Here's a very good piece on health risks and how to interpret them, starting with the pause on the J&J and AstraZeneca vaccines due to the very very small but probably real slightly elevated risk of a of a rare type of blood clot after vaccination than the general background incidence of that very rare blood clot.
For AstraZeneca's vaccine, we know that of the 54 million doses administered in the EU and UK by early April, 223 cases of CVST blood clots were reported — an incidence of roughly 4 events per million doses. With background incidence of CVST ranging from 5-15 cases per million people per year, it is tempting to infer there is no significant elevation due to the vaccine. But emergent cases of post-vaccination CVST seem to coincide with low platelet count, an unusual combination potentially hinting at a deeper association.
Yet making a causal connection is a fraught affair. Both typical CVST and the vaccine-associated CVST are so vanishingly rare that even a handful of recorded events can skew interpretations, rendering estimates of their true incidence intrinsically uncertain. Incidence itself varies with age, sex, and other risk factors – the conceptive pill, for instance, is associated with a 7-fold increase in CVST risk for women aged 15-50. Available data is transient and subject to change: originally it was thought this condition might only affect females, a position which has evolved with growing evidence. Complicating things further, COVID-19 itself is associated with both increased risk of CVST and reduced platelet count. This in effect blurs the picture, making it less clear whether associations might be due to the vaccine or the pandemic itself.
It then goes on to touch on how other risks are misinterpreted and misused by misinformation artists, such as IARC classifications of potential cancer risks which specifically does not look at the magnitude of an increased risk but only at the strength of evidence for there actually being an increased risk.
The whole thing is really worth the read, it does a good job of clarifying some complex ideas.
edit: note that this is really just of background interest. The vaccine almost all of us will get in New Zealand is the Pfizer vaccine. The only serious risk I’m aware of so far is rare cases of allergic reactions, which are safely dealt with by staying at the vaccination site for fifteen minutes or so after vaccination. Other side effects include temporary swollen lymph nodes and temporary period changes for some women, as well as the expected effects of sore shoulder and generally feeling a bit off for a day or two.
If, after efforts to educate and inform individuals of the facts relating to the Covid vaccine, they are still falling on deaf ears because idiots are listening to quacks then… you're fired.
The case of the small group of people who suffer from conditions which make it unsafe for them only have to produce a certificate from their doctor (or whoever) and every effort can be made to re-establish them to non front-line activities.
These anti-vaxxers are currently demanding compensation because they have lost their jobs. Compensation? What for? Self-centred idiocy?
In the case of the Pfizer vaccine we're all about to be offered here in NZ, so far the only reports I've seen of serious medical concerns are the allergic reactions. So if someone with a history of allergic reactions wanted one of the other vaccines, I'd be quite sympathetic. Although even in the case of a reaction as severe as anaphylaxis, it seems that waiting in the doctor's office for half an hour gets past the danger period with staff on hand to safely deal with it if it does occur. I haven't noticed any reports of deaths from anaphylaxis due to the Pfizer jab, but it might have happened if they hadn't stayed for a while after getting jabbed.
It seems the usual groups of people with genuine medical reason to be wary of vaccines in general – the immunocompromised, those getting cancer treatment etc – can quite safely get the Pfizer vaccine. It just might not do them much good if their immune system isn't working well. So they will likely still be reliant on herd immunity for their protection.
Personally, I'm of the view that job loss should be just the start of potential consequences for being so fkn antisocial as to refuse free vaccination. If someone refuses vaccination then gets the disease, they should have to pay for their treatment rather than getting it for free, as well as paying for the treatment and other related losses of those they go on to infect.
But that report only covers what has been observed in New Zealand. The numbers involved are too small to be likely to pick up a very rare but serious harm caused by the vaccine, such as the blood clots that might be caused by the J&J and AZ vaccines (which we are not, repeat not, getting here).
On the other hand, those early vaccinations will include significant numbers of Maori and Pacifica (to whom we all owe thanks for taking on the risk of being on the frontline of keeping the rest of us safe). That may be helpful in producing data to reassure vaccine-hesitant Maori and Pacifica that are concerned there haven't been vaccine trials that have included people with similar genetics to theirs.
There are three reasons to look at local data even though the numbers are low: 1) obviously they are more relevant because of ‘demographics’; 2) they may be trusted more than some overseas sources; 3) they are on the only vaccine currently rolled out in NZ, AFAIK. Of course, because of the staged roll-out of the vaccine, the numbers cannot be taken as representative and thus not as predictive for the larger general NZ population.
Somewhere in NZ a group of lawyers are rubbing their hands together in glee. What a pointless and misinformed (in regards to employment law) move. I hope they pay through the nose for attempting to coerce "informed consent". Totally with the workers.
Fechney, who is advocating for several other Customs workers in a similar situation, said the Government should be paying the sacked workers compassionate compensation.
“If you're going to terminate, at least do it in a redundancy setting,” she said. “They gave up their own health and safety to protect the borders.”
The worker was also given the option of remaining employed for four weeks while Customs searched for suitable jobs at other government agencies, such as Corrections.
“None of my clients were interested in that,” Fechney said. “There's a big difference between working in Corrections and working in Customs.”
Fechney said her clients were also irked that their certificates of service said they had resigned from their roles.
“It makes it feel like it is their choice to leave, but it’s not their choice.”
As someone who advocates for people with disabilities I wonder how many of them have just been discriminated against to boot. The vaccine may not suit everyone, and with some types of medication or illness the reactions will vary. These workers are acting within their rights despite intense pressure to conform and I’m disappointed more people here aren’t behind them.
Is there a middle ground other than a redundancy payment?
Employment and not being vaccinated is going to come up in other jobs.
Working in customs and not being vaccinated is an employer issue when it comes to public safety. In saying this a person working in customs who has been vaccinated could still become infected and pass it on.
Covid is making a person's choice of job untenable if employment is dependent on vaccination.
Yep, plenty of situations in workplaces that require compliance with health and safety, e.g. wear a hardhat, use eye protection, drive the forklift safely etc. People who refuse to comply are often held to account and if necessary, terminated, for their and other's safety.
If I said wearing a hardhat causes brain cancer – with no reasonable evidence – probably wouldn't fly as an excuse.
These workers are acting within their rights despite intense pressure to conform and I’m disappointed more people here aren’t behind them.
So, you didn't read Andre @1.1.1 then? No, I suppose not. You might become better informed on the subject.
If the workers who refuse to conform simply because they can, or for reasons of a crackpot conspiracy they've fallen for, then they must face the consequences.
Why should they be allowed to potentially expose the other 80% of the working population to Covid infection out of self-centred intransigence.
These workers are acting within their rights despite intense pressure to conform and I’m disappointed more people here aren’t behind them.
Doing the extremely low risk and low cost action of getting vaccinated has a personal benefit, and fulfills a responsibility to the community of taking reasonable precautions against negligently causing harm to others. That community responsibility aspect of it is something that is generally associated with 'left' politics.
Whereas insisting on being free to negligently cause harm to others, in this case by potentially spreading disease, because rights, is something that's more associated with the likes of ACT and other uglier parts of 'right-wing' libertarian politics.
There's no need to be quite so obnoxious about it. Bodily integrity and the right to choose what is done to it is a core human value, and one that we should only traduce in the most extreme circumstances.
Enforced mass vaccination is one of those borderline cases that we should approach respectfully, acknowledging that there are important principles at stake on both sides of the argument.
Personally I'm going to queue up for my jab when the time comes, but I'm not going to go full-metal authoritarian about it either.
You have no idea how much effort I'm putting into holding back from saying what I really want to say on the topic of those that think they have some kind of right to negligently become disease spreaders.
Self centred shitbag youtubing asshats without a skerrick of sense, decency or honor demanding attention and special treatment because really, they are cunts.
Hope that helped Andre. I held back too.
[Take a week off to chill out. I find it curious that you did this given your comment on OM yesterday about your famous friend in the UK but perhaps I’m the only who finds this inconsistent behaviour – Incognito]
BTW, I've yet to see anyone arguing for enforced mass vaccination. So that's a strawman. There's just been arguments for accountability and for removing those who refuse to vaccinate from employment positions where they are an undue risk to the general public.
removing those who refuse to vaccinate from employment positions where they are an undue risk to the general public.
Well you need to draw that line clearly. What exactly constitutes 'undue risk' here? Front line MIQ workers clearly fall into that category. (And I'm not against this – for example when travelling to Latin America for work purposes Yellow Fever vaccination was mandatory, or I didn't go.)
But start casting the net wider and suddenly you start catching a lot of people with far less choice around their employment.
