say what's got to be saidI don't know if it's black or whiteThere's others see it redI don't get the answers rightI'll leave that to youIs this love out of fashionOr is it the time of yearAre these words distraction?To the words you want to hearSongwriters: ...
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Come and join myself and CTU Chief Economist for a pop-up ‘Hoon’ webinar on the Government’s Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) with paying subscribers to The Kākā for 30 minutes at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream to watch our chat. Don’t worry if ...
In 1998, in the wake of the Paremoremo Prison riot, the Department of Corrections established the "Behaviour Management Regime". Prisoners were locked in their cells for 22 or 23 hours a day, with no fresh air, no exercise, no social contact, no entertainment, and in some cases no clothes and ...
New data released by the Treasury shows that the economic policies of this Government have made things worse in the year since they took office, said NZCTU Economist Craig Renney. “Our fiscal indicators are all heading in the wrong direction – with higher levels of debt, a higher deficit, and ...
At the 2023 election, National basically ran on a platform of being better economic managers. So how'd that turn out for us? In just one year, they've fucked us for two full political terms: The government's books are set to remain deeply in the red for the near term ...
AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi are saying that the Government should do the right thing and deliver minimum wage increases that don’t see workers fall further behind, in response to today’s announcement that the minimum wage will only be increased by 1.5%, well short of forecast inflation. “With inflation forecast ...
Oh, I weptFor daysFilled my eyesWith silly tearsOh, yeaBut I don'tCare no moreI don't care ifMy eyes get soreSongwriters: Paul Rodgers / Paul Kossoff. Read more ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob HensonIn this aerial view, fingers of meltwater flow from the melting Isunnguata Sermia glacier descending from the Greenland Ice Sheet on July 11, 2024, near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. According to the Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet (PROMICE), the ...
In August, I wrote an article about David Seymour1 with a video of his testimony, to warn that there were grave dangers to his Ministry of Regulation:David Seymour's Ministry of Slush Hides Far Greater RisksWhy Seymour's exorbitant waste of taxpayers' money could be the least of concernThe money for Seymour ...
Willis is expected to have to reveal the bitter fiscal fruits of her austerity strategy in the HYEFU later today. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/TheKakaMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, December 17 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast ...
On Friday the government announced it would double the number of toll roads in New Zealand as well as make a few other changes to how toll roads are used in the country. The real issue though is not that tolling is being used but the suggestion it will make ...
The Prime Minister yesterday engaged in what looked like a pre-emptive strike designed to counter what is likely to be a series of depressing economic statistics expected before the end of the week. He opened his weekly post-Cabinet press conference with a recitation of the Government’s achievements. “It certainly has ...
This whooping cough story from south Auckland is a good example of the coalition government’s approach to social need – spend money on urging people to get vaccinated but only after you’ve cut the funding to where they could get vaccinated. This has been the case all year with public ...
And if there is a GodI know he likes to rockHe likes his loud guitarsHis spiders from MarsAnd if there is a GodI know he's watching meHe likes what he seesBut there's trouble on the breezeSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan Read more ...
Here’s a quick round up of today’s political news:1. MORE FOOD BANKS, CHARITIES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS AND YOUTH SOCIAL SERVICES SET TO CLOSE OR SCALE BACK AROUND THE COUNTRY AS GOVT CUTS FUNDINGSome of Auckland's largest foodbanks are warning they may need to close or significantly reduce food parcels after ...
Iain Rennie, CNZMSecretary and Chief Executive to the TreasuryDear Secretary, Undue restrictions on restricted briefings This week, the Treasury barred representatives from four organisations, including the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi, from attending the restricted briefing for the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update. We had been ...
This is a guest post by Tim Adriaansen, a community, climate, and accessibility advocate.I won’t shut up about climate breakdown, and whenever possible I try to shift the focus of a climate conversation towards solutions. But you’ll almost never hear me give more than a passing nod to ...
A grassroots backlash has forced a backdown from Brown, but he is still eyeing up plenty of tolls for other new roads. And the pressure is on Willis to ramp up the Government’s austerity strategy. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
Hi all,I'm pretty overwhelmed by all your messages and emails today; thank you so very much.As much as my newsletter this morning was about money, and we all need to earn money, it was mostly about world domination if I'm honest. 😉I really hate what’s happening to our country, and ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 8, 2024 thru Sat, December 14, 2024. Listing by Category Like last week's summary this one contains the list of articles twice: based on categories and based on ...
I started writing this morning about Hobson’s Pledge, examining the claims they and their supporters make, basically ripping into them. But I kept getting notifications coming through, and not good ones.Each time I looked up, there was another un-subscription message, and I felt a bit sicker at the thought of ...
Once, long before there was Harry and Meghan and Dodi and all those episodes of The Crown, they came to spend some time with us, Charles and Diana. Was there anyone in the world more glamorous than the Princess of Wales?Dazzled as everyone was by their company, the leader of ...
The collective right have a problem.The entire foundation for their world view is antiscientific. Their preferred economic strategies have been disproven. Their whole neoliberal model faces accusations of corporate corruption and worsening inequality. Climate change not only definitely exists, its rapid progression demands an immediate and expensive response in order ...
Just ten days ago, South Korea's president attempted a self-coup, declaring martial law and attempting to have opposition MPs murdered or arrested in an effort to seize unconstrained power. The attempt was rapidly defeated by the national assembly voting it down and the people flooding the streets to defend democracy. ...
