Open mike 02/05/2024
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6:00 am, May 2nd, 2024 - 80 comments
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- Going some place and there's no going back
Been busy getting on bikes and pointing them towards Europe.Been feeling melancholy, seeing Karren off at the train, back to Heathrow, back to Auckland, back to the seaside village; hugging Mary-Margaret goodbye after one last coffee at Hackney 215. Even though you’ve been really really looking forward to this road ...5 hours ago - Performer of a karakia in Parliament was not miffed by being muzzled – but Waititi demands reprima...
Buzz from the Beehive Six ministers have posted announcements on the government’s official website in the past 24 hours, two of them contributing to one media statement in the matter of the decision to support the Papua New Guinea response to the devastating landslide in Enga Province. Three statements ...7 hours ago - Member’s Day
Today is a Member's Day. First up there is the committee stage of the McLean Institute (Trust Variation) Bill, some private law for a charity. This will be followed by the third reading of Greg O'Connor's Child Protection (Child Sex Offender Government Agency Registration) (Overseas Travel Reporting) Amendment Bill (law ...9 hours ago - Not thinking at all
Ele Ludemann writes – Environmentalists preach that we should think global and act local. It’s a good message but one which too often they don’t follow, in some cases they don’t appear to be thinking at all. Demanding that New Zealand reduce livestock farming is a case in ...9 hours ago - Climate Change: Another budget hole for National?National's 2023 campaign was all about tax cuts for landlords. And one of the key ways they were planning to fund it was a "climate dividend" - basically, pillaging ETS revenue and redirecting it from decarbonisation straight into the pockets of the rich. But there's a problem: there might not ...10 hours ago
- The most vital thing about the re-introduction of Charter Schools is that EVERYTHING is done wellAlwyn Poole writes – I have no doubt Chris Hipkins is the worst and most ignorant (or dishonest) Minister of Education our nation has seen. He said this on NewstalkZB last week: “If people are concerned about kids who aren’t achieving in mainstream schooling, the area ...10 hours ago
- Is it time for an Integrity Commission to monitor conflicts of interest?Bryce Edwards writes – News that the Government’s new Parliamentary Undersecretary for Health, Todd Stephenson, has been pressured today to sell his investments in pharmaceutical companies shows how New Zealand is becoming more sensitive and suspicious about politicians’ “conflicts of interest”. Yet, we need to get much more ...11 hours ago
- Bernard’s Dawn Chorus and pick ‘n’ mix for Wednesday, May 29
12 hours ago - Gas Station watch
Gas Stations sit the very intersection of transport, land use, and the energy transition, so are interesting to watch. Especially in the city core. The three buildings shown here are all on the sites of former gas stations in central Auckland. The longer term fact is that gas stations are ...14 hours ago - Nicola's Bag of Money.
Have you seen my bag of money?I left it in the parlour,It was your party and they were your friends,I see you got a nice new car and a brand new pair of pants.So what’s it going to be New Zealand? The Money or the Bag? Do you want those ...15 hours ago - The Media Outlets & Millionaires Enabling The Elderly Edgelords
Hi,I am sort of loath to write this newsletter today because I fear it’s playing into the hands of a bunch of elderly edgelords. These are typically older white men who generate their income by saying the most hideous stuff they can, all while self-righteously screaming about the merits of ...15 hours ago - Film-makers follow the money on ‘disinformation’ bandwagon
Graham Adams writes that while Web of Chaos gets a rerun on TVNZ, River of Freedom is left out in the cold. If you are a film-maker looking for an injection of taxpayer cash, a pitch focused on fake news purportedly propagated by “conspiracy theorists” looks to be a good ...24 hours ago - At a glance – What is the link between hurricanes and global warming?
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 ...1 day ago - Nicola Willis brings us up to date with state service job cuts – while Tamatha Paul (is this overk...Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis has estimated the loss of around 2500 jobs from the public sector during the cost-saving since the general election last October. Another 1150 vacancies in Government departments have been removed from the books and 500 are expected to go, she said during ...1 day ago
- Bryce Edwards: Is it time for an Integrity Commission to monitor conflicts of interest?
News that the Government’s new Parliamentary Undersecretary for Health, Todd Stephenson, has been pressured today to sell his investments in pharmaceutical companies shows how New Zealand is becoming more sensitive and suspicious about politicians’ “conflicts of interest”. Yet, we need to get much more serious about creating rules and procedures ...1 day ago - Forget the loud-hailers Minister, what you need is TikTokChris Trotter writes – It almost worked. “Matua Shane”, local supporters in tow, advanced down the main street of Blackball. Had the Minister for Resources, Shane Jones, been supplied with a full-sized loud-hailer to amplify his pro-mining slogans, then the photo-op would have been an unqualified success. Unfortunately, the ...1 day ago
- Did the Reserve Bank massage its OCR forecasts to help Labour keep power? (we’ve found evidence po...Rob MacCulloch writes – Last year, in the lead up to the national election, Governor Orr said in May 2023 that he was “very confident” there would not be further interest rate hikes, stating the Reserve Bank had done enough in terms of rate rises. He was interviewed by ...1 day ago
- Parliament’s increasingly toxic ethnic identity warsBryce Edwards writes Toxicity and disinformation are becoming a big part of New Zealand politics. And much of this relates to debates about ethnicity, race, and racism. We should all be concerned about this trend. Personal abuse, dishonesty, and contempt in the public sphere are bad for democracy, ...1 day ago
- Bernard’s Dawn Chorus and pick ‘n’ mix for Tuesday, May 28
House-building and infrastructure industry leaders are begging the Government for project-pipeline certainty and warning of a 2009/10-style exodus of skilled staff overseas. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government won last year’s election with a pledge to ‘get things done’ and ‘get New Zealand back on ...1 day ago - Slippery People.
What's the matter with him? (He's alright)How do you know? (The Lord won't mind)Don't play no games (he's alright)Love from the bottom to the top.You’re alright, but how about her, or him? What makes them tick? Are they a solid citizen or a slippery fecker? Why are we all so ...2 days ago - Children’s Voices in Auckland’s FutureRecently, the transport consultancy Crank publicly released a report about children’s vision for transport in Auckland. It was produced in 2023 to help shape Auckland Council’s Vehicle Kilometres Travelled (VKT) Reduction Strategy. That got me thinking, and after going back to the recent Long Term Plan Consultation Feedback results, one ...2 days ago
- Med school backdown the “right thing” says Seymour
One of National’s showpiece election promises appears to be in more trouble with Waikato University yesterday withdrawing its call for tenders to develop a new medical school. The move will delay any substantial increase in the number of doctors being trained in New Zealand. The University’s decision just over a ...2 days ago - Of ‘said’ and Dialogue Tags in Writing
Today, I ran across a Twitter thread about writerly use of the word ‘said’: https://x.com/APoetForThePyre/status/1794895108581859794 As a writer, I have my opinions about this, and since it has been a long, long time since I offered thoughts on the unwritten rules of writing, I thought I would explore the matter ...2 days ago - The silent tragedy of local restrictions on renewable energyThis story by James Goodwin was originally published by The Revelator and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Communities across the United States may soon find themselves facing a grim scenario. By adopted local ordinances that obstruct the development of new renewable energy resources within ...2 days ago
- Bryce Edwards: Parliament’s increasingly toxic ethnic identity warsToxicity and disinformation are becoming a big part of New Zealand politics. And much of this relates to debates about ethnicity, race, and racism. We should all be concerned about this trend. Personal abuse, dishonesty, and contempt in the public sphere are bad for democracy, social cohesion, and the integrity ...2 days ago
- What to say on the government’s racist Māori wards billI've spent the afternoon working on my submission on the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill - National's racist bill to eliminate Māori representation from local government. It's an important bill, and the timeframe for submissions is tight - only two days left! National ...2 days ago
- Collins will be abroad when critics react to science funding – but Matauranga money should not be ...Buzz from the Beehive With just a few days to go before Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers her first Budget speech, her colleagues have been focused in recent days on issues beyond our shores. Education Minister Erica Stanford made the only announcement of concern to citizens who want to know ...2 days ago
- New Caledonia’s troublesJames Kierstead writes – White sand beaches. Palm trees waving in a gentle breeze. Seas of turquoise and ultramarine, cobalt and denim stretching out as far as the eye can see. Such is the view of New Caledonia that you get on travel websites. And it’s not an ...2 days ago
- The Negative social impact of taxpayer-funded partisan charitiesBryce Edwards writes – Whenever politicians dole out taxpayer funding to groups or individuals, they must do so in a wholly transparent way with due process to ensure conflicts of interest don’t occur and that the country receives value for money. Unfortunately, it’s not clear that this has ...2 days ago
- The Letter from Mayors & ChairsFrank Newman writes – Earlier this week Local Government NZ sent a letter to the leaders of the coalition parties and Ministers Simeon Brown and Tama Potaka. It was signed by 52 local government leaders (see list appended). The essence of the letter is this: Our position…is ...2 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on South Africa’s harsh election choicesT he ANC’s goal in Wednesday’s election will be to staunch the bleeding of its support. The ANC has reason to feel anxious. For months, the polls have been indicating the ANC will lose its overall majority for the first time since the Mandela election of 1994. The size of ...2 days ago
- The Kaka’s diary for the week to June 3 and beyond
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to June 3 include:PM Christopher Luxon is expected to hold his weekly post-cabinet news conference at 4:00pm today.Parliament’s Environment Select Committee resumes hearing submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm today.Auckland ...3 days ago - May-24 AT Board MeetingTomorrow the AT board meet again and I’ve taken a look through the items on their public agenda to see what’s interesting. It’s also the first meeting for two recently appointed directors, former director at Ritchies Transport, Andrew Ritchie and former mayor of Hamilton, Julie Hardaker. The public session starts ...3 days ago
- Bernard’s Dawn Chorus and pick ‘n’ mix for Monday, May 27
The Government is looking again at changing fringe benefit tax rules to make it harder to claim a personally-used double-cab ute as a company vehicle. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Having repealed the previous Government’s ‘ute tax’ last year, the new Government is looking at removing a defacto tax ...3 days ago - Some Dark Moments from Netflix's Dark Tourist
Hi,I pitched a documentary to a big streamer last week and they said “no thanks” which is a bummer, because we’d worked on the concept for ages and I think it would have been a compelling watch. But I would say that because I was the one pitching it, right?As ...3 days ago - 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #21A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, May 19, 2024 thru Sat, May 25, 2024. Story of the week This week's typiclal compendium of stories we'd rather were plot devices in science ficition novels but instead ...3 days ago
- National’s bulldozer dictatorship billThis National government has been aggressively anti-environment, and is currently ramming through its corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" legislation to give three ministers dictatorial powers over what gets built and where. But that's not the only thing they're doing. On Thursday they introduced a Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Bill, ...3 days ago
- Bryce Edwards: The Negative social impact of taxpayer-funded partisan charitiesWhenever politicians dole out taxpayer funding to groups or individuals, they must do so in a wholly transparent way with due process to ensure conflicts of interest don’t occur and that the country receives value for money. Unfortunately, it’s not clear that this has occurred in the announcement this week ...3 days ago
- My Lovely Man.