I suggest this because I note you’re in bed with people like WTB who seem broadly undiscriminating about who they’re calling out as cunts here.
I think that’s unfair on Andre; WTB is having a week off and Andre did not ask for WTB’s ‘help’. If he had, or if he had applauded it, he would be having a week off too.
It is up to you to accept an apology in good grace or just take it as given and leave it at that and move on. Be the change you want to see is one of my favourite mottos, but easier said than done 😉
RL Mass vaccination should be approached carefully, with questions about its safety, and answers given to the questions of informed people, with medical and scientific backgrounds, also advocates for the poor. I myself have read that some people in poor health are not able to deal with the vaccine properly and are more likely to fall ill. What consideration is given to this?
Apart from that all that grandstanding about one's individual rights don't stand up when there are invisible germs causing great swathes of sickness around, and people's living is at stake through economic recession because of it. The people refusing may have to live together on a distant farm till the matter comes under control. Then if they infect anyone, it will be one of their own kind.
Society has to strike a balance between both the rights and obligations of the individual – and similarly the state. This is one of the enduring, eternal themes of politics – exactly how do we strike the balance when the ground keeps shifting under us.
Keep in mind that it's very easy for a majority to insist we give up individual rights in the name of collective safety, while the reverse pattern is a distinctly uphill battle.
However in this instance I tend to agree there is a good case for as many people to be vaccinated as possible (all other things being equal) – but that the state should employ the least coercion necessary to achieve it. Overreach would be hugely counterproductive, and especially so if anything went wrong.
With that in mind I'm sticking to my original thought that if we're going to go down the path of mass vaccinating then we need to go about it as respectfully as possible. Abusing and demonising those who are not initially on board (and there always is a spread of people from early to late adopters for anything new) will only generate resentment and unnecessary resistance.
Assuming we reach a level of 70% of people vaccinated, there will be an awful lot of Kiwis who you’d isolate on “distant farms”. Don’t mind their children though, they’ll be fine. And don’t mind the economy, it’ll be fine too. I have no idea what “their own kind” of Kiwi is supposed to mean but I don’t like the sound of it one bit, as it elicits a strong vibe of othering with me.
edit
If there are two points of view and neither will or can afford to concede, then each side is the 'other' to the alternative side. Can't get past that. When things go rogue, times are very tough, if some will not change, are infected with illness or possible illness that can be passed on, those who want to defend against it and protect themselves and all citizens, must see those who won't as 'others'.
Face the fact, holding hands and singing kumbyah doesn't cope with negative and spreading menace.
I believe vaccination was not going to be mandated by (this) Government. Your ‘policy’: lock up 30% of all Kiwis who are unvaccinated in distant camps farms until they submit and become like you!? All I can say is that totalitarianism is no stranger to the Left
'Auckland employment lawyer Catherine Stewart said employers of workers required to be vaccinated were likely to be able to substantively justify dismissing an unvaccinated employee.'
So no cigar or as you strangely think, some moneypot to be claimed. Even before the flu vaccines become common the death numbers from that in bad years would be horrendous by modern standards. ( In US could be 100k p.a in the 1950s)
If you are worried about co-governance as a principle, I suspect you will not be the last couple to leave.
I agree that there's a lot that's attractive about Australia. Just make sure you have enough to make you fully independent of the state until you can become citizens. Because otherwise life will get reasonably hard.
Off to the land of the pre-1960's "Abbo hunts" and blatant anti-indigenous racism which makes NZ look positively progressive.
Make sure you don't return as a 501 and enjoy using you investments to support you thorough unemployment, health scares etc. while getting nothing in return for your taxes. Far better than looking forward to the prospect of living in a society with a multi-stream form of governance that redresses its past eh?
Former National government press secretary Ben Thomas said Collins' strategy shows her leadership is clearly under pressure.
Whether there is an imminent threat to her leadership or not, it is clear that she feels under intense pressure about her performance and leadership.
"It looks as if she is casting around for any kind of temporary sugar hit she can get in terms of a brief bump in the polls to take that pressure off," Thomas said.
Collins' current strategy was not one which would win her an election, he said
"The racist separation card is always tempting for oppositions to play. Since Don Brash in Orewa … there has been this idea you can magically pull yourself up in the polls by talking about one-rule-for-all and racial equality.
"In fact, that's not a strategy which wins elections," Thomas said.
Te Tiriti is a founding document of this country, if someone is uncomfortable with this, then perhaps relocating is best for them.
How JC will handle this political opportunity is the question. So far, it seems it will not gain her much political capital and National might just be a through-passage to ACT and some fringe parties that will suck up disenfranchised voters. No wonder David Seymour can’t wipe the smile off his face.
Instead of leading a robust political debate, JC has reached into the depths of despair and for the Don Brash toolbox, which has only one gadget in it. How did it work out for Don?
The sad thing is that JC and Don advocate status quo that (already) is a separation between two peoples with divisive institutions with systems and processes that not only have resulted in inequity but also have propagated and worsened it. JC and Don are divisive, polarising, and populist.
The reviews of the shambolic National Party that led to National losing badly and ACT doing extremely well is crystal clear about what needs to change in the National Party to improve their chances at the next Election in 2023. It is also crystal clear that it doesn’t fit with JC’s desperate attempt to cling to power as Party Leader. JC will be the undoing of National and she’s already well down the track.
One cannot argue against a 7-year gap in average life expectance between Pākehā and Māori.
Wellll, Don of the Deadbrains got to 39.1%, well up from English's effort of 20.9% in 2002. That was enough to get within 1 seat of potentially being able to put together a governing coalition with fellow walking undeads WinnieFirst and the Hairdo from Ohariu. Oh, including sockpuppet Rodders too, of course.
I doubt that reactionary element within New Zealand has receded far enough to not be a threat if the right conditions come together.
Depending on which version, Don is a mere blot in and on NZ History books. As per usual, many refuse to learn from the (their) past and repeat it, because ‘this time it’s different’. Desperate, cynical or stupid, you be the judge. I agree with you on the growing socio-political influence of “reactionary element within New Zealand”; it is the Left that has been in retreat and for a while now, which seems unstoppable, liking melting glaciers in the SI.
As per usual, many refuse to learn from the (their) past and repeat it, because ‘this time it’s different’.
At the turn of the last century (1900) we had 2 acts of parliament passed to enable better health outcomes for the public of nz in general,and for Maori Authorities specifically to manage Maori health outcomes.
The health act 1900,and the Maori Councils act 1900.
WHEREAS reiterated applications have been made by the Maori inhabitants of those parts of the colony where the Maoris are more or less domiciled and settled, forming what is known as Maori· centres and surroundings, for the establishment within those districts of some simple machinery of local self-government, by means of which such Maori inhabitants may be enabled to frame for them-selves such rules and regulations on matters of local concernment or relating to their social economy as may appear best adapted to their own special wants:
EG 16. It shall be lawful for the Council of any Maori district constituted under this Act to make, and from time to time vary or revoke, by-laws respecting all or any of the matters following, that is to say,-(1.) For the providing for the health and personal convenience of the inhabitants of any Maori village, pa, or assemblage of houses. (2.) For enforcing the cleansing of houses and other buildings in a dirty and unwholesome state. (3.) For the suppression of common nuisances. (4.) Por the prevention of drunkenness and sly-grog selling. (5.) For regulating the proceedings of tohungas, and the punishment by fine of those (whether European or Maori) who practise upon the superstition or credulity of any Maori in connection with the treatment of any disease.
Fascinating, although a little before my time; I was thinking more of JC and Don. I’d love to read more about this legal history although I have no idea how relevant it is and there’s so much else to read (and write!). Any insights?
One cannot argue against a 7-year gap in average life expectance between Pākehā and Māori.
Indeed the data on this outcome is crystal clear and always has been. What is far less clear is that 'racism' must be the sole and only possible cause worth addressing.
Agreed. Like so many labels, “racism” has become an all-compassing term, which makes it almost useless and counterproductive even in public and political debate. The cynic in me says that this is the exact intent.
The question isn't whether racism is the only cause of sustained generational ethnic disparities in health outcomes such as life expectancy.
The question is whether those disparities are mostly or even merely significantly caused by systemic and individual racism in NZ. Nice straw man, though.
"Structural racism is usually something that sits within an organisation that has sat there since it was constructed with the original philosophy," Professor Larissa Behrendt said.
"A really good example is the Australian constitution, which has a structural racism, because when it was set up it was with the view that it should allow racial discrimination to facilitate a White Australia policy.
People come and go from the organisation, and unless they are addressing those underlying prejudices those biases still sit there.