Hi,“What I love about New Zealanders is that sometimes you use these expressions that as Americans we have no idea what those things mean!"I am watching a 30-something year old American ramble on about how different New Zealanders are to Americans. It’s his podcast, and this man is doing a ...
What Chris Penk has granted holocaust-denier and equal-opportunity-bigot Candace Owens is not “freedom of speech”. It’s not even really freedom of movement, though that technically is the right she has been granted. What he has given her is permission to perform. Freedom of SpeechIn New Zealand, the right to freedom ...
All those tears on your cheeksJust like deja vu flow nowWhen grandmother speaksSo tell me a story (I'll tell you a story)Spell it out, I can't hear (What do you want to hear?)Why you wear black in the morning?Why there's smoke in the air? Songwriter: Greg Johnson.Mōrena all ☀️Something a ...
National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...
After years of advocacy, the Green Party is very happy to hear the Government has listened to our collective voices and announced the closure of the greyhound racing industry, by 1 August 2026. ...
In response to a new report from ERO, the Government has acknowledged the urgent need for consistency across the curriculum for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. ...
The Green Party is appalled at the Government introducing legislation that will make it easier to penalise workers fighting for better pay and conditions. ...
Thank you for the invitation to speak with you tonight on behalf of the political party I belong to - which is New Zealand First. As we have heard before this evening the Kinleith Mill is proposing to reduce operations by focusing on pulp and discontinuing “lossmaking paper production”. They say that they are currently consulting on the plan to permanently shut ...
Auckland Central MP, Chlöe Swarbrick, has written to Mayor Wayne Brown requesting he stop the unnecessary delays on St James Theatre’s restoration. ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand will move swiftly to support dozens of internationally-trained doctors already in New Zealand on their journey to employment here, after a tripling of sought-after examination places. “The Medical Council has delivered great news for hardworking overseas doctors who want to contribute ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced four appointments to New Zealand’s intelligence oversight functions. The Honourable Robert Dobson KC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, and the Honourable Brendan Brown KC has been appointed as a Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants. The appointments of Hon Robert Dobson and Hon ...
Improvements in the average time it takes to process survey and title applications means housing developments can progress more quickly, Minister for Land Information Chris Penk says. “The government is resolutely focused on improving the building and construction pipeline,” Mr Penk says. “Applications to issue titles and subdivide land are ...
The Government’s measures to reduce airport wait times, and better transparency around flight disruptions is delivering encouraging early results for passengers ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Improving the efficiency of air travel is a priority for the Government to give passengers a smoother, more reliable ...
The Government today announced the intended closure of the Apollo Hotel as Contracted Emergency Housing (CEH) in Rotorua, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. This follows a 30 per cent reduction in the number of households in CEH in Rotorua since National came into Government. “Our focus is on ending CEH in the Whakarewarewa area starting ...
The Government will reshape vocational education and training to return decision making to regions and enable greater industry input into work-based learning Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds says. “The redesigned system will better meet the needs of learners, industry, and the economy. It includes re-establishing regional polytechnics that ...
The Government is taking action to better manage synthetic refrigerants and reduce emissions caused by greenhouse gases found in heating and cooling products, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Regulations will be drafted to support a product stewardship scheme for synthetic refrigerants, Ms. Simmonds says. “Synthetic refrigerants are found in a ...
People travelling on State Highway 1 north of Hamilton will be relieved that remedial works and safety improvements on the Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway were finished today, with all lanes now open to traffic, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“I would like to acknowledge the patience of road users ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds, has announced a new appointment to the board of Education New Zealand (ENZ). Dr Erik Lithander has been appointed as a new member of the ENZ board for a three-year term until 30 January 2028. “I would like to welcome Dr Erik Lithander to the ...
The Government will have senior representatives at Waitangi Day events around the country, including at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, but next year Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has chosen to take part in celebrations elsewhere. “It has always been my intention to celebrate Waitangi Day around the country with different ...
Two more criminal gangs will be subject to the raft of laws passed by the Coalition Government that give Police more powers to disrupt gang activity, and the intimidation they impose in our communities, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. Following an Order passed by Cabinet, from 3 February 2025 the ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Justice Christian Whata as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Whata’s appointment as a Judge of the Court of Appeal will take effect on 1 August 2025 and fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Hon Justice David Goddard on ...
The latest economic figures highlight the importance of the steps the Government has taken to restore respect for taxpayers’ money and drive economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Data released today by Stats NZ shows Gross Domestic Product fell 1 per cent in the September quarter. “Treasury and most ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Minister of Education David Seymour today announced legislation changes to strengthen freedom of speech obligations on universities. “Freedom of speech is fundamental to the concept of academic freedom and there is concern that universities seem to be taking a more risk-averse ...
Police Minister, Mark Mitchell, and Internal Affairs Minister, Brooke van Velden, today launched a further Public Safety Network cellular service that alongside last year’s Cellular Roaming roll-out, puts globally-leading cellular communications capability into the hands of our emergency responders. The Public Safety Network’s new Cellular Priority service means Police, Wellington ...
State Highway 1 through the Mangamuka Gorge has officially reopened today, providing a critical link for Northlanders and offering much-needed relief ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Mangamuka Gorge is a vital route for Northland, carrying around 1,300 vehicles per day and connecting the Far ...
The Government has welcomed decisions by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) and Ashburton District Council confirming funding to boost resilience in the Canterbury region, with construction on a second Ashburton Bridge expected to begin in 2026, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering a second Ashburton Bridge to improve resilience and ...
