On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to UN Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer about his assessment of Julian Assange’s condition. He says Assange has shown signs of psychological torture and that he has not seen anything as bad as the WikiLeaks founder’s case in his 20-year career. Next, we speak to former president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, on the arrest and imprisonment of Julian Assange. He describes his successor Lenin Moreno as a traitor for allowing the UK to arrest Assange. Correa says Moreno has violated asylum law and talks about corruption allegations against the current president.
" … he has not seen anything as bad as the WikiLeaks founder’s case in his 20-year career."
Considering what kinds of things went on in Abu Ghraib and Gitmo, let alone in places that don't even pretend to pay lip service to human rights, anyone making a statement like that is utterly lacking in any credibility whatsoever.
Andre: I don't think any U.N. human rights advocates would have been allowed entry to Gitmo or Abu Ghraib. Other places are war zones. He has a right not to risk his life going to such places. I do not give credibility to your assertion in the least.
I have asked before and I ask again. If this were a dissident publisher in Russia, what would the UK political and media class be saying about his being dragged out by armed police, and convicted and sentenced to jail by a judge without a jury, just three hours later, after a farce of a “trial” in which the judge insulted him and called him a “narcissist” before he had said anything in his defence? The Western media would be up in arms if that happened in Russia. Here, they cheer it on.
Julian’s personal possessions have been seized by the Ecuadoreans to be given to the US government. These include not only computers but his legal and medical papers. This is yet another example of completely illegal state action against him. Furthermore, any transfer must involve the stolen material physically transiting London, and the British government is taking no steps to prevent that, which is yet another of multiple signs of the degree of international governmental coordination behind the flimsy pretence of independent judicial action.
The final punishment of Julian Assange reminds journalists their job is to uncover what the state keeps hidden By Robert Fisk
If we do our job, we will expose the same vile mendacity of our masters that has led to the clamour of hatred towards Assange, Manning and Snowden
So let’s forget – just for a moment – the slaughter of civilians, the lethal cruelty of US mercenaries (some involved in child-trafficking), the killing of Reuters staff by US forces in Baghdad, the army of innocents held in Guantanamo, the torture, the official lies, the fake casualty figures, the embassy lies, the American training of Egypt’s torturers and all the other crimes uncovered by the activities of Assange and Manning.
Let’s suppose that what they revealed was good rather than bad, that the diplomatic and military documents provided a shining example of a great and moral country and demonstrated those very noble and shining ideals which the land of the free has always espoused. Let’s pretend that US forces in Iraq repeatedly gave their lives to protect civilians, that they denounced their allies’ tortures, that they treated the inmates of Abu Ghraib (many of them completely innocent) not with sexual cruelty but with respect and kindness; that they broke the power of the mercenaries and sent them back to prison in the US in chains; that they owned up, however apologetically, to the cemeteries of men, women and children whom they sent to an early grave in the Iraq war.
Peter Pavimentov • 6 hours agoThe internationally organized moves for liberating Assange make it politically more expedient to have him expire while imprisoned. He is apparently already in intensive medical care. That would solve all political complications for Britain, Sweden and the US.
The US and it's allies care not for what the UN says against them….look the US and Britain invaded Iraq which lead to the death of 100s of thousands of people….against the UN.The UN has already spoken about Assange….they brushed it off….all of them, the State and the MSM.
The MAIN target for criticism re Julian Assange should be first and foremost the AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC AND AUSTRALIAN REGIME. Assange is one of THEIR own yet very little criticism is directed against a country who portrays itself as "democratic" and "freedom loving" when in reality it totally supports – including most of the population – US Aggressions and sanctions. Assange has repeatedly pleaded for help from HIS OWN COUNTRY but he has received nothing. Worse, the so called "centre-left" including ex-PM Julia Gillard have described Wikileaks as quote "a criminal organisation". Assange's case really highlights what Australia has been for decades: a total US-British lackey and coward who is forever fearful of standing up to US Imperial terror and propaganda.
Bridges "received" confidential papers he knew he was not entitled to. Assange "received" confidential papers which was legal because of journalisitic priviledge.
The American are after Assange because they said he gave Manning verbal help. The attack on the confidentiallity of budget papers was partly done on beehive premises with beehive resources.
Assange has the might of the most powerful nation aimed at him, the police decide not to take Simon's transgression any further.
So, it's been ironic watching those who attack Assange on one hand, defend Simon on the other.
What evidence is that Assange has ever been tortured, even psychologically?
Basically he was going to be extradited to Sweden and pretty soon thereafter he was in the Equadorian Embassy.
It is true the UK authorities did not withdraw the arrest warrant, but could they really be expected to do so?
Assange would have been vastly better off if he had gone through the justice system of Sweden. All he did was delay the inevitable and probably at considerable psychological damage to himself due to self imposed isolation.
Ah, Wayne, the special rapporteur on torture for the UN human Rights Commission probably has far more expertise on this matter than you. If you haven't read the report or heard of it you've been living under a rock
And if you can't see how the Assange case in Sweden has been grossly politicised you're probably practising wilful ignorance
Read the link. The UNCHR mandates special rapporteurs because of their expertise in the field.These are the guys who determine whether torture has occurred or not
Mezler has that expertise and is far more qualified on the subject than you .
Although you probably have some knowledge on the other side of the ledger
Francesca, you are a serious and concerned individual. Dr Mapp is the very opposite of that. He's been lying about torture, and defending torturers, and telling lies about journalists for years. Here he is being questioned in parliament in 2011….
Keith Locke: Has the Government done anything to follow up on the welfare of the Afghan civilians who were mistreated and tortured on that occasion, in order to provide some form of compensation, for example, given that it was the SAS that handed them over to mistreatment at that point?
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP: Well, the mistreating authority was in fact the United States; surely the responsibility must lie with the United States, not New Zealand.
Keith Locke: Will the Government allow an independent inquiry to be held, so that the hard-won evidence of the journalist Jon Stephenson and the evidence that the Government has can be put to independent examination, and the full facts of whether New Zealand is handing over prisoners to mistreatment or failing to follow them up properly in Afghan detention can be brought out into the public domain?
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP: Can I say this: the New Zealand Defence Force has investigated the allegations by Mr Stephenson—particularly those relating to 2002. Those allegations have been proven to be false, and I am frankly surprised that Mr Locke continues to rely on those allegations, which have been proven to be false. I also say on this issue that the National Government—and, I would like to think, other members in this House—believes the information given to us by the New Zealand Defence Force. I believe Lieutenant General Jerry Matepārae and Lieutenant General Jones on this issue.
What happened is Assange had consensual unprotected sex. The woman later grew apprehensive and asked him to take an STD test. He foolishly refused. She then went to the police and asked them if he could be constrained to do a test. He has never been charged even in absence with rape either by the woman or the police. he was freely allowed to leave Sweden. The torturous aspect I suggest you do a little research and it'll be as clear as a bell. We all have to educate ourselves sometimes. It's well publicised that the U$ is after him and intend to lock him up in a prison hell hole until dead. Mainly for the exposure of war crimes in IRAQ.
That is your view of the alleged crime in Sweden. Obviously the Swedish authorities had a different view. And were prepared to file for extradition in the UK and a trial in Sweden.
Both countries have an independent judiciary of high repute, and Assange should have trusted that.
I am pretty sure that most members of the current government also believe that the UK and Sweden have an independent judiciary.
I would have thought it is axiomatic that one of the fundamental principles of our democratic system is that we do trust the judiciary to be independent and impartial, even if they do make mistakes from time to time.
Since you mention Afghanistan , it will not have escaped your notice that I thought an independent Inquiry was necessary as soon as it was apparent there were credible allegations of civilian casualties (by Jon Stephenson in 2014 in his programme on Maori TV).
But nevertheless, I do trust Lt General’s Mateparae and Jones.
Isnt trust the problem however Wayne….the reported instances where pressure has been applied to sections of the judiciary impacting the decision process on whether to prosecute or not are fairly widespread in many jurisdictions…..the level of trust will relate to the level of belief in the level of instance
Wayne: you're wasting your time. Morrissey's responses to other people's arguments are a random selection from: appeal to authority; link to an irrelevant YouTube clip or quote; declarations of what a terrible person you are.
Wayne: ERR,no these are the facts of the situation and are not my view at all.
The byzantine insanity of the Swedish prosecutor's position:
"There is still probable cause to suspect that Mr. Assange committed rape," Swedish prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson said at a Monday press conference . She does not state clearly what that "probable cause is"!?! Why because there is none.
The byzantine insanity of the Swedish prosecutor's position:
"There is still probable cause to suspect that Mr. Assange committed rape," Swedish prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson said at a Monday press conference . She does not state clearly what that "probable cause is"!?! Why because there is none.
We choose to before any evidence believe that Assange committed rape even though no one has accused him of this but we suspect that nevertheless it happened. There is we believe a probable cause for our fantasy but we are not letting on to you good folks what that is yet until we decide what the feck it is! Jesus H Christ! Am I in a loony asylum!?
You could arrest half the males on the Planet on that basis!
johnm: have you thought about it what it looks like when a man explains from a position of ignorance how the rape allegation against that man must be false? Look up the term "rape culture" and see whether you still want to continue mansplaining rape allegations away.
Our good friend "Psycho Milt" attempts to comfort the afflicted. No, not a political prisoner—nothing like that. Psycho Milt has, rather, chosen to fly to the rescue of an ex-Minister of "Defence", one who has been recorded in Hansard claiming, in a parliamentary pantomiming of high seriousness, that he and the rest of the Key regime "believes the information given to us by the New Zealand Defence Force. I believe Lieutenant General Jerry Matepārae and Lieutenant General Jones…."
So, yes, this is someone who seriously needs help. Whether or not Psycho Milt gives him any is doubtful. Let's see what the Psycho one has to say, and then deal with each of his points….
Wayne: you're wasting your time.
Wayne wasted everyone's time for many years as Minister of "Defence", telling lies about journalists and defending murderers and torturers for no other reason than that they belong to the New Zealand military. Why should he not waste a bit of his own time?
Morrissey's responses to other people's arguments are a random selection from:
"Random"? How so? Does anybody—even those who really detest this writer, i.e., moi—really think my sources are chosen at random?
appeal to authority;
I cite authoritative academics and journalists, of course. Experts, in other words. You, on the other hand, recycle black propaganda from the most disreputable and discredited and scurrilous sources. You are on a par with Wayne and his declaration of belief in the assurances of "the New Zealand Defence Force… Lieutenant General Jerry Matepārae and Lieutenant General Jones…."
link to an irrelevant YouTube clip or quote;
Really? Such as?
declarations of what a terrible person you are.
I think someone who knowingly lies to Parliament is indeed pretty terrible. What do you think of that behaviour, sir?
I'm sure Pamela Anderson, former Baywatch star, who has visited him to support him both in the Embassy and in Belmarsh would not have done these actions if assange were guilty of "rape culture." She may be a sex symbol but she isn't stupid! Re: Psycho Milt
Morrissey: no, Assange isn't a political prisoner, not unless the Yanks get their hands on him.
Wayne Mapp was a politician, so I'd be very surprised if he hadn't found himself required to at least obfuscate or find words that put his government in a better light than a plain reading of the facts would have, because that goes with the territory. Your quote of him saying something in Parliament that was later shown to be wrong isn't proof that he lied at the time, and is a fine example of item two in my proposed list of Morrissey responses: an irrelevant YouTube clip or quote.
Assange would have been vastly better off if he had gone through the justice system of Sweden.
The problem was, Assange and his team knew the rape claims were being used as a means by which he could be extradited to Sweden. And lurking in the background was the FBI who appeared to have come to some arrangement with the Swedish authorities that, at some point, he would be passed onto them for extradition to the US. That was the basis for him hiding in the Equadorian Embassy and I doubt he or anyone else knew it would last as long as it did.
I have no idea whether Assange committed those two rapes and I venture to suggest nobody else does either. Those who have taken sides are doing so without any evidence-based knowledge that I know of anyway.
Rape and/or sexual harrassment occur multiple times on a daily basis in every town/city in the world. Most women at some stage of their life have been through it. And up until very recent times most women did not report it either to their superiors or the police because the attitude was: stop bothering us with your petty complaints. Suck it up. It was probably your fault anyway.
Given that attitude, why was Assange's alleged rape complaint given so much more prominence from the moment they were made? It came across as a bit fishy to me given my own experiences.
And, in the event someone misinterprets my comment:
I am neither a supporter nor a detractor of Assange because I don't know the truth and I make no assumptions until the truth becomes clear.