And what's particularly difficult in terms of change is that people who suffer from the impact of those prejudices feel it really strongly, but people who don't — who are in the group that is protected, whose values are highlighted or prioritised — they don't see it."
Talking about racial inequality at work is difficult—here are tips to do it thoughtfully In order for a white person or non-black person of color to be an ally and thoughtfully engage in discussions about race, it’s crucial they do their own work to understand the privilege that shapes their world view, and educate themselves on the things they need to personally learn and unlearn in order to be a better advocate.
Stanford scholars examine systemic racism, how to advance racial justice in America A summer of protest following the tragic death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other Black Americans; white supremacy on full display during the riots on Capitol Hill; a raging pandemic disproportionately affecting communities of color – events over the past year have only underscored how prevalent systemic racism and bias is in America today.
Fair enough. There'll probably be others who want to go with you. That'll be those whose ancestors came here but didn't really want to fit in with the locals. Or maybe they wanted to fit in but their heirs and successors don't, can't or won't
Those pioneers scarpered from places they were unhappy, where things weren't as they wished. They wanted to make new lives. The successors, unhappy with things as they are have the same gene. Farewell.
Bon voyage lilman – very brave of you in these uncertain times, so best of luck.
And please say hi to the little Aussie battler (up Sunshine Coast way) for me – cheers.
The melancholic torturer: How Australia became a nation that tortures refugees
"Ghassan Hage (2003) captures this infantile moment by suggesting the worry and anxiety of White Australia circled the fear of being abandoned by the ‘motherland’. A situation that, along with the nation’s xenophobia, may have contributed to the nation’s willingness to believe that women and men were throwing their babies overboard. He argues only a people in fear of being thrown over by their own motherland could imagine such a reality. In The Gauche Intruder (2000), Rutherford interrogates the rise of One Nation and the defensive position maintained by many of its supporters to preserve the founding fantasy of a good White Australia."
One Nation’s fantasy of defending a beleaguered moral universe – a good nation peopled by a good and neighborly people – serves as camouflage for aggression. . .. What remains invisible, and yet essential, in the shared discourse of One Nation and its critics, is this belief in a good and fair nation.
Thankls for that suggestion. No doubt Japan's history, culture and social climate (a general preference to preserve homogeneity) have influenced the number of refugees in that country. And Japan does have a fairly high population density; approx. 100 times that of Australia.
Interestingly, Nauru ranks 6th in the world for refugees as a percentage (3.2%) of its population. "Don't have to live like a refugee"
While economic migrants are desperate to live and work in Japan, experts told Business Insider it’s not a desirable country for legitimate refugees, and some end up in Japan almost by accident.
“The number of refugees who wish to come to Japan is very small,” Takizawa said. “Many of them want to go to Canada, or France, but there are no direct ways there, there are no refugees visas, so some of them come to Japan and then attempt to take another flight to, say, Canada. And then they are not allowed to enter so they ended up staying in Japan.”
Other times, refugees have turned down opportunities to relocate.
In 2010, Japan launched a pilot refugee resettlement project with UNHCR to accept 30 Karen refugees a year from camps in Thailand, but the response was underwhelming.
“It was difficult to interest refugees to come to Japan. They were used to the resettlement call for the US and Canada, maybe Scandinavian countries are more well-known. But refugees are very careful when they decide. Because we don’t just ship them around,” Hebecker said.
Some of the barriers include the need to learn a new language, a six-to-nine-month mandatory orientation course, and a high cost of living that requires both parents to work. Past research by Australia’s parliament has also found that asylum-seekers who have a choice weigh up social networks, historical ties between the new country and their home, simple travel, and a common language.
“And Japan lacks all of them,” Takizawa said.
Amini has now been in Japan for a number of years, and despite being multilingual and passing the top level of language proficiency, he still feels like he has a “language problem” with Japanese.
He sees Japan as a “beautiful country, a peaceful country,” one full of opportunity and convenience, where education and transport work with ease, but the government does little to help the hundreds of people it grants humanitarian visas, rather than refugee visas, every year.
“It’s a homogeneous country. I felt my family and I were treated as different people. But that’s fine. What was very much shocking to me was we had very little means of surviving in Japan,” Amini recalled. “The Japanese government didn’t provide us with some sort of assistance to survive.”
He Puapua was produced by a working group under Te Puni Kokiri to 'implement the UN Declaration of Indigenous Rights'
NZ had never signed the UN declaration at the time it was adopted -2007
However under the Key government in 2010 Peter Sharples went to the UN to say NZ had reversed its previous stance and now was a signatory
"Labour strongly opposed the declaration, fearing it was too sweeping and labelling it incompatible with New Zealand's constitutional and legal arrangements and Treaty settlement policy."
We came to Australia 8 yrs ago with the express intention of returning home to NZ. That intention is now wavering.
The resurgence of Maori sovereignty/separatism is one potential factor, although it's too soon to tell how that might work out.
Another factor I've never mentioned before is that we find the police a much more intrusive presence in NZ than here in Australia. In 2019 I spent much of the year in NZ, and recall on one drive between Auckland and Wellington seeing far more cops on the road rushing about, than the entire seven years in Australia prior. And we've noticed that the kind of petty crime and vandalism that's so rife in NZ, almost totally absent in most of Aus.
Then of course there is the much greater opportunity in Australia. If I'd stayed in NZ I would have remained gainfully employed, but moving across the ditch didn't so much increase my income dramatically – but expanded my scope for working at a much wider scale, on global sized projects.
Despite all the usual anti-Aussie bigotry so many kiwis are fond of indulging in (mainly I think to create a wholly unjustified sense of moral superiority) – most Australians of all backgrounds are welcoming and willing to give you a fair go. There are two big social differences however. One is that they much prefer direct and upfront communication – they don't respond to reserved or passive at all well; they want to know exactly where you stand. Secondly its a continent dedicated to giving each other shit, taking the piss and witty sarcasm. If an Aussie calls you a 'cunt' and you haven't done anything to piss him/her off recently, congratulations you've entered the matezone.
Also doing business here is a fair bit more complex, right from relatively simple things like opening a mobile phone account, doing tax, starting new jobs, renting property and through to buying property entails more steps and issues than we're used to. It takes time to build trusted relationships and if things go wrong it can go wrong quite badly. As Ad said above – make sure you're going into a firm situation and you're not dependent on the state. Depending on your age and income there is a path to permanent residency and citizenship for Kiwis, but it's not particularly easy or cheap. And while living here on the SCV444 visa has not proved difficult in the ordinary course of events – it offers no long-term security or tenure.
By chance is there an equivalent site to The Standard you are aware of in Australia?
Good question – honestly I haven't looked for one.
We found regional Victoria (and many other similar towns across the country) extremely liveable – some of the best places anywhere to live and work. Melbourne and Sydney cities are just too large for our tastes, but the greater Brisbane area (which extends really from the Gold Coast right up to Gympie) has one hell of a lot going for it.
I'm not trying to shit on NZ by comparison – it's still one of the top 10 nations on earth in my view – but honestly Australia is better.
As for the 'cultural proposition' I think you'd be able to find a like-minded social circle in all but the most remote places. Australians are every bit as diverse in their outlooks as are kiwis – they just express themselves more openly and directly that Kiwis are accustomed to. It's not a bad thing – you know where you stand right off the bat.
On "one drive between Auckland and Wellington seeing far more cops on the road rushing about, than the entire seven years in Australia prior."
Is that good or bad? Is it because New Zealand drivers are so bad they need policing? If there were no cops visible on the road what would the driving be like?
Obviously your view and perception are important. As a reason for highlighting that Australia is in that way better than NZ? I find it trite.
It might seem 'trite' to you, but the observation is real enough to us.
Perhaps the more important point I was trying to convey is that we've noticed how we both 'feel' safer in most Australian public settings than in NZ. I'm not trying to paint Aus as any kind of 'way better' utopia – it isn't. But this is one aspect where NZ is different and not in a good way.
The last time I was surrounded by a lot of armed militia was on site in Panama, to protect us from a rogue union that was rioting, burning and beating up any random people (one person was killed) that they could get their hands on. In that circumstance yes I felt 'safer' with lots of security around, although objectively I was probably more at risk of one of these guys having a gun accident than anything else.
Or the mining barge in Colombia that had a fully armed military platoon permanently stationed – again I understood as necessary when the bullet dents on the superstructure were pointed out to me. I was told not to worry much, the most recent attack was 'only 18 months ago'.