The Government is backing the response into high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Otago, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says. “Cabinet has approved new funding of $20 million to enable MPI to meet unbudgeted ongoing expenses associated with the H7N6 response including rigorous scientific testing of samples at the enhanced PC3 ...
Legislation that will repeal all advertising restrictions for broadcasters on Sundays and public holidays has passed through first reading in Parliament today, Media Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “As a growing share of audiences get their news and entertainment from streaming services, these restrictions have become increasingly redundant. New Zealand on ...
Today the House agreed to Brendan Horsley being appointed Inspector-General of Defence, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Mr Horsley’s experience will be invaluable in overseeing the establishment of the new office and its support networks. “He is currently Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, having held that role since June 2020. ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the final regulations for the levy on insurance contracts that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand from July 2026. “Earlier this year the Government agreed to a 2.2 percent increase to the rate of levy. Fire ...
The Government is delivering regulatory relief for New Zealand businesses through changes to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act. “The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill, which was introduced today, is the second Bill – the other being the Statutes Amendment Bill - that ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed further progress on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS), with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board approving funding for the detailed design of Stage 1, paving the way for main works construction to begin in late 2025.“The Government is moving at ...
The Government today released a request for information (RFI) to seeking interest in partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned land with low farming and conservation value (excluding National Parks) Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced. “Planting trees on Crown-owned land will drive economic growth by creating more forestry jobs in our regions, providing more wood ...
Court timeliness, access to justice, and improving the quality of existing regulation are the focus of a series of law changes introduced to Parliament today by Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee. The three Bills in the Regulatory Systems (Justice) Amendment Bill package each improve a different part of the ...
A total of 41 appointments and reappointments have been made to the 12 community trusts around New Zealand that serve their regions, Associate Finance Minister Shane Jones says. “These trusts, and the communities they serve from the Far North to the deep south, will benefit from the rich experience, knowledge, ...
The Government has confirmed how it will provide redress to survivors who were tortured at the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit (the Lake Alice Unit). “The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care found that many of the 362 children who went through the Lake Alice Unit between 1972 and ...
It has been a busy, productive year in the House as the coalition Government works hard to get New Zealand back on track, Leader of the House Chris Bishop says. “This Government promised to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and reduce the cost of living. Our record this ...
“Accelerated silicosis is an emerging occupational disease caused by unsafe work such as engineered stone benchtops. I am running a standalone consultation on engineered stone to understand what the industry is currently doing to manage the risks, and whether further regulatory intervention is needed,” says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister ...
Mehemea he pai mō te tangata, mahia – if it’s good for the people, get on with it. Enhanced reporting on the public sector’s delivery of Treaty settlement commitments will help improve outcomes for Māori and all New Zealanders, Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka says. Compiled together for the ...
Mr Roger Holmes Miller and Ms Tarita Hutchinson have been appointed to the Charities Registration Board, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston says. “I would like to welcome the new members joining the Charities Registration Board. “The appointment of Ms Hutchinson and Mr Miller will strengthen the Board’s capacity ...
More building consent and code compliance applications are being processed within the statutory timeframe since the Government required councils to submit quarterly data, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “In the midst of a housing shortage we need to look at every step of the build process for efficiencies ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey is proud to announce the first three recipients of the Government’s $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund which will enable more Kiwis faster access to mental health and addiction support. “This fund is part of the Government’s commitment to investing in ...
New Zealand is providing Vanuatu assistance following yesterday's devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. "Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need," Mr Peters says. "Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be ...
The Government welcomes the Commerce Commission’s plan to reduce card fees for Kiwis by an estimated $260 million a year, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.“The Government is relentlessly focused on reducing the cost of living, so Kiwis can keep more of their hard-earned income and live a ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour has welcomed the Early Childhood Education (ECE) regulatory review report, the first major report from the Ministry for Regulation. The report makes 15 recommendations to modernise and simplify regulations across ECE so services can get on with what they do best – providing safe, high-quality care ...
The Government‘s Offshore Renewable Energy Bill to create a new regulatory regime that will enable firms to construct offshore wind generation has passed its first reading in Parliament, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says.“New Zealand currently does not have a regulatory regime for offshore renewable energy as the previous government failed ...
Legislation to enable new water service delivery models that will drive critical investment in infrastructure has passed its first reading in Parliament, marking a significant step towards the delivery of Local Water Done Well, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly say.“Councils and voters ...
New Zealand is one step closer to reaping the benefits of gene technology with the passing of the first reading of the Gene Technology Bill, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins says. "This legislation will end New Zealand's near 30-year ban on gene technology outside the lab and is ...
ByKoroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor New Zealand’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) says impending bad weather for Port Vila is now the most significant post-quake hazard. A tropical low in the Coral Sea is expected to move into Vanuatu waters, bringing heavy rainfall. Authorities have issued warnings to people ...
Cosmic CatastropheThe year draws to a close.King Luxon has grown tired of the long eveningsListening to the dreary squabbling of his Triumvirate.He strolls up to the top floor of the PalaceTo consult with his Astronomer Royal.The Royal Telescope scans the skies,And King Luxon stares up into the heavensFrom the terrestrial ...
Spinoff editor Mad Chapman and books editor Claire Mabey debate Carl Shuker’s new novel about… an editor. Claire: Hello Mad, you just finished The Royal Free – overall impressions? Mad: Hi Claire, I literally just put the book down and I would have to say my immediate impression is ...
Christmas and its buildup are often lonely, hard and full of unreasonable expectations. Here’s how to make it to Jesus’s birthday and find the little bit of joy we all deserve. Have you found this year relentless? Has the latest Apple update “fucked up your life”? Have you lost two ...