Anne, you got any credible linkys for the allegation the FBI had a secret arrangement with the Swedes to ship him on to the US? I've seen that claim plenty of times from the blindly pro-Assange crowd, but not yet from any sources look even slightly impartial. Counter to that is the 2013 reporting that Obama and Eric Holder had decided against going after Assange because of the "New York Times problem", that going after Assange would be chilling for legitimate journalism.
What is your opinion on the appropriate path forward with Assange and why? My view is if Sweden revives the extradition request, then Assange should be sent to Sweden, to answer the rape allegation. But he should definitely not be sent to the US, since the superseding indictment issued for his publishing work makes it clear the Drumpf administration wants to use him for an attack on the free press.
From a practical point of view, it should be more difficult for the US to extract Assange from Sweden than from the UK, since the UK and Sweden both have to agree to send him on to the US, and because a European Arrest Warrant was used, there's a further European court Assange can appeal to. BTW, this was also true back in 2012 when Assange first scarpered to the Ecuadorian embassy
@patricia: some thoughts here on whether there is any way Sweden legally could give a guarantee not to extradite to the US. In short, it probably legally can't, and even trying would open a whole can of worms.
Why on earth would the Swedes inflict that on themselves for so little payoff? Especially when there's every chance Assange would just break his word anyway, as he subsequently did with his promise to give himself up to the US if Manning was granted clemency.
Gordon Dimmack
@GordonDimmack
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1h
A subscriber of mine has sent me this:
"Just spoke to Belmarsh Prison 0208 331 4400 and was told the following:
1. You can send Mr Julian #Assange a money order of up to £250.00, out of which he will be allowed £15.50 a week for in prison purchases and this: phone calls…
"Earlier this month, tech giant Microsoft announced its solution to “protect” American elections from interference, which it has named “ElectionGuard.” The election technology is already set to be adopted by half of voting machine manufacturers and some state governments for the 2020 general election. Though it has been heavily promoted by the mainstream media in recent weeks, none of those reports have disclosed that ElectionGuard has several glaring conflicts of interest that greatly undermine its claim aimed at protecting U.S. democracy.
In this investigation, MintPress will reveal how ElectionGuard was developed by companies with deep ties to the U.S. defense and intelligence communities and Israeli military intelligence, as well as the fact that it is far from clear that the technology would prevent foreign or domestic interference with, or the manipulation of, vote totals or other aspects of American election systems."
That persons who endeavour to seize the digital, published or unpublished property of nations – without permission – are likely to be caught up in a serious maelstrom.
Having read the background of Julian Assange such as on Wikipedia, I gather that Assange has a spotted and unsettled life.
He appears to have been given runaway, indeed lavish, support from assorted lawyers, Journalists, Newspapers and merry go-round cheer leaders. None of whom secretly took on nations such as USA, or Australia, or the UK.
Assange's girl Friday, Chelsea Mannering did. Julian partially did. He suffered huge difficulty with what he had done. Fearing murder on the part of the USA.
But the "supporters of Assange" – wanted to drag the unwise Julian through impossible violations of national security and determination.
No Nation of any importance is going to allow even minor breaches of security to take place. Assange ran a strange – weird – gauntlet.
Those who rubbish their own Nation, and any outsiders, are seen as treasonous. The populations of attacked Nations do not support theft and the inevitable global damage of their nation.
Julian Assange is not a typical citizen. Not a typical Australian. The Full Psychclogy of Julian is unknown. It has always been thus.
Hopefully, A less eratic future lies ahead for Assange, Chelsea, and Snowden.
The question remains, will we ever know the truth? With the US military being out for some serious vendetta and the threat to anyone interfering, is it any wonder that a couple of people are being made to be sacrifices for "the good of all". No surprises there. A nation that can kill presidents and pretends to be a democracy, we appeal to something they don't have. Full stop.
“New Zealand has long benefited from good relationships between landowners and recreational users. Access to our bush, mountains, lakes and streams is part of what it means to be a New Zealander,” Mr Newton said.
That point of view echoes one regularly and complacently rolled out; an example of how many are happy with the status quo that leaves many people having a ghostly presence at the fringe of society – the rabble outside the usually invisible gates.
If being able to access our bush etc is 'part of what it means to be a New Zealander' then there are large tranches of people who are not acknowledged as being included as real NZs, as part of their birthright in their own country. They can't afford to move around their own locality, and may not be able to afford to visit their families in other parts of the country, much less go swanning off to the bush, the beach, and the public baths (which are probably more hygienic than venturing into what used to be unspoiled nature.
When Helen Clark wanted to recreate she went off tramping in the bush and the mountains. I think I read that Theresa May goes to Switzerland. The world is dividing up into worthy of a lifestyle, and unworthy of one. The phrase about being from the wrong side of the tracks crops up USA songs, now they have spread their culture over us who tried to achieve equality. And our birthright has been up for grabs for some time. It is time we began Health Camps again, we are at that Depression level now.
Council chief executive Sue Bidrose was at personal risk of a $600,000 fine under health and safety legislation if she did not protect her staff, the meeting heard.
Sacha, you might need to explain your rationale more here, as the article by itself seems to say differently. I am genuinely unsure of this, and would appreciate your explanation, as adequate benefit levels are very important.
It's a trifling move, spread over years. The WEAG recommended a far more significant urgent increase. Which part of the article did you read as saying otherwise?
Thanks for the explanation. The WEAG was mentioned by a Green commentator but the article did not talk about a far more significant increase.
The increase spoken of is between $10 and $17 per week over and above an increase under the former calculation method.
That's between $520 and $884 a year extra. This is on a par with the winter energy payments- for which we were grateful yesterday as the cold front came through.
The method also puts it into line with the way my Super is calculated.
The article said that benefit payments were expected to grow between $27 and $46 per week over four years, above inflation increases. That's a yearly increase between $1404 and $2392. The measures will affect 339,000 people and are part of a package to lift some 74000 children out of poverty. That goal is to be measured and the government held accountable by that measurement.
Is that trifling? Remember that there are also other payments available.
What do you suggest as a decent yet affordable benefit level? All I really know about is superannuation as a long term payment to live on.
What did the WEAG recommend?
I see further down you recommended some further reading. I’d appreciate a steer in that direction, too.
Here’s what WEAG actually wanted in Recommendation 20:
Reform main benefits by:
– increasing main benefits by between 12 percent and 47 percent.
– increasing the abatement thresholds for: – Jobseeker Support to $150 a week – Sole Parent Support and Supported Living Payment to $150 a week and $250 a week.
To their credit, the Budget has raised the abatement threshold more than govt was suggesting just after the WEAG report was released.
Thanks again. I'll give Prof. Susan St John's report a good read. I note the article you cite from her is dated 15 May, and pre-Budget therefore. I'd be interested to look up her actual take on the Budget provisions if there is one to be read yet.
“The new approach signals a greater understanding of the tragic extent of the social deficits created over many years of neglect,” says Associate Professor Susan St John, CPAG’s Economics advisor. “Struggling families will benefit from the extra spending on mental health, domestic violence, and early intervention for at-risk children. But little has been done to address the serious problem of inadequate incomes.”
CPAG says the plan to index benefits to average wage inflation is a step forward to prevent families from falling even further behind, but it doesn’t address the almost three decades of failure to index adequately. As a result of this failure, current benefit levels fall far below the real costs of living, and families who receive income from a main benefit are struggling to meet even the most basic of their children’s needs, and rely more than ever on charity to fill the gap. A substantial increase in benefits was needed.
“Children simply cannot wait until 2020 for a meagre increase based on the previous year’s wage inflation – they need benefits to be based on actual and realistic costs of living,” says St John.
You're expressing—for some bizarre reason—support for Sacha, who tried to belittle and derail a discussion about the state destruction of Julian Assange this morning.
What's the "trollery and the folly" you're talking about? Have you actually looked at her contributions?
I am expressing thanks for her response to me about issues to do with benefit levels. Under #10 thread. Morrissey, read my comments in context, please.
One of the reasons why establishment historians and educators refuse to allow New Zealand history of British colonialisation and conquest and war in our schools, is that it might bring an understanding of the true nature of imperialism, conquest, plunder, colonialism, racism and war, that still has relevance today.
The obvious impetus for the New Zealand Wars was land – Māori had it, the British wanted it, the New Zealand Company overpromised on it. But land was not the sole cause. For a start, imperial troops were not always sympathetic to settlers’ land hunger. In 1855, Governor Thomas Gore Browne complained that many of the settlers were “insatiably greedy for land”, and when land could not be procured honestly, “still they desire to have it”.
The wars were also about power and hierarchical ideologies. The increasing number of settlers – by 1858, their population equalled that of Māori – arrived in New Zealand with deeply entrenched Victorian assumptions of racial superiority. They were certainly not willing, says O’Malley, “to defer to a bunch of people they dismissively called ‘natives’”.
Vincent O'Malley is a brilliant historian. He deserves to be interviewed by someone intelligent and well informed. Instead, he was interviewed last Saturday by the embarrassingly dreadful Noelle McCarthy…
The initiatives would also help ease the pressures of peak traffic and parking demands in the city, while lowering the city’s carbon footprint as its population grew.
Other councillors to back the initiatives included Cr Christine Garey, who said the loop service was a missing piece of the puzzle needed to encourage people out of their cars and respond to climate change concerns.
Cr David Benson-Pope said central-city traffic patterns were already changing, and more disruption was on the way as major projects loomed.
New transport options were needed, and the trial loop service would be hugely supported he predicted.
I only wish we had city councilors as forward thinking as this in Auckland.
The equivalent of the Dunedin Fare Free City loop in Auckland, would be Fare Free on the Northern Busway and across the Harbour Bridge.
The devil is in the definition of "loop" (the screwed that one before, putting the loop where they wanted people to go rather than where the people wanted to go), but it's a good start.
Suddenly we're seeing tangible action from councillors – you'd think it was an election year or something…
But wouldn't you agree Sacha that Auckland with its bridge reaching maximum capacity would be a good pilot program for showing how to reduce individual car trips. First the free buses, then the back-fill of park and ride, and other systems for people getting from home to bus station. You are thinking major idea, but there are steps towards that which would be valuable in showing the way and how to work it.
The Northern Busway has already greatly reduced the proportion of trips over the bridge by car. If you want a pilot for public transport, try South Auckland. I'd also recommend background reading on the topic at https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/
Truth hurts… but not always and not forever IF it is acknowledged imo.
James Cook was obviously not the first human to traverse the Pacific, nor even the twelfth. But he was the first European to land in New Zealand, and so the commemorations have less to do with his feats of navigation, or even whether he was or was not a white supremacist. He was, of course, because colonisation was founded on the presumed European right of white people to rule the “other”, who was thought to be inferior. But the commemorations are actually part of a wider narrative in which racism has been denied more often than it has been acknowledged.
That narrative is the story of New Zealand’s “nation-building” that Cook has always been credited with initiating. It’s a variation on an old story about legitimising the power that was first asserted in his acts of “discovery.” It’s also the story of how the colonisers have tried to find a new identity by morphing themselves from colonisers to “settlers” and then “Kiwis”.
The commemorations are therefore just another our-story, an expensive reaffirmation of what the colonisers have always thought about “what is, is.” They merge the glorification of Cook into the glorification of a colonisation that the Crown has always described as occasionally flawed but, essentially, benevolent. Like the plaque on one Cook monument, it was motivated by a “kind and humane usage”, rather than some violent will to dispossess.
With hindsight marty mars, what would have been a more appropriate way for all of the world's explorers and colonisers to go about their explorations and colonisations, since humanity first walked out of Africa? And is there a particular group of explorers and colonisers that you know of which conducted themselves in this way, or a better way?
I'm just curious – no ulterior motive to the question. Have been doing a lot of reading the last while about humanity's expansions around the planet on many multiple occasions and across multiple species. It is a fascinating subject I think.
I was thinking of Cook this morning and how right from his days, there was an appreciation of the different cultures and knowledge here than what Captain Cook and his compatriots knew. Tupaia in 1769 was the bold guide and pilot who went with the white adventurers, braving the seas and many unknowns as the Polynesian adventurers had succeeded in over generations.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupaia_(navigator)Tupaia (also known as Tupaea or Tupia) (c. 1725 – December, 26 1770) was a Tahitian Polynesian navigator and arioi (a kind of priest), originally from the island of Ra'iatea in the Pacific Islands group known to Europeans as the Society Islands.
On 13 July. 1769, upon leaving Tahiti for the Leeward islands, Cook wrote: … throughout their voyage and to pilot the Endeavour through the uncharted waters of….
If we remember that early dependence and respect for knowledge and cultural guidance, and increase our commitment to follow as many of the cultural practices as possible it will be a huge boon for us to ride the waves of climate change and attempted new colonisations from all over the world.