Last night began earlier than usual. In bed by 6:30pm, asleep an hour later. Sometimes I do sleep odd hours, writing late and/or getting up very early - complemented with the occasional siesta, but I’m usually up a bit later than that on a Saturday night. Last night I was ...3 days ago - Pressing the Big Red Button
Early in the COVID-19 days, the Boris Johnson government pressed a Big Red Button marked: act immediately, never mind about the paperwork.Their problem was: not having enough PPE gear for all the hospital and emergency staff. Their solution was to expedite things and get them the gear ASAP.This, along with ...4 days ago - Of Pensioners and Student Loans: An Indictment on New ZealandUp until 1989, you could attend a New Zealand University, and never need to pay a cent for your education. That then changed, of course. The sadists of the Fourth Labour Government introduced substantial fees for study, never having had to pay a cent for their own education. The even ...4 days ago
- Putting children firstEle Ludemann writes – Minister for Children Karen Chhour is putting children first: Hon KAREN CHHOUR: I move, That the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Social Services and Community Committee to consider the bill. It’s a privilege ...4 days ago
- Te Pati Maori go personalDavid Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Applause and cheers erupted in the House on Wednesday afternoon as Children’s Minister Karen Chhour condemned Te Pāti Māori’s insults about her upbringing. Chhour, who grew up in state care, is repealing section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act – sparking uproar from ...4 days ago
- Threads of Corruption
I could corrupt youIt would be uglyThey could sedate youBut what good would drugs be?Good Morning all,Today there’s a guest newsletter from Gerard Otto (G). By which I mean I read his post this morning and he has kindly allowed me to share it with you.If you don’t already I ...4 days ago - The days fly by
5 days ago - Aotearoa, you’re being dismantled… so take the blinkers off and start talking honestly about it.
Is the solution to any of the serious, long term issues we all have to face as a nation, because many governments of all stripes we can probably all admit if we’re deeply truthful with ourselves haven’t done near enough work at the very times they should have, to basically ...5 days ago - Has Labour Abandoned the Welfare State They Created in 1938?
The 2018 Social Security Act suggests that Labour may have retreated to the minimalist (neo-liberal) welfare state which has developed out of the Richardson-Shipley ‘redesign’. One wonders what Michael Joseph Savage, Peter Fraser and Walter Nash would have thought of the Social Security Act passed by the Ardern Labour Government ...5 days ago - Bryce Edwards: MPs’ financial interests under scrutinyMPs are supposed to serve the public interest, not their own self-interest. And according to the New Zealand Parliament’s website, democracy and integrity are tarnished whenever politicians seek to enrich themselves or the people they are connected with. For this reason, the Parliament has a “Register of Pecuniary Interests” in ...5 days ago
- Mastering FLICC – A Cranky Uncle themed quizBy now, most of you will have heard about the FLICC taxonomy of science denial techniques and how you can train your skills in detecting them with the Cranky Uncle game. If you like to quickly check how good you are at this already, answer the 12 quiz questions in the ...5 days ago
- Shane Jones has the zeal, sure enough, but is too busy with his mining duties (we suspect) to be ava...Buzz from the Beehive The hacks of the Parliamentary Press Gallery have been able to chip into a rich vein of material on the government’s official website over the past 24 hours. Among the nuggets is the speech by Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and a press statement to announce ...5 days ago
- Cut the parliamentary termWhen Labour was in power, they wasted time, political capital, and scarce policy resources on trying to extend the parliamentary term to four years, in an effort to make themselves less accountable to us. It was unlikely to fly, the idea having previously lost two referendums by huge margins - ...5 days ago
- More terrible media ethicsDavid Farrar writes – The Herald reports: When Whanau Ora chief executive John Tamihere was asked what his expectations for the Budget next Thursday were, he said: “All hope is lost.” Last year Whānau Ora was allocated $163.1 million in the Budget to last for the next four years ...5 days ago
- Bringing our democracy into disreputeOn Monday the government introduced its racist bill to eliminate Māori represntation in local government to the House. They rammed it through its first reading yesterday, and sent it to select committee. And the select committee has just opened submissions, giving us until Wednesday to comment on it. Such a ...5 days ago
- The censors who’ll save us from ourselves… yeah right!Nick Hanne writes – There’s a common malady suffered by bureaucracies the world over. They wish to save us from ourselves. Sadly, NZ officials are no less prone to exhibiting symptoms of this occupational condition. Observe, for instance, the reaction from certain public figures to the news ...5 days ago
- The case for commissioners to govern the capital cityPeter Dunne writes – As the city of Tauranga prepares to elect a new Mayor and Council after three and a half years being run by government-appointed Commissioners, the case for replacing the Wellington City Council with Commissioners strengthens. The Wellington City Council has been dysfunctional for years, ...5 days ago
- Thoughts about contemporary troubles.
This will be s short post. It stems from observations I made elsewhere about what might be characterised as some macro and micro aspects of contemporary collective violence events. Here goes. The conflicts between Israel and Palestine and France and … Continue reading ...5 days ago - Gordon Campbell On Blurring The Lines Around Political CorruptionIt may be a relic of a previous era of egalitarianism, but many of us like to think that, in general, most New Zealanders are as honest as the day is long. We’re good like that, and smart as. If we’re not punching above our weight on the world stage, ...5 days ago
- MPs own 2.2 houses on averageBryce Edwards writes – Why aren’t politicians taking more action on the housing affordability crisis? The answer might lie in the latest “Register of Pecuniary Interests.” This register contains details of the various financial interests of parliamentarians. It shows that politicians own real estate in significant numbers. The ...5 days ago
- King Mike & Mike King.
I built a time machine to see you againTo hear your phone callYour voice down the hallThe way we were back thenWe were dancing in the rainOur feet on the pavementYou said I was your second headI knew exactly what you meantIn the country of the blind, or so they ...5 days ago - Bryce Edwards: MPs own 2.2 houses on averageWhy aren’t politicians taking more action on the housing affordability crisis? The answer might lie in the latest “Register of Pecuniary Interests.” This register contains details of the various financial interests of parliamentarians. It shows that politicians own real estate in significant numbers. The register published on Tuesday contains a ...6 days ago
- How much climate reality can the global financial system take without collapsing?Microsoft’s transparency about its failure to meet its own net-zero goals is creditable, but the response to that failure is worrying. It is offering up a set of false solutions, heavily buttressed by baseless optimism. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in ...6 days ago
- Weekly Roundup 24-May-2024Another Friday, another Rāmere Roundup! Here are a few things that caught our eye this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday, our new writer Connor Sharp roared into print with a future-focused take on the proposed Auckland Future Fund, and what it could invest in. On ...6 days ago
- Earning The Huia Feather.