So yes in some circumstance a security presence is a very good idea – but the very need for it tells you that trouble is just around the corner. Why NZ should need so many cops racing around on our highways and Australia doesn't is an open question I'll leave to you to draw your own conclusions on.
And trust me Aussie drivers really are no better than Kiwis so that isn’t a strong explanation.
After I read this I couldn't stop giggling but couldn't figure out why for a while. Then the answer came to me! You might start a trend and peope thinking like you might move over there in droves meaning my whanau will have the chance to be safer and happier
Can we please leave the sewage in the sewage pond? I think lilman has nailed his colours to the mast quite clearly and we all wish him well in his endeavours.
It does appear that lilman only posted the comment to wind up a few here, and with some success, may I add. Even so, we don’t have to take the bait and sink to levels one is accustomed to on other blogs.
Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out. I had a mate with your nickname, he wasn't prejudice or paranoid, or prone to public tantrums so it can't be you.
Lucky you to have a job that has paid enough so you can live and save. You have done all right here, pity that you can't stay and have a go at being a bona fide citizen keen to help NZ stand tall and happy in the world, strong in principle and practice.
Hey fellow political junkies! The election over in Scotland is getting very strange; at least to my eyes. It's going to be a popcorn week there for sure.
I don't personally think much of Salmond, and those who claim he formed the Alba Party out of spite may not be too far off the mark (though he is really the second leader, but Flynn only lasted a few weeks). The party standing in the Regional (think; List, as NZ equivalent) seats only, is politically savvy. In a way, this seems to be the start of a indigenously Scots dual party system separate from the Scottish wings of the English Conservative and Labour parties.
Time will tell. I think their 6th (Thursday evening) will be our 7th of May (Friday morning).
The Scottish Conservatives used to be a separate party (1912-65) known as Unionist – as in Northern Ireland, and its MPs sat at Westminister under the Conservative whip. For the Scottish parliament it has own leadership and policy driven from Scotland. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unionist_Party_(Scotland)
Scotland has MMP just like NZ has, but with one major difference the country is divided into 8 regions with equal seats and the distribution for list seats is only done by region , not nationally. They way this works is that SNP which is strong throughout Scotland rather than only regionally like Labour, Conserv, Liberals, Greens and gets more seats than an MMP proportional result would allow.
The new Alba party ( its where the word Albany comes from) may do better than appears from a nationwide poll, as the list seats are allocated by the 8 regions and you only have to do well in a strong SNP region to pick up seats, thats how the Greens get their seats by overperforming in selected regions
I read somewhere that Alba was going with a split vote strategy (constituency vote SNP, Regional vote Alba – though don't have the link at hand), which may lead to an overhang. I haven't been able to see a formal threshold for a party to get an MSP seat, going by the last election it looks like maybe 5%? The modified D'Hondt methodology just made my eyes glaze over, but last election UKIP got 2% yet no regional seats, whereas the LibDems on 5.2% got one to go with their constiuency seats.
The thing where constituencies for Westminster and Holyrood MPs are geographically different sizes and shapes also baffles me. But thanks for the background on the SCP Ghostwwnz. Though my interest in them is mainly see if they sink below the SLP this time after the Johnson/ Cummings feud exploding so very publicly in the leadup to election day. What happens if Sturgeon needs Salmond to get the referendum numbers after Thursday is far more interesting at the moment. Hoping for a strong Scottish Green party showing! Though would need to be around 10% for that to be an option.
Closing down tabs for the night – this one helped me understand the Scots' Regional list a bit better I think. There's no absolute threshold, but there is a de facto one of about 1% of the list vote, so long as that is mainly concentrated in one region (above 7% of that region's Regional List vote). Then there's Independent List candidates! But way too late for that…
Latest in my Stuff paper is headline about Johnson attempting to 'buy' Scotland promising them additional medical help through the NHS – he is kidding isn't he? And better trains and roads through to the small population of north Scotland. ( I remember how once the Brazilian road was pushed through, all the grifters flooded in.) It always is wise to look carefully at the offer of lollies from a stranger.
'Nothing to see here': Boris Johnson claims flat funding row … https://www.theguardian.com › politics › live › apr › bori… 3 days ago — Boris Johnson attempts to brush off flat refurbishments row – video … Support for Scottish independence has fallen to 42%, its lowest level since just before the general … The election campaign has allowed the Tories and Labour to get much greater airtime, … But what we are doing is focusing on the stuff that really matters.
and
Boris Johnson is telling Scotland that the union is no longer … https://www.theguardian.com › commentisfree › apr 14/04/2021 — Guardian Pick. Johnson didn't get where he is today by not being a shape-shifting weasel. He won't refuse a referendum, …
The Scots can be sarky:. This relates to doing up his flat and some curtains?
Boris Johnson throws money away on decor while Grenfell … https://www.heraldscotland.com › news › 19269300.bo… 3 days ago — RIGHT to the heart of the issue we go. Will the prime minister tell this house the true nature of his feelings towards John Lewis?
A massive shoutout to the Rangitane people, who gifted back the 942 Hectare Pukaha Forest to the Crown after only getting it back in the Waitangi process four years ago.
Correct me if I'm wrong but this little patch of predator-controlled forest is now as south as the NZ Kokako actually get.
If anyone gets to the top of these ranges, they are really a little strip remnant from Wellington to Palmerston North of natural goodness where all else from the foothills to the ocean is now solid intensive farming.
Rangitane like most tribes were robbed. So giving this chunk back represents a major gift for them. In their shoes I probably wouldn't do the same.
Its unreadable… some obsession on health system using BMI ( along with age, smoking etc)to screen those who who have smaller chances of success. Oh well
Yeah, a stream of consciousness is not everybody’s cup of tea but to call it “unreadable” is a little harsh, IMO. Anybody who’s been on the IVF rollercoaster knows how emotionally draining it can be for both the ‘recipients’, as well as financially draining when you go ‘private’. Modern medicine can do an awful lot but it often comes at or with a cost that cannot be defined or expressed in dollar-terms only.
It is one thing to point out the problems (easy—we are all experts at this) and have great ideas about how to solve them (also relatively easy), but much harder for politicians to successfully get people on board, and then ensure solutions are successfully implemented!
The interface between medicine and politics; an imperative and opportunity that should be used responsibly
‘It has been said that figures rule the world. Maybe. I am quite sure that it is figures which show us whether it is being ruled well or badly.’ GoetheI was struck at a recent conference on equity for the elderly, how many presenters implicitly relied upon Statistics New Zealand. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveReporting on defence spending late last year, RNZ said the coalition government will have to make some tough calls this term to help the force address staff shortages and ageing infrastructure. “These are huge, huge amounts of government spending. It’s a significant proportion of the government’s ...
Peter Dunne writes – I am always wary when I hear that the Controller and Auditor-General has commented on or made recommendations to the government about an issue of public policy that does not relate strictly to public expenditure. According to the legislation, the role of the Controller ...
How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought NZ to the brink of economic and cultural chaos Chris Trotter writes – TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition ...
And why did the Crown not challenge the Tribunal’s jurisdiction? Gary Judd writes – Retired District Court Judge, David Harvey, has posted on his A Halflings View Substack an excellent summary of Justice Isacs’ judgment declining to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result?As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and ...
Macklemore isn’t someone I’d usually think about. Sure I liked his big hit from a few years back, everybody did it was catchy and cool with some memorable lines. But if I was going to think of artists who might speak out on political matters or world events, he wouldn’t ...
Another week goes by in the Luxon government’s efforts to roll back the past 70 years of social progress. The school lunches programme is to be downgraded by $107 million, and women need bother their heads no longer about pay equity, let alone expect ACC to provide adequate sexual violence ...
Brrr, the first cold snap of the year. Hope you’re rugged up nice and warm. Here are some stories that caught our eye this week… This Week on Greater Auckland On Monday, we had a post from a new contributor, Connor Sharp, who dug into the public feedback ...
Almost all of the Wellington City Council’s recommended zoning changes to allow many more apartments and townhouses in its inner-suburbs have been approved.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guest on geopolitics, ...
Open access notablesA Global Increase in Nearshore Tropical Cyclone Intensification, Balaguru et al., Earth's Future:Tropical Cyclones (TCs) inflict substantial coastal damages, making it pertinent to understand changing storm characteristics in the important nearshore region. Past work examined several aspects of TCs relevant for impacts in coastal regions. However, ...
Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result? As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and always answered “yes”, with very few ...
Thus far May has followed on from a quiet April in the blogging department, but in fairness, it has been another case of doing what I am supposed to be doing, namely writing original fiction. Plus reading. So don’t worry – I have been productive. But in order to reassure ...