Paul Spoonley on immigration may have useful thoughts. It may be that Maori would agree that we should enable numbers of Pacific Islanders to come here and form small communities within the larger ones, that can be self-sustaining for the basics. They call on the world for help and we, near neighbours, should be finding ways to assist and include them.
We could for instance, limit entrance to Indians and perhaps Filipinos, not stop them, but just limit numbers by stopping ripping-them off as paying customers, by having no registered agents but allowing con-artists to treat them fraudulently on our behalf.
Cook was a product of his times as much as we are of ours. He was no saint nor demon imo – just a flawed man with skills. I've read a lot of books on the man and his family. But who he was is incidental to what he represents in today's world – sad but history does that.
For in that little corner of the Moors is a monument to James Cook. It’s a fairly nondescript example of monumental art — rather like a tottering brick chimney. But its inscription has all the misleading rhetoric, the false grandeur of all statues erected to purported heroes:
While it shall be deemed the honour of a Christian nation to spread civilisation … among poor and savage tribes, so will the name of Captain Cook stand out among the most celebrated and most advanced benefactors of the human race.
In many ways, the monument is an example of history being retold. For histories are really just stories that people tell in their own way, about themselves and their past. They are “our-stories” that exclude as much as they include, and forget or misremember as much as they choose to tell.
Okay I know there is controversy about celebrations of Captain Cook. But what I said about how he tried to understand what was going on in his often initial meetings with locals is something pakeha must continue today. I think that honouring him as a great adventurer and navigator in NZ, must include Tupaia who acted to assist him, and together the two men with a deep knowledge of the marine environment and sailing history understood each other. Rather like Hillary and Sherpa Tensing.
Edit:
Pakeha and tauiwi have done much in combining our political and cultural ways with Maori but it is only baby steps to where we should go now. And when Maori think about the ways we conduct ourselves I think you would agree Marty Mars, Maori finds pakeha too patronising and judgmental. I as a pakeha find many pakeha like this, particularly those who have monetised everything and set standards of which they are the arbiters; the words 'style over substance' occur to me often.
Marty Mars Edit
We all are complex interesting people who come here (both to NZ in the past and to The Standard in the present) and try and navigate the troubled seas of modernity and technology addiction Marty Mars. I am a pakeha and am learning from you, a Maori, and trying to understand your strengths and flaws, as well as my own with a view to imagining, imaging, visualising an uncertain future where people can use their talents to overcome dangers, one of them being that of resiling into the bestiality of society of the major slaving times, and the 19th and part 20th century.
And that quest is being replicated throughout this site. Voyagers into the unknown we are. Just a thunk.
I think they are touching on this in The Truth Sayers post. But I have to go and do something – the sun is out am I supposed to meet a friend this afternoon can’t remember, I should be in the garden. So I’ve put my 2 dents (cents) worth in for the day. And am I too old fashioned to be of use – 2 cents isn’t even a currency any more?
He was an interesting bloke – not really upper crust, but managed to assemble a crack cartography team. The only reason we've heard of him was because he produced a high end chart of Hudson Bay, which got him the Pacific job. The Koreans are annoyed with him too – not for colonizing, but for labelling their East Sea (Donghae) The Sea of Japan.
Likely the crew of a smaller vessel that transported Cook and other "notable persons" from the Endeavour were the first to step ashore. Cook and Banks and probably others kept diaries and there are books about them and Tupaia. We will never know the stories of the men and boys who sailed and rowed the vessels.
Bad apples DO spoil the whole bunch – sometimes – wonder what they wanted the information for?
Dozens of police and Corrections staff were caught misusing their offender databases last year.
According to figures released under the Official Information Act, a total of nine police officers were found to have misused the National Intelligence Application (NIA) database in 2018.
Eighteen Corrections staff also faced disciplinary action for misusing their Integrated Offender Management System (IOMS).
Nice bit of figure-fudging in that report – say only two police officers doing it so far this year, but at the end says that incidents atill under investigation aren't included in that total.
So it looks like the problem is drastically improved from 2016 (25 cops doing it) to 9 in 2018 to 2 so far in 2019, but if the investigations and organisational appeals take on average longer than six months you can probably add at least another 2 to the 2018 figures. And if you can really drag out the investigations and appeals, who knows whether there's been any improvement at all…
New research from King's College London has found that teacher assessments are equally as reliable as standardised exams at predicting educational success. The study's co-lead researchers join Jim to discuss their findings and what it could mean for the educational sector.
Teachers need adequate funding, and fair classroom/teaching conditions, to enable them to fully do their job and most of them will comprehend their students' abilities and weaknesses and help them to success. I think that follows reasonably, from the above paragraph.
And students facing a kaleidoscope world while they are developing into adults, which is a delayed process in the western? world, where they are treated as children with limited agency right through their secondary, teenage years, and often into their university years. In other cultures they might be adult at 14.
The truth is coming out over there too – for years indigenous activists and caring others have said there is a REAL situation here – women are dying, indigenous women are disappearing.
Three decades of missing and murdered Indigenous women amounts to a “Canadian genocide”, a leaked landmark government report has concluded.
The document, titled Reclaiming Power and Place, was compiled over more than two and a half years. Canada’s CBC News was given a copy of the report, which is due to be released on Monday, on Friday. Its contents were confirmed to the Guardian by an individual working within the inquiry.
“We do know that thousands of Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA (two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, queer, questioning, intersex and asexual) people have been lost to the Canadian genocide to date,” said the report.
While the number of Indigenous women who have gone missing is estimated to exceed 4,000, the report admits that no firm numbers can ever be established.For years, activists and Indigenous peoples have pushed for a government inquiry into the high number of Indigenous women who have either gone missing or been killed.
I have remembered for decades the closing down of a small town in Canada about the truth of a murdered Cree woman. One of the perpetrators actually confessed in public but they continued to repress the facts and avoided admitting and facing justice by the white young men who were guilty and had been deliberately brutal (it wasn't death by accident at all).
Edit: Helen Betty Osborne, or Betty Osborne (July 16, 1952 – November 13, 1971), was a Cree Aboriginal woman from Norway House reserve who was kidnapped and murdered while walking down Third Street in The Pas, Manitoba.
During the initial days of the investigation, attention was placed on Betty's friends. Unfortunately, unacceptable recording and preserving of evidence at the Pump House (the crime scene) seriously crippled the investigation.[4]
Dwayne Archie Johnston, James Robert Paul Houghton, Lee Scott Colgan and Norman Bernard Manger, four young, Caucasian men from The Pas, were eventually implicated in her death. However, it was not until December 1987, sixteen years after her death, that any of them were convicted of the crime. It was at this time that Constable Rob Urbanowski took over the investigation and placed an ad in the local newspaper asking for witnesses to come forward. Even then, only Johnston was convicted, as Houghton had been acquitted, Colgan had received immunity for testifying against Houghton and Johnston, and Manger was never charged.
The Aboriginal Justice Implementation Commission conducted an investigation into concerns surrounding the length of time involved in resolving the case. According to the Commission report, Osborne's autopsy showed that "along with well over 50 stab wounds, her skull, cheekbones and palate were broken, her lungs were damaged, and one kidney was torn. Her body showed extensive bruising."[5] The Commission concluded that the most significant factors prolonging the case were racism, sexism and indifference of white people.[3] The Royal Canadian Mounted Police officially closed the Osborne case on February 12, 1999. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Betty_Osborne
Jim Mora has a Venezuelan guest at 11:45 this morning. Expect some complacent observations and ill thought through questions, and little or no mention of the U.S. war on that nation.
11.45 a.m. Alejandro Cegarra: award winning photographer at Auckland Festival of Photography
Venezuelan photographer Alejandro Cegarra is presenting his internationally acclaimed work at the Auckland Festival of Photography. His work, "State of Decay", documents the impact the rule of Hugo Chavez continues to have , four years after he died. The images earned him an award from the prestigiousWorld Press Photo organisation. He speaks to Jim about what's happening in his home country and what he hopes his images will achieve.
Here, for the record, are just a couple of instances of Mora making malignant and ignorant remarks about Venezuela…..
Someone here is going to have to stretch their analytical legs and forecast the future economic and social strength of the UK after leaving the EU. It's going to happen, probably now in October, and in reality there's no turning back. After this shit there's little way the UK would be admitted back.
I can easily see the UK being relegated to the same economic size as Brazil, and slipping fast down the top 20 economies.
Diplomatically it will quickly become an irrelevance of little use to the US, because it will no longer be an English-speaking gateway into the EU.
I don't wish decline onto any country, but this is where the UK is going and going fast.
There's still good coherence amongst Northern Ireland government, and scraps of it remaining in Scotland, but England itself – well I can agree with you in its future damage to children – once the Conservatives really carry out what they promise post-Brexit, which is a fully root and branch deregulation of the English economy and English society.
Property speculation has worked pretty well across the western world for one reason – immigration.
Margaret Thacthers property boom did more to destroy the UK than Hitlers Germany could have ever hoped. Right now birth rates are falling across the western world. For some reason having babies is now seen as a taboo issue for the woke to signal to there friends it's okay to be outrage about a penis ejaculating into a vagina bareback. I digress.
So think about it. Hard boarders post BREXIT is a signal to tighten immigration. When the birth rate hits 1 which last I looked Britain wasn't to far off hitting, but when it hits 1 the population halves in 20-40 years or 2 generations or so. All the buildings will still be there it's just that there will be half the people. Thx Maggy.
Here's my prediction. The world will continue to globalise and not even notice Brexit. And every nation will be caught up in it, including especially such powers and actors as the UK.
As such, the UK wont feel Brexit at all, except perhaps some initial teething, and it will get pulled into the globalisation that humanity is undergoing,… brexit? pfftt… world governance of various shades will continue to spread and, other than the occasional foot trip, nobody can stop it..
Why bother tho? Heathrow is one of the shittiest airports Iv been to. There's always some kind of delay in there. If it's not the gates shutting on you as you exit the plane the carrousel or some dumb technical bulshit. And all the staff just stand around like duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh, I don't know duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh. It's fucken cold, dark and Prince Charles will be King soon. Tell me, why should I invest in the UK?
Yah! At last someone talking sense on Brexit. Although my gut feeling is a 'no-deal crash out Brexit' will have real impact on the UK in the short-term (for instance there is a real chance Scotland will secede and Northern Ireland will join up with the Republic), you're otherwise on the nail.
Regardless of Brexit, the EU will will prove in historic terms little more than a step along the way towards something more effective. We haven't even seen the impact of Xi Xinping's Belt and Road initiative yet.
I consider this a possibility (vto 6.29 pm) but if people don't like that scenario, they must get up and find and form a new extended family to prevent us getting picked off by the machine-brain, monetised, materialistic, elite and fellow travellers presently to be found as close as in your own families.
I have heard of people writing to KiwiBank and saying they should not be ditching cheques and should keep this basic old fashioned transaction system as a useful tool, in case!
Grey Power at its recent Federation AGM gave the CEO of KiwiBank a good serve a fortnight ago when he spoke to the delegates. He reported that his mother gave him the same arguments against ditching cheques and closing branches. His argument was that his bank did not want to be the last one to be servicing cheques (so they got in first?). Those wanting to use cheques could go elsewhere. The service he argued had to be closed before the last cheque was written by the last chequebook holder.
"….the threat of being pushed into the sea." Does Duncan Greive do no editing? How did this garbage get through?
After the March 15 massacre in Christchurch, someone calling herself "Sara Green" wrote a mostly anodyne and unremarkable little response to it. Most of this piece is pedestrian, but she ("Sara Green" is a pseudonym) veers off into fanaticism and propaganda near the end….
Israel is a Jewish homeland and sanctuary. Yet every day its citizens, both Arabs and Jews, live with acts of terrorism and with the threat of being pushed into the sea.
Why Jews all the time? Quoting religion and the taking of Jesus' life is given as an excuse. She just is thinking through her feelings after the Christchurch massacre. She explains it all in these paragraphs:
She visited Israel:
And – horror of horrors – I noticed the hierarchy. At the time of my visit, those at the bottom of the pecking order were refugees from the dissolved Soviet Union; before that, I was told, it was the North African Jews. All Jews were clearly not equal in Israel.
Israel is a Jewish homeland and sanctuary. Yet every day its citizens, both Arabs and Jews, live with acts of terrorism and with the threat of being pushed into the sea.
It’s an unfortunate fact that you can’t alter extreme and rigid beliefs with rational argument. So we can’t change extremists, only ourselves – potentially.
Threats remain against Israel although it has taken extreme defence measures, including getting an atomic bomb. But the threats unite the country and make it easy for a military backed political party that responds to Palestine armed protest with unequal violence. It can even be said that they provoke attack so they can justify their scare tactics and propaganda. But this is what the Jews have had in the past, can't forget.