Still Waiting: Māori land remains in the hands of Non-Māori. The broken promises of the Treaty remain broken. The mana of the tangata whenua languishes under racist neglect. The right to wear the huia feather remains as elusive as ever. Perhaps these three transformations are beyond the power of a ...6 days ago - Bernard’s Dawn Chorus and pick ‘n’ mix for Friday, May 24
Posters opposing the proposed Fast-Track Approvals legislation were pasted around Wellington last week. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: One of the architects of the RMA and a former National Cabinet Minister, Simon Upton, has criticised the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals bill as potentially disastrous for the environment, arguing just 1% ...6 days ago - The Hoon around the week to May 246 days ago
- Beijing troubleshooter’s surprise visitThe importance of New Zealand’s relationship with China was surely demonstrated yesterday with the surprise arrival in the capital of top Chinese foreign policy official Liu Jianchao. The trip was apparently organized a week ago but kept secret. Liu is the Minister of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) International Liaison ...6 days ago
- UK election a foregone conclusion? That’s why it’s interesting
With a crushing 20-plus point lead in the opinion polls, all the signs are that Labour leader Keir Starmer will be the PM after the general election on 4 July, called by Conservative incumbent Rishi Sunak yesterday. The stars are aligned for Starmer. Rival progressives are in abeyance: the Liberal-Democrat ...6 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #21 2021Open access notables How much storage do we need in a fully electrified future? A critical review of the assumptions on which this question depends, Marsden et al., Energy Research & Social Science: Our analysis advances the argument that current approaches reproduce interpretations of normality that are, ironically, rooted in ...6 days ago
- Days in the life
We returned last week from England to London. Two different worlds. A quarter of an hour before dropping off our car, we came to a complete stop on the M25. Just moments before, there had been six lanes of hurtling cars and lorries. Now, everything was at a standstill as ...6 days ago - Forget about its name and focus on its objective – this RMA reform bill aims to cut red tape (and ...Buzz from the Beehive A triumvirate of ministers – holding the Agriculture, Environment and RMA Reform portfolios – has announced the introduction of legislation “to slash the tangle of red and green tape throttling development in key sectors”, such as farming, mining and other primary industries. The exact name of ...6 days ago
- More National corruptionIn their coalition agreement with NZ First, the National Party agreed to provide $24 million in funding to the charity "I Am Hope / Gumboot Friday". Why were they so eager to do so? Because their chair was a National donor, their CEO was the son of a National MP ...6 days ago
- Submit!The Social Services and Community Committee has called for submissions on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill. Submissions are due by Wednesday, 3 July 2024, and can be made at the link above. And if you're wondering what to say: section 7AA was enacted because Oranga Tamariki ...6 days ago
- Reading the MPS numbers thinking about the fiscal situationMichael Reddell writes – The Reserve Bank doesn’t do independent fiscal forecasts so there is no news in the fiscal numbers in today’s Monetary Policy Statement themselves. The last official Treasury forecasts don’t take account of whatever the government is planning in next week’s Budget, and as the Bank notes ...6 days ago
- Charter Schools are a worthwhile addition to our school system – but ACT is mis-selling why they a...Rob MacCulloch writes – We know the old saying, “Never trust a politician”, and the Charter School debate is a good example of it. Charter Schools receive public funding, yet “are exempt from most statutory requirements of traditional public schools, including mandates around .. human capital management .. curriculum ...6 days ago
- Paranoia On The Left.How Do We Silence Them? The ruling obsession of the contemporary Left is that political action undertaken by individuals or groups further to the right than the liberal wings of mainstream conservative parties should not only be condemned, but suppressed.WEB OF CHAOS, a “deep dive into the world of disinformation”, ...6 days ago
- Release: National Government takes anti-housing stance
In six short months the Minister for Housing has shrunk the pool of potential home owners in New Zealand, removed housing security for renters, re-introduced competition on existing stock between investors and speculators, and served power and billions of dollars to landlords on a silver platter, says Labour housing spokesperson ...2 days ago - Speech: Commemoration of 145th Anniversary of Girmit in Fiji...3 days ago
- New Zealand First Member’s Bill to protect Freedom of Speech
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect New Zealanders' right of free speech. The “Protection of Freedom of Expression Bill” will ensure that no organisation or individual, when acting within the law, is unreasonably denied use of a public venue for an organised event or ...5 days ago - Government trying to rush Māori wards legislation through without public say
The Green Party unequivocally condemns the governing parties’ attempts to limit the public’s say on the controversial Māori wards legislation, after the select committee considering the legislation set a deadline for submissions of just five days. ...5 days ago - Release: Statement from housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty“Today it sounds like the Minister for Housing and his associate are announcing 500 homes that already exist,” Kieran McAnulty said. ...5 days ago
- Release: Mining on conservation land will take NZ backwardsShane Jones’s speech today demonstrates once again that he will put his political theatrics ahead of New Zealand’s workers and their futures. ...6 days ago
- Release: Disabled children latest to lose access to fundingDisabled children and families nationwide have recently found out they’re no longer able to use disability support funding for programmes during school hours in another quiet update from the Government. ...6 days ago
- Coalition of coal will prove catastrophic for climateThe Government’s plans to ramp up coal mining in the heat of a climate crisis will see our chances of a liveable future melt away. ...6 days ago
- Aotearoa must follow in the footsteps of countries recognising Palestinian statehoodThe Green Party is calling on the Government to follow in the footsteps of Ireland, Spain and Norway in recognising Palestinian statehood. ...6 days ago
- Release: Time to make stalking a crimeFollowing a horrific case of stalking that ended in tragedy, Labour’s police spokesperson Ginny Andersen has drafted a bill that would add stalking to the Crimes Act. ...1 week ago
- $24 million for free mental health counselling for young kiwisThe Rt Hon Winston Peters, joined by Mike King, has announced $24 million over four years for the ‘I Am Hope Foundation’, and will provide young people aged between 5 to 25 years with free mental health counselling services. This funding will help I Am Hope’s ‘Gumboot Friday’ initiative give ...1 week ago
- Release: Strong support for disability fundingTwo thirds of Kiwis in a new poll want funding flexibility reinstated for disabled people and carers. ...1 week ago
- Petition launched to save Māori babies and their right to be with whakapapaTe Pāti Māori have launched a petition to stop the repeal of Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act. This announcement comes prior to the first reading of the Section 7AA repeal bill in Parliament today. “Section 7AA forces the Government to adhere to Te Tiriti o Waitangi with respect ...1 week ago
- Government introduces Bill to roll back Māori WardsThe Green Party has sounded the alarm over the Government’s introduction of legislation to remove Māori Wards and roll back years of progress. ...1 week ago
- Release: Pre-Budget Speech: Barbara Edmonds...1 week ago
- Release: Another announcement, still no funding for more public housesThe Government has yet again failed to do the one thing that needs to happen to ensure houses can be built – commit to ongoing funding, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...1 week ago
- Government must build more public houses, not find excuses to sell themThe Green Party says the Government must use the review of Kāinga Ora as a platform to build more homes, not an excuse to sell them off. ...1 week ago
- Government must build more public houses, not find excuses to sell themThe Green Party says the Government must use the review of Kāinga Ora as a platform to build more homes, not an excuse to sell them off. ...1 week ago
- Release: Treasury advice show flaws in Fast Track Approvals BillTreasury officials have outlined many ways in which the Fast Track Approvals Bill is deeply flawed, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking says. ...1 week ago
- State of the Planet speeches, 2024Green Party co-leaders Marama Davidson and Chlöe Swarbrick used this year's State of the Planet to call on the Government to prioritise people and planet as the delivery of the Budget approaches. A full transcript of their speeches can be found below. ...1 week ago
- State of the Planet: Government must be guided by values not moneyGreen Party co-leaders Marama Davidson and Chlöe Swarbrick have used their State of the Planet speeches to challenge the Government to prioritise people and planet over profit as the delivery of the Budget approaches. ...1 week ago
- Release: Chris Hipkins’ speech: New Zealand in 2040 – A vision worth fighting for...2 weeks ago
- Release: 4,500 jobs lost – and countingMore than 4,500 jobs are set to go as the National Government continues its deep cuts to services to pay for irresponsible and ill-timed tax cuts. ...2 weeks ago
- No-cause evictions leave no hope for rentersThe Government’s introduction of legislation that would enable landlords to end tenancies with no reason marks a dark day for the 1.4 million people who rent their home in Aotearoa. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National winding back mental health workThe Minister for Mental Health has found the Suicide Prevention Office and mental health support for 111 calls slipping through his fingers, says Labour spokesperson for Mental Health Ingrid Leary. ...2 weeks ago
- Government ignorant of evidence in neglect of tamarikiToday’s justification from the Minister for Children for scrapping protections for our tamariki was either a case of ignorance or deliberate deception. ...2 weeks ago
- Gang policy setting communities up for failureThe Green Party says the Government’s misguided policy on gangs will fail, following the announcement of the establishment of a national gang unit and district gang disruption units to target gang activities. ...2 weeks ago
- Statement from police spokesperson Ginny Andersen“With Police pay negotiations still unresolved after six months in Government, Mark Mitchell has today rolled the Commissioner out for a rebrand of their approach to gang crime,” Labour police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said. ...2 weeks ago
- Charter schools not a serious solutionWe need serious investment and solutions into our education system, not a vanity project from David Seymour. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Ideological charter schools won’t increase achievementThe Government bringing back 50 charter schools will not increase achievement and is a distraction from the core mission of the education system, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Visas needed for Palestinians with family in New ZealandThe Government must show some compassion and create a special visa to allow Palestinians with family in New Zealand to be reunited with them here. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt’s stubbornness will harm Māori childrenGovernment has remained stubborn and is ramming its Bill into the House today, which the Waitangi Tribunal has said will hurt vulnerable children. ...2 weeks ago
- ‘Lucky dip’ process too casual for hearing critical submissions on Fast Track approvals billTe Pāti Māori is showing extreme concern over the Environment Select Committees adoption of a lucky dip draw to determine hearings for the Fast Track Approvals bill. Of the 27,000 submissions, 2,900 requested to present. All organisations will be heard; however, the remaining 2,350 submitters will be subject to a ...2 weeks ago