Buzz from the Beehive A new government agency will open for business on July 1 – the Social Investment Agency. As a new standalone central agency effective from 1 July, it will lead the development of social investment across Government, helping ministers understand who they need to invest in, what ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The ...
Alwyn Poole writes – After being elected to Parliament in 2008 the maiden speech of Hipkins was substantially around education policy. He was Labour’s spokesperson for education 2011 – 2017. He was Minister for Education from 2017 until February 2023. This is approximately 88% of the time Labour ...
Eric Crampton writes – A fashion industry group is lobbying for protections. They make the usual arguments and a newer one. None of it makes sense. An industry group says it pumped $7.8 billion into the economy last year – that’s 1.9 percent of New Zealand’s GDP. ...
In December 2006, Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government in a coup. He ruled Fiji for the next 16 years, first as dictator, then as "elected" Prime Minister. But now, he's finally been sent to jail where he belongs. Sadly, this isn't for his real crime of ...
Don't like National's corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" law? Aotearoa's environmental NGO's - Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, WWF, Coromandel Watchdog, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, and others - have announced a joint march against it in Auckland in June: When: 13:00, 8 June, 2024 Where: Aotea Square, Auckland You ...
Seymour describes sushi as too woke for school meals. There are no fish sushi meals recommended by the School Lunches programme. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Government will swap out hot meals for packaged sandwiches to save $107 million on school lunches for poor kids. MSD has pulled ...
I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadenceBut I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled, yeahBut it's on the table, the fire's cookin'And they're farmin' babies, while slaves are workin'The blood is on the table and the mouths are chokin'But I'm goin' hungry, yeahSome ...
The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...
Hi,If you’ve been digging through the newly launched Webworm store (orders are being dispatched worldwide as I type!) you’ll have noticed the best model we had was Calvin.This is Calvin.Calvin.Calvin is 7, and is the son of my producer over on Flightless Bird, Rob — aka “Wobby Wob”. Rob also ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...
Its a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...
Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...
Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...
“Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The political parties are legally obliged to make ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim.Extreme Left Auckland University of TechnologyEvidenceThe ...
Eric Crampton writes – I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
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Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
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Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
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Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
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Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
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Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Pacific Media Watch Television New Zealand Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to investigative journalism and Pacific communities in a ceremony at Government House, reports 1News. She has been the Pacific correspondent for 1News since 2002, breaking many ...
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The fight to control major transport policy and projects in Auckland has burst into the open again, with councillors rejecting Mayor Wayne Brown’s latest attempt to steer things more under his influence. Councillors from the left and right broke ranks on the mayor’s bid to control Auckland Transport more directly ...
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By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Authorities in the small town of Boulouparis have commemorated Armistice Day on May 8 with a new memorial honouring New Zealand soldiers who were stationed in New Caledonia during World War II. The ceremony took place in the township on the ...
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Failing to anticipate the complexity of the consenting system is being cited as the the current builder's shortcomings, an Infrastructure Commission review says. ...
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The Royal New Zealand Ballet is performing Swan Lake around the country. What kind of dream does the ballet sell?Before going to see the Royal New Zealand Ballet perform Swan Lake, I had about as much familiarity with the plot of this ballet as could be expected from having ...
A new poem by Auckland poet Eamonn Tee. High Tide at Local Maxima It is only going to get worse. The streams will be narrow and fickle. The week will bend and buckle like a pot-bellied waist. You will make it to the weekend with one ...
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The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 James by Percival Everett (Mantle, $38) A retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from ...
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The Free Speech Union welcomes the decision by the Department of Internal Affairs, and Minister Brooke Van Velden, to abandon proposals to further regulate online speech. ...
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Writer Rebecca K Reilly breaks down the national book awards. What are the Ockhams?The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards are our annual national awards for books published for adults, and have existed in this form since 2016. There are four categories: Fiction, Poetry, General Non-fiction and Illustrated Non-fiction. There ...
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Here's a very good piece on health risks and how to interpret them, starting with the pause on the J&J and AstraZeneca vaccines due to the very very small but probably real slightly elevated risk of a of a rare type of blood clot after vaccination than the general background incidence of that very rare blood clot.
It then goes on to touch on how other risks are misinterpreted and misused by misinformation artists, such as IARC classifications of potential cancer risks which specifically does not look at the magnitude of an increased risk but only at the strength of evidence for there actually being an increased risk.
The whole thing is really worth the read, it does a good job of clarifying some complex ideas.
edit: note that this is really just of background interest. The vaccine almost all of us will get in New Zealand is the Pfizer vaccine. The only serious risk I’m aware of so far is rare cases of allergic reactions, which are safely dealt with by staying at the vaccination site for fifteen minutes or so after vaccination. Other side effects include temporary swollen lymph nodes and temporary period changes for some women, as well as the expected effects of sore shoulder and generally feeling a bit off for a day or two.
Totally with Customs on this one.
If, after efforts to educate and inform individuals of the facts relating to the Covid vaccine, they are still falling on deaf ears because idiots are listening to quacks then… you're fired.
The case of the small group of people who suffer from conditions which make it unsafe for them only have to produce a certificate from their doctor (or whoever) and every effort can be made to re-establish them to non front-line activities.
These anti-vaxxers are currently demanding compensation because they have lost their jobs. Compensation? What for? Self-centred idiocy?
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300290121/covid19-nine-customs-border-workers-fired-after-refusing-jab
In the case of the Pfizer vaccine we're all about to be offered here in NZ, so far the only reports I've seen of serious medical concerns are the allergic reactions. So if someone with a history of allergic reactions wanted one of the other vaccines, I'd be quite sympathetic. Although even in the case of a reaction as severe as anaphylaxis, it seems that waiting in the doctor's office for half an hour gets past the danger period with staff on hand to safely deal with it if it does occur. I haven't noticed any reports of deaths from anaphylaxis due to the Pfizer jab, but it might have happened if they hadn't stayed for a while after getting jabbed.
It seems the usual groups of people with genuine medical reason to be wary of vaccines in general – the immunocompromised, those getting cancer treatment etc – can quite safely get the Pfizer vaccine. It just might not do them much good if their immune system isn't working well. So they will likely still be reliant on herd immunity for their protection.
Personally, I'm of the view that job loss should be just the start of potential consequences for being so fkn antisocial as to refuse free vaccination. If someone refuses vaccination then gets the disease, they should have to pay for their treatment rather than getting it for free, as well as paying for the treatment and other related losses of those they go on to infect.
https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-vaccines/covid-19-vaccine-safety-and-approval/covid-19-vaccine-side-effects-and-reactions
Thanks for that.
But that report only covers what has been observed in New Zealand. The numbers involved are too small to be likely to pick up a very rare but serious harm caused by the vaccine, such as the blood clots that might be caused by the J&J and AZ vaccines (which we are not, repeat not, getting here).
On the other hand, those early vaccinations will include significant numbers of Maori and Pacifica (to whom we all owe thanks for taking on the risk of being on the frontline of keeping the rest of us safe). That may be helpful in producing data to reassure vaccine-hesitant Maori and Pacifica that are concerned there haven't been vaccine trials that have included people with similar genetics to theirs.
There are three reasons to look at local data even though the numbers are low: 1) obviously they are more relevant because of ‘demographics’; 2) they may be trusted more than some overseas sources; 3) they are on the only vaccine currently rolled out in NZ, AFAIK. Of course, because of the staged roll-out of the vaccine, the numbers cannot be taken as representative and thus not as predictive for the larger general NZ population.
Somewhere in NZ a group of lawyers are rubbing their hands together in glee. What a pointless and misinformed (in regards to employment law) move. I hope they pay through the nose for attempting to coerce "informed consent". Totally with the workers.
As someone who advocates for people with disabilities I wonder how many of them have just been discriminated against to boot. The vaccine may not suit everyone, and with some types of medication or illness the reactions will vary. These workers are acting within their rights despite intense pressure to conform and I’m disappointed more people here aren’t behind them.
I am comfortable that their rights are being fairly balanced against everyone else's. There is no 'right' to cause death or injury to other people.
Is there a middle ground other than a redundancy payment?
Employment and not being vaccinated is going to come up in other jobs.
Working in customs and not being vaccinated is an employer issue when it comes to public safety. In saying this a person working in customs who has been vaccinated could still become infected and pass it on.
Covid is making a person's choice of job untenable if employment is dependent on vaccination.
Can an employer disestablish a position due to a requirement not being met to fulfill public safety?
Yep, plenty of situations in workplaces that require compliance with health and safety, e.g. wear a hardhat, use eye protection, drive the forklift safely etc. People who refuse to comply are often held to account and if necessary, terminated, for their and other's safety.