Jews are used to being on the move, to being expelled, from Rome in the 1st century AD, from England in 13th century and from Spain in the 15th century. They are used to being directed where they can live, to ghetto life. The Pale of Settlement (now Belarus). The Warsaw Ghetto. Pogroms. Jew-baiting.
How can people behave in such a way towards members of their own society?
The history of their suffering over the generations is always there. How can you relax completely when time and again the country you live in turns against you. It was almost The End in Germany and other places also.
Although, [Helen] Clark would probably have Gabriel Makhlouf's resignation on her desk by now.
I believe that technically neither the Minister of Finance nor the PM appoint or employ the Treasury Secretary so neither could fire him or accept his resignation. As far as I know, he has already resigned, with notice.
It is well known that generics cause nasty side effects because they are cheaper, which makes them also less effective. Mainstream and social media are perfectly safe and have no physiological effects on us at all. How could they? We don’t ingest or inhale them, do we?
"Rationing to tackle the climate crisis could be given a modern-day makeover. People could be allocated polluting credits to cover activities such as meat eating and flying that they can sell and buy in an online marketplace. If you’re short of cash, or not that bothered about eating meat or flying abroad, you can feel smug as you sell your credits to someone who is, which makes this far more equitable than green taxes. And setting a population-level limit on something such as meat consumption would create huge incentives for companies to invest more in the production of things such as environmentally friendly, lab-grown meat.”
How did it come to be MSD paid around $3800 a week for a property that was rented out for around $500 a week? Moreover, how many other properties are they vastly overpaying for?
Graham I feel the same way as you about Aotearoa congratulation O Sir Graham sorry.
That's good news the housing price is stabilizing and rising slightly.
Tamariki get hurt playing sports just playing in a field a tamariki can get hurt I don't think there is a problem with our children sports.
Eco Maori knowns about security I go into a organization and they are Already nervous go figure they have racially profiled me discriminated against me.
kevin spacey finally sitting on a hot seat in a courthouse about time.
The cricket is looking exciting this World Cup.
I do agree a murder should have no calls on there children unless there are no love ones no carers then they have a say.
I agree the Japanese Wahine having to wear highheals as a worker's dress code for mahi work that law needs be banned too our history books.
Human caused Climate changes will have a direct impact negatively on tangata health and all the creatures.
We can see the negative impact on Papatuanuku now that's reality.
Climate crisis seriously damaging human health, report finds
National academies say effects include spread of diseases and worse mental health
A report by experts from 27 national science academies has set out the widespread damage global heating is already causing to people’s health and the increasingly serious impacts expected in future
Scorching heatwaves and floods will claim more victims as extreme weather increases but there are serious indirect effects too, from spreading mosquito-borne diseases to worsening mental health.
“There are impacts occurring now [and], over the coming century, climate change has to be ranked as one of the most serious threats to health,” said Prof Sir Andrew Haines, a co-chair of the report for the European Academies’ Science Advisory Council (Easac).
'So much land under so much water': extreme flooding is drowning parts of the midwest
However, there were also great benefits from action to cut carbon emissions, the report found, most notably cutting the 350,000 early deaths from air pollution every year in Europe caused by burning fossil fuels. “The economic benefits of action to address the current and prospective health effects of climate change are likely to be substantial,” the report concluded la kite ano link below.
Lloyd I back the protesters protesting trump he is a climate change denier we have to stand firm on that climate change.
Our tamariki sports stars are ok stop with the cotton wool.
His heathers look in excellent condition no comment on his issues with MPI .
With the jailed father mother ect it has to be about what good for the children don't take all the family rights from people in jail take the custody right from those that kill there parents everyone should not suffer for the wrongs of the few.
Brian has dune good for a lot of tangata whenua he just forgets that no one is perfect .
I could see that Kohanga Reo were under resorsed 20 years ago it will be harder now.
Winston in the Solomon Island ka pai our Pacific cousins needs Aotearoa help in this fast changing Papatuanuku and climate change.
Haka Brazil ka pai teach everyone about how great tangata whenua O Aotearoa cultural is in Reality.
Its cool that the old Maori ronga looks likely to heal Tane Mahuta from the Kauai die back disease heaps of Maori medical knowledge has been losted. I see that the WHO World Health Organization has given the thumbs up to traditional Chinese Medicine.
Graham I think that council's needs to find the most efficient way to provide services. I say taking the option to save money is a must we have to minimize OUR consumption of goods and services to save our future. The Onekawa pools we cool a few years ago.
We need to taxs the——-out of carbon that will let natural products rise to their correct status. Wool wood ect and save Papatuanuku.
I think our government should go for more taxes from the Tech internet industry. Companies tax doesn't even pay half as much as the PAYE pay as you earn figure that one out they make BILLIONS using OUR infrastructure the many subsidising the 00.1%.
Thanks to the Auckland council for taking the Kauri die back disease seriously by closing down walking tracks to minimize the spread the disease.
The cabinet reshuffle I have my backing on a couple of people rising.
Looks like tawhirimate has been up to mischief up Northland Global warming has increased his mana.
Thanks for all your years of service Steve Tue
That's what Eco Maori wants Peace freedom and JUSTICE Jeremy Corbyn .
Wow I just told someone a story about me and my cousin next minute.
That's a hard one the guy being charged with being a coward not everyone has courage but I suppose he should not have had a job as a security guard when you ain't got it —–that is.
Talisa it will be a lot warmer there in the Solomon island it looks like they need heaps of help with their economy and infrastructure it is good that Aotearoa can help them
I'm a big Fan of Moana Jackson yes we need to help our homeless tangata.
I agree with Ella Henry the price of housing has pushed tangata whenua out of the market they are way too expensive.
But it will take a bit of time for Labour to clean up national short mess in whare.
I don't think that the tax on smokes should go up any more.
I agree smoking is the hardest habit to kick I gave up 2 times one we ran out of smokes at sea for the last 2 weeks the other I was in hospital for 2 weeks lol.
Ma te wa When im in the correct place then I will focus on giving up .
Our rangitahi do need a lot of help with mental health and addictions its so easy for them to find the bad contraband.
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
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 ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
The Government Communications Security Bureau denies hosting a foreign spying capability flagged by the watchdog, differentiating it from the system recently criticised. ...
RNZ News A group of academic staff at New Zealand’s largest university have expressed concern at the administration’s move to block a protest encampment that was planned to take place on campus calling for support for the rights of Palestinians. This week, the University of Auckland warned that while it ...
Genterwocky After a hard days marching, Sir Doocey calls in at the Village Tavern For a pint of ale and a pork pie. The grim villagers stare at him. “Do not be travelling on the forest road,” warns a crusty old beak. “And why is that, antique peasant?” Grins Sir ...
Political conferences after a party returns to power are usually a chance for some healthy, even unhealthy backslapping. Yet National Party president Sylvia Wood’s address to its mainland representatives on Saturday hardly contained the unalloyed delight that one might have expected following National’s escape from the wilderness of opposition. Yes, ...
Comment: Almost half the world is voting in national elections this year and artificial intelligence is the elephant in the room. There are genuine fears AI-generated or AI-edited deepfakes will potentially manipulate election outcomes not just in the US and UK, but critically in countries such as India. For that ...
Ahead of the reality franchise’s return to New Zealand, allow us to introduce the eight brides and grooms. Chuck on a veil and tie back your man bun, because it’s time to say “I do” to a new season of Married at First Sight NZ. The reality TV “social experiment” ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor in the Practice of Higher Education Policy, Australian National University Every year on June 1, student debt in Australia is indexed to inflation. In 2023, high inflation pushed the indexation rate to 7.1%, the highest since 1990. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Changes in the May 14 budget will cut the student debt of more than three million people, wiping more than $3 billion from what people owe. The government will cap the HELP indexation rate ...
Asia Pacific Report The prosecutor’s office at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has appealed for an end to what it calls intimidation of its staff, saying such threats could constitute an offence against the “administration of justice” by the world’s permanent war crimes court. The Hague-based office of ICC Prosecutor ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk A women’s union in New Caledonia has staged a sit-in protest this week to support senior Kanak indigenous journalist Thérèse Waia, who works for public broadcaster Nouvelle-Calédonie la Première, after a smear attack by critics. The peaceful demonstration was held on ...
New Zealand Food Safety is monitoring overseas recalls of Indian packaged spice products manufactured by MDH and Everest due to concerns over a cancer-causing pesticide. ...
By Stephen Wright and Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews Fiji’s ranking in a global press freedom index has jumped into the top tier of countries with free or mostly free media after its government last year repealed a draconian law that threatened journalists with prison for doing their jobs. Fiji’s improvement ...
We might be in Invercargill but all anyone can talk about is Gore. Specifically, Salford Street. That’s where three-year-old Lachlan Jones lived, south of the centre of town, between the A&P Showgrounds and the Mataura River. Roughly 1.2 km away from the single level home he lived in with his ...
MONDAY I lined up the latest round of civil servants from city hall against the wall, and signalled for the firing squad to drop their rifles. I stepped up onto a wooden crate to look at the office workers in the eye. But that didn’t feel right, so I found ...
Keen hiker and second-year MSc student Liam Hewson wears two hats when he’s in the great outdoors. “The scientist in me appreciates nature and goes, ‘Oh, there’s that thing and there’s another thing,’ but then the tramper and the outdoorsy person in me thinks, ‘Cool bush.’” Born and bred in ...
After a long and illustrious career as a goal kicker, Dan Carter’s favourite way to unwind is… kicking goals. Why can’t he get enough of it? And what it’s like to watch him do it for an hour straight? A semicircle of people wielding cameras and phones has formed in ...
Dame Susan Devoy takes us through her life in television, including late night ER debriefs, her proudest CTI moment and the show she watches in secret. Quite aside from her four world champion squash titles, Dame Susan Devoy will likely go down in history as one of the best Celebrity ...
Hera Lindsay Bird reveals the best places in Ōtepoti to score more for your apocalypse-prep book hoard.Sometimes I get the feeling I’ve been killed in a car crash, and this second half of my life is just the brain unspooling itself, like one of those episodes of a hospital ...
ThreeNow’s new murder mystery series takes us on a dark, damp journey into the Australian wilderness.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. High Country is ThreeNow’s new Australian eight-part crime drama, set in a remote part of the Victorian highlands. It tells ...
Introducing a new way to read The Spinoff every weekend. After nearly 10 years of being an online magazine, we’re finally embracing the weekend liftout. Despite our best efforts to convince you otherwise, writers and editors at The Spinoff don’t work weekend. It is through the sheer power of technology ...
Tip one: let yourself be nurtured by this big old man. Tip two: don’t ask him to adopt you. So, you’ve arrived at your first session with a new therapist. He tells you to make yourself comfortable and you opt for the tweed armchair, hoping it makes you look like ...
I didn’t know books could open you back up; that there were books that stayed with you, where reading was like a chemical event. I knew nothing.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Not too long ago, I was listening to the American ...
Former Olympic swimmer James Magnussen has already started training for the Enhanced games, though says he won’t start taking performance enhancing substances until about nine months out from the competition. The Australian world champion was the first athlete to be announced by Enhanced, but he says the organisation has had ...
Everyone thinks he’s dead. Every day they expect his body to be washed up along the coast. Most likely up Karitane way, the way the tide’s running. But nobody’ll be too surprised if his body’s never found. Even in death he wouldn’t have wished for such attention. He would have ...
Council members voted 21 to 4 in favour of Ahluwalia returning to the Laucala campus following a much-awaited meeting in Vanuatu this week. It comes as USP and its two unions — the Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff (AUSPS) and the Administration and Support Staff Union ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicola Henry, Professor & Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Social and Global Studies Centre, RMIT University Shutterstock Following an emergency meeting of the National Cabinet this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a raft of measures to tackle the problem ...
Analysis - A poll showing the opposition is more popular than the government raises questions, politicians go through their 'trial by pay rise' and a Green MP loses her cool in the debating chamber. ...
The entire stretch of Tokomaru Bay on the East Coast will be subject to a joint customary marine title for two hapū, and extending up to four miles out to sea. A High Court judge has found the two groups, who during the case settled a dispute over boundaries for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Hall, Lecturer, Media & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University A longstanding feud between TikTok and Universal Music Group seems to have finally reached an end, with both parties signing a deal that will see Universal-backed music returned to the social media ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Siobhan O’Dean, Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney After several highly publicised alleged murders of women in Australia, the Albanese government this week pledged more than A$925 million over five years ...
Political parties have now fully disclosed the donations they received last year - with National getting more than double the cash of any other party. ...