- New Zealand First Member’s Bill to protect women’s spacesToday 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 ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Support for climate adaptation inquiryLabour supports a Notice of Motion in the House today to move the Finance and Expenditure Committee to conduct an inquiry on climate adaptation. ...3 weeks ago
- Greens welcome cross-party approach to climate adaptationThe 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. ...3 weeks ago
- Government improves mass arrival management
The Government has strengthened settings for managing a mass arrival, with the passing of the Immigration (Mass Arrivals) Amendment Bill today. “While we haven’t experienced a mass arrival event in New Zealand, it is an ongoing possibility which would have a significant impact on our immigration and court systems,” Immigration ...14 hours ago - Super Fund to get more investment opportunitiesFinance Minister Nicola Willis has welcomed the passage of legislation giving the New Zealand Superannuation Fund a wider range of investment opportunities. The New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income (Controlling Interests) Amendment Bill passed its third reading in Parliament today. “The bill removes a section in the original act that ...23 hours ago
- Crown and iwi settle three decades of negotiationsThree decades of negotiations between iwi and the Crown have been settled today as the Whakatōhea Claims Settlement Bill passes its third reading in Parliament, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “While no settlement can fully compensate for the Crown’s past injustices, this settlement will support the aspirations and prosperity ...1 day ago
- New Zealand to support PNG landslide responseNew Zealand will support Papua New Guinea’s response to the devastating landslide in Enga Province, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins have announced. “Ever since learning of the horrendous landslide on Friday, New Zealand has been determined to play our part in assisting Papua New Guinea’s ...1 day ago
- Government to consult on regulation of shooting clubs and rangesThe Government is consulting New Zealanders on a package of proposals for simple and effective regulation of shooting clubs and ranges, Associate Minister of Justice, Nicole McKee announced today. “Clubs and ranges are not only important for people learning to operate firearms safely, to practice, and to compete, ...1 day ago
- Successful New Caledonia repatriation winds up, need for dialogue remainsOver 300 people have been successfully flown out of New Caledonia in a joint Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) operation. As of today, seven New Zealand government aircraft flights to Nouméa have assisted around 225 New Zealanders and 145 foreign nationals ...1 day ago
- Minister to Singapore for defence, technology talksDefence and Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins departs for Singapore tomorrow for defence and technology summits and meetings. First up is the Asia Tech X Singapore Summit, followed by the Five Power Defence Arrangements Defence Ministers Meeting and wrapping up with the Shangri-La Dialogue for Defence Ministers from ...2 days ago
- Major investment in teacher supply through Budget 24Over the next four years, Budget 24 will support the training and recruitment of 1,500 teachers into the workforce, Education Minister Erica Stanford announced today. “To raise achievement and develop a world leading education system we’re investing nearly $53 million over four years to attract, train and retain our valued ...4 days ago
- Joint statement on the New Zealand – Cook Islands Joint Ministerial Forum – 20241. New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Rt Hon Winston Peters; Minister of Health and Minister for Pacific Peoples Hon Dr Shane Reti; and Minister for Climate Change Hon Simon Watts hosted Cook Islands Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Hon Tingika Elikana and Minister of Health Hon Vainetutai Rose Toki-Brown on 24 May ...4 days ago
- Middle East, Africa deployments extendedThe Government has approved two-year extensions for four New Zealand Defence Force deployments to the Middle East and Africa, Defence Minister Judith Collins and Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced today. “These deployments are long-standing New Zealand commitments, which reflect our ongoing interest in promoting peace and stability, and making active ...5 days ago
- Climate Change Commission Chair to retireThe Climate Change Commission Chair, Dr Rod Carr, has confirmed his plans to retire at the end of his term later this year, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Prior to the election, Dr Carr advised me he would be retiring when his term concluded. Dr Rod Carr has led ...5 days ago
- Inaugural Board of Integrity Sport & Recreation Commission announcedNine highly respected experts have been appointed to the inaugural board of the new Integrity Sport and Recreation Commission, Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Integrity Sport and Recreation Commission is a new independent Crown entity which was established under the Integrity Sport and Recreation Act last year, ...5 days ago
- A balanced Foreign Affairs budgetForeign Minister Winston Peters confirmed today that Vote Foreign Affairs in Budget 2024 will balance two crucial priorities of the Coalition Government. While Budget 2024 reflects the constrained fiscal environment, the Government also recognises the critical role MFAT plays in keeping New Zealanders safe and prosperous. “Consistent with ...5 days ago
- New social housing places to support families into homesNew social housing funding in Budget 2024 will ensure the Government can continue supporting more families into warm, dry homes from July 2025, Housing Ministers Chris Bishop and Tama Potaka say. “Earlier this week I was proud to announce that Budget 2024 allocates $140 million to fund 1,500 new social ...6 days ago
- New Zealand’s minerals futureIntroduction Today, we are sharing a red-letter occasion. A Blackball event on hallowed ground. Today we underscore the importance of our mineral estate. A reminder that our natural resource sector has much to offer. Such a contribution will not come to pass without investment. However, more than money is needed. ...6 days ago
- Government sets out vision for minerals futureIncreasing national and regional prosperity, providing the minerals needed for new technology and the clean energy transition, and doubling the value of minerals exports are the bold aims of the Government’s vision for the minerals sector. Resources Minister Shane Jones today launched a draft strategy for the minerals sector in ...6 days ago
- Government progresses Māori wards legislationThe coalition Government’s legislation to restore the rights of communities to determine whether to introduce Māori wards has passed its first reading in Parliament, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says. “Divisive changes introduced by the previous government denied local communities the ability to determine whether to establish Māori wards.” The ...6 days ago
- First RMA amendment Bill introduced to ParliamentThe coalition Government has today introduced legislation to slash the tangle of red and green tape throttling some of New Zealand’s key sectors, including farming, mining and other primary industries. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop says the Government is committed to unlocking development and investment while ensuring the environment is ...6 days ago
- Government welcomes EPA decisionThe decision by Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to approve the continued use of hydrogen cyanamide, known as Hi-Cane, has been welcomed by Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay. “The EPA decision introduces appropriate environmental safeguards which will allow kiwifruit and other growers to use Hi-Cane responsibly,” Ms ...6 days ago
- Speech to Employers and Manufacturers Association: Relief for today, hope for tomorrowKia ora, Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou kātoa Tāmaki Herenga Waka, Tāmaki Herenga tangata Ngā mihi ki ngā mana whenua o tēnei rohe Ngāti Whātua ō Ōrākei me nga iwi kātoa kua tae mai. Mauriora. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the EMA for hosting this event. Let me acknowledge ...6 days ago
- Government invests in 1,500 more social homesThe coalition Government is investing in social housing for New Zealanders who are most in need of a warm dry home, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. Budget 2024 will allocate $140 million in new funding for 1,500 new social housing places to be provided by Community Housing Providers (CHPs), not ...1 week ago
- $24 million boost for Gumboot FridayThousands more young New Zealanders will have better access to mental health services as the Government delivers on its commitment to fund the Gumboot Friday initiative, says Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey. “Budget 2024 will provide $24 million over four years to contract the ...1 week ago
- Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill passes first readingThe Coalition Government’s Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill, which will improve tenancy laws and help increase the supply of rental properties, has passed its first reading in Parliament says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “The Bill proposes much-needed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 that will remove barriers to increasing private ...1 week ago
- Montecassino Commemorative Address, Cassino War CemeteryStanding here in Cassino War Cemetery, among the graves looking up at the beautiful Abbey of Montecassino, it is hard to imagine the utter devastation left behind by the battles which ended here in May 1944. Hundreds of thousands of shells and bombs of every description left nothing but piled ...1 week ago
- First Reading – Repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989I present a legislative statement on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill Mr. Speaker, I move that the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Social Services and Community Committee to consider the Bill. Thank you, Mr. ...1 week ago
- First reading of 7AA’s repeal: progress for childrenThe Bill to repeal Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has had its first reading in Parliament today. The Bill reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the care and safety of children in care, says Minister for Children Karen Chhour. “When I became the Minister for Children, I made ...1 week ago
- China Business Summit 2024Kia ora koutou, good morning, and zao shang hao. Thank you Fran for the opportunity to speak at the 2024 China Business Summit – it’s great to be here today. I’d also like to acknowledge: Simon Bridges - CEO of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. His Excellency Ambassador - Wang ...1 week ago
- Assisted depatures from New CaledoniaForeign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed a New Zealand Government plane will head to New Caledonia in the next hour in the first in a series of proposed flights to begin bringing New Zealanders home. “New Zealanders in New Caledonia have faced a challenging few days - and bringing ...1 week ago
- Assisted departures from New CaledoniaForeign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed a New Zealand Government plane will head to New Caledonia in the next hour in the first in a series of proposed flights to begin bringing New Zealanders home. “New Zealanders in New Caledonia have faced a challenging few days - and bringing them ...1 week ago
- Government to rollout roadside drug testingThe Coalition Government will introduce legislation this year that will enable roadside drug testing as part of our commitment to improve road safety and restore law and order, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Alcohol and drugs are the number one contributing factor in fatal road crashes in New Zealand. In ...1 week ago
- Minister responds to review of Kāinga OraThe Government has announced a series of immediate actions in response to the independent review of Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “Kāinga Ora is a large and important Crown entity, with assets of $45 billion and over $2.5 billion of expenditure each year. It ...1 week ago