Despite overwhelming public and corporate support, the government has stalled progress on a modern day slavery law. That puts us behind other countries – and makes Christmas a time of tragedy rather than joy, argues Shanti Mathias. Picture the scene on Christmas Day. Everyone replete with nice things to eat, ...
Asia Pacific Report “It looks like Hiroshima. It looks like Germany at the end of World War Two,” says an Israeli-American historian and professor of holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University about the horrifying reality of Gaza. Professor Omer Bartov, has described Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza as an ...
The New Zealand government coalition is tweaking university regulations to curb what it says is an increasingly “risk-averse approach” to free speech. The proposed changes will set clear expectations on how universities should approach freedom of speech issues. Each university will then have to adopt a “freedom of speech statement” ...
Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – COMMENTARY: By Caitlin Johnstone New York prosecutors have charged Luigi Mangione with “murder as an act of terrorism” in his alleged shooting of health insurance CEO Brian Thompson earlier this month. This news comes out at the same time as ...
Pacific Media Watch The union for Australian journalists has welcomed the delivery by the federal government of more than $150 million to support the sustainability of public interest journalism over the next four years. Combined with the announcement of the revamped News Bargaining Initiative, this could result in up to ...
MONDAY“Merry Xmas, and praise the Lord,” said Sheriff Luxon, and smiled for the camera. There was a flash of smoke when the shutter pressed down on the magnesium powder. The sheriff had arranged for a photographer from the Dodge Gazette to attend a ceremony where he handed out food parcels to ...
It’s a little under two months since the White Ferns shocked the cricketing world, deservedly taking home the T20 World Cup. Since then the trophy has had a tour around the country, five of the squad have played in the WBBL in Australia while most others have returned to domestic ...
Comment: If we say the word ‘dementia’, many will picture an older person struggling to remember the names of their loved ones, maybe a grandparent living out their final years in an aged care facility. Dementia can also occur in people younger than 65, but it can take time before ...
Piracy is a reality of modern life – but copyright law has struggled to play catch-up for as long as the entertainment industry has existed. As far back as 1988, the House of Lords criticised copyright law’s conflict with the reality of human behaviour in the context of burning cassette ...
As he makes a surprise return to Shortland Street, actor Craig Parker takes us through his life in television. Craig Parker has been a fixture on television in Aotearoa for nearly four decades. He had starring roles in iconic local series like Gloss, Mercy Peak and Diplomatic Immunity, featured in ...
The Ōtautahi musician shares the 10 tracks he loves to spin, including the folk classic that cured him of a ‘case of the give-ups’. When singer-songwriter Adam McGrath returns to Kumeu’s Auckland Folk Festival from January 24-27, he’s not planning on simply idling his way through – he wants the late ...
Alex Casey spends an afternoon on the job with River, the rescue dog on a mission to spread joy to Ōtautahi rest homes.Almost everyone says it is never enough time. But River the rescue dog, a jet black huntaway border collie cross, has to keep a tight pace to ...
Asia Pacific Report Fiji activists have recreated the nativity scene at a solidarity for Palestine gathering in Fiji’s capital Suva just days before Christmas. The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and Fijians for Palestine Solidarity Network recreated the scene at the FWCC compound — a baby Jesus figurine lies amidst the ...
By 1News Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver and 1News reporters A number of Kiwis have been successfully evacuated from Vanuatu after a devastating earthquake shook the Pacific island nation earlier this week. The death toll was still unclear, though at least 14 people were killed according to an earlier statement from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Scully, Professor in Modern History, University of New England Bunker.Image courtesy of Michael Leunig, CC BY-NC-SA Michael Leunig – who died in the early hours of Thursday December 19, surrounded by “his children, loved ones, and sunflowers” – was the ...
The House - On Parliament's last day of the year, there was the rare occurrence of a personal (conscience) vote on selling booze over the Easter weekend. While it didn't have the numbers to pass, it was a chance to get a rare glimpse of the fact ...
A new poem by Holly Fletcher. bejeweled log i was dreaming about wasps / wee darlings that followed me / ducking under objects / that i was fated to pickup / my fingers seeking / and meeting with tiny proboscis’s / but instead / i wake up / roll sideways ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flora Hui, Research Fellow, Centre for Eye Research Australia and Honorary Fellow, Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), The University of Melbourne Versta/Shutterstock Australians are exposed to some of the highest levels of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the world. While we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Terry, Professor of Business Regulation, University of Sydney Michael von Aichberger/Shutterstock Even if you’ve no idea how the business model underpinning franchises works, there’s a good chance you’ve spent money at one. Franchising is essentially a strategy for cloning ...
If something big is going to happen in Ferndale, it’s going to happen at Christmas. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If there’s one episode of Shortland Street you should watch each year, it’s the annual Christmas cliffhanger. The final episode of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William A. Stoltz, Lecturer and expert Associate, National Security College, Australian National University US President-elect Donald Trump has named most of the members of his proposed cabinet. However, he’s yet to reveal key appointees to America’s powerful cyber warfare and intelligence institutions. ...
Announcing the top 10 books of the the year at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Intermezzo by Sally Rooney (Faber & Faber, $37) The phenomenal Irish writer is the unsurprising chart topper for 2024 with her fourth novel that, much like her first ...
How come I keep getting this when I try to post a comment about my time in Syria?
I wonder why.
Me too. Still getting it.
Will try again.
Nope.
Well your BRIEF comments seem to make it through.
It’s obviously a conspiracy.
