Open mike 02/06/2024
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Well, I've been there, sitting in that same chairWhispering that same prayer half a million timesIt's a lie, though buried in disciplesOne page of the Bible isn't worth a lifeThere's nothing wrong with youIt's true, it's trueThere's something wrong with the villageWith the villageSomething wrong with the villageSongwriters: Andrew Jackson ...14 hours ago - Government Forces Universities to Enforce “Free Speech” While Limiting Universities̵...
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The Government cancelled 60% of Kāinga Ora’s new builds next year, even though the land for them was already bought, the consents were consented and there are builders unemployed all over the place. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political ...2 days ago - Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Saturday, December 21
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- Shameless, clueless
AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...5 days ago - Minimum wage ‘increase’ is an effective cut
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- Thank You
Hi all,I'm pretty overwhelmed by all your messages and emails today; thank you so very much.As much as my newsletter this morning was about money, and we all need to earn money, it was mostly about world domination if I'm honest. 😉I really hate what’s happening to our country, and ...1 week ago - 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #50
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Hi,“What I love about New Zealanders is that sometimes you use these expressions that as Americans we have no idea what those things mean!"I am watching a 30-something year old American ramble on about how different New Zealanders are to Americans. It’s his podcast, and this man is doing a ...1 week ago - Chris Penk’s Hate Parade
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All those tears on your cheeksJust like deja vu flow nowWhen grandmother speaksSo tell me a story (I'll tell you a story)Spell it out, I can't hear (What do you want to hear?)Why you wear black in the morning?Why there's smoke in the air? Songwriter: Greg Johnson.Mōrena all ☀️Something a ...1 week ago
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National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...2 days ago - Release: Minister’s plan for tertiary sector a backwards step
Returning to the model that was failing for most polytechnics and Institutes of Technology is not the answer. ...2 days ago
- Release: National buries 1019 planned homes
It’s been revealed that National has cancelled 60 percent of its housing projects planned before mid-2025 amidst housing woes. ...3 days ago
- Release: Rule-Czar bill a right-wing power grab
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...3 days ago
- Release: Why not both? Luxon shuns Waitangi celebrations
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is running away from problems of his own creation, with his decision not to go to Waitangi. ...3 days ago
- Govt’s ‘free speech’ legislation stokes fear, not freedom
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...3 days ago - Release: Nicola Willis spirals country deeper into recession
The economy shrank 1% this quarter and New Zealand has tumbled into the depths of a recession of Nicola Willis’ making. ...3 days ago
- Release: Hikes for company directors but not ordinary Kiwis
Working people are going backwards while company directors are being given huge pay hikes. ...4 days ago
- ECE no place to cut corners
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...4 days ago
- Release: Strengthening Justice Services for New Zealanders
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...5 days ago
- Release: Labour will continue fight against destructive projects
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...5 days ago
- Green Government will revoke dodgy fast-track projects
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...5 days ago
- Government for the wealthy keeps pushing austerity
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...5 days ago
- Release: Visa changes let migrant workers be paid less
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...5 days ago
- Release: Nightmare before Christmas for Nicola Willis
With more debt and a larger deficit, Nicola Willis’ reputation is in tatters after her failure to return the Government’s books to surplus. ...5 days ago
- Warning to Fast-Track Applicants – ‘Exploit the Whenua, Face the Consequences’
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...5 days ago
- Release: Govt cuts wages for lowest paid NZers… again
For the second year running, the government has effectively cut wages for the lowest paid workers in New Zealand. ...6 days ago
- Govt’s miserly 1.5% minimum wage will take workers backwards
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt shirking responsibility for rate hikes
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...6 days ago
- Luxon’s ‘localism’ strikes again
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt breaks promise on EV chargers
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...6 days ago
- Greens call for end to subsidies for Methanex
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...6 days ago
- Govt child poverty targets allow for increase in poverty
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...1 week ago
- Release: Four weeks annual leave under threat
The Government’s attack on workers continues with news it is scrapping work on the Holidays Act. ...1 week ago
- Govt’s emissions plan for measly 1% reduction
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...1 week ago
- Greens stand in solidarity with Whakaata Māori on sad day
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...1 week ago
- Sanctions regime to create more hardship for families
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...1 week ago
- Govt gifts renters housing anxiety for Christmas
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...1 week ago
- Release: National Party urged to support modern slavery legislation
Labour is urging the Prime Minister to walk the talk and support legislation combating modern slavery. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour has lost confidence in the Speaker
The Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament made an unprecedented decision on the government amendment to the Fast Track Approvals Bill last night. ...2 weeks ago
- One year on, still no progress on new ferries
Today’s announcement from the Government on its plan for new ferries throws more uncertainty on the future of the country’s rail network. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Nicola Willis’ smaller ferries will cost more
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...2 weeks ago
- Bill to sanction unlawful occupation of Palestine
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour fully supports greyhound racing ban
The Government has done the right thing in moving to ban greyhound racing. ...2 weeks ago
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- Rangatahi voices must be centred in Government’s Relationship and Sexuality Education refresh
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- New appointments to the Charities Registration Board
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- New Zealand to assist Vanuatu on earthquake response
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As a retired teacher, I'm feeling highly pissed off about the imposition (again) of charter schools!