- Pseudoephedrine back on shelvesAssociate Health Minister David Seymour is pleased that Pseudoephedrine can now be purchased by the general public to protect them from winter illness, after the coalition government worked swiftly to change the law and oversaw a fast approval process by Medsafe. “Pharmacies are now putting the medicines back on their ...1 week ago
- New Zealand-China Business SummitTēnā koutou katoa. Da jia hao. Good morning everyone. Prime Minister Luxon, your excellency, a great friend of New Zealand and my friend Ambassador Wang, Mayor of what he tells me is the best city in New Zealand, Wayne Brown, the highly respected Fran O’Sullivan, Champion of the Auckland business ...1 week ago
- New measures to protect powerlines from treesEnergy Minister Simeon Brown has announced that the Government will make it easier for lines firms to take action to remove vegetation from obstructing local powerlines. The change will ensure greater security of electricity supply in local communities, particularly during severe weather events. “Trees or parts of trees falling on ...2 weeks ago
- Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani win top Māori dairy farming awardWairarapa Moana ki Pouakani were the top winners at this year’s Ahuwhenua Trophy awards recognising the best in Māori dairy farming. Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka announced the winners and congratulated runners-up, Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board, at an awards celebration also attended by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister ...2 weeks ago
- DJ Fred Again – Assurance report received"On the 27th of March, I sought assurances from the Chief Executive, Department of Internal Affairs, that the Department’s correct processes and policies had been followed in regards to a passport application which received media attention,” says Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden. “I raised my concerns after being ...2 weeks ago
- District Court Judges appointedAttorney-General Judith Collins has announced the appointment of three new District Court Judges, to replace Judges who have recently retired. Peter James Davey of Auckland has been appointed a District Court Judge with a jury jurisdiction to be based at Whangarei. Mr Davey initially started work as a law clerk/solicitor with ...2 weeks ago
- Unions should put learning ahead of ideologyAssociate Education Minister David Seymour is calling on the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) to put ideology to the side and focus on students’ learning, in reaction to the union holding paid teacher meetings across New Zealand about charter schools. “The PPTA is disrupting schools up and down the ...2 weeks ago
- Craig Stobo appointed as chair of FMACommerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly today announced the appointment of Craig Stobo as the new chair of the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). Mr Stobo takes over from Mark Todd, whose term expired at the end of April. Mr Stobo’s appointment is for a five-year term. “The FMA plays ...2 weeks ago
- Budget 2024 invests in lifeguards and coastguardSurf Life Saving New Zealand and Coastguard New Zealand will continue to be able to keep people safe in, on, and around the water following a funding boost of $63.644 million over four years, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “Heading to the beach for ...2 weeks ago
- Politics with Michelle Grattan: Andrew Norton on the Albanese government’s interventionist policy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Migration has become a major battleground between the government and opposition. While they have different policies, each side is targeting foreign students in their plans for cuts in the intake. The government will apply ...1 hour ago - Construction industry leaders plead for acceleration of infrastructure projects
Labour leader Chris Hipkins revealed a letter from the industry leaders in Parliament on Wednesday. ...2 hours ago - Is Australia doing enough to respond to Papua New Guinea’s catastrophic landslide?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Ritchie, Senior Lecturer in History, Deakin University The total number of people killed in the landslide in Papua New Guinea’s remote and mountainous Enga Province will probably never be known. Shortly after the entire hillside collapsed on Friday, it was speculated ...4 hours ago
- Strategic silence: Furiosa’s silence in the new Mad Max speaks volumes about women’s agencySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Johinke, Associate professor, English, University of Sydney Warner Bros. Pictures When George Miller was directing Anya Taylor-Joy in the role of Furiosa, Taylor-Joy says he told her: ‘mouth closed, no emotion, speak with your eyes’. That’s it, that’s all ...4 hours ago
- The sensuous, yet unsettling: remembering the groundbreaking Australian photographer Rosemary LaingSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Donna West Brett, Associate Professor in Art History, University of Sydney A ‘swansong’ is a metaphor for an action or a performance prior to an ending. The term conveys the notion of something both grand and final. This was the ...4 hours ago
- Wondering how to teach your kids about consent? Here’s an age-based guide to get you startedSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giselle Natassia Woodley, Researcher and Phd Candidate, Edith Cowan University Brett Sayles/Pexels The Australian government’s new campaign Consent Can’t Wait challenges us all to improve our understanding of consent. It asks a series of questions to illustrate this issue is more ...5 hours ago
- We know the seas are rising – so why are Australian governments not planning for it?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Boxshall, Enterprise Fellow, The University of Melbourne KarenHBlack/Shutterstock The vast majority of Australians (87%) live within 50 kilometres of a coastline. The coast offers scenery, swimming and cooling from the sea. But the problem is, coastlines as we know ...5 hours ago
- Profession or trade? Why training NZ’s teachers in the classroom is not the right answerSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kirsten Locke, Associate Professor, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Choreograph/Getty Images How New Zealand trains teachers is about to change with the government’s push to increase the workforce by 1,500. The plan, announced ahead of the 2024 budget, includes funding ...5 hours ago
- Covid cases, rules, and free stuff: What you need to knowExplainer - What will Budget 2024 reveal about the country's Covid-19 strategy? RNZ recaps what we know so far. ...5 hours ago
- Parliament's Speaker doubles down on interrupting karakiaHe has also criticised opposition parties for demanding an apology for the interruption, saying it was "highly disorderly". ...6 hours ago
- Palestine solidarity group condemns ‘colonial violence’ in Rafah, KanakyAsia Pacific Report A New Zealand solidarity group for Palestine with a focus on settler colonialism has condemned the latest atrocities by the Israeli military in its attack on Rafah — in defiance of the International Court of Justice order last Friday to halt the assault — and also French ...7 hours ago
- Vanuatu is holding its first-ever referendum – here’s what’s at stakeSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kolaia Raisele, PhD candidate, youth leadership in the Pacific, La Trobe University Members of the ‘Muvmen Red’ rally in Port Vila, Vanuatu, holding a banner that reads ‘Voes Blong Yumi: Stopem Instabiliti Tede’ (Our Voice: Stop Instability Today). Voes Blong Yumi/Facebook Vanuatu’s ...7 hours ago
- Vivid Sydney’s future seems bright if it can balance spectacle with subtlety – but challenges ab...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emrah Baki Ulas, Associate Professor of Practice, University of Sydney Hika Rakuyo by Art Space Eternal hovers above the waters of Cockle Bay as part of Vivid Sydney 2024. Destination NSW It’s the year 2008, and some members of the ...7 hours ago
- ‘We were genuinely worried they’d wind up in trouble’: More tales from the bookshop floor
Welcome to The Spinoff Bookseller Confessional, in which we get to know Aotearoa’s booksellers. This week: Jack McConnell, bookseller at Unity Books Auckland. The weirdest question you’ve ever been asked on the shop floor Someone came into the store recently looking for books on hunting and foraging in New Zealand. ...7 hours ago - Coalition Government Treaty Transgressions Trigger Nationwide Rush Hour Hikoī
A united call has gone out across the motu for all New Zealanders to take to the streets this Thursday 30 May 2024 at peak rush hour in a hikoī porotēhi walk of protest. ...8 hours ago - The voice in your head may help you recall and process words. But what if you don’t have one?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Derek Arnold, Professor, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland fizkes/Shutterstock Can you imagine hearing yourself speak? A voice inside your head – perhaps reciting a shopping list or a phone number? What would life be like if you couldn’t? Some ...8 hours ago
- All Workers Have The Right To ProtestEvery worker - including all public servants - have the right to attend protest marches and be politically active, says Kerry Davies National Secretary of the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. ...8 hours ago
- The coverage of Laura Tingle’s comments on racism is a textbook beat-up, but she’s not in the wr...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of Melbourne Striking the balance between journalists’ private free speech rights and the public duty they owe to impartiality and their employer’s reputation is one of the most complex ethical issues ...8 hours ago
- Consumers Must Brace For Sharp Rise In Power Bills If Commerce Commission Draft Decision ConfirmedThe Commerce Commission is urged to carefully consider all the alternatives before confirming its draft decision on transmission and power line charges which would see power bills increase on average by $15 a month from next April. ...8 hours ago
- My mother’s violent death: Grappling with grief and the unexpected path to healingToday, one year ago, Chris Mirams lost his mother in an instant. Her sudden, wrenching death sent him into a spiral of unrelenting grief. From this darkness came an unexpected saving grace – Māoritanga and whanaungatanga. This story was originally published on Emily Writes Weekly. My 91-year-old mother, a determined, ...8 hours ago
- Te Pāti Māori: Government using 'scare tactics' to discourage protests on Budget Day"We have a pākeha government, who will announce a pākeha budget for a pākeha economy," Rawiri Waititi says. ...9 hours ago
- New Zealand Actor Goes On Hunger Strike Over Government’s Complicity In Gaza GenocideWill Alexander, a teacher and former actor on the popular New Zealand TV series Shortland Street is over a week into a hunger strike which he has vowed to continue until the government stops supporting Israel’s genocide in Gaza. ...9 hours ago
- ‘I can’t just stand back’: Kanak pro-independence activist follows mum’s footstepsBy Pretoria Gordon, RNZ News journalist Jessie Ounei is following in her mum’s footsteps as a Kanak pro-independence activist. Last Wednesday, Ounei organised a rally outside the French Embassy in Wellington to “shed light on what is happening in New Caledonia“. She said there was not enough information, and the ...9 hours ago
- Historic Moment For Te Whakatōhea As They Witness Final Reading In Parliament“Today marks a historic moment for our people. We acknowledge the courage and commitment of our tīpuna and whānau that have made this day possible. It is because of their perseverance we reach this historic day." ...9 hours ago
- Questions over visa fee increases as minister eyes savingsWith visa fees expected to rise, the Immigration Minister is refusing to explain where the government will find $100m a year. ...9 hours ago
- What the Kāinga Ora review means for Māori housingNow the recommendations are in, the next test will be the budget’s commitment to addressing Māori housing disparities, write Annie Te One and Jacqueline Paul. The recently released Independent Review of Kāinga Ora Homes and Communities has shed some light on the unique housing challenges faced by Māori and the ...9 hours ago
- Why did primates evolve such big brains? First study of its kind says it wasn’t for finding foodSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Hirsch, Senior Lecturer in Zoology and Ecology, James Cook University Tim Herbert/Shutterstock Thanks to our large brains, humans and non-human primates are smarter than most mammals. But why do some species develop large brains in the first place? The ...10 hours ago