Yeah, bit like the Arab spring, was a CIA plot, regime change, conspiracy theory.
Will try again.
Will try again
Nope.
A little help here.
Anything with the word starting with Sy…. and ending with ….ria seems to be blocked.
Syria.
Nope got thru.
Still the same.
Something with the Server.
Lynn is working on it.
Jen, I very much appreciate all of your posts/comments/insight about Syria, they are informative and as a result, am learning more and more about the situation over. Just wanted to say THANKS 🙂
Because even the server is bored shitless with that topic?
“Ay Rabs”, “Head Choppers”, “Rag Heads”, Who cares about them.
Kill them all.
Just do it quietly.
Eh, Sacha?
Fill your boots – in the nearest phone booth.
Not sure. I have had a couple of queries about the server responses this morning. I’m not having any problems from Singapore. But I will have a look at the server now that I am awake excessively early.
Thanks
I can’t see anything wrong. It may just be the usual network glitching between systems in NZ.
FYI: Two of the reported incidents seem to involve vodafone.
Must be a real doozy of a glitch.
Far Out.
(Do young people still say that).
Stick with it Lynn, we are rooting for you.
If it is of any help, I have had the same problem intermittently over the last month or so. I use Vodaphone.
My workaround has been to use the back arrow at top of page to get back to the comment I wrote; select all the comment text and copy it; then open a separate TS in a new tab; go to post and comment I want to reply to or to the comment box for a new comment; paste and quickly submit. Pain in a..e but seems to work most times.
Re the original TS comment that won’t work and times out, I keep that open and recommend copying your comment rather than cutting it, as a backup to losing what you have written.
Sorry for the bad grammar in the above.
looking at my rather elderly and overloaded “smart” phone, I wonder if it’s a client-end thing just taking a while to run basic tasks?
Or maybe their cookies need to be cleared and refresh the page?
in other words their device is concentrating so much on sending stuff and reloading the page that it takes too long to process a request to or from the server?
Good to see a bit of pressure being put on these dodgy organisations.
They take 6 billion out of our economy every year.
And they have been found to cheat their customers and lie to officials.
Time to get tough with these crooked groups.
We should nationalise the banks and take money away from the control of private overseas interests
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/business/356418/banks-under-scrutiny-told-to-prove-they-have-clean-hands
A starter for anyone interested in learning how banking works.
Would love to see our government switch to kiwibank.
Bill English continues to chase his dream of a low-wage economy
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/356412/bill-english-joins-board-of-australia-retail-giant
Serving politician on a private company board?
Couldn’t happen to a more deserving ‘group’.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/356424/cruel-irony-as-ministry-claws-back-pay-advance
“Disability groups are accusing the Health Ministry of being mean-spirited and tight-fisted in its efforts to claw back money it gave out as a result of the pay equity settlement.
About 20,000 staff in the disability sector were included in the historic $2 billion deal that came into force in July.
Since then some employers have been overpaid but argue they should be able to keep the money.
Under the pay equity deal, care and support workers got a 21 percent wage increase.
To help make life easier for employers the ministry decided to pay the money in advance for this financial year to ensure disability services had a buffer of cash on hand to pay the new rates.
But the funding included a 2.2 percent annual inflation adjustment, which some providers have since been paid again in their new 12 monthly government contracts.
The ministry now wants to recoup the double payments by making a one off funding cut.”
For a start…and this is a really, really important point…the New Zealand Disability Support Network, of which Bennie is the Big Cheese, is not a ‘disability group’.
It is an organisation set up to represent the interests of Contracted Providers of government funded disability supports.
“Representing the interests” = ensuring the terms and conditions of the hotly negotiated contracts favour the Provider, who can neglect (in some cases to death), abuse and in some cases torture disabled clients and almost never be held properly to account.
The immediate past CEO formerly worked for the Ministry of Health.
FYI
https://www.nzdsn.org.nz/members-2/
This is not a happy clappy ‘we love the disabled’ group.
This is a hard core lobby group….
“What We Do
We are a network of organisations and individuals involved in providing disability support services.
We provide a strong voice to government on matters of policy, service design and legislation.
We promote innovation, quality services, research and deliver a provider development programme.
We ensure good communication with members and support for regional networks.
We contribute to government working parties and reference groups.
We respond to government requests for advice and input.
Membership Options
Level 1
For organisations with revenue of $10 million or more $6000+GST
Level 2
For organisations with revenue of $5 million to $10 million $4000+GST
Level 3
For organisations with revenue of $3 million to $5 million $3000+GST
Level 4
For organisations with revenue of $1.5 million to $3 million $1500+GST
Level 5
For organisations with revenue of $1 million to $1.5 million $1000+GST
Level 6
For organisations with revenue of $500,000 to $1 million $500+GST”
They linked with the PSA back in 2015 to raise concerns about the push to have more disabled people using Individualised Funding rather than being reliant on the often unreliable Contracted Providers.
An interesting hui in Auckland ( http://disabilityconnect.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Invite-to-individualised-funding.pdf) there was much hand wringing from PSA and NZDSN about the pitfalls of increased control by disabled people over their allocated funding.
Interesting reaction from some of the care workers from the provider organsiations and the PSA when users of IF told of how successful they had found having this control, how satisfying it was to be able to pay their workers up to $20 per hour (remember the providers were largely paying minimum wage at this stage) AND, after meeting all of their employer obligations were still (in some cases) able to return unused portions of their funding to the Ministry of Health at the end of the year.