If I said wearing a hardhat causes brain cancer – with no reasonable evidence – probably wouldn't fly as an excuse.
So, you didn't read Andre @1.1.1 then? No, I suppose not. You might become better informed on the subject.
If the workers who refuse to conform simply because they can, or for reasons of a crackpot conspiracy they've fallen for, then they must face the consequences.
Why should they be allowed to potentially expose the other 80% of the working population to Covid infection out of self-centred intransigence.
These workers are acting within their rights despite intense pressure to conform and I’m disappointed more people here aren’t behind them.
Doing the extremely low risk and low cost action of getting vaccinated has a personal benefit, and fulfills a responsibility to the community of taking reasonable precautions against negligently causing harm to others. That community responsibility aspect of it is something that is generally associated with 'left' politics.
Whereas insisting on being free to negligently cause harm to others, in this case by potentially spreading disease, because rights, is something that's more associated with the likes of ACT and other uglier parts of 'right-wing' libertarian politics.
There's no need to be quite so obnoxious about it. Bodily integrity and the right to choose what is done to it is a core human value, and one that we should only traduce in the most extreme circumstances.
Enforced mass vaccination is one of those borderline cases that we should approach respectfully, acknowledging that there are important principles at stake on both sides of the argument.
Personally I'm going to queue up for my jab when the time comes, but I'm not going to go full-metal authoritarian about it either.
You have no idea how much effort I'm putting into holding back from saying what I really want to say on the topic of those that think they have some kind of right to negligently become disease spreaders.
Good effort 😉
Self centred shitbag youtubing asshats without a skerrick of sense, decency or honor demanding attention and special treatment because really, they are cunts.
Hope that helped Andre. I held back too.
[Take a week off to chill out. I find it curious that you did this given your comment on OM yesterday about your famous friend in the UK but perhaps I’m the only who finds this inconsistent behaviour – Incognito]
See my Moderation note @ 6:48 pm.
BTW, I've yet to see anyone arguing for enforced mass vaccination. So that's a strawman. There's just been arguments for accountability and for removing those who refuse to vaccinate from employment positions where they are an undue risk to the general public.
removing those who refuse to vaccinate from employment positions where they are an undue risk to the general public.
Well you need to draw that line clearly. What exactly constitutes 'undue risk' here? Front line MIQ workers clearly fall into that category. (And I'm not against this – for example when travelling to Latin America for work purposes Yellow Fever vaccination was mandatory, or I didn't go.)
But start casting the net wider and suddenly you start catching a lot of people with far less choice around their employment.
I suggest this because I note you’re in bed with people like WTB who seem broadly undiscriminating about who they’re calling out as cunts here.
I think that’s unfair on Andre; WTB is having a week off and Andre did not ask for WTB’s ‘help’. If he had, or if he had applauded it, he would be having a week off too.
Yup. Fair cop – I posted before I saw your moderation. I withdraw the offending para and apologise.
Ta
I kinda viewed that as just part of the rough and tumble of robust debate. No offense taken and no apology needed, to me anyways.
Given that, is it still the done thing to accept the apology, to the extent that it applies to me?
It is up to you to accept an apology in good grace or just take it as given and leave it at that and move on. Be the change you want to see is one of my favourite mottos, but easier said than done 😉
RL Mass vaccination should be approached carefully, with questions about its safety, and answers given to the questions of informed people, with medical and scientific backgrounds, also advocates for the poor. I myself have read that some people in poor health are not able to deal with the vaccine properly and are more likely to fall ill. What consideration is given to this?
Apart from that all that grandstanding about one's individual rights don't stand up when there are invisible germs causing great swathes of sickness around, and people's living is at stake through economic recession because of it. The people refusing may have to live together on a distant farm till the matter comes under control. Then if they infect anyone, it will be one of their own kind.
Society has to strike a balance between both the rights and obligations of the individual – and similarly the state. This is one of the enduring, eternal themes of politics – exactly how do we strike the balance when the ground keeps shifting under us.
Keep in mind that it's very easy for a majority to insist we give up individual rights in the name of collective safety, while the reverse pattern is a distinctly uphill battle.
However in this instance I tend to agree there is a good case for as many people to be vaccinated as possible (all other things being equal) – but that the state should employ the least coercion necessary to achieve it. Overreach would be hugely counterproductive, and especially so if anything went wrong.
With that in mind I'm sticking to my original thought that if we're going to go down the path of mass vaccinating then we need to go about it as respectfully as possible. Abusing and demonising those who are not initially on board (and there always is a spread of people from early to late adopters for anything new) will only generate resentment and unnecessary resistance.
Assuming we reach a level of 70% of people vaccinated, there will be an awful lot of Kiwis who you’d isolate on “distant farms”. Don’t mind their children though, they’ll be fine. And don’t mind the economy, it’ll be fine too. I have no idea what “their own kind” of Kiwi is supposed to mean but I don’t like the sound of it one bit, as it elicits a strong vibe of othering with me.
edit
If there are two points of view and neither will or can afford to concede, then each side is the 'other' to the alternative side. Can't get past that. When things go rogue, times are very tough, if some will not change, are infected with illness or possible illness that can be passed on, those who want to defend against it and protect themselves and all citizens, must see those who won't as 'others'.
Face the fact, holding hands and singing kumbyah doesn't cope with negative and spreading menace.
I believe vaccination was not going to be mandated by (this) Government. Your ‘policy’: lock up 30% of all Kiwis who are unvaccinated in distant
campsfarms until they submit and become like you!? All I can say is that totalitarianism is no stranger to the LeftNot so fast Ksays
the story also quotes an employment lawyer
'Auckland employment lawyer Catherine Stewart said employers of workers required to be vaccinated were likely to be able to substantively justify dismissing an unvaccinated employee.'
So no cigar or as you strangely think, some moneypot to be claimed. Even before the flu vaccines become common the death numbers from that in bad years would be horrendous by modern standards. ( In US could be 100k p.a in the 1950s)
Well after reading the Government driven He Puapua document I find I shall be moving to Australia,my wife and I decided last night.
As from Monday we shall actively be seeking a shift to Queensland and shall leave this country after 57 years of hard work.
We shall take with our investments and attitude,we are done.
Would you mind citing what you are talking about?
Is it this one?
https://iwichairs.maori.nz/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/He-Puapua-for-OIA-release.pdf
If you are worried about co-governance as a principle, I suspect you will not be the last couple to leave.
I agree that there's a lot that's attractive about Australia. Just make sure you have enough to make you fully independent of the state until you can become citizens. Because otherwise life will get reasonably hard.
Off to the land of the pre-1960's "Abbo hunts" and blatant anti-indigenous racism which makes NZ look positively progressive.
Make sure you don't return as a 501 and enjoy using you investments to support you thorough unemployment, health scares etc. while getting nothing in return for your taxes. Far better than looking forward to the prospect of living in a society with a multi-stream form of governance that redresses its past eh?
Good riddance.
+100
You’re taking all your property in a suitcase? Just asking.
Oh, before I forget, say Hi to Pauline.
Well, just note that He Puapua delivers the leader of the National Party a mighty and timely gift.
She is fully on record opposing the Maori health entity. So you don't do that without testing it with your constituency.
The Orewa speech as over a decade ago, but we are by no means all woke yet.
Ben Thomas disagrees:
Te Tiriti is a founding document of this country, if someone is uncomfortable with this, then perhaps relocating is best for them.
Let's check after the next poll.
A poll bump is not really the gift you may think it is, even if it takes pressure off Collins’ leadership as Thomas says.
The only poll that matters is in 2023.
How JC will handle this political opportunity is the question. So far, it seems it will not gain her much political capital and National might just be a through-passage to ACT and some fringe parties that will suck up disenfranchised voters. No wonder David Seymour can’t wipe the smile off his face.
Instead of leading a robust political debate, JC has reached into the depths of despair and for the Don Brash toolbox, which has only one gadget in it. How did it work out for Don?
The sad thing is that JC and Don advocate status quo that (already) is a separation between two peoples with divisive institutions with systems and processes that not only have resulted in inequity but also have propagated and worsened it. JC and Don are divisive, polarising, and populist.
The reviews of the shambolic National Party that led to National losing badly and ACT doing extremely well is crystal clear about what needs to change in the National Party to improve their chances at the next Election in 2023. It is also crystal clear that it doesn’t fit with JC’s desperate attempt to cling to power as Party Leader. JC will be the undoing of National and she’s already well down the track.
One cannot argue against a 7-year gap in average life expectance between Pākehā and Māori.