- Chief Of Defence Force Change Of Command CeremonyThe new Chief of Defence Force will be officially appointed at a Change of Command Ceremony at Government House on Thursday 6 June. The event marks the start of a three-year tenure for Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies, and a farewell to outgoing Chief of Defence ...10 hours ago
- Census 2023 data: What the first results revealThe team of (almost) five million is a little bit older, more diverse - and even though we're growing more slowly, there are more of us than ever. ...10 hours ago
- 12 things we learned from Census 2023The first lot of data is out from last year’s census – here’s what you need to know. 1. New Zealand had a resident population of 4,993,923 on census day, an increase of 6.3% since 2018. That’s still fewer people than sheep, but we are creeping ever closer to the ...10 hours ago
- Free Fares Campaign Calls For Government Investment In Public Transport This BudgetThe Free Fares campaign is calling for the Government to invest in public transport in Budget 2024. Backed by a coalition of over one hundred organisations including Local Government, unions, students associations, welfare and climate advocacy organisations, ...10 hours ago
- NZ Budget 2024: tax cuts and borrowing don’t always fuel inflation – but Nicola Willis has to ge...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dennis Wesselbaum, Associate Professor, Department of Economics, University of Otago LazingBee/Getty Images On the eve of the first budget from the National-ACT-New Zealand First coalition government, there is ongoing debate over whether borrowing while offering tax cuts could trigger a rise ...11 hours ago
- Gold Fever: From King Ferdinand to Shane JonesThe lust for gold from centuries ago continues to this day, despite its lack of utility. ...11 hours ago
- Lobby group questions MPs expenses amid cost of living pressuresPoliticians spent nearly $3 million on accommodation and travel in the first three months of this year, according to the latest quarterly expenses for MPs. ...11 hours ago
- New Report From Anti-Poverty Coalition Slams Government Of “A Thousand Cuts”A report published today by anti-poverty coalition Fairer Future has showcased the human cost of a series of recent Government decisions ahead of this week's Budget. A Thousand Cuts , written by the coalition with support from the Disabled ...11 hours ago
- Budget protest strike: 'We've had more support than not' from employers – Ngare...Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says many employers are backing a strike in protest of government policies. ...12 hours ago
- Spending too much time on social media and doomscrolling? The problem might be FOMOSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim M Caudwell, Senior Lecturer – Psychology | Chair, Researchers in Behavioural Addictions, Alcohol and Drugs (BAAD), Charles Darwin University Olezzo / Shutterstock For as long as we have used the internet to communicate and connect with each other, it has ...12 hours ago
- Australia is getting a new digital mental health service. Will it help? Here’s what the evidence s...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Baldwin, Senior Research Fellow and Clinical Psychologist at the Black Dog Institute , UNSW Sydney Surface/Unsplash In this year’s budget, the federal government announced one of the biggest changes to the mental health system in nearly two decades: a digital early ...12 hours ago
- We gave 60,000 food products a ‘planetary health’ star rating – see how your favourites stack ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simone Pettigrew, Program Director of Food Policy, George Institute for Global Health Prostock-studio, Shutterstock Lasagne or risotto? Muesli bar or brownie? What’s better for the planet? How do you know for sure? We’ve crunched the numbers on greenhouse gas emissions ...12 hours ago
- The complicated path to Olympic selection, explainedApproximately 200 New Zealand athletes will head to the Olympics in Paris in July. While they’ve worked hard to have a shot at their Olympic dream, other athletes miss out. Zoe George looks at what separates the chosen ones from the also-rans. I’m really good at sport and would love ...12 hours ago
- Maligned board hits back over Kāinga Ora report
Kāinga Ora’s board of directors told former Prime Minister Sir Bill English and his reviewers they had the wrong end of multiple sticks before his slim, 37-page report condemning the agency’s performance and governance was issued. As it emerged on Tuesday that English was effectively appointed to the role chairing ...13 hours ago - MSD owed billions as families spiral into 'crippling' debt to government"MSD debt is horrible, you can't get rid of it," says a couple in their 60s living on a pension and a JobSeeker benefit. ...13 hours ago
- NZ Budget 2024: the coalition needs a circuit breaker – the National Party most of allSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Shaw, Professor of Politics, Massey University When finance minister Nicola Willis stands to deliver her first budget tomorrow, it will be a significant moment for her personally, but also for the coalition government, and her own National Party in particular. The ...14 hours ago
- Why Covid-19 is back in the headlinesA new variant, a rise in cases, and a reminder to get vaccinated. Yep, we’re talking about Covid-19 again, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...14 hours ago
- National’s media policy vacuum now undoes new minister Goldsmith“Confusion” between two National MPs on a select committee and their Cabinet colleague has left the party – and the Government – stuck again on what to do to protect journalism and the media industry. Parliament’s economic development, science and innovation select committee on Tuesday told the House a Bill ...15 hours ago
- Broadcasting Act Turns 35, And Is Showing Its AgeThe Broadcasting Standards Authority's vision of freedom of expression without harm is as relevant as ever as the nation’s broadcasting regulator turns 35, but legislation is stuck in the pre-internet age, the Authority says. ...15 hours ago
- How much can tax cuts do to ease the cost of living?It's the centrepiece of National's response to rising household costs. But how far can tax cuts really go in making ends meet? ...16 hours ago
- $250m Queenstown highway upgrade does less with moreThe announcement was met with relief. When a $250 million transport package for Queenstown was confirmed a few weeks ago, the Otago Daily Times newspaper reported the project had “survived” a Government shake-up of Labour’s programme. The fast-growing tourist town’s prayers – for something to be done about crippling congestion ...16 hours ago
- What the budget has in store for healthDuring the election campaign, the National Party made a lot of promises about healthcare. Will they follow through in Budget 2024? Healthcare spending is always a key area of focus in budgets, and 2024 is no different. Prime minister Christopher Luxon has said there will be more money for “healthcare ...16 hours ago
- What can we expect from National’s long-promised tax cuts?Tax cuts are definitely coming in Thursday’s budget, the government says. But questions remain about who they will benefit, where the money will come from, and what effect they will have on the economy. Liam Rātana explains. Remind me, what even are tax cuts? Tax cuts reduce the amount of ...16 hours ago
- Why the Budget might not have much for the climateThere will be ‘a little bit’ in the Budget for climate – but is that because the Government isn’t ambitious or for another reason? The post Why the Budget might not have much for the climate appeared first on Newsroom. ...16 hours ago
- Sun sets on Switzerland and rises for NZAs a young girl, Lulu Sun would run around the fields of the South Island embracing farm life. Now, after leaving New Zealand at the age of five, she’s back representing the country of her birth and taking her tennis to the world stage. Sun, now 23, was born in ...16 hours ago
- A new model for science fundingOpinion: New Zealand science is at a crunch point. The coalition Government is looking for a new model to provide increased efficiency and effectiveness. Over the last few weeks, we have been part of a small group of senior scientists and engineers who have got together to think about what ...16 hours ago
- Tech export initiatives on the chopping blockTwo initiatives to help tech exports have been scrapped as part of the Government’s savings exercise The post Tech export initiatives on the chopping block appeared first on Newsroom. ...16 hours ago
- How universities are losing control of teacher educationOpinion: The coalition Government is spending $53 million to expand teacher training. It predicts a shortfall in the number of teachers and wants to ensure supply. But it is not simply about numbers of teachers. There is a message about how best to prepare teachers. As the Government announcement explained: ...16 hours ago
- A health budget fit for primary care, and NZOpinion: New Zealand’s health service is set up for failure due to the demands currently placed on the system. The concentration of these demands is focused on hospital or secondary care. Demand for hospital level care is too high. We’re seeing huge waiting lists and patient deterioration due to our ...16 hours ago
- Disgraced property investor fails to appeal director banBusinessman Greg Olliver hasn’t been allowed to direct or manage a company since 2021 over a perceived risk to the public The post Disgraced property investor fails to appeal director ban appeared first on Newsroom. ...16 hours ago
- A crisis at Kāinga OraA financial commentator says Kāinga Ora could be seen as a “stonking financial success”. That analysis is a far cry from the headlines over the past week, which have criticised the Government’s social housing agency for “underperforming” and being “not financially viable”. Today on The Detail, financial journalist Bernard Hickey analyses ...16 hours ago
- The right way to plan for the next pandemicOpinion: An international pandemic agreement is in reach but I worry we are losing the sense of urgency The post The right way to plan for the next pandemic appeared first on Newsroom. ...16 hours ago
- Is Australia a racist country? We asked 5 expertsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justin Bergman, International Affairs Editor Over the weekend at the Sydney Writers’ Festival, high-profile political journalist Laura Tingle told the audience Australia is a racist country, and always has been. It prompted widespread media coverage and criticism from Coalition politicians and media ...22 hours ago
- New Zealand’s role in helping bring peace to Kanaky New CaledoniaCOMMENTARY: By Teanau Tuiono There is an important story to be told behind the story Aotearoa New Zealand’s mainstream media has been reporting on in Kanaky New Caledonia. Beyond the efforts to evacuate New Zealanders lies a struggle for indigenous sovereignty and self-determination we here in Aotearoa can relate to. ...23 hours ago
- View from The Hill: Albanese says cabinet ‘crafting an offer for the second term’ as Ed Husic po...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra A few days ago, after yet more early election speculation, the prime minister was indicating he plans to run full term, which would put the election in May next year, with another budget before it. ...23 hours ago
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Another Greens MP seems to have lost the plot. Which one's next?
Perhaps we never gave Shaw enough credit for keeping them all on a short lead.
Green MP Julie Anne Genter apologises after confrontation with Minister Matt Doocey, could face further action – NZ Herald
Thanks for the "crickets". Shaw the best of them. Not the same without Norman. Now Fitzsimmons and Donald were real Greens … . Bring back Nandor.
I wonder why she thought that a Minister had a lack of basic knowledge of their portfolio?
There is no excuse for any MP to behave like that in Parliament no matter how heated the debate gets.
Thats ugly, needs to be sanctioned accordingly as a deterent.
Wow! Waving papers in front of someones face is SO threatening. Dooley was clearly afraid for his life. No mention of when National's Muldoon used to brandish his fist in front of Labour members' faces. Silly thing to do by an experienced MP but a good excuse for a National Party sympathy campaign based on bs and hypocrisy.