No doubt in my mind that the roll out of IF was negatively impacted by poor administration and support by the Contracted Providers hosting the IF $$$…because of course it wouldn’t be proper for there not to be a commercial opportunity in the scheme somewhere, the more snouts in the trough the better…but the folk making best use of IF had managed to largely bypass these troughers.
The new System Transformation for disability supports has a strong emphasis on IF or Personal Budgets, which the NZDSN and the PSA are not entirely ecstatic about.
Tough.
I read Kim Dotcom’s following announcement through Twitter (https://twitter.com/KimDotcom) on the 29/4 which reads;
“KimDotcom@KimDotcom
The new Labour govt in New Zealand decided to appeal the Human Rights Tribunal ruling that former Attorney General acted unlawfully by withholding evidence in my case.
@nzlabour is now officially defending what National did to my family. Increasing cost and prolonging injustice.”
I am interested in the Human Rights aspect of this case and was wondering if anyone else has come across anything through the media about the Crown’s appeal of the Human Rights Tribunal ruling that former Attorney General acted unlawfully by withholding evidence in Kim Dotcom’s case.
Having read the Human Rights Tribunal ruling I am interested on what basis the Crown has grounded their appeal.
Cheers, S.T.
Disgusting, lawyers out of control again, no wonder NZ productivity is down and we can’t pick out own apples or build a house anymore, too many lawyers (we have about 26% more practising lawyers per person that the UK which is supposedly a financial hub, why do we need so many lawyers in NZ, when we seem to be a mostly agricultural and construction economy?).
Even a Moron should be able to work out that not releasing Dot coms information held about him from government agencies when he was being publicly persecuted in a bizarre inappropriate and ultimately found illegal police/cops/FBI shakedown…. was wrong. Now to waste more taxpayers money on lawyers appealing it… outrageous.
What’s the legal bill so far for NZ taxpayers – 5 million and counting just on the lawyers… because Hollywood is too cheap to fight it’s own battles and our over represented NZ lawyers are only too keen to be troughers at the government purse and now wasting more money on appeals that show Kiwis citizens that our government love harassment and lack decency to see even the most basic of issues effecting privacy…
Thanks for the update, ST. I am also interested as to what basis the “Crown” is using for it’s appeal.
Having Googled to see if there is any further information, all I could find was KDC’s tweet and a blog post on TDB by Martyn Bradbury which provides no further information.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/04/30/labour-party-attack-kim-dotcom-major-blunder/
Whether this is a decision by the new “Labour Government “, as suggested by KDC and Bradbury is questionable, however.
As you know from reading the Human Rights Review Tribunal ruling, the “Crown” as the original defendant in this case comprised Crown Law as First Defendant and then in order, the Attorney-General, DPMC, Immigration, MBIE, MFAT, MOJ, and NZ Police as the other 2nd to 8th Defendents.
The Solicitor-General as Chief Executive of the Crown Law Office, and the Attorney-General are the two main Law Officers of the Crown.
The Attorney-General has two roles in government – one as the senior Law Officer of the Crown requiring the A-G to act independently free of political considerations on some matters; and the other as a Minister of the Crown with ministerial responsibilities with its associated political partisanship.
The Attorney-General as senior Law Officer has principle responsibility for the Government’s administration of the law which is exercised in conjunction with the Solicitor- General as is the junior Law Officer.
OTOH:
“Subject only to the Attorney-General, the Solicitor-General is the government’s chief legal adviser and advocate in the courts. In practice, the Solicitor-General provides advice directly to Ministers, departments and agencies of government and will appear as Senior Counsel for government interests in litigation and in particular appellate court matters. A key responsibility is to advise the government on constitutional questions.
The Solicitor-General also exercises a number of specific functions within the Crown’s prosecution process. These include responsibility for the prosecution of criminal jury trials and Crown representation in appeals against conviction and sentences.
By statute the Solicitor-General can exercise almost all of the statutory functions conferred on the Attorney-General. As the non-political Law Officer, the Solicitor-General has traditionally assumed responsibility for the exercise of those functions that should be undertaken independently of the political process, most notably the prosecution functions.
However, it has long been recognised that the nature and value of the office within government lies in part on the Solicitor-General’s duty to give independent advice and, in relation to certain functions, to act independently. That independence is of considerable constitutional importance. Such impartial advice can be seen to be given without political direction, even on politically contentious issues.”
http://www.crownlaw.govt.nz/about-us/law-officers/
In terms of the role of the Solicitor-General as the chief adviser and advocate in relation to the courts and the specific functions of this role in respect of the prosecution process, it could be that this decision to appeal the KDC HRRT ruling has been made by the Solicitor-General acting independently.
Please note that this is conjecture on my part, but I would be really interested to know whether this has been the case. If so, it cannot be sheeted to the “Government” per se – of whatever political persuasion or composition.
I will be following this appeal with interest, both from this aspect and the one you raised – the grounds that the appeal is being based on.
“The Crown” certainly did not make a great impression on the HRRT in terms of their original actions and the presentation of their defence to the Tribunal.
Sections (8) to (13) summarise the Tribunal’s impressions re KDC versus the Crown as witnesses rather succinctly.
https://www.justice.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Decisions/2018-nzhrrt-7-dotcom-v-crown-law-others.pdf
Thanks veutoviper…..will wait and see what appears next then…..good points raised and noted which I appreciate your response.
“False Clarke Gayford rumours: Police and PM Jacinda Ardern respond to widely circulated fake slurs” by David Fisher.
Jacinda via Clarke is the victim of false news and Dirty Tricks are alive and well. Yuck!