How did it work out for Don?
Wellll, Don of the Deadbrains got to 39.1%, well up from English's effort of 20.9% in 2002. That was enough to get within 1 seat of potentially being able to put together a governing coalition with fellow walking undeads WinnieFirst and the Hairdo from Ohariu. Oh, including sockpuppet Rodders too, of course.
I doubt that reactionary element within New Zealand has receded far enough to not be a threat if the right conditions come together.
Depending on which version, Don is a mere blot in and on NZ History books. As per usual, many refuse to learn from the (their) past and repeat it, because ‘this time it’s different’. Desperate, cynical or stupid, you be the judge. I agree with you on the growing socio-political influence of “reactionary element within New Zealand”; it is the Left that has been in retreat and for a while now, which seems unstoppable, liking melting glaciers in the SI.
As per usual, many refuse to learn from the (their) past and repeat it, because ‘this time it’s different’.
At the turn of the last century (1900) we had 2 acts of parliament passed to enable better health outcomes for the public of nz in general,and for Maori Authorities specifically to manage Maori health outcomes.
The health act 1900,and the Maori Councils act 1900.
http://www.nzlii.org/nz/legis/hist_act/mca190064v1900n48237/
Fascinating, although a little before my time; I was thinking more of JC and Don. I’d love to read more about this legal history although I have no idea how relevant it is and there’s so much else to read (and write!). Any insights?
One cannot argue against a 7-year gap in average life expectance between Pākehā and Māori.
Indeed the data on this outcome is crystal clear and always has been. What is far less clear is that 'racism' must be the sole and only possible cause worth addressing.
Agreed. Like so many labels, “racism” has become an all-compassing term, which makes it almost useless and counterproductive even in public and political debate. The cynic in me says that this is the exact intent.
The question isn't whether racism is the only cause of sustained generational ethnic disparities in health outcomes such as life expectancy.
The question is whether those disparities are mostly or even merely significantly caused by systemic and individual racism in NZ. Nice straw man, though.
There you go – I just knew that any other explanation than 'systemic racism' wasn't allowed to be talked about.
You actually mentioned a cause other than racism?
In Hell I'll be in Good Company
guess not then. 🙄
You can have a beer with lilman while you're there! Queensland, that is.
But it's clearly a (complex) cause of long standing, wouldn't you agree? So why not address it, along with other causes? Too tough? Not a priority?
Well now, hopefully the IQ of both countries will be raised. Here Ra.
As is your right. Please convince any like-minded friends to do the same. Haere ra.
Fair enough. There'll probably be others who want to go with you. That'll be those whose ancestors came here but didn't really want to fit in with the locals. Or maybe they wanted to fit in but their heirs and successors don't, can't or won't
Those pioneers scarpered from places they were unhappy, where things weren't as they wished. They wanted to make new lives. The successors, unhappy with things as they are have the same gene. Farewell.
Baby boomers overboard?
Bon voyage lilman – very brave of you in these uncertain times, so best of luck.
And please say hi to the little Aussie battler (up Sunshine Coast way) for me – cheers.
The melancholic torturer: How Australia became a nation that tortures refugees
"Ghassan Hage (2003) captures this infantile moment by suggesting the worry and anxiety of White Australia circled the fear of being abandoned by the ‘motherland’. A situation that, along with the nation’s xenophobia, may have contributed to the nation’s willingness to believe that women and men were throwing their babies overboard. He argues only a people in fear of being thrown over by their own motherland could imagine such a reality. In The Gauche Intruder (2000), Rutherford interrogates the rise of One Nation and the defensive position maintained by many of its supporters to preserve the founding fantasy of a good White Australia."
Australia
The refugee intake in 2019 was 18,500 ( which includes family)
The migration program was in addition 180-190,000 per year
Australia's per capita refugee quota puts NZ to shame, but they are a wealthier country and a popular destination.
Ask Japan about being wealthy and refugee intakes
Thankls for that suggestion. No doubt Japan's history, culture and social climate (a general preference to preserve homogeneity) have influenced the number of refugees in that country. And Japan does have a fairly high population density; approx. 100 times that of Australia.
Interestingly, Nauru ranks 6th in the world for refugees as a percentage (3.2%) of its population. "Don't have to live like a refugee"
https://www.unhcr.org/en-au/figures-at-a-glance.html
He Puapua was produced by a working group under Te Puni Kokiri to 'implement the UN Declaration of Indigenous Rights'
NZ had never signed the UN declaration at the time it was adopted -2007
However under the Key government in 2010 Peter Sharples went to the UN to say NZ had reversed its previous stance and now was a signatory
"Labour strongly opposed the declaration, fearing it was too sweeping and labelling it incompatible with New Zealand's constitutional and legal arrangements and Treaty settlement policy."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3599153/NZ-does-U-turn-on-rights-charter
We came to Australia 8 yrs ago with the express intention of returning home to NZ. That intention is now wavering.
The resurgence of Maori sovereignty/separatism is one potential factor, although it's too soon to tell how that might work out.
Another factor I've never mentioned before is that we find the police a much more intrusive presence in NZ than here in Australia. In 2019 I spent much of the year in NZ, and recall on one drive between Auckland and Wellington seeing far more cops on the road rushing about, than the entire seven years in Australia prior. And we've noticed that the kind of petty crime and vandalism that's so rife in NZ, almost totally absent in most of Aus.
Then of course there is the much greater opportunity in Australia. If I'd stayed in NZ I would have remained gainfully employed, but moving across the ditch didn't so much increase my income dramatically – but expanded my scope for working at a much wider scale, on global sized projects.
Despite all the usual anti-Aussie bigotry so many kiwis are fond of indulging in (mainly I think to create a wholly unjustified sense of moral superiority) – most Australians of all backgrounds are welcoming and willing to give you a fair go. There are two big social differences however. One is that they much prefer direct and upfront communication – they don't respond to reserved or passive at all well; they want to know exactly where you stand. Secondly its a continent dedicated to giving each other shit, taking the piss and witty sarcasm. If an Aussie calls you a 'cunt' and you haven't done anything to piss him/her off recently, congratulations you've entered the matezone.
Also doing business here is a fair bit more complex, right from relatively simple things like opening a mobile phone account, doing tax, starting new jobs, renting property and through to buying property entails more steps and issues than we're used to. It takes time to build trusted relationships and if things go wrong it can go wrong quite badly. As Ad said above – make sure you're going into a firm situation and you're not dependent on the state. Depending on your age and income there is a path to permanent residency and citizenship for Kiwis, but it's not particularly easy or cheap. And while living here on the SCV444 visa has not proved difficult in the ordinary course of events – it offers no long-term security or tenure.
Me and my Other Half would be fine in metro Melbourne, but outside of Brisbane I think Queensland would be a harder cultural proposition for us.
It's good that you have a proper alternative.
By chance is there an equivalent site to The Standard you are aware of in Australia?
By chance is there an equivalent site to The Standard you are aware of in Australia?
Good question – honestly I haven't looked for one.
We found regional Victoria (and many other similar towns across the country) extremely liveable – some of the best places anywhere to live and work. Melbourne and Sydney cities are just too large for our tastes, but the greater Brisbane area (which extends really from the Gold Coast right up to Gympie) has one hell of a lot going for it.
I'm not trying to shit on NZ by comparison – it's still one of the top 10 nations on earth in my view – but honestly Australia is better.
As for the 'cultural proposition' I think you'd be able to find a like-minded social circle in all but the most remote places. Australians are every bit as diverse in their outlooks as are kiwis – they just express themselves more openly and directly that Kiwis are accustomed to. It's not a bad thing – you know where you stand right off the bat.
Fair enough and cheers for that generous explanation.
Thanks. Incidentally I've just arrived in Perth this week – the local economy is very buoyant.
At first glance it's very different to Brisbane and will take a bit of getting used to, but the quantity of heavy industry here is quite remarkable.
On "one drive between Auckland and Wellington seeing far more cops on the road rushing about, than the entire seven years in Australia prior."
Is that good or bad? Is it because New Zealand drivers are so bad they need policing? If there were no cops visible on the road what would the driving be like?
Obviously your view and perception are important. As a reason for highlighting that Australia is in that way better than NZ? I find it trite.
It might seem 'trite' to you, but the observation is real enough to us.
Perhaps the more important point I was trying to convey is that we've noticed how we both 'feel' safer in most Australian public settings than in NZ. I'm not trying to paint Aus as any kind of 'way better' utopia – it isn't. But this is one aspect where NZ is different and not in a good way.
Once again, you feel safer on the road between Wellington and Auckland if you see no cops. Others would feel totally differently.