Getting out of your seat in the middle of a debate and confronting someone face to face to argue the point is the issue.
If that was permitted then parliament would turn into a circus (if it isn't one already).
Is it really that difficult for our MPs to simply sit there, listen, and wait for their turn to speak? Other than primary school what kind or work place allows for the kind of childish tantrum throwing that goes on in parliament.
Just imagine if a male National MP had crossed the floor and waved papers in the face of JAG or any other female Green or Labour MP. I bet that would of upset you.
Muldoon is going back a bit in time! What about Mallard and actual punch ups if you want to bring up incidents from decades ago.
I've met Genter, she doesn't come across as someone you'd be scared of getting a beating from. Just another excuse for you to Green bash Jimmy and thats all. Hope you are as proactive when Shane Jones next threatens someone.
the problem is the precedent it sets.
I've met Sam Uffindell briefly. He also doesn't come across as someone you'd be scared of getting a beating from.
Uffindell? Wooden, I reckon.
Maybe if you'd had the opportunity to get to know him better
I never got to meet him when he was sixteen. Could have been interesting as I was younger back then too.
Weren't we all, Jimmy, weren't we all.
Heh, that would be Sam-“hey it’s still early in the night…let’s go out clubbing!!…
it was fucking stupid from an experienced MP not least* because of the politicking that follows. The only excuse I can think of is that she was having a bad day, and I bet the reactionary right knows exactly what to do with that.
*it's also bizarre. Afaik this is way outside of normal behaviour in the House. I don't care what Muldoon did, I care what left MPs do and how they set the tone and expectations.
Mike the Lefty @ 1.3
What about the occasion John Key made a cut throat gesture to Phil Goff. Goff had done nothing, Just sitting quietly in his seat. A prime minister n'all too!
Disgusting behaviour. I'd have a few pages waved in my face any day.
Edit: caught on camera too.
It was stupid from such an experienced MP and she faced the consequences.
Gonna be real honest and say that I think she is by far the person who has the most experience and vision on urban planning, transport and design, and is probably the only person in parliament who would understand the question "how can we design cities to facilitate a play-based childhood".
Matt Doocey's claim to fame is some good cross-party work on mental health and that he worked for the disgraced Tavistock. On the issue of transport, urban planning and design, he should defer to his betters.
She probably just lost it and wanted to shove some facts in his face. I don't approve, but I do understand.
Honestly, I’d like to get into parliament and shake the Cass report in Doocey’s face. And then I would turn around and shake the Cass report in the face of the entire Green Party, and also every other party.
lol, same.
Genter is an asset for parliament and the Greens. People using this as a reason to diss her generally are just politicking.
She realised it was dumb and apologised immediately. I'd like to know what Doocey said to her to incite this reaction.
It doesn’t matter what he said, Genter is responsible for her actions, or reaction to another’s comments.
As I’ve learned myself (from bitter experience) it’s the (over) reaction to someone else that gets one into trouble.
BG already said she had taken responsibility.
good point, I doubt this came out of the blue.
There is also the problems of the past 12 montks and Green MPs. They can't afford stupid shit like this.
It seems to do them no harm in the polls. Or maybe that is the Chloe effect.
To be clear, she didn't apologise immediately.
There were 'a couple of speakers' before the Speaker was recalled. Then…
"Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee was eventually recalled to deal with the outburst. "I just said it is totally inappropriate," Brownlee said. Only then did Genter apologise."
'She's a bully': Newshub reveals new allegation of intimidation against Green MP (msn.com)
It also seems Genter may have form.
"Swarbrick did acknowledge Genter had been talked to about a prior incident of poor behaviour during a media interview."
Julie Anne Genter confrontation: Green Party says ‘disciplinary process’ under way into MP’s behaviour, privileges complaints laid – NZ Herald
…and…
"Last week, Genter stopped by and Newcombe said the pair got into a heated exchange about Genter's advocacy for the cycleways. "She was very intimidating. She pulled out her phone, she put the phone camera right in my face and I was like 'Okay, you need to leave now' and then she started yelling and screaming over me that I didn't care about her kids cycling," Newcombe said. Newshub asked Green co-leader Marama Davidson about the florist's encounter to which she replied: "I understand that Julie Anne did pull a phone out and video the florist – that is completely unacceptable." "
'She's a bully': Newshub reveals new allegation of intimidation against Green MP (msn.com)
I've heard from others that Doocey was involved with Tavistock, but I haven't been able to find anything to confirm it. Do you have a link to confirm?
Rage is a rational response to clowns of all stripes and their fact-free reckons, particularly if you are someone who actually knows something about a topic and you suspect that their idiocy is driven by malice.
But the behaviour can't be excused – both because Parliament requires proper behaviour to function, and because every politician who is at all left of what constitutes the notional centre of the day, will be beaten up and dragged through the dirt for an extended period of time for this sort of thing.
Whilst not condoning what Julie Anne Genter did in Parliament yesterday, (though I would be curious to know what brought it on – what Matt Doocey may have done/said to her), it's not exactly unknown for National MPs to act in a similar fashion. I reckon JAG's actions were pretty mild in comparison to Tim van de Molen's threatening outburst to Shanan Halbert.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/496823/national-mp-tim-van-de-molen-censured-by-parliament
Difference is that Van de Molen didn't exhibit his bad behaviour in the House, in front of the cameras.
Outstandingly stupid of Genter – and I do expect better of her.
Watching an ethno-nationalist Jewish mob (self-identified themselves as such) attacking the pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA rmade me think the US authorities had downloaded yet another Israeli tactic of oppression. Mobs of murderous Jewish settlers rampaging through Palestinian settlements while the IDF looks on benignly is routine there.
No wonder the mob at UCLA felt they could act with total immunity, its been happening on the West Bank while the USA provided the weapons to do it for decades.
+100 Sanc
There's a theory that the tactics employed in the colonies eventually make their way back to the heart of empire – as though they were just a dress-rehearsal. That may partly explain the apparent contradiction of why the anti-Semitic far-right in the US so love Israel – they just like the cut of their jib and how they go about doing the things necessary to make [insert name of country here] great again.
The mind boggling thing is this extreme police violence has been triggered by middle class kids being idealists. The signal to police & mob violence is clearly coming from university administrators – something that reveals the fault lines between elite institution students, who are largely motivated by youthful idealism, and the colonisation of university administration by authoritarian neoliberal managers. It perhaps explains the deep trouble so many universities are in at the moment in the USA, where a predatory approach to student fees has seen enrollments plumet (according to Ted Goia, elite tertiary educational institutions are going under at the rate of one every week at the moment). The idea that university authorities should order riot police to attack their own students on campus, or that the university security should stand by while an out of control mob attacked students on their campus, is outrageous to the extreme.
God only knows how unhinged the police reaction would be if Huey P Newton and 100 Black Panthers were on hand to fight back!
Well put Sanctuary.
It used to be that these types of provocations were hidden but we now get to see the violence directed at protest that fundamentally affects power. As well as this, video exists of the same type of Israel flag wavers, in direct confontation with Palestinian supporters, shouting "kill the Jews" in order to get the Palestine supporters arrested. We need to be aware of these old tried and true tactics.
It was students that raised the US out of the moral morass that was the Vietnam war. It may be that they can do it again for Palestine.
What on earth is Sir Jinx Key doing in Parliament? Front and centre! Rallying the troops? It didn’t work before so I don’t see his appearance being of any use now. T-Shirts! Pop ups in parliament! Just to prop up that Lummox Luxon. Reeks of desperation. So very sad for the dynamic dick,… not really… but . I feel a big positive spin for the COC coming on from compliant media. I wonder who will be first up.
And Helen Clark sounded so presidential on RNZ's Morning Report today.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018936640/former-pm-helen-clark-on-aukus-pillar-two
Younger than Biden and Trump right?
That was such a good interview from Helen Clark. Everyone just chucking their marbles around with China it is so good to hear a voice of sanity. The logic that says that the nation that trades more than any other is going to trash its relations with those nations just because, is idiotic. Joining the US in its "containment strategy" against our largest trading partner, which US refuses to open trading to us is mindless.
Of course, Helen was a little more diplomatic but it's virtually what she said.
+100 Sub
Anyone want to have a crack at explaining what James Shaw's new job is?
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/515700/james-shaw-s-valedictory-and-his-new-roles
Morrison's owns infrastructure companies such as Infratil.
https://morrisonglobal.com/
And a Public Infrastructure Partnership Fund (PIP Fund)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morrison_%26_Co
He will be an operating partner – in a role “focused on driving the next generation of investment".
https://businessdesk.co.nz/article/news-in-brief/morrison-appoints-james-shaw
sure, but I don't know what any of that means.
That's a natural step for Shaw. And a strong signal from HRL Morrisons that the sustainability investor truly values policy expertise inside their management entity. Their investment themes are here:
Innovative Investing with Morrison: Alternative Asset Management – Morrison – Morrison (morrisonglobal.com)
They run Infratil.
Infratil are a very long-term investor in sustainable energy projects. They tend to be long-term holds. Way back in the day they started out of the asset privatisation, and kept growing under the charismatic Lloyd Morrison.
Who we invest in – Infratil
Under Mark Bogoievski they massively expanded into buying telco companies and datacentres.
I'd rank Infratil as our most successful listed company, if you have the patience for medium-term holds which is what infrastructure stocks are.
Also HRL Morrison at that level is a whole bunch more useful to the world than Shaw getting recycled into a government entity like NZSuperFund or ACC.
Shaw is one of the few elected members on either side of the house who operate outside the Wellington policy bubble and easily in the commercial world.
First half of my professional life I used to think doing good for the world was only possible inside the public sector. In this country it's almost the reverse.
why is that so for NZ?