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12043351
Ugh scary stuff
One News last night had a disturbing story about allegations that Corrections officers had sexually assaulted prisoners – and that Corrections was for some reason not bothering to track these allegations:
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2018/05/how-can-they-not-track-this.html
Excellent to see that the school workers’ strikes are spreading across more states in the USA: https://rdln.wordpress.com/2018/05/01/us-teachers-strikes-spread-across-five-states/
How do Labour and Green supporters here feel about it being years before the welfare overhaul comes about?
Anecdotally, I know most weren’t expecting changes over night, but now that Labour have indicated it may not come about until after the next election, how do you feel about the delay?
Personally, considering some of the horror stories coming out of WINZ one would have thought Labour would have made the overhaul a priority.
The Green Party seem rather silent on the matter. Especially so now they have Marama as co-leader.
Maybe the poor would get more welfare if they banded together and formed a religion…. see Gloriavale below, but I don’t think they are the only ones who can gather substantial government benefits in this way… funny how the tinder date women got her benefit cut, but this sort of practise is ok, (maybe because they are rich and a harder target?).
I see from your link the Government is going to look into it.
“The problem is that poor families really can’t wait until the deliberations of a welfare working group, they’ve already had to wait far too long and we’re picking up the social cost of that every day, we’re hearing from the sector about how … things have got worse.” – Susan St John.
Seeing as the welfare overhaul was part of Labour’s confidence and supply deal with the Greens, it’s surprising the Greens have nothing to say on the delay.
So much for the notion of the Greens keeping Labour in check. I’m starting to think my vote for the Greens was a waste of time.
Sue Bradford? She understood that time is something you don’t have when you are hungry and homeless….
Welfare has been allowed to get into a mess and a lot of people who don’t need benefits get them, while working people increasingly need them because the wages are so low, while those who need benefits them don’t get them, so that the costs overrun and more and more ‘reforms’ can be justified, at the same time this means less left people vote left (because their lives have got worse) and more right people vote right (because welfare feels like a bottomless pit)…
Yes, savenz, Sue Bradford understands that time is something you don’t have when you are hungry and homeless.
A lot of people I know that voted left have given up on so-called left wing parties and no longer partake in elections. In fact, I’ve yet to meet a right-winger that doesn’t vote.
From the confidence and supply agreement:
https://www.greens.org.nz/sites/default/files/NZLP%20%26%20GP%20C%26S%20Agreement%20FINAL.PDF
Nothing about timing but if there is nothing immediate in the Budget in a couple of weeks, then yes the left have cause to be concerned.
The drawn-out timing (up to 3 years from now) was announced by Labour’s Social Development Minister on the last episode of the Nation.
What blew me away was there was nothing from the Greens on this drawn-out timing, yet when it came to the less well off subsidising those that can afford a new EV, the Greens were quick to publicly announce they are considering it. Despite it going against their social justice stance.
So instead of speaking up on the drawn-out timing to help the less well off, they decided to speak up on a policy proposal that will benefit the well to do at the expense of the less well off.
What the hell are they up too?
“I’m starting to think”
Gosh, starting to? You really are a feeble little troll.
No. I’m a disappointed Green voter.
feeble.
When it comes to social justice,”feeble” and largely good for nothing is how the Greens are currently coming across.
You are such a try-hard.
It’s a pity and a real let down the Greens aren’t trying harder.
Can you explain how you thought a party polling around 5% last September was going to be able to enforce all the changes you wanted in 6 months?
Due to their lack of the vote, I don’t expect the Greens to enforce all the changes they campaigned on. However, I do expect them to speak up and show us how they are working on trying to secure more.
What we’ve got is them gifting questions to the opposition and telling us they are considering getting the less well off to subsidise the well to do.
Do you not share my disappointment, Tracey?
I dont actually. I know enough about them to understand they do not indulge in the tail wagging the dog and will abide by the letter and intent of agreements they sign.
“I know enough about them…”
Do you?
So you are happy and have no problem with them gifting questions away and considering getting the less well off to subsidise the well to do?
“They do not indulge in the tail wagging the dog and will abide by the letter and intent of agreements they sign.”
And in saying that, are you implying speaking up and showing us how they are working on trying to secure more doesn’t abide by the letter and intent of agreements they’ve signed? Because that would be incorrect, despite what you claim to know.
If not, what was your point?
” I’m starting to think my vote for the Greens was a waste of time. ” where do you think your vote would have been used better?
Nowhere, at this stage. Hence, my desire to see the Greens up their game.
Addionally, Tracey, your question reminds me of the stance some centrist take. We don’t have to worry and cater to the left as they have nowhere else to turn too.
One of the issues of welfare seems to be some unusual arrangements allowed, such as the Gloriavale community who seem to have copious amounts of children who apparently need government welfare support, giving their WFF’s (estimated over 3 million a year in WFF welfare payments to the families who then put it in the wealthy community leaders bank accounts)… God provides in mysterious ways… someone was also complaining how they got such a good ero report when they are segregated and girls taught women’s work. I believe Gloriavale also qualify for some education funding for their own schools from the tax payer to the tune of $200,000… to teach that sort of stuff… God via the tax payers provides again, it seems.
Government to investigate Gloriavale’s use of Working for Families payments
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/05/government-to-investigate-gloriavale-s-use-of-working-for-families-payments.html
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/04/22/dr-liz-gordon-bees-guns-and-cults-recent-happenings-in-education/
Q: what’s the difference between Centrepoint and Gloriavale?
A: one’s a commune run by a convicted sexual predator, and the other was run by Bert Potter.