State schools will have mandated methods of teaching – an hour a day of reading, writing and maths, structured literacy, no cell phones, hungry (or under nourished) kids etc.
Charter schools OTOH, can do whatever they like, and teach anyway they wish.
It seems to me, if it works (?) for charter school, then why shouldn't the freedom and power to innovate work also for state schools?
Perhaps, just perhaps, this is part of Seymour's ongoing campaign against the two strongest unions in the country, and nothing about what's best for our kids at all?
PS – I’m glad I’m retired and don’t have to put up with this shit!
Well said.-The policies of Seymour and Stanford are awful. Even if you are retired please keep doing the mahi to stop their destructive influence.
https://www.thepost.co.nz/politics/350293431/stats-nz-investigating-potential-misuse-maori-census-data/?utm_source=stuff_article&utm_medium=referral
Crooked behavior from tmp??
That would be bad, if true. Were any of them offered fast-track approval to mine on conservation land?
Nothing to see here. We can safely ignore the bit where the then head of the marae and now MP says
"Kemp wrote: “Awesome … we want to collect data from the forms. Name, address, contact number, ethnicity can we get the 109 names onto a spreadsheet please. We will double check the census data and tick off from the data base.”
After all, the Maori Party President says "Tamihere strenuously denied that census information was collected and misused. He accused the complainants of “having a gripe”. He said he would not permit Kemp to be interviewed."
That looks good enough for you surely? They would never do anything wrong would they?
On cue dirty politics apologist adds their two cents.
Funny how this makes news after the Tory wankers have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
Making the support, take care of, give hospitality to, protect, look out for – show respect, generosity and care for others, a crime now.
Odd that no proof, just accusations and an a year later a complaint to police.
Reeks of dirty politics, but with the Tory scum in power what else do you expect.
Funny that the lawyer involved has 'Vexatious': Restraining order imposed on them.
https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/embattled-anti-bullying-crusader-allan-halse-slapped-with-restraining-order/
More reek of dirty politics.
So tmp didn't harvest data from the census to use in the election?
Has a judge ruled they have?
Seems to me so far it is all allegations and wild speculation?
No smoking gun in the piece linked, or did you see one?
Tamihere used Waipārera Trust money to finance TPM and to pay for his own failed mayoral campaign but this is all above board. Really?
https://archive.li/m4E1x (nzherald)
TMP is the method used to calculate transmission charges.
Te Pāti Māori or the Māori Party is that what your talking about? Well over the lazy/racist abbreviation on this web site.
Rants from the useful idiots are just a bit tiresome, can always find them when ever anything about the Te Pāti Māori come up.
Offer some facts rather than feelings, and the racist smears like the link from the herald, being a racist rag it has been for well over a hundred years. That said from you link, the loan has been paid back. So who trying to trick who…
That's all you've got?
weak
Fresh Water Protection rollback. Well, we knew it was coming….especially with ex FedFarm, now Act MP, Hoggard
Greenpeace warns…
Things are bad enough already for our waterways without Andrew Hoggard's efforts to remove environmental restrictions on farmers.
Canterbury Regional Council v Giltrap (10 May 2024) is but one example: http://nzlii.org/nz/cases/NZDC/2024/10561.html
I have great regard for Greenpeace and their friends, Forest and Bird, the E.D.S. , et al….
I think they will be pushing the : Fight Back . While we still can.
India, USA and UK – a lot of voting.
Tories v Lib Dems for second.
https://x.com/PolitlcsUK/status/1796979348014027158
https://x.com/PolitlcsUK/status/1796633766133211140
A stonking win for the "candidate from MI5" – shame they don't have PR to moderate it.
Thanks, interesting video about the Tories, Keir Starmer and the state of UK politics.
Maybe Aotearoa NZ isn't that far behind, but our govt did have a better handle on the pandemic, and (as you say) at least we have MMP.
Modi's operandus – touch touch touch me, he wants a third term.
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/55d1/live/c7224730-1f4d-11ef-80aa-699d54c46324.jpg.webp
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgllg541xmxo
I hope not, Theocracy, is an ugly way to organise society. Modi is starting to think of himself as some sort of God like figure.
Why expand death by doctor, when they can't even offer up the money for decent palliative care in this country.
THE economic option, the reality of liberalism as an economic system – we can offer a cheap death just ask and we will get a doctor to do it for you.
Mind you, they still have those using medical cannabis, to live with bloody a expensive process, and product.
Fun place this country, fun place.
I suspect that Dr Fast Death David’s motivation for euthanasia was purely financial, it costs a lot to keep someone in hospice or life support, far better for that money to go to deserving donors and not of the organ kind. I see now the option may be available to those young so depressed that they wish for that option too. It was probably the plan all along. Seymour is truly evil.