We have had since the late 1980s a public service that is under-led and poorly resourced,
with no cross-departmental strategy or even an attempt at it,
disaggregated by deep funder-policy-provider spits,
under-regulated or worse self-regulating,
disconnected from independent policy contests in academia or NGOs,
far too many entities for the scale of land people and social complexity
consistently incoherent governments that change course or go through deliberate binge-purge cycles like the current and last one,
bosses that change at least every 3 years,
consistently poor execution of major projects due to generalist management,
disdain from much of the public that is reciprocated by so much of the public service in Wellington, and
a rapid shrinking in the entire public sphere of influence in New Zealand in the 1990s that we've never recovered from.
Watching the police clearing Palestine liberation protestors from US campuses, I'm thinking about the ways in which this is different from clearing freedom protestors from Parliament grounds.
https://twitter.com/NaomiMaePhD/status/1785657833750516155
The freedom protestors had a number of problems in terms of legitimacy of protest. The death threats and inability to deal with the storm the citadel bros in their ranks and the abuse of locals outside the protest area are the main ones I see. And the denial that those were issues.
But in terms of occupation, they had as much right to be there as the students in the US.
Which leaves us with the idea that some protests are legitimate because of the politics/goals, and some aren't. And who gets to decide.
For clarity, I think the US campus occupations are righteous and I hope they regroup and continue. This is one of the few things I’ve seen that has the potential to force the US government position on the genocide in Palestine to change.
I also think there are some mistakes in the way they are doing this that are going to create serious divisions in an already divided country.
And I'm deeply depressed that those kids aren't doing this over climate, and what this means for life on planet earth.
It's their Vietnam moment. Remember that war raised the consciousness of a whole new generation.
I really hope so.
They don't appear to have achieved any change though, iraq×2 Afghanistan,,
Shit the only war they should be in is slapping poots back in his box and they not really trying there
there's a genocide happening, some of the students will have family and friends in Palestine. Protesting that is appropriate.
There were huge protests against the invasion of Iraq. Those changed how we think about war and the West's involvement.
The difference is tens of thousands of poor working class US kids were getting killed and injured in Vietnam. Everyone knew someone who was in Vietnam fighting.
Although the US is donkey deep in Palestine, there aren't feet on the ground in the same way as Vietnam. For most American's it is still someone else's war.
It's also gendocide.
Agree with this. The US population is massively inwards looking.
Other people being killed in a far-away country isn't really 'real' to them. What matters is 'that nice Mrs Johnston at the corner store has had a son killed in Vietnam. Why are we fighting there anyway'.
And that only really kicks into place with conscription – if professional soldiers (even US ones) are killed, there is an element of 'well, they chose to be there'.
Americans tend to get exercised about US citizens and soldiers being killed by terrorist ambushes, but not about professional soldiers being killed fighting.
Just seeking major US universities cave on this is truly sad.
Lest one forgets the number of armed civilians patrolling US streets in utes after the 2020 election.
"seeing"
David Seymour is apparently looking into packaged school lunches. Muesli bars and the like. Not surprising that he would resent money being spent on a hot meal in winter for the children. His mean-spiritedness to the fore as usual.
It'll be unchanged for now (Labour funded to the end of this year) and it seems it will be in the 2025 budget – waiting for a review.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2024/05/free-school-lunches-scheme-to-get-temporary-funding-until-
I read somewhere today that Seymour was proposing to cut fresh fruit and vegetables and instead use tinned fruit and tinned beans. (Can't remember where.)
Really going a bit far there. Generations of Kiwi kids have had a lunch consisting of a couple of sandwiches and an apple (with a biscuit or piece of home baking, if you were lucky). None of us died for the want of a hot lunch in winter; or had our schooling affected.
The provision of a meal for kids whose parents don't or can't provide them with lunch, is one thing. Insisting that it be a catering quality hot meal, is something quite different.
No. Because the vast majority of us got a hot evening meal. Many of these 'poor' kids don't get hot meals full stop. So a hot lunch is important and helps them learn at school. A fuller belly leads to a fuller mind.
There is no evidence, whatsoever, that having a hot lunch makes up for not having a hot meal at the end of the day.
Having lunch, yes. But not a cooked meal.
“Three great forces rule the world: stupidity, fear and greed.” – Einstein
Seymour mingy? Maybe – he understands the ‘benefits’ of keeping some Kiwis hungry.
Anyone in Labour want to talk to the press (and the party ‘leader’ while you’re at it) about how policy is made or is supposed to be made in Labour?
18 seats the Greens. That will grow if Labour keeps on as is.
Audrey Young (and potentially the leader’s office who knows) is setting out their own axis of evil in Labour who, shock, horror, want tax reform. This is a mildly left wing position. It is being positioned as a hardliner group. Oh my god, one of these rabid socialists is allegedly Phil Twyford. Another is the IMF.
Surely policy has a lot of bottom up development? The party membership is in favour of something and it gets suggested.
Anyway, Labour looking like NZF with less initiative isn’t getting my vote back.
Labour Party policy development has a lot of opportunities for involvement of the general membership, so we don't always get everything we want, but there's a chance to provide input and get more involved if we want to be.
JAG will not be attending Parliament today. Anyone else see that coming?
Hipkins has taken on a most formidable opponent in Winston Peters.
Live: Chris Hipkins says Winston Peters’ has ‘embarrassed the country’ with remarks | Stuff
Hipkins will have been begging for this kind of fight when Labour arranged for the foreign affairs debate in the Parliament chamber with Helen Clark, ex-Minister Carr and other notables.
Finally Hipkins has found a useful policy target in foreign policy. Problem is, up against Peters and MFAT and the defence establishment, the best Hipkins will achieve is a dent, not a wound.
Still, best of luck Hipkins.
I suppose chip chip chip at the bottom of the wall is the theory, if you watch any of those demolition disaster shorts online. Hit and move on targets.
The only problem is the left block has achieved most of late with Hipkins not taking the lead, so by and large the public forget about him also having recently been PM and not well liked.
Helen Clark's twitter has been interesting.
Helen Clark kept Winston on a very short lead when he was Foreign Affairs Minister.
He had 2 Associate Ministers – Phil Goff to do the heavy lifting with policy etc, and Chris Carter to do the relationship building and general "schmoozing".
Plus lots of air tickets to comfortable places and pre-written speeches.
Attacking Peters on his own ground is a losing proposition. There is no way that Hipkins can out-demagogue Peters on Foreign Policy. Debate and Speechifying is Peters' strong point. It's not a significant strength for Hipkins.
I thought bombast and bullshit were Peter's 'strong point'…
Correction:..I left out 'bluster'..
And evidence that Hipkins has any ability to counter any or all of these?
Peters is like a shark in the water to controversial debate. Feeding him is not the solution.
Labour is unwilling to make it a contest on economic policy while they have none, so it is merely opposition to austerity and the poverty of vision. And issues such as AUKUS.
But others want a 1984 and 1975 reprise. In that Clark talks about a non aligned Pacific (despite Five Eyes, NATO+ and security alliance with Oz).
Labour’s potential disagreement on AUKUS seems more like the decision of English to support the coalition of the willing in 2003 (with UK and Oz) than that.
My ears have been popping for about half an hour, so I know someone in Wellington is angry and has access to advanced tech – destablising the left wing ear.In 2003 the police actually visited the home to act as lackey for a foreign interest supporting the war on the secular left of Iraq and here conflict with China over Taiwan.
Labour should propose a full dfence Treaty with Australia.
We are near fully interoperable already. So it sounds a lot bolder than it is.
Well overdue to re-write the 1944 Canberra Pact.
There is also CDR (Common Defence Relations) which Labour signed in between 87 & 90. Which was meant to further enhanced the ANZAC Treaty (Canberra Pact), but unfortunately the National Party of the 90's completely trashed it with the Savaged Defence Cuts of the 90's & Labour Alliance Coalition finally killing it off with the disbanding of the RNZAF Strike Wing along with any hope of the 3rd ANZAC Frigate or the cancelling of the option for 8 C130J's on the back of the RAAF order in the early 2000's.
My gut feeling atm, IRT centre left Politics in NZ atm IRT to the NZDF/ MoD & Veterans Affairs we are likely to a repeat of the early 2000's if & when this chaos Coalition collapses.
As the Green's & TPM would force NZLP not to invest the NZDF capabilities & if so the absolute bare minimum in non combat capabilities let alone Defence assets aka infrastructure because both parties still believe that the Sth Pacific is a "benign strategic environment".
The Sth Pacific has never been a benign strategic environment, especially since the White Fella aka The European's turned up & of recent times Japan post WW1 & now China. Now throw in CC & the competition for Natural resources ie Timber, POL, Fisheries & resources etc the Sth Pacific & the Sth Ocean is ripe for pillaging atm.
Which means country's like NZ now not only have to rely on Diplomacy, but now have to start carrying a bloody big stick (well equipped & combat capable/ focus NZDF) as well & be prepared to use bloody thing as well!
Hipkins should have sat this one out. It's not MFAT or the defence establishment he's fighting, it's that Peter's claims are not new.
How Bob Carr became China's pawn (archive.is)
When our MPs on the Inter Parliamentary Alliance on China are hacked, by China together with our leading China security expert, and our own agency doesn't have the guts to actually inform them, it's probably time for Clark and Carr to just front up and admit times have changed and they are actually wrong.
China is a security threat to us.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/former-mps-angry-government-didnt-warn-them-they-were-targeted-in-china-backed-cyberattack/EBNYAK2G6BHIRDHZLLNJ5VHEXM/
Yep.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/a-response-to-helen-clarks-criticism-of-new-zealand-foreign-policy-dr-reuben-steff/VHK4DSIOXBG6RMOEADP5PFPCEQ/