Actually the answer is no difference. Both are run by sexual predators. Your attempt at humour is weak and illplaced imo
With the budget fast approaching- I hope those senior members of the govt will be reminded repeatedly of what was said at election time.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2017/10/what-labour-promised.html
https://www.labour.org.nz/10_reasons
Unlike in 99 (when the reverse was the case) last year is appearing to be over promised and under delivered
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/103480388/cheaper-gp-visits-delayed-as-govt-admits-it-cant-afford-this-year
So we are now prioritising what will be spent.
How can we trust any Politician?? National – Labour what really is the difference? Promise then renege, BUT we didn’t know…. Really
You thought Labour was significantly different to National in terms of behaviour? Why?
I think we all need a bit of a laugh today – so here we are.
The NZ is being left off of maps conspiracy – Jacinda Ardern and Rhys Darby
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2018/05/jacinda-ardern-rhys-darby-campaign-to-get-nz-on-world-maps-in-hilarious-video.html
Just a wee heads up on the ‘news’ that hemp is good food, and being permitted as food, and kiwi farmers might move into it as an alternate income to milking.
This is all true. BUT, and it’s a biggie…
Hemp is an accumulator of heavy metals. Cadmium, that comes with many Phosphate fertilisers, is a widespread problem on Dairy (and other) land, with levels threatening to shut certain land from production, or out of specific markets (EU). Our Councils are already fully aware of this issue.
So, here’s what actually needs to happen.
We identify the (so much) polluted land, and grow Hemp for FIBRE, until the land is cleared for food. The Hemp will detoxify the land while making a profit for Farmers. Talk about a gift horse. Now let’s see if anyone’s listening.
It’s an elegant solution to an enormous potential screw up.
Let’s get this right.
I think there’s a project in Australia looking to use a salt bush for a similar use, specifically for heavy metails and radioactive stuff. The idea being that the salt bush absorbs the pollutants, and it’s then taken and burned and the metals collected (radioactive rope might be an issue).
But it’s an interesting idea.
Nice heads up on the saltbush thank you.
These types of plants are called hyperaccumulators, and were initially discovered as inhabitants of serpentine soils and mine tailings. Unfortunately most grew too small or too slow to be of use but science continues the search. Did you know some clever folks have found a strain of Brassica juncea to harvest gold from tailings?
GOLD! (that always gets attention).
Mustard?
Lol that’ll end up in a posey michelin star restaurant
‘
Spider 16.
A love story
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/australia/103579347/the-extraordinary-life-and-death-of-the-worlds-oldest-known-spider
The Am Show Mark I would not have liked to be in your shoes when that bomb went off
on the Black Caps tour of Pakistan in 2002 that would have been unexpected and made me ——-my pants.
We should be great full that OUR Tipunas had the forsight to use diplomacy and intelligence to work together to leave us all this beautiful country Aoteraroa .
One phenomenon about this school PEE description is that it confirms my concerns that there is heaps of PEE out there and there is good reason to call out people using the word CRACK in any way in public is not acceptable.Duncan there need to be a advertising campaign showing what PEE does to you as soon as I heard about PEE we talked to our children about the bad side affects of PEE it is easy to see PEE users some people just don’t know how easy it is to see all addicts.
Gossip is a human trait everyone does it I take all information with a grain of salt untill I get it confirmed from other sources some people take gossip as a fact and use it to harm other people Good name like the sandflies are doing to me but are thats OK Eco Maori is just a broke brown person with no rights. Ka kite ano P.S its good that my———– know that I am innocent
I say that what happen in that NZ School is unacceptable and who ever dreamt that up should be canned full stop P.S we should never let it be accepted that PEE becomes a common thing in New Zealand as this type of behavior will do make it the norm. I wonder what that principal career was before he started teaching I think I know what it was
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/103580992/quakes-rattle-the-northeast-of-the-south-island
The Am Show Negative gearing is not just used by house owners business use it to structure there business to avoid paying tax that’s a fact we need to even the playing feild for all If they middle class are worried about there retirement they should join that great Labour invention Kiwi saver Ka kite ano
Good evening Newshub tangata I agree with that drug councler its insane to expose te Mokopunas to that information on PEEEEE.
ITS obvious that the fuel companies are running campaign to maximise their profits. The Queen horses
Phil and Tyrone are magnificently beautiful animals I will be getting me A horse or 2 soon as I build my Pa back home.
Nice tie Mike many thanks to the good Tangata Sea cleaner for there great work Ka pai
There is a lot of different foods we eat that can cause harm to animals like chocolate is never to be fed to dogs as it hypes them up and could cause more damage to the dog good on the Australian for putting there foot down on this issue. Ka kite ano
Newshub you would think the sandflys would spend there time chasing the PEEEEE dealers instead of wasting there time and resources harrsing ECO MAORI knowing how much is on the street and that the Mokopunas are using the poison Ana to kai Ka kite ano P.S I think they have there priorities worng
The Crowd goes Wild Mulls and Melissa you will be a good team I have a hard time with the sandflys always harresmeing me on the roads to keep my self control I just tell myself that they are trying to minupulate my behaviour and calm down I’m not letting them change my behaviour muppets.
Monty Betham is a excellent ambassador for Rugby League and the Warriors many thanks from ECO MAORI Monty for your good work Ka kite ano Wairangi is going to be brused after that Monty
The Crowd goes Wild To admit one needs glass is to admit one is getting long in the tooth Melissa it took me a couple of years to admit I needed glasses lol Ka kite ano