A Pacific regionalism expert has called out New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters for withholding information from the public on AUKUS military pact. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard de Grijs, Professor of Astrophysics, Macquarie University Bruno Scramgnon/Pexels All systems are “go” for tonight’s launch of China’s next step in a carefully planned lunar exploration program. Placed on top of a powerful Long March 5 rocket, the Chang’e 6 ...
National returned a massive donation the day after a Newsroom story linked the donors to a property being investigated for operating unlawfully as a migrant workers’ hostel. The party’s 2023 donation filings, released on Friday, show it returned a $200,000 donation from Buen Holdings on August 23. That was the ...
Pacific Media Watch New Zealand has slumped to an unprecedented 19th place in the annual Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index survey released today on World Press Freedom Day — May 3. This was a drop of six places from 13th last year when it slipped out of its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Black, Political Historian and Administrator Officer, Australian Historical Association, Australian National University Australia has had its fair share of public record-keeping controversies in recent years. Some have been mere farce, as in the case of two formerly government-owned filing cabinets (containing ...
Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), a United Nations-affiliated organization dedicated to fostering peace through civilian-led initiatives, has issued a statement in response to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. ...
A poem by Tessa Keenan, from AUP New Poets 10. Mātou These days we are a photograph; one of a farm strewn with cows that used to be bright harakeke or swamp. The kids point at it and say the sun sits behind a smudge (left by someone at Christmas); ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Faber & Faber, $25)The masterful Irish writer ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. Key facts Marriages and civil unions In ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lennon Y.C. Chang, Associate Professor of Cyber Risk and Policy, Deakin University Taiwan stands out as a beacon of democracy, innovation and resilience in an increasingly autocratic region. But this is under growing threat. In recent years, China has used a variety ...
In this excerpt from her new memoir, Dame Susan Devoy remembers her turn as star contestant on the 2022 season of Celebrity Treasure Island. The most anxious time of every day was pre-elimination, when you knew this could be your final day on the show. I felt such contradictory emotions, ...
A week that began in triumph ended in an all-too-familiar disaster for the Green Party. Duncan Greive asks if there’s something in the mission that breaks its best and brightest. A long, strange week for the Green party began with a fantastic poll result. On one level this is hardly ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Vanuatu’s former prime minister and opposition MP Ishmael Kalsakau has stepped down — just two days after he confirmed he was the rightful opposition leader. Kalsakau, MP for Port Vila, confirmed to ABC’s Pacific Beat, and the Vanuatu Daily Post on Thursday that he ...
What’s to blame for the coalition’s choppy start? Six months in, and the mojo meter is in the doldrums. A new poll would put National out of power and sees its leader, Chris Luxon, sliding in popularity. How much is it about policy, how much coalition management and a perception ...
The striking report goes far beyond the proposed repeal of the Oranga Tamariki Act’s Treaty of Waitangi provision, and its impact should be felt far beyond the unique circumstances of the claim it addresses. Earlier this week, the Waitangi Tribunal released an interim report on the government’s proposed repeal of ...
The world has been experiencing a productivity slowdown, from which New Zealand has not been exempt. COVID-19 temporarily boosted labour productivity, but more recently, productivity has retreated. The overall trend since 2007 has been one of slow productivity ...
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U.N. Special Rapporteur Calls for Julian Assange to Be Freed, Citing “Psychological Torture”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErW1taJEPrs
On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to UN Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer about his assessment of Julian Assange’s condition. He says Assange has shown signs of psychological torture and that he has not seen anything as bad as the WikiLeaks founder’s case in his 20-year career. Next, we speak to former president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, on the arrest and imprisonment of Julian Assange. He describes his successor Lenin Moreno as a traitor for allowing the UK to arrest Assange. Correa says Moreno has violated asylum law and talks about corruption allegations against the current president.
" … he has not seen anything as bad as the WikiLeaks founder’s case in his 20-year career."
Considering what kinds of things went on in Abu Ghraib and Gitmo, let alone in places that don't even pretend to pay lip service to human rights, anyone making a statement like that is utterly lacking in any credibility whatsoever.
He is referring to the collective might and weight of three repressive democratic states brought to bear on one man
I suggest his experience of these matters eclipses yours by some measure
Andre: I don't think any U.N. human rights advocates would have been allowed entry to Gitmo or Abu Ghraib. Other places are war zones. He has a right not to risk his life going to such places. I do not give credibility to your assertion in the least.
I have asked before and I ask again. If this were a dissident publisher in Russia, what would the UK political and media class be saying about his being dragged out by armed police, and convicted and sentenced to jail by a judge without a jury, just three hours later, after a farce of a “trial” in which the judge insulted him and called him a “narcissist” before he had said anything in his defence? The Western media would be up in arms if that happened in Russia. Here, they cheer it on.
Julian’s personal possessions have been seized by the Ecuadoreans to be given to the US government. These include not only computers but his legal and medical papers. This is yet another example of completely illegal state action against him. Furthermore, any transfer must involve the stolen material physically transiting London, and the British government is taking no steps to prevent that, which is yet another of multiple signs of the degree of international governmental coordination behind the flimsy pretence of independent judicial action.
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2019/06/no_author/the-unrelenting-state/
"The Western media would be up in arms if that happened in Russia. Here, they cheer it on."
Very well highlighted johnm
The poor old Russians have been so vilified over the years that we have lost all track of our relative cultures …
The final punishment of Julian Assange reminds journalists their job is to uncover what the state keeps hidden
By Robert Fisk
If we do our job, we will expose the same vile mendacity of our masters that has led to the clamour of hatred towards Assange, Manning and Snowden
So let’s forget – just for a moment – the slaughter of civilians, the lethal cruelty of US mercenaries (some involved in child-trafficking), the killing of Reuters staff by US forces in Baghdad, the army of innocents held in Guantanamo, the torture, the official lies, the fake casualty figures, the embassy lies, the American training of Egypt’s torturers and all the other crimes uncovered by the activities of Assange and Manning.
Let’s suppose that what they revealed was good rather than bad, that the diplomatic and military documents provided a shining example of a great and moral country and demonstrated those very noble and shining ideals which the land of the free has always espoused. Let’s pretend that US forces in Iraq repeatedly gave their lives to protect civilians, that they denounced their allies’ tortures, that they treated the inmates of Abu Ghraib (many of them completely innocent) not with sexual cruelty but with respect and kindness; that they broke the power of the mercenaries and sent them back to prison in the US in chains; that they owned up, however apologetically, to the cemeteries of men, women and children whom they sent to an early grave in the Iraq war.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/51687.htm
Peter Pavimentov • 6 hours agoThe internationally organized moves for liberating Assange make it politically more expedient to have him expire while imprisoned. He is apparently already in intensive medical care. That would solve all political complications for Britain, Sweden and the US.
The US and it's allies care not for what the UN says against them….look the US and Britain invaded Iraq which lead to the death of 100s of thousands of people….against the UN.The UN has already spoken about Assange….they brushed it off….all of them, the State and the MSM.
kurumba Brandon the Top-Hatted Commie • 11 hours ago
The MAIN target for criticism re Julian Assange should be first and foremost the AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC AND AUSTRALIAN REGIME. Assange is one of THEIR own yet very little criticism is directed against a country who portrays itself as "democratic" and "freedom loving" when in reality it totally supports – including most of the population – US Aggressions and sanctions. Assange has repeatedly pleaded for help from HIS OWN COUNTRY but he has received nothing. Worse, the so called "centre-left" including ex-PM Julia Gillard have described Wikileaks as quote "a criminal organisation". Assange's case really highlights what Australia has been for decades: a total US-British lackey and coward who is forever fearful of standing up to US Imperial terror and propaganda.
Bridges "received" confidential papers he knew he was not entitled to. Assange "received" confidential papers which was legal because of journalisitic priviledge.
The American are after Assange because they said he gave Manning verbal help. The attack on the confidentiallity of budget papers was partly done on beehive premises with beehive resources.
Assange has the might of the most powerful nation aimed at him, the police decide not to take Simon's transgression any further.
So, it's been ironic watching those who attack Assange on one hand, defend Simon on the other.
Meanwhile, in New Zealand ..
Meanwhile in NZ we would prefer to stick our heads in the sand.After all, what does a free press and torture mean to us?
Let rogue states run riot in their efforts to enforce a rapacious economic system, it has little to do with us
Torture? Yes, do explain the relevance.
pearls before swine..
It's such a prevalent problem for the labour movement in this country, after all. Nothing more important to discuss here.
NZ issues are covered in depth in the main blog. Open Mike is for issues that concern us as individuals.
Ah, that expectation explains a lot. Thank you.
What evidence is that Assange has ever been tortured, even psychologically?
Basically he was going to be extradited to Sweden and pretty soon thereafter he was in the Equadorian Embassy.
It is true the UK authorities did not withdraw the arrest warrant, but could they really be expected to do so?
Assange would have been vastly better off if he had gone through the justice system of Sweden. All he did was delay the inevitable and probably at considerable psychological damage to himself due to self imposed isolation.
Ah, Wayne, the special rapporteur on torture for the UN human Rights Commission probably has far more expertise on this matter than you. If you haven't read the report or heard of it you've been living under a rock
And if you can't see how the Assange case in Sweden has been grossly politicised you're probably practising wilful ignorance
https://www.thelocal.se/20190531/un-expert-accuses-sweden-of-joining-collective-persecution-of-assange
Read the link. The UNCHR mandates special rapporteurs because of their expertise in the field.These are the guys who determine whether torture has occurred or not
Mezler has that expertise and is far more qualified on the subject than you .
Although you probably have some knowledge on the other side of the ledger
Francesca, you are a serious and concerned individual. Dr Mapp is the very opposite of that. He's been lying about torture, and defending torturers, and telling lies about journalists for years. Here he is being questioned in parliament in 2011….
What happened is Assange had consensual unprotected sex. The woman later grew apprehensive and asked him to take an STD test. He foolishly refused. She then went to the police and asked them if he could be constrained to do a test. He has never been charged even in absence with rape either by the woman or the police. he was freely allowed to leave Sweden. The torturous aspect I suggest you do a little research and it'll be as clear as a bell. We all have to educate ourselves sometimes. It's well publicised that the U$ is after him and intend to lock him up in a prison hell hole until dead. Mainly for the exposure of war crimes in IRAQ.
Johnm,
That is your view of the alleged crime in Sweden. Obviously the Swedish authorities had a different view. And were prepared to file for extradition in the UK and a trial in Sweden.
Both countries have an independent judiciary of high repute, and Assange should have trusted that.
Thanks for showing us just how mindlessly obedient and authoritarian you have to be to be a National Party minister.
Morrisey,
I am pretty sure that most members of the current government also believe that the UK and Sweden have an independent judiciary.
I would have thought it is axiomatic that one of the fundamental principles of our democratic system is that we do trust the judiciary to be independent and impartial, even if they do make mistakes from time to time.
Since you mention Afghanistan , it will not have escaped your notice that I thought an independent Inquiry was necessary as soon as it was apparent there were credible allegations of civilian casualties (by Jon Stephenson in 2014 in his programme on Maori TV).
But nevertheless, I do trust Lt General’s Mateparae and Jones.
In the 1930s people like you counselled concerned Germans to trust jurists like Roland Freisler.
The Nazi comparison is offensive, as well you know. But not unsurprising from you.
Isnt trust the problem however Wayne….the reported instances where pressure has been applied to sections of the judiciary impacting the decision process on whether to prosecute or not are fairly widespread in many jurisdictions…..the level of trust will relate to the level of belief in the level of instance
Wayne: you're wasting your time. Morrissey's responses to other people's arguments are a random selection from: appeal to authority; link to an irrelevant YouTube clip or quote; declarations of what a terrible person you are.
Wayne: ERR,no these are the facts of the situation and are not my view at all.
The byzantine insanity of the Swedish prosecutor's position:
"There is still probable cause to suspect that Mr. Assange committed rape," Swedish prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson said at a Monday press conference . She does not state clearly what that "probable cause is"!?! Why because there is none.
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/05/swedish-authorities-re-open-rape-investigation-against-julian-assange/
Sweden is not clean any more. It's cooperated with U$ war criminal authorities to perform extreme renditions from their sovereign territory.
Sweden Violated Torture Ban in CIA Rendition
https://www.hrw.org/news/2006/11/09/sweden-violated-torture-ban-cia-rendition
What is my opinion is the whole business stinks and is a filthy set up against this man!
The byzantine insanity of the Swedish prosecutor's position:
"There is still probable cause to suspect that Mr. Assange committed rape," Swedish prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson said at a Monday press conference . She does not state clearly what that "probable cause is"!?! Why because there is none.
We choose to before any evidence believe that Assange committed rape even though no one has accused him of this but we suspect that nevertheless it happened. There is we believe a probable cause for our fantasy but we are not letting on to you good folks what that is yet until we decide what the feck it is! Jesus H Christ! Am I in a loony asylum!?