The last time I was surrounded by a lot of armed militia was on site in Panama, to protect us from a rogue union that was rioting, burning and beating up any random people (one person was killed) that they could get their hands on. In that circumstance yes I felt 'safer' with lots of security around, although objectively I was probably more at risk of one of these guys having a gun accident than anything else.
Or the mining barge in Colombia that had a fully armed military platoon permanently stationed – again I understood as necessary when the bullet dents on the superstructure were pointed out to me. I was told not to worry much, the most recent attack was 'only 18 months ago'.
So yes in some circumstance a security presence is a very good idea – but the very need for it tells you that trouble is just around the corner. Why NZ should need so many cops racing around on our highways and Australia doesn't is an open question I'll leave to you to draw your own conclusions on.
And trust me Aussie drivers really are no better than Kiwis so that isn’t a strong explanation.
Good luck .. you will need it. 5.9% unemployment. Your attitude to indigenous people will not be missed.
Bye.
After I read this I couldn't stop giggling but couldn't figure out why for a while. Then the answer came to me! You might start a trend and peope thinking like you might move over there in droves meaning my whanau will have the chance to be safer and happier
I said elsewhere on this subject:
Also happy to quote a comment from lilman at the same place on the same topic regarding Debbie Ngarewa-Packer:
– lilman
I think his moving to Queensland is a perfect fit. Not sure why he didn't do it earlier.
Can we please leave the sewage in the sewage pond? I think lilman has nailed his colours to the mast quite clearly and we all wish him well in his endeavours.
Fair enough. I didn't have time to read this entire conversation. I did think it was relevant to show lilman's true nature though.
It does appear that lilman only posted the comment to wind up a few here, and with some success, may I add. Even so, we don’t have to take the bait and sink to levels one is accustomed to on other blogs.
Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out. I had a mate with your nickname, he wasn't prejudice or paranoid, or prone to public tantrums so it can't be you.
Lucky you to have a job that has paid enough so you can live and save. You have done all right here, pity that you can't stay and have a go at being a bona fide citizen keen to help NZ stand tall and happy in the world, strong in principle and practice.
Hey fellow political junkies! The election over in Scotland is getting very strange; at least to my eyes. It's going to be a popcorn week there for sure.
https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/scottish-election-polls-what-are-the-latest-opinion-polls-for-the-2021-election-and-what-happened-in-2016-3217223
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2021_Scottish_Parliament_election
I don't personally think much of Salmond, and those who claim he formed the Alba Party out of spite may not be too far off the mark (though he is really the second leader, but Flynn only lasted a few weeks). The party standing in the Regional (think; List, as NZ equivalent) seats only, is politically savvy. In a way, this seems to be the start of a indigenously Scots dual party system separate from the Scottish wings of the English Conservative and Labour parties.
Time will tell. I think their 6th (Thursday evening) will be our 7th of May (Friday morning).
The Scottish Conservatives used to be a separate party (1912-65) known as Unionist – as in Northern Ireland, and its MPs sat at Westminister under the Conservative whip. For the Scottish parliament it has own leadership and policy driven from Scotland.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unionist_Party_(Scotland)
Scotland has MMP just like NZ has, but with one major difference the country is divided into 8 regions with equal seats and the distribution for list seats is only done by region , not nationally. They way this works is that SNP which is strong throughout Scotland rather than only regionally like Labour, Conserv, Liberals, Greens and gets more seats than an MMP proportional result would allow.
The new Alba party ( its where the word Albany comes from) may do better than appears from a nationwide poll, as the list seats are allocated by the 8 regions and you only have to do well in a strong SNP region to pick up seats, thats how the Greens get their seats by overperforming in selected regions
All very interesting about Scotland. Can we be kept informed by you who know more about it than average kiwi?
I read somewhere that Alba was going with a split vote strategy (constituency vote SNP, Regional vote Alba – though don't have the link at hand), which may lead to an overhang. I haven't been able to see a formal threshold for a party to get an MSP seat, going by the last election it looks like maybe 5%? The modified D'Hondt methodology just made my eyes glaze over, but last election UKIP got 2% yet no regional seats, whereas the LibDems on 5.2% got one to go with their constiuency seats.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Scottish_Parliament_election
The thing where constituencies for Westminster and Holyrood MPs are geographically different sizes and shapes also baffles me. But thanks for the background on the SCP Ghostwwnz. Though my interest in them is mainly see if they sink below the SLP this time after the Johnson/ Cummings feud exploding so very publicly in the leadup to election day. What happens if Sturgeon needs Salmond to get the referendum numbers after Thursday is far more interesting at the moment. Hoping for a strong Scottish Green party showing! Though would need to be around 10% for that to be an option.
Closing down tabs for the night – this one helped me understand the Scots' Regional list a bit better I think. There's no absolute threshold, but there is a de facto one of about 1% of the list vote, so long as that is mainly concentrated in one region (above 7% of that region's Regional List vote). Then there's Independent List candidates! But way too late for that…
https://archive2021.parliament.scot/Research%20briefings%20and%20fact%20sheets/Scottish_Parliament_Electoral_System.pdf
Latest in my Stuff paper is headline about Johnson attempting to 'buy' Scotland promising them additional medical help through the NHS – he is kidding isn't he? And better trains and roads through to the small population of north Scotland. ( I remember how once the Brazilian road was pushed through, all the grifters flooded in.) It always is wise to look carefully at the offer of lollies from a stranger.
https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/scottish-election-2021-boris-johnson-to-unveil-sweeteners-for-scottish-voters-ahead-of-election-3222234
https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/scottish-election-2021-nicola-sturgeon-says-thursday-is-not-an-independence-referendum-3222149
This caught my attention on Google:
'Nothing to see here': Boris Johnson claims flat funding row …
https://www.theguardian.com › politics › live › apr › bori…
3 days ago — Boris Johnson attempts to brush off flat refurbishments row – video … Support for Scottish independence has fallen to 42%, its lowest level since just before the general … The election campaign has allowed the Tories and Labour to get much greater airtime, … But what we are doing is focusing on the stuff that really matters.
and
Boris Johnson is telling Scotland that the union is no longer …
https://www.theguardian.com › commentisfree › apr
14/04/2021 — Guardian Pick. Johnson didn't get where he is today by not being a shape-shifting weasel. He won't refuse a referendum, …
The Scots can be sarky:. This relates to doing up his flat and some curtains?
Boris Johnson throws money away on decor while Grenfell …
https://www.heraldscotland.com › news › 19269300.bo…
3 days ago — RIGHT to the heart of the issue we go. Will the prime minister tell this house the true nature of his feelings towards John Lewis?
A massive shoutout to the Rangitane people, who gifted back the 942 Hectare Pukaha Forest to the Crown after only getting it back in the Waitangi process four years ago.
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK2104/S00223/pukaha-forest-to-be-gifted-to-the-nation.htm
Correct me if I'm wrong but this little patch of predator-controlled forest is now as south as the NZ Kokako actually get.
If anyone gets to the top of these ranges, they are really a little strip remnant from Wellington to Palmerston North of natural goodness where all else from the foothills to the ocean is now solid intensive farming.
Rangitane like most tribes were robbed. So giving this chunk back represents a major gift for them. In their shoes I probably wouldn't do the same.
The PM was on hand to mark the occasion.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/incredibly-generous-wairarapa-iwi-gifts-p-kaha-forest-back-state
It's going to be a great challenge to all th eneighbouring farmers to expand the predator-free zone into a proper halo effect.
Too bad other iwi cannot follow their lead…..
Heh! Stephanie Rodgers is back, kinda, and she makes for a great Sunday afternoon read: https://bootstheory.nz/2021/05/02/a-year-ago-today/
Its unreadable… some obsession on health system using BMI ( along with age, smoking etc)to screen those who who have smaller chances of success. Oh well
https://nationalwomenshealth.adhb.govt.nz/our-services/fertility/public-funding/
Yeah, a stream of consciousness is not everybody’s cup of tea but to call it “unreadable” is a little harsh, IMO. Anybody who’s been on the IVF rollercoaster knows how emotionally draining it can be for both the ‘recipients’, as well as financially draining when you go ‘private’. Modern medicine can do an awful lot but it often comes at or with a cost that cannot be defined or expressed in dollar-terms only.
The interface between medicine and politics; an imperative and opportunity that should be used responsibly
A guest editorial by Ashley Bloomfield
https://nzmsj.scholasticahq.com/article/22250-the-interface-between-medicine-and-politics-an-imperative-and-opportunity-that-should-be-used-responsibly