Open Mike 02/05/2018

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, May 2nd, 2018 - 77 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

77 comments on “Open Mike 02/05/2018 ”

  1. Jenny 1

    How come I keep getting this when I try to post a comment about my time in Syria?

    Request Timeout
    Server timeout waiting for the HTTP request from the client.

    Apache/2.4.33 (Ubuntu) Server at thestandard.org.nz Port 443

    • Ed 1.1

      I wonder why.

      • Jenny 1.1.1

        Me too. Still getting it.

        Request Timeout
        Server timeout waiting for the HTTP request from the client.

        Apache/2.4.33 (Ubuntu) Server at thestandard.org.nz Port 443

        • Jenny 1.1.1.1

          Will try again.

          • Jenny 1.1.1.1.1

            Nope.

            Request Timeout
            Server timeout waiting for the HTTP request from the client.

            Apache/2.4.33 (Ubuntu) Server at thestandard.org.nz Port 443

      • solkta 1.1.2

        It’s obviously a conspiracy.

    • Sacha 1.2

      Because even the server is bored shitless with that topic?

      • Jenny 1.2.1

        “Ay Rabs”, “Head Choppers”, “Rag Heads”, Who cares about them.

        Kill them all.

        Just do it quietly.

        Eh, Sacha?

    • lprent 1.3

      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.

      • Jenny 1.3.1

        Thanks

      • lprent 1.3.2

        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.

        • Jenny 1.3.2.1

          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.

          Request Timeout
          Server timeout waiting for the HTTP request from the client.

          Apache/2.4.33 (Ubuntu) Server at thestandard.org.nz Port 443

        • veutoviper 1.3.2.2

          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.

        • McFlock 1.3.2.3

          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?

  2. Ed 2

    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.

    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.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AC6RSau7r8

  3. UncookedSelachimorpha 3

    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

  4. Rosemary McDonald 4

    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.

    • Rosemary McDonald 4.1

      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.

  5. silvertuatara 5

    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.

    • savenz 5.1

      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…

    • veutoviper 5.2

      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

      • silvertuatara 5.2.1

        Thanks veutoviper…..will wait and see what appears next then…..good points raised and noted which I appreciate your response.

  6. ianmac 6

    “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.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12043351

  7. savenz 7

    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

  8. Philip Ferguson 8

    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/

  9. The Chairman 9

    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.

    • savenz 9.1

      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 Chairman 9.2

      “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.

      • savenz 9.2.1

        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)…

        • The Chairman 9.2.1.1

          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.

      • Sacha 9.2.2

        From the confidence and supply agreement:
        https://www.greens.org.nz/sites/default/files/NZLP%20%26%20GP%20C%26S%20Agreement%20FINAL.PDF

        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 Chairman 9.2.2.1

          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?

      • solkta 9.2.3

        “I’m starting to think”

        Gosh, starting to? You really are a feeble little troll.

        • The Chairman 9.2.3.1

          No. I’m a disappointed Green voter.

          • solkta 9.2.3.1.1

            feeble.

            • The Chairman 9.2.3.1.1.1

              When it comes to social justice,”feeble” and largely good for nothing is how the Greens are currently coming across.

              • solkta

                You are such a try-hard.

                • The Chairman

                  It’s a pity and a real let down the Greens aren’t trying harder.

              • tracey

                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?

                • The Chairman

                  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?

                  • 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.

                    • The Chairman

                      “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?

                    • The Chairman

                      “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?

      • tracey 9.2.4

        ” 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?

        • The Chairman 9.2.4.1

          Nowhere, at this stage. Hence, my desire to see the Greens up their game.

        • The Chairman 9.2.4.2

          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.

  10. savenz 10

    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/

    • Daveosaurus 10.1

      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.

      • tracey 10.1.1

        Actually the answer is no difference. Both are run by sexual predators. Your attempt at humour is weak and illplaced imo

  11. Herodotus 11

    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

    • tracey 11.1

      You thought Labour was significantly different to National in terms of behaviour? Why?

  12. veutoviper 12

    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

  13. DB Brown 13

    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.

    • McFlock 13.1

      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.

      • DB Brown 13.1.1

        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).

        • McFlock 13.1.1.1

          Mustard?

          Lol that’ll end up in a posey michelin star restaurant

  14. 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

  15. 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

    • eco maori 16.1

      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

      • eco maori 16.1.1

        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

        • eco maori 16.1.1.1

          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

          • eco maori 16.1.1.1.1

            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

            • eco maori 16.1.1.1.1.1

              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

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    TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 hours ago
  • Relentlessly negative
    Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 hours ago
  • Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    Bryce Edwards writes –  It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 hours ago
  • Promiscuous Empathy: Chris Trotter Replies To His Critics.
    Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played. “Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
    7 hours ago
  • Don’t run your business like a criminal enterprise
    The Detail this morning highlights the police's asset forfeiture case against convicted business criminal Ron Salter, who stands to have his business confiscated for systemic violations of health and safety law. Business are crying foul - but not for the reason you'd think. Instead of opposing the post-conviction punishment and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 hours ago
  • Misremembering Justinian’s Taxes.
    Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I - Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
    7 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    8 hours ago
  • Bishop scores headlines with crackdown on unwelcome tenants – but Peters scores, too, as tub-thump...
    Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    9 hours ago
  • Will it make the boat go faster?
    Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    12 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi The fact that a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    12 hours ago
  • Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    12 hours ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10am on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st Century The SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims Stuff Steve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    13 hours ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things on Tuesday, March 19
    It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    14 hours ago
  • New Life for Light Rail
    This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail  Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    15 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    17 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    2 days ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    6 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    6 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
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    1 day ago
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