You could arrest half the males on the Planet on that basis!
[Deleted pointless swearing and insult that adds nothing to the discussion – Incognito]
johnm: have you thought about it what it looks like when a man explains from a position of ignorance how the rape allegation against that man must be false? Look up the term "rape culture" and see whether you still want to continue mansplaining rape allegations away.
Our good friend "Psycho Milt" attempts to comfort the afflicted. No, not a political prisoner—nothing like that. Psycho Milt has, rather, chosen to fly to the rescue of an ex-Minister of "Defence", one who has been recorded in Hansard claiming, in a parliamentary pantomiming of high seriousness, that he and the rest of the Key regime "believes the information given to us by the New Zealand Defence Force. I believe Lieutenant General Jerry Matepārae and Lieutenant General Jones…."
So, yes, this is someone who seriously needs help. Whether or not Psycho Milt gives him any is doubtful. Let's see what the Psycho one has to say, and then deal with each of his points….
Wayne: you're wasting your time.
Wayne wasted everyone's time for many years as Minister of "Defence", telling lies about journalists and defending murderers and torturers for no other reason than that they belong to the New Zealand military. Why should he not waste a bit of his own time?
Morrissey's responses to other people's arguments are a random selection from:
"Random"? How so? Does anybody—even those who really detest this writer, i.e., moi—really think my sources are chosen at random?
appeal to authority;
I cite authoritative academics and journalists, of course. Experts, in other words. You, on the other hand, recycle black propaganda from the most disreputable and discredited and scurrilous sources. You are on a par with Wayne and his declaration of belief in the assurances of "the New Zealand Defence Force… Lieutenant General Jerry Matepārae and Lieutenant General Jones…."
link to an irrelevant YouTube clip or quote;
Really? Such as?
declarations of what a terrible person you are.
I think someone who knowingly lies to Parliament is indeed pretty terrible. What do you think of that behaviour, sir?
I'm sure Pamela Anderson, former Baywatch star, who has visited him to support him both in the Embassy and in Belmarsh would not have done these actions if assange were guilty of "rape culture." She may be a sex symbol but she isn't stupid! Re: Psycho Milt
Morrissey: no, Assange isn't a political prisoner, not unless the Yanks get their hands on him.
Wayne Mapp was a politician, so I'd be very surprised if he hadn't found himself required to at least obfuscate or find words that put his government in a better light than a plain reading of the facts would have, because that goes with the territory. Your quote of him saying something in Parliament that was later shown to be wrong isn't proof that he lied at the time, and is a fine example of item two in my proposed list of Morrissey responses: an irrelevant YouTube clip or quote.
johnm: you're effectively saying that Pamela Anderson wouldn't support Assange if he was rapey, which is another rape culture item.
Assange would have been vastly better off if he had gone through the justice system of Sweden.
The problem was, Assange and his team knew the rape claims were being used as a means by which he could be extradited to Sweden. And lurking in the background was the FBI who appeared to have come to some arrangement with the Swedish authorities that, at some point, he would be passed onto them for extradition to the US. That was the basis for him hiding in the Equadorian Embassy and I doubt he or anyone else knew it would last as long as it did.
I have no idea whether Assange committed those two rapes and I venture to suggest nobody else does either. Those who have taken sides are doing so without any evidence-based knowledge that I know of anyway.
Rape and/or sexual harrassment occur multiple times on a daily basis in every town/city in the world. Most women at some stage of their life have been through it. And up until very recent times most women did not report it either to their superiors or the police because the attitude was: stop bothering us with your petty complaints. Suck it up. It was probably your fault anyway.
Given that attitude, why was Assange's alleged rape complaint given so much more prominence from the moment they were made? It came across as a bit fishy to me given my own experiences.
And, in the event someone misinterprets my comment:
I am neither a supporter nor a detractor of Assange because I don't know the truth and I make no assumptions until the truth becomes clear.
I am neither a supporter nor a detractor of Assange…
?????
Do you support the right of journalists to report on government crimes or not?
And when did you stop beating your wife?
You're often incoherent, but that one takes some beating.
(Geddit?)
Apple pie, any opinions?
Anne, you got any credible linkys for the allegation the FBI had a secret arrangement with the Swedes to ship him on to the US? I've seen that claim plenty of times from the blindly pro-Assange crowd, but not yet from any sources look even slightly impartial. Counter to that is the 2013 reporting that Obama and Eric Holder had decided against going after Assange because of the "New York Times problem", that going after Assange would be chilling for legitimate journalism.
What is your opinion on the appropriate path forward with Assange and why? My view is if Sweden revives the extradition request, then Assange should be sent to Sweden, to answer the rape allegation. But he should definitely not be sent to the US, since the superseding indictment issued for his publishing work makes it clear the Drumpf administration wants to use him for an attack on the free press.
From a practical point of view, it should be more difficult for the US to extract Assange from Sweden than from the UK, since the UK and Sweden both have to agree to send him on to the US, and because a European Arrest Warrant was used, there's a further European court Assange can appeal to. BTW, this was also true back in 2012 when Assange first scarpered to the Ecuadorian embassy
"Abstaining from the witchhunt would have classed the dissenter as an enemy. Stalin was supported by fanatics, cynics, sadists and moral cowards."
—-Donald Rayfield, Stalin and His Hangmen: An Authoritative Portrait of a Tyrant and Those Who Served Him (Viking, 2004)
However Sweden gave no indication they would NOT send him to the USA.
@patricia: some thoughts here on whether there is any way Sweden legally could give a guarantee not to extradite to the US. In short, it probably legally can't, and even trying would open a whole can of worms.
http://klamberg.blogspot.com/2012/08/sequencing-and-discretion-of-government.html
https://newmatilda.com/2016/02/08/julian-assange-hero-and-villian/
Why on earth would the Swedes inflict that on themselves for so little payoff? Especially when there's every chance Assange would just break his word anyway, as he subsequently did with his promise to give himself up to the US if Manning was granted clemency.
Gordon Dimmack
@GordonDimmack
·
1h
A subscriber of mine has sent me this:
"Just spoke to Belmarsh Prison 0208 331 4400 and was told the following:
1. You can send Mr Julian #Assange a money order of up to £250.00, out of which he will be allowed £15.50 a week for in prison purchases and this: phone calls…
https://twitter.com/GordonDimmack?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Interesting conversation starter… You were saying…?
Oh, I guess things like getting more Māori people into the health workforce: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/113048784/concerted-effort-needed-to-encourage-mori-into-the-health-careers-and-help-their-own
Wonderful, thank you.
Welcome. So much happening.
"Earlier this month, tech giant Microsoft announced its solution to “protect” American elections from interference, which it has named “ElectionGuard.” The election technology is already set to be adopted by half of voting machine manufacturers and some state governments for the 2020 general election. Though it has been heavily promoted by the mainstream media in recent weeks, none of those reports have disclosed that ElectionGuard has several glaring conflicts of interest that greatly undermine its claim aimed at protecting U.S. democracy.
In this investigation, MintPress will reveal how ElectionGuard was developed by companies with deep ties to the U.S. defense and intelligence communities and Israeli military intelligence, as well as the fact that it is far from clear that the technology would prevent foreign or domestic interference with, or the manipulation of, vote totals or other aspects of American election systems."
https://www.mintpressnews.com/microsoft-electionguard-a-trojan-horse-for-a-military-industrial-takeover-of-us-elections/258732/
Could it be…?
That persons who endeavour to seize the digital, published or unpublished property of nations – without permission – are likely to be caught up in a serious maelstrom.
Having read the background of Julian Assange such as on Wikipedia, I gather that Assange has a spotted and unsettled life.
He appears to have been given runaway, indeed lavish, support from assorted lawyers, Journalists, Newspapers and merry go-round cheer leaders. None of whom secretly took on nations such as USA, or Australia, or the UK.
Assange's girl Friday, Chelsea Mannering did. Julian partially did. He suffered huge difficulty with what he had done. Fearing murder on the part of the USA.
But the "supporters of Assange" – wanted to drag the unwise Julian through impossible violations of national security and determination.
No Nation of any importance is going to allow even minor breaches of security to take place. Assange ran a strange – weird – gauntlet.
Those who rubbish their own Nation, and any outsiders, are seen as treasonous. The populations of attacked Nations do not support theft and the inevitable global damage of their nation.
Julian Assange is not a typical citizen. Not a typical Australian. The Full Psychclogy of Julian is unknown. It has always been thus.
Hopefully, A less eratic future lies ahead for Assange, Chelsea, and Snowden.
Keep digging
The question remains, will we ever know the truth? With the US military being out for some serious vendetta and the threat to anyone interfering, is it any wonder that a couple of people are being made to be sacrifices for "the good of all". No surprises there. A nation that can kill presidents and pretends to be a democracy, we appeal to something they don't have. Full stop.
Govt signalling shift to other investment vehicles like urban development agencies by cutting fund for inherited national infrastructure agency: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1905/S00934/budget-2019-govt-cuts-urban-infrastructure-fund-in-half.htm
Worksafe clarifies recreational risk responsibility: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1906/S00002/recreation-organisations-applaud-worksafe-clarification.htm
From Sacha's link above at 8.
Recreation Aotearoa Advocacy Manager, Sam Newton.
“New Zealand has long benefited from good relationships between landowners and recreational users. Access to our bush, mountains, lakes and streams is part of what it means to be a New Zealander,” Mr Newton said.
That point of view echoes one regularly and complacently rolled out; an example of how many are happy with the status quo that leaves many people having a ghostly presence at the fringe of society – the rabble outside the usually invisible gates.
If being able to access our bush etc is 'part of what it means to be a New Zealander' then there are large tranches of people who are not acknowledged as being included as real NZs, as part of their birthright in their own country. They can't afford to move around their own locality, and may not be able to afford to visit their families in other parts of the country, much less go swanning off to the bush, the beach, and the public baths (which are probably more hygienic than venturing into what used to be unspoiled nature.
When Helen Clark wanted to recreate she went off tramping in the bush and the mountains. I think I read that Theresa May goes to Switzerland. The world is dividing up into worthy of a lifestyle, and unworthy of one. The phrase about being from the wrong side of the tracks crops up USA songs, now they have spread their culture over us who tried to achieve equality. And our birthright has been up for grabs for some time. It is time we began Health Camps again, we are at that Depression level now.
cheers sacha…interesting….wtf is a PCBU?
Worksafe jargon for the responsible entity: https://worksafe.govt.nz/managing-health-and-safety/getting-started/understanding-the-law/primary-duty-of-care/who-or-what-is-a-pcbu/
Here's a recent example of the boss being prosecutable for health and safety failures: https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/dcc/meeting-reveals-bitter-council-divisions-and-claim-bullying
How one NZ boss chooses who to hire: https://www.nzherald.co.nz//business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12236292
quite a ludicrous test…maybe that's why Xero is such a 'gunna' after what 12-13 years .
Well…
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/112767348/xero-shares-leap-after-it-moves-into-profit
Linking benefits to wages will produce little improvement: https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/budget/113093347/budget-nz-2019-benefits-will-follow-wage-growth-in-historic-change
Sacha, you might need to explain your rationale more here, as the article by itself seems to say differently. I am genuinely unsure of this, and would appreciate your explanation, as adequate benefit levels are very important.
It's a trifling move, spread over years. The WEAG recommended a far more significant urgent increase. Which part of the article did you read as saying otherwise?
Thanks for the explanation. The WEAG was mentioned by a Green commentator but the article did not talk about a far more significant increase.
The increase spoken of is between $10 and $17 per week over and above an increase under the former calculation method.
That's between $520 and $884 a year extra. This is on a par with the winter energy payments- for which we were grateful yesterday as the cold front came through.
The method also puts it into line with the way my Super is calculated.
The article said that benefit payments were expected to grow between $27 and $46 per week over four years, above inflation increases. That's a yearly increase between $1404 and $2392. The measures will affect 339,000 people and are part of a package to lift some 74000 children out of poverty. That goal is to be measured and the government held accountable by that measurement.
Is that trifling? Remember that there are also other payments available.
What do you suggest as a decent yet affordable benefit level? All I really know about is superannuation as a long term payment to live on.
What did the WEAG recommend?
I see further down you recommended some further reading. I’d appreciate a steer in that direction, too.
See https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2019/05/15/what-wish-Sepuloni-had-said-welfare.html
To their credit, the Budget has raised the abatement threshold more than govt was suggesting just after the WEAG report was released.
Thanks again. I'll give Prof. Susan St John's report a good read. I note the article you cite from her is dated 15 May, and pre-Budget therefore. I'd be interested to look up her actual take on the Budget provisions if there is one to be read yet.
Part of CPAG’s response: https://www.cpag.org.nz/news/budget-provides-relief-but-nothing-transformational/
🙂 Appreciate the feedback, Sacha. Some sense and purpose amongst the trollery and the folly here.
Cheers. I find that tiring too.
"Sense and purpose"? Oh, that's right—you're another supporter of state suppression of journalism, aren't you.
Why do you think I was referring to you, Morrissey, or to your issues?
You're expressing—for some bizarre reason—support for Sacha, who tried to belittle and derail a discussion about the state destruction of Julian Assange this morning.
What's the "trollery and the folly" you're talking about? Have you actually looked at her contributions?
I am expressing thanks for her response to me about issues to do with benefit levels. Under #10 thread. Morrissey, read my comments in context, please.
Sorry, Mac. My mistake.
Sorry you copped that. Context and perspective really do elude some commenters.
Thanks to both of you.
Context and perspective really do elude [all] some commenters [at times]. FIFY
One of the reasons why establishment historians and educators refuse to allow New Zealand history of British colonialisation and conquest and war in our schools, is that it might bring an understanding of the true nature of imperialism, conquest, plunder, colonialism, racism and war, that still has relevance today.
Increased focus on NZ's own colonial war with recent publication of historian Vincent O'Malley's book: https://www.noted.co.nz/currently/history/vincent-o-malley-past-maori-pakeha-conflict/
Vincent O'Malley is a brilliant historian. He deserves to be interviewed by someone intelligent and well informed. Instead, he was interviewed last Saturday by the embarrassingly dreadful Noelle McCarthy…
https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2019/05/noelle-mccarthy-displays-her-ignorance.html
She'd probably swallowed a cake of his grandma's lye soap @Moz.
Do you not find different perspectives and prejudices just a little bit interesting? Homogeneity and the sameness of the masses is what bothers me
Who were the real savages?
Dunedin Council dinosaurs out themselves: https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/dcc/1m-plus-extra-climate-change-work
Central bus loop vote flushes out another one: https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/dcc/free-central-city-bus-loop-and-subsidised-fares-win-support
I only wish we had city councilors as forward thinking as this in Auckland.
The equivalent of the Dunedin Fare Free City loop in Auckland, would be Fare Free on the Northern Busway and across the Harbour Bridge.
Seems a no brainer to me.
The equivalent? A service to only one part of the region in no way compares with a central loop.
The devil is in the definition of "loop" (the screwed that one before, putting the loop where they wanted people to go rather than where the people wanted to go), but it's a good start.
Suddenly we're seeing tangible action from councillors – you'd think it was an election year or something…
Ok that's enough now, you're reminding me of Ed and that's a bit upsetting.
Heh. Think of it as a day's worth at once – and not all about one fringe topic.
But wouldn't you agree Sacha that Auckland with its bridge reaching maximum capacity would be a good pilot program for showing how to reduce individual car trips. First the free buses, then the back-fill of park and ride, and other systems for people getting from home to bus station. You are thinking major idea, but there are steps towards that which would be valuable in showing the way and how to work it.
The Northern Busway has already greatly reduced the proportion of trips over the bridge by car. If you want a pilot for public transport, try South Auckland. I'd also recommend background reading on the topic at https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/
Thanks Sacha will do.
They really know their stuff.
Italian Dockers Rule Au Quai
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/05/24/work-m24.html
Truth hurts… but not always and not forever IF it is acknowledged imo.
With hindsight marty mars, what would have been a more appropriate way for all of the world's explorers and colonisers to go about their explorations and colonisations, since humanity first walked out of Africa? And is there a particular group of explorers and colonisers that you know of which conducted themselves in this way, or a better way?
I'm just curious – no ulterior motive to the question. Have been doing a lot of reading the last while about humanity's expansions around the planet on many multiple occasions and across multiple species. It is a fascinating subject I think.
I was thinking of Cook this morning and how right from his days, there was an appreciation of the different cultures and knowledge here than what Captain Cook and his compatriots knew. Tupaia in 1769 was the bold guide and pilot who went with the white adventurers, braving the seas and many unknowns as the Polynesian adventurers had succeeded in over generations.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupaia_(navigator) Tupaia (also known as Tupaea or Tupia) (c. 1725 – December, 26 1770) was a Tahitian Polynesian navigator and arioi (a kind of priest), originally from the island of Ra'iatea in the Pacific Islands group known to Europeans as the Society Islands.
There has been a study of a chart he produced from The Journal of the Polynesian Society. http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/docs/Volume116/jps_v116_no3_2007/3%20A%20new%20reading%20of%20Tupaias%20chart.pdf
On 13 July. 1769, upon leaving Tahiti for the Leeward islands, Cook wrote: … throughout their voyage and to pilot the Endeavour through the uncharted waters of….
If we remember that early dependence and respect for knowledge and cultural guidance, and increase our commitment to follow as many of the cultural practices as possible it will be a huge boon for us to ride the waves of climate change and attempted new colonisations from all over the world.
Paul Spoonley on immigration may have useful thoughts. It may be that Maori would agree that we should enable numbers of Pacific Islanders to come here and form small communities within the larger ones, that can be self-sustaining for the basics. They call on the world for help and we, near neighbours, should be finding ways to assist and include them.
We could for instance, limit entrance to Indians and perhaps Filipinos, not stop them, but just limit numbers by stopping ripping-them off as paying customers, by having no registered agents but allowing con-artists to treat them fraudulently on our behalf.
Cook was a product of his times as much as we are of ours. He was no saint nor demon imo – just a flawed man with skills. I've read a lot of books on the man and his family. But who he was is incidental to what he represents in today's world – sad but history does that.
Okay I know there is controversy about celebrations of Captain Cook. But what I said about how he tried to understand what was going on in his often initial meetings with locals is something pakeha must continue today. I think that honouring him as a great adventurer and navigator in NZ, must include Tupaia who acted to assist him, and together the two men with a deep knowledge of the marine environment and sailing history understood each other. Rather like Hillary and Sherpa Tensing.
Edit:
Pakeha and tauiwi have done much in combining our political and cultural ways with Maori but it is only baby steps to where we should go now. And when Maori think about the ways we conduct ourselves I think you would agree Marty Mars, Maori finds pakeha too patronising and judgmental. I as a pakeha find many pakeha like this, particularly those who have monetised everything and set standards of which they are the arbiters; the words 'style over substance' occur to me often.
He didn't try and understand so much. No so great that guy. Read some history about him – he is a complex stoic interesting man.
http://southseas.nla.gov.au/journals/cook/17691008.html
Marty Mars Edit
We all are complex interesting people who come here (both to NZ in the past and to The Standard in the present) and try and navigate the troubled seas of modernity and technology addiction Marty Mars. I am a pakeha and am learning from you, a Maori, and trying to understand your strengths and flaws, as well as my own with a view to imagining, imaging, visualising an uncertain future where people can use their talents to overcome dangers, one of them being that of resiling into the bestiality of society of the major slaving times, and the 19th and part 20th century.
And that quest is being replicated throughout this site. Voyagers into the unknown we are. Just a thunk.
I think they are touching on this in The Truth Sayers post. But I have to go and do something – the sun is out am I supposed to meet a friend this afternoon can’t remember, I should be in the garden. So I’ve put my 2 dents (cents) worth in for the day. And am I too old fashioned to be of use – 2 cents isn’t even a currency any more?
He was an interesting bloke – not really upper crust, but managed to assemble a crack cartography team. The only reason we've heard of him was because he produced a high end chart of Hudson Bay, which got him the Pacific job. The Koreans are annoyed with him too – not for colonizing, but for labelling their East Sea (Donghae) The Sea of Japan.
Likely the crew of a smaller vessel that transported Cook and other "notable persons" from the Endeavour were the first to step ashore. Cook and Banks and probably others kept diaries and there are books about them and Tupaia. We will never know the stories of the men and boys who sailed and rowed the vessels.
nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-MacHist-t1-body-d3.html
Bad apples DO spoil the whole bunch – sometimes – wonder what they wanted the information for?
Nice bit of figure-fudging in that report – say only two police officers doing it so far this year, but at the end says that incidents atill under investigation aren't included in that total.
So it looks like the problem is drastically improved from 2016 (25 cops doing it) to 9 in 2018 to 2 so far in 2019, but if the investigations and organisational appeals take on average longer than six months you can probably add at least another 2 to the 2018 figures. And if you can really drag out the investigations and appeals, who knows whether there's been any improvement at all…
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2018697819/research-shows-teachers-predict-student-success-as-well-as-exams
New research from King's College London has found that teacher assessments are equally as reliable as standardised exams at predicting educational success. The study's co-lead researchers join Jim to discuss their findings and what it could mean for the educational sector.
Teachers need adequate funding, and fair classroom/teaching conditions, to enable them to fully do their job and most of them will comprehend their students' abilities and weaknesses and help them to success. I think that follows reasonably, from the above paragraph.
And students facing a kaleidoscope world while they are developing into adults, which is a delayed process in the western? world, where they are treated as children with limited agency right through their secondary, teenage years, and often into their university years. In other cultures they might be adult at 14.
Counselling help is already given at times but many need more than that.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2018697825/dr-sharon-hoover-mental-health-assistance-in-schools-will-transform-lives
The truth is coming out over there too – for years indigenous activists and caring others have said there is a REAL situation here – women are dying, indigenous women are disappearing.
I have remembered for decades the closing down of a small town in Canada about the truth of a murdered Cree woman. One of the perpetrators actually confessed in public but they continued to repress the facts and avoided admitting and facing justice by the white young men who were guilty and had been deliberately brutal (it wasn't death by accident at all).
Edit:
Helen Betty Osborne, or Betty Osborne (July 16, 1952 – November 13, 1971), was a Cree Aboriginal woman from Norway House reserve who was kidnapped and murdered while walking down Third Street in The Pas, Manitoba.
During the initial days of the investigation, attention was placed on Betty's friends. Unfortunately, unacceptable recording and preserving of evidence at the Pump House (the crime scene) seriously crippled the investigation.[4]
Dwayne Archie Johnston, James Robert Paul Houghton, Lee Scott Colgan and Norman Bernard Manger, four young, Caucasian men from The Pas, were eventually implicated in her death. However, it was not until December 1987, sixteen years after her death, that any of them were convicted of the crime. It was at this time that Constable Rob Urbanowski took over the investigation and placed an ad in the local newspaper asking for witnesses to come forward. Even then, only Johnston was convicted, as Houghton had been acquitted, Colgan had received immunity for testifying against Houghton and Johnston, and Manger was never charged.
The Aboriginal Justice Implementation Commission conducted an investigation into concerns surrounding the length of time involved in resolving the case. According to the Commission report, Osborne's autopsy showed that "along with well over 50 stab wounds, her skull, cheekbones and palate were broken, her lungs were damaged, and one kidney was torn. Her body showed extensive bruising."[5] The Commission concluded that the most significant factors prolonging the case were racism, sexism and indifference of white people.[3] The Royal Canadian Mounted Police officially closed the Osborne case on February 12, 1999.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Betty_Osborne
WARNING: Some dire radio coming up this morning.
Jim Mora has a Venezuelan guest at 11:45 this morning. Expect some complacent observations and ill thought through questions, and little or no mention of the U.S. war on that nation.
Here, for the record, are just a couple of instances of Mora making malignant and ignorant remarks about Venezuela…..
https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/minecraft-chat-rooms-are-full-of-inane.html
https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/two-democratic-heroes-two-very.html
Good aerial photos illustrate story about the huge cut-down of urban trees after last govt changed laws protecting them: https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/112898870/the-aotearoa-chainsaw-massacre
Its coming.
https://twitter.com/mattmfm/status/1134833983261413376
https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson_MP/status/1134398873328398336
Someone here is going to have to stretch their analytical legs and forecast the future economic and social strength of the UK after leaving the EU. It's going to happen, probably now in October, and in reality there's no turning back. After this shit there's little way the UK would be admitted back.
I can easily see the UK being relegated to the same economic size as Brazil, and slipping fast down the top 20 economies.
Diplomatically it will quickly become an irrelevance of little use to the US, because it will no longer be an English-speaking gateway into the EU.
I don't wish decline onto any country, but this is where the UK is going and going fast.
Here's my prediction. One, maybe two generations of UK kids in school are fucked. It's like the post war with out the war. Just self mutilation.
Post-WW2 Great Britain especially 1945-1951 was governed exceptionally well and tackled poverty, health, education, and inequality head-on.
Here's two summaries:
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2001/mar/14/past.education
https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/zt4hvcw/revision/2
There's still good coherence amongst Northern Ireland government, and scraps of it remaining in Scotland, but England itself – well I can agree with you in its future damage to children – once the Conservatives really carry out what they promise post-Brexit, which is a fully root and branch deregulation of the English economy and English society.
Property speculation has worked pretty well across the western world for one reason – immigration.
Margaret Thacthers property boom did more to destroy the UK than Hitlers Germany could have ever hoped. Right now birth rates are falling across the western world. For some reason having babies is now seen as a taboo issue for the woke to signal to there friends it's okay to be outrage about a penis ejaculating into a vagina bareback. I digress.
So think about it. Hard boarders post BREXIT is a signal to tighten immigration. When the birth rate hits 1 which last I looked Britain wasn't to far off hitting, but when it hits 1 the population halves in 20-40 years or 2 generations or so. All the buildings will still be there it's just that there will be half the people. Thx Maggy.
Here's my prediction. The world will continue to globalise and not even notice Brexit. And every nation will be caught up in it, including especially such powers and actors as the UK.
As such, the UK wont feel Brexit at all, except perhaps some initial teething, and it will get pulled into the globalisation that humanity is undergoing,… brexit? pfftt… world governance of various shades will continue to spread and, other than the occasional foot trip, nobody can stop it..
Why bother tho? Heathrow is one of the shittiest airports Iv been to. There's always some kind of delay in there. If it's not the gates shutting on you as you exit the plane the carrousel or some dumb technical bulshit. And all the staff just stand around like duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh, I don't know duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh. It's fucken cold, dark and Prince Charles will be King soon. Tell me, why should I invest in the UK?
Yah! At last someone talking sense on Brexit. Although my gut feeling is a 'no-deal crash out Brexit' will have real impact on the UK in the short-term (for instance there is a real chance Scotland will secede and Northern Ireland will join up with the Republic), you're otherwise on the nail.
Regardless of Brexit, the EU will will prove in historic terms little more than a step along the way towards something more effective. We haven't even seen the impact of Xi Xinping's Belt and Road initiative yet.
Only thinking that will happen to the UK post BREXIT is the U.S turns the U.K into the little Okinawa of the Atlantic.
I consider this a possibility (vto 6.29 pm) but if people don't like that scenario, they must get up and find and form a new extended family to prevent us getting picked off by the machine-brain, monetised, materialistic, elite and fellow travellers presently to be found as close as in your own families.
No horse and guards welcome, no address to Lords and MPs, no speech to Parliament and no palace stay. Ouch.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/bare-minimum-britain-decides-no-palace-stay-or-parliamentary-speech-for-trump-in-low-key-state-visit
The guards regiment (have cunningly ) been disguised to infiltrate the Brussels bureaucracy following Brexit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8eofPTGXxI
A nice cup of tea, Chinese tea, that is.
I have heard of people writing to KiwiBank and saying they should not be ditching cheques and should keep this basic old fashioned transaction system as a useful tool, in case!
Grey Power at its recent Federation AGM gave the CEO of KiwiBank a good serve a fortnight ago when he spoke to the delegates. He reported that his mother gave him the same arguments against ditching cheques and closing branches. His argument was that his bank did not want to be the last one to be servicing cheques (so they got in first?). Those wanting to use cheques could go elsewhere. The service he argued had to be closed before the last cheque was written by the last chequebook holder.
As Ad says succinctly – horseshit.
Ah, but smell the roses…….
Can't they told me to go elsewhere.
Back on Kiwiblog, but still not feeling the love.
Fifty downticks so far….
https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2019/06/general_debate_2_june_2019.html/comment-page-1#comment-2501494
"….the threat of being pushed into the sea." Does Duncan Greive do no editing? How did this garbage get through?
After the March 15 massacre in Christchurch, someone calling herself "Sara Green" wrote a mostly anodyne and unremarkable little response to it. Most of this piece is pedestrian, but she ("Sara Green" is a pseudonym) veers off into fanaticism and propaganda near the end….
Why Jews all the time? Quoting religion and the taking of Jesus' life is given as an excuse. She just is thinking through her feelings after the Christchurch massacre. She explains it all in these paragraphs:
She visited Israel:
And – horror of horrors – I noticed the hierarchy. At the time of my visit, those at the bottom of the pecking order were refugees from the dissolved Soviet Union; before that, I was told, it was the North African Jews. All Jews were clearly not equal in Israel.
Israel is a Jewish homeland and sanctuary. Yet every day its citizens, both Arabs and Jews, live with acts of terrorism and with the threat of being pushed into the sea.
It’s an unfortunate fact that you can’t alter extreme and rigid beliefs with rational argument. So we can’t change extremists, only ourselves – potentially.
Threats remain against Israel although it has taken extreme defence measures, including getting an atomic bomb. But the threats unite the country and make it easy for a military backed political party that responds to Palestine armed protest with unequal violence. It can even be said that they provoke attack so they can justify their scare tactics and propaganda. But this is what the Jews have had in the past, can't forget.
Jews are used to being on the move, to being expelled, from Rome in the 1st century AD, from England in 13th century and from Spain in the 15th century. They are used to being directed where they can live, to ghetto life. The Pale of Settlement (now Belarus). The Warsaw Ghetto. Pogroms. Jew-baiting.
How can people behave in such a way towards members of their own society?
The history of their suffering over the generations is always there. How can you relax completely when time and again the country you live in turns against you. It was almost The End in Germany and other places also.
Parker will regret that contract he signed.
Ruiz knocks down Joshua twice in the third and twice in the 7th and wins by KO.
Ruiz!
Just love it when the unprepossessing short guy wastes the cocky prick.
There's still hope for a body like mine.
Good piece by Henry Cooke.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/113157184/budget-2019-could-be-transformational-but-we-wont-know-right-away
I believe that technically neither the Minister of Finance nor the PM appoint or employ the Treasury Secretary so neither could fire him or accept his resignation. As far as I know, he has already resigned, with notice.
media induced nocebo effect
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/2018697615/media-reports-toxic-side-effects
It is well known that generics cause nasty side effects because they are cheaper, which makes them also less effective. Mainstream and social media are perfectly safe and have no physiological effects on us at all. How could they? We don’t ingest or inhale them, do we?
heh
https://twitter.com/hxhassan/status/1134983674187931649
lol that was funny
From this video.
https://youtu.be/RLqXkYrdmjY?t=191
Speaker on Te Ahi Kaa today had some interesting points.
Clinical Psychologist Dr Waikaremoana Waitoki than provides her own analysis of what it means to be happy.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/teahikaa/audio/2018697687/te-ahi-kaa-for-2-june-2019
"Rationing to tackle the climate crisis could be given a modern-day makeover. People could be allocated polluting credits to cover activities such as meat eating and flying that they can sell and buy in an online marketplace. If you’re short of cash, or not that bothered about eating meat or flying abroad, you can feel smug as you sell your credits to someone who is, which makes this far more equitable than green taxes. And setting a population-level limit on something such as meat consumption would create huge incentives for companies to invest more in the production of things such as environmentally friendly, lab-grown meat.”
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/01/sin-taxes-on-meat-or-flying-wont-change-a-climate-hypocrite-like-me-rationing-might
Is it possible that the only realistic method to achieve the change required in a timely manner could be gathering steam??
How did it come to be MSD paid around $3800 a week for a property that was rented out for around $500 a week? Moreover, how many other properties are they vastly overpaying for?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/property/113166235/tenant-made-more-than-60000-after-illegally-subletting-rental-to-homeless
Corruption or incompetence? Tip of the iceberg or a one off?
Kia ora Newshub.
Graham I feel the same way as you about Aotearoa congratulation O Sir Graham sorry.
That's good news the housing price is stabilizing and rising slightly.
Tamariki get hurt playing sports just playing in a field a tamariki can get hurt I don't think there is a problem with our children sports.
Eco Maori knowns about security I go into a organization and they are Already nervous go figure they have racially profiled me discriminated against me.
kevin spacey finally sitting on a hot seat in a courthouse about time.
The cricket is looking exciting this World Cup.
I do agree a murder should have no calls on there children unless there are no love ones no carers then they have a say.
I agree the Japanese Wahine having to wear highheals as a worker's dress code for mahi work that law needs be banned too our history books.
Ka kite ano
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/amGI5T0JGDc
Human caused Climate changes will have a direct impact negatively on tangata health and all the creatures.
We can see the negative impact on Papatuanuku now that's reality.
Climate crisis seriously damaging human health, report finds
National academies say effects include spread of diseases and worse mental health
A report by experts from 27 national science academies has set out the widespread damage global heating is already causing to people’s health and the increasingly serious impacts expected in future
Scorching heatwaves and floods will claim more victims as extreme weather increases but there are serious indirect effects too, from spreading mosquito-borne diseases to worsening mental health.
“There are impacts occurring now [and], over the coming century, climate change has to be ranked as one of the most serious threats to health,” said Prof Sir Andrew Haines, a co-chair of the report for the European Academies’ Science Advisory Council (Easac).
'So much land under so much water': extreme flooding is drowning parts of the midwest
However, there were also great benefits from action to cut carbon emissions, the report found, most notably cutting the 350,000 early deaths from air pollution every year in Europe caused by burning fossil fuels. “The economic benefits of action to address the current and prospective health effects of climate change are likely to be substantial,” the report concluded la kite ano link below.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jun/03/climate-crisis-seriously-damaging-human-health-report-finds
Some Eco Maori for the minute.
https://youtu.be/F6aB2xqVuZA
Kia ora Newshub.
Lloyd I back the protesters protesting trump he is a climate change denier we have to stand firm on that climate change.
Our tamariki sports stars are ok stop with the cotton wool.
His heathers look in excellent condition no comment on his issues with MPI .
With the jailed father mother ect it has to be about what good for the children don't take all the family rights from people in jail take the custody right from those that kill there parents everyone should not suffer for the wrongs of the few.
Brian has dune good for a lot of tangata whenua he just forgets that no one is perfect .
Ka kite ano
Kia ora te ao Maori news
I could see that Kohanga Reo were under resorsed 20 years ago it will be harder now.
Winston in the Solomon Island ka pai our Pacific cousins needs Aotearoa help in this fast changing Papatuanuku and climate change.
Haka Brazil ka pai teach everyone about how great tangata whenua O Aotearoa cultural is in Reality.
Its cool that the old Maori ronga looks likely to heal Tane Mahuta from the Kauai die back disease heaps of Maori medical knowledge has been losted. I see that the WHO World Health Organization has given the thumbs up to traditional Chinese Medicine.
Ka kite ano
Some Eco Maori music for the minute
https://youtu.be/Xo7WjnC8ekQ
Thanks to 7 sharp for running the story on Ngati Porou East Coast Rugby
Kia ora The Am Show.
Graham I think that council's needs to find the most efficient way to provide services. I say taking the option to save money is a must we have to minimize OUR consumption of goods and services to save our future. The Onekawa pools we cool a few years ago.
We need to taxs the——-out of carbon that will let natural products rise to their correct status. Wool wood ect and save Papatuanuku.
I think our government should go for more taxes from the Tech internet industry. Companies tax doesn't even pay half as much as the PAYE pay as you earn figure that one out they make BILLIONS using OUR infrastructure the many subsidising the 00.1%.
Thanks to the Auckland council for taking the Kauri die back disease seriously by closing down walking tracks to minimize the spread the disease.
The cabinet reshuffle I have my backing on a couple of people rising.
I was going to congratulate Mark on his shirts.
Ka kite ano
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/1SN7Pko_jCM
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/tgIqecROs5M
Kia ora Newshub.
Looks like tawhirimate has been up to mischief up Northland Global warming has increased his mana.
Thanks for all your years of service Steve Tue
That's what Eco Maori wants Peace freedom and JUSTICE Jeremy Corbyn .
Wow I just told someone a story about me and my cousin next minute.
That's a hard one the guy being charged with being a coward not everyone has courage but I suppose he should not have had a job as a security guard when you ain't got it —–that is.
The weather is cold Ingred
Ka kite ano.
Kia ora te ao Maori news.
Talisa it will be a lot warmer there in the Solomon island it looks like they need heaps of help with their economy and infrastructure it is good that Aotearoa can help them
I'm a big Fan of Moana Jackson yes we need to help our homeless tangata.
I agree with Ella Henry the price of housing has pushed tangata whenua out of the market they are way too expensive.
But it will take a bit of time for Labour to clean up national short mess in whare.
I don't think that the tax on smokes should go up any more.
I agree smoking is the hardest habit to kick I gave up 2 times one we ran out of smokes at sea for the last 2 weeks the other I was in hospital for 2 weeks lol.
Ma te wa When im in the correct place then I will focus on giving up .
Our rangitahi do need a lot of help with mental health and addictions its so easy for them to find the bad contraband.
Ka